Long-running TV shows are usually wildly popular but that doesn't mean that they aren't without faults. Even shows that actually ended well have certain characters that fans simply cannot stand. Fans recently spoke about this over on Reddit, and Xander from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) isn't the only one being name dropped.
A popular Reddit thread started this week, where TV fans ranted about one character from their favorite shows that lowkey ruin it. One popular response was about Xander from Buffy, with the comment reading:
I find Xander Harris from Buffy the vampire slayer insufferable. The misogynistic writing around Xander's character hasn't aged well at all and on top of him being a self insert by a sexist writer definitely doesn't help.
Xander was played by late actor Nicholas Brendan throughout all seven seasons of Buffy, and was in 143 out of the 144 total episodes of the supernatural teen drama. Despite being an OG member of the Scooby Gang, the character hasn't exactly aged well as the years went by. Plenty of fans find his behavior to be misogynistic, specifically the way he refers to female characters like Cordelia, Anya, and (of course) Buffy herself. While some fans still love him, there are others who roll their eyes every time they re-watch the cult classic series.
Another character who I can get behind is none other than Owen Hunt from Grey's Anatomy. I'm personally pleased that Kevin McKidd has departed the medical drama, mostly because I can't stand the trauma surgeon. The comment itself reads:
i love greys anatomy but owen hunt is insufferable
Spoiler alert: the word "insufferable" is a common one in this Reddit thread. I regularly re-watch Grey's Anatomy, and every time I get mad about Owen all over again. Seriously, his relationship with Cristina Yang was a mess, largely thanks to his toxic masculinity. I mean, who can forget his reaction to Cristina's abortion back in Season 7? Then there's the way he strung Teddy along for years, as well as his being responsible for the plane crash that killed Sloan and Lexie.
While most of the characters in this thread have been supporting players, there are a few protagonists mentioned as well. Case in point: the following response about Orange is the New Black.
Piper in Orange is the new black. The show is great and I do recommend it to people, but I warn them beforehand that Piper is insufferable.
I told you "insufferable" was the word of the day. I recently re-watched Orange is the New Black, and I've got to say that I didn't hate Piper as much the second time around. That being said, she was one of my least favorite characters when the show was originally airing for those with a Netflix subscription. Mostly this was because of how much I adored supporting players like Taystee, as well as how she approached her time in prison from a place of privilege.
Some other characters named in this thread include Tara in Sons of Anarchy, Debbie in Shameless, Jenny from The L Word, and Tom Scavo from Desperate Housewives. I'm so behind the latter choice, because I've been rewatching the drama and I can't stand the way he treats Lynette.
What is your least favorite character from popular TV shows? Sound off in the comments section below. Smart money says that new titles arriving on the 2026 TV schedule are on that level. I'm looking at you, Ser Criston Cole from House of the Dragon.
