Summary
Although TV shows have always been relatively supportive of their main characters, some disrespected them far too often. TV show characters have frequently been scorned by their writers in several ways, such as giving them poor or inconsistent characterization, storylines that made little sense, or ruining their arcs with retcons or backstory alterations.Retcons in TVhave notably caused the downfall of characters, mainly because their past and present became so complex that it was hard to remember what was canonical or not.
Eventhe best TV shows of all timehave been guilty of disrespecting their characters on odd occasions, but some have damaged their most popular personalities regularly throughout their runs.As each respective show progressed, the decline in these characters’ relatability and appeal gradually declined,which was disappointing when they began as endearing and worth investing in. Although plenty of TV characters received stellar treatment and development, some shows dropped the ball and failed to realize their full potential.
10 TV Characters With The Best Development Of All Time
The best TV character arcs of all time showcase organic character development through relationships, career changes, and impactful life experiences.
Gilmore Girls
Cast
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.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
Acting as a follow-up to the original series, Gilmore Girls, A Year In The Life is a comedy-drama series. Having completed her stint on the Obama campaign trail, Rory now finds herself as a freelance journalist with an inconsistent life. Meanwhile, Lorelei finds herself lost in life before her upcoming marriage to Luke. This four-part mini-series follows the titular mother-daughter duo as they continue to navigate their mother-daughter relationship in Star’s Hollow.
Rory Gilmore, unfortunately, had some terrible storylines inGilmore.Although she wasn’t the most hated character in the show, she still made some questionable choices. For example, her affair with Dean was the center of one ofGilmore Girls’ most controversial storylines. Dean and Rory hadn’t been together for a long time, so it was weird that she reignited their romance while he was married to Lindsay. Although his marriage was on the rocks,it was wildly out of character for Rory to participate in Dean’s cheating.
Rory had plenty of moments inGilmore Girlsthat painted her in a less-than-flattering light, but her characterization became more unbearable inGilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.From the first episode, it was apparent that Rory wasn’t a sweet young girl anymore upon the reveal that she was having an affair with Logan. This was a baffling moment and made no sense, especially as she was dating Paul and Logan was engaged to Odette. Considering that Rory was one of the two titular characters, it was disappointing that her attitude and actions shifted back and forth so much.
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.
One of the most wasted protagonists of a TV show, Ted Mosby, became increasingly more frustrating withevery season ofHow I Met Your Mother. His personality, especially in later seasons of the show, was used as an excuse to justify his bizarre behavior. Ted constantly hounded Robin about potentially being together again, which he tried to explain as being romantic, but it was simply creepy.Ted was always going back and forth on what he believed in and his morals,to the point that it became unclear what Ted stood for anymore.
Ted’s search for “the one” started as a wholesome premise, but as the show progressed, his need for love was really desperation.Every girlfriend Ted had inHow I Met Your Mothermade him more obsessed with finding his future wife. Sadly, it got to a point where it felt like he was actually looking for a surrogate so he could be a father rather than someone he could spend his life with. Unfortunately,Ted relied on his romantic-at-heart side as an excuse to act awfully,but especially as a reason not to give up on Robin.
Supernatural
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
When Sam Winchester was first introduced inSupernatural,he was simply a demon hunter alongside his brother, Dean. However, throughoutevery season ofSupernatural,Sam’s character experienced significant fluctuations and nonsensical storylines that were confusing and frustrating. For example, Sam’s addiction to demon blood in season 4 was initially compelling, but it was inconsistent and had little follow-through. He also exhibited some extremely out-of-character behavior at various points, most notably when he moved in with Amelia.
Although he deserved a normal life,it made no sense that Sam abandoned hunting and settled down with Amelia.He gave up on any chance of Dean returning, which he knew would always be a possibility, consideringhow many times Dean died inSupernaturalbut was later resurrected. Regardless of whether Dean was around or not, Sam was always committed to demon hunting, so it was baffling when he decided to throw it all away.
Grey’s Anatomy
A high-intensity medical drama which follows Meredith Grey and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, who are faced with life-or-death decisions on a daily basis. They seek comfort from one another, and, at times, more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.
Theharsh realities of Meredith Grey inGrey’s Anatomywere very apparent throughout her time on the show, which was an unusual choice from the show’s writers. From the pilot,Meredith proved herself to be a very inconsistent characterwho worried about everything, yet she still sabotaged herself all the time. She wanted to stand out from her mother’s shadow, butMeredith and Derek’s relationship inGrey’s Anatomyimmediately made her seem unprofessional. Meredith’s parenting was also questionable at times.
For example, Meredith needed to be a strong figure for her children after Derek’s death, but she didn’t think about this when she used Ellis’ name to commit insurance fraud. This was a shocking storyline for Meredith, especially as she’d almost destroyed her career once before when she meddled with Derek’s Alzheimer’s trial.It seemed that Meredith frequently forgot her own past,which made her actions incredibly erratic and unrecognizable. Although Meredith wasn’t a bad character, the more plotlines she had, the more inconsistent she was.
Sherlock
In this incarnation of Sherlock from creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman assume the roles of Sherlock and Watson as they establish their partnership and begin solving strange mysteries throughout the U.K. and beyond. Set in a more 2010’s modern setting, Sherlock’s eccentric and complex nature is accentuated as he solves seemingly supernatural crimes with unparalleled intellect while struggling to connect with others on a human level. Meanwhile, Watson blogs the stories summarizing their cases while building a strained but caring friendship with his new partner.
Despite its name,John Watson was the true main character ofSherlock. While John in seasons 1 and 2 was relatively predictable and had a clear characterization, he went off the rails by season 4. The changes to John’s character started slowly after he met Mary and they got married. Although it made sense that Mary’s enigmatic past didn’t concern John, who understood that someone’s traumatic past didn’t define them,it was a little odd that he didn’t put up more of a fight and demand more details from her, especially as she was pregnant.
Sherlock was far from perfect either, but it wasn’t his fault
However,all hope was lost for John when he had an affair.John truly loved Mary and accepted all of her flaws, so it was a gobsmacking moment when he started texting a woman he met on a bus. Even afterMary Watson’s death inSherlock,John lashed out at Sherlock and blamed him for his wife’s demise. Sherlock was far from perfect either, but it wasn’t his fault. John was a former British Army doctor and spent a lot of time in therapy, but when Mary died, all the skills he learned were thrown out of the window.
Community
Community is a comedic television series that chronicles the lives of diverse students at Greendale Community College, a fictional and notoriously underperforming educational institution in Colorado. Released in 2009, the show explores the quirky interactions and relationships among the eclectic group navigating their academic and personal challenges.
Community’s Britta Perry is a perfect example of aTV character ruined by their own development. Britta was established as an independent woman who knew exactly who she was, but as the show continued, this trait disappeared.Britta was a strong political activist with aspirations of being a psychologist inCommunity’s earlier seasons,but by season 3, she was lacking in intelligence. Britta’s character was later used for comic relief and as a punching bag for the rest of the study group, and it felt like she was there simply to fill a seat at the table.
Britta didn’t offer anything unique or different, and her personality became undefinable. When she was vocal, she mainly complained and didn’t do anything to advance the narrative.Britta constantly highlighted the uncomfortable relationship between Annie and Jeff, yet she started dating Troy, even though they had nothing in common, which was ridiculously out of character and something she wouldn’t have dreamed of doing in season 1. The few subplots Britta had, such as her estranged parents in season 6, had no real conclusion either, which was disappointing.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a television series created by Joss Whedon, focusing on Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, a young woman chosen to battle against vampires, demons, and other supernatural forces while navigating the complexities of teenage life.
Despite her popularity inBuffy the Vampire Slayer, Willow Rosenburg was often treated badly. She began as a shy and nerdy young woman and became a powerful witch, which was one of the show’s most compelling arcs, butWillow’s journey to that point was full of heartbreaking events and a huge loss of potential.The worst thing that theBuffy the Vampire Slayerwriters put Willow through was Tara’s death. Tara and Willow’s relationship had plenty of ups and downs, such as when Willow was overusing her magic, but Tara was horrifically killed just moments after they patched things up.
Rather than letting Willow heal from Tara’s death,the show quickly pushed her into a new storyline in which she became Dark Willow.Dark Willow’s introduction was amoment inBuffy the Vampire Slayerthat made viewers quitbecause of how quickly her character dynamic changed. Although Dark Willow was hinted at a few times in the show, the payoff happened too late and was jarring. Then, after building anticipation, the show reversed Dark Willow, and she returned to her old self, which seemed like a waste of a storyline.
Scrubs
Scrubs is a Sitcom and Medical Comedy/Drama created by Bill Lawrence that follows a group of medical students throughout their daily lives at the Sacred Heart Teaching Hospital. The series stars Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison, as they work their way up from Medical Interns while juggling all sorts of hospital shenanigans.
Scrubs,unfortunately, did a huge disservice to three of its main characters: J.D., Elliot, and Carla. J.D. became a doormat over time and allowed himself to be hurt, even when it was greatly apparent to him, like when Kim left immediately after Sammy was born. He cared about people massively, yet this character trait conveniently disappeared when a storyline needed it. For example,J.D. kissed Carla when he knew that she and Turk were having relationship troubles,and this moment was massively out of character for both of them as neither stopped and thought about Turk.
J.D. didn’t deserve Elliot inScrubs.He convinced her to leave Sean to be with him, then decided he didn’t love her and broke her heart. J.D. was obsessed with Elliot from the pilot, so it was a huge shock that his feelings vanished that quickly. However,it was just as odd that Elliot allowed this to happen. Considering she had four brothers and grew up watching her mother humiliate her father, one would think Elliot would guard against this in her own life, and it made no sense that she put up with the treatment she received in her relationships.
BoJack Horseman
Once the famous star of a hit sitcom, BoJack Horseman has fallen on tough times. Stuck in a major career slump and longing to relive his glory days, BoJack attempts to once more become relevant in an industry that has long since turned its back on him. With a few dysfunctional friends at his side, BoJack begins his long-overdue career comeback.
Diane Nguyen inBoJack Horsemanwas initially a victim of a lack of characterization. In the earlier seasons of the show, Diane was just a plot device to reconnect the titular character and Mr. Peanutbutter, which gave the show a reason for her and BoJack to form a friendship. However,as she became fully formed, Diane’s choices didn’t reflect her morals and opinions.Diane was forward-thinking and knew who she was, eventually, but she rushed into marrying Mr. Peanutbutter even though she could clearly see the pattern of his failed marriages in front of her.
Diane’s life changed throughoutBoJack Horseman, but her desire to be a serious writer quickly faded. She started as a ghostwriter and became a huge success after writing BoJack’s book, but then ended up writing social media posts for vapid celebrities that she couldn’t relate to.The only consistent part of her character was her struggles with depression, but in the final season of the show, Diane’s only real purpose was as a metaphor for mental health, although BoJack was as well.
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.
Half of the main characters lost their way throughoutall 10 seasons ofFriends, and their character development was either illogical, badly explained, or for the sake of a gag. For example,Joey was robbed of more profound storylines in the later seasons ofFriendsbecause he was portrayed as dumb. As the show progressed, Joey’s intelligence rapidly declined at an unnatural rate, and by season 10, he was borderline illiterate. Although Joey didn’t need to be smart, his lack of common sense became his only defining character trait.
Ross had some of the worst character development inFriends.Ross was initially sweet and down on his luck, mourning his failed marriage to Carol,but he became unrealistically jealous, insecure, and erratic. The show offered very little opportunity for Ross to redeem himself, but the choices he made were glaringly different from what he would have done back in season 1. Rachel’s character changed massively throughout the show, but her biggest inconsistency was returning to Ross, despite being an independent career woman forging her own path, which resulted in severalfrustrating Ross and Rachel moments inFriends.
