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Characters Who Ruined Good TV Shows from Being Great Ones

Many of the characters who ruined good TV shows turned highly anticipated television into chores.

By Amanda StamperPublished 6 years ago 5 min read
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Some TV shows are based around annoying characters, and this can work well if that is the intent, take Michael Scott from The Office as the perfect example. Michael is annoying and incredibly diluted but somehow it all works seamlessly, and at times he even comes off as endearing.

However, what if characters were are not supposed to be perceived that way? Some of these characters who ruined good TV shows started as heroes and favorites but through poor development became insufferable. Everybody has that character who makes them want to hurl the remote at the screen, and these are our picks for the worst of the worst.

Piper Chapman, Orange is the New Black

Piper Chapman is one of the less likable lead characters on any popular show out there (she started a White Power group), and her annoyingness has just increased as the show has gone on. In the first season, she was somewhat interesting and relatable because her situation humbled her slightly, but as the show went on her storyline went into the toilet.

Luckily, it's an ensemble show, so she hasn't killed Orange is the New Black entirely, but less of her going forward would be welcomed as she is clearly in the rank of characters who ruined good TV shows.

Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother

First of all, what 27-year-old guy is this obsessed with getting married? He has a great job and apartment in one of the greatest cities on Earth, but still Ted is always whining about finding a wife. The show's other characters are far more interesting, and throw in Ted's pretentiousness and you've got one of the characters who ruined good TV shows.

Also, the premise is incredibly flawed, why would he tell his kids stories of drunken debauchery for eight seasons before even mentioning their mother—the only thing of interest to them. Plus, why is the Ted's voice in the future that of Bob Saget? Ted Mosby is already an adult.

Nancy Botwin, Weeds

I loved Nancy Botwin at the beginning of Weeds, she was relatable and one of the best characters on television. But somewhere along the way, she became the worst, and her manipulative and selfish behavior was constantly putting her young children in danger.

Also, the way she treated Andy (one of the best characters on Weeds) was terrible, and she abused his love for her constantly and basically destroyed his life. Things really jumped the shark and put her among the characters who ruined good TV shows is when she decided to shack up with a cartel drug kingpin.

Dawson Leery, Dawson's Creek

Dawson's Creek was a huge hit despite the shows titular character being borderline intolerable. He was constantly whining and judging his friends, and would flip out when they didn't live up to his Spielberg fantasy.

Overall, Dawson was just a massive buzzkill and one of the characters who ruined good TV shows. He was always a pretty selfish friend and would drag everyone into his misery with him. Thank God Joey ended up with Pacey.

Ross Geller, Friends

In what world would a guy like Ross Geller get someone like Jennifer Aniston, especially when you take into account how possessive and wimpy he is? He even tricked Rachel to staying married to him, for that alone he is one of the bigger d-bags on television.

Sure, it's a sitcom and nothing about it is serious, but Ross was just so infuriating and one of the characters who ruined good TV shows. Often considered one of the greatest TV couples of all time, the Rachel and Ross union was actually pretty awful.

Marissa Cooper, The OC

One thing is pretty constant among fans of The OC: Marissa Cooper was the worst. The way she treats her friends and those around her make her insufferable to watch, and for a character who is supposed to be loved it is a terrible writing job.

In fact, Marissa was so bad she was even killed off before the end of the series, something that is pretty rare for main cast. Producers made a great decision there, as she is clearly one of the worst characters who ruined good TV shows.

Skyler White, Breaking Bad

Don't get me wrong, Anna Gun is a great actress who does an amazing job on Breaking Bad, but her character Skyler White is an absolute chore to watch. She was so hated by fans that it was said that she got death threats for her portrayal—all for trying to prevent her husband from selling meth!

This is a testament to the quality of the writing, as we are so often rooting for the bad guy that a reasonable mother like Skyler seems like a monster. She is among the characters who ruined good TV shows, or, at least she tried to.

Rory Gilmore, Gilmore Girls

Even if you love Gilmore Girls, you have to admit it to yourself that Rory is incredibly annoying. She breaks up her friends marriage, causes unnecessary riffs with her mother, and overall just acts like an entitled snob.

The major problem with Rory, and what makes her one of these characters who ruined good TV shows, is her cluelessness. She acts like she's had no breaks in life, meanwhile she attended an elite private school and Yale, she is literally in the one percent.

Hannah Horvath, Girls

Hannah is supposed to be some great feminist character but she comes off to most as one of the characters who ruined good TV shows. She's insanely entitled and narcissistic, and instead of actually being enlightened she just opts for being naked instead. Which is fine, but sometimes sleeping around is just sleeping around, and the empowerment message Hannah thinks is there is rather absent.

Also, she would never be offered all these writing gigs with her credentials, and she would stand no chance in hell at getting into the Iowa Writers Workshop.

Pete Campbell, Mad Men

Last but certainly not least hated, is Mad Men's biggest slime ball. Something about Pete Campbell on my screen just made me want to vomit, so clearly he is among the worst characters who ruined good TV shows. He is a conniving little weasel who had everything handed to him in life but somehow isn't happy because he thinks he deserves more.

Nobody at his ad agency seems to like him, and the things he did to Peggy were abusive and borderline criminal. Pete Campbell just had no character, and he was often cringeworthy to watch.

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About the Creator

Amanda Stamper

Works in real estate but would rather be working on political campaigns.

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