Television could well get boring if the central characters were always heroic. Anti-heroes are naturally popular, because a nuanced character is someone who can be explored well over the course of multiple seasons. This was understood decades ago, as can be seen with M*A*S*H’s Hawkeye (Alan Alda), but complex central characters have been especially popular in the last quarter-century or so, as shown by the likes of Tony (James Gandolfini) from The Sopranos, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) from Mad Men, and the title character (Michael C. Hall) from Dexter.
They’re all flawed, and do some pretty terrible things at times, but it’s hard to call them hated in the truest sense of the word. The following protagonists, on the other hand, are sometimes hated, and all for various reasons. Sometimes, them being hate-worthy is the point of the show, while at other times, that hate/frustration might come across because of poor writing. Also, some are more hated within the context of their shows, while others aren’t as hated in-universe, but get more criticism from viewers. There’s a bit of nuance to a topic like this, is the thing trying to get put across here.
10
Selina Meyer
‘Veep’ (2012–2019)
As a political satire, Veep pulls very few punches, and so it’s fitting that such a chaotic and hilariously vulgar show would also have a cutthroat and dangerously ambitious character at its center. Her name is Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and she begins the series as a vice president before starting to set her eye on the top prize, so to speak: becoming president of the U.S.
She’s far from a good person throughout, and does quite naturally get worse as the seasons go on (she’s particularly uncaring of her duties as a parent). Meyer will betray anyone and say/do just about anything if she thinks it’ll increase the power she holds as a politician… but, in her defense, just about every other prominent character on the show is similarly morally compromised (with only a few exceptions).
Veep
- Release Date
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2012 – 2018
- Network
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HBO Max
9
Richard Hendricks
‘Silicon Valley’ (2014–2019)
Perhaps a little like Veep, Silicon Valley is another HBO comedy series about one person’s rise to power, and continued attempts to hold onto that power no matter the cost. Instead of being set in the world of politics, though, Silicon Valley is all about a small startup company that attracts some serious attention and competition, with all the (generally funny) drama happening in and around the titular region.
The central character here is Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch), someone who might well be kind of likable at first, though the ruthless industry he’s in does start to shift his behavior, and change the sorts of things he’s willing to do. Richard loses the sorts of redeeming qualities he might’ve once had faster and more dramatically than most of the side characters in the show, and it’s hard to root for him by the time the show starts to wrap up.
8
Larry David
‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ (2000–2024)
In Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David plays a fictionalized version of himself, making the whole series rather meta (and for some other reasons beyond this central casting decision, admittedly). He’s an interesting example of an unlikable main character, since it’s probably more likely that the viewer will find Larry more endearing than the majority of characters in the show, do, since so much of the comedy here comes from misunderstandings and bad luck making Larry look worse than he is.
Still, some of Larry’s misery is brought upon himself, and he’s not necessarily a nice guy… he’s just unlucky, a lot of the time. The world seems to hate him, maybe, even more than the people he interacts with. It’s all very subjective, and does depend on the episode. Sometimes, the world digs Larry’s grave and pushes him into it, while at other times, he certainly helps with the digging.
7
Jerry Seinfeld
‘Seinfeld’ (1989–1998)
Before Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David was well-known for being a lead writer on Seinfeld (at least the first seven seasons), and so if you find one show funny, you’ll probably be entertained by the other. Also, Seinfeld is like Curb Your Enthusiasm in the sense that its lead character is someone playing a fictionalized version of themselves, and that version of themselves isn’t hugely likable.
Here, it’s Jerry Seinfeld playing, you know, Jerry Seinfeld, who’s the most “normal” out of the four main characters. Some might not like him because he’s selfish and, unlike the other characters, doesn’t provide quite as many laughs to balance those darker and more selfish actions out. Others might just not really dig the stand-up featured throughout the show (the jury’s still out on whether those segments are meant to be genuinely unfunny).
Seinfeld
- Release Date
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1989 – 1998-00-00
- Network
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NBC
6
Ted Mosby
‘How I Met Your Mother’ (2005–2014)
For the most part, How I Met Your Mother works as one of those “turn your brain off and enjoy” kinds of TV shows, probably being better the less you think about it. The characters are kind of broad and sometimes a bit unlikable, but if they’re being funny, and if things are heightened enough to make this feel very much like a television show, then maybe some of them get away with it (sometimes).
It’s a show with an ensemble cast, but Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) is the closest thing it has to a central character, given he’s the one telling his kids about how he met their mother. Ted’s sometimes not a great guy, and he’s also wrapped up in the show’s fairly controversial ending, so maybe it’s not too surprising that he’s one of the less-liked main characters on the show, or maybe even the least liked (again, your mileage might vary).
5
Carrie Bradshaw
‘Sex and the City’ (1998–2004)
Potentially put Sex in the City as the same camp as How I Met Your Mother: a series mostly focused on comedy where the characters are all flawed, but the central character is perhaps the most flawed. In Sex in the City, that character is Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), and not only is she the focus a good deal of the time, but she also serves as the show’s narrator.
Maybe that’s a consequence of being the main character in a show with eccentric (and sometimes flawed) characters: you get the most development out of all of them, and the audience sees more of your misdeeds, so to speak. Carrie isn’t the deepest of characters, nor is she endearing in the way you might expect the lead of a more traditional sitcom to be, but Sex in the City isn’t necessarily that kind of show, and if you like what it’s going for, maybe it’s possible to put up with the characters’ flaws and appreciate their better qualities, too.
4
Walter White
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)
A big part of Breaking Bad, and its appeal, is seeing the transformation its central character, Walter White (Bryan Cranston), goes on throughout the show’s five seasons. Walt’s rather timid at the start of the show, and perhaps even sympathetic, given he’s diagnosed with cancer and has to face the prospect of his family continuing to live their lives without him. So, he turns to manufacturing methamphetamine as a way to amass a small fortune to leave behind once he’s gone.
But things don’t go to plan, and Walt unleashes another side of himself through the manufacturing and selling of drugs, eventually becoming something of a tyrant and a hugely destructive individual in the process. While Walt near the start of Breaking Bad is someone you could root for, Walt, by the show’s end, is essentially a full-on villain, and crosses too many lines, morally speaking, to ever be entirely worthy of redemption.
3
Caillou
‘Caillou’ (1997–2011)
Whether or not it’s fair that the titular individual from Caillou has developed a reputation for being an all-time disliked character, it’s kind of funny he has. Caillou is an animated children’s show about a kid with a fairly wild imagination, and the stuff he does with his family, and given the show’s aimed at younger audiences, Caillou is supposed to learn lessons and things about life and all that.
Of all the lead characters from the history of children’s television, Caillou might well be the most hated.
Sometimes, though (and according to some people), Caillou himself is selfish, entitled, and seemingly unable to learn from his mistakes, with his parents also kind of enabling (or just not caring about) his behavior. So, of all the lead characters from the history of children’s television, Caillou might well be the most hated, and such hatred is a whole rabbit hole you can disappear down if you really want to.
2
Jax Teller
‘Sons of Anarchy’ (2008–2014)
Sons of Anarchy is a show that certainly had its ups and downs, quality-wise. It’s a rocky ride, but that chaotic variation in quality does kind of reflect how tumultuous the lives of all the main characters are (if you want to be charitable). The show largely centers on a group of people who belong to an outlaw motorcycle club, looking at their personal lives and the various conflicts they get wrapped up in.
Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) is the protagonist, and, to be fair, he’s not the most flawed character in the show, by any means. Other people do worse things, but that fact doesn’t make him a good person, or anything close to it. Jax compromises an increasing number of morals as the show progresses, and, beyond doing frustrating things, thereby feels like something of a villain by the time it wraps up.
1
Hannah Horvath
‘Girls’ (2012–2017)
Few central characters are quite as hated as Hannah (Lena Dunham), from Girls, who isn’t very well-liked by most people in the show, and is perhaps even less liked by viewers outside the world of the show. She’s supposed to be annoying, self-indulgent, and very flawed in some ways, but might well also be the sort of character who’s built up a strong anti-fanbase for unintended reasons, too.
Dunham, also the show’s creator, is, additionally, a polarizing figure for reasons that are hard to fully break down here, but that might well also be a contributing factor to the reception of her character. No significant character in Girls is without flaws, and that’s part of the reason the show is interesting, as a rather intense and uncompromising dramedy, but some might view it having a protagonist like Hannah as an obstacle that’s hard to overcome.
Girls
- Release Date
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2012 – 2016
- Network
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HBO Max