Let’s be real: TV just wouldn’t be the same without those characters that have us yelling at the screen. The ones that get right under our skin, that annoy us, or even make us cringe at their expense, but we can’t help that, we still watch. They may be toxic, narcissistic, or just plain average, but their living is what keeps the drama going and the fandoms alive. So, let’s delve into the 10 most despised TV characters of all time, the ones we hate with a passion but at the same time can’t stop talking about and secretly enjoying their hate.
10. Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother)
Ted pretends that he is the ideal lover, but nine seasons of whining, showoff, and self-centeredness had a lot of the audience wondering how in the world anybody could stand him. Right, he is the “hero” of the story, but in fact, he is the exact opposite. Even Marshall wins the spotlight every time. No wonder Stella ran out the door. Ted kills the vibe.
9. Eric Forman (That’s 70s Show)
Red’s favourite joke to accompany his insult “dumbass” about Eric wasn’t far from the truth. From complaining that Donna was smarter than him to escaping to Africa only to return as if he had never left, Eric made it clear that he was one of the most boring and irritating of television’s main characters. Soft ego, your name is Forman.
8. Jim Halpert (The Office)
Initially, Jim was the ordinary guy in the midst of madness. But take a closer look, he’s a prankster who spends more time winking at the camera than doing work. When he was given a promotion to co-manager, he failed. Toss in how he sometimes left Pam to bear the brunt at home while he pursued his ambitions, and Mr. Perfect doesn’t seem quite so perfect.
7. Ross Geller (Friends)
Ross is neurotic, entitled, and always whiny. His romance with Rachel was a rollercoaster ride of toxicity, and let’s not forget his creepy student-dating years. Oh, and remember he’s a dad? Yeah, barely, since he’s so absent. The fact that he’s included in the friend group at all is like nepotism, thanks to Monica.
6. Ray Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)
Ray is just a perfect example of “successful at work, useless at home.” Debra is the one who does all the parenting, and in the meantime, Ray makes fun from the sidelines and does not set any limits for his very controlling mother. He is really funny, yes, but Debra could have gotten a medal (and a vacation) for sure.
5. Beth Dutton (Yellowstone)
Beth has the traits of being callous, venomous, and unashamedly cruel, and some of her fans strangely admire these, while others utterly detest them. She ruins the lives of her victims, and quite often, just because she can. In case of sympathy from the viewer, she would be the most antagonistic one among TV characters and the most infamous of Taylor Sheridan’s works.
4. Skyler White (Breaking Bad)
There was no character in any show that was demonized unfairly more than Skyler White. The audience portrayed her as nagging or controlling, while in fact, she was confronting Walt’s lying and was not going to let him build his empire with her help. Anna Gunn, the one who played her, has pointed out that the backlash was more a reflection of stereotypes about women rather than the show itself. Skyler was not the problem; she was Walt’s mirror.
3. Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
Sheldon is friendly, awkward, narcissistic, and at times unbearable. He is funny in his neuroses and rituals, yet it is a bit painful to watch how his friends mock and ridicule with. He is the main reason the show lives on and is the most polarizing character, as he even provokes debates about how neurodivergent characters get depicted in television.
2. Marie Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)
The nightmare mother-in-law at its worst. Marie cheats, calls names, and guilt-trips with Olympic precision, driving Debra to the edge. Still, she is also special and devoted in her own unique way. Doris Roberts did it so outrageously that people could not stop watching her terrible job performance.
1. Archie Bunker (All in the Family)
The very first TV bigot, Archie, was noisy, racist, and always stubborn in his views. Yet Americans still fell for him. Carroll O’Connor’s brilliant acting made Archie despicable and strangely lovable at the same time. He was a reflection of society’s biases, and maybe that is why he struck such a chord.
They are characters that television would not be the same without, from sensitive egos to outright villains. They stay with us because they are imperfect, complex, and way too human. They not only annoy and test us, but at times they even make us recognize the ones we know and the things about ourselves that we would rather not acknowledge. And that is the exact reason why we would not have such a nice show without them.