A great TV character can leave a lasting impression. But for every Tony Soprano or Tyrian Lannister, there’s a Kimmy Gibbler; a character who might be just as memorable, even if it’s a character we’d rather forget. And while it may come as no surprise to find an obnoxious, poorly acted, or unrealistically written character on a bad show, even a high-quality series can be tarnished by an unlikely character.
Below, we take a look at the characters who disrupted, derailed, or simply disappointed more than everyone else, and who almost took their shows with them. These are the characters that made us cringe, roll our eyes or switch channels, the ones we hoped would die on their way back to their home planet (or at least be re-released).
In each of these cases, its annoying nature detracted from the strengths of an otherwise decent show and made it hard for viewers to stay invested. Whether it was bad writing, bad acting, or a lack of chemistry with the rest of the cast, these characters proved that one bad apple can spoil the bunch.
The Walking Dead – Andrea
Before it was the biggest show on television, The living Dead was a beloved comic and Andrea was a beloved character. However, on the small screen, she’s just crazy. Her constantly shifting allegiances and inexplicable decision making made her a frustrating character to watch.
Andrea often made things worse for the group and never seemed to learn from her mistakes, even though her character made life worse for everyone around her in the universe. She also epitomized the aimless or uninspired writing that became an increasingly glaring problem with the show itself. Easy said, fans hated Andrea.
Friends – Janice
Friends is one of the most popular shows ever, and it’s proven to be a streaming juggernaut, in part because fans love spending time with the characters, to the point that they don’t mind rewatching the series over and over again. But not everyone Friends is such a great hang.
Perhaps the most annoying character on the show is Janice (apologies to Ross haters). Janice’s nasal voice and obnoxious catchphrase (“Oh. My. God.”) quickly wore off her welcome to the show. Her performances were intended as comic relief, but instead she became a running gag that was longer welcome.
Breaking Bad – Marie Schrader
A particular subset of Break bad fans have infamously and somewhat unfairly taunted Skyler White for her varying and ambiguous response to her husband’s transition from mild-mannered science teacher to murderous drug lord. In fact, it was her sister Marie who seemed most out of place at the heights of prestigious television.
Marie’s kleptomania and constant interference in her sister’s life made her a difficult character to root for. Her storylines often felt like a distraction from the main plot, and her presence only annoyed viewers.
The Brady Bunch – Cousin Oliver
There is probably no more iconic example of a single character marking the downfall of a show than The Brady bunchcousin Oliver. Oliver was brought in with the Brady family to boost the show’s declining ratings in its fifth season. His presence is noticeably forced and unnecessary, disrupting the dynamic of the original Brady family and sending the series on a one-way trip across the shark.
How I Met Your Mother – Ted
How I met your mother‘s Ted Mosby is an example of a surprisingly common phenomenon: the main character who is also the show’s weak link (see also: Chapman, Piper). This often happens because the main character is a straight man, the eye of a storm surrounded by wacky side characters, and a number-like blank slate for the audience to project themselves onto.
However, it’s unlikely anyone would enjoy seeing themselves in Ted. His constant self-pity, selfish romance, and inability to let go of his ex-girlfriend made him a frustrating character to watch. The character is meant to be kind of everyone, but instead comes across as controlling, jealous, and selfish.
Game of Thrones – Olly
Game of Thrones captured the hearts of fans with gritty, dynamic storytelling, grand spectacle and, most importantly, compelling characters. By the end of the series, however, the showrunners had outpaced novelist George R. R. Martin’s source material, opting to wrap up the show with one of the most remarkable self-destruct sequences in television history.
Non-new character Olly is a perfect example of how the show squandered all the goodwill it had built up. Olly’s betrayal of Jon Snow and involvement in the death of a beloved character made him one of the most hated characters on the show, serving as a perfect example of the lazy writing that would later, horribly undermine. Game of Thrones episodes.
Honorable Mention: The Simpsons – Poochie
If there’s a trend in pop culture, it’s usually a safe bet The Simpsons did something with it. With Poochie, a “cool” and “edgy” character was introduced to geese rating for a backlog Itchy and scratchy show, the series mocked the ham-handed and self-defeating lengths shows will go to maintain relevance and ratings. It was a perfect meta joke that mocks the times when TV jumps the shark and introduces horrible characters like this.