Summary
While it’s not a prerequisite for me to like the protagonist of the TV series I’m watching, it can be frustrating when I never warm up to a character I know I’m supposed to like. Over the years, I’ve watched a lot of shows with morally ambiguous anti-heroes, like Walter White onBreaking Bador Tony Soprano fromThe Sopranos, and although I’ve had mixed feelings about their characters, I believe that the gray area was one of the best aspects of those shows. However, other times, characters I’m supposed to root for just never did it for me.
There have been some TV protagonists that I knew were controversial, like Hannah Horvath onGirlsor Michael Scott fromThe Office, who, despite their often contentious reputation, I quickly warmed up to. However, other protagonists from acclaimed dramas, beloved sitcoms, and even animated series left me cold and indifferent. Having strong opinions oncharacters on TV showscan be part of the enjoyment of watching certain series, and even though these wereprotagonists I never warmed up to, that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy these shows or thought they had no redeeming qualities.
10Carrie Bradshaw
Sex and the City (1998 - 2004)
Sometimes, I find it hard to accept that some viewers out there truly like Carrie Bradshaw fromSex and the Citybecause I’ve always felt the entire point of that show was to cringe at her absurd behavior. I have never been able to warm up to Carrie, as she has consistently been her own worst enemy, caused problems for herself, and been extremely dismissive of friends in times of need. ThroughoutSex and the City, the movies, as well asAnd Just Like That…Carrie has been self-involved, egotistical, and downright unlikable.
All any viewer had to do was considerCarrie’s worst moments throughoutSex and the City, and they would see that she was a truly unlikable protagonist. Not only did I watch in horror as she abandoned her friends at every turn for Big, but I could neverforgive her after she cheated on Aidan and broke his heart. AlthoughSex and the Cityseemed to be a show highlighting the power of female friendships, Carrie just never lived up to its ethos, and I couldn’t warm up to her.
Sex and the City
Cast
Sex in the City follows Carrie Bradshaw, a New York writer who finds inspiration for her column from the genuine, emotional, and often humorous exploits of life in the city. Joined by best friends Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York, and Samantha Jones, Sex and the City follows the ups and downs of the characters' romantic relationships, being single, sex, and friendship as 30-something women.
9Piper Chapman
Orange Is the New Black (2013 - 2019)
Although Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) was the protagonist ofOrange Is the New Black, I’ve always felt that the real appeal of this Netflix series came from the incredible talent of its ensemble cast. In fact, I would even argue that Piper was among the weakest characters in the entire show. I understand that her cluelessness and inane character traits were necessary for her to act as our audience surrogate, but that was no reason she had to be so annoying, narcissistic, and wholly unlikeable as a series' main lead character.
Thankfully,Orange Is the New Blackoften shifted its focus away from Piper, and I found the episodes of the series I enjoyed most thoroughly focused on the other female inmates' fascinating backstories. From Natasha Lyonne’s exceptional performance as Nicky Nichols to the incredible character development of Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, I felt likeOrange Is the New Blackwas at its best when Piper was offscreen. With countless cringeworthy moments and some really questionable decisions, Piper was a character I could just never warm up to.
Orange is The New Black
Based on the memoir by Piper Kerman, Orange Is the New Black follows Piper Champman (Taylor Schilling) after she turns herself in for a 15-month sentence in a minimum-security women’s prison for aiding in a drug-smuggling operation run by her ex-girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon). One of Netflix’s most popular original series, the show explores the corruption inherent in the US prison system through the lens of Piper’s experiences.
8Ross Geller
Friends (1994 - 2004)
Friendswas a series that I can remember watching since I was a child, and it was one of the few shows that my entire family would gather around the TV to watch new episodes each week. Back then, a lot of the humor went over my head, but as I grew older, I began to notice manyharsh realities about Ross Geller’s characterthat took me too long to notice. Although Ross was responsible for some ofFriend’sfunniest moments, when I look at all his actions throughout the show, I just can’t warm up to him.
The biggest reason for this was thatRoss was just a really strange guy, and the more I think about his actions, the more he creeps me out. Ross made a pass on his own cousin, he dated his young student, and no matter how many times he professed that they were on a break, I can’t shake the feeling that he did Rachel dirty.Friendshas always held a special place in my heart, but if I were to meet Ross Geller in real life, he’d be no friend of mine.
Friends
Friends is a television sitcom that debuted in 1994, revolving around six young New Yorkers navigating the complexities of adulthood. The series highlights their friendship as they support each other through personal and professional challenges, encapsulating the ups and downs of life in a comedic and relatable manner.
7Dr. Gregory House
House (2004 - 2012)
Undoubtedly, Dr. Gregory House was a highly unlikable man who made life difficult for everyone around him. While I always enjoyed watching Fox’s medical dramaHouseand the genius way that Dr. House solved medical mysteries often made riveting television, he remained a very difficult character to warm up to as his drug addiction, misanthropic nature, and cynical worldview would test my patience. Whenever I felt myself growing to like Dr. House, he would make an outrageous statement or commit a heinous act that turned me off him entirely.
For me, the best example was in the Season 7 finale, whenDr. House drove into Cuddy’s homein a development that felt so heartless that it turned me off him for good. Of course, I understand that House’s action came from a place of deep emotional turmoil and that this represented his repressed rage toward Cuddy. While Dr. House’s action may have made sense from a narrative point of view, this was aHousemoment that made me want to quit the showentirely.
House
House is a medical mystery drama in which the villain is typically a difficult-to-diagnose medical malady. It follows Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), a world-renowned disabled diagnostician with a notorious substance abuse issue. With his team of world-class doctors, House has built a reputation as one of the most brilliant doctors in the world - an especially impressive feat when taking into account that he rarely actually sees his patients.
6Rachel Berry
Glee (2009 - 2015)
Gleewas a show full of characters viewers loved to hate, and I was no different. Although she was the protagonist of the series, I was just never able to warm up to the musical stylings of Rachel Berry. Despite often being among the funniest characters onGlee, I have to admit she was also the worst. As the pure embodiment of white feminism, it was hard not to feel aghast atRachel’s constant microaggressions toward those around herand her need to always be the center of attention.
Manyaspects of Rachel Berry onGleehave aged poorly, and I remember feeling totally uncomfortable with the way she flirted with Mr. Schuester, had an affair with Sam, and allowed her cutthroat ambitions to take precedence over her friendships. But as much as I never warmed up to Rachel, I also have to admit she was an essential part ofGlee’ssuccess and an important addition to the cast. Rachel’s self-centered nature may have been unlikable, but in my experience, it was pretty accurate musical theater kid behavior.
Glee
to escape the stressful reality of high school, a group of misfits decides to join William McKinley’s glee club. Fox’sGleewas created by Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk,and Ryan Murphy, with Leah Michele, Jane Lynch, and Matthew Morrison leading the cast. The series ran for six seasons between 2009 and 2015 and won six Primetime Emmys.
5Jessica Day
New Girl (2011 - 2018)
It pains me to say this becauseNew Girlwas a show I’ve always held near and dear to my heart, but Jessica Day was never a character that I truly warmed up to. While Jess has had some great moments throughoutNew Girl, she was also the least interesting character on the show, whose cheerful and upbeat nature can, at times, feel draining and annoying. While Zooey Deschanel was the perfect choice to play Jess, after seven seasons, I had more than enough of her character.
I always found Jess’s difficulty traversing her personal relationships frustrating, such as with her childhood best friend Cece Parikh or her shameful attitude toward her struggling sister.Jess consistently allowed her emotions to get in the way of her judgment, and she pushed past the boundaries of her relationships, especially with Nick when they were not together. While that’s not to say I dislike Jess, I never warmed up to her in the way I did the rest of the main cast.
New Girl
New Girl is a television series that debuted in 2011, centering on Jessica Day, an eccentric young woman. Following a breakup, she moves in with three single men, navigating her quirky personality and forming unexpected friendships in her new living situation.
4Jerry
Tom and Jerry (1940 - Present)
The ongoing game of cat-and-mouse at the heart ofTom and Jerryled to one of the greatest cartoons of all time, and I’ve always appreciated its fine animation, incredible music, and attuned attention to detail. However, I could never warm up to Jerry, and I must say that the way he toyed with Tom bordered on sadism. Of course, I understand that Tom is a cat and Jerry is a mouse, so they were always going to have an acrimonious relationship, butthe way Jerry goaded Tom always felt cruel to me.
Jerry has always known that he could outsmart Tom, which I could get on board with if it was just to get away and save his own life. But Jerry continually built up Tom’s expectations, only to send them crashing down time and time again, to the point that Tom was left a broken cat without any hope or joy in his life. I could never warm up to Jerry because, no matter how much he needed one, he never gave Tom a break.
3Lorelai Gilmore
Gilmore Girls (2000 - 2007)
Despite the fact thatGilmore Girlshas long been countless viewers' go-to comfort show, I have to admit I never could get on board with Lorelai Gilmore’s character. While I appreciate the series' unique take on a mother and daughter’s relationship and, I know there have been plenty of heartwarming moments to love and cherish throughoutGilmore Girls. I also think thatLorelai has displayed some characteristics that really rubbed me the wrong wayand stopped me from warming up to her.
The older I get, the more I realize just how many negative qualities Lorelai possessed, such as her resentment of Rory’s relationship with her grandparents, Richard and Emily. The way that Loralai also traded time with her parents for them to pay for Rory’s tuition felt rather exploitative and not the circumstances required to foster good family relationships. Most of all, I’ve been frustrated by the way Lorelai treated Rory like more of a friend than her daughter and was often not the support that Rory truly needed as a young teenager.
Gilmore Girls
In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.
2Emily Cooper
Emily in Paris (2020 - Present)
I’m truly convinced that the only reason the showEmily in Pariseven exists in the first place was so that we can all feel frustrated by Emily Cooper. As this Netflix sitcom sets its main character up as a clueless social media-obsessed American, I knew I would have my issues with her, and this only got worse asEmily in Parisprogressed. Emily’s character was so frustrating that I have continued to hate-watch the series every time a new batch of episodes gets released.
My issues with Emily stem from several factors, although I will highlight that I think Lily Collins has done a great job portraying her, and to get such an emotional reaction from me was a testament to her acting talents. Not only were Emily’s decisions usually selfish, but she has repeatedly inserted herself into other people’s relationships without worrying about the devastating emotional wreckage she created. Adding to this,Emily also made little effort to assimilate into Parisian culture, and if ever I encountered her, the only words I would have for her would be “au revoir.”
Emily in Paris
Netflix’s Emily In Paris is a comedy series starring Lily Collins as Emily Cooper, a college graduate who travels from Chicago to Paris when she lands a one-in-a-lifetime job opportunity that allows her to enjoy French culture and glamour while she overhauls a local marketing firm. From the mind of Beverly Hills 90210 and Sex and the City creator Darren Star, Emily In Paris takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the cultural differences between the United States and France.
1Ted Mosby
How I Met Your Mother (2005 - 2014)
I understand that Ted Mosby was the narrator ofHow I Met Your Mother,and the entire show was viewed through the lens of his experience, but I still can’t shake the feeling that it would have been better off without him entirely. Ted’s overbearing desire to get married, dismissive attitude toward the women he did date, and pretentious nature meant that I could just never warm up to him.How I Met Your Motherwas filled with great characters, but no matter how many times I rewatch it, I came to the conclusion that Ted was not one of them.
At times, I couldn’t shake the feeling that theHow I Met Your Motherwriters actually wanted Ted to be unlikable, which became even more pronounced when they reimagined him as Jed Mosely in the in-universe filmThe Wedding Bride. Here, Ted’s character uttered his inane catchphrase, “No-can-do’s-ville, baby doll,” which perfectly encapsulated the annoying nature of the real Ted. AlthoughTed Mosby always viewed himself as a good guy, I always agreed withThe Wedding Bride’sassertion that he could often be insufferable.
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is a television series that follows a father telling his children about his past. Released in 2005, it explores his experiences and adventures with four close friends, leading up to meeting their mother, as depicted through a series of flashbacks.
