Top 20 Exact Moments That RUINED TV Characters
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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the TV moments that changed our perceptions of a character for the worst. Warning: Major spoilers to come!
We really didnt see this coming. Nate Shelley was an assistant coach and Teds friend, one of the sweetest characters in the show. By the end of Season 3, however, he has leaked Teds panic attacks to the press and taken a job at the rival West Ham United. What happened? We are just as shocked as you are. This wholesome shows turn for the not-so-wholesome has been a mixed bag, to say the least. No doubt, the show was attempting a villain redemption arc, but its penchant of putting significant plot beats off-screen ruins much of this arcs efficacy. Either way, we will never look at Nate the same way again.
The mystery of this anonymous blog writer was the heart of this iconic teen show. This writer was seemingly omniscient, posting scandalous details of the casts love triumphs, entanglements, and doldrums of our main cast and beyond. When the show finally revealed that Dan Humphrey was behind the blog, fans were divided. While Dan has the writing skills required for the role, a lot of Gossip Girls actions go against his motivation and open major plot holes. It doesnt help matters either when the show creators confessed that they initially planned to make Serenas younger brother, Eric, Gossip Girl, and even flirted with choosing Nate. Either way, Dan is forever tainted by Gossip Girls cruelty and opportunism. Some mysteries are better left unsolved.
How could they do Alex so dirty like this? Well, to its credit, Greys Anatomy had little choice in the matter. When Justin Chambers suddenly left the show, his character, Alex Karev, necessarily had to depart as well. But breaking up with his partner Jo and confessing his love for Izzie Stevens via a letter, of all ways, was not the way to do it. Alex had experienced tremendous growth throughout the show, his rough and gruff exterior eventually revealing a heart of gold. To see him leave the show in this way was polarizing for fans, to say the least. Officially the worst thing hes ever done, indeed.
Granted, this show is famous for its bonkers plot lines and character arcs, so should we really be surprised? But boy-next-door Archie pleading guilty of first-degree murder when he is not takes the cake for the most bizarre incident including when Archie literally gets attacked by a bear. Framed for the murder of Cassidy by Hiram, Archies decision to take a plea deal and go to a juvenile detention center for two years was wild - especially since Archie got a hung jury. He could have gone free if it werent for the showrunners eagerness for a Shawshank Redemption-style storyline. Archies golden retriever personality took a turn towards the dumber side.
Animated shows are often known for their zany humor, but even cartoons should have a limit. In this infamous episode, it is discovered that Plankton is afraid of whales, as his entire family had been eaten by them. As a joke, Mr. Krabs disguises himself as his whale daughter, Pearl, and terrorizes him throughout town for two weeks. This harassment culminates in Plankton lying down in the middle of the road. Only when SpongeBob tells him that Mr. Krabs is afraid of clowns that Plankton gets a taste for life back again and plots revenge. Mr. Krabs refusal to back off makes this icky episode even worse. If Mr. Krabs is capable of such a thingwhat isnt he capable of?
Has there been any TV teacher more problematic than Will Schuester? There is his weird comment on how his students are all minorities simply for being in the Glee club. There was also that moment when Will suspends Marley. But by far the most egregious act was his first one: Will blackmailing quarterback Finn into joining the Glee club. How? He plants marijuana in his locker room. Why? Will heard Finn sing in the shower and decided he must have this talent at all costs. Wills character just gets worse from there, making him perhaps one of the worst teachers in television history.
The working class Gallagher family, headed by its troubled patriarch, has its fair share of truly messed up members. Not Debbie, though. Debbie is the kind-hearted third-youngest daughter, grounded and mature for her age, even running a daycare center. But as the seasons went on, Debbies character took a turn for the impulsive, immature, and self-destructive. One of her most baffling actions was to get pregnanton purposeby her boyfriend, Derek, lying to him that she was protected. This causes an angry Derek to cut out all contact with Debbie and move in with his grandparents, leaving Debbie as a struggling single mother. What a horrible series of bad decisions by the one character we thought was sensible.
When someone starts to look up to Walter White, of all characters, you know there is going to be nothing but trouble. Todd Alquist worked for Walt and Jesse as a fellow meth cook, even helping Walt and Jesse pull off a major heist. At the end of this episode, right after they stole meth from a train, Walt, Jesse, and Todd see a boy on a dirt bike, waving at them. Todd waves back and shoots him. Until this moment, we never thought Todd would be capable of such ruthlessness. Of course, Todd goes on to do many more horrible things. It goes to show the extreme lengths to which some people would go to prove themselves.
Able to compel people with the phrase I heard a rumor, Allison had always struggled with the ethical ramification of her powers, hiding and even refusing to use them. So this use of her powers against her adopted brother, Luther, is particularly egregious. Granted, Allison does change her mind in time, but the fact that she even contemplated forcing herself on Luther, much less began the compulsion, is beyond horrific. Allisons use of her powers of suggestion crosses many lines, before and after this moment, but this one must take the cake.
Remember when Rory used to be the diligent and responsible Gilmore? She dreamed of attending Harvard. Her role model was Christiane Amanpour, for crying aloud. But it isnt long before Rory begins to make increasingly questionable decisions. A big one that raised many eyebrows was Rory sleeping with her ex Dean, who is now married to a fellow schoolmate. But perhaps even more of a character break is when Rory steals a yacht. After she gets arrested, she decides to drop out of Yale entirely. From Harvard dreaming to dropping out of Yale is a steep fall, leaving fans bewildered and frustrated with the drastic turn this character took.
Granted, Andy has never been the most popular character in the series. His first introduction established him as a bit of a sleazeball with anger management issues. Throughout the seasons, though, he did grow and become more interesting, particularly through his love entanglements with Erin. Season 9, however, had him reverting to his selfish Season 3 characterization. He sails off to the Bahamas, leaving a neglected Erin behind. Andy eventually pursues his acting dream with the help of talent agent Carla. Undoing all that character work for the last season of the show is a pitfall a lot of shows fall into. Too bad The Office was one of them.
There may be no character done more dirty by a show than Meg. Soon becoming the Griffin familysand the showsscapegoat, Meg has been on the receiving end of some major mistreatment and cruelty. So when she does a Ned Flanders and finally confronts her family on their abuse while they are riding out a hurricane, it is nothing less than cathartic. But when the family turns against each other, Meg decides to apologize for her true remarks, believing this family needs someone to pile on all their dysfunction, and that someone should be her. Its a terrible decision, not in the least because it makes Meg choose her role as the family punching bag willingly.
It can be argued that love and death are the two universal themes of all drama. But what happens when you kill Love? In Season 2, serial killer Joe meets his match in Love Quinn, a fellow killer who would go to extreme lengths for the ones she loves. Joe is hypocritically appalled by Love, but marries her when she falls pregnant with their child. When Love finds out about Joes latest obsession and prepares to kill him, Joe gets there first. Accepting Love would have been a great opportunity for character growth. As it is, it only cements Joes status as yet another boring creep.
Why did this show do Andrea so dirty? A former civil rights attorney, Andrea began as a strong and sharpshooter with great aim. But her character took a distinct turn from her arc in the comics. In Season 3, separated from Ricks group with her friend Michonne, Andrea abets and even falls for the villainous Governor, who leads a town of survivors called Woodbury. Although Michonne bails out, Andrea stays in Woodbury. Worst of all, she sleeps with the Governor. Even after the Governor attacks the prison, Andrea is unable to kill him, and she is finally captured by him. That the show would turn Andrea into this lovestruck apologist is nothing less than criminal. For many fans, it ruined her character for good.
There are bad boys and then there is just bad. Initially planned as a one-and-done villain along with his sire Drusilla, Spikes popularity among fans made him a recurring character. Eventually, he becomes Buffy and the Scooby Gangs most reliable ally. He even falls in love with Buffy, entering a passionate, tumultuous relationship with her that garnered its own passionate fanbase. Unfortunately, that relationship turns violent on both sides, especially as Buffy struggles with her depression. Worst of all, in response to Buffys jealousy over his drunken advances towards Anya, Spike attacks and almost forces himself on Buffy. He leaves Sunnydale after that and endeavors to get his soul back, but such an inexcusable act will definitely haunt us.
This controversial episode really made us look at Seymour Skinner differently. This Season 9 episode reveals that Principal Skinner is, in fact, an impostor. His real name was Armin Tamzarian, a juvenile delinquent-turned-soldier who befriended the real Skinner, a sergeant fighting in the Vietnam War. When Agnes mistook Armin for her supposedly dead son Seymour, Armin decided to keep up the deceptionwhich worked until the real Skinner returned. Eventually, the people of Springfield realize they prefer Armin-Skinner to the real deal, and welcome him back. The decision to retcon Skinners backstory was decried as cheap. The revelation of a beloved character being a mere fraud is also a hard pill to swallow.
Decried as one of the worst finales in all of TV, this show also made us change our perception of Ted Mosby for good. Teds tale of how he met his childrens mother included his tumultuous relationship with Robin Scherbatsky. After their breakup, they eventually move on to other people as their inherent incompatibility is made clear: Ted wants a family, Robin does not. But in the last season, even as Robin marries Barney and Ted meets the mother of his children, the show suddenly changes gears. After Robins divorce and Teds wife dying, we are shown Ted going back to Robin after all these years, encouraged by his own children. Its a terrible conclusion, one that ruined Teds character for good.
We have talked a lot about shark-jumping moments, and this actual shark jump is why. In this now-infamous Happy Days episode, The California Kid dares Fonzie to jump over a tiger shark on skis. Fonzie had grown into a fan favorite, with storylines written just for his character as a result of his popularity. But before this moment, Fonzie has never shown the slightest ability for water sports; at best, he is a biker. Switching the setting from diner to beach only made matters worse. It was clearly a case of the creators abandoning character consistency for a memorable moment - but not memorable in the way intended. At least we got a cool new descriptor for bad TV writing.
Now this change is nothing less than bewildering. Debra Morgan was Dexters foster sister, loyal, caring, and a great police officer. Both she and Dexter viewed each others relationship as nothing more than fraternal. But while talking to her psychiatrist about her failed relationships in Season 6, Debra realizes her feelings towards her adopted brother may be less fraternal than she thinks. The rationale doesnt make much sense on the face of it, nor is it psychologically plausible, as the two did grow up together. To make matters worse, Dexter reacts with believable confusionof course, he doesnt return Debras feelings. Debra was truly done dirty by this plotline.
Universally decried as pure character assassination, this shows decision to turn a beloved character to the dark side has to be seen to be believed. Forced into marriage by her abusive brother, Daenerys rose from the ashes, literally, to become a formidable contender for the Iron Throne, freeing slaves and defending the innocent. Despite her occasionally brutal actions, they were not illogical and balanced out with acts of kindness and mercy. The last season of the show, however, showed her out-of-nowhere decision to burn Kings Landing. Daeneryss character switch from liberator to tyrant was not well executed. And with her death by Jon Snow, her character is officially assassinated. Thanks, show.
Can you think of ways that any ruined characters could have been redeemed? Let us know in the comments down below!
#20: Nate Betrays Ted
Ted Lasso (2020-23)We really didnt see this coming. Nate Shelley was an assistant coach and Teds friend, one of the sweetest characters in the show. By the end of Season 3, however, he has leaked Teds panic attacks to the press and taken a job at the rival West Ham United. What happened? We are just as shocked as you are. This wholesome shows turn for the not-so-wholesome has been a mixed bag, to say the least. No doubt, the show was attempting a villain redemption arc, but its penchant of putting significant plot beats off-screen ruins much of this arcs efficacy. Either way, we will never look at Nate the same way again.
#19: It Was Dan All Along
Gossip Girl (2007-12)The mystery of this anonymous blog writer was the heart of this iconic teen show. This writer was seemingly omniscient, posting scandalous details of the casts love triumphs, entanglements, and doldrums of our main cast and beyond. When the show finally revealed that Dan Humphrey was behind the blog, fans were divided. While Dan has the writing skills required for the role, a lot of Gossip Girls actions go against his motivation and open major plot holes. It doesnt help matters either when the show creators confessed that they initially planned to make Serenas younger brother, Eric, Gossip Girl, and even flirted with choosing Nate. Either way, Dan is forever tainted by Gossip Girls cruelty and opportunism. Some mysteries are better left unsolved.
#18: Alex Leaves Jo for Izzie
Greys Anatomy (2005-)How could they do Alex so dirty like this? Well, to its credit, Greys Anatomy had little choice in the matter. When Justin Chambers suddenly left the show, his character, Alex Karev, necessarily had to depart as well. But breaking up with his partner Jo and confessing his love for Izzie Stevens via a letter, of all ways, was not the way to do it. Alex had experienced tremendous growth throughout the show, his rough and gruff exterior eventually revealing a heart of gold. To see him leave the show in this way was polarizing for fans, to say the least. Officially the worst thing hes ever done, indeed.
#17: Archies Plea Deal
Riverdale (2017-23)Granted, this show is famous for its bonkers plot lines and character arcs, so should we really be surprised? But boy-next-door Archie pleading guilty of first-degree murder when he is not takes the cake for the most bizarre incident including when Archie literally gets attacked by a bear. Framed for the murder of Cassidy by Hiram, Archies decision to take a plea deal and go to a juvenile detention center for two years was wild - especially since Archie got a hung jury. He could have gone free if it werent for the showrunners eagerness for a Shawshank Redemption-style storyline. Archies golden retriever personality took a turn towards the dumber side.
#16: Mr. Krabs Preys on Planktons Fear
SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-)Animated shows are often known for their zany humor, but even cartoons should have a limit. In this infamous episode, it is discovered that Plankton is afraid of whales, as his entire family had been eaten by them. As a joke, Mr. Krabs disguises himself as his whale daughter, Pearl, and terrorizes him throughout town for two weeks. This harassment culminates in Plankton lying down in the middle of the road. Only when SpongeBob tells him that Mr. Krabs is afraid of clowns that Plankton gets a taste for life back again and plots revenge. Mr. Krabs refusal to back off makes this icky episode even worse. If Mr. Krabs is capable of such a thingwhat isnt he capable of?
#15: Will Blackmails Finn
Glee (2009-15)Has there been any TV teacher more problematic than Will Schuester? There is his weird comment on how his students are all minorities simply for being in the Glee club. There was also that moment when Will suspends Marley. But by far the most egregious act was his first one: Will blackmailing quarterback Finn into joining the Glee club. How? He plants marijuana in his locker room. Why? Will heard Finn sing in the shower and decided he must have this talent at all costs. Wills character just gets worse from there, making him perhaps one of the worst teachers in television history.
#14: Debbie Gets Pregnant on Purpose
Shameless (2011-21)The working class Gallagher family, headed by its troubled patriarch, has its fair share of truly messed up members. Not Debbie, though. Debbie is the kind-hearted third-youngest daughter, grounded and mature for her age, even running a daycare center. But as the seasons went on, Debbies character took a turn for the impulsive, immature, and self-destructive. One of her most baffling actions was to get pregnanton purposeby her boyfriend, Derek, lying to him that she was protected. This causes an angry Derek to cut out all contact with Debbie and move in with his grandparents, leaving Debbie as a struggling single mother. What a horrible series of bad decisions by the one character we thought was sensible.
#13: Todd Shoots a Kid for No Reason
Breaking Bad (2008-13)When someone starts to look up to Walter White, of all characters, you know there is going to be nothing but trouble. Todd Alquist worked for Walt and Jesse as a fellow meth cook, even helping Walt and Jesse pull off a major heist. At the end of this episode, right after they stole meth from a train, Walt, Jesse, and Todd see a boy on a dirt bike, waving at them. Todd waves back and shoots him. Until this moment, we never thought Todd would be capable of such ruthlessness. Of course, Todd goes on to do many more horrible things. It goes to show the extreme lengths to which some people would go to prove themselves.
#12: Allison Almost Assaults Luther
The Umbrella Academy (2019-24)Able to compel people with the phrase I heard a rumor, Allison had always struggled with the ethical ramification of her powers, hiding and even refusing to use them. So this use of her powers against her adopted brother, Luther, is particularly egregious. Granted, Allison does change her mind in time, but the fact that she even contemplated forcing herself on Luther, much less began the compulsion, is beyond horrific. Allisons use of her powers of suggestion crosses many lines, before and after this moment, but this one must take the cake.
#11: Rory Drops Out of Yale
Gilmore Girls (2000-07)Remember when Rory used to be the diligent and responsible Gilmore? She dreamed of attending Harvard. Her role model was Christiane Amanpour, for crying aloud. But it isnt long before Rory begins to make increasingly questionable decisions. A big one that raised many eyebrows was Rory sleeping with her ex Dean, who is now married to a fellow schoolmate. But perhaps even more of a character break is when Rory steals a yacht. After she gets arrested, she decides to drop out of Yale entirely. From Harvard dreaming to dropping out of Yale is a steep fall, leaving fans bewildered and frustrated with the drastic turn this character took.
#10: Andy Sails Away
The Office (2005-13)Granted, Andy has never been the most popular character in the series. His first introduction established him as a bit of a sleazeball with anger management issues. Throughout the seasons, though, he did grow and become more interesting, particularly through his love entanglements with Erin. Season 9, however, had him reverting to his selfish Season 3 characterization. He sails off to the Bahamas, leaving a neglected Erin behind. Andy eventually pursues his acting dream with the help of talent agent Carla. Undoing all that character work for the last season of the show is a pitfall a lot of shows fall into. Too bad The Office was one of them.
#9: Meg Embraces Martyrdom
Family Guy (1999-2003; 2005-)There may be no character done more dirty by a show than Meg. Soon becoming the Griffin familysand the showsscapegoat, Meg has been on the receiving end of some major mistreatment and cruelty. So when she does a Ned Flanders and finally confronts her family on their abuse while they are riding out a hurricane, it is nothing less than cathartic. But when the family turns against each other, Meg decides to apologize for her true remarks, believing this family needs someone to pile on all their dysfunction, and that someone should be her. Its a terrible decision, not in the least because it makes Meg choose her role as the family punching bag willingly.
#8: Love Quinns Death
You (2018-)It can be argued that love and death are the two universal themes of all drama. But what happens when you kill Love? In Season 2, serial killer Joe meets his match in Love Quinn, a fellow killer who would go to extreme lengths for the ones she loves. Joe is hypocritically appalled by Love, but marries her when she falls pregnant with their child. When Love finds out about Joes latest obsession and prepares to kill him, Joe gets there first. Accepting Love would have been a great opportunity for character growth. As it is, it only cements Joes status as yet another boring creep.
#7: Andrea Sleeps With the Governor
The Walking Dead (2010-22)Why did this show do Andrea so dirty? A former civil rights attorney, Andrea began as a strong and sharpshooter with great aim. But her character took a distinct turn from her arc in the comics. In Season 3, separated from Ricks group with her friend Michonne, Andrea abets and even falls for the villainous Governor, who leads a town of survivors called Woodbury. Although Michonne bails out, Andrea stays in Woodbury. Worst of all, she sleeps with the Governor. Even after the Governor attacks the prison, Andrea is unable to kill him, and she is finally captured by him. That the show would turn Andrea into this lovestruck apologist is nothing less than criminal. For many fans, it ruined her character for good.
#6: Spike Assaults Buffy
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)There are bad boys and then there is just bad. Initially planned as a one-and-done villain along with his sire Drusilla, Spikes popularity among fans made him a recurring character. Eventually, he becomes Buffy and the Scooby Gangs most reliable ally. He even falls in love with Buffy, entering a passionate, tumultuous relationship with her that garnered its own passionate fanbase. Unfortunately, that relationship turns violent on both sides, especially as Buffy struggles with her depression. Worst of all, in response to Buffys jealousy over his drunken advances towards Anya, Spike attacks and almost forces himself on Buffy. He leaves Sunnydale after that and endeavors to get his soul back, but such an inexcusable act will definitely haunt us.
#5: Seymour Skinner is an Imposter
The Simpsons (1989-)This controversial episode really made us look at Seymour Skinner differently. This Season 9 episode reveals that Principal Skinner is, in fact, an impostor. His real name was Armin Tamzarian, a juvenile delinquent-turned-soldier who befriended the real Skinner, a sergeant fighting in the Vietnam War. When Agnes mistook Armin for her supposedly dead son Seymour, Armin decided to keep up the deceptionwhich worked until the real Skinner returned. Eventually, the people of Springfield realize they prefer Armin-Skinner to the real deal, and welcome him back. The decision to retcon Skinners backstory was decried as cheap. The revelation of a beloved character being a mere fraud is also a hard pill to swallow.
#4: Ted Goes Back to Robin
How I Met Your Mother (2005-14)Decried as one of the worst finales in all of TV, this show also made us change our perception of Ted Mosby for good. Teds tale of how he met his childrens mother included his tumultuous relationship with Robin Scherbatsky. After their breakup, they eventually move on to other people as their inherent incompatibility is made clear: Ted wants a family, Robin does not. But in the last season, even as Robin marries Barney and Ted meets the mother of his children, the show suddenly changes gears. After Robins divorce and Teds wife dying, we are shown Ted going back to Robin after all these years, encouraged by his own children. Its a terrible conclusion, one that ruined Teds character for good.
#3: Jumping the SharkLiterally
Happy Days (1974-84)We have talked a lot about shark-jumping moments, and this actual shark jump is why. In this now-infamous Happy Days episode, The California Kid dares Fonzie to jump over a tiger shark on skis. Fonzie had grown into a fan favorite, with storylines written just for his character as a result of his popularity. But before this moment, Fonzie has never shown the slightest ability for water sports; at best, he is a biker. Switching the setting from diner to beach only made matters worse. It was clearly a case of the creators abandoning character consistency for a memorable moment - but not memorable in the way intended. At least we got a cool new descriptor for bad TV writing.
#2: Debra in Love with Dexter
Dexter (2006-13)Now this change is nothing less than bewildering. Debra Morgan was Dexters foster sister, loyal, caring, and a great police officer. Both she and Dexter viewed each others relationship as nothing more than fraternal. But while talking to her psychiatrist about her failed relationships in Season 6, Debra realizes her feelings towards her adopted brother may be less fraternal than she thinks. The rationale doesnt make much sense on the face of it, nor is it psychologically plausible, as the two did grow up together. To make matters worse, Dexter reacts with believable confusionof course, he doesnt return Debras feelings. Debra was truly done dirty by this plotline.
#1: Daenerys Burns Kings Landing
Game of Thrones (2011-19)Universally decried as pure character assassination, this shows decision to turn a beloved character to the dark side has to be seen to be believed. Forced into marriage by her abusive brother, Daenerys rose from the ashes, literally, to become a formidable contender for the Iron Throne, freeing slaves and defending the innocent. Despite her occasionally brutal actions, they were not illogical and balanced out with acts of kindness and mercy. The last season of the show, however, showed her out-of-nowhere decision to burn Kings Landing. Daeneryss character switch from liberator to tyrant was not well executed. And with her death by Jon Snow, her character is officially assassinated. Thanks, show.
Can you think of ways that any ruined characters could have been redeemed? Let us know in the comments down below!
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