TV shows would be dull and boring if the central characters weren’t met with challenges or having to deal with troublesome personalities. A show’s protagonist is complemented by a supporting cast of characters, some of whom can be entertaining, while others can be quite irritating and annoying. And in some instances, the main characters themselves can be exasperating and irksome to audiences.
Nearly every TV show, whether modern or from past decades, features annoying characters. They add depth to the storylines and provide entertainment as we root for the good characters to overcome these frustrating personalities. Some times the annoying characters’ words and actions are more memorable than those of the main character. Remember these 10 TV lines every kid from the 90s will recognize!
24/7 Tempo reviewed several entertainment websites for information when compiling this list of the most annoying TV characters ever. Some of the publications sourced include ScreenRant, TV Guide, and Digital Spy.
Georgina Sparks from “Gossip Girl”
What the character named Georgina Sparks brought to the table on “Gossip Girl” was chaos. Portrayed by Michelle Trachtenberg, Georgina drugged Serena van der Woodsen, deceived Dan Humphrey into believing he fathered her child, and blackmailed almost every other character. Despite Blair Waldorf’s attempts to banish the irritating Georgina from Manhattan, she continued to resurface and stir up more trouble.
Cathy Simms from “The Office”
On The Office, Cathy Simms aggravated audiences because she knew Jim Halpert was married, but that didn’t stop her down from trying to convince him to have an affair with her. Fortunately, Jim was not that kind of guy. Cathy, portrayed by Lindsey Broad, was a much-hated character because Jim and Pam’s relationship was a fan favorite.
Todd Alquist from “Breaking Bad”
Jesse Plemons played Todd Alquist.
When Todd Alquist entered a scene on “Breaking Bad,” he was almost always annoying. Jesse Plemons played the part of Todd, who was not just irritating and unlikeable, but eventually turned out to be just plain evil. When he took the life of Jesse Pinkman’s girlfriend, and completely broke Pinkman’s heart, Todd instantly became the most hated “Breaking Bad” character of the entire series.
Beatrice Horseman from “BoJack Horseman”
Wendie Malick voiced Beatrice Horseman.
“BoJack Horseman” caters to an adult audience because of its dark and thought-provoking themes. The character of Beatrice Horseman, voiced by Wendie Malick, is the show’s most aggravating character because of the torment she inflicts on her own son. Throughout his life, she was hateful and insulting to him.
Joffrey Baratheon from “Game of Thrones”
Out of all the unlikeable character from “Game of Thrones,” Joffrey Baratheon is one of the most annoying and despised. Some viewers feel that the character of Joffrey is so strange and awful because of the fact that he’s a product of incest. Played expertly by actor Jack Gleeson, Joffrey was an abusive young man that had his wife beaten and authorized the beheading of his own father.
Mr. Big from “Sex and the City”
The character, Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth, is far and away the most aggravating and annoying character on the “Sex and the City” tv series. Fans of the show thought Mr. Big was a thinly-veiled narcissist who could be charming, but was ultimately pretty dark. He toyed with Carrie Bradshaw emotionally but refused to fully commit to her, even though he knew she wanted love and marriage.
Ursula Buffay from “Friends”
Phoebe Buffay’s twin sister on “Friends” was named Ursula Buffay. Her lack of self-awareness made her a truly annoying character. Even though she knew the truth about Phoebe’s biological mother, she purposely kept that information from her. She also impersonated Phoebe without her permission and had no regard for her feelings. The parts of Phoebe and Ursula were played by Lisa Kudrow.
McPoyle Siblings from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
Of all the cringe-worthy characters on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” the McPoyle siblings stand out as the most aggravating. The inbred family, that includes actor Jimmi Simpson, create some of the most awkward moments on the show. The whole family makes everyone uncomfortable whenever they are on screen.
Rachel Berry from “Glee”
Even though Rachel Berry is the main character in “Glee,” she’s still one of the most annoying TV characters of all time. Rachel, played by Lea Michele, was obsessed with being perfect and whether she was focused on her preppy clothes, her hairstyle, or her singing voice, she annoyed most everyone around her until every detail was just so. Although her voice was lovely, she was still an irritating character to watch.
Ezra Fitz from “Pretty Little Liars”
Ezra Fitz from “Pretty Little Liars” is the show’s most annoying character because he of his inappropriate student/teacher relationship with someone much younger than himself. His ill-timed relationship with Aria Montgomery should have stopped when he realized she was enrolled in his high school English class, but it didn’t. Ezra Fitz is portrayed by Ian Harding.
Cal Jacobs from “Euphoria”
While all the characters in “Euphoria” are flawed in one way or another, Cal Jacobs seems to be the worst one of all. The reason Cal is so annoying and awful is because he cheated on his wife and destroyed his family. Played by Eric Dane, Cal was especially despicable because of his dangerous choices and for leading a double life that hurt the people around him.
Elena Gilbert from “The Vampire Diaries”
The character of Elena Gilbert is another example of a leading character that viewers found it hard to connect with. Despite being the beautiful protagonist that has to navigate the supernatural world, her character left viewers feeling annoyed most of the time. The actress behind the role, Nina Dobrev, left the show during Season 6.
Abby Day from “New Girl”
Abby Day is considered one of the most irksome characters in TV history because she brought out the worst in everyone on “New Girl.” As the character of Jess Day’s older sister, Abby initially seemed like a great addition to the quirky cast. Instead, she created unnecessary drama and chaos, and enjoyed making life more difficult for her sister, Jess. The role of Abby Day was played by Linda Cardellini
George Mendez from “Orange is the New Black”
Pablo Schreiber’s character, George Mendez, was a correctional officer in “Orange is the New Black.” He was abusive and exploited his position over powerless women. His cruel character annoyed fans because he continually terrorized the incarcerated women, until thankfully, he landed in prison himself.
Jimmy (Steve) Lishman from “Shameless”
“Shameless” fans often found themselves not knowing whether to refer to Fiona Gallagher’s boyfriend as Jimmy or Steve. He earned the reputation of being one of the most annoying characters in TV history because of all of the lies he told, beginning with his very identity. Justin Chatwin played the multi-named character who had major trouble telling the truth.
Hiram Lodge from “Riverdale”
Mark Consuelos played an extremely aggravating TV character as Hiram Lodge on “Riverdale.” Despite being an adult, he consistently meddled in the lives of teenagers. His insistence upon waging war between Jughead Jones and Archie Andrews was totally ridiculous. He should have been a loving father to Veronica Lodge, but he was always at odds with her. And his failure at fatherhood is another reason why he was such an irksome character.
Kirk Gleason from “Gilmore Girls”
The most grating character on the popular TV show, “Gilmore Girls,” was Kirk Gleason. Played by Sean Gunn, Kirk was prone to having erratic mood swings and rude outbursts. As the show continued, Kirk’s character seemed to get even worse. He was a mean-spirited and antagonistic person until the bitter end.
Paul Stadler from “Grey’s Anatomy”
Paul Stadler makes the list of most annoying characters in TV history after being written into “Grey’s Anatomy” as a major jerk. His tumultuous relationship with Jo Wilson was abusive because he wouldn’t respect her. Matthew Morrison played the role of Paul Stadler, who could be charming in public, but truly evil in private.
Kimmy Gibbler from “Full House”
“Full House” is known for its heartwarming episodes and positive messages, yet one character seedmed to grate on everyone’s nerves. Kimmy Gibbler, played by Andrea Barber, was annoying because she simply could not mind her own business. Despite supposedly being DJ Tanner’s best friend, she often did things that drove audiences crazy.
Lonnie Byers from “Stranger Things”
“Stranger Things“ is one of the most popular TV shows of this era. The most annoying character in the series is Lonnie Byers, who was an awful father. His macho persona drove him to be horrible to his sons whenever he felt they were being “too soft.” The role of Lonnie Byers was played by Ross Partridge.