Random Regrettable Characters Who Nearly Ruined Good TV Shows (15 items)

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  (#7) Skyler White

  • Breaking Bad

  The internet hate machine became so intense towards Skyler White that the actress who portrayed her, Anna Gunn, felt the need to write an op-ed piece in the New York Times, which addressed the double-standard toward female characters:

  As an actress, I realize that viewers are entitled to have whatever feelings they want about the characters they watch. But as a human being, I’m concerned that so many people react to Skyler with such venom... Because Skyler didn’t conform to a comfortable ideal of the archetypical female, she had become a kind of Rorschach test for society, a measure of our attitudes toward gender.

  Skyler did not become universally hated on Breaking Bad until she found out that her cancer-stricken husband was not only making and selling drugs, but also becoming a ruthless kingpin in the process. She had understandable moral objections to her husband's new trade, but some argued that Walter, despite the fact that he was putting the family in danger, was the show's "hero," so anything or anyone who got in his way essentially became the bad guy.
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  (#15) Erlich Bachman

  • Silicon Valley

  Some fans thought Erlich was a totally unnecessary character on HBO's Silicon Valley. You can claim he does more harm to Pied Piper as a business than good. He is lazy and irritating. Gilfoyle and Dinesh are both pretty cruel to each other, but their barbs are funny, whereas some don't feel the same about comedian T.J. Miller, who played Bachman.

  Miller left Silicon Valley after four seasons, and many felt that season five was better without him.
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  (#8) Samuel "Screech" Powers

  • Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Good Morning, Miss Bliss, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Saved by the Bell

  The utopian existence that was Bayside High was more believable than Screech being BFFs with all the cool kids. But, in the early seasons, Screech was often treated as just another member of the gang rather than simple comic relief, and his character had some surprising moments of humanity.

  However, later on, the show used Screech more and more for cheap laughs - a schtick that got old fast.
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  (#1) Emily Waltham

  Everyone always knew that Ross and Rachel were going to wind up together in the end. All Emily did was put a major delay in the inevitable. Emily prohibits Ross from seeing Rachel after he blurts out Rachel's name during their wedding ceremony (oops), which only made her more unlikeable.

  Yes, of course, she is right. If they want their relationship to work, Ross should probably avoid someone else he is still clearly in love with. But come on! Emily nearly broke up the whole gang.
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  (#4) Dana Brody

  • Homeland

  Dana Brody is another TV character that the internet could not stop hating. In fact, entire sites were dedicated to listing all the reasons why her character is one of the worst in television history. Here's the thing, Homeland is a very serious drama about terrorism. The beginning seasons are focused on Dana's father, Nicholas Brody, and his relationship with CIA operative Carrie Mathison.

  It isn't a drama about teen angst, which came pouring out of Dana. Her character always seemed to take away from the show instead of adding to it. Every time she appeared onscreen, Dana was just a major annoying hindrance to getting to what was really important on Homeland.
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  (#6) Pete Campbell

  • Mad Men

  Pete Campbell is a classic weasel. He literally had everything: a beautiful and kind wife, a great job, and a healthy child. But he blew it because that's what weasels do. Pete earns a junior partnership at SC&P because he's really good at his job as an account man. But none of his co-workers seem to like him, and it's a surprise that no one at the firm, other than Layne, ever punched Campbell in his very punchable face.

  Pete is arrogant, cruel, and not above crossing moral boundaries to land an account or move up the corporate ladder (he is the one who pushed Joan into sleeping with Herb Rennet in order to land the Jaguar account.) After Pete tries to blackmail Don Draper, Don rejects his attempt and perhaps describes Campbell best: "I thought about what you said, and then I thought about you and what a deep lack of character you have."

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