Some of the most iconic television characters are people that you could never stand in real life.
Ironically, that’s what makes them so memorable. Sometimes, their off-putting personality is played off to comedic effect, as seen in characters like George Costanza or Sheldon Cooper. Other times, they’re truly a memorable villain.
Here are the sitcom characters that perfectly capture what we’re talking about.
Sheldon Cooper – The Big Bang Theory
Let’s start with Sheldon Cooper, one of the poster children for main characters who are insufferable.
Yes, Sheldon’s disabilities mean that he can’t help himself, but that doesn’t give him an excuse to be a truly terrible human being. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be his friend, let alone his roommate or spouse.
Ted Mosby – How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother may be the story of how Ted Mosby met his future wife, but he’s easily the worst character on the show.
He’s self-centered, immature, and desperate. Maybe that’s why it took him so long to meet the mother of his children. Oh, and the story he tells his children about meeting their mother is just a long-winded excuse to convince them it’s okay that he dates Robin.
Zack Morris – Saved By The Bell
Compared to Zack Morris, however, Ted Mosby is a saint.
The only thing he has going for him is his charisma. Morris is only likable because the show made him the centerpiece of everything. If this weren’t a TV show, Morris would be ostracized by all of Bayside.
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Ray Barone – Everybody Loves Raymond
Yes, it’s exaggerated and played off for laughs and is one of the best modern examples of the foolish husband trope, but Ray Barone is still a selfish human being.
Of course, that happens when you’re spoiled rotten by your Italian mother. As someone who grew up in an Italian family, I can confirm that there is plenty of truth in the show.
Jerry Seinfeld – Seinfeld
Where do we begin with Jerry? First, there are numerous shallow reasons why his relationships never work (forgot her name, forced her to give a massage, eats her peas one at a time). Then there’s his complete lack of empathy.
Or maybe it’s the time he stole a marble rye from an old woman. There’s plenty to choose from here.
George Costanza – Seinfeld
Speaking of that marble rye, remember that time George tried to sneak it into the Ross’ apartment? Don’t forget that he inadvertently killed their daughter by picking toxic wedding invitations.
Or when he cheated on an IQ test. How about when he shouted fire before leaving everyone behind at a child’s birthday party? Jerry is a pretty terrible person, but George is in a league of his own.
Jim Halpert – The Office
It’s easy to mention Michael Scott here, who’s incredibly dysfunctional, but also has a huge heart. It’s also easy to mention Andy Bernard, but the writers absolutely betrayed him as the show went on.
Jim Halpert suffers from main character syndrome; he steals the girl, thinks he’s the big man on campus at the office, and his eventual friendship with Dwight is never truly earned.
Nellie Bertram – The Office
Having said all that about Jim, I’d gladly take him over Nellie.
Her insistence on taking Andy’s job, even though she’s dumber than a bag of rocks, is so infuriatingly miserable. It felt like the show was doing everything it could to make a Michael 2.0, but the problem is that Michael Scott had redeeming qualities. Nellie has zero.
Ross Geller – Friends
I don’t like Friends. I think it’s an overrated show with annoying characters. Before you ask, yes, I absolutely love Seinfeld, but that’s beside the point.
I mention that because my hatred of Ross Geller may seem biased, but it’s legitimate. He’s insecure, possessive, and jealous. Despite that, he loves to defend his affair by shouting, “WE WERE ON A BREAK!”
Shut up, Ross.
Harold Hecuba – Gilligan’s Island
Where to begin with Harold Hecuba? He’s everything people hate about hotshot movie producers: obnoxious, demanding, and uncaring.
Yet that pales in comparison to the fact that, despite his promise to rescue everyone from the island, he leaves without everyone.
Louie De Palma – Taxi
Now, to Louie’s credit, he’s one of the main reasons why Taxi is such a beloved classic sitcom.
Yes, he is loud, offensive, crude, and antagonistic, but all of that plays off exceptionally well with the rest of the cast. Sometimes, it’s okay to love to hate someone.
Diane Chambers – Cheers
There aren’t many sitcoms that compare to Cheers. Its biggest strength is the ensemble cast, filled with memorable and beloved characters.
Well, except for one.
Some Diane defenders will point out that she was always a kind person, but I say that her true colors came through in later seasons. The show was far better without her.
Simon Moon – Frasier
It’s hard to pinpoint the worst thing about Daphne’s brother.
On the one hand, his accent is atrocious. On the other hand, he’s an obnoxious pain who stands out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the cast.
Nancy Botwin – Weeds
The first few seasons of Weeds are incredible television, with one key reason being that it’s great to watch Nancy Botwin take creative measures to maintain her lifestyle following the sudden death of her husband, Judah.
As the show goes on, however, Nancy’s actions make her more and more unlikable. She gets in way over her head and is magically able to weasel her way out of trouble. Then again, she’s the protagonist of the show, not its hero.
Cousin Oliver – The Brady Bunch
They don’t call it “Cousin Oliver Syndrome” for nothing.
In the fifth season of The Brady Bunch, Cousin Oliver was added to the show as a younger character who could hopefully boost ratings. It didn’t work; Cousin Oliver was universally hated, and the show was soon cancelled by ABC.
Randy Pearson – That ’70s Show
Of course, adding unnecessary characters isn’t exclusive to younger actors.
When Topher Grace left That ’70s Show, Randy Pearson was imagined as his replacement. There’s just one problem: he’s nowhere near as likable or as funny as Eric Foreman.
Pierce Hawthorne – Community
Chevy Chase’s Pierce Hawthorne was imagined as the older, wisecracking, out-of-touch member of the study group, played by the veteran comedic actor.
The problem was that Chase was a little too effective in this role. It wasn’t something that could have been played for laughs as the show went on, it was more and more awkward as time passed.
Kimmy Gibler – Full House
God, I’ve always hated Kimmy Gibler.
I get that her character is supposed to be annoying and off-putting, but for a show with an already full (pun not intended) cast of characters, she was completely unnecessary. In any scene, she felt like she was there just to be the butt of constant jokes.
Hazel Wassername – 30 Rock
The only reason Hazel exists is to give the writers of 30 Rock an exit strategy to eventually end the series, and to that point, it worked. You can’t convince me otherwise.
I loved that Kenneth was able to get some screentime doing something besides being an NBC Page, but every time Hazel appears on screen, the show comes to a screeching halt.
Cotton Hill – King of the Hill
One of the most heartbreaking aspects of King of the Hill is the relationship between Hank and his father, Cotton.
Cotton is a man who is not deserving of love, especially given the way he treats everyone around him: he’s loud, obnoxious, brash, and highly offensive. Sure, he killed fifty men and sacrificed his shins in the war, but that doesn’t excuse your poor behavior, Cotton.
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