http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for

In most network television shows, we're explicitly told who we're supposed to root for. "This is the main protagonist," they say. "You like this person. Except when we tell you not to." They provide similar, blunt decrees about the rest of the characters, as well, right down to the supporting cast.

While most of us are willing to go along with the ride so long as the writers of the show are able to give justifiable reasons for doing so, every once in a while they emphatically hurl these supposedly heroic and/or appealing characters right into unlikable territory.

And then there are the characters who are so consistently unpleasant, ill-natured, and generally impossible to root for that it's a bit baffling to think about why we were ever supposed to get on board with them in the first place.

Unfortunately, despite everyone's best efforts, these characters had way more reasons to hate them than love them.

9. Meredith Grey - Grey's Anatomy (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=2)

8. Dexter Morgan - Dexter (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=3)

7. Fred Flintstone - The Flintstones (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=4)

6. Michael Scott - The Office (US) (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=5)

5. Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=6)

4. Ted Mosby - How I Met Your Mother (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=7)

3. Elliot Reid - Scrubs (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=8)

2. Carl Grimes - The Walking Dead (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=9)

1. Ross Gellar & Rachel Green - Friends (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=10)

Fred Flintstone and Ross and Rachel??? Really???

I don't think Sheldon is that bad. Yeah, he's hard to put up with but... I know people with similar personalities to his, and they're actually pretty cool.

I don't think Sheldon is that bad. Yeah, he's hard to put up with but... I know people with similar personalities to his, and they're actually pretty cool.i agree sheldon really is a good person deep down but he really just does not now how to express his feelings

Why is Fred Flinstone on the list??

HE IS AWESOME!!

sue ellien ewing from dallas should be on this list i know that jr is a major jerk most of the time but i cant count the number of time that i thought that sue ellien in her own way was a bigger jerk than jr ever was but yet some how we were supposed to root for her sometimes i did but alot of times jr was right about sue ellien jr was a jerk but she was no prize ether

You should have put both Bart and homer Simpson, Peter Griffin, Brian Griffin and roger and Stan Smith.

I like Fred Flintstone and Elliot Reid. What is wrong with them for putting them on a list like this?!

I tried watching Grey's Anatomy a few times and I hated every single character. Never mind that I think the show is just really depressing.

Roseanne Connor should be on this list. If I'd been her husband I would've shot myself. But then I never would've married a b*tch like her in the first place. I never understood what Dan was supposed to see in her. One of the most hateful and unlikable characters ever, but then so is Roseanne Barr in real life.

Ed.

http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for



9. Meredith Grey - Grey's Anatomy (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=2)

8. Dexter Morgan - Dexter (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=3)

7. Fred Flintstone - The Flintstones (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=4)

6. Michael Scott - The Office (US) (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=5)

5. Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=6)

4. Ted Mosby - How I Met Your Mother (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=7)

3. Elliot Reid - Scrubs (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=8)

2. Carl Grimes - The Walking Dead (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=9)

1. Ross Gellar & Rachel Green - Friends (http://whatculture.com/tv/9-awful-tv-characters-were-supposed-to-root-for?page=10)

None of the names match up with who you linked them to.

I thought if you meant awful, it was in the context of an awful person.

House on House M.D. was an awful person. I was only a casual watcher of the show, but House to me was an unlikable character. Rude, condescending, mean, even borderline sociopath. House did what House wanted to do and to hell with anyone else. What I did like about House MD was that the rest of the characters were "normal people" and not necessarily relatable or likeable also. In many shows, the show wants you to like/love the characters for obvious reasons.

The Mafia characters on The Sopranos. Tony Soprano obviously was an awful person. Basically a serial killer, adulterer, con man, thief, robber. One of my favorite characters from that show is Paulie. Paulie was hilarious at times, but we can see the horrid things that character did for money. Again, there weren't that many sympathetic characters except for maybe Bobby. One of my favorite scenes was when the gang was at a funeral for someone, and Tony looks up and sees AJ in the distance and gives a loving glance with a slight smile on his face. But still a horrible, evil man who became an iconic American character.

On a comedy level, Frank Burns from MASH. Burns was a pathetic, ignorant, uncaring, unsympathetic character who was hated and disliked by every person he has ever known since childhood (he alluded this when he said his only friend in school was the janitor, and the unhappy Mrs. Burns on her wedding day) except for his mother and Margaret, who left him for Penopscot (the handsome one or the Elvis version). Frank knew nobody liked him and openly asked why, never knowing he is the problem, but his psychology wouldn't let him change.

Michael Scott from the list is an awful character at times and did some awful things to comedic affect. Michael to me wasn't evil, just a dumb person with little common sense and a huge ego. He tries to hard to make friends and annoyingly sees the office staff as his family (and in real life, I would be annoyed to be made to go to the Dundies, Booze Cruise, the day at the lake, Christmas parties or any of that, I am like Stanley, do my time and go home). Michael was pathetic, however unlike Burns, the Office people didn't dislike him and even bonded with Michael a few times.

Why is Fred Flinstone on the list??

HE IS AWESOME!!

He was abusive to animals.


https://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/flintstones-can-opener.jpg

Roseanne Connor should be on this list. One of the most hateful and unlikable characters ever, but then so is Roseanne Barr in real life.Amen. Can't stand her!

Fred Flintstone and Ross and Rachel??? Really???

That was my reaction, too.

If they wanted an awful animated character, Roger or the dad from American Dad, or Peter Griffin from Family Guy would work. Peter's treatment of Meg alone should get him on the list.

But not Fred Flintstone.

Ross and Rachel could be a little self-absorbed at times (each in their own way), but neither was an awful person. In fact, I was rooting for them the whole time to get back together. Had one or both of them actually been awful, I wouldn't have cared.

I tried clicking on the links to figure out their rationale, but the link for Ross and Rachel was non-functional.

None of the names match up with who you linked them to.Ah man!!

Claire Huxtable: smug, arrogant witch

Claire Huxtable: smug, arrogant witchagreed

Fred Flintstone may have had his faults but he was a good father and faithful husband and even though he treated Barney like his bitch at times he did treat him pretty decent and was a good buddy to him.

Bert and Ernie one is a short tempered neatnik of a nerd with an unhealthy obsession with pigeons the other is jerk who gets off on tormenting his roommate and has a rubber duck fetish.

Lucy Ricardo
Liar ✔
Thief ✔
Cheater ✔
She had absolutely no morals, at all. When she got caught she would resort to crying.

Bert and Ernie one is a short tempered neatnik of a nerd with an unhealthy obsession with pigeons the other is jerk who gets off on tormenting his roommate and has a rubber duck fetish.

LOL.:lol:

Ed.

Gilligan you're suppose to feel sorry for him but he's such a goof

The detectives of Law and Order SVU. Mainly Stabler and Benson. This show makes me hate cops. They break the law, disobey their boss, The FBI, CIA, the district attourney and anybody who has higher power than they, lie, abuse their power and think all men are rapists and women are victims, WRONG!!!! Not all men are rapists and not women are victims. Olivia is a man hater and Stabler is a bully. They should be thrown off the force and put in jail. Can cops really get away with what they do? This why I hate cops and I don't know if I can trust them.

The detectives of Law and Order SVU. Mainly Stabler and Benson. This show makes me hate cops. They break the law, disobey their boss, The FBI, CIA, the district attourney and anybody who has higher power than they, lie, abuse their power and think all men are rapists and women are victims, WRONG!!!! Not all men are rapists and not women are victims. Olivia is a man hater and Stabler is a bully. They should be thrown off the force and put in jail. Can cops really get away with what they do? This why I hate cops and I don't know if I can trust them.

You do realize it's just a TV show, right? In reality, most cops are good,
honest law enforcement professionals who serve and protect all citizens.

Unlikeable and very flawed...I don't know about awful:

Lucy from I Love Lucy - Compulsive liar
Ralph Kramden from The Honeymooners - Loud, bigmouthed
Dennis from Dennis the Menace - Always causing trouble
Agent 86 from Get Smart - Dumb as dirt
Gilligan from Gilligan's Island - Always screwing up
Archie Bunker from All in the Family/Archie Bunker's Place - Bigoted
Florence from Jeffersons - Sassy
Maude - Always belligerent
Mama from Mama's Family - Sassy
Roseanne - Overly snarky and sarcastic

There's also one of the best known characters of all-time, Louie DePalma of Taxi.

He was abusive to animals.


https://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/flintstones-can-opener.jpg


But if you look at it in another perspective he was kind to animals by employing them! ;) Jobless/ homeless animals were unheard of in Bedrock! :lol:

I thought I was alone in my thoughts about Meredith from Grey's !!!!

Wow!!!

Carla from Cheers

Mike Stivic they wanted you to cheer and root for the guy but in reality he was a self centered arrogant ***** who used the Bunkers to put a roof over his head.

That was my reaction, too.

If they wanted an awful animated character, Roger or the dad from American Dad, or Peter Griffin from Family Guy would work. Peter's treatment of Meg alone should get him on the list.

But not Fred Flintstone.

Ross and Rachel could be a little self-absorbed at times (each in their own way), but neither was an awful person. In fact, I was rooting for them the whole time to get back together. Had one or both of them actually been awful, I wouldn't have cared.

I tried clicking on the links to figure out their rationale, but the link for Ross and Rachel was non-functional.


Consider the source, people. It's TMC and his usual garbage links that are completely worthless to anyone with half a brain.

That was my reaction, too.

If they wanted an awful animated character, Roger or the dad from American Dad, or Peter Griffin from Family Guy would work. Peter's treatment of Meg alone should get him on the list.

But not Fred Flintstone.

Ross and Rachel could be a little self-absorbed at times (each in their own way), but neither was an awful person. In fact, I was rooting for them the whole time to get back together. Had one or both of them actually been awful, I wouldn't have cared.

I tried clicking on the links to figure out their rationale, but the link for Ross and Rachel was non-functional.


Consider the source, people. It's TMC and his usual garbage links that are completely worthless to anyone with half a brain.

There's also one of the best known characters of all-time, Louie DePalma of Taxi.

I agree he was awful, but I don't think anyone expected us to root for Louie. Quite the opposite, really.

I cannot believe they forgot to include Ally McBeal from the show of that title. Ally was awful in every way; vain, self-absorbed, selfish, neurotic to the point of being nearly incompetent; impulsive, short-sighted, she was also often cruel to her friends, co-workers, and colleagues; and she was judgemental, often very bigoted and yet we were supposed to root for her as the main character of her show. And making that even more ridiculous is the fact that a main theme of the show was embracing uniqueness and finding your place in the world, and yet the main character of the show; a show that seemingly wanted you to root for the underdogs was a character who represented everything contrary to that idea.

Dr. Greg House from House. One of the most horrible characters ever and there's absolutely nothing likable about him whatsoever. Rude, arrogant, distrustful, misogynistic, and extremely self righteous. I don't care if he's a genius or not if he was a real life doctor there's no way any hospital would put up with half of the crap he did, he'd be fired sooner rather than later. I wouldn't let the man touch me with a 10 foot pole.

Ed.

-Michael Scott was a terrible person, but I didn't see him as bigoted as much as I did really inappropriate and lacking social graces. He also reminded me of a former boss in terms of inappropriate behavior, so I could see how a character like that is somewhat realistic.

That said, I hated that Toby never stood up to him. To be an HR person and yet be so much of a pushover really irked me. Then again, I found a majority of the characters on The Office to be insufferable for one reason or another.

-I think Fred Flintstone only seems terrible in retrospect when you realize many of his actions would be seen as inappropriate nowadays. Kinda like how Ralph Kramden saying "To the moon, Alice!" is a bit cringeworthy. Just a product of the era that didn't age too well.

-She wasn't on the list, but as an adult, I realize just how manipulative Lucy was. I find I Love Lucy pretty hard to watch nowadays for that reason.

Cosmo Spacely from The Jetsons A cold monster!! A bully to George and never cared about anybody but himself. In the Jetson movie, he almost killed Elroy to build a crater. I'm glad George told him off.

It's one of my favorite shows, and I realized this a while ago, but Fred Sanford on Sanford and Son was truly insufferable.

He was bigoted, narrow-minded, rude, stubborn, and a bunch of other adjectives. Yesterday, I watched the episode where Julio moves in next door, and Fred goes out of his way to be rude, just because Julio is Puerto Rican.

The show is still funny as hell, but it gets harder to put up with Fred's behavior. Lamont was pretty rude to his dad, but there were times where I think Fred had it coming.

Cosmo Spacely from The Jetsons A cold monster!! A bully to George and never cared about anybody but himself. In the Jetson movie, he almost killed Elroy to build a crater. I'm glad George told him off.

Were we supposed to root for Cosmo Spacely? I always thought they presented him as more or less a heavy.

The Bundy's you have Al if he'd took more pride in his job and overall appearance than he did going to titty bars and bowling his life would be better if Peggy would've been a better cook and house cleaner Al wouldn't have to go to the Jiggly Room if Kelly would have paid attention in class and stayed out of trouble might have been able to hold a decent job and there's Bud the brains of the family and yet just as shiftless as the rest.

Were we supposed to root for Cosmo Spacely? I always thought they presented him as more or less a heavy.
I never root for him. As I mentioned before, he almost killed Elroy in the movie.

I never root for him. As I mentioned before, he almost killed Elroy in the movie.


The point being and I'd agree with it, is that Mr. Spacely wasn't meant to be likable or rooted for. I don't know how anybody could think that he was.

Ed.

Here are some more characters who are monsters.
1. Peter Griffin
2 Brian Griffin
3. Glen Quagmire
4. Lois Griffin
5. Roger Smith
6. Stan Smith
7. Bart simpson
8. Homer Simpson