For a show focused on mortality, few fans of The Big C saw Marlene's sudden suicide coming. Last week, viewers mourned the loss of Cathy's curmudgeonly neighbor-turned-confidant after she decided to end her battle with Alzheimer's.

"We all grieved the loss of that character and for the writers in the room, we were grieving months ahead of even telling the actress [Phyllis Somerville]," creator/executive producer Darlene Hunt tells  "The idea came about to have that character die, and I was personally like, 'We could never!'"

With time, though, Hunt realized Marlene's death would bring the season full circle while also pushing Cathy (Laura Linney) forward.