We thought we knew annoying. We thought we knew awful. Then these characters showed up and raised the bar to truly unbelievable levels. From downright appalling behavior to personalities that could test the patience of a saint, these 22 TV characters had viewers wondering how anyone could possibly be this insufferable.
Joffrey Baratheon — Game of Thrones
Joffrey had the power of a king and the temperament of a spoiled toddler. His cruelty, arrogance, and complete lack of redeeming qualities made him one of television’s most satisfying characters to hate.
Ramsay Bolton — Game of Thrones
If Joffrey wasn’t enough, Game of Thrones gave viewers Ramsay Bolton. His sadistic behavior made him one of the show’s most horrifying villains, and watching him finally get what he deserved was unforgettable.
Skyler White — Breaking Bad
Skyler became one of television’s most divisive characters, with viewers famously split over her reactions to Walter’s increasingly dangerous double life. Whether you sympathized with her or wanted her off the screen, she certainly inspired strong opinions.
Ross Geller — Friends
Ross was supposed to be the lovable nerd of the group, but his jealousy, possessiveness, and endless relationship drama have made him surprisingly easy for fans to hate. The leather pants certainly didn’t help.
Livia Soprano — The Sopranos
Tony Soprano had plenty of enemies, but few could get under his skin quite like his own mother. Livia’s manipulation, bitterness, and ability to play innocent made her one of the show’s most infuriating characters.
Homelander — The Boys
Homelander has the powers of a superhero and the personality of an absolute nightmare. His combination of narcissism, cruelty, and terrifying unpredictability makes him incredibly easy to hate and impossible to ignore.
Serena Joy Waterford — The Handmaid’s Tale
Serena is complicated, ambitious, and often deeply cruel. Watching her navigate the oppressive world she helped create while facing its consequences makes her one of the show’s most frustrating characters.
Joe Goldberg — You
Joe thinks he’s a hopeless romantic. Everyone else can see that he’s a dangerous stalker with a talent for rationalizing absolutely everything he does. Somehow, the show still makes him impossible to look away from.
Rachel Berry — Glee
Rachel had an incredible voice and absolutely no shortage of confidence. Her ambition could be inspiring, but her selfishness, competitiveness, and constant need to be the center of attention drove plenty of viewers crazy.
Scrappy-Doo — Scooby-Doo
The gang already had Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, and Fred. Then Scrappy showed up and somehow managed to become one of the most famously disliked additions to the franchise.
Caillou — Caillou
Caillou has inspired an almost comical amount of irritation over the years. For many parents, the little cartoon boy’s whining became far more memorable than any of his actual adventures.
Lori Grimes — The Walking Dead
Lori was stuck in an apocalypse, so it’s understandable that things weren’t exactly easy for her. Still, her decisions and complicated relationship drama earned her plenty of frustration from viewers.
Dawn Summers — Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Dawn arrived in Sunnydale and immediately became a source of frustration for plenty of viewers. Her teenage behavior and constant need for rescuing made her one of the show’s most divisive characters.
Nellie Bertram — The Office
Nellie didn’t exactly make a great first impression when she arrived at Dunder Mifflin. Her pushy personality and chaotic behavior made her one of the show’s more polarizing additions.
Ted Mosby — How I Met Your Mother
Ted spent nine seasons searching for true love while making enough questionable romantic decisions to fill several dating apps. His constant yearning and self-seriousness eventually tested many viewers’ patience.
Debbie Gallagher — Shameless
Debbie starts out as one of the sweetest Gallagher kids and gradually becomes a much more complicated character. Her later choices left plenty of viewers wondering exactly what happened to the little girl they once rooted for.
Carrie Heffernan — The King of Queens
Carrie loved her husband, but she wasn’t exactly known for being patient about it. Her temper, sarcasm, and willingness to scheme made her hilarious for some viewers and completely exhausting for others.
Mr. Big — SATC
Mr. Big had charm, money, and an impressive ability to keep Carrie guessing. His habit of sending mixed signals made him one of the most frustrating men in television romance.
Dee Reynolds — It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Dee desperately wants to be the star of the gang, but her friends rarely let her forget that she’s just as terrible as they are. Her schemes, insults, and spectacular lack of self-awareness are peak Dee.
Eric Cartman — South Park
Cartman is selfish, manipulative, and frequently completely horrible. That’s also exactly why he’s one of the most iconic characters in adult animation.
Chuck McGill — Better Call Saul
Chuck is brilliant, complicated, and exceptionally good at making Jimmy’s life miserable. His complicated relationship with his brother turned him into one of the show’s most frustrating characters.
Katie Otto — American Housewife
Katie Otto loves her family, but her parenting style could generously be described as “tough love.” She is brutally judgmental, wildly self centered, and has absolutely no problem saying the thing everyone else is desperately trying not to say, making her one of TV’s most hilariously awful moms.
