The 13 ‘Best’ Worst 1000 Ways to Die
Few television shows have explored bizarre deaths with the enthusiasm of 1000 Ways to Die. The Spike series turned unusual, sometimes downright ridiculous fatal incidents into short dramatic reenactments, complete with scientific explanations and terrible puns. People die all the time, and apparently, they do so in increasingly ridiculous ways.
The show covered everything from workplace disasters to bizarre medical complications, letting the audience laugh at the thought of death rather than fear it. These are our selection of the best segments from the show, based on how we wouldn’t like to go out like that.
Choking on Cocoa Powder, “Choke-A-Lot”
Two kitchen workers meet a bizarre end after inhaling cocoa powder. The segment turns an ordinary kitchen ingredient into a deadly hazard, making this one of the show’s stranger workplace disasters.
Getting Buried in Manure, “Dung For”
A farmhand gets romantically involved with a farmer’s daughter, but the relationship ends disastrously when he is buried in manure. The epìsode is crowned with one of the series’ more shamelessly juvenile titles.
Drowning in a Homemade Fish Suit, “Wet Dream”
A man becomes obsessed with living like a fish and constructs a homemade diving suit using waterbed material. Unfortunately, the makeshift outfit is so restrictive that he cannot get into the water properly, and we see him dying from heat exhaustion before his underwater dream can become reality.
Getting Trapped in an Industrial Dryer, “Tumble Die”
A hospital repairman climbs inside an industrial clothes dryer to fix it, believing his assistant has disconnected the power. Unfortunately, the wrong circuit breaker is switched off, and the machine starts operating with him still inside.
Being Locked Inside a Meat Freezer, “Freeze Died”
A meat packer gets involved with his employer’s teenage granddaughter and steals meat from the workplace. His employer retaliates by locking him inside an industrial freezer. Unable to escape, the man eventually dies from hypothermia, making this a particularly chilling revenge story.
Falling Into a Vat of Acid, “Deep Fried”
A man with serious anger issues attacks his former employer, only to fall into a vat of hydrochloric acid during the confrontation. Thanks to decades of comic book movies, we’re surprised he didn’t turn into Batman’s Joker.
Being Crushed Inside a Garbage Truck, “Re-Formed”
A burglar attempts to hide from the authorities inside a dumpster, apparently believing it is a good place to disappear. Unfortunately, the container is emptied into a garbage truck, where he is crushed by the machinery.
Getting Shot by a Snake, “Re-Coiled”
A survivalist is handling a snake while carrying a rifle, but the situation becomes fatal when the animal accidentally wraps around the weapon’s trigger. The gun fires, striking him in the heart. It’s an especially bizarre combination of two things that should probably never be handled carelessly together.
Eating Live Snails and Getting Brain Worms, “Brain Worms”
A couple enjoys a dinner involving live snails, unaware of the parasites they may be carrying. They become infected with worms that reach their brains, turning an unusual culinary choice into a horrifying medical disaster.
Getting Electrocuted During a Baptism, “Cruci-Fried”
A phony miracle healer named Perry removes the grounding prong from a microphone’s electrical plug to eliminate an annoying hum. Later, while standing in a metal baptismal tub, he picks up the microphone and completes the electrical circuit, electrocuting himself.
Falling Asleep Inside an Industrial Oven, “Jake N’ Baked”
A narcoleptic man falls asleep while working near an industrial oven and ends up inside it. The medical condition becomes an extraordinarily dangerous workplace situation, making us wonder why he wasn’t supervised.
Using Tapeworms to Lose Weight, “Die It”
A woman turns to tapeworms as an extreme weight-loss method, deliberately allowing parasites to live inside her body. The scheme, as expected, ended in her death. It’s a particularly memorable example of the series exploring bizarre attempts to change one’s appearance.
Getting Bitten by a Rattlesnake in the Chest, “Fang Banged”
A gun enthusiast encounters a rattlesnake and ends up falling onto the venomous animal, which bites him in the chest. The segment is a spectacularly unfortunate example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a fittingly outrageous way to open the show’s collection of bizarre deaths.