Blood boilers, clueless yappers, and TV's biggest menaces are in the doghouse. Love to hate them (or just hate them): The 25 most annoying TV characters

Blood boilers, clueless yappers, and TV's biggest menaces are in the doghouse.

Love to hate them (or just hate them): The 25 most annoying TV characters

Blood boilers, clueless yappers, and TV's biggest menaces are in the doghouse.

By Darren Franich,

Darren Franich is a former critic at **. He left EW in 2023.

EW's editorial guidelines

Marc Snetiker is a former senior editor at **. He left EW in 2020.

EW's editorial guidelines

James Mercadante,

and Hillary Busis

October 3, 2025 8:30 a.m. ET

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Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester on 'Glee' Dustin Diamond as Samuel 'Screech' Powers on 'Saved by the Bell'; Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw on 'Sex and the City'. Credit:

Carin Baer/Fox; NBC/Getty; Craig Blankenhorn/HBO

Yes, calling TV characters "annoying" can be a slippery slope. One viewer's trash is another's treasure. But even our all-time favorite shows sometimes saddle us with someone who is whiny, self-entitled, ignorant, obnoxious, inappropriate, or an unpleasant combination of all five.

And whether the writers intended it or not, once they sense the collective fan hatred, they'll often lean all the way in and amp up those grating qualities because...why not? Some we love to hate, others we'd rather fast-forward past entirely.

So, in the spirit of some friendly fire, here are EW's definitive picks for the worst of the worst to ever hog the small screen.

Andrea Harrison, The Walking Dead (2010–2022)

Laurie Holden as Andrea Harrison on 'The Walking Dead'.

A character with an incoherent personality who seemed to reinvent her motivations every week, Andrea (Laurie Holden) really began to get on our nerves in season 3 of *The Walking Dead*. While the rest of the show rebooted in a more action-heavy direction, Andrea became the last vestige of *Dead*'s moralizing-soliloquy dark side, making speeches and self-justifying, and generally bringing the action to a halt.

It didn't help matters that, in the not-so-grand tradition of *The O.C.*'s Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton), she also tended to fall for the wrong guy. (Seriously, she hooked up with the bad guy on two consecutive seasons.) In the *Dead* comic book, Andrea was one of the fan-favorite characters; by the time TV-Andrea bit the bullet in the show, fans were just grateful to see her go. —*Darren Franich*

April Kepner, Grey's Anatomy (2005–present)

Sarah Drew as April Kepner on 'Grey's Anatomy'.

ABC/Eric McCandless

I will admit, April (Sarah Drew) lightened up a little, but a few episodes of sympathetic behavior can't erase the painful memories of Seattle Grace–Mercy West's most irritating doctor being, well, Seattle Grace–Mercy West's most irritating doctor.

Becoming chief resident didn't make her any less insecure or shrill; instead, she rose to new heights of boring. Nauseatingly innocent and a self-righteous killjoy, April seems to have existed solely for the purpose of making everyone else on *Grey's Anatomy* look worlds more interesting. —*Marc Snetiker*

Arnold Horshack, Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979)

Ron Palillo as Arnold Horshack on 'Welcome Back, Kotter'.

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Sounding a bit like a vacuum cleaner trying to suck up a billiard ball, or the cachinnations of a gravely ill hyena, Arnold Horshack's (Ron Palillo) laugh was one of the most grating sounds in television history, possibly beaten only by some unholy Jean Stapleton/Fran Drescher hybrid.

Sure, he was the lovable oddball of the Sweat Hogs, but every time he raised his hand and yelled, "Oohhh, oohh, oohh, Mr. Kotter!" you wanted to send him straight to detention. —*Keith Staskiewicz*

Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City (1998–2004), And Just Like That (2021–2025)

Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw on 'Sex and the City'.

Craig Blankenhorn/HBO

Ever seen that meme of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) responding to her best friend's troubles with "Big is going to Paris"? Well, that pretty much sums up *Sex and the City*'s Manolo-wearing protagonist.

No one suffers from main-character syndrome more than the navel-gazing (yet undeniably fabulous) columnist, who has a not-so-subtle habit of constantly redirecting nearly every group conversation back to her own B.S. And somehow, she manages to judge her friends for choices she'd happily make herself...especially if a certain man were involved. —*James Mercadante*

Dawn Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)

Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'.

Andrew MacPherson/The WB

Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) had issues, and with good reason: The people she loved kept abandoning her, her sister Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) was an ultra-enviable superhero, and, oh yeah, at age 14, she found out that everything she thought she knew was a lie.

Still, it was tough to feel sympathy for Dawn as she sulked, complained, and developed an irritating shoplifting problem. Maybe if the teen had whined less, viewers wouldn't have yearned to see her get eaten by some Hellmouth beast. —*Hillary Busis*

Ellis Boyd, Smash (2012–2013)

Jaime Cepero as Ellis Boyd on 'Smash'.

Patrick Harbron/NBC

For the love of sweater vests, please kick Terrible Ellis (Jaime Cepero) off Broadway! This pathologically opportunistic, eavesdropping assistant hasn't met a door he doesn't like pressing his ear against.

It'd be one thing if he were deliciously evil — or better yet, if he could sing — but this blank-faced lurker is one of the biggest flaws in a hugely flawed (yet wildly addictive) series. —*Stephan Lee*

Georgina Sparks, Gossip Girl (2007–2013)

Michelle Trachtenberg as Georgina Sparks on 'Gossip Girl'.

Giovanni Rufino/The CW

In season 1, Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg) was a welcome challenger to Queen B Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester). Frankly, it was fun to watch Blair & Co. squirm upon her arrival. But in later seasons, Georgina didn't seem to get the memo that her once-foes had moved on to adulthood — and so should she. —*EW Staff*

Henry Mills, Once Upon a Time (2011–2018)

Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Hills on 'Once Upon a Time'. ABC

To be fair, Henry's (Jared S. Gilmore) screen time drastically decreased as *Once Upon a Time*'s first year progressed, and absence makes the heart grow fonder. But throughout the first half of the season, the precocious kid drove viewers up a wall with his exposition-heavy dialogue and penchant for stating the obvious. Sure, he's only a kid — but hasn't he learned what happens to obnoxious children in fairy tales? —*H.B.*

Janice Litman, Friends (1994–2004)

Maggie Wheeler as Janice Litman on 'Friends'.

If irritation could be tapped as a fuel source, our reaction to Janice's laugh could power a midsize city. The curly-haired cackler (Maggie Wheeler) ruined any number of events in the friends' lives, popping up throughout Chandler's (Matthew Perry) courtship of and marriage to Monica (Courteney Cox), and even crowding into Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) hospital room when they went into labor at the same time. —*Lanford Beard*

Janice Soprano, The Sopranos (1999–2007)

Aida Turturro as Janice Soprano on 'The Sopranos'.

Craig Blankenhorn/HBO

No one in this Mob family could be said to make good choices, but Tony's (James Gandolfini) sister Janice (Aida Turturro) seemed to delight in her selfishness in a way that was just frustrating.

Yes, a mother like hers would have created a monster in anyone, but between that shrill voice, her conniving ways, and her awful choices in men (Ralphie Cifaretto and Richie Aprile, anyone?), I couldn't stand to see this Janice on screen, either. —*Abby West*

Kennedy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)

Iyari Limon as Kennedy on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'.

Granted, Kennedy (Iyari Limon) had some serious shoes to fill, replacing the dearly departed Tara (Amber Benson) as the new girlfriend for sapphic witch Willow (Alyson Hannigan). But did she have to be such a nuisance? The Hamptons-bred potential slayer aggressively pushed her way into Willow's heart, whether Willow was ready for it or not, and stridently called into question Buffy's leadership at the moment when her leadership was most needed.

Her one redeeming virtue: Kennedy herself even seemed to know how annoying she really was. "This might have escaped your keen notice," she once told Willow, "but I'm kind of a brat." —*Adam B. Vary*

Kim Bauer, 24 (2001–2010)

Elisha Cuthbert as Kim Bauer on '24'.

Kelsey S. McNeal/FOX

They called her ''Cougar Trap.'' Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert) — the hapless teenage daughter of terrorist fighter Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) on *24* — had a never-ending series of misadventures that kept distracting our hero from saving Los Angeles.

Most infamously, a season 2 nature trek resulted in Kim getting caught in, yes, a cougar trap, then nearly eaten by the very animal the trap was meant to catch. Apparently, the cougar was smarter than she was. —*James Hibberd*

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Kimmy Gibbler, Full House (1987–1995), Fuller House (2016–2020)

Andrea Barber as Kimmy Gibbler on 'Full House'.

Bob D'Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

The Tanners' wacky next-door neighbor and DJ's (Candace Cameron Bure) best friend was definitely the Urkel of *Full House*. Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) and Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) always wanted Kimmy (Andrea Barber) to go home, and her outfits — she was fond of neon, patterns, and horizontal stripes — were as loud as her blaring voice. One of her most defining traits: her especially stinky feet. Gibbler, be gone! —*S.L.*

Lutz, 30 Rock (2006–2013)

John Lutz as Lutz on '30 Rock'.

Nicole Rivelli/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty

He's not funny, he's not likable, and perhaps most importantly, he's not Alec Baldwin. On a show where no character has any real redeemable qualities to begin with, it must say a lot that Lutz (John Lutz) is considered the worst.

Lazy and unlovable, Lutz is the butt of far too many jokes, transcending pity and passing into cringe-worthy territory. It's oddly self-serving that the characters on *30 Rock* can't stand Lutz, because frankly, we can't either. —*M.S.*

Meg, Supernatural (2005–2020)

Rachel Miner as Meg on 'Supernatural'.

David Gray/The CW

Once upon a time, demon Meg was a formidable foe for the Winchesters. Whether she was infiltrating Sam's (Jared Padalecki) life, setting traps for the boys and their father, or possessing Sam's body, her presence meant trouble.

But after her first vessel (played by Nicki Aycox) bit the big one, she debuted a new body (Rachel Miner) in season 5. But gone is the deceivingly sweet exterior that made the character a hit. The result? She's gone from sinister to sinfully unnecessary. —*EW Staff*

Nikki and Paulo, Lost (2004–2010)

Kiele Sanchez as Nikki and Rodrigo Santoro as Paulo on 'Lost'.

ABC/Mario Perez

There's a reason some characters are relegated to the background. When *Lost* writers decided to bring two of the also-crasheds to the forefront, no one could have predicted how grating the pair's whiny inanity would become.

Only 11 episodes after their debut, Nikki and Paulo (played by Kiele Sanchez and Rodrigo Santoro) were unceremoniously buried alive in a particularly gruesome (and satisfying) bit of fan service. —*K.S.*

Oliver Trask, The O.C. (2003–2007)

Taylor Handley as Oliver Trask on 'The O.C.'.

Oliver (Taylor Handley) was around for only six episodes, but it seemed like much longer. During his time in Newport Beach, the Marissa-obsessed poor little rich boy faked a girlfriend and a suicide attempt, before sealing his TV-villain fate when he held Marissa hostage. Just the mention of Oliver's name still makes us brood, Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) style. —*Breia Brissey*

Dr. Peter Benton, ER (1994–2009)

Eriq La Salle as Dr. Peter Benton on 'ER'.

Jeff Katz/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty

Why did it always seem like there was a bug up the butt of Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle)? We get it — an emergency room isn't the place for a whole lot of Tra La La — but La Salle's brooding depiction of a talented but rarely satisfied surgeon was a total downer, man. —*Lynette Rice*

Roland Schitt, Schitt's Creek (2015–2020)

Chris Elliott as Roland Schitt on 'Schitt's Creek'.

Roland Schitt is exactly what his government name promises. And there's no more skilled actor to embody everybody's least favorite *Schitt's Creek* character than Chris Elliott.

His performance is deliberately uncomfortable — whether it's Roland's lack of boundaries, uncouthness, or juvenile and gross antics — all of which make viewers squirm. The only one unfazed is his patient wife, Jocelyn (Jennifer Robertson), bless her heart. Though Roland develops a softer side in later seasons, Elliott never loses the edge that makes Roland persistently, hilariously annoying. —*J.M.*

Rory Gilmore, Gilmore Girls (2000–2007), Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (2016)

Alexis Bledel as Rory Gilmore on 'Gilmore Girls'.

The WB/Isabella Voskimova

There's long been a debate among *Gilmore Girls* fans about when exactly Rory (Alexis Bledel) becomes unlikable. Some argue it isn't until around season 4, while others insist she shows signs of it from the very beginning.

In the early seasons, Rory is painted as the "good girl," yet she's often a bad friend to Lane (Keiko Agena), not the best girlfriend (see: Jared Padalecki's Dean), and a little judgmental and self-righteous. As the show progresses, those flaws become harder to ignore: Rory leans heavily on her privilege, grows more entitled, and makes ethically *messy* choices in relationships. Love her or not, Rory will probably rub you the wrong way at least once. —*J.M.*

Sam McKinney, Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986)

Danny Cooksey as Sam McKinney on 'Diff'rent Strokes'.

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Most people point to *The Brady Bunch*'s Cousin Oliver (Robbie Rist) as the ultimate horrifying example of a newer, supposedly cuter little kid brought in to boost ratings, but give me *Diff'rent Strokes*' Sam (Danny Cooksey).

Wait...no, that's not what I mean. I mean, *don't* give him to me. Because he's super annoying! Truth be told, I can't remember what exactly made that little scamp so irritating, but every so often I wake up in a cold sweat with the words ''Hey, Mr. D!'' running through my head. And it's that kid's fault. —*Dalton Ross*

Samuel "Screech" Powers, Saved by the Bell (1989–1993), Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993), Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993–2000)

Dustin Diamond as Samuel 'Screech' Powers on 'Saved by the Bell'.

Brillo-haired Samuel ''Screech'' Powers (Dustin Diamond) was a scrawny misfit whose squeaky voice, nerdy interests, and talent for bungling things made him unbearable — Steve Urkel, but not as smart. Most annoyingly of all, Screech (and Diamond) just didn't know when to quit: The grating character appeared in not one, not two, but all three incarnations of *Saved by the Bell*. No wonder Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies) wanted nothing to do with him. —*H.B.*

Susan Mayer-Delfino, Desperate Housewives (2004–2012)

Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer-Delfino on 'Desperate Housewives'.

To get to the core of why Susan (Teri Hatcher) is a nuisance, one needs to look no further than the helpless shrubbery of Wisteria Lane. Susan found herself there — naked — way back in season 1. It was ''zany and adorable'' at the time. And then, while people were dying left and right, Susan continued to find herself in a similarly ludicrous approximation of that character-defining stunt for *seven more seasons*. It's not always about you, sweetie. —*L.B.*

Will Schuester, Glee (2009–2015)

Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester on 'Glee'.

Despite essentially being *Glee*'s main character, the ever-drippy Will Schuester has the intrigue of a blank chalkboard and the personality of a pair of pleated khakis. It's not entirely Matthew Morrison's fault that Will is a needy, whiny, sad sack of a teacher whose body runs on complaints and Activia. But whenever Will is peeving about something or getting in the way of the kids' fun, things just seem a little less gleeful. —*M.S.*

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