Let’s be real: Television shows are full of characters we love, but for each fan favorite, there’s a least one who makes us want to scream at the television. Sometimes they’re designed to be villains, sometimes they’re meant to be lovable — and yet somehow, they manage to be so infuriating that fans rally in collective frustration. Whether it’s a result of poor writing, constant whining, or behavior that never seems to be punished, these characters made love into loathing. Below are 10 of the most infuriating TV characters viewers love to hate.
10. Angelica Pickles – Rugrats
Angelica might be just a toddler, but she defined bratty cartoon villains. With her constant bullying, manipulative plots, and ear-piercing tantrums, she terrorized Tommy, Chuckie, and the gang every week. She was created to be the bad guy, of course, but she was so effective at it that even grown-up fans still recall her as the pint-sized terror of their youth.
9. Ezra Fitz – Pretty Little Liars
Ezra was only meant to be the brooding English teacher, but what happened? He was, of course, dating one of his underage students, and the show managed to whittle that down into some epic romance. The writers attempted to redeem him with arcs and emotional history, but fans couldn’t shake off how wrong it was. Rather than swooning, fans were left cringing.
8. Bernadette Rostenkowski – The Big Bang Theory
Early on, Bernadette had appeared as a good new addition — smart, witty, and independent. As the series progressed, though, she turned into a shrill and mean personality. She spent most of her time on the show, nagging Howard or insulting her girlfriends. For a supposedly lovable character, she is one of the most annoying individuals on the show.
7. Lana Lang – Smallville
Lana was supposed to be Clark Kent’s big romance, but she ended up being the ultimate fan frustration. Constantly wishy-washy, constantly in need of rescue, and always blaming Clark for whatever went awry, Lana presented herself more as an obstacle than a heroine. At last, even loyal fans were sick of her dawdling — preferably offscreen.
6. Gina Linetti – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Some viewers loved Gina’s over-the-top personality, but others couldn’t stand her. Her incessant self-centeredness, condescending wisecracks, and inability to be serious usually made the show plod. Although her arrogance was sometimes hilarious, the fact that she never really grew or empathized made her idiosyncrasies a nuisance. When she departed, many fans were relieved rather than saddened.
5. Nancy Botwin – Weeds
Nancy started as an affable single mom who simply wanted to survive. But as the seasons progressed, her choices grew more selfish and irresponsible. She lied, schemed, and put her family at risk constantly, but the show never made her face the consequences of her actions. Rather than rooting for her, many fans ended up rooting for her.
4. Claire Fraser – Outlander
Claire was marketed as a competent, capable heroine, but her personality irritated viewers. Her stubbornness, intransigence, and egotism made it difficult to feel sorry for her sometimes. Even when she was trying her best, her actions tended to wound more than heal, leaving fans wondering if she was a real heroine or not.
3. Debbie Gallagher – Shameless
Debbie’s evolution from sweet kid to manipulative adult was one of the points of frustration on the show. She became entitled, selfish, and untrustworthy, and betrayed even her own family for personal gain regularly. Those who once wanted to defend her were left scratching their heads as she self-destructed, wondering if she’d ever be accountable.
2. Wendy Byrde – Ozark
Wendy started as a reluctant co-conspirator, but eventually identified with her dark side. Her chilly machinations, power plays, and ruthless decisions — even at the cost of her children — rendered her an unremittingly unpopular figure on the show. What made matters worse was that her schemes typically succeeded, with viewers fuming as she continued to ascend.
1. Pierce Hawthorne – Community
Pierce wins the prize as TV’s greatest nuisance. He was the vessel into which all outdated, off-putting stereotypes were poured, and the show too frequently made racism into jokes rather than actual repercussions. What began as cringeworthy comic relief devolved into tiresome toxicity, pushing both fans and cast members away. By the time he was gone, most viewers were just relieved the study group could finally get some oxygen.
Some of them make us laugh, some make us weep — and then there are the ones who just make us reach for the remote to change the channel. Intentionally or by error, those television personalities established a unique niche in popular culture as the people we loved to despise.