The 10 Worst Lead Characters of Great TV Shows

Some of the best television shows suffer from the same curse: horrible actors who bog down the entire series. In some cases, we learn to grin and bear it once these lackluster characters hit the screen, other times, we’re reaching for the remote to turn the channel and put us out of our own misery. Whether it be poor character development or just terrible acting, here are a few of the worst characters in some of our favorite television shows.

1. Screech – ‘Saved by the Bell’

Saved by the Bell is everything we all wished our high school years could be: A group of popular and fashionable friends, a kickass principal named Mr. Belding, and a bit of teenage angst that made life seem a bit more exciting. But then, there was Screech Powers. He never seemed to fit in with Zack Morris and A.C. Slater, and none of the girls ever really took him seriously. In most cases, we all tend to root for the geeky underdog, but when it came to Screech, his character was so unlikable, we sort of hoped he would get transferred from Bayside High.

2. Jack – ‘Lost’

Fans of Lost definitely feel our pain when it comes to the character Jack Shephard. Played by actor Matthew Fox, Jack was initially slated to die in the pilot episode, but the character was written into the entire series at the request of ABC. Most times, the lead character of a series is at least likable, but when it came to Jack, he was anything but charming. He was a bit stubborn, with a self-centered arrogance that made us want to jump through our television screens and ring his neck. Viewers had absolutely no sympathy for him, and the only good thing about this show coming to an end was the thought of never having to see Jack ever again.

3. Piper – ‘Orange Is the New Black’

When it comes to whiny and spoiled characters on great Tv shows, we can’t forget Piper of Orange Is the New Black. Seriously, when have any of her scenes ever been worth watching? When Piper’s going on and on and playing the victim, we all simultaneously tune her out. She’s so “gangsta,” and annoying, and intolerable. Can her character just get shanked already? Enough is enough.

4. April ‘Gilmore Girls’

We feel somewhat bad for Vanessa Marano for having to play the most hated character on Gilmore Girls. We’re sure she’s a doll in real life, but her character April Nardini is the absolute worst! Talk about a television series buzzkill! April was introduced at a time when viewers were banking on Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore finally riding off into the sunset and settling down into a beautiful and loving relationship. But then, here comes April as the child Luke fathered many years ago. She just swooped in and shattered all of our hopes and dreams. Thanks a lot, kid!

5. Eric Forman – ‘That 70’s Show’

Topher Grace will forever be remembered as That 70’s Show’s Eric Forman, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. Eric’s character definitely rubbed us the wrong way. He was the square of the entire crew – a bit nerdy, a bit shy, and definitely annoying. And then, how could we forget when he left our beloved Donna Pinciotti at the altar? What a major douche. We can’t be the only ones who breathed a sigh of relief when he finally left the show.

6. Ross Geller – ‘Friends’

Ross Geller was a part of one of television’s most-loved shows, Friends, but that doesn’t mean we were in love with this character. He’s the whiny brother who’s always complaining about everything. We still don’t know what Rachel Green saw in him, and we’ll never forgive him for refusing to read the letter she poured her heart and soul into. Ugh!

7. Ted – ‘How I Met Your Mother’

All you have to do is google Ted Mosby’s name to understand why viewers of How I Met Your Mother couldn’t stand him. He was whiny, he complained all the time, he expected everyone to throw him a pity party, and yet, he’s life really wasn’t that bad. What more did this jerkoff really want from society? He had a great job, he had a nice apartment, and he dated beautiful woman. It felt like he complained just to hear the sound of his own voice, and we were all sick and tired of his pompous attitude!

8. Skyler White – ‘Breaking Bad’

Not everyone hates Breaking Bad’s Skyler White, but the overall distaste for this character landed her a spot on our list. Sure, Skyler was on a mission to crush the status quo when it came to stereotypical gender roles, and she’s married to a complete jerk, but that’s where our sympathy for her ends. Even though we should’ve been rooting for Skyler’s character, our allegiance was with her drug-dealing husband, Walter White. Our hate for Skyler got so bad that we sometimes wished she would’ve went through with the divorce in season three and left the show for good.

9. Rachel Berry – ‘Glee’

We realize we’re supposed to love Rachel Berry’s character. She’s fun, she’s spunky, and she’s preppy, but aside from all of her favorable traits, she’s also downright awful. Her uptight character was like a thorn in our behinds. She never had the opportunity to grow and flourish because she was pigeoned holed into the neurotic, annoying mess that graced our television screens every week. Good riddance, Rachel!

10. Marissa Cooper – ‘The OC’

Even after all these years, Marissa Cooper of The O.C. is still one of the worst characters ever. Her whiny, monotone voice was unbearable, and the way she treated her boyfriend Ryan Atwood was reprehensible. Marissa only give AF about herself, which was evident as she slowly but surely ruined everyone’s life who came in contact with her. It wasn’t until she was killed off from the series in season three when we finally found some relief from this narcissistic brat.