Fans Name Their Most Loved And Hated TV Characters
One of the best parts about following a great show is falling into a kind of love/hate relationship with the characters. There’s a brooding spy, psychotic serial killer, and weirdly successful slacker out there for everyone to watch. These characters are fake, but that doesn’t stop us from developing some real feelings toward them. Whether they’re good or bad, having an emotional character to a TV character is a sign that you’re watching something truly extraordinary. It’s time to talk about who we’ve loved with a passion and hated with an even stronger one from the most famous shows in all of television history!
Fans are naming their most loved and hated TV characters, and some of their answers are surprising!
HATED: Mark Brendanawicz, Parks and Recreation
Mockumentaries aren’t new. Satirical shows and films are a niche that can either be a slam dunk or a total bomb. They walk a fine line between absurdly believable and fantastical. One of the most well-known and successful of the genre is easily The Office. Another great instant classic is Parks and Recreation. While there are a lot of similarities in their plots and set-ups, these two shows delivered a unique cast of characters that filled each show with a special group of people.
Well, except for one. Mark Brendanawicz was easily a poorly copy-pasted version of Jim Halpert. Say what you will, but it’s true. Paul Schneider’s short-lived city planner/architect acted almost like a carbon copy of John Krasinski’s self-aware and fourth-wall-breaking role…only he wasn’t nearly as likable.
LOVED: Mike Ehrmantraut, Breaking Bad
Soldier turned assassin, with a brief stint as a cop, Breaking Bad’s Mike Ehrmantraut has been through a lot. Despite always being in some line of fire, whether from his gun or someone else’s, this hardened warrior is a super soft cuddly bear. Ehrmantraut’s entire reason for doing what he does revolves around the family that’s managed to survive throughout his life.
Grandpa secretly secured his granddaughter’s future by doing some less-than-legal things. However, his heart was in the right place! How can you not have a soft spot for Mike? Even when he’s making all the worst decisions, he’s still doing it for a good reason…kind of.
HATED: Debbie Gallagher, Shameless
Usually we love a character who starts out as a mess but eventually evolves into something else. It’s very rare when the mature and level-headed funny character devolves into a dumpster fire for seemingly no reason. Shameless had nothing to be embarrassed about whenever Debbie was on the screen. She was a witty and dry foil/love interest for Frank.
She could hold her own in any situation. The older the show got, the more immature Debbie became. Maybe it was the stress of being so good from the very beginning. Maybe she was slowly having a mental breakdown. Whatever caused such a surprising personality shift completely changed the tone of the show as well.
LOVED: Ben Wyatt, Parks and Recreation
Watching a jerk turn into a love interest and then a great person is always fun to watch. But often writers aren’t very subtle with these arcs. It’s usually pretty obvious who the show’s main love interests are going to be. Parks and Rec did it the right way. Ben comes onto the show as a villain and eventually -spoilers- is married to the star of the show.
He also does it with a natural ease that never feels like we’re watching a true actor play a part. Every time Wyatt was in an episode things just got ten times funnier and oddly authentic. Eventually he became a fan favorite among viewers!
HATED: Gabe Lewis, The Office
Gabe Lewis was an odd addition to The Office crew. He’s a hilariously dysfunctional person, which made him perfect at Sabre’s Scranton branch. But things didn’t start off great for the weirdo. He joins the cast at the same time as Kathy Bates. Oof, that’s already a tough act to follow. She’s a legend!
Plus, he’s even less likable when you find out he has no redeeming qualities. Aside from providing some comic relief to an already stupidly funny scene, he’s just a lot to take in. While he’s funny in many scenes, learning too much about Gabe causes his awkwardness and mannerisms to turn creepy. His entire arc from odd secondary character to the villain of the office also feels like it’s from a fever dream.
LOVED: Willow Rosenberg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The entire premise of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is bonkers. The decidedly campy series was an action-packed ride from beginning to end. It also introduced us to Sunnydale’s coolest teens. Yes, Buffy is great and amazing, blah, blah, blah. The real star of the show was Willow. Buffy was given all of her powers thanks to destiny. Guess who had to take her future into her own hands?
Willow. She was always the most loyal to the Scooby Gang (for the most part) and chose to stay by Buffy’s side for years! Watching her turn into the strongest witch of all time is one of the most rewarding TV journeys. Plus, she had cooler powers. Slaying vampires and monsters is neat, but being an all-powerful magical Goddess? Easy pick.
HATED: Piper Chapman, Orange is the New Black
You’d think a show about criminals wouldn’t be an emotional roller coaster causing us to fall in love, experience grief, and feel rage at fictional people all while watching TV. Orange is the New Black proved that even the most unlikely of things can happen. Piper Chapman’s initial adventures after being arrested made us empathize with her.
However, as the show progresses, the truth really begins to come out and we see her in a new light. Piper wasn’t wrongfully imprisoned or out of her element. She was one of the most maniacal and manipulative people in the entire cell block. It just took her a while to reveal it to her friends and the audience.
LOVED: Lord Varys, Game of Thrones
Managing to get through eight seasons of Game of Thrones with your favorite character still alive is pretty impressive. As it turned out, The Spider knew exactly what he had to do to survive, until he couldn’t do it anymore. Varys’ unending support for Daenerys and her claim to the Iron Throne ended up being his own undoing. As long as she got the throne to save the realm, he would do anything for the dragon-riding maniac.
It’s kind of a shame that his adoration and devotion led him to be roasted alive. It’s even more of a shame to think that he doubted Daenerys was losing her mind, only to be proven right shortly after. He definitely deserved to see the series through to the terrible end.
HATED: Lily Aldrin, How I Met Your Mother
Do you ever rewatch a show only to find that someone you thought was funny and sweet was actually a psychopath for the entire run of the series? How I Met Your Mother has some of the most ridiculous characters starring in it. These friends are the perfect mix of great and terrible for each other, and somehow remain charming while also being completely unhinged.
Lily is a shining example of this. People think she’s the sweetest in the group. However, go back and watch some of the episodes that focus on her story. She’s an extremely manipulative and mean person when she wants to be. It kind of makes us feel sorry for Marshall.
LOVED: Dr. Perry Cox, Scrubs
Sometimes the most obnoxious and unappealing characters turn out to be the best of the show. That’s not a criticism of the program, it’s actually a huge compliment. Take Scrubs for example. Dr. Cox lives up to his name frequently. He also happens to be one of the kindest and most insightful employees in the whole hospital.
Cox was like a sweet onion that also had the ability to spit at you for no reason. The more he seemed to take hits at JD and the others, the more it endeared them, and us, to him. The guy’s a masterclass in how to be a jerk while remaining loveable.
HATED: Rory Gilmore, Gilmore Girls
We all know that one person in the group who has a “woe is me” complex. They just happen to get themselves into bad situations and still wonder why things never go right. Rory Gilmore is the epitome of that “friend”. Just because you get your feelings hurt after you cheat on someone doesn’t make us feel sorry for you. That’s probably why Rory Gilmore is a universally-hated character.
Selfishness never made someone likable, Rory. Also, continuously breaking hearts in the same small town isn’t smart. Soon, people aren’t going to want to be your friend. Someone needs to teach this Gilmore Girl how to love herself and others.
LOVED: Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Hannibal
Falling for a serial killer with a body count higher than most people’s SAT scores is never a good idea. They’re just going to break your heart in the end…and eat it with fava beans and a nice chianti. The character Hannibal Lecter isn’t someone people are supposed to fall in love with.
His inner demons are so hungry that it drives him to eat people. Due to the performances of both Sir Anthony Hopkins and Mads Mikkelsen, we not only fall for Dr. Lecter, but we also end up rooting for him. That takes a very special type of person to make that happen. That or we just have terrible taste in favorite characters.
HATED: Elle Greenaway, Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an amazing show. The cases and characters featured are all memorable, some just aren’t remembered for the best reasons. Elle Greenaway only lasted a couple of seasons, but she was easily one of the least likable of the entire Criminal Minds cast. Whether it was her story’s trajectory or the actor’s desire to leave LA, Greenaway’s exit was one of the best parts of her story.
Some fans and critics even say that’s part of the reason Emily Prentiss became such a fan favorite! The two were so wildly different in their approach to the stories that people almost got whiplash by the change in chemistry between Prentiss and the other actors. Maybe if Greenaway had Prentiss to bounce off of both would have been at the top of people’s favorite lists.
LOVED: Dr. Frasier Crane, Cheers
Sometimes a spin-off will capture lightning in a bottle and rival the original program it was created from. Cheers is an iconic show held in high esteem among sitcoms. Thanks to a single character, the usually depressing and deep Dr. Frasier Crane, it ended up launching a spin-off! It was all about the unstable radio doctor! He was just too interesting to not want to keep watching.
Frasier’s entire backstory in Cheers was so unbelievable yet relatable, people needed to see more of him. What everyone was given was eleven seasons of Frasier just trying to keep his sanity. It is a masterpiece of a show thanks to one of the most complex and interesting background characters from a brilliant series.
HATED: Dr. Izzie Stevens, Grey’s Anatomy
Dr. Izzie Stevens seems like a tragic heroine who just gets thrown away by the winds of fate. She almost loses all of her lovers in some way or another. It can be tough on anyone. That’s still no excuse for the fact that she frequently destroyed all of her relationships for seemingly no reason. Even though tragic things happen to her, she’s also responsible for a lot of that tragedy.
Don’t forget, she actually kills Denny, even if only temporarily. She also ends up inadvertently killing someone else just to steal a heart. The number of ethical and legal violations alone is shocking and doesn’t make her a martyr in any regard.
LOVED: Harley Quinn, Batman: The Animated Series
It takes a pretty fantastic person to go from a one-shot background character to an internationally beloved antihero that rivals The Joker in popularity. From the moment Harley Quinn appeared, fans were wrapped around her finger. They wrote to the creators of Batman: The Animated Series and demanded that she keep coming back! Aileen Sorkin’s voice just added to the iconic former psychiatrist’s appeal.
She was a brilliant blend of hilarious, naive, and calculating. It’s no wonder why she kept growing in popularity. Now there are entire comic series and movies devoted to Harley and her own over-the-top adventures. We have her first animated portrayal to thank for that.
HATED: Euron Greyjoy, Game of Thrones
When shows and movies appear as adaptations of famous books, there are always a few changes made. What doesn’t make sense is why HBO would turn a pretty neat pirate king into such a jerk. Euron Greyjoy was never as vicious or pointless in the books. When he sailed into the TV version of the series, he just becomes an undestroyable foe who exists to steer some plots along.
Plus, a late-season villain never delivers a satisfying story. This guy is just unlikeable, even among the various villains and monsters fighting for the Iron Throne. That’s a tough thing to say given that he was a freaking pirate! How hard is that to mess up?
LOVED: Dean Winchester, Supernatural
The Winchester brothers aren’t just easy on the eyes, they’re also pretty hilarious and downright cool. If you poll fans on their favorite, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more vocal group than Team Dean. This guy isn’t just hunting unholy monsters and looking good doing it. He was also one of the most fearsome demons on the show for a short while.
Even at his most evil, there’s just something about him that makes him the shining light of every episode. Plus, how many people in any show can say they met and started beef with the creator of their universe?
HATED: Carrie Bradshaw, Sex in the City
Some shows don’t age as well as others, even if they’re some of the most famous dramedies in the history of television. Sex in the City was THE show to watch when it first aired. There was something effortlessly chic about watching Carrie Bradshaw live a fabulous and wild life in New York City. To say it inspired people, despite some of the storylines, is an understatement.
Go back and watch it now that you’re a bit older. Carrie is insufferable. Shallow, egotistical, and childish don’t even begin to describe her. After growing older and wiser, it’s almost painful watching some of the situations she put herself in. The Post-It breakup was still a shocker, but come on.
LOVED: Homer Simpson, The Simpsons
Sometimes a caricature of something sad can be uproariously funny. Despite all his flaws, there’s still something endearing about Homer. For all his outbursts and mistakes, he’s a lovable guy. When you compare how he turned out with how he was raised, it’s almost impressive at how adjusted he actually is (which isn’t much).
The entire Simpsons family has their quirks and places in our hearts, but Homer’s is a bit bigger. It’s hard to not love someone as bumbling, but well-meaning as he is. He also has to put up with a lot. How much collateral damage has Bart caused over the decades?
HATED: Pierce Hawthorne, Community
Not every character needs to stay for the entire series. Even if they’re the main character, it can be okay to let them leave a bit early. Pierce, from Community, is one of these people. Don’t even get us started on Chevy Chase’s backstage drama. Sometimes there’s too much comic relief, even in a comedy.
Perhaps, spreading out his appearances would have helped. Pierce is good in small doses, unfortunately, nobody realized that until after eighty-five episodes of his yelling were over. It goes without saying that he’s rarely named as a favorite of the group. He likely won’t be coming back for any reunion episodes.
LOVED: Father Mulcahy, M*A*S*H
Angels walk among us, we know this to be true because Father Mulcahey was nothing less than a literal angel on M*A*S*H. Even in the middle of a warzone, “Red” Mulcahy found ways to smile, stay positive, and be there when people needed him the most. Despite having a bit of a rough start, he even became a pretty good medic!
Mulcahy was never forceful or pushy with his beliefs. He was there when anyone needed guidance, an ear to talk to, or a friend. It takes a special person to do that and an exceptionally talented actor to pull it off on the screen so naturally.
HATED: Debra Morgan, Dexter
Oh, boo hoo, my brother’s a terrible serial killer. Woe is me, I have the filthiest mouth allowed on family-friendly networks. Nothing was ever good enough for Dexter’s sister Deb. You’d think she had a chip on her shoulder about something. Even when she was doing her job and trying to save people, she didn’t always do it well.
Naturally, this leads to her getting progressively worse at everything. The audience is forced to watch her crumble throughout the series in a very odd way. It’s hard to root for Deb, even when she sees Dexter for who he really was. With all that said, she still didn’t deserve that ending.
LOVED: George Costanza, Seinfeld
It’s always a great show when the titular character shines and has a stellar cast of side characters. Seinfeld isn’t just a show about nothing, it’s an excellent show about nothing. It also features Jason Alexander’s legacy-defining role: George Costanza. The angriest and most miserable man in all of New York City is brilliantly portrayed by Jason Alexander. He hates Festivus, throws temper tantrums for no reason, and somehow keeps falling up.
Remember the nap nook he installed in his desk? George’s weekly meltdowns were only made funnier by the fact that he’s such a believable person, but also completely unhinged. We all know a George, we even may be a George. We all have grievances to air. That’s what makes him a star that may even be brighter than Jerry’s.
HATED: Federico “Rico” Diaz, Six Feet Under
Six Feet Under is a wildly amazing show that has a massive cult following. Every character has their own fandom. Well, almost every character. The only place Rico deserved to be in Six Feet Under is literally where the title is telling him to go. This guy was a huge jerk. Whatever the Fishers did to him, it didn’t warrant the way he lobbed insults and attacks at them.
Even though he lives until the end, the revealed futures showcase that not everyone gets off scot-free. Even if there are over twenty years to go, Rico apparently dies…while cruising with his wife. Nobody should wish for a character’s death, but a lot of us have thought about Rico’s.
LOVED: Tony Soprano, The Sopranos
Much like The Godfather, The Sopranos is an absolute masterpiece. Barring the ending, it may very well be a perfect show. Everyone does their job so well. Though he’s one of the most despicable characters, Tony is still the most beloved. This villainous and yet oddly lovable family guy does more than his fair share of horrible things. For what it’s worth, he should have been locked away a long time ago.
On the other hand, everything he chose to do to protect his family, or built it up, makes sense. When you’re beginning to justify someone like Tony Soprano, you know you have a compelling character on your hands. Without Tony, the show would have been nothing.
HATED: Dr. Abby Lockhart, ER
Nobody knows stress like doctors know stress, and no one thinks being an MD is going to be easy. However, saving lives and being a scientist? That’s an incredible thing. It’s gotta cause you to smile at least once or twice. In Dr. Lockhar’s case, that may be more like once or never.
The further along ER went with her at the center of the drama the harder it is to connect with her. It’s almost like watching a cliche of a jaded hard-ass physician who doesn’t have time for life. Her usually empathetic nature seemed to disappear the further along she went in the series.
LOVED: Daryl Dixon, The Walking Dead
At the end of time, the only things that’ll still be on this planet will be cockroaches, Cher, and our infinite love for Daryl Dixon. His character arc, motorcycle, love for his friends, and zombie-slaying powers check all of our boxes. Despite having to be rough and tough in the beginning, Daryl’s drive to survive and keep pushing through was beyond inspirational.
It didn’t even matter that he was kind of a jerk. This guy soon became the face of the entire show! Daryl’s probably who we think we’d be in the apocalypse. In reality, we wouldn’t even have made it out of the hospital…unless Daryl chose to save us and take us on an adventure.
HATED: Pete Campbell, Mad Men
There aren’t many heroes in Mad Men. When everyone’s a little bit bad, there can be a lag in figuring out who the true villain is. One of them was Pete Campbell. This “born-with-a-silver-spoon-in-his-mouth” rich kid is just that: a kid. He refuses to take responsibility for his actions and allows his mother to poison his mind and take his anger out on his wife.
He also cheats on her after she can’t have children. Pete only brought drama to the show, and not in a good way. This guy made everyone watching the show mad. Though he eventually gets a redemption arc, we were seething during most of his scenes in the early seasons.
LOVED: Spock, Star Trek: The Original Series
In the entire compendium of great fictional characters, few are anywhere near as treasured across the universe as Spock. It’s almost ironic how much Spock is loved. One of the most recognizable names and faces in all of science fiction, Spock has been exploring the final frontier and reaching our hearts on Earth since the 70s.
The half-Vulcan half-human star explorer was on his own quest to understand himself and human emotions. While he had a ton of adventures with the crew of the Enterprise, Spock always seemed to have the star power and mystery to have his own show. Maybe his appearance is part of why the Star Trek movies did so well.
LOVED: Saul Goodman, Breaking Bad
You know a character is good when he gets his own spinoff show. Some people think Better Call Saul is even greater than Breaking Bad! Jimmy McGill aka Saul Goodman is a lawyer who knows how to get his clients out of trouble, no matter how dirty he has to play. He also delivered enough hilarious moments that kept fans remembering him.
Saul isn’t the only side character fans couldn’t get enough of, Mike Ehrmantraut was another huge fan favorite. Have no fear, you’ll be able to catch him in the spinoff too! Breaking Bad really gave us a cast of characters that kept us coming back for more.
HATED: Michael Dawson, Lost
This series spanned six years and had audiences on the edge of their seats waiting for the epic conclusion. What they got might’ve been a little confusing, but that’s not what we’re going to talk about. Instead, we want to discuss one of the original passengers on that fateful flight 815, one who often appears on people’s least-favorite list for the series.
Michael Dawson might’ve started out as a survivor like everyone else, but his hot-headed nature led him to commit some pretty atrocious acts. But that’s not the only gripe audiences had, they also felt the character got some pretty stale and repetitive dialogue. Either way, he was far from being anyone’s most loved characters.
LOVED: Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother
Many fans of the series will agree that Barney Stinson basically took over the show at some point. Though the series was intended to be about Ted meeting the mother of his future children, it’s clear Stinson’s womanizing and sauce character was too popular to pass up. Plus we got to get a deeper look into his character as the series went on.
Would we have enjoyed a show all about this suited-up gentleman? Maybe, though you never want too much of a good thing. One of the most quoted characters in the series and definitely the most beloved, it’s not a stretch to say Barney stole the show!
HATED: Marie, Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad brought us a cast of interesting and sometimes shady characters, though not all of them were equally well-received. Skyler White is often credited as one of the least-liked characters, though many of her actions end up being justifiable as Walt descends deeper into the criminal world. The real unlikeable character from the series might have to be her sister Marie.
Though she’s the connection between Hank and Walt, many fans felt her character got more attention than she deserved. While many of the characters are downright terrible people, Marie failed to endear audiences the same way the rest of the cast did. But whether you love her or hate her, the series wouldn’t be the same without her!
LOVED: Fonzi, Happy Days
This show wanted to give us an idealized version of post-World War II life, and we think it succeeded. It’s impossible not to crack a smile when that theme song plays. Though the series stars Ron Howard and Anson Williams, most people will remember it for a completely different character. Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli aka The Fonz instantly became one of the coolest dudes in TV history.
Though the series ended in 1984, people still remember Henry Winkler for this iconic role. While he was originally meant to be a side character, his popularity with fans catapulted him into main character status. Ayyy, now that’s how a guy steals the show!
HATED: Janice, Friends
While the series focused on the main six, there were still memorable characters who popped up throughout Friends’ ten-season run. One of them will stand out in any fans’ mind as their least favorite recurring character. Though Janice was designed to be irritating, many viewers would agree the show would be better without her presence.
Actress Maggie Wheeler really knocked it out of the park when portraying this character! If her job was to annoy the audience then mission accomplished. The Friends writers created one of the most irritating characters in sitcom history. But they might’ve taken it a bit too far, fans really seem to despise her. Maybe it was that laugh…
LOVED: Data, Star Trek: The Next Generation
The U.S.S. Enterprise-D is off on a mission to go where no one has gone before. This sci-fi series is considered one of the greats, and with a cast like that how could you go wrong? Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, the list goes on and on. One main character creators didn’t expect to get popular was Data.
This Android managed to win over the hearts of humans around the world. Perhaps it’s his deadpan and matter-of-fact way of speaking that makes him so likable, or maybe it’s the number of hilarious and memorable moments he gave to the show. Either way, this AI is definitely one of the most loved and remembered characters from the series.
HATED: Nellie, The Office
The Office is one of those series that has a passionate and loyal following. While the series ended in 2013, fans are still rewatching the series and enjoying all the antics of the workers of Dunder Mifflin. While every character has their own redeeming qualities, there’s one character that fans just didn’t seem to enjoy. Catherine Tate might be an excellent comedic actress, but viewers of the show just didn’t connect to her character.
In all fairness, finding a suitable replacement for Michael Scott was quite the task. Any character who took on the role, or attempted to, was not met with cheers from fans. Still, Nellie seems to be the one that most viewers fast-forward through when doing their yearly rewatch of the series.
LOVED: Frank Costanza, Seinfeld
Seinfeld has a plethora of entertaining and hilarious characters. Many only appear for one or two episodes, yet stand out in our minds years after the show ended. Though the series finale aired in 1998, the sitcom is beloved by many around the world. But of all the supporting characters to choose from, there’s one fans prefer over the rest.
Through his disgruntled and dramatic delivery, Jerry Stiller turned Frank Costanza into a truly iconic character. He works perfectly alongside Estelle Harris, creating the perfect dysfunctional couple that raised a neurotic son. Stiller made this one of his best-known roles by bringing a truly unique character to our screens.
HATED: Olly, Game of Thrones
There are dozens of compelling and interesting characters in Game of Thrones. The epic fantasy saga is filled with good guys, bad guys, and bad guys disguised as good guys. The show ran for a total of 8 seasons, ending with a polarizing finale that disappointed fans. Along the way they also introduced some less-loved characters.
One of the most hated would have to be Olly, an orphaned farm boy who ends up being rescued by Jon Snow. Some fans complained about the actor’s abilities to deliver a good performance, others found the character’s lack of personality grating. The final nail in the coffin is when he killed two audience favorites. There’s just no coming back from that.