House Archives - TV Fanatic https://www.tvfanatic.com/shows/house/ Your Home for TV Show Reviews, Opinions, Spoilers, and News! Thu, 05 Dec 2024 18:56:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6 https://cdn.tvfanatic.com/uploads/2024/05/favicon-1-150x150.png House Archives - TV Fanatic https://www.tvfanatic.com/shows/house/ 32 32 Unapologetically Real: TV Characters Who Embrace Their Flaws https://www.tvfanatic.com/unapologetically-real-tv-characters-who-embrace-their-flaws/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/unapologetically-real-tv-characters-who-embrace-their-flaws/#respond Thu, 05 Dec 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/?p=826754 Rafe is racing.

The best characters are those who embrace their flaws unapologetically and keep it real in the process. Check out our list of TV characters who fit the bill

The post Unapologetically Real: TV Characters Who Embrace Their Flaws appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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Let’s keep it as real as these characters we’re about to break down: flawed characters are fun.

A series isn’t much fun if it doesn’t have a flawed character who somehow resonates with the audience, whether they lean more dark or are a burst of light. Characters who recognize and embrace their flaws are some of the most compelling to watch.

And we couldn’t resist breaking down some of the characters who fit the bill.

Rafe Cameron – Outer Banks

Rafe is racing.
(Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix)

By now, we’ve discussed what went wrong in Outer Banks Season 4 and even mourned the loss of our comfort show. But moving on, the series is full of flawed characters who are somehow endearing.

No one fits the bill better than Kook King Rafe Cameron. He’s objectively a terrible person at times; his long list of crimes includes nearly killing his own sister, for starters. But this is Outer Banks, baby, where Rafe’s flaws somehow work within this series.

A self-professed killer, Rafe is, at times, mentally unstable, driven by traits like revenge and greed. Still, he’s also bound by values like legacy and family, culminating in him doing unspeakable things for oddly noble reasons.

Rafe knows who he is and he rarely apologizes for it. However, he does make the necessary adjustments and proves himself through actions. And that’s why there’s something strangely admirable about the character—how he knows himself so well and stands in who he is, good, bad, and ugly.

Rafe isn’t a perfect character or even a good person. Still, he’s authentic, which makes him click into place and resonate well amid the class lines that often revolve around superficiality and identity crises in Outer Banks.

Watch Outer Banks Online

Morgan Gillory – High Potential

KAITLIN OLSON
(Mitch Hasseth/Disney)

Who hasn’t fallen in love with Morgan Gillory and High Potential?

She’s witty, intelligent, messy, and prone to making mistakes in many aspects of her life, but she’s genuinely good-hearted. Her style, openness, and honesty make her stand out. She wears her working-class background on her brazenly bright, gaudy faux fur sleeve.

She is gifted intellectually but realistically stalled in life, making her a less glamorous and more realistic depiction of neurodivergence and genuinely relatable as a character.

She’s imperfect and will be the first to tell you that upfront. She readily accepts that she’s flawed but still strives to be a better mother, friend, and person.

Morgan always holds her own and is true to herself, even though she oversteps boundaries, is pushy, and lacks a filter. That’s what makes her so likable.

Watch High Potential Online

Oliver Wolf – Brilliant Minds

(Rafy/ NBC)

Oliver is absolutely brilliant, as the Brilliant Minds‘ title implies, but he’s such a deliciously complex character, not without many flaws and imperfections. He’s a socially awkward, introverted gay luddite with face blindness! And damn if we don’t love him for it.

Oliver is a fantastic doctor who focuses as much on connecting with his patients as he is on fixing their health issues. His unique approach to practicing medicine is often rooted deeply in a traumatic past of dealing with an emotionally distant mother and a father who battled and died from mental illness.

Oliver’s flaws and experiences allow him to lead with genuine compassion and sympathy. He not only wholly embraces what makes him different and flawed and his own shortcomings, but he subsequently teaches and inspires other characters to do the same.

Oliver is a quietly inspiring character who continues to battle issues but learns how to step outside of them, and he’s a poster child for how to live one’s life, distancing oneself from shame, self-doubt, and second-guessing.

And we get to see his ongoing journey of unlearning these habits along the way.

Watch Brilliant Minds Online

Beth Dutton – Yellowstone

Cooking Up a Plan - Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 7
(Emerson Miller / Paramount)

Beth Dutton has a sharp tongue, quick wit, and the ability to destroy everything in her path, which is one of many reasons she’s one of Yellowstone‘s greatest characters.

She’s a deeply flawed woman hardened by many hurts and betrayals, turning her grief, pain, and previous trauma into a thick armor that makes her nearly indestructible.

She’s fearless, ruthless, intelligent, cunning, unafraid, and unapologetic about doing whatever it takes to get what she desires or handle something. Still, she’s fiercely loyal to most of her family and deceptively soft and vulnerable, particularly when she gets to bury herself in Rip’s arms.

Beth is a host of contradictions, a viper unafraid to strike first, hard, and fast if need be. She is most assuredly an acquired taste to many, but that makes her one of the most genuinely refreshing characters on the air and as real as it gets, baby.

Watch Yellowstone Online

BoJack Horseman – Bojack Horseman

Bojack Horseman
(Courtesy of Netflix)

There’s a reason why this character tends to resonate with many viewers when they tune in.

Bojack Horseman is painfully himself throughout the series. He’s selfish, cynical, and totally self-destructive at almost all times. He’s one of the most toxic characters you’ll see, especially to those around him.

But in knowing that, and how openly he addresses his mental illnesses, addiction issues, and all the ways in which he fails in life, that raw honesty is endearing and refreshing, and in some ways, maybe even deeply inspiring.

He tries to improve, but not so earnestly and consistently that it feels inauthentic and forced. There are no delusions about him.

Watch Bojack Horseman Online

Samantha Jones – SATC

Samantha Jones brings a unique sense of humor to Sex and the City.
(HBO/Youtube Screenshot)

Samantha Jones is a feminist icon of a television character for a reason.

She is sexually liberated in a way that we hadn’t seen, unapologetic about her sexual appetite and desires, brash, bold, and progressive in a way that challenges those around her.

Samantha rarely has a filter. She is blunt to a fault, incredibly vain, and materialistic.

But she is fiercely loyal, protective, and open-minded, and through her relationships, she learns how to be vulnerable, intimate, and committed.

Watch Sex and the City Online

Robert Spearing – Industry

Robert looks longingly in the season finale of Industry.
(Nick Strasburg/HBO)

Oh, Robert, the sweet and, at times, pathetic soul that he is, it’s hard not to love every bit of him.

Robert is one of Industry‘s most flawed characters, which speaks volumes for a series that is essentially all about flaws. He’s often out of his depth, someone who tends to lack confidence, fumbles through the basics of his job and is gullible and easily manipulated.

The thing about Robert is that in the world Industry cultivates, he’s mostly a genuinely good person, but because he lacks the ambition, ruthlessness, and arrogance of the other characters, he tends to fall short and stand out.

But he offers a nice, albeit sad, at times, counterbalance to the other characters, and despite his hopeless love for a woman who’ll never properly love him back or his aspirations to climb up the social class ranks to no avail, you genuinely root for him.

And he holds fast in trying to navigate a world where he’s a guppy in shark-infested waters without sacrificing too much of what makes him. It’s quietly defiant.

Watch Industry Online

Ted Lasso – Ted Lasso

Ted Ponders - Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 8
(Apple TV+)

Truthfully, Ted Lasso is so aggressively positive, nice, and kind that it feels surreal and should be one of the most offputting things ever.

It’s a clear facade to some degree, masking deep pain and Ted’s depression, but how he pours himself into being a good person despite how awful he often feels aside is part of what makes the character so great.

Ted Lasso proves that you don’t have to be an asshole just because you’re hurting, and he inspires and often pulls out the best in those around him despite his shortcomings and how he behaves because of them.

Watch Ted Lasso Online

Gregory House – House M.D.

House in the Hallway
(Adam Taylor/FOX)

House is an arrogant doctor who completely disregards the feelings of those around him.

And yes, this disregard extends to a mostly abhorrent bedside manner that typically involves him offending everyone in the room.

He’s outspoken, snarky, blunt, and rude, and most of the time, he seems to get off on making people miserable. He also has a pretty bad painkiller addiction that only brings out the worst of his traits when he gets agitated.

But you can never accuse House of not keeping 100 at all times, and there’s something commendable about his willingness to embrace his worst traits without a second thought.

Watch House Online

Rose Nylund – The Golden Girls

Blanche, Rose & Dorothy are about to hug
(NBC/Screenshot )

How does the saying go? Oh, right, Rose Nylund is as dumb as a bag of rocks.

Her naivete and intellectual challenges make her a flawed character, but her innocence and moments of purity and clarity make up for it.

What’s great about Rose is that she’s conscious of how dumb she sounds often but is also not ashamed of what she doesn’t know.

She’s always open to learning more and growing and wholly accepts and embraces her shortcomings, even putting up with the ribbing and jokes in the interim.

Most people are too self-conscious to admit when they’re out of their depth, so there’s a bravery to Rose’s authenticity.

Watch The Golden Girls Online

Emily Cooper – Emily in Paris

Standing Tall - Emily in Paris
(Netflix)

Emily is easily one of the most annoying characters on the air, and yet, like a bad rash, Emily in Paris persists.

But that’s also what begrudgingly makes us appreciate the character so much. She’s often a walking, talking stereotype of American ignorance, brashness, and entitlement wrapped up in a bubbly package. But she knows who and what she is and how she affects people, and she carries on anyway.

If she can win a person over, she’ll find a way to do so, and her plucky persona and inability to stay down and out even when she should sit down, zip it, take things in, and assess are what make the series so interesting.

She’s bold and smiles in the face of Parisian snobbery, never even considering being anything other than herself.

Watch Emily in Paris Online

Michael Scott – The Office

Michael Scott lead  - The Office
(NBC (promo screenshot) )

On The Office, Michael is selfish, self-absorbed, and lacks social and self-awareness.

He’s often narcissistic, and no one sticks his foot in his mouth better. He spends much of the series struggling with these traits and trying to get outside them.

But he cares enough about his colleagues and makes some effort to right things, so his flaws, political incorrectness, and insensitivity work out.

Watch The Office Online

Maggie Bell – FBI

Maggie's Back - FBI Season 6 Episode 13
(Bennett Raglin/CBS)

Maggie always takes risks and takes a walk on the dark side of things on FBI.

But she’s so incredibly stubborn that it often gets frustrating.

She always sticks her ground, is opinionated, rarely holds back, and is reckless, making her a genuinely stressful person to watch on cases.

But so many of Maggie’s most frustrating traits make her a great agent, loyal partner, and solid friend, and leaning into these traits rather than straying away from them works for the character.

Watch FBI Online

Parker – Leverage/Leverage Redemption

Parker Leverage: Redemption
(© 2021 Alfonso Bresciani / IMDb TV)

There are very few characters like Parker, especially women, making her Leverage‘s breath of fresh air.

Parker has nothing that resembles a filter. She is brutally honest and always speaks her mind while simultaneously displaying a whimsical and childlike innocence.

She’s whipsmart in an untraditional way, fierce, loyal, and badass. In two different series, she learned how to come to grips with who she is as a person and truly thrive within that.

Parker’s journey towards embracing who and what she is and making everyone around her and the world a better place is one of Leverage’s most lasting impacts.

Watch Leverage Online

Quigley Smitty – The Rookie

Smitty all Smiles -tall - The Rookie Season 6 Episode 3
(Disney/Raymond Liu (ABC))

Smitty is such a staple on The Rookie that it would be difficult to envision the series without him.

He’s an opportunistic and supremely lazy officer who doesn’t do much unless it’s self-serving and seemingly is riding out the gig until he can retire. On paper, he should be a truly loathsome character as he rarely lifts a finger.

But when he does, he’s shockingly badass and possesses a self-awareness that makes you appreciate rather than resent him. With Smitty, you almost always know who and what you’ll get; something is comforting about that.

He doesn’t mince any words about what he will and won’t do, and he doesn’t feel he has anything to prove, and you have to respect that!

Watch The Rookie Online

Will Trent – Will Trent

(Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)

Will is constantly evolving as a character.

He battles various issues, from his dyslexia and OCD to his lack of social awareness and inability to get along with others easily.

He seems stuck in his ways, but with time and effort, he comes to grips with who he is and accepts it while making meaningful improvements along the way that enhance his life and those around him.

Of all the characters in Will Trent, he’s one of the most real, grounded, and unapologetic, and also one of the most inspiring.

Watch Will Trent Online

Kitty Song Covey – XO, Kitty

Kitty smiles.
(Courtesy of Netflix)

Kitty is such an endearing character, which is one of many reasons Netflix created XO, Kitty for her after the success of the To All the Boys movie franchise.

But Kitty is certainly a character with her fair share of issues, many of which are the catalyst behind her landing in South Korea in the first place.

Kitty is incredibly impulsive, in case moving halfway across the world didn’t already reach that natural conclusion. She is also naive about love and what her true love story should be like possessing some childlike, fairytale idealism far from reality.

Like many young people coming into their own, she’s often selfish and absorbed, at times lacking insight and awareness about those around her.

But even with all of these flaws, she’s an endearing enough character because she’s genuine about working her way through them and becoming a better person, as well as genuinely figuring out who she is and what she wants out of life.

Watch XO, Kitty Online

Louis Litt – Suits

Louis Tries to Save the Day - Suits Season 8 Episode 16
(Shane Mahood/USA Network)

By now, we all know that Suits has a treasure trove of fascinating and flawed characters who stayed true to themselves and stood in all they were.

But one of the most unexpectedly compelling from the bunch was Louis Litt. He was quick to anger, jealous, often whiny, lacked self-confidence, and desperate.

Louis was also devoted and loyal to those who mattered, smart, and adaptable. He wore his flaws on his sleeve, and despite the occasional moment of being treated like more antagonist and nuisance than ally at various points in the series, his multifaceted portrayal makes him such a great character.

Watch XO, Kitty Online

Somehow, falling somewhere between being an outcast and a mascot.

There are some of our favorite television characters who embrace their flaws, and now, we want to hear about some of yours.

Who would you place on this list? Sound off below!

The post Unapologetically Real: TV Characters Who Embrace Their Flaws appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/unapologetically-real-tv-characters-who-embrace-their-flaws/feed/ 0 OUTERBANKS_401_Unit_10924RC Outer Banks. Drew Starkey as Rafe in episode 401 of Outer Banks. Cr. Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024 JustWatch Morgan – S01E06 – Spoilers – High Potential JustWatch A Hard Decision-Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 7 JustWatch Cooking Up a Plan – Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 7 JustWatch Bojack Horseman Bojack Horseman JustWatch Samantha Jones JustWatch Robert Longing – Industry S03E08 JustWatch Ted Ponders – Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 8 This is a still of Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 8 on Apple TV+. JustWatch House in the Hallway How many times have we seen this look on House's face? Take a picture, fans, because this time it's from the series finale. JustWatch Golden Girls Hugging Far 16×9 JustWatch Standing Tall – Emily in Paris This is a still of Emily in Paris Season 3 on Netflix. JustWatch Michael Scott lead – The Office Michael Scott (Steve Carell) in his office, on The Office JustWatch Maggie’s Back – FBI Season 6 Episode 13 The Somalian terrorist group behind the death of Agent Hobbs resurfaces, sending Maggie and the team on a chase to take them down for good, JustWatch Parker Leverage: Redemption Parker in the first season of Leverage: Redemption! JustWatch Smitty all Smiles -tall – The Rookie Season 6 Episode 3 Smitty is all smiles as he makes an appearance in The Rookie Season 6 Episode 3 when Nolan and Bailey go to their honeymoon. JustWatch Elves – Will Trent JustWatch Kitty Smiles – XO Kitty S02E01 XO, Kitty. Anna Cathcart as Kitty Song Covey in episode 201 of XO, Kitty. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024 JustWatch Louis Tries to Save the Day – Suits Season 8 Episode 16 Louis sets out on a mission to try and save the day, but is it too late? JustWatch
From Book Smarts to Street Smarts: 27 Brilliant TV Characters Who Make Genius Look Easy https://www.tvfanatic.com/27-brilliant-tv-characters-who-make-genius-look-easy/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/27-brilliant-tv-characters-who-make-genius-look-easy/#comments Wed, 06 Nov 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/?p=818037

From brilliant detectives to unconventional masterminds, these 27 TV characters prove that genius isn’t just about IQ, it’s about thinking outside the box.

The post From Book Smarts to Street Smarts: 27 Brilliant TV Characters Who Make Genius Look Easy appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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Genius isn’t one-size-fits-all, and this list proves it! From book smarts to street smarts, these brilliant TV characters make being the smartest in the room look effortless (or at least entertaining).

Whether they’re cracking mysteries, outwitting enemies, or inventing a whole new kind of brilliance, each of them shows us that intelligence comes in all flavors.

We’ve got sharp-witted detectives, socially awkward scientists, and even ghosts and fantasy warriors.

(Monty Brinton/CBS)

Each character brings a unique perspective to the table, reminding us that genius can be found in the most unexpected places.

So grab your magnifying glass, lab coat, or chessboard, and get ready to meet TV’s most captivating minds!

Morgan Gillory — High Potential

KAITLIN OLSON
(Carlos Lopez-Calleja/Disney)

Morgan Gillory isn’t just a genius; she’s a walking encyclopedia, quick to remind you she’s usually the smartest person in the room.

On High Potential, Morgan’s mind is a mix of brilliant insights and relentless confidence, even if her coworkers find her a bit…much.

As a single mom with an uncanny knack for solving cases no one else can crack, she’s got brains, resilience, and a zero-filter approach to teamwork.

Annoying? Maybe. Brilliant? Absolutely. You know you’d want her on your side in a crisis!

Watch High Potential Online

Hetty Lange — NCIS: Los Angeles

(Robert Voets/CBS)

Hetty Lange is the quiet powerhouse of NCIS: Los Angeles, a master manipulator with a near-encyclopedic knowledge of spycraft and an unwavering commitment to her team.

Beneath her small stature lies a brilliant mind that has outwitted enemies across decades.

Hetty doesn’t just run the show — she owns it, often with a wry smile and a twist no one saw coming. Her genius isn’t loud or flashy, but trust me, it’s deadly effective.

When Hetty’s on the case, you know she’s already five steps ahead.

Watch NCIS: Los Angeles Online

Dr. Spencer Reid — Criminal Minds

(CBS/Screenshot)

Dr. Spencer Reid of Criminal Minds is the ultimate brainiac, blending genius IQ with a memory that’s basically photographic.

With his awkward charm and encyclopedic mind, Reid brings an analytical edge to every case, unraveling even the most complex criminal psyches.

He might struggle with social cues, but he’s unstoppable when it comes to patterns, stats, and obscure facts.

Reid’s brilliance is pure Criminal Minds magic — making him one of the show’s most unforgettable characters and, let’s be real, the smartest guy in the room.

Watch Criminal Minds Online

Sherlock Holmes — Sherlock

(BBC America)

Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock is a genius like no other, with razor-sharp deduction skills that leave everyone else in the dust.

Played by Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock’s brilliance lies in his meticulous attention to detail and his uncanny ability to see connections no one else can.

Social graces? Not his strong suit, but who needs them when you can solve cases that stump the entire Scotland Yard?

From his quirks to his intellectual arrogance, Sherlock is the gold standard of detective genius on TV.

Watch Sherlock Online

Dr. Alec Mercer — The Irrational

(Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)

Dr. Alec Mercer from The Irrational has a mind built for the impossible.

As a behavioral scientist with a knack for reading people, he sees patterns and motivations others can’t even begin to grasp.

Mercer’s brilliance isn’t about formulas or hard science; it’s in understanding the psychology behind every decision.

His methods may seem unorthodox, but his insights are sharp, and his empathy makes him one of the most fascinating problem-solvers on TV today.

Alec Mercer proves that genius doesn’t always come in a lab coat.

Watch The Irrational Online

Walter White — Breaking Bad

(Ursula Coyote/AMC)

Walter White of Breaking Bad took “mad scientist” to a whole new level.

This high school chemistry teacher turned meth kingpin used his genius to build an empire, with every move calculated down to the last molecule.

Walter’s brilliance lies in his precision and sheer nerve, turning everyday chemistry into a deadly game.

He may start as an underdog, but by the end, he’s the most dangerous mind in the room.

Walter White proves that intelligence — when pushed to its limits — can be terrifyingly powerful.

Watch Breaking Bad Online

Moiraine Damodred — The Wheel of Time

(Prime Video/Screenshot)

Moiraine Damodred from The Wheel of Time is the ultimate blend of wisdom, strategy, and power.

As a member of the Aes Sedai, her brilliance shines through in her deep understanding of the complex political landscape and her ability to navigate it with finesse.

Moiraine isn’t just a magic wielder; she’s a master strategist, always thinking several steps ahead.

With her unwavering determination to fulfill her mission and protect those she cares about, she proves that intelligence and intuition are powerful weapons in a world filled with danger and intrigue.

Watch The Wheel of Time Online

Dr. Gregory House — House

(Adam Taylor/FOX)

Dr. Gregory House from House redefines genius with his unapologetically blunt attitude and uncanny medical instincts.

House might be the last person you’d want as a friend, but he’s the first person you’d want as your doctor when things go south.

Armed with a razor-sharp intellect and zero tolerance for BS, he solves medical mysteries no one else can touch.

House’s brilliance isn’t in his bedside manner; it’s in his relentless pursuit of the truth, proving that genius sometimes comes with a heavy dose of arrogance.

Watch House Online

Beth Harmon — The Queen’s Gambit

Anya Taylor-Joy on Queen's Gambit
(Netflix)

Beth Harmon from The Queen’s Gambit is a chess prodigy whose genius goes beyond the board.

With a mind that sees strategies and moves like a living chess game, Beth’s brilliance is unstoppable, even as she battles her own demons.

She’s fierce, flawed, and downright mesmerizing to watch as she takes on the world’s best players.

Beth’s genius lies in her razor-sharp focus and her ability to think ten steps ahead — a combination that makes her both a legend and an underdog.

She’s proof that genius and grit make an unbeatable match.

Watch The Queen's Gambit Online

Dr. Temperance Brennan — Bones

(Patrick McElhenney/FOX)

Dr. Temperance Brennan from Bones is as sharp as her scalpel, combining her forensic anthropology expertise with a no-nonsense approach that’s as precise as her findings.

Known as “Bones” to her team, Brennan’s genius lies in her analytical mind and encyclopedic knowledge of the human skeleton, which she uses to solve the most baffling cases.

Socially awkward but unwaveringly brilliant, she dissects clues no one else would spot.

Brennan proves that intellect and science can turn any mystery into a solvable puzzle — if you have the brainpower.

Watch Bones Online

Mare Sheehan — Mare of Easttown

Harsh Day for Mare - Mare of Easttown Season 1 Episode 2
(Michele K. Short/HBO)

Mare Sheehan from Mare of Easttown isn’t your typical genius, but her sharp instincts and gritty determination make her one of the smartest detectives on TV.

She knows her hometown and its people inside out, giving her an edge in solving crimes that stump everyone else.

Mare’s brilliance lies in her intuition, her relentless pursuit of the truth, and her ability to see through people’s facades.

With emotional scars and a no-BS attitude, she’s proof that intelligence comes in many forms, especially when it’s driven by raw resilience.

Watch Mare of Easttown Online

Ruth Wilder — GLOW

(Netflix/Screenshot)

Ruth Wilder from GLOW is a creative genius who can turn any script — or wrestling move — into pure gold.

She may not be solving crimes or breaking codes, but her talent for reinventing herself and bringing characters to life is unmatched.

Ruth’s brilliance shines through in her resilience and relentless ambition, making her the heart and soul of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.

Sure, she’s got her quirks, but it’s her out-of-the-box thinking and fierce dedication that make her an unforgettable force in and out of the ring.

Watch GLOW Online

Maeve Wiley — Sex Education

Maeve Stares - Sex Education Season 3 Episode 2
(Netflix)

Maeve Wiley from Sex Education is a fierce, quick-witted genius whose intelligence goes far beyond the classroom.

While navigating a tough home life, she uses her smarts and streetwise edge to create an underground sex therapy clinic at school, helping her peers with issues they can’t bring to the adults.

Maeve’s brilliance isn’t just academic; it’s in her insight, empathy, and razor-sharp sense of justice.

She’s proof that genius isn’t just about grades — it’s about using your brain and heart to make a difference.

Watch Sex Education Online

Sheldon Cooper — The Big Bang Theory

(Michael Yarish/Warner Bros.)

Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory is the definition of a classic brainiac, with an IQ that’s off the charts and a downright obsessive love for physics.

Social cues? Not his strong suit. But when it comes to theoretical physics and obscure trivia, Sheldon’s in a league of his own.

His genius is often hilariously paired with his rigid quirks, making him both brilliant and endlessly entertaining.

Sheldon may drive his friends crazy, but there’s no doubt he’s one of TV’s most unforgettable geniuses.

Watch The Big Bang Theory Online

Kate Sharma — Bridgerton

(Netflix/Screenshot)

Kate Sharma from Bridgerton is as sharp as they come, with a quick wit and a mind for strategy that rivals any chess player.

Navigating the complex world of Regency society, Kate uses her intelligence to protect her family’s interests while staying one step ahead of high society’s gossip and expectations.

Her intellect isn’t just book smarts; it’s the keen awareness and emotional intelligence that allow her to see through facades and play the long game.

Kate’s blend of heart and brains makes her a standout in the Bridgerton world.

Watch Bridgerton Online

Raymond “Red” Reddington — The Blacklist

At the Airport - The Blacklist Season 9 Episode 21
(Zach Dilgard/NBC)

Raymond “Red” Reddington from The Blacklist is the mastermind you never want to cross.

With a near-encyclopedic knowledge of the criminal underworld and a knack for manipulation, Red’s genius lies in his ability to predict and outwit everyone around him — the FBI included.

His charm and intellect keep him several steps ahead, blending ruthless strategy with charisma.

Red is a different kind of brilliant, one who uses his smarts for survival, power, and his own twisted version of justice.

When Red’s involved, it’s guaranteed to be dangerous and unpredictable.

Watch The Blacklist Online

Joe Leaphorn – Dark Winds

Tough Spot - Dark Winds Season 2 Episode 6
(Michael Moriatis/AMC)

Joe Leaphorn from Dark Winds is a different kind of genius — a detective whose brilliance is rooted in cultural wisdom, patience, and a profound understanding of his people.

Working in the Navajo Nation, Joe’s investigative skills are heightened by his deep connection to tradition and his community, allowing him to see nuances others overlook.

His intelligence isn’t flashy, but it’s steady, resilient, and rooted in empathy.

Joe’s unique insights and steadfast approach make him a quietly powerful force in the world of crime-solving.

Watch Dark Winds Online

Charlie Cale – Poker Face

Solving Crimes Natasha Lyonne Style
(Peacock)

Charlie Cale from Poker Face is a human lie detector with a genius for spotting deception, a skill that keeps her both alive and in constant danger.

With a keen sense of human behavior and a knack for landing in the middle of trouble, Charlie’s brilliance is all street smart and quick thinking.

She doesn’t need a badge or a degree to unravel mysteries; her instincts and natural curiosity do the job.

Charlie’s sharp wit and unique gift make her an unforgettable anti-hero in the world of modern-day sleuthing.

Watch Poker Face Online

Wednesday Addams – Wednesday

(MATTHIAS CLAMER/NETFLIX)

Wednesday Addams from Wednesday is a gothic genius with a mind as sharp as her wit and a heart as dark as her wardrobe.

At Nevermore Academy, she dives into solving mysteries with deadpan humor and analytical precision that keeps everyone around her on edge.

Her intelligence is both cerebral and strategic, helping her navigate a world where she’s the ultimate outsider.

With her love for the macabre and her fearless curiosity, Wednesday proves that brilliance comes in all shades — including pitch-black.

Watch Wednesday Online

Omar Little – The Wire

(HBO/Screenshot)

Omar Little from The Wire is a street-smart legend who operates by his own code in the gritty world of Baltimore.

His brilliance isn’t academic — it’s the sharp instinct, tactical mind, and fearless resolve that make him untouchable.

Known for robbing drug dealers and enforcing his own brand of justice, Omar’s intelligence lies in his ability to outmaneuver everyone, from criminals to law enforcement.

With his unforgettable whistle and moral complexity, Omar proves that genius isn’t always about books; sometimes, it’s about survival and principles.

Watch The Wire Online

Kate Wyler – The Diplomat

(Courtesy of Netflix © 2023)

Kate Wyler from The Diplomat is the embodiment of political savvy, expertly navigating the tumultuous waters of international diplomacy with skill and determination.

As the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, she faces complex geopolitical challenges while managing her own tumultuous personal life.

Sharp-witted and resourceful, Kate balances strategic thinking with emotional intelligence, making her a standout character in the world of political dramas.

Whether negotiating delicate situations or confronting personal dilemmas, her brilliance shines through, proving that intellect is as crucial as instinct in diplomacy.

With Keri Russell at the helm, Kate’s journey is as captivating as the global intrigue that surrounds her.

Watch The Diplomat Online

Nadia Vulvokov – Russian Doll

Back for More Time-Loop Fun
(Netflix)

Nadia Vulvokov from Russian Doll is a genius wrapped in grit, sarcasm, and endless curiosity.

With a mind as sharp as her humor, Nadia’s brilliance is all about her resilience and ability to unravel complex mysteries, especially when she finds herself stuck in an existential time loop.

She’s a software engineer with street smarts and an edge that keeps her going through endless cycles of life and death.

Nadia’s intelligence isn’t conventional, but it’s fierce, making her one of TV’s most uniquely brilliant characters.

Watch Russian Doll Online

Maddie Nears – School Spirits

(Ed Araquel/Paramount+)

Maddie Nears from School Spirits is a high school ghost with a mind as sharp as her sense of justice.

Even in the afterlife, Maddie’s intelligence shines as she pieces together the mystery of her own disappearance, determined to uncover the truth from beyond the grave.

With her cleverness, persistence, and ability to rally other spirits, Maddie proves that being brilliant isn’t just for the living.

She’s the kind of sleuth who won’t rest until she gets answers, making her a standout in the supernatural detective world.

Watch School Spirits Online

Tyrion Lannister – Game of Thrones

(Macall B. Polay/HBO)

Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones is a master of wit, strategy, and survival in a world where power is everything.

Known as the “Imp,” Tyrion’s brilliance is in his ability to outthink his enemies, using his intellect as his strongest weapon.

He’s sharp-tongued, deeply insightful, and quick to spot others’ weaknesses, making him a formidable player in the Game of Thrones universe.

Despite being underestimated, Tyrion’s wisdom and cunning allow him to maneuver through family treachery and political turmoil with unmatched skill.

Watch Game of Thrones Online

Alex Levy – The Morning Show

Jennifer Aniston On The Morning Show Season 3
(Erin Simkin)

Alex Levy from The Morning Show is a media powerhouse whose brilliance lies in her adaptability, ambition, and razor-sharp intuition.

As the anchor of a high-profile morning show, Alex navigates the ruthless world of broadcast journalism with strategic finesse, balancing public image with personal turmoil.

She’s sharp, resilient, and often willing to make tough choices to stay on top.

Alex’s genius isn’t just in her on-air presence; it’s in her ability to read the room and stay steps ahead in an ever-changing industry.

Watch The Morning Show Online

Professor T – Professor T

(PBS/Screenshot)

Professor T from Professor T is a criminology genius with an eccentric twist, blending Sherlock-level deduction with a brilliant but complicated mind.

As a professor with a deep understanding of criminal psychology, he helps solve complex cases with insights that others miss entirely.

His brilliance is tempered by his quirks and obsessive tendencies, which make him fascinating and challenging to those around him.

Professor T’s unconventional genius is the heart of the show, proving that sometimes brilliance and eccentricity go hand in hand.

Watch Professor T Online

Jessica Fletcher – Murder, She Wrote

(CBS/Screenshot)

Jessica Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote is the ultimate amateur sleuth with a mind as sharp as her writing skills.

As a mystery novelist, Jessica has an uncanny knack for spotting clues and piecing together puzzles that leave everyone else stumped.

Her intelligence is subtle yet relentless, allowing her to outsmart criminals while maintaining her signature charm and warmth.

Jessica proves that you don’t need a badge to solve a case — just a keen eye, a brilliant mind, and maybe a typewriter.

Watch Murder She Wrote Online

Kaitlin Olson
(Carlos Lopez-Calleja/Disney)

Wrapping Up the Brainpower Brigade

These characters prove that genius takes many forms — some are calculating and strategic, others wildly inventive or hilariously eccentric.

Whether they’re solving crimes, saving lives, or outsmarting everyone in their path, they make the small screen a whole lot smarter.

Who’s your favorite TV brainiac? Share your thoughts, and let’s keep celebrating the brilliant minds that keep us hooked!

The post From Book Smarts to Street Smarts: 27 Brilliant TV Characters Who Make Genius Look Easy appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/27-brilliant-tv-characters-who-make-genius-look-easy/feed/ 5 Hetty Lange – 1 Morgan – S01E05 – High Potential JustWatch genius – hetty lange JustWatch genius – spencer reid JustWatch genius – sherlock JustWatch genius – the irrational JustWatch genius – breaking bad JustWatch genius — wheel of time JustWatch genius – house JustWatch Anya Taylor-Joy on Queen’s Gambit This is a shot of Anya Taylor-Joy who starred in the series Queen's Gambit JustWatch genius – bones JustWatch Harsh Day for Mare – Mare of Easttown Season 1 Episode 2 Mare visits a grisly murder scene before informing the victim's enraged father. As a video from the night of the crime surfaces, Mare questions suspects in the case and gives an icy welcome to County Detective Colin Zabel, who's been called in to assist. Later, Mare bumps heads with locals and airs concerns about her grandson Drew in light of her late son's mental health struggles. JustWatch genius – glow JustWatch Maeve Stares – Sex Education Season 3 Episode 2 This is a still from Sex Education Season 3 Episode 2, airing September 17 on Netflix. JustWatch genius – big bang theory JustWatch genius – bridgerton JustWatch At the Airport – The Blacklist Season 9 Episode 21 Red is placid waiting for Marvin to show up at a regional airport. JustWatch Tough Spot – Dark Winds Season 2 Episode 6 Joe Leaphorn finds himself battling white-man's justice as he attempts to get B.J. Vines convicted for his part in the murder of six Indians. JustWatch Solving Crimes Natasha Lyonne Style This is a still of the Peacock original series Poker Face. JustWatch genius – wednesday – netflix JustWatch genius – the wire -hbo JustWatch genius – diplomat – netflix JustWatch Back for More Time-Loop Fun This is a still from Russian Doll Season 2 on Netflix. JustWatch School Spirits Season 2 Peyton List as Maddie Nears in School Spirits, episode 1, season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/Paramount+. JustWatch genius – game of thrones – hbo JustWatch Jennifer Aniston On The Morning Show Season 3 JustWatch genius – Professor T – PBS JustWatch genius Murder She Wrote – CBS JustWatch Morgan – S01E03 – High Potential
The Best Depictions of Awful Character Traits We’ve Ever Seen https://www.tvfanatic.com/the-best-depictions-of-awful-character-traits-weve-ever-seen/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/the-best-depictions-of-awful-character-traits-weve-ever-seen/#respond Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/?p=808285 Trying to Break Jenkins - Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 5

From greed to betrayal, these portrayals of awful character traits will leave you both fascinated and horrified. Which ones stand out to you?

The post The Best Depictions of Awful Character Traits We’ve Ever Seen appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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Be honest with yourselves; awful character traits are the best. Who didn’t tune into Game of Thrones weekly to see what shady malevolence Joffrey Baratheon was up to?

Walter White isn’t the most vile reprobate to ever cross the small screen. He’s practically a household name, cheered and loathed in equal measure.

One of the most powerful and insanely popular scenes in the entire Star Wars saga is when Darth Vader enters a dark, smokey hallway on a Rebel ship and unleashes a hellish slaughter on the crew.

Trying to Break Jenkins - Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 5
(Emerson Miller / Paramount)

It’s not the everyday good guy who makes us perk up on the couch and lean forward in anticipation.

It’s the callous degenerate, the spiteful dictator, the bumbling father wrecking his way through life, or the selfish spinster, always undermining the best characters.

Why? Who knows?

This isn’t an exercise in psychological philosophy.

Some creative minds out there just know how to make a bad character fun by depicting their worst moments in the most entertaining ways.

Captain Jack Randall (Outlander)

Black Jack Randall - Outlander - Awful Character Traits
(© 2014 Sony Pictures Television/Ed Miller)

Black Jack is a far cry from Tobias Menzie’s squeamish portrayal of Edmure Tully.

The aura of restrained violence follows Jack wherever he goes, but his malevolence is kept in check by his careful observations of those around him, especially Claire.

He wraps his sadistic hedonism in the red coat of an officer in service of Britain, leading through fear and control.

What makes Outlander’s Jack so compelling is his ability to remain consummately calm as he plucks every last morsel of physical, mental, and spiritual torment from his victims.

Worst, his most awful character traits remain beneath the murky depths of a cold stare.

There is truly no calculating how far he will go without societal restraint and his position as a British officer, though he is able to skirt the rules often enough.

Beth Dutton (Yellowstone)

Beth Dutton (Yellowstone)
(Courtesy of Paramount YouTube Screenshot))

Few characters on TV can conjure vitriolic levels of disagreement like Yellowstone’s Beth Dutton.

She’s either loved or hated, with little to no in-between. This is mostly due to her relationship with her brother, Jamie Dutton.

Beth is a strong-willed force driven by intoxicating levels of wealth, power, vengeance, and fear. Yes, fear.

Her emotional insecurities fuel her behavior, often driving her to push things too far. She’s one of those rare characters that garners a lot of attention despite lacking a character arc.

No one can disagree that Beth Dutton in later seasons is the same Beth Dutton from the first season. Her vulnerability draws the viewer in despite the fact that Beth will likely never change.

Homelander (The Boys)

Homelander's Got a Twinkle In His Eye - THE BOYS S04E06 - DIRTY BUSINESS
(Courtesy of Prime Video (Youtube Screenshot))

The best depictions of awful character traits are the ones with disparate, underlying derivations. Homelander is exquisitely arrogant, pompous, and downright murderous when he doesn’t get his way.

It’s rare to see epic levels of narcissism and psychopathy present themselves in an entertaining manner, but Antony Starr pulls it off with zeal and unbridled enthusiasm.

Homelander’s sick character traits are wholly derived from his self-loathing, making him one of the most fascinating characters to enter the superhero genre in a long time.

He may be the anti-superman of The Boys’ universe, but he’s also the most fragile.

Theon Grejoy (Game of Thrones)

Theon Greyjoy Photo
(Courtesy of HBO/Max)

Theon (Alfie Allen) is an interesting dichotomy, even more so from the point of view of the fans.

How is it that a character who did terrible things but far less than the likes of Jamie Lannister and Sandor Clegane became so hated?

The answer is simple: cowardice. Though Jamie and Sandor were reprehensible in their own ways, both were warriors and loved as such.

Before Ramsey Bolton imprisoned and tortured him, Theon betrayed the most popular family on the show.

Post-betrayal, he was a broken coward, fleeing in the face of his own sister’s demise.

His awful character traits, before and after his fall, were so well depicted that Theon is one of the most reviled characters in Game of Thrones.

Jinx (Arcane)

Close Up on Jinx - Arcane Season 1 Episode 4
(Courtesy of Netflix)

Jinx is perfectly depicted as the young, cute character that everyone ignores — the one who messes everything up and destroys the lives around her (at least, from her point of view).

Unbeknownst to her friends, family, and allies, this clumsy, empathetic portrayal was really a cocoon. What grew within was a maniacal Arcane version of Harley Quinn.

Her unpredictability is her strength, and she is just as likely to sit and talk calmly as she is to blow up a skyscraper while hysterically laughing at the sky.

She’s a walking powder keg and fascinating to watch because you never know what she might do next.

The Ghoul (Fallout)

The Ghoul
(Courtesy of Prime Video (Screenshot))

Not all awful character traits reveal themselves via a slow-burn character arc.

By all measures, Cooper Howard was a good family man who loved his wife and child. Two centuries later, give or take a few decades, and he’s a cold, callous killer with zero empathy.

Such a drastic change doesn’t normally work, but Fallout is not a normal, cut-and-dry series.

The Cooper Howard of love, hard work, and family witnesses his wife’s betrayal of humanity right before the entire world is engulfed in a nuclear holocaust.

Even so, the difference is jarring, and it works so well because his transition from family man to calculating, sometimes vengeful killer is left to the imagination.

Harmony Cobel (Severance)

Mrs. Selvig at the party - Severance Season 1 Episode 8
(Courtesy of Apple TV+)

Cold, lifeless granite and Harmony Cobel are one and the same until they aren’t — usually in shocking, explosive fashion.

Patricia Arquette plays the perfectly calm, emotionless Harmony that could teach Spock how to repress emotions.

That’s what makes her sudden outbursts so shocking and disturbing, like when she chucked a coffee mug at Mark’s head.

It came from nothing — explosive rage from a cold, reptilian creature slinking behind the dead eyes of a Luman Industries supervisor.

By the end of Severance, we witness a full-fledged meltdown. It’s shocking not just because it’s coming from a seemingly lifeless rock but because it’s difficult to fathom how this lifeless rock held it in for so long and with such ease.

Aemond Targaryen (House of the Dragon)

The King's Brother - HotD S02E04 - A Dance of Dragons - House of the Dragon
(Courtesy of Ollie Upton/HBO)

Ewan Mitchell has a fantastic range, going from a young warrior monk in The Last Kingdom to the most subtly intimidating, disturbing, and powerful force in the room as Aemond Targaryen in House of the Dragon.

Of Aemond’s many awful character traits, it’s his quiet, near-whisper dialogue that conveys the most threat. Sure, he’s petulant, jealous, and ambitious of his less-deserving brother’s ascension to the iron throne.

However, he has no qualms about roasting his brother alive hundreds of feet above the ground and watching him fall.

His youth and impulsive nature are his weaknesses, however.

His malevolent nature is less repulsively cruel than his brother’s, but his quiet insidiousness is somehow more terrifying nonetheless.

Sheldon Cooper (Young Sheldon and Big Bang Theory)

Sheldon Hates Change - Young Sheldon
(Courtesy of 2024 Warner Brothers Inc / Bill Inoshita)

Not all awful character traits involve brutal oppression, murder, vengeance, and psychopathic tendencies.

Some are far simpler despite inhabiting an above-average intellect. Sheldon is the result of being different, though not necessarily in the worst ways.

Simply put, he thinks he’s more intelligent than everyone in the room. The problem? He is. That’s the most frustrating part about this character trait and why it’s so fundamentally annoying.

Ironically, this makes him the least-liked character on a show where he is the central focal point.

Fortunately, Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon both surround him with otherwise likable characters. If either were a young man (or a young boy) show, both would have failed.

There are far too many characters to list, so feel free to comment and tell us which characters you think exhibit the most awful character traits in fascinating ways!

The post The Best Depictions of Awful Character Traits We’ve Ever Seen appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/the-best-depictions-of-awful-character-traits-weve-ever-seen/feed/ 0 Trying to Break Jenkins – Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 5 Black Jack Randall – Outlander Damn you, Black Jack Randall! Damn you all the way to Hell, Black Jack Randall! Beth Dutton (Yellowstone) Beth Dutton (Yellowstone) Homelander’s Got a Twinkle In His Eye – THE BOYS S04E06 – DIRTY BUSINESS Homelander attends Tek Knight's party on The Boys Season 4 Episode 6. Theon Greyjoy Photo Theon Greyjoy is the youngest son of Lord Balon Greyjoy. Close Up on Jinx – Arcane Season 1 Episode 4 On Arcane Season 1 Episode 4, Jinx (Ella Purnell) gets down to business The Ghoul Cooper Howard, who has been transformed into a Ghoul 219 years before the events of the 'Fallout.' Mrs. Selvig at the party – Severance Season 1 Episode 8 Mrs. Selvig (Patricia Arquette) asks Mark about his future plans. The King’s Brother – HotD S02E04 – A Dance of Dragons – House of the Dragon Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen offers his advice to his brother. Sheldon Hates Change – Young Sheldon Sheldon has a hard time dealing with change on Young Sheldon Season 7 Episode 12.
17 Angry but Utterly Relatable TV Characters https://www.tvfanatic.com/17-angry-but-utterly-relatable-tv-characters/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/17-angry-but-utterly-relatable-tv-characters/#respond Fri, 23 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/?p=801641

At a time in history when people had access to more TV than they could ever watch, it was easy for …

The post 17 Angry but Utterly Relatable TV Characters appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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At a time in history when people had access to more TV than they could ever watch, it was easy for characters to blend together or get lost entirely, especially if they had a rusty filing system (i.e., brain).

Angry TV characters have a spot of honor at the front of our memory. It’s hard to forget characters who impact your emotions.

Whether it’s sadness, intense joy, or burning rage, the best TV characters hit you in the feels.

Voight and Upton Battered and Bruised - Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 13
(NBC/Lori Allen)

We’ve picked 17 angry TV characters that we can’t help but remember for their grumpiness.

And for fun, I’m analyzing why most of us can relate to the reasons they’re angry. Let’s Hulk out.

17 Angry TV Characters

When taken out of context, an angry person can seem like they’re just a “blank” word — fill in your choice of adjective. I’m not trying to offend anyone.

But when you look past the surface and analyze the person beneath the grump, you often see fascinating causes that led to the brusk behavior.

For most of us, it’s simply getting older in a world that’s not as fun or friendly as we would like. I feel ya, fam.

Anger can occur from untreated trauma, exposure to the worst that the world has to offer, life, addictions, or mental illness.

And the more it’s repressed, the worse it gets.

But some of TV’s grumpiest characters don’t mind blowing their lids. And we’re here for it.

Check out my 17 favorite unhappy people and why I (and probably you) can relate to their grump. Let’s do the grumpy dump.

Hailey Upton from Chicago PD

Endangering Himself - tall - Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 9
(NBC/Lori Allen)

Chicago PD fans have had a rough few seasons as we continue to say goodbye to our favorite detectives in the Intelligence Unit.

Through the shortened season, we saw Hailey struggle with her marriage ending after Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) exited the show during the tenth season.

She threw herself into work and the abuse of running until she was past the point of exhaustion.

Disturbing how she spotted the signs of active addiction and self-harm when it came to Jo Petrovic’s drinking problem. But she couldn’t correlate similar signs with her own behavior.

CPD fans have spent several years dealing with the ups and downs of Hailey’s mental status as the show spent way too much time focused on her character development.

From depression to anger, her emotional roller coaster wore down even the most loyal of fans to the point that we celebrated when we heard the news of Tracy Spiridakos leaving, meaning the end of the Upton show.

Sam Carver from Chicago Fire

Carver Defeated - Chicago Fire Season 12 Episode 13
(Adrian S Burrows Sr/NBC)

The writers of the One Chicago universe aren’t afraid to put their characters through the wringer when it comes to unprocessed trauma.

Firefighter Sam Carver (Jake Lockett) from Chicago Fire has a lot of baggage he hasn’t unpacked, which often leads to him responding to tense moments with aggression.

Like most hero types, Carver has a massive protective streak that extends to his Station 51 firefighting family and his workplace romance with paramedic Violet Mikami.

His childhood experiences with an abusive father make him sensitive to situations that involve dominating fathers and men who like to intimidate others.

Since he joined 51, we’ve seen him in several fights, which have led to tense situations with Stella Kidd, his rival-turned-close friend.

We’re familiar with how he looks behind bars, adding black marks to his heroism.

Gabi Mosely from Found

Inspecting the Premises - Found Season 1 Episode 9
(Steve Swisher/NBC)

Found is a newcomer to the television lineup, but thanks to the charisma of Gabi Mosely (Shanola Hampton) and Sir (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), it quickly received a renewal notice for a second season (which will feature Station 19’s Bishop star Danielle Savre).

Equal parts creepy Criminal Minds child abduction and brilliant crime-solving Wisdom of the Crowd, with a healthy dose of Alert tossed in for a happily ever after.

Gabi is a brilliant and charismatic people finder running a crisis management team.

Their purpose is to find missing people who have been given up on by conventional methods.

A person who does the impossible and reunites families torn apart through violence should feel good.

But Gabi has a lot of repressed anger that we often see her unleash on the sexy yet evil prisoner she keeps in her basement dungeon.

Sick and Weak - Found Season 1 Episode 9
(Steve Swisher/NBC)

Grossly referred to as Sir (although it’s hard to remember not to call him Zack Morris), Gosselaar portrays a deeply disturbed sociopath who kidnapped Gabi as a child and held her hostage for years before she escaped.

The irony is not lost that the kidnappee became the kidnapper and kidnapped her kidnapper to hold him as a prisoner as he had done her.

But Sir really got in our heads when we discovered that Gabi wasn’t in control after all.

While she thought she was keeping Sir against his will, he’s actually willingly acting as a hostage to obsessively spend time with her.

Imagine the kind of anger you must have inside from being held against your will as a child, only to stumble upon your captor years later when you’re not as vulnerable.

Has she become the protege of her captor without realizing it?

Henry Gowen from When Calls the Heart

Henry's Guidance - When Calls the Heart Season 11 Episode 8
(Ricardo Hubbs/Hallmark)

The best TV shows give their characters deep personal growth, especially when it’s a bad guy.

Anyone who watching the awesomeness on Hallmark should be familiar with the massive ongoing success of When Calls the Heart.

WCTH takes viewers on a trip to the past, giving us a taste of life in a rural Canadian town at the forefront of modernization.

And as a Hallmark show, you can expect it to hit you in the feels from time to time as we immerse ourselves with the fictional townsfolk, like school teacher Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) and best friend Rosemary (Pascale Hutton).

But the best thing that’s happened on WCTH in the 11 seasons it’s been on is the amazing personal growth of the town grump and resident bad guy, Henry Gowen (Martin Cummins).

Discerning Evidence - When Calls the Heart Season 11 Episode 2
(Ricardo Hubbs/Hallmark)

When the show first started, Gowen was the greedy, crooked mine manager that everyone blamed for the deaths of multiple miners.

It’s understandable why a person would hold onto repressed anger, especially if you agreed with the many insults and accusations deep down.

But the best thing about Henry’s angry persona is that we start to notice chinks in the armor that let us get glimpses of the inside. And unlike other angry people, his chi didn’t ooze evil.

Underneath, Henry is a great guy with tons of compassion and a soft spot for those who take the time to see the real him.

He has an undisclosed moral code that puts him on a path to redemption and rebirth free of the tarnishments of his former grouch self.

Kat Landry from The Way Home

Kat in Blue - The Way Home Season 2 Episode 10
(©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Peter Stranks)

Another Hallmark hit featuring a pretty angry main character (played by Chyler Leigh) is The Way Home.

Adding a time-traveling element is a neat twist on the traditional female-led family drama about mothers struggling to connect with their daughters.

Fans instantly flocked to the vibe of three generations of Landrys gathering at the family home to unlock deep secrets, rehash old pains, and discover magical family history.

And by magical, we are referring to the time portal lake that Kat and her daughter Alice discover.

But they’re not the first ones.

While Alice travels back in time to when her mother was the same age, Kat travels back several hundred years, where she meets not one but two people she starts crushing on.

Good Luck - The Way Home Season 2 Episode 7
(©2024 Hallmark Media (Promo Screenshot))

And if that’s not enough entanglement to make you angry, there’s also the confusing relationship of the current timeline best friend, Elliot (who’s in love with you.)

Then there is the unsolved disappearance of a younger brother decades before (I predicted his fate about eight episodes before they revealed it if anyone wants to be impressed).

Or the smothering guilt of knowing that you played a part in the death of your father years prior.

A secret you don’t discover until you’re grown and damaging your child’s psyche from your unresolved emotional baggage.

So, yeah, be angry, Kat. Like this next one, you might deserve it more than most of the other angry TV characters on our list.

Danny Reagan from Blue Bloods

Danny's Son - Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 9
(CBS / 2023 CBS Broadcasting )

Blue Bloods has been a police procedural that fans have loved or hated throughout its 14 seasons.

This fan is still undecided about her feelings on the show finally ending.

The show’s premise revolves around a loud Irish family deeply immersed in the New York City justice system.

At the helm of the family is Police Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), an old-school boss with a strong moral code who believes in doing everything by the book.

While Frank is about doing things by the rules, his oldest (living) son doesn’t.

Danny Does Paperwork - Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 7
(CBS (Screenshot))

Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) has been through a lot since the show started (and before).

He’s already buried a mom, a fellow police brother, and his wife. As an NYPD detective, he constantly sees the worst side of humanity.

And he has serious trouble hiding his anger and contempt from the bad guys.

While I normally abhor shows that feature police brutality and abusive officers, BB has handled its storylines differently.

In nearly every instance, I agree with Danny’s actions.

So when Danny expressed his anger at a pedophile holding a missing child by drowning the perv in a toilet bowl, I cheered him on.

Is there a way to write a letter of recommendation for a medal? Bravo.

Even when Danny isn’t expressing his anger through waterboarding techniques, you can see the barely-reigned fury begging to erupt in his mannerisms.

But they make him all the more endearing.

Who doesn’t love a sexy smartass with a deep moral compass that today’s society sorely lacks?

Red Forman from That ’70s/’90s Show 

Red Forman's will always be known for his bitter sense of humor.
(Fox/Youtube Screenshot)

As a teenager growing up in the ’90s, I was obsessed with That ’70s Show, which was a throwback to the flower power and disco eras decades before my time.

I could relate to the teenage side of dealing with out-of-touch parents making a mess of your life.

Whether it was a mom trying too hard to be cool or a dad who killed the fun, it felt like our lives.

When That ’90s Show debuted to Netflix with a reboot starring the cool kids all grown up, my childhood felt fulfilled until I realized that I’m totally Team Red (Kurtwood Smith) these days.

Well, crap.

After rewatching the original from the point of view of an exhausted mom with kids who are doing too much too often, I fully get and appreciate his smartassery and perpetual grumpiness.

His wife was more willing to bend the rules and let the kids have free reign over the house and their schedules (I’m guilty of that, too).

But Red had zero apologies about giving them a “hell no” or threatening to put his foot up someone’s butt.

Back in the 90s
(Netflix)

As a Xennial parent, I often use the threat of a flip-flop to get my point across when I need to make a point or solve a problem. IFKYK.

Yeah, Red is rude and crass.

He’s the typical hardass parent of yesteryear, where crying only got you something to really cry about, and sticks and stones may break your bones, but words could never hurt you.

But in all fairness, the man did bust his butt at work for a blue-collar, middle-class life.

While having to deal with a promiscuous daughter and a son who took over the basement to hang out with his stoner high school friends and eat all the food in the house.

Not to mention all the teen drama, an annoying neighbor, and a wife who tried too hard to be relevant in her kids’ (and grandkids’) lives.

House from House

House Boxing
(FOX)

When you think of an angry character with a reputation for being somewhat of an asshole, Gregory House often comes up in conversation.

But what could you expect from an actively using drug addict who treats his body like a petri dish for any medical experience that might get him high and relieve his pain?

Not to mention his propensity for delusions of grandeur, extreme narcissism, the worst case of hubris you’ve ever seen in one body, and the fact that he gave zero F’s if he hurt your feelings.

As with most angry people, seeing that his behavior offended someone was a source of amusement. It was almost a goal for him.

While many of TV’s angriest characters have redeeming qualities and relatable reasons for being a grump, anger from over-excessive drug use and an active addiction isn’t one of them.

Especially from a doctor responsible for treating and curing extremely sick — often young and vulnerable — patients.

True, he lived in extreme chronic pain. As someone who can relate, yes, pain can make you snappy and rude.

And when you’re hurting, you don’t have the patience for things that annoy you.

For House, that’s stupid people. Unfortunately, he is disillusioned that everyone is dumb and, therefore, worthy of his wrath.

Dean Winchester from Supernatural

Dean and His Ride - Tall - Supernatural Season 15 Episode 20
(Robert Falconer/The CW)

Vanishing demons and protecting the world from evil can affect your psyche.

Then there’s the absentee daddy issues — after he turned his kids into bad-ass hunters.

A dysfunctional family, spending time in Purgatory, living on the road with cheap hotels and crappy food, and no real romantic connections surely make things worse.

Most of us have his snark, crankiness, and general hatred of most of society, especially those under the age of 40.

And we haven’t been through any of Dean’s trauma.

So, while we might not necessarily excuse or forgive his massive level of anger for life in general and all things in it, we can certainly relate.

Russell Shaw - Tracker
(Sergei Bachlakov/CBS)

After all, can we really stay mad at a sexy smolder with great hair and superb tastes in music and automobiles?

Especially when he’s fiercely loyal to his family, even to the point of self-sacrifice.

Interestingly, Jensen Ackles retains his signature snark and disdain for the world in his role on Tracker as Russell Shaw, Colter Shaw’s elusive and estranged brother.

His dark, handsome good looks and rebel badassery perfectly balanced the chiseled sexiness of his on-screen brother, Justin Hartley (This is Us).

I’m not current enough on Jensen’s newest role on The Boys, where he reunites with his former on-screen brother from Supernatural, Jared Padalecki (check him out on Fire Country, too).

But given the show’s premise of superheroes who aren’t actually good guys (not in an awesome Deadpool way), I’m willing to bet his character, Soldier Boy, is angry, too.

Rebecca Pearson on This is Us

Rebecca Listens Nervously - This Is Us Season 6 Episode 7
(NBC / Ron Batzdorff)

I’m new to the party for This is Us.

It took a few episodes to get used to how the show bounced through different parts of time throughout each episode.

But I loved how it showed the full lives of a family of triplets – Justin Hartley, Chrissy Metz (formerly Poodle Moth from The Masked Singer), and Sterling K. Brown.

As an ’80s-made-me, ’90s-raised-me, Y2Ker, I grew up with the powerhouse female artists of Britney, Christina, and Mandy Moore.

And as a massive music maniac, I love it when singers (and athletes) cross over into acting. I’ve been a Moore girl since the days of Princess Diaries and A Walk to Remember.

You’d think I’d be used to her making the audience cry. However, this viewer was not ready for the emotional turmoil she left me with several months after watching it.

Seeing how her life played out, starting as a young, ambitious singer who fell in love, got married, had kids, and then had to find herself again, was your typical story.

Mandy Moore on the Penultimate Episode - This Is Us
((Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC))

But how life kept kicking her at every turn wore down her niceness, making her hardened to the sunnier side.

However, who wouldn’t be angry to lose a baby at birth that you don’t have time to mourn because you’re raising triplets (including an adopted newborn) while suffering from undiagnosed post-partum depression?

Only to lose your husband while your children are at the hardest teenage stage and getting ready to flee the nest to leave you alone and single for years.

The mental decline and cognitive impairments that we witnessed but dismissed as the typical behaviors of someone aging are enough to terrify the middle-aged generation that currently experiences the symptoms of CRS — Can’t Remember Stuff.

Lost your keys lately? Your phone that’s in your pocket? The glasses on your face? Or how about that password you made last week? Yeah, that’s a personal trigger for a source of instant anger for most of us.

Al Bundy from Married … With Children

Al Bundy Pays Bills
(Embassy Television/YouTube Screenshot)

Family sitcoms in the ’90s were a popular trend, done in various ways to appeal to all demographics.

Many of these classics featured a traditional American middle-class family.

Married …With Children targeted the raunchier, non-offended blue-collar audiences, giving us one of the greatest grumpy sitcom characters ever.

It had scenes that would outrage today’s cancel culture harder than Eminem’s newest album release.

Oh, the things the confused, overly-sensitive “woke” mob would have to say about Al Bundy’s exclusive social club.

Bundy (Ed O’Neill) had the life most people wanted.

A nice house in the suburbs, a wife, two kids, and a few good friends.

But he had the mundane job of a shoe salesman — and not the Michael Jordan Shaq way. It’s hard to imagine that he would have his job for long in today’s world.

We often saw him engage in acts of sexual harassment and misogyny against female customers.

And more often than not, he made kids cry and pissed off moms.

But the Karens of the world didn’t have the power then that they do today.

So, he got away with it. And for that, I’m extremely jealous.

Call a kid out for acting like a brat these days, and you end up with haters and overly dramatic actions.

The Bundys from Married....With Children Season 2 Episode 19
(FOX/ Screenshot)

And can we blame him for being cranky and snarky when he had a wife who had an obsession with bonbons and soap operas, a dumb blonde daughter who had a new boyfriend every night, and a nerdy son who never quite reached his peak?

We also admire his creativity in frugalness.

As the costs of living continue to rise, we can support his cheapskate in a way we previously couldn’t understand.

A financial note for the younger generations.

An older paid-off car and a smaller home you own are one thousand times better than owing money (hours of your life) to have the newest and biggest.

Perry Cox from Scrubs

John C. McGinley attends Hallmark Media’s cocktail reception during the Summer 2024 Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, CA on July 11, 2024.
Dr. Cox and Jordan read from J.D.’s book of all of Cox’s rants from the last eight seasons of the show.

Funny how much we remember them. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Hallmark Media)

If there’s a TV trope we see far too often that never gets old, it’s a cocky, narcissistic doctor who thinks they are the world’s answer to medicine.

While House was an unbearable jerk due to his drug habit, Dr. Perry Cox’s (John C. McGinley) overly obnoxious conceit had no such excuses.

He really was just a horse’s rear end.

To be fair, he treated everyone like crap, even if he singled out certain people more than others. Not that this viewer blamed him 98% of the time.

The snarky comments and dickish reactions came from my brain to his mouth like a creepy form of telepathy. Is anyone else that good at predicting what they’re watching?

Dr. Perry-Wan Kenobi - Scrubs
(NBC)

As the aging yet still-cool generation that today’s kids consider old, it’s easy to understand why Cox constantly snapped at the younger doctors.

They really were irritating AF. To the point that this viewer cheered when the show ended.

It got too corny to make sense, especially once JD left. But as a purist, I’m not much of a fan of shows that continue on without their main character.

Especially when it alters the ambiance of the show, that’s how it was with Scrubs once Dorian left. Who was Cox without his comedic opposite but an inconsiderate jerk who started to shift to someone we liked to hate?

Nothing ruins a good show more than removing a bad character’s redeeming qualities and making them into something they weren’t meant to become.

David Rossi from Criminal Minds

Photo from Criminal Minds Evolution Season 2 Episode 9, Stars & Stripes
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)

Working with the worst of society makes it hard not to feel angry.

For every bad guy you put away, someone more depraved comes across your radar.

Who wouldn’t feel frustrated and downright violent when they have to look at nothing but bad things that have already happened?

And then, to make your thoughts so sick that you can get into the depraved mind has to leave some emotional scars, especially if you have to work with them and pretend to relate.

Having to get the help of a serial killer you’ve already arrested and put away that will eventually lead to a reduced sentence is enough to turn a touch of frustration into a fit of rage.

If you’ve watched the Criminal Minds: Evolution reboot, you’ve seen the emotional, physical, and psychological damage that can occur after years on the job.

As much as I love Rossi, it might be time for Joe Mantegna to find a new role.

Rossi has a mental break and imagines Voit is with him
(Michael Yarish/Paramount+)

Rossi has had temper issues in the past, but he’s dang near out of control this season because he’s working so closely with his nemesis, Voit.

It gives this viewer a very Gideon (and Hodges) vibe.

As a die-hard BAU fan, I jumped at the news that the show got a second chance at life.

It moved from airing on prime-time TV with parental ratings restraints to the less restrictive streaming method.

As someone with the mouth of a sailor, I can’t help but notice and even judge the way the scriptwriters have fouled up Rossi’s (and everyone’s) dialogue.

These days, his anger seems to be more about how many swear words he can cram into his hissy fit and less about his arguments making any leeway into resolving the source of the problem.

Squidward Tentacles from Spongebob Squarepants

Squidward Tentacles protests against working at the Crabby Shack
(Nickelodeon/YouTube Screenshot)

We’re going in a different direction with this choice.

But if you’ve ever watched an episode of the cartoon Spongebob Squarepants, you’ll agree that no one deserves to be on this list more!

Squidward is the angry neighbor next door who derives pleasure from his moments of jerkhood.

But I can’t say that if I lived next door to someone so obnoxiously happy all the time, I wouldn’t find some perverse enjoyment from deflating their bubble, too.

To live next door to the annoying pipsqueak and also have work with him? What did he do to make the sea gods hate him? Cause that’s some seriously traumatizing stuff.

But with the different vibes of today’s world, many of us find him more relatable.

Do your stint at work dealing with an overly self-absorbed society and then go home to hide away from dealing with said society.

Overly happy people annoy us; sometimes, we’re “that” one who’s always talking about how great things used to be back in “our” day.

All Squidworth wants to do is chill in his home, vibe to his music, and be left alone. Isn’t that what all of us want to do?

Dorothy Zbornak from Golden Girls

Dorothy dishes out her signature savage.
(NBC/Screenshot)

You can’t be on social media without seeing at least one Golden Girls fan.

Even if you have never seen a single episode, you’ve at least heard of it.

But for those of us who got stuck with an elderly family member on a sick day from school, the show is a source of nostalgia.

These days, it’s hard not to relate to — and even long for — the deep friendship of the four older women who share a home. And what an eclectic group of women they are!

Rose — played by the queen herself, Betty White — was the naive comedian of the group, always trying to keep things light and peaceful.

Blanche was promiscuous, frequently changing her dating partner like other women swap shoes and accessories.

She proved age isn’t what defines sexy, and your sex life doesn’t end when you hit the silver years.

The Golden Girls
(NBC/Screenshot)

Then there’s Sophia, the sharp-tongued, tell-it-like-it-is old lady we all secretly look forward to becoming.

How freeing it must be to say whatever is on your mind and not pay the consequences?

Me with no societal filter? The world couldn’t handle that, and I can’t wait.

Then there was Dorothy, played by the tall, patriotic Beatrice “Bea” Arthur, known for her signature deep voice, anger rays from her eyes, and RBF (resting biyatch face).

She was savage before it was a trend.

I may be on the minority side, but Dorothy was my favorite character back then, and my fondness remains three decades later.

Bea Arthur accepts The Quintessential Non-Traditional Classic Family award for "The Golden Girls" during the TV Land Awards 2003 at the Hollywood Palladium on March 2, 2003 in Hollywood, California.
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Seriously, her ability to speak with just her face is a continuing source of ambition for me.

But more than that, her sarcastic wit is a comedic genius and completely warranted in a house of females with conflicting personalities.

And best of all, her bossiness gets stuff done.

Dorothy wasn’t the only angry female role Bea portrayed.

Before Golden Girls, Arthur took on the role of angry, bossy liberal Maude in the self-named series spinoff of All in the Family.

Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory/Young Sheldon

Can Sheldon Be Laid-Back? - The Big Bang Theory
(WARNER BROS./Robert Voets)

I hated The Big Bang Theory the first time I watched it. It took several seasons before I decided to try it again.

And now, I’m pretty sure I could pass any BBT trivia.

My children and I all got hooked on a show all about nerds. We are a house full of geeks, from Pokemon and D&D to anime and sword collecting.

Blame it on my ’80s and ’90s childhood, but I’ve been Team Geek since the days of Revenge of the Nerds, Weird Science, and Animal House.

I’ve harbored a small crush on Johnny Galecki (Leonard Hofstadter) since he was Darlene Conner’s boyfriend in Roseanne.

So, seeing him as the best friend of the quirky Sheldon Cooper rocked my viewer’s heart.

And then seeing Sara Gilbert join The Big Bang Theory as the romantic interest of her one-time boyfriend (on and off the screen), OMG!

Sheldon Gets Shut Out - The Big Bang Theory
(WARNER BROS./Michael Yarish)

It didn’t take me long to sympathize with the emotional abuse Leonard experienced at the hands of Sheldon’s unique demands.

Sheldon may express himself differently than other grumpy characters, but he has serious anger issues over the smallest things.

Every episode has a scene where Sheldon loses his temper about something that is completely irrelevant.

And nearly always, it’s up to Leonard to resolve the situation — until Amy comes into the picture.

Seeing Sheldon in a romantic relationship with someone who enables his every whim wasn’t as fulfilling as we’d hoped.

While Amy (Mayim Bialik) was good at making Sheldon more aware of his behaviors, her constant willingness to give him his way to get her way is borderline manipulative.

But if you’ve watched Young Sheldon, you’ll know he’s had a problem with anger all his life, especially as the youngest of three kids.

Mr. Floppy from Unhappily Ever After 

Jack Malloy embraces his mental illness
(Touchstone/YouTube Screenshot)

As you can tell from other angry characters on our list, we don’t discriminate between human and non-human.

Case in point: Mr. Floppy, a stuffed animal that comes to life as the crude imaginary friend of Jack Malloy (Geoff Pierson).

Unhappily Ever After aired in 1995, attempting to ride the coattails of the success of Married…With Children for a cleaner middle-class raunch suitable for the late-night programming audiences of the middle-aged.

But while Bundy was a depressed, possibly alcoholic middle-aged man experiencing the inevitable mid-life slump, Jack Malloy’s character embraced the stigma of mental illness.

To everyone else, Mr. Floppy was a disturbing, ratty stuffed rabbit that occupied the corner of the couch in the basement.

But to Jack Malloy, he was a living creature, voiced by a voice every Police Academy fan knows and adores — Bobcat Goldthwait.

Jack’s mental break with reality due to schizophrenia provided audiences with 100 episodes of generic Bundy vibes.

Mr. Floppy is voiced by Bobcat Goldthwait
(Touchstone/YouTube Screenshot)

You had the same premise — unhappy middle-class working dad, desperate, criminally negligent, thirsty mom eager to have a better sex life, a stereotypical sexy half-dressed daughter (one of Nikki Cox’s less successful roles), and a loser younger son.

But instead of a penchant for strip clubs and practicing misogyny in his garage with other unhappy old guys, Jack hangs out with his imaginary friend, who has a filthy, perverse mouth and an addiction to booze and chain smoking.

It’s not exactly the kind of stuffed animal you’d want for your kids.

Or your spouse, for that matter. Inner thoughts that manifest into an angry talking toy rabbit with an addiction problem is a sick twist that received mixed support from audiences.

Ultimately, the premise wasn’t enough to hold audiences as long as Married … With Children, flopping after five seasons. The world just wasn’t ready for the sarcastic attitude of an angry, drinking, smoking rabbit and a man suffering a mental breakdown.

However, as someone with a habit of talking to dogs and apologizing to inanimate objects when I bump into them, I can see a correlation between mental illness and a kid’s toy alter ego.

Angry TV Characters Make the Best Connections

The Adult Sheldon Seems Satisfied - Young Sheldon Season 7 Episode 14
(Warner Brothers Inc / Bill Inoshita)

Most of us use TV as an escape from our real lives. We can disconnect from the world and get lost in fiction.

The best TV characters have well-rounded personalities with flaws and emotions that make them feel real.

We’ve listed 17 angry TV characters and what makes them so emotionally volatile. But we also flipped the script and analyzed why we can relate to these angry people for their grumpiness.

Maybe it is true what they say. With age comes anger because my middle-aged Gen X, Xennial, and Millennial generations are starting to get that “cranky old person” stigma.

And you know what? This is one Gen Xennial who’s rocking the rude.

But not to my TVF fam, ’cause we cool. So good that I want to hear from you.

Protecting His Brother / Tall - Blue Bloods Season 12 Episode 6
(CBS / John Paul Filo)

What are your real feelings about angry TV characters? Do you like seeing grumpy TV characters or do you prefer the more annoying perk?

Who would you rate as TV’s angriest character?

It’s okay if they’re not already on our list. In fact, we can become bestest buds if you can provide me with a cranky character we didn’t include.

And don’t forget to follow TVF’s blog and our social media, where we get lit with all kinds of TV crazy from fellow TV addicts like yourselves.

Introduce us to someone you know who loves TV as much as we do.

Psss…BTW, are you one of the cool kids on our exclusive Fanatic fans email list? It’s pretty fun, so sign up to get all things TV right to your inbox.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/17-angry-but-utterly-relatable-tv-characters/feed/ 0 Voight and Upton Battered and Bruised – Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 13 Battered and Bruised up Voight and Upton deal with the aftermath of Matson, the serial killer, in the season finale. Endangering Himself – tall – Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 9 Torres is endangering himself during an investigation into the cartel because of his relationship with Gloria. Carver Defeated – Chicago Fire Season 12 Episode 13 Carver looks defeated while grabbing a tool on a call. Inspecting the Premises – Found Season 1 Episode 9 FOUND -- "Missing While Scamming" Episode 109 -- Pictured: (l-r) Shanola Hampton as Gabi Mosely Sick and Weak – Found Season 1 Episode 9 FOUND -- "Missing While Scamming" Episode 109 -- Pictured: Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Sir. Henry’s Guidance – When Calls the Heart Season 11 Episode 8 Henry tries to guide Lucas in the right direction. Discerning Evidence – When Calls the Heart Season 11 Episode 2 Bill and Henry discuss the evidence of Lucas's attack. Kat in Blue – The Way Home Season 2 Episode 10 On The Way Home Season 2 Episode 10, Del, Kat, Alice, and Elliot each receive answers about their past and present, while hope for the future brings new questions. Good Luck – The Way Home Season 2 Episode 7 Danny’s Son – Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 9 Danny must decide what to do when his son is robbed on Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 9. Danny Does Paperwork – Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 7 Red Forman Stares at Eric Back in the 90s This is a still of That '90s Show on Netflix in 2023. House Boxing A picture of House boxing in the upcoming episode of House titled "The Fix." Dean and His Ride – Tall – Supernatural Season 15 Episode 20 THE END -- After 15 seasons, the longest running sci fi series in the US is coming to an end. Baby, it's the final ride for saving people and hunting things. The episode was directed by Robert Singer and written by Andrew Dabb. Russell Shaw – Tracker Russel Shaw is Colter and Dory's older brother on the CBS show Tracker. He is played by Jensen Ackles. Rebecca Listens Nervously – This Is Us Season 6 Episode 7 Mandy Moore on the Penultimate Episode – This Is Us Mandy Moore on the penultimate episode of This Is Us. Al Bundy Pays Bills Build a Better Mousetrap Married….With Children Season 2 Episode 19 Hallmark Media – Summer 2024 Television Critics Association Press Tour Cocktail Reception Dr. Perry-Wan Kenobi – Scrubs Dr. Perry-Wan Kenobi is about to face off against Darth Kelso CM_1709_MY_0423_01413_RT CM_1710_MY_0506_02759_RT Screenshot 2024-08-15 145652 Screenshot 2024-08-15 150621 The Golden Girls The Golden Girls TV Land Awards 2003 Can Sheldon Be Laid-Back? – The Big Bang Theory Amy attempts to convince Sheldon that he can be more laid-back on The Big Bang Theory. "The Relaxation Integration" is the third episode of the show's 11th season. Sheldon Gets Shut Out – The Big Bang Theory The guys shut Sheldon out of a possibly valuable Bitcoin investment on The Big Bang Theory. "The Bitcoin Entanglement" is the ninth episode of the show's 11th season. Screenshot 2024-08-15 151427 Screenshot 2024-08-15 151456 The Adult Sheldon Seems Satisfied – Young Sheldon Season 7 Episode 14 The adult Sheldon seems satisfied with what he's got on his computer on Young Sheldon Season 7 Episode 14. Protecting His Brother / Tall – Blue Bloods Season 12 Episode 6
13 Characters Who Hit Rock Bottom https://www.tvfanatic.com/13-characters-who-hit-rock-bottom/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/13-characters-who-hit-rock-bottom/#respond Wed, 31 Jul 2024 20:00:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/?p=798403 Rossi is Startled - Criminal Minds S17E06 Message in a Bottle - Criminal Minds: Evolution

The best TV shows suck you into their universe, whether it’s a hilarious comedy that makes you feel better about life …

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The best TV shows suck you into their universe, whether it’s a hilarious comedy that makes you feel better about life or a dramatic tear-jerker that hits you in the feels. But the common thread with all of them is characters that leave an imprint.

Characters who hit rock bottom often leave the biggest and longest-lasting impact on our memories and emotions. We’ve picked 13 characters who experienced major turmoil, sending them off the rails.

Whether they struggle with drugs, alcohol, or unresolved emotional trauma, there are numerous factors that can cause a character to find themselves at their wit’s end.

Rossi in FBI Gear - Criminal Minds S17E06 Message in a Bottle - Criminal Minds: Evolution
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)

Here are our favorite 13 characters who found themselves hitting bottom after going through a trying time.

Hitting rock bottom looks different for everyone. Some people end up in rehab for substance abuse or mental breakdowns.

Related: 13 Characters Who Are Perpetually in Crisis Mode

Others make drastic life changes, quit their jobs, give up their long-term careers, or leave long-term relationships.

It’s not uncommon to see someone flame out after a serious life event damages their psyche or after they’ve had the last straw pulled in a series of problems.

These are 13 characters who hit rock bottom, how it happened, and what they did with their lives after everything fell apart.

Confiding In Buck - 911 S07E10 - All Fall Down - 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode 10
(Disney/Chris Willard)

After you read our selections, be sure to take a few moments to tell us the details of your favorite screwed-up character. There are plenty of them!

Fiona Gallagher – Shameless

Being the eldest sibling in a large family can strain the relationship dynamics during normal situations. When you find yourself barely an adult and responsible for numerous underage siblings, it’s no surprise that you grow up fast.

No one felt that strain more than Shameless favorites Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum) and her younger brother, Philip (Jeremy Allen White), who we affectionately call ‘Lip.’ Having two failed parents is usually enough to split kids up into different homes.

Fiona's Spiral - Shameless Season 9 Episode 8
(Chuck Hodes/SHOWTIME)

But Fiona played the heroine in her own story, coming to the rescue of the Galagher children as legal custodians when their parents failed to be proper providers.

Instead of getting to enjoy her youth, Fiona found herself busting ass and hustling to make ends meet. It’s no surprise that we often saw her trying to cut loose with alcohol, rushing into intimate relationships, a fear of commitment, and, occasionally, drug use.

Related: The Bear Cast: Where Have We Seen Them Before

After one time of giving in and doing cocaine, Fiona found herself in legal trouble and at risk of losing all of her younger siblings when the baby ended up overdosing on cocaine that Fiona was doing.

That defining moment of realizing how similar she was to her parents’ irresponsibility was enough to kick Fiona’s get-right into high gear.

Goodbye, Fiona - Shameless Season 9 Episode 14
(Chuck Hodes/SHOWTIME)

She stayed sober, bought an apartment building, and moved into her own place. She eventually chose to live her own life and leave behind the responsibilities of raising her siblings.

D’arcy Bloom – Resident Alien

D’arcy Bloom (Alice Wetterlund) is your typical basketcase with repressed trauma she treats with booze, drugs, and promiscuity.

On Resident Alien, she leans too heavily on her best friend, Asta Twelvetrees (Sara Tomko), and she often crosses that thin line of obsession.

Warring Intensions - Resident Alien Season 3 Episode 6
(James Dittiger/SYFY)

When Asta starts spending more time with Harry and keeping his alien secret, D’arcy’s downward spiral begins.

Her rock bottom happens when she decides to show how much she loves her best friend by taking Harry’s place as the one who places the weapon to stop the end of Earth.

Related: Resident Alien Renewed for Season 4 – But There’s a Catch

She becomes even more heroic when she rescues the baby Ben and Kate don’t know is real. Her redemption arc will be exciting when RA returns for Season 4.

Kevin Pearson – This is Us

Justin Hartley is currently stealing hearts as the elusive, closed-off tracker, Colter Shaw on Tracker. But before that and post-Green Arrow in Smallville, he played the troubled actor Kevin Pearson on This is Us.

Ready To Go - Tracker Season 1 Episode 10
(Sergei Bachlakov/CBS)

As a kid, he had many issues that made this momma want to make some major attitude adjustments. Bravo to Mandy Moore for her patience.

Those narcissistic tendencies followed him into adulthood, leading to him becoming a pompous, self-centered a-hole who couldn’t manage his own life.

He held back his twin sister, Kate (Chrissy Metz), for years, leading to her developing serious weight problems and health issues.

His breakdown started when he turned 36 and had a meltdown on live TV that led him to quit his acting job as “The Manny.”

Someone New - This Is Us Season 6 Episode 14
(NBC / Ron Batzdorff)

His spiral continued as he ended up addicted to pain pills after knee surgery, which led to getting a DUI in the second season. It was his rock bottom when he ended up driving drunk with his niece in the back seat.

He got sober for a while, but like most addicts, he relapses during times of stress. His drinking also impacted Kate’s high-risk pregnancy.

She required an ambulance to get her to the hospital during pre-term labor because he was too drunk to drive. His drinking led to several failed relationships.

Related: Tracker Season 2: Everything We Know So Far

Danny Perez – The Good Doctor

Fans of The Good Doctor are still mourning after the cancellation of The Good Doctor after seven seasons.

While we said goodbye to most of the cast at the end of The good Doctor, a few of our favorites left before the last episode, the death of Asher Wolke (Noah Galvin) was possibly one of the most traumatizing scenes of the season among all shortened seasons.

Bryce Assists - The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 3
(ABC/Jeff Weddell)

But before Asher died, we said goodbye to another of our favorite doctors. Danny Perez (Brandon Larracuente) was the show’s redemption arc, following the trope of a doctor struggling with addiction.

He arrived in the sixth season as a first-year surgical resident in recovery from an opioid addiction. We learned about his addiction when he and Dr. Jordan Allen fell in love.

His rock bottom happened with a heroin drug overdose that led to the loss of his job. Allen saved his life by discovering him in time, but it strained their relationship.

He spent time in rehab before earning his job back on probation. His character left the show after he was in a serious accident, and Jordan treated him with opioids despite his wishes, ruining his sobriety.

Perez Helps Out - The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 6
(ABC/Jeff Weddell)

In the series finale, we saw him ten years in the future, and it turns out he and Jordan reunited and married. Happy endings do happen after bad things!

Hannah Asher – Chicago Med

Chicago Med is another show with the addicted doctor trope. This time, the doctor was a female and an OB/GYN.

Related: How Technology Changed TV Tropes Forever

Fans met Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) on Chicago Med in the throes of her heroin addiction. She hid it well at first and only got discovered because Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) was moonlighting at a safe injection site where she was using.

It was a scary time watching her in active addiction while treating patients. Nightmares are made of doctors mishandling medical cases while under the influence.

It’s even more terrifying that she was dealing with mothers and their babies — often before they were unborn.

Asher Tries to Help an Expectant Father - Chicago Med Season 9 Episode 8
(NBC / George Burns Jr.)

After an OD causes Hannah to come into the ER and everyone learns she’s an addict, she leaves Chicago to work on her recovery. Fans were thrilled to see her return after two years of sobriety.

She maintains her sobriety and has helped Sean Archer make amends with his addict son, which has helped keep him clean and sober.

David Rossi – Criminal Minds

Not all situations where someone hits rock bottom occur due to drug use. David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) is a brilliant yet tortured FBI agent on Criminal Minds.

Photo from Criminal Minds Evolution Season 2 Episode 9, Stars & Stripes
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)

But when you work on the cases he does, and you deal with the awful people he does, it’s expected that you have some mental trauma.

Rossi has been through a lot of stuff, from multiple divorces to losing the love of his wife shortly after remarrying her the second time.

Getting held hostage and nearly dying at the hands of a psychopath, Elias Voit (Zach Gilford), was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Related: 19 Most Moving Mental Health Stories on TV

And as if that isn’t enough to make any man a bit messed up, Voight is helping the FBI, particularly the BAU, by taking down an elusive killing organization.

We really saw Rossi break mentally in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 6 when the voices in his head turned into full-blown hallucinations. The entire season has put major emphasis on David’s PTSD.

It’s only going to get better when he addresses the issues. He’s made small steps, but we don’t know if he’ll recover fully.

Rossi in FBI Gear - Criminal Minds S17E06 Message in a Bottle - Criminal Minds: Evolution
(Michael Yarish /Paramount+)

Or if the strain of the BAU is too much after all these years, and he’s done like his predecessors Hodges and Gideon. Both former BAU agents experienced their own mental torments and mental struggles.

Gregory House – House

Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) is the doctor who started the trope of addiction. Sure, he had a bum leg, and that made it easy to score legally obtained pain pills.

This was the pre-opioid epidemic when doctors didn’t have such tight restrictions on how they prescribed powerfully addictive narcotics.

House in the Hallway
(Adam Taylor/FOX)

But even for the times, it seemed outrageously easy for House to score pills. Despite his brilliance, House had the worst bedside manner, making zero effort to comfort or educate his patients.

Under the guise of research and treatment for his chronic leg pain, House engaged in various self-destructive experiments, allowing himself to be a guinea pig as a form of self-punishment.

Related: 13 Deeply Flawed Characters We Can’t Get Out Of Our Heads

Due to his drug use and disregard for personal safety, House experienced cardiac arrest, overdoses, and frequent hallucinations.

Throughout the eight years the show was on the air, he had multiple rock-bottom moments, including going to prison at the end of Season 7.

Jailed House
(Ray Mickshaw/FOX)

In House Season 8, we saw him fake his own death to avoid going back to prison so he could spend time with his best friend, who was dying.

It was a total mess and over-the-top, troped-out narcissistic brilliance that would never happen in the real world. Making it great to get lost in the disbelieving scenarios.

Josephine Petrovitch – Chicago PD

If you’re up to date on Chicago PD, you know all about the crazy changes that have taken place recently.

Burgess is dealing with PTSD after getting shot. Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) left in Season 9, leaving behind a heartbroken Hailey (Tracy Spiridakos), who also left in the Chicago PD Season 12 finale.

Petrovic Aims to Please - Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 12
(NBC/Lori Allen (Collage))

Upton experienced some emotional trauma of her own as she had to keep Voight’s secret, cover a murder, and deal with the abrupt departure from her romantic partner without answers.

She punished herself through exercise, an addictive behavior profiled by the newest member to assist the CPD, Jo Petrovic (Bojana Novakovic).

Petrovic occupied more episodes as a behavioral analyst than some of our regular series characters, and the fans did not react warmly to her. She was offputting from the start, giving us the typical cop we love to hate.

Related: Jesse Lee Soffer Joins Cast of FBI: International

Despite being good at her job, she had a problem with alcohol, a secret that was easy to spot from the start if you’ve lived the experience. Despite taking an oath to protect the city of Chicago, she often put them at risk by drinking and driving.

Her rock bottom happened when she crashed her car into a brick wall while drunk out of her mind and trying to respond to a case.

If Upton hadn’t found her at the scene and done some nasty coverup work, we have no doubt it would have been the end of Petrovic’s career. Even after Upton blackmailed Petrovic into rehab, she didn’t take treatment seriously.

Bringing in Petrovich - Tall - Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 8
Petrovich comes into play with the Intelligence Unit when the team has to investigate an abduction. (Adrian S Burrows Sr/NBC)

Coming face to face with her destructive behaviors made Upton evaluate her life and see the similarities before she hit rock bottom, too. Although her departure from CPD might count as a life crisis to some.

JJ Deveraux – Days of Our Lives

JJ Deveraux (Casey Moss) arrived in Salem in 2013 as an angry kid who felt abandoned after getting shipped off to boarding school following his father’s death.

JJ and Jack Butt Heads - Days of Our Lives
(NBC / Days of Our Lives)

He started exhibiting destructive tendencies as a way to express his pain, often turning to alcohol and weed to cope.

Once his mom moved on with a new boyfriend, Dr. Daniel Jonas, he focused his anger on the intruder. His aggressive mannerisms continued to worsen despite interventions from those around him, landing him in jail for breaking a store window with a chair during an outburst.

He spent the night in the slammer because his mom wouldn’t bail him out. Things worsened a few weeks later when he started hanging out with Theresa Donovan as an act of rebellion against his mother.

Related: TV’s Most Complicated Father-Son Relationships

When Theresa OD’ed on drugs, JJ had to rely on his mom’s boyfriend to save her life and keep himself out of trouble. In exchange for helping Theresa and keeping it a secret, Daniel requires JJ to get sober and stay out of trouble.

Sometimes, as seen here on Days of Our Lives, it takes someone who cares enough not to give an addict their way to make an actual impact.

Danny Cho and Amy Lau – Beef

Beef Duo in the Trailer
(Netflix)

In Beef, Danny (Steven Yeun) and Amy (Ali Wong) share a feud that unravels their lives and destroys relationships.

The two enemies meet through an unfortunate road rage incident, which sets a series of petty revenge attempts in motion as each person tries to get over the other.

Amy is a successful, self-made entrepreneur who is living her best life. Danny is less satisfied, going around with a massive chip on his shoulder.

Once his anger gets set on his opponent, neither becomes willing to call a truce that would end the absurd beef.

In the end, the pair reach rock bottom when they destroy themselves and each other’s lives.

Up to Something on Beef
(Netflix)

Although darkly entertaining, the scenarios that led to their lowest points were immature and outrageous. But at least they hit rock bottom together as they discovered their true selves.

Jubal Valentine – FBI

FBI fans have loved Jubal Valentine (Jeremy Sisto) from the start, despite or maybe because of his various traumas.

Related: FBI Season 7: Everything We Know So Far

We’ve seen several storylines revolving around Jubal’s personal life, from his struggles with alcoholism to having a chronically ill son.

The traumas are mostly ignored, only randomly popping back into play when they need some extra character drama.

Out of the JOC - FBI Season 6 Episode 13
(Bennett Raglin/CBS)

Jubal’s rock bottom was especially hard to watch because he seemed like he had full control of his addiction enough not to relapse.

He threw away ten years of sobriety when he caved in from the stress of worrying about his son’s illness. Once he relapsed into drinking again, he started to do it on the job.

It’s another case of powerful government officials misusing their power position while under the influence. Luckily for fans, those around Jubal noticed his slip before any real damage could be done.

As a professional alcoholic, Jubal was able to reign in his addiction without having to go to rehab. He reached out to his sponsor, looped in his intimate circle, and returned to his AA support group.

Edmundo “Eddie” Diaz – 9-1-1

Smiley Eddie Diaz - 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode 7
(Disney/Mike Taing)

Throughout Eddie’s time on 9-1-1, he’s been the responsible single father to his son, Christopher. Before firefighting, Eddie (Ryan Guzman) served in the Army and came home as a decorated veteran.

Post-service, Eddie battles complicated feelings about his time in the military and what he experienced while deployed.

To say he has a touch of PTSD is an understatement. Despite that, he’s fantastic at his new career of firefighting. However, he resigned from being a firefighter during his rock bottom period.

Related: 9-1-1 Post-Mortem: Ryan Guzman Talks Eddie Relying on Buck & Eddie’s Season 7 Journey

After receiving devastating news about his former Army comrades, he, in an act of frustration, hits everything in his room with a baseball bat.

Having a strong best friend like Buck to talk through helped ease some of his guilt and trauma. And he enrolled in therapy to get rid of his demons and find inner peace.

Although he’s been on the mend, his recent actions with his dead wife’s doppelganger look-alike have led to destroying his new relationship.

Ice Cream Hugs - 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode
(Disney/Mike Taing)

It also caused problems with his son, who moved in with his grandparents in the 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode 10 finale.

Annalise Keating – How to Get Away with Murder

Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) is a powerful and badass criminal defense attorney and law professor with an enthusiastic group of law students willing to do anything to be just like her.

Things first start to go wrong when a group of four students become intertwined in a murder coverup.

Serious Annalise - How To Get Away With Murder Season 6 Episode 14
(ABC/Byron Cohen)

Although the FBI and DA couldn’t prove it at the time, they suspect Annalise in several crimes, including the death of her husband, Sam Keating.

By the sixth season, Annalise has fallen far from her powerful perch, overindulging in alcohol and drugs after learning of the death of Emmett.

Her rock bottom occurred when she woke up in the hospital after her bender. After admitting she has a problem stemming from her recent life choices, she ends up in rehab.

Related: How to Get Away With Murder Cast: Where Are They Now?

Which Character Breakdown is Your Top Pick?

While we’ve picked 13 of our most memorable characters who hit rock bottom, there are plenty of people we didn’t get to feature. We’re excited to hear who you’d add to the list. What TV character had your most memorable breakdown?

Give us your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to follow TV Fanatic to keep up with our awesome news, editorials, and reviews.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/13-characters-who-hit-rock-bottom/feed/ 0 Rossi in FBI Gear – Criminal Minds S17E06 Message in a Bottle – Criminal Minds: Evolution Confiding In Buck – 911 S07E10 – All Fall Down – 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode 10 Confiding in Buck leaves Eddie flayed open as he struggles during 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode 10. Fiona’s Spiral – Shameless Season 9 Episode 8 Fiona is falling apart following the end of her relationship with Ford. Goodbye, Fiona – Shameless Season 9 Episode 14 Fiona leaves the Gallagher house before a big party. Warring Intensions – Resident Alien Season 3 Episode 6 Tensions are rising between D'Arcy and Asta, but why? Ready To Go – Tracker Season 1 Episode 10 Colter is ready to go when his latest case takes him up the air during Tracker Season 1 Episode 10. Someone New – This Is Us Season 6 Episode 14 Kevin meets someone new on This Is Us Season 6 Episode 14 -- could she be his soulmate? Bryce Assists – The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 3 Which case will new resident Bryce assist on during The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 3? Perez Helps Out – The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 6 Perez helps out during a heat wave and blackout on The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 6. Asher Tries to Help an Expectant Father – Chicago Med Season 9 Episode 8 Asher tries to help an expectant father who claims to be telepathic on Chicago Med Season 9 Episode 8. CM_1709_MY_0423_01413_RT Rossi in FBI Gear – Criminal Minds S17E06 Message in a Bottle – Criminal Minds: Evolution House in the Hallway How many times have we seen this look on House's face? Take a picture, fans, because this time it's from the series finale. Jailed House It's a hard knock life for Gregory House. Season eight picks up with him in jail. Petrovic Aims to Please – Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 12 While Petrovic is used to working the desk, her field work has resulted in multiple shoots. Bringing in Petrovich – Tall – Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 8 Petrovich comes into play with the Intelligence Unit when the team has to look into an abduction. JJ and Jack Butt Heads – Days of Our Lives JJ and Jack butt heads over Gwen on Days of Our Lives during the week of 7-04-22. Beef Duo in the Trailer This is the photo from the trailer of Ali Wong and Steven Yeun on Beef. Up to Something on Beef Out of the JOC – FBI Season 6 Episode 13 The Somalian terrorist group behind the death of Agent Hobbs resurfaces, sending Jubal and the team on a chase to take them down for good. Smiley Eddie Diaz – 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode 7 Ice Cream Hugs – 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode Eddie, Marisol, and Christopher share a hug while having some ice cream during 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode. Serious Annalise – How To Get Away With Murder Season 6 Episode 14 With her trial approaching, Annalise is worried and needs all the help she can get on How To Get Away With Murder Season 6 Episode 14.
The Best Shows to Watch If You Like Solving Mysteries https://www.tvfanatic.com/the-best-shows-to-watch-if-you-like-solving-mysteries/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/the-best-shows-to-watch-if-you-like-solving-mysteries/#respond Tue, 30 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/?p=797074 The Gang Sitting Together - Riverdale CW Promo Screenshot

The best mystery shows walk a fine line between cases that keep us guessing but also feel somewhat solvable. Sometimes, we …

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The best mystery shows walk a fine line between cases that keep us guessing but also feel somewhat solvable.

Sometimes, we want to see if we can solve the mysteries before the protagonists do, but other times, we just want to sit back and marvel at their brilliance.

Either way, according to our TV Fanatic team, here are some of the best shows to watch if you like solving mysteries.

Lieutenant Columbo Solves a Case - NBC/Peacock Promo Screenshot
(NBC/Screenshot)

Columbo (Tubi)

Columbo (1971-1978 and 1989-2003) featured the quintessential American gumshoe of the same name, played by Peter Falk.

Few people can make an old rumpled coat and a cigar an iconic look, but actor Peter Falk pulled it off beautifully, and the show became a classic detective series.

There was no disputing the mild-mannered detective was at the top of his deduction game, and he stayed that way through several decades of TV episodes and movies, albeit sporadically aired, with all of us along for the ride.

Related: 17 Shows That Achieved Unprecedented Success

One thing that made the series one of the best mystery shows was its use of a “howcatchem” approach. It usually revealed who committed the crime early and followed Columbo as he found a way to catch the culprit. It was nontraditional, but it was still intriguing.

The mystery was trying to figure out how Columbo’s mind worked, what made him connect the dots the way he did, and why he asked certain questions along the way. Each episode was a real brain teaser in a unique format.

The series also doesn’t tell us outright what Columbo’s first name is, so that’s a bonus mystery to try to solve as we watch.

Perry Mason always gets his man. NBC/MeTV Promo Screenshot
(NBC/Screenshot)

Perry Mason (Freevee)

Another detective series that ran somewhat sporadically was Perry Mason (1957-1966 and 1985-1995) starring Raymond Burr.

The character was created by novelist Erle Stanley Gardner originally, and Burr was not the first to play Mason. Radio and film adaptations came before.

Nevertheless, Burr is the one most people think of when they picture Perry Mason because he played the iconic lawyer so well and for so long.

He first starred on the 1957 — 1966 CBS series and then reprised the role for the NBC Perry Mason movies. Although, he only appeared in 26 of the 30 films before passing away in 1993.

The great thing about the Perry Mason series and movies is that they were quite detailed, and viewers could potentially solve the mysteries the same way Perry and his friends did.

The main cast of Matlock, season 1
(Viacom)

Matlock (Pluto)

Andy Griffith, as Ben Matlock on the original Matlock (1986-1995, brought another iconic TV detective to life.

With his sweet southern nature and quick thinking, Matlock could solve any crime.

It was an added bonus that he wasn’t just a detective but an attorney, so we got to see him get the bad guys convicted Perry Mason-style, bringing back the Raymond Burr vibes.

The show is a favorite of many mystery buffs, myself included, but there is some debate over how easy its mysteries are to solve.

Related: Nine Mysteries We Should Have Been Able to Solve

Some fans claim they are solvable with good deductive reasoning skills.

Others think that’s a stretch and that many solutions are impossible to know until the end.

You can judge for yourself when you watch it, and then check out the Matlock reboot coming in fall 2024.

Jessica Fletcher always has a clue. - CBS/Hallmark Mysteries Promo Screenshot
(CBS/Screenshot)

Murder, She Wrote (Roku)

Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996) was an absolute juggernaut for CBS.

The late Dame Angela Lansbury played former school teacher Jessica Beatrice (J.B.) From the fictional picturesque town of Cabot Cove, Maine, Jessica became a mystery writer and crime solver.

She was a person you’d expect to see baking cookies in her kitchen and was on the town’s refreshment committee in the premiere episode.

Yet, within that first hour, we all quickly discovered she wasn’t just a cookie baker but a sharp cookie herself, like these strong female characters.

In the days before smartphones and other newfangled gadgets, she used her eyes, ears, and common sense to puzzle things through, allowing us, as viewers, to do the same.

Little clues like shaving cream, binoculars, buttons, and outfit changes helped her and us identify the guilty parties, making Murder, She Wrote always a fun watch.

Adrian Monk works a case on Monk. - USA Trailer Screenshot
(USA/Screenshot)

Monk (Netflix)

To this day, Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is everyone’s favorite “defective detective,” but he’s so much more than that.

Monk (2002-2009) represents a turning point in television history.

It was the first major mystery show to feature a character with neurodiverse characteristics, and Adrian Monk quickly became one of the most loved TV characters ever.

Related: How Monk Paved the Way For Neurodiverse Characters on TV

With his OCD, germaphobia, and lack of social skills, he was immediately awkwardly endearing to those of us who love mysteries.

Monk’s superpower was the ability to be grossed out and totally tuned in at the same time, which is what made the show so fun.

We all became attached not only to each mystery but also to watching how Monk got through daily life between solving the crimes.

Shawn and Gus sit and talk about a case at the police station. USA Promo Screenshot
(USA/Screenshot)

Psych (Peacock)

What do you get when you combine a pharmaceutical salesman, a fake psychic, and the Santa Barbara Police Department?

The answer is Psych (2006-2014), which originally aired on USA and received the highest ratings of all basic cable premieres that year.

Every episode features Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) and his best friend, Gus (Dulé Hill), using Shawn’s photographic memory and their observational powers to solve crimes while pulling one over on Jules, Lassie, and the rest of the SBPD.

The pair of best buddies often argued but always came together when it counted, including in three movies that followed the series.

If finding all the clues along with Shawn and Gus isn’t enough fun for you, you can also watch for pineapples and pineapple references hidden in every episode.

House Listens
(FOX)

House

We can’t talk about the best mystery shows without discussing at least one show about medical mysteries.

Originally called House M.D., but better known simply as House (2004-2012), this drama delves into medical mysteries from the perspective of one of the most unique characters ever created.

Dr. Gregory House is a jerk. There’s no way around that, but he’s a brilliant jerk.

Related: 21 Characters Who Are Just Jerks

He is allowed to get away with unethical choices and abuse of prescription medication because the hospital needs his mind to solve some of the most difficult medical mysteries in the world.

The mysteries don’t stop with the medical cases.

Often, House also has to deal with the mysteries behind his own actions and the actions of the other doctors in his charge.

House is abrasive, often rude, and almost always far too blunt, but he sucks us in because we all want to see how he’ll solve the next medical puzzle.

The Gang Sitting Together - Riverdale CW Promo Screenshot
(CW/Screenshot)

Riverdale (Netflix)

Riverdale (2017-2023) doesn’t pull any punches regarding being mysterious.

The whole thing starts with the death of local high schooler Jason Blossom and gets more intriguing with each passing episode.

As his death, initially thought to be an accident, is gradually determined to be a murder, other Riverdale teens find themselves working as investigators.

Together, they work to uncover not only who killed Jason and why but also the mysteries behind many other strange events and interactions between people in town.

Based loosely on the Archie Comics series, the characters are familiar and not at the same time because the show is a lot darker and edgier than the comics ever were, which is what’s so great about it.

The Drew Crew - Nancy Drew Season 4 Episode 13
(Colin Bentley / The CW)

Nancy Drew (Max)

Taking a page from Riverdale’s book, the CW’s Nancy Drew (2019-2023) definitely brought the spook factor.

Based on the classic teen mystery characters created by author Carolyn Keene, this version portrays the adventures of Nancy and her Drew Crew like never before.

They’ve got more depth, more spunk, and a whole lot more problems to solve, often of the supernatural variety.

Related: 19 Inspiring TV Characters We Admire

It’s great to watch them try to puzzle out the mysteries of the fictional town of Horseshoe Bay.

How did certain people die? Who is related to each other? Why is the town a supernatural hotspot?

Those are just some of the mysteries, and then there’s the mystery of who Nancy Drew herself really is, which definitely threw us for a loop.

Tyler and Kinsey stand in the kitchen. - Netflix Trailer Screenshot
(Netflix/Screenshot)

Locke & Key (Netflix)

Based on the comic book series of the same name, Locke & Key (2020-2022) was an entirely too short-lived Netflix series.

It followed the adventures of the Locke family and brought together elements of fantasy, horror, drama, and mystery.

After the family patriarch’s death, his wife decided to move with her three kids into her husband’s former familial home.

The kids then start finding mysterious keys all over the house.

What does each key do? Who created the keys? Why are the kids in charge of protecting them, and how can they stop them from falling into the wrong hands?

Those are just some of the many intriguing mysteries and storylines seamlessly entwined throughout the show’s three-season run.

Add to that elements of teleportation, time travel, ghostly encounters, and more, and it’s easy to see why the series was a hit with Netflix viewers.

Only Murders In The Building - Trio with Turkey Season 1 Episode 4
(Hulu)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

A big hit for Hulu, Only Murders in the Building (2021-Present) takes a unique mystery-solving approach.

Three strangers with true crime obsessions live in the same large apartment building and suddenly find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation.

The strangers are played by Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin, the latter of whom also co-created the series.

Related: Lifetime True Crime Movies That Hit the Mark

They use their love of true crime to try to solve the murder (and subsequent murders) themselves.

Throughout the process, they also had the bright idea of broadcasting their investigations on a podcast that quickly gained a following.

The balance of humor and mystery is refreshingly different, and the series even has one of the most memorable TV opening title sequences.

Entering Twin Peaks Population Sign - Showtime Promo Screenshot
(Showtime/Screenshot)


Twin Peaks (Paramount+)

Even the tagline for Twin Peaks (1990-1991) was intriguing enough to captivate audiences: Who Killed Laura Palmer?

The cult classic series from the 90s (which was revived in 2017 for a third season) kicks off with a massive mystery: the shocking murder of a beautiful and popular teenage girl in a small town.

The FBI sends in reinforcements in the form of Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLaughlin) to help the local sheriff’s department get to the bottom of the brutal crime.

David Lynch’s unique storytelling, while often unsettling, provided fans with a dark and mystifying masterpiece.

The show left us with more questions than answers most of the time, but that’s why we loved it.

At High School - Stranger Things Season 4 Episode 2
(Netflix)

Stranger Things (Netflix)

Who doesn’t love a good dose of nostalgia with their mysteries?

Stranger Things (2016-2025) transports you back to the 80s, where long summer bike rides and marathon Dungeons & Dragons tournaments rule, and parents drool.

There’s something sinister going on in town, and it’s up to a group of kids, a grumpy drunk sheriff, and a single mom who everyone thinks is nuts to find out what’s going on.

Related: 13 Television Characters With Evil in Their Veins

There are tons of little clues building up to every climax on Stranger Things, so the audience can participate by following along and guessing what’s going on.

Can you solve the mystery? If so, great, but if not, you can at least enjoy the trip back in time to the days before technology took over.

It's Not A Game Anymore - Sherlock Season 4 Episode 3
(BBC (Sherlock Official Facebook Page))

Sherlock (Hulu)

Sherlock (2010-2017) is a British series originally broadcast on BBC and also broadcast in the United States on PBS.

Now available to stream on Hulu, the captivating series based on the beloved fictional detective creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is widely regarded as one of the best Sherlock Holmes shows produced so far.

It’s easy to get lost in the Sherlock world, with mind-blowing deductions and exhilarating chases.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson take us on some exhilarating adventures and truly test our brain power.

This modern twist on the classic detective tale is packed with clever writing, gripping mysteries, and unforgettable characters.

Laboratory Visit - Elementary Season 7 Episode 11
(CBS/Best Possible Screen Grab)

Elementary (Hulu)

If watching Sherlock doesn’t scratch your Sherlock Holmes itch enough, the solution is, as Holmes would say, elementary. Just add Elementary (2012-2019) to your viewing list.

In this modern version of the classic detecting duo of Holmes and Watson, Holmes is played by Jonny Lee Miller, and Lucy Liu plays the reimagined female Watson.

Another major change on Elementary is that the pair don’t solve mysteries in London, England. Instead, they’re based in New York City.

Related: 23 Characters Who Prove That the Mind is the Best Weapon

It’s refreshing to watch a new take on characters we’ve all known and loved for many years.

The different setting, gender dynamics, and modern feel bring Holmes and Watson off the page and into present-day life, which any Sherlock Holmes fan will likely enjoy.

At the morgue - CSI: Vegas Season 2 Episode 21
(CBS Promo (Screenshot))

The Entire CSI Franchise (Paramount+)

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation became a massive phenomenon during its original 2000-2015 run.

It’s the first series that introduced us to crime procedurals and solving the crime of the week.

While they were gruesome, many episodes played out like a whodunit murder mystery, with Gil Grissom (William Peterson), Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox), and Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) leading the cast.

Besides weekly mysteries, CSI specialized in season-long arcs, particularly the Minature Killer storyline, which affected both Grissom and Sara.

CSI has spawned several spinoff shows, including CSI: Vegas, which was canceled in 2024.

However, according to Deadline, a new CSI series is supposedly in the works, and if it’s anything like the last several, we’re dying to see it.

Ride-Share Death - NCIS
(CBS/HIGHEST QUALITY SCREENGRAB AVAILABLE)

The Entire NCIS Franchise (Paramount+)

In 2003, three years after the first CSI premiered, NCIS (Naval Crime Scene Investigative Services) kicked off, and its creators have never looked back.

The show about Navy investigators solving crimes became incredibly popular, largely thanks to its eclectic original cast, which included Pauley Perette as the goth-dressing forensics expert, Abby and David McCallum as medical examiner Donald “Ducky” Mallard.

Related: NCIS Old vs. New — Which Cast Reigns Supreme?

Early episodes, like the infamous NCIS Season 2 Episode 13: The Meat Puzzle, let us know the show was going to explore the worst humanity was capable of.

However, the team also always showed us the best of what humanity could do, as they pulled together to solve each crime and give navy members and their families a sense of closure.

The original show is still going strong, with season 22 premiering in October 2024; four spinoffs have been added to the franchise over the years, and a fifth, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, started filming in 2024.

Hands Up - Will Trent Season 2 Episode 7
(ABC Promo Screenshot)

Will Trent (Hulu)

Will Trent (2023-present) became a fast success since the series uses a dyslexic Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) agent to solve cases.

The weekly mysteries on Will Trent vary from kidnappings to murders, and it is entertaining to watch the GBI and Atlanta Police Department (APD) join forces to solve these cases.

During Season 2, more of the cases touched the team’s personal lives, and there were some longer mystery arcs.

They included solving who was stalking Amanda, deciphering why Will was having visions of his past and how it affected a current case, and why there was a serial killer killing sex predators.

Rust Cohle Looking Frustrated - True Detective
(HBO/Screenshot)

True Detective (Max)

True Detective (2014-present) allows viewers to dive into a dark, atmospheric world, where each season brings a fresh, nail-biting mystery.

The first season of True Detective, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, is a masterclass in storytelling with its intricate plot and intense character drama. The two make quite a memorable pair.

Related: 13 TV Crime-Solving Duos We’d Want to Solve a Relative’s Murder

Viewers couldn’t help but get sucked in by their riveting portrayals of Rust and Marty.

The latest season, starring Jodie Foster and Kali Rees, builds on the previous season while increasing the uneasiness in Alaska’s brutal cold darkness.

Elsbeth and Blanke Work Together - Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 1: Pilot
(CBS (Promo Screenshot))

Elsbeth (Paramount+)

Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston), a unique, colorful attorney with a shrewd eye for details, is the main character on Elsbeth (2024 -present).

Intended to supervise the NYPD to ensure proper conduct, Tascioni shares her talents with the police to solve multiple cases.

Known for her bright, clashing clothing, eccentric hats, and carrying more bags than anyone needs, Elsbeth keeps the police honest and on their toes.

She becomes endearing to everyone except the criminals she helps catch.

The Winchesters get a clue with Scooby-Doo. CW Promo Screenshot
(CW/Screenshot)

Supernatural (Netflix)

Supernatural (2005-2020) brings to life all of the scary lores and legends we’ve heard passed around the campfire and whispered in the dark.

The evil-hunting Winchester brothers, Sam and Dean, keep the world safe from all the creepies we’ve been taught to believe don’t exist.

Related: 25 Hot Monsters We Can’t Help But Love

These sexy hunters aren’t afraid to put their lives on the line to win the fight throughout the 15-season Supernatural run.

Their witty charm and dashing good looks make the perfect combination for a captivating supernatural mystery marathon to devour.

As a bonus, the series even includes a hilarious Scooby-Doo crossover episode for extra mystery-solving fun.

Lucifer Gives a Wide-Eyed Stare - Fox Promo Screenshot
(Fox/Screenshot)

Lucifer (Netflix)

Lucifer Morningstar is the Devil who came to life, but he’s not what we’d expect from the king of the Underworld.

Suave and debonair, Lucifer takes a break from ruling Hell to come to Earth and live as a human.

The Devil is presented in an entirely different light on Lucifer (2016-2021).

He’s moral and sound, with a lot of compassion and tons of good looks.

Did you think we’d ever see Lucifer helping the police solve crime cases and put away bad guys?

We sure didn’t!

Sam and Dean look confused. - Supernatural Season 11 Episode 22, We Happy Few - CW Promo Screenshot
(CW/Screenshot)

What makes a good mystery is, as you can see, a bit in the eyes of the beholder.

Do you like cozy mystery shows like Murder, She Wrote?

Are creepy ones like Riverdale more up your alley?

Would you be more interested in determining who committed the crime or how to prove it?

Comment below and tell us all about what makes a good mystery to you and what your favorite mystery show is.

The post The Best Shows to Watch If You Like Solving Mysteries appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/the-best-shows-to-watch-if-you-like-solving-mysteries/feed/ 0 Lieutenant Columbo Solves a Case Perry Mason Always Gets His Man – Perry Mason NBC – MeTV Promo Screenshot The main cast of Matlock, season 1 Your grandparents love Matlock because it's actually a great show, give it a chance Jessica Fletcher Always Has a Clue – Murder, She Wrote Adrian Monk Works a Case – Monk Shawn and Gus Talk Things Through- Psych House Listens House listens to important news from Wilson on this episode of House. "Body and Soul" is the 18th episode of the 8th and final season. The Gang Sitting Together – Riverdale The Drew Crew – Nancy Drew Season 4 Episode 13 The Drew Crew are all smiles on the Nancy Drew series finale. "The Light Between Lives" is the 13th episode of the show's fourth season. Tyler and Kinsey Stand in the Kitchen – Locke & Key Netflix Trailer Screenshot Only Murders In The Building – Trio with Turkey Season 1 Episode 4 The trio takes a turkey to Sting to try and get him to confess. Entering Twin Peaks Population Sign – Twin Peaks At High School – Stranger Things Season 4 Episode 2 This is a still of Stranger Things Season 4 Episode 2. It’s Not A Game Anymore – Sherlock Season 4 Episode 3 Sherlock, John and Mycroft consider the game in The Final Problem. Laboratory Visit – Elementary Season 7 Episode 11 Joan and Sherlock visit the lab of Talia Vaccaro, trying to determine why she was targeted by Odin's assassin. At the morgue – CSI: Vegas Season 2 Episode 21 Seeing Josh at the morgue was so heartbreaking. Ride-Share Death – NCIS The team investigates the death of a ride-share driver found after a car accident on NCIS. "Unusual Suspects" is the 15th episode of the show's 20th season. Hands Up – Will Trent Season 2 Episode 7 Will tries to reason with the gunmen. Rust Cohle Looking Frustrated – True Detective Elsbeth and Blanke Work Together – Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 1: Pilot Elsbeth and Officer Kaya Blanke work together to solve a murder and become friends in the process. The Winchesters Get a Clue With Scooby-Doo – Supernatural – CW Promo Screenshot Lucifer Gives a Wide-Eyed Stare Sam and Dean Look Confused – Supernatural Season 11 Episode 22, We Happy Few
TV Characters Defined by Their Sense of Humor https://www.tvfanatic.com/tv-characters-defined-by-their-sense-of-humor/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/tv-characters-defined-by-their-sense-of-humor/#respond Tue, 23 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/?p=784520 Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Det. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) takes care of Lt. Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) after his paused vasectomy.

Some actors have mastered the art of comedy, cementing their character in fans' minds as someone with a distinct sense of humor.

The post TV Characters Defined by Their Sense of Humor appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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It can be difficult to stand out as a character known for your sense of humor, given the fact that everyone has a different idea of what is funny.

There is your standard comedian who can tell a joke and think on their feet. Other times, the comedy comes from a certain type of stupidity where it is so dumb it is funny.

Some thrive because of their dry sense of humor or cynicism, and physical, witty, observational, self-deprecating, sarcastic, and satirical humor all have homes, too.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Det. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) takes care of Lt. Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) after his paused vasectomy.
(Fox/Youtube Screenshot)

There are the ones who try to be funny and the ones who don’t, who might be meant to be laughed at rather than with, and all leave impressions.

Regardless of the type, the one thing distinguishing a character for their sense of humor is their delivery, which has to be believable. It is not just what you say but also how you say it that resonates with audiences.

And these characters, in no particular order, have certainly defined themselves as obtaining a unique sense of humor.

Related: TV Nation: Would America Be Less Divided If We Still Watched the Same Shows?

Charlie Kelly – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

From bashing rats to being an illiterate who knows German to huffing paint to knowing how to play instruments and coming up with songs on the spot, Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) is a prime example of absurd comedy.

Charlie has “Gone America All Over Everybody’s Ass,” proved he isn’t white trash by the motility of his jean shorts, put on his Nightman Cometh musical, has to be told not to try to swim to Europe, and has a real cheese addiction.

Charlie Day as Charlie Kelly on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
(FX/Hulu Screenshot)

There is also the great moment when Mac and Dennis try to help him set up a dating app profile.

His likes? Little green ghouls. Hobby? Magnets. Favorite food? Milk steak. Dislikes? People’s knees. I mean, cover your knees up if you’re gonna be walking around everywhere…

What does he pretend his career is on the date? Well, he tries to say philanthropist, but the words “get blocked up in [his] mouth and [he] don’t say it no good,” so “full-on rapist” is what ends up coming out.

Larry David – Curb Your Enthusiasm

Larry David is “pretty, pretty” hilarious. His obscure opinions on society’s norms and taboos lead him to say and do things that scream cringe.

Larry David plays a fictionalized version of himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm.
(HBO/Youtube Screenshot)

This fictional version of himself is brilliant, unconventional, opinionated, and easily hated, yet there will be moments you find yourself agreeing.

We all put people in our phones using a one-word identifying descriptor, pick up hookers to use the carpool lane, wear MAGA hats so no one wants to have any social interaction with us, pretend to be an Orthodox Jew to get our best friend a kidney faster…

Related: How Technology Changed TV Tropes Forever

The show is unscripted and ridiculous, and no one could ever dream of recreating Larry David’s sense of humor.

Gregory Eddie – Abbott Elementary

Abbott Elementary has a deep talent pool, and there is no shortage of humor on the hit sitcom.

Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie on Abbott Elementary whose character is known for his side eye.
(ABC/Youtube Screenshot)

However, Gregory Eddie’s (Tyler James Williams) subtle humor is underrated.

His facial expressions, timing, and consistency are top-notch.

His effortless and simple facial expressions are what set his character apart.

The way he takes Ava’s crude and flirtatious comments leaves fans cracking up.

His side eyes and how he looks into the camera do not go unnoticed. It is physical comedy at its finest.

Lucille Bluth – Arrested Development

The Lucille Bluth lines are endless…

“I wanna cry so bad, but I don’t think I can spare the moisture.”

Lucille Bluth is the matriarch with a blunt sense of humor in Arrested Development.
(Fox/Youtube Screenshot)

“Your wrist is testing the tensile strength of that bracelet.”

“It’s one banana, Michael, what could it cost, 10 dollars?”

Her drinking problem is also an amazing center of her humor, ordering vodka on the rocks with a piece of toast for breakfast, winning a drinking contest while in rehab, saying people hate hospitals because there aren’t bars in them.

Related: The 17 Best Fictional Journalists on TV

Jessica Walter delivers all her lines flawlessly, beautifully, and with genius.

Everyone else could only hope to master the art as well as she has.

The comedic gold she has left behind is historic, and Lucille Bluth is undoubtedly an Arrested Development fan favorite character because of her sense of humor.

Leon Black- Curb Your Enthusiasm

J.B. Smoove's character in Curb Your Enthusiasm is Leon Black whose sense of humor is unique.
(HBO/Youtube Screenshot)

Yes, Larry David may be the show’s star, but Leon Black’s (J.B. Smoove) sense of humor stole the spotlight the second he got in front of that camera.

He is proud of his ability to “brings the ruckus to the ladies,” comparing himself to “Barack Obama, motherf*****! I’m the president of hittin’ that a**!”

Without Leon, fans would never know the nickname “long-ball Larry” or the term “lampin’.”

He is not shy either, admitting to shooting a porno constipated, and his natural skill to handle Larry’s unusual behaviors with quick-witted one-liners is brilliant.

His entry into the show was even top-tier comedy.

His whole family left the David household, and despite having no reason to stay, he told Larry he was “going upstairs to eat this f***in’ Chinese food in my f***in’ room.” He has been a staple in the HBO hit ever since.

Phil Dunphy- Modern Family

(ABC/Youtube Screenshot)

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind when fans think of the Modern Family Dunphy father figure is one thing— his book of “Phil’sosophy.”

Always look people in the eye, even if they are blind. If you get pulled over for speeding, tell the police officer your spouse has diarrhea.

Watch a sunrise at least once a day. Marry someone who looks sexy while disappointed.

Related: Unforgettable Narcissts of the Small Screen

Phil’s childish behavior, novelty, and awkwardness distinguish him from the other cast members.

His dad jokes and goofiness are played out perfectly. It is hard to do dumb humor without it being a bit cringe-worthy, but Phil is a wizard at it.

April Ludgate- Parks & Recreation

April Ludgate (Audrey Plaza), a Parks and Recreation favorite, is a brilliant contrast to Leslie. She is detached, shrewd, and loves ravens — a beacon for dark comedy fans.

Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation who has a dark sense of humor.
(NBC/Youtube Screenshot)

Her head is a “terror dome,” and may or may not have a giant needle on hand if someone tells her secrets and thinks going insane is fun!

Her interest in national parks may stem from them being the best places for a full-moon werewolf transformation, but at least she is fighting for them!

Plus, she makes a very solid point — all wine tastes the same. If you spend more than $5 on it, then you are very stupid.

Her deadpan manner, obvious boredom, sarcasm, and dry sense of humor are praiseworthy and have garnered her character much-deserved comedic attention.

George Lopez- The George Lopez Show

George Lopez's character is a fictionalized version of himself.
(ABC/Youtube Screenshot)

Like Larry David, the titular comedian George Lopez plays a fictionalized version of himself in the ABC sitcom of the same name.

His childhood is the center of a lot of the comedy because his mother was a hedonistic alcoholic.

This leads to many hilarious one-liners because now he is a helicopter parent. This family dynamic and Lopez’s humor create a relatability and lighten up a rough childhood.

Related: Heavy On The Rizz: The Most CHarismatic Leading Men on TV

For example, when his mother complimented him on always being independent, crossing the street alone when he was 2, Lopez responded, “I was looking for food!”

He teaches life lessons in unique ways, playing “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and queuing it up to the educational part, hoping that watching scary stuff would make his son more careful of the dangers in the world.

Lopez also has a repertoire of catchphrases, which are always delivered beautifully and in a way that never gets old.

He does not hide his disdain for people and loves to mess with anyone who tries to offend him.

George Lopez uses his ruthless sense of humor to encourage people to dunk him.
(ABC/Youtube Screenshot)

When an in-law asks what he has been up to, knowing they don’t think highly of him, he responds that he just got off of parole due to stabbing someone when they looked at his wife in the wrong way.

Licked the knife clean, too, because that is how he rolls, fool!

Creed Bratton – The Office

Creed also plays a fictionalized version of himself on The Office.

The real-life former Grass Roots musician plays a hippie and homeless man with a strange sense of humor who is employed at Dunder Mifflin.

The show has a long list of talent, but everything that comes from Creed’s mouth is hysterical. He may not be the main character, but it will surely be an unforgettable moment when the cameras focus on him. The fact his golden nuggets are sporadic only adds to the intrigue and comedy.

Offended by homosexuality? Not Creed.

In the ’60s, he “made love to many, many women, often outdoors, in the mud and the rain, and it’s possible a man slipped in. There would be no way of knowing.”

Creed Bratton's character on The Office is a fictionalized version the real-life Grass Roots musician.
(NBC/Youtube Screenshot)

He has a mysterious way of never being fired despite not actually knowing what is going on, and his literal grassroots is obvious when he says, “The copier did tricks on the high wire. A lady tried to give away a baby that looked like a cat.

“There was a Dwight impersonator and a Jim impersonator. A strongman crushed a turtle. I laughed, and I cried. Not bad for a day in the life of a dog food company.”

As fans, we go along with his nonsense. Of course, he understands pirate code but can’t speak it, though. Need a worm dealer? Creed’s got you.

Related: Fixated Females: 17 Duos Who Obsess Over Each Other

He thinks Jim is gay but tries to set him up with his daughter. Points out you can only ooze two things: sexuality and pus. And, if he can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about? What is he working towards?

Jim Lahey – Trailer Park Boys

Famous for being a drunk trailer park supervisor, Jim Lahey (John Dunsworth) may be best known for his line, “I am the liquor,” talk of the winds of shit, and constant failure to take down whatever illegal activity Julian, Ricky, and Bubbles are conducting.

He is absurd, and his sense of humor is heightened when he is “on the liquor,” telling stories of shitfish, shitnets, and shitpower because “when you are in a man’s power, you must do as he bids you.”

Jim Lahey's sense of humor when he is on the liquor is unparalleled.
(Netflix/Youtube Screenshot)

Lahey’s struggle with alcohol leads to the most quotable moments of TPB, like, “Alcoholics go to meetings. I don’t go to meetings; therefore, I’m not an alcoholic.”

Before Dunsworth unexpectedly passed away, he coincidentally said at some point while shooting the show, “When you’re dead, you’re dead. But you’re not quite so dead if you contribute something.”

He undoubtedly contributed moments on the screen that will live on through memes and fan’s hearts.

Kimiko Miyashiro – The Boys

Kimiko Miyashiro (Karen Fukuhara) may be a largely nonverbal character, but her sense of humor shines in other forms, such as sign language and text messages.

She is quick-witted and sharp-minded and keeps Frenchie and the other boys alert with her clever insults and callouts.

She can grasp fans uniquely, which speaks a lot about her character.

Even though she may be a little more reserved, guarded, and tougher than your average character known for their sense of humor, she still stands out among the rest of The Boys cast.

Karen Fukuhara as Kimiko Miyashiro in The Boys.
(Prime Video/Youtube Screenshot)

Terry Jeffords – Brooklyn Nine-Nine

The Brooklyn Nine-Nine lieutenant is another character based on the actors themselves.

Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) may physically be huge, eating 10,000 calories a day to maintain his size, but he is really a softy.

His size has played into many of the best moments on the show, like when he attempted to get a vasectomy.

Related: 13 Pro Athletes Who Found Great Success as Actors

The doctors had to stop the surgery because they didn’t realize before that they didn’t have enough anesthesia for the procedure due to his size, which forced them to pause the operation.

In his state of delusion, he utters numerous hilarious lines, like commenting on how small Jake Peralta’s head is and asking him where he keeps his brain.

His obsession with yogurt and his frequent use of the third person add a layer to his sense of humor that makes him unforgettable.

Terry Crews Gives a Serious Stare - Brooklyn Nine-Nine
(Fox (Trailer Screenshot))

Tormund Giantsbane- Game of Thrones

The Game of Thrones Free Folk leader is by far one of the funniest characters. His vulgarity, brute nature, and directness lead to some of the show’s best banter and comedic lines.

His facial expressions are on point, and his obsession with Brienne of Tarth makes for some of his most iconic moments.

His words were quite literal, like when someone referred to the Queen.

He wasn’t sure if they were talking about Cersei or Daenerys, so for clarification, he asked, “The one with the dragons or the one that f**** her brother?”

Or his advice on how to survive the cold, “You have to keep moving; that’s the secret. Walking’s good, fight’s better, f******’s best.”

Tormund Giantsbane has a vulgar sense of humor which made his character unforgettable.
(HBO/Youtube Screenshot)

Giantsbane’s sense of humor is a series highlight and makes for some epic memes.

Willie Jack – Reservation Dogs

Reservation Dogs is a revolutionary FX show hailed for depicting Native Americans through an Indigenous perspective rather than a white perspective.

Although it is centered around a tragic event, it has its hysterical moments.

Related: Single Season Shows That Live on in Our Hearts

Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis) is tough, fierce, loyal, and unafraid to call someone out when needed. She is known for her memorable digs and clever sense of humor, which feels natural.

Even if her moments are just tiny sections of her lines, she makes them count.

Just the way she thinks of learning the wizard ways as not being sure if it’s a wax-on, wax-off situation, so she just shuts up and goes with it, creating a laughable and memorable moment.

Willie Jack is tough and fierce with a lovable sense of humor.
(FX on Hulu/Youtube Screenshot)

Her facial expressions also make fans crack up, and there is something special about a character’s ability to evoke laughter from simple reactions.

Samantha Jones – Sex and the City

Samantha Jones left her mark on the industry with her brilliantly hilarious moments in Sex and the City. She does not care what anyone thinks about her, lives life to the fullest, and never stifles her passion or personality.

She always wants to have a good time, obviously, when she says, “I don’t believe in the Republican party or the Democratic party. I just believe in parties.”

She is also not afraid to tell a man she loves them but loves herself more.

She knows who she is and is not afraid to flaunt it. Her delivery and willingness to make her presence none makes for some of the most quotable TV moments.

Samantha Jones brings a unique sense of humor to Sex and the City.
(HBO/Youtube Screenshot)

“Yeah, I am harsh. I’m also demanding, stubborn, self-sufficient, and always right. In bed, at the office, and everywhere else.”

Grandma Huang – Fresh Off the Boat

Grandma Huang (Lucille Soong) is the comedic relief on Fresh Off the Boat.

Fans love her attitude and sense of humor, both verbal and physical. Her facial expressions and wheelchair make for the best parts of the show.

Related: 11 Series Finales That Hit Us Right In the Feels

With the looming threat of Y2K and Emery’s idea to live it up, instead of following the public’s panic, she decides to pour a can of soda on the carpet because there is no need to worry about consequences with the crash of computers on the horizon.

Using the same reasoning when Emery and Evan tell her not to sign up for a credit card because she has no way of paying it off, she tells them, no need to worry, you pile up the debt and wait until January when bank records get erased. Y2K. Her way of living it up.

Grandma Huang is known for her sense of humor in Fresh Off the Boat.
(ABC/Youtube Screenshot)

In her free time, she likes to take pennies from the public fountain, and she loves Garfield.

She loves free things from the bank, and after the disappointment of learning the pen she wanted was chained to the desk, she takes a potted plant instead.

Supposedly, she has also knitted a cape for Evel Knievel in the past, and she watches “Twins” because she is attracted to Danny DeVito.

Grandma Huang’s delivery is flawless, and her humor is unparalleled.

Chandler Bing – Friends

Chandler Bing’s (Matthew Perry) sarcastic sense of humor and ability to “say more dumb things before 9 a.m. than most people say all day” certainly established him as a character known for his humor.

He also uses comedy as a defense mechanism and a way to cope with his rough childhood upbringing, which started after his parents split up.

This makes him a relatable character, as this tends to be a way for many people to cope.

Chandler Hears Fertility Test Results - Friends
(NBC (MsMojo Screenshot))

Chandler is also a comedian who uses his self-esteem issues as the center of jokes, and quitting often becomes the joke.

He always delivers the best zingers and witty comments, but he tends to mess up often, which only adds to his comedy.

His natural humor is extremely effective and has created infamous humor throughout Friends.

Related: What Generation Was Friends Anyway? GenX, Boomers, or Millennials?

Dr. Gregory House – House

Dr. Gregory House has a dry sense of that resonates with fans. He is intelligent and crude, but in the most captivating way that made his sometimes insensitive remarks absolutely hilarious.

When someone asks him if he minds if they come in his place, he responds, “Not at all. Do you mind if I leave?”

How could fans not crack up when he said, “I cared for eight seconds. Then got distracted,” or “The good news is he won’t be bitching about losing his hand if he can’t breathe”?

Dr. Gregory House is known for his sarcastic sense of humor.
(Fox/Youtube Screenshot)

He doesn’t care what people think of him and calls it as it is.

He also has his own unconventional way of caring for people, like when he knocked on Wilson’s door and said, “I know you’re in there. I can hear you caring.”

The star of House brought humor to a hit show that otherwise is not considered a comedy.

Red Forman – That ’70s Show

Red Forman of That ’70s Show is an icon of bitter humor, sarcasm, and edgy jabs.

He is irritable and grumpy but not actually a cruel person, which makes an interesting contrast and his comedy even better because, you know, at his core, he isn’t truly hateful.

Red Forman's will always be known for his bitter sense of humor.
(Fox/Youtube Screenshot)

He is blunt and has an irreverent tone and manner that fans cling to and enjoy.

He is the king of insults and is always looking for someone’s ass to put his boot up. He also wants to be buried facedown when the time comes so anyone who doesn’t like him can kiss it.

His deadpan humor makes him an icon for the ages.

Related: TV Moments That Give Meaning to the Word Crescendo

The TV characters known for their sense of humor will always live on in fans’ hearts and through the most infamous memes.

Regardless of their style or the show’s genre, the ones who provide comedic relief or outdo the other show members will continue to be favorites because of their hilarity.

In the comments below, please tell us what you think of the characters listed and some of your favorite lines or scenes!

The post TV Characters Defined by Their Sense of Humor appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/tv-characters-defined-by-their-sense-of-humor/feed/ 0 Jake Peralta and Terry Jeffords Charlie Kelly Going America One Eyed Larry David Gregory Eddie Side Eye Caring Mother Lucille Bluth Leon Black Phil Dunphy’s Phil’sosophy April Ludgate George Lopez on The George Lopez Show George Lopez in a Dunk Tank Creed being Creed Jim Lahey Kimiko Miyashiro Terry Crews Gives a Serious Stare – Brooklyn Nine-Nine Tormund Being Tormund Willie Jack Praying to Spirits Samantha Jones Grandma Huang Chandler Hears Fertility Test Results – Friends Dr. Gregory House Red Forman Stares at Eric
13 Deeply Flawed Characters We Can’t Get Out of Our Heads https://www.tvfanatic.com/13-deeply-flawed-characters-we-cant-get-out-of-our-heads/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/13-deeply-flawed-characters-we-cant-get-out-of-our-heads/#respond Fri, 31 May 2024 19:30:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/13-deeply-flawed-characters-we-cant-get-out-of-our-heads/ Walt and Skyler Pic

Villain or protagonist, some of the best characters on TV are flawed in their own fascinating way. Once they're in your head, they won't let go.

The post 13 Deeply Flawed Characters We Can’t Get Out of Our Heads appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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Since the days of finger painting stories on cave walls, storytellers have known the secret of telling a quality fable. If your characters have flaws, they will resonate, even the villains.

One-dimensional characters just don't cut it, even if they're relegated to a distant, supporting role.

Some pundits are decrying the use of the deeply flawed character as an overdone trope that should die an ignominious death.

Walt and Skyler Pic
(AMC)

Yet, here we are, with the most acutely compromised characters reigning supreme on our TV screens and reverberating throughout our social interactions.

The art of creating the 'grey' character isn't going away any time soon, as this list of 13 deeply flawed characters clearly demonstrates.

Beth Dutton – Yellowstone

Beth in Blue Jeans - Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 9
(Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

There aren't enough adjectives in the English language to adequately describe Beth Dutton. She's a viper in clothes, ready to unleash the moment she senses weakness.

But that's not why there's a massive demand for any product with Beth Dutton's name stamped or etched on it. Beth is a wellspring of unbridled rage.

Yellowstone Spinoff: Everything We Know So Far About the Unnamed Series

Her animosity and wicked sarcasm are fueled by the death of her mother (which she blames herself for), and her inability to have children, thanks to a choice her brother Jamie made without her knowledge.

Both are reasons to empathize with her and cheer her on as she bulldozes her way through everything and everyone, leaving a trail of razorblades in her wake. Yellowstone would be greatly diminished without Beth Dutton.

Jamie Lannister – A Game of Thrones

The Last Goodbye - Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 5
(Helen Sloan/HBO)

George R.R. Martin is known for creating flawed characters, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldue plays Jamie Lannister with aplomb.

He exists perpetually beneath the towering image of his father and his sister's reluctance to make their incestuous relationship known.

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Coupled with the fact that he feels wronged for being labeled Kingslayer, Jamie lashes out with arrogance, a false sense of self-assurance, and a viciously cutting wit.

The audience loves him for the dim flicker of light within, kindled by Brienne of Tarth, the most unlikely pairing in television or in the books. Unfortunately, Game of Thrones' muddled ending reduced his character somewhat, but Jamie lives on as one of fans' favorite characters.

The Ghoul – Fallout

The Ghoul
(Courtesy of Prime Video (Screenshot))

It's not every day that you discover your wife is actively betraying the world, propping up corporate tyranny and some inane form of technocracy, and setting the stage for some creative world-building in Fallout.

The Ghoul's bad luck doesn't end there. He's a ghoul transformed by the radioactive wasteland that's left of the world — physically and irreversibly altered.

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What was once a good man is now a walking corpse with a murderous impulse and little empathy. Yet, somehow, he has enough restraint to join forces with the series protagonist, Lucy.

It's hard to hate such a broken thing, especially with his quick wit, murderous sense of empathy and justice, and predilection for digesting the posterior meat from other ghouls.

Dr. Gregory House – House

House Listens
(FOX)

House is the quintessential flawed character of TV history. He was a drug addict, a narcissist, obsessive to the point of endangering the lives of others, an undependable friend, and a cruel boss.

Despite all of that, he remained one of the most popular characters on TV at the time. House was a walking dichotomy because he was also hilarious and occasionally charming.

His biting humor and irreverence for the feelings and livelihoods of others were constantly disconcerting, yet he saved lives.

Ultimately, that was his redeeming quality. Some episodes also boosted audience empathy by revealing House's numerous struggles, both internal and external.

Amos Burton – The Expanse

Holden and Amos - The Expanse Season 2 Episode 9
(Rafy/Syfy)

Amos Burton — the last man standing. in the early seasons of The Expanse, especially the first, it was very difficult to place Amos.

He was smart and capable (as a spaceship engineer, he kind of had to be) and followed Naomi around like a lost puppy. But his immediate, instinctive impulse was always explosive violence.

That violence might be directed at the enemy, a casual observer, or even a friend. Like most well-loved but extremely flawed characters, Amos had a loathsome past as an abused and unlucky child.

Growing up beneath the tutelage of a crime lord, he was desperately poor and pimped as a sex slave. Fortunately, he broke free and became the fan favorite in the books and the show.

The Smoking Man – The X-Files

Smoking Cigarettes - The X-Files
(Fox)

The Darth Vader of the X-Files universe and one of the most talked about TV villains of all time, the Smoking Man's character was a slow-burn, at least in the beginning.

The picture-perfect example of a villain who believes himself to be the hero, the Smoking Man consistently referred to his cause as right, just, or noble.

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Yet, he was an aspiring writer, willing to give up life within the syndicate to become an author. He also had certain restraints, such as a reluctance to kill Agent Fox Mulder or Mulder's mother.

Though his past is enigmatic and often involves innuendo and confusion, he was thought to be sympathetic to the Civil Rights movement and a turncoat who wanted to betray the Syndicate.

Walter White – Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad Finale Photo
(AMC)

Some people believe that almost anything is justifiable when it comes to protecting and supporting their families. Such is the state of Walter White's mind, at least in the beginning.

The early seasons establish empathy for White, who has to work menial jobs to pay the bills and support those who depend on him.

17 Characters With The Best Alter Egos

Unfortunately, it becomes an obsession, and the further he delves into the world of drugs and the drug trade, the more White becomes concerned with his family's respect for him.

It's a classic projection mechanism. Walter knows what he's doing is wrong, yet he invents and projects issues onto the lives of his loved ones to smother his own guilt.

Olivia Pope – Scandal

Olivia's Last Stand - Scandal
(ABC)

Olivia is a chameleon. Every time you sit down and watch Scandal, it's possible to come out of it with an entirely different opinion of her. That's a phenomenal trick to pull off.

Early on, she was a seemingly upstanding, highly successful advisor to powerful people. However, she's having an affair with the President of the United States.

Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn Recreate Iconic Scandal Moment, and Scott Foley Weighs In

While the latter wouldn't be surprising for a President to get caught doing nowadays, it's not something you expect from a powerful protagonist who has the ear of the most important levers of power, mostly because of the emotional involvement.

Furthermore, she treats Harrison disrespectfully, lies when it suits her and expresses conflicting thoughts. Her moral high ground is a matter of convenient selection.

As the saying goes: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Yet, despite it all, she is the most fascinating character of the entire series.

Rust Cohle – True Detective

Cohle 2002
(HBO)

His every utterance was a soliloquy rife with adjectives and dark cynicism. Rust Cohle was one of the most fascinating, broken characters to grace the small screen at the time.

A full decade later, Rust is still high on the conversation starter list when it comes to discussions of fantastic procedurals (even if True Detective was a different kind of procedural).

True Detective Renewed for Season 5; Issa Lopez to Stay On as Showrunner Amid Nick Pizzolatto Controversy

The typical detective story is all about the mystery of who committed the murder. However, Rust Cohle was the mystery of the first season, and its successors, though solid entries, haven't eclipsed him.

How the mystery of Rust's flaws was unraveled was a genuine form of art, shrouded in ephemeral, haunted storytelling that lingers long after the season draws to a close.

Catherine – The Great

Catherine in The Great Season 1 Finale
(Andrea Pirrello/Hulu)

Catherine's cause is somewhat just and noble, as noble as it can be from the standpoint of a dictator. In real life, she did many of the things her fictional counterpart wished to do.

As the saying goes, however, "When you sleep with the dogs, you're going to get fleas." Catherine has affairs, indulges in political intrigues that result in violence, and can't seem to resist the charms of Peter.

In fact, that's her greatest flaw. Peter, her husband, is a psychopath in all but name. A hilarious psychopath, to be sure, but a psychopath nonetheless.

Catherine's reluctance to distance herself from him, especially after her successful coup, is her blind side. The Great is rife with such indulgences, but it's one she can ill afford.

Richie Jerimovich – The Bear

Richie Redemption - tall - The Bear
(Chuck Hodes/FX)

It's difficult to single out any one person in Hulu's The Bear as a flawed character since they all are in many major ways. However, Richie is the most dynamic because he has a clear and emphatic arc.

The problem with Richie is that he can't seem to gain any respect from his counterparts, especially from Jimmy, the restaurant's controlling financier.

The Bear, Which Demands Discussion, Is Dropping All Episodes at Once. Here's the Case for Episodic Drops for New TV

Richie is a goof, immature in many aspects, occasionally abrasive, and untrusting. These flaws drive him crazy because he clearly wants and endeavors to achieve the respect of others.

As he transitions from the immature, wanna-be businessman into a learned, journeyman of the trade, he's started constructing an altogether new and more serious character.

Grace Monroe – Infinity Train

Grace Infinity Train
(HBO Max/Cartoon Network)

Grace is so comfortable with deceit that she doesn't even realize she's doing it. Sometimes, she uses it as a tool to effortlessly manipulate and undermine those around her, suiting her needs by doing so.

She embraces the approach of the sociopath, learning how to behave to trick and obfuscate, manipulating on a whim. She also has a tendency to betray her own stated convictions, as the show reveals on several occasions.

Infinity Train: The Little Show That Could

But there's something about Grace that hints at a reluctant, hidden sign of hope, like a faintly glimmering seashell at the bottom of an endless, black ocean.

While this could be nothing more than mimicry (without giving away too much), Grace Munroe's overall character arc certainly qualifies as redemption.

Mr. Spock – Star Trek

Mr. Spock - Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode 10
(Michael Gibson/Paramount+)

Surprised to see this one? You shouldn't be. Throughout every Star Trek iteration, Spock has a single, glaring flaw, though his cold, straightforward thought process has saved the Enterprise on numerous occasions.

Spock's flaw has always revolved around his internal human versus Vulcan struggle. The only time we see his halves truly reconciled is in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Is Strange New Worlds the Most Innovative Star Trek Series Since the Original?

In earlier iterations, his preference for embracing the logical side often obscured his ability to see all aspects of a problem. Logic, despite its cold precision, cannot predict chaos.

Unfortunately, Spock spends much of his time surrounded by non-Vulcan, emotional beings. His oft-repeated failure to observe his position in relation to his thinking is his greatest flaw.

Walt on the Finale
(AMC)

We love flaws simply because we are flawed. It's doubtful that the audience would relate to automatons very well. Even Wall-E, a robot, was a dynamic, emotional, flawed machine we could understand.

The best characters are written with realistic and relatable flaws, and viewers are drawn to them out of a sense of companionship and understandable empathy.

The better we understand the driving force underlying a character's motivations, the better we tend to relate to that character.

Do any deeply flawed characters spring to mind? Be sure to comment with some of your own and see how they stack up against the list!

The post 13 Deeply Flawed Characters We Can’t Get Out of Our Heads appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/13-deeply-flawed-characters-we-cant-get-out-of-our-heads/feed/ 0 Walt and Skyler Pic Walt and Skyler are featured in this Breaking Bad promotional photo. It's in anticipation of the final run of episodes. Beth in Blue Jeans – Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 9 With the walls closing in, John discovers which family and allies will stand with him and fight. The Last Goodbye – Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 5 Jaime fights his way into the Red Keep to save Cersei, but it's too late for both of them. How did they die? The Ghoul Cooper Howard, who has been transformed into a Ghoul 219 years before the events of the 'Fallout.' House Listens House listens to important news from Wilson on this episode of House. "Body and Soul" is the 18th episode of the 8th and final season. Holden and Amos – The Expanse Season 2 Episode 9 Steven Strait as James Holden and Wes Chatham as Amos Burton on The Expanse Season 2 Episode 9 Smoking Cigarettes – The X-Files The Cigarette Smoking Man is doing what he does best. Breaking Bad Finale Photo It's all over for Walter White and Breaking Bad. This is a scene from the series finale. Olivia’s Last Stand – Scandal Olivia Pope is trying to get away with several murders on Scandal Season 7 Episode 17, but will she succeed? Cohle 2002 The events of 2002 are revisited on True Detective. "Haunted Houses" is the sixth episode of the show's first season. Catherine in The Great Season 1 Finale The Great -- "The Beaver’s Nose" - Episode 110 -- Catherine’s decides to move forward with the coup on her birthday. Peter isn’t so easily overcome and holds Leo hostage as collateral. In exchange for a return to her status, Marial betrays Catherine to Peter and tells him that she is pregnant. Catherine realizes that the only chance for a greater Russia is to fight, without Leo. The battle begins. Catherine (Elle Fanning), shown. (Photo by: Andrea Pirrello/Hulu) Richie Redemption – tall – The Bear Grace Infinity Train Grace, sitting on the "throne" of the cult. In the mall car. Mr. Spock – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode 10 On Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode 10, Spock (Ethan Peck) taps into his logic. Walt on the Finale It's all over for Walter White and company. This is a photo from the Breaking Bad finale.
Characters Who Think Faking Their Death Is The Answer https://www.tvfanatic.com/characters-who-think-faking-their-death-is-the-answer/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/characters-who-think-faking-their-death-is-the-answer/#respond Mon, 02 Dec 2019 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/2019/12/02/characters-who-think-faking-their-death-is-the-answer/ Collage of Fake Death

These characters were in debt, enemies were gunning after them, and they really wanted people to say nice things about them, so they faked their deaths.

The post Characters Who Think Faking Their Death Is The Answer appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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Faking your death is an extreme solution to a problem.

Sometimes, it's the only card a character has to play.

At least that’s what these characters told themselves. 

Collage of Fake Death
(NBC)

Sherloque Wells – The Flash 

Sherlock Wells- The Flash Season 5 Episode 3
(Robert Falconer/The CW)

This Wells is a brilliant detective, but he's terrible with money and relationships. Not only does Sherloque money to Team Flash but he's also behind on alimony payments to his many ex-wives.

Instead of responsibly paying off his debts, Sherloque's go-to move is faking his death. He would've continued to get away with it were it not for Cisco's deductive skills and Nora meddling with his love life. 

Donna Shellstrop – The Good Place

Donna or Diana - The Good Place
(NBC)

A police officer told Eleanor her mother had gotten trampled to death at a Rascal Flatts concert. The truth was Donna faked her death because didn’t want to pay the money she owed to a charity.

Eleanor was beyond hurt when she found out, and certain Donna was using her new identity to scam her boyfriend. However, faking her death was the death of Donna’s con artist ways and led to her rebirth as a PTA mom. 

Bellamy Blake – The 100 

Bellamy Makes a Plan - The 100 Season 6 Episode 7
(Sergei Bachlakov/The CW)

Bellamy didn’t want anyone from the Ark following the 100 to Earth. As their leader, he convinced the others to take off the wristbands monitoring their health because it would trick the Ark into thinking the 100 were dead.

The plan backfired because it caused chaos on the ground. It also made Abby desperate enough to send Raven down there to gather first-hand knowledge of the situation.

Paige, Phoebe, & Piper – Charmed 

The Power of Three
(WB)

Zankou had control of the Book of Shadows, the Halliwell Manor, and the Charmed Ones' powers. Out of moves, Paige, Phoebe, & Piper decided to sacrifice themselves to destroy the Nexus and defeat Zankou.

Miraculously, the sisters survived the battle, but government agents were waiting to take them out. Weary of fighting, the Charmed Ones magically disguised themselves and let everyone think they died in the explosion. 

Gregory House – House 

House in the Hallway
(Adam Taylor/FOX)

House’s life was going up in flames because Wilson only had five months to live, and he faced six months in prison. Even someone with House’s problem-solving skills couldn’t get out of this mess alive.

House chose not to live — at least not officially. He faked his death — allowing him and Wilson to ride off into the unknown.  

Alison DiLaurentis – Pretty Little Liars 

Old Hollywood Alison - Pretty Little Liars
(ABC Family)

It’s not surprising Alison didn’t know who trust after she had been hit over the head with a rock and buried alive. 

On Mona’s advice, she faked her death. Considering Alison was framed for murder not longer she revealed herself to be alive, maybe she should’ve kept playing dead. 

Nick Fury – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D 

NIck Fury  - Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
(ABC)

Believed to have died upon learning Hydra compromised S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury showed up in time to rescue Fitz and Simmons from drowning in the middle of the ocean.

Fury couldn’t stick around for long, but he accomplished his objectives: traded banter, ensured Garret was on the receiving end of smackdown and handed Coulson the tools (plus the title of director) to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D. 

Alex Cabot – Law & Order: SVU 

ADA Cabot - Law & Order: SVU
(NBC)

In her quest to bring a murdering rapist to justice, ADA Alex Cabot became the target of a drug cartel, which sent a shooter after her.

Benson, Stabler, and the rest of the SVU squad believed her to be dead. Alex survived, but she was forced into witness protection. 

Adrian Pimento – Brooklyn Nine-Nine 

Adrian Pimento  - Brooklyn Nine-Nine
(FOX)

Pimento's long stint as an undercover agent left him with psychological scars and an enemy named Jimmy "The Butcher" Figgis. While tearing it up at his bachelor party with Jake, Terry, Hitchcock, and Scully, a hitman Figgis hired tried to kill him.   

To fool Figgis, the Nine-Nine faked Pimento's death. The situation became more complicated when they discovered Figgis had a mole in the FBI. Adrian went off the grid, and Rosa had to play the grieving fiancee at his fake funeral.    

Michael & Fiona – Burn Notice

Remembering Michael & Fiona - Burn Notice
(USA Network)

James' organization got dismantled, but James had his hand on a dead man's switch and wasn't about to let Michael and Fiona walk out alive. After the flames died down, Michael and Fiona were buried with full honors. 

Sam and Jesse, however, knew better than to believe their friends were dead, and they were right. Fiona finally got Michael to retire from the spying, and the two of them were living happily in Ireland. 

Alex "Star-Burns" Osbourne – Community 

Star-Burns - Community
(NBC)

Star-Burns was more than just a guy with sideburns shaped like stars. He was also a sleazy drug dealer who was surprisingly competent at faking his death.

It took another criminal mastermind, the Ass Crack Bandit, to smoke Star-Burns out of hiding. Star-Burns appeared to have moved on to a more lawful business — developing cat powered vehicles.    

Charlotte "Chuck" Charles – Pushing Daisies 

Chuck Charles - Pushing Daisies
(ABC)

Chuck didn’t fake her death voluntarily. She faked it to cover up the fact she died, and the Piemaker brought her back to life.

Although grateful to be alive, she hates having to lie to Olive. She is also forced to stay away from the beloved aunts who raised her. 

George Bluth Sr. – Arrested Development 

Senior Bluth - Arrested Development
(Fox)

Lucille hired a bounty hunter to find George Sr. Ice, both bounty hunter and party caterer, tracked him down to a Mexican prison and discovered a guard stabbed him to death. 

Only the part about winding up in a Mexican prison was true. George Sr. found a way to fake his death. Then he came home and hid in the attic.

Jean-Ralphio Saperstein – Parks & Recreation

Jean-Ralphio 1985-2022 - Parks and Recreation
(NBC)

While most of our favorite Pawnee inhabitants moved on and found success in their personal lives, Jean-Ralphio never changed.

In 2022, he faked his death and planned to use the insurance money to start a casino. It's unlikely his plan went far. The rabbi chasing after him looked pretty fast. 

Crowley – Supernatural 

Crowley in Chains - Supernatural
(The CW)

Castiel burned Crowley's bones and put an end to the demon once and for all. Except not because the whole thing was a fake-out.

Crowley and Castiel had teamed up. Faking Crowley's death was part of their plan to gain to access Purgatory.  

Sophia Petrillo – The Golden Girls 

Sophia's One-Liner
(NBC)

Sophia threw herself a funeral because she wanted to hear all the nice things people would say about her, and, in the process, everyone would have a good time partying. 

The flaw in her plan was letting Rose send out the invitations. People showed up at the wake thinking Sophia was dead, and no one said anything nice when told otherwise. 

Ross Geller – Friends 

Ross' Memorial - Friends
(NBC)

In retaliation for Ross posting he was gay on their college alumni website, Chandler posted Ross was dead. Distraught over how no one seemed to care about his passing, Ross decided to hold a memorial service for himself.

Only one person showed up to mourn him. She freaked and stormed off when she found out he was alive, but Ross discovering she crushed on him was enough to call the fake memorial service a win. 

Elizabeth "Liz" Keen – The Blacklist 

Liz at the cemetery  - The Blacklist
(Will Hart/NBC)

Worried her daughter would always be in danger because of her association with Reddington, Liz agreed to fake her death. She, Tom and Agnes hid in Cuba, but they couldn’t stay hidden from Red.

Worse, Alexander Kirk was on the Keens’ trail too and found them first.  

Jughead Jones – Riverdale 

Betty in mourning  - Riverdale
(The CW)

He goes missing during spring break. Betty and FP identify his body at the morgue. Is that enough evidence to conclude Jughead Jones is dead?

No — it's more likely Jughead authored his own demise — faking it as a way to turn the tables on the people at Stonewell Prep who aren't happy about the secrets he's uncovering.      

Over to you, TV Fanatics!

What other characters faked their death?

Did they do a good job or did the plan blow up in their faces?

Hit the comments below!

What to Watch: Love Life, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., ID Nine at 9

The post Characters Who Think Faking Their Death Is The Answer appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/characters-who-think-faking-their-death-is-the-answer/feed/ 0 Collage of Fake Death What do these characters have in common? They all faked their death. Sherlock Wells- The Flash Season 5 Episode 3 Sherlock Wells tries to solve the case at hand. For a price of course. Donna or Diana – The Good Place Donna freaks out because Eleanor has found her out Bellamy Makes a Plan – The 100 Season 6 Episode 7 Bellamy works with Russell and Miller on a plan, right after he tried to kill Russell for what he did to Clarke. The Power of Three Phoebe, Piper, and Paige make fighting evil look elegant House in the Hallway How many times have we seen this look on House's face? Take a picture, fans, because this time it's from the series finale. Old Hollywood Alison – Pretty Little Liars Alison looks glamorous enough to fit in an Old Hollywood movie NIck Fury – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury has come to save the ratings and the day ADA Cabot – Law & Order: SVU ADA Alexandra Cabot is ready to lay down the law for good Adrian Pimento – Brooklyn Nine-Nine Adrian Pimento has either got a lead or he's just crazy Remembering Michael & Fiona – Burn Notice The CIA gave Michael and Fiona a burial service with full honors. Star-Burns – Community Star-Burns is screaming, which means he must have gotten caught Chuck Charles – Pushing Daisies Chuck is investigating the latest case with Emerson Senior Bluth – Arrested Development Which family member is driving George Sr. up the wall? Jean-Ralphio 1985-2022 – Parks and Recreation Only Jean-Raphio Saperstein could dance on his own grave Crowley in Chains – Supernatural How will Crowley get out of this very tight situation? Sophia’s One-Liner You can always count on Sophia knowing exactly what to say Ross’ Memorial – Friends What started as prank became a real memorial -- kinda. Liz at the cemetery – The Blacklist What's Liz doing at the cemetary -- visiting or faking? Betty in mourning – Riverdale Betty looks stunned, but there must be more to this story What to Watch: Love Life, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., ID Nine at 9
19 Couples Who Refused to Define the Relationship https://www.tvfanatic.com/19-couples-who-refused-to-define-the-relationship/ https://www.tvfanatic.com/19-couples-who-refused-to-define-the-relationship/#respond Tue, 24 Sep 2019 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.tvfanatic.com/2019/09/24/19-couples-who-refused-to-define-the-relationship/ What to Watch: Vicious Fun, The Tomorrow War, Fear Street Part 1 1984

Why are our favorite couples always too afraid to admit what they are to each other? We created a list of 19 couples who took forever to call things official.

The post 19 Couples Who Refused to Define the Relationship appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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Your favorite ship finally getting together is an incredible feeling. Nothing can rain on your parade…until the couple refuses to DTR. 

They may be keeping things "casual," but they need to admit what they mean to each other and go all in. As shippers, we're in it for the long haul. 

We created a slideshow belows of 19 couples who refused to define the relationship! 

Garrett and Dina – Superstore

Garrett and Dina are singlehandedly the inspiration behind this list. Since the two are co-workers and Dina is Garrett's superior, they had to disclose their relationship to corporate.

Related: GLOW: Coming to an End!

They refused to check the box stating they were in a relationship, and they were on the phone with corporate for hours campaigning to get a new option added. 

Dan and Charlotte – Lucifer

Dan and Charlotte didn't realize how much they meant to each other until it was too late. Dan had previously been sleeping with Lucifer's mom when she was in Charlotte's body, and he had no idea that she was possessed. 

When Charlotte comes back and remembers nothing, she and Dan have to start all over from scratch. He eventually falls for the real her, but Charlotte is killed almost directly after she and Dan realize that they want to be together. 

What to Watch: Vicious Fun, The Tomorrow War, Fear Street Part 1 1984

Barney and Robin – How I Met Your Mother

Barney and Robin are the poster children for couples who hate to DTR. They were so against defining their relationship that Lily kept them physically locked in a room until they were willing to do so. 

Related: Titans Season 2 Episode 3 Review: Ghosts

Robin even went on a date at Barney's encouragement to prove that there was nothing serious going on between them. Needless to say, they began to realize how wrong they were when Barney showed up and punched her date in the face.

Beth and Rio – Good Girls

As of Good Girls Season 2, Beth and Rio are not in a great place. But if Good Girls Season 2 Episode 13 never happened, or happened differently, their relationship may have gone in another direction.

Although neither of them would ever admit it, something was going on between them besides just sex. Rio always had a bit of a soft spot towards Beth, and some of the things he did for her were unexpected, to say the least. 

Jake and Amy – Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Dating your co-worker can get complicated, so after Jake and Amy end up kissing at the precinct they decide to keep things "light and breezy."

But there was an emotional investment on both sides, and it didn't take them long to realize that "light and breezy" wasn't going to work. Even though it was risky, Jake and Amy took a gamble and went all in. 

Xo and Rogelio – Jane the Virgin

Xo's relationship with Jane's father was a rollar coaster. For a while, we didn't know what they were to each other, and it didn't seem like they were too sure either.

Related: Jim Parsons, Mayim Bialik Reunite for FOX Comedy

After a series of ups and downs, Xo and Rogelio finally realize that they are meant for each other and end up getting married at the Marbella Hotel. 

Bloom and Reynolds – New Amsterdam

Bloom and Reynolds were sleeping together for a time, but Bloom decides to be honest and let Reynolds know that she wants more than just sex. 

Reynolds tells Bloom that he's only interested in being with a black woman for the long-term. When Reynolds tries to start things up between them again, Bloom turns him down. 

What to Watch: The Undoing, This Is Us, Christmas Movies Galore!

Schmidt and Cece – New Girl

At first, Schmidt and Cece were on two completely separate wavelengths. Schmidt wanted a real relationship and for the entire world to know that they were together, but Cece was embarrassed by him and continuously reminded Schmidt that they were just having sex.

Cece eventually admitted that she liked Schmidt for real, and they decide to enter an official relationship. It doesn't work out at first, but they end up married with a daughter by the end of the show. 

Chase and Cameron – House

Chase and Cameron are another example of how "just sex" can easily turn into something more. Their romance definetly wasn't easy, but that doesn't mean we love it any less. 

Related: Suits Series Finale Trailer: How Will It End?

Despite all the drama we had to witness, Chase and Cameron proved that true love could conquer all.

Michael and Alex – Roswell, New Mexico

As of Roswell, New Mexico Season 1, viewers still don't know what the deal with Malex is. They fell for each other in high school, and for the past ten years, they have continuously come back to each other. 

Although it's clear that they love each other, Michael chose to pursue Maria in Roswell, New Mexico Season 1 Episode 13. We have no idea what the new season holds for them, but here's to hoping they'll call it official in the future. 

Jake and Faye – The Secret Circle

Jake and Faye were pretty much just sleeping together, although it was clear that Faye wanted more. Jake was always hung up on Cassie, and it was hard for us not to love that relationship as well.

But fans seemed to be rooting for Jake and Faye, and despite the show's cancellation, it was implied that Jake was ready to give a relationship with Faye a real shot. 

Jackson and April – Grey's Anatomy

Jackson and April were friends for years before anything romantic happened between them. April ended up losing her virginity to Jackson, and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't seem to stay away from him. 

It took them far too long to realize how much they loved each other. We know that April is no longer on the show, but that doesn't stop us from hoping that she and Jackson will have their happily ever after. 

Josh and Liza – Younger

Unsure of what to call their relationship at first, Josh and Liza said that they're "hanging out." Even though Liza was still lying about her age, it was obvious that they had strong feelings for each other.

Related: Grey's Anatomy is Bringing Back a Key Character in Season 16

When the truth finally came out, it didn't diminish Josh's love for her, even if it did cause a huge fight. They were an official couple for a while before splitting up, but something tells us their story isn't over. 

Jonah and Amy – Superstore

Jonah and Amy's reluctance to label their relationship was a bit frustrating. They were a three-season slow burn, and they were already pretty deep in their feels by the time they finally got together. 

It took months for Jonah and Amy to call themselves an official couple. Because of the excruciating wait, we can't help but squeal anytime they refer to each other as their boyfriend or girlfriend. 

Dyson and Bo – Lost Girl

Dyson and Bo tried their best to be friends with benefits and to have no strings attached. But has that ever successfully worked for any television couple in history?

To no one's surprise, Dyson and Bo end up developing feelings for each other. 

Jane and Ryan – The Bold Type

Jane and Ryan start sleeping together after they both write eye-opening articles concerning female pleasure. Ryan changes Jane's sex-life completely, and she quickly starts to realize she has feelings for Ryan. 

Ryan isn't a relationship-type guy, but with Jane that eventually changes. 

Chandler and Monica – Friends

What happens in London stays in London, right? Wrong. Chandler and Monica may have tried to keep their relationship overseas, but true love can't be contained. 

Related: American Horror Story Season 9 Episode 1 Review: Camp Redwood

It took them a while to call things official, and Monica even agreed to go on a date with someone else since Chandler said they were "just goofing around." But Chandler eventually gets over his fear of commitment, and the two go on to be the best couple on Friends. 

J.D. and Elliot – Scrubs

J.D. and Elliot's romance was complicated. It was hard to put a label on their relationship because it was difficult to keep up with what was going on. 

They tried to keep things casual, but as could be expected, it didn't go well. We couldn't be happier that they got married and were able to put all the complications behind them. 

Chloe and Alek – The Nine Lives of Chloe King

Chloe and Alek deserve so much better. Alek had always been head over heels for Chloe, but Chloe was torn between him and Brian. Because of her conflicting feelings, she never fully went all-in with him. 

The Nine Lives of Chloe King was canceled, and their story was never resolved. However, the writers created a movie script to close the series, and although they were never able to produce it, Chloe realized that she was in love with Alek.   

What to Watch: Empire Finale, One World Together at Home, Defending Jacob

Can you think of any couples that we missed?

Drop a comment down below and let us know! 

The post 19 Couples Who Refused to Define the Relationship appeared first on TV Fanatic.

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/19-couples-who-refused-to-define-the-relationship/feed/ 0 What to Watch: Vicious Fun, The Tomorrow War, Fear Street Part 1 1984 What to Watch: The Undoing, This Is Us, Christmas Movies Galore! What to Watch: Empire Finale, One World Together at Home, Defending Jacob