It’s one of the best feelings when you get home and can finally watch TV and rewind from a long day. Moods quickly turn sour though when a hated character shows up on screen, and there are a lot of them!
Not all disliked TV characters are villains either. Interested in reading about hated TV villains? Click here to discover 30 of the most evil villains in TV history.
Choosing characters fans love to hate is difficult as everyone has a separate opinion. However, while scouring the internet, we’ve landed on 20 consistent names.
To compile this list of 20 TV characters fans love to hate, 24/7 Tempo reviewed multiple websites including IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. A lot of time was also spent reading through Reddit posts and comments, and listing character names that repeated.
Follow along to discover the 20 most hated characters on TV. Do you agree with the choices?
Ross Gellar (Friends)
Are you surprised to see this main character of the TV show “Friends” on our list? A lot of people love to hate Ross Gellar, but why? Some spoilers ahead.
Ross Gellar can be considered whiny and annoying. He’s also quite possessive and jealous over Rachel and has some mean moments. In quite a few episodes, Ross has also lied, and even lied and stayed married to Rachel.
Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
You’re going to notice that many of the characters on this list are main characters, like Sheldon Cooper. Sheldon is a genius in “The Big Bang Theory.” Don’t let his intelligence fool you, though. He can be very socially awkward and rude. Fans love to hate him for his unnecessarily mean comments and obnoxious need to prove that he’s better or smarter than everybody.
Joffrey Baratheon (Game of Thrones)
Likely one of the most hated TV villains is Joffrey Baratheon from “Games of Thrones.” Joffrey was unnecessarily cruel and practically a little tyrant. During his run on the show, he kills many people, including Ros. Fans loved to hate this character, especially with how well the actor, Jack Gleeson, portrayed this violent brat.
Elena Gilbert
Next is Elena Gilbert, one of many female TV characters fans love to hate female. Elena is a human female caught in a love triangle with two vampire brothers in the TV series “Vampire Diaries.” Many fans didn’t like her because of her whiny, but passive actions. She is painted as a damsel in distress in the show, which can get tiring to see. Still, millions of people tuned in to watch this series weekly.
Andy Bernard (The Office)
The very popular TV series, “The Office,” has a lot of annoying characters. Granted, most characters were written that way. Still, there is one that really grinds some people’s gears, Andy Bernard. Throughout the show, Andy shows his insecurities, coming off as desperate. While he is a TV character fans love to hate, there are a lot of who adore his sweet and hilarious nature.
Emily Gilmore
Anyone who has seen “Gilmore Girls” knows for frustrating and judgmental Emily Gilmore can be. Emily Gilmore, played by Kelly Bishop, is the mother of Lorelai. Her relationship with her daughter is tense throughout the series. Although viewers can see that Emily loves and cares for her family, she is also very manipulative and hurtful.
Piper Chapman
Yet another main character makes our list. At first, Piper Chapman seems innocent, nice, and naïve in “Orange is the New Black,” but it doesn’t take long for her true nature to reveal itself. She is a flawed character who is a known cheater and in the later seasons has an ‘I’m better than everyone’ attitude.
Rachel Berry
The TV series “Glee” has quite a few annoying characters fans love to hate. Rachel Berry is one of them. Although an excellent singer, her personality can be annoying. She also has a good heart. A good heart isn’t everything though. Multiple times throughout the series, Rachel tries to help other characters, but her actions make things worse.
Dawn Summers
Another character to make it on our list of the 20 TV characters fans love to hate is Dawn Summers from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” She first appeared in season 5. Many people can’t stand Dawn as she’s immature and whiny, sometimes calling her a brat. To be fair, she is a teenager in the series.
Ryan Howard
Surprisingly, another “The Office” character makes our list. Ryan Howard is definitely a male TV character fans love to hate. He goes through a lot of changes in his time on the series, first starting as a confused and quiet intern. By the last season though, Ryan has changed a lot and is power and money-hungry. In the last episode, he abandons his baby and runs away to be with Kelly, who is in a relationship.
Will Schuester
Although Will Schuester, a character from the TV series “Glee,” won’t make our list of the most hated characters of all time, he is very hated. Will Schuester is a teacher, who probably shouldn’t be. Even as early as the first episode, Will Schuester blackmails Finn, a football player student.
Skyler White
Skyler White is a female character fans love to hate in the series “Breaking Bad.” She is a frustrating character who doesn’t know how to take responsibility or accountability. She is also very unsupportive and can be condescending. However, can you blame her given her situation? While some fans hate her, others sympathize with her for trying to keep the family together and out of trouble.
Scrappy-Doo
The next TV character on our list might give you a giggle – Scrappy-Doo. He is an annoying character that many people can’t stand. Scrappy-Doo is the nephew of Scooby-Doo. He was in many series, including “Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo,” “The Richie Rich/Scooby-Doo Show,” and “The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo.” So, why is this small dog easy to hate? Some fans say it’s his voice, which is whiny and high-pitched.
Jack Shephard
Jack Shephard is one of many male TV characters fans love to hate on our list. This character makes his first appearance in the first episode of “Lost.” He is a main character that is really easy to hate! He is arrogant, controlling, and impatient. Somehow, he becomes the leader of the group but makes some questionable choices.
Ezra Fitz
A lot of people debate over the character Ezra Fitz over if he is one of the most hated characters. In the series “Pretty Little Liars,” he was a charming teacher. The show though romanticized grooming and teacher-student relationships. A lot of red flags surrounded Ezra Fitz, starting with his relationship with Aria. For instance, Aria was 16 and Ezra was at least 22.
Jenny Humphrey
Jenny Humphrey is an interesting case. Many fans of the show “Gossip Girl” loved Jenny at the start but began to hate her during the third season of Gossip Girl. This character though brings up a large debate. Some fans continue to love Jenny, letting her negative moments slide because of her age. At the start of the show, Jenny is 14 and dealing with a lot of changes in her life.
Dr. Robert Romano
“ER” fans know Dr. Robert Romano for his incredibly funny and snarky one-liners, but these one-liners are also a reason many fans of the show hate him. Robert Romano is portrayed by Paul McCrane. He makes nasty comments and puts down other characters in the series, which can make him really easy to hate as a fan.
Dawson Leery
Somehow, another main character makes our list of the 20 TV characters fans love to hate, Dawson Leery. Dawson Leery is the main character in “Dawson’s Creek.” Despite being a main character, he is widely disliked for his whiny and obsessive personality. Throughout the show, he is controlling and manipulates Joey.
Oliver Trask
Have you ever heard of Oliver Trask? He was a character in on the FOX television series “The O.C.” This recurring character is insufferable. He is one of the easiest characters to dislike. Josh Schwartz based Oliver Trask on someone he knew who faked cancer out of desperation and loneliness. Thankfully, Oliver was only around for a handful of episodes.
Dennis Reynolds
Last but not least is Dennis Reynolds from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Dennis Reynolds is such an easy character to hate, but it’s even harder to keep your eyes away from the screen when he’s there. He’s funny, witty, but also creepy. Dennis constantly uses women throughout the show, using their insecurities against them. He is also an awful friend and sibling, except for a handful of times.
Did you know “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is one of the most popular comedies on the small screen?Click here for a list of the most popular TV comedies according to IMDb.