Top 10 Exact Moments That a TV Character's Story Arc Was Ruined by Poor Writing

When we first get to know Penny, she’s this vibrant, quick-witted, and determined character with a lot of sass and sparkle. Yet, as the series progresses, her once fierce independence takes a backseat to her relationship with Leonard. Still, her pregnancy reveal in the season finale felt like the final straw for many viewers. Not long before, Penny shared that motherhood wasn’t really in her life plan. Many fans welcomed hearing what’s still often considered an unpopular opinion on such a popular series. So, we can understand why they may have felt that this total 180 was yet another disservice to the character. What would earlier seasons Penny think if she could peek into her future?

If we were stranded on some remote island, we’d probably want someone like Sayid around— Well, most of the time. For one thing, he’s skilled and resourceful, and thanks to his backstory, he has great survival skills. Throughout the series, he grapples with his past, while his journey of personal growth, redemption, and sacrifice is one of the most enticing to watch. So, in everything that’s good about this series, what was the deal with infecting him with the mysterious sickness? As the Man in Black seemingly possesses Sayid, much of that personality and character growth we found so intriguing dissipated. Essentially, this character went out with more of a fizzle than a bang.

We're not sure what's bigger: Carrie's shoe collection or her track record of poor decision-making. Nonetheless, we're among the many “SATC” fans who still haven't forgiven her for cheating on Aidan. The pair first meet in season three at a furniture store, and Carrie instantly dives into this relationship on a bed of lies. Still, none as bad as when she reignites things with Big while dating Aidan, who is a total sweetheart. Does she feel guilty, yes? Does that stop her? No. Worse still, after she finally comes clean, she makes herself out as the victim. Her actions raise so many red flags that we'll never understand why he ever gave her another chance.

One thing that makes a character or characters interesting is how they grow and develop from their initial flaws. Indeed, that’s what made “Shameless” such a compelling series earlier on. However, further into its run, it felt like the writers were just recycling old ideas or struggling to come up with new ones. There are only so many times we can see the same characters make the same stupid mistakes before the deja vu gets tiresome. Lip and Fiona are especially guilty of never seeming to learn their lesson. Debbie’s story arcs also often make us want to facepalm. The writers would’ve been better off ending the series before they’d clearly run out of steam.

Regardless of your stance on the whole “we were on a break” debate, while Ross’s decision to rebound quickly may be questionable, his choice to hide it from Rachel is unforgivable. Fast forward to the final season, Rachel lands a dream job in Paris—one of the world’s fashion capitals. It feels like the perfect bookend to her journey, especially when we think about where she started. However, who should once again get in her way? Okay, yes, we all cheered when she got off the plane, but was that really the right decision for her? She would’ve probably thrived in Paris. Instead, she throws it all away for a guy who has repeatedly tried to hinder her success.

Few sitcoms have stirred up as much debate about their finale as this one. When you tune into a series called “How I Met Your Mother,” you think you know what you’re getting into. But over nine seasons, it turned into a story where the mother almost feels like a side note in a different romance. Meanwhile, Robin's journey, from cheating on Kevin to marrying Barney, only to soon divorce him, completely changes her character, too. Yet, both she and Ted go through significant personal growth from start to finish. Sure, the blue French horn gesture was sweet the first time. This time, however, it symbolizes the unraveling of all their development throughout the series.

Eric had been crushing on the girl next door since forever. But let’s be real; he hasn’t always been the best boyfriend. Like jilting Donna shortly before their wedding day? Yeesh! Yet, miraculously, their relationship survives. That is until Eric’s existential crisis leads him on a year-long volunteer trip to Africa. Needless to say, season eight suffered in his absence, and honestly, we’d rather just pretend it never happened. To top it off, we find out Eric decided to end things with Donna due to the challenges of long distance. They eventually work things out, but it’s hard to forget the mess Eric left behind or forgive the writers for putting us through it.

Toby Ziegler quickly became a favorite among fans for his clever, no-nonsense attitude. He was seen as one of the smartest and most principled characters. So, we were shocked when, in season seven, he revealed that he was responsible for exposing classified military information. It was a jarring departure from the character we knew, leaving us questioning if we were still watching the same show! Maybe the writers thought this unexpected plot twist would keep viewers hooked until the end. Unfortunately, for many of us, it just tarnished the show’s legacy. Even actor Richard Schiff felt his character had been wronged and convinced himself that Toby must have decided to take the fall to protect an ally.

Rory Gilmore started off as the kind of friend we all admire: smart, driven, and relatable. She was the one we could count on to navigate life's challenges with us. But as the show went on, some fans felt like they were watching a different Rory. Her actions, such as dropping out of Yale, engaging in a tumultuous affair with a married man, and displaying a lack of direction in her career, were inconsistent with the Rory we first met and actually really liked. The Rory we once adored seemed to lose her way and became more insufferable, leaving us wondering what happened to the girl we all wanted as our best friend.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.

Dan Is Gossip Girl, “Gossip Girl” (2007-12)
Spotted: A Last-Minute Reveal That Felt More Forced than Well-Planned. XOXO

Spike Assaults Buffy, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003)
There’s Literally No Redemption for That

Prince Charles Becomes Unsympathetic & Treacherous, “The Crown” (2016-23)
Dominic West’s Reign Was Marred by Some Ridiculous Flights of Fancy in the Storyline Department.

Some of the decisions leading into the “Game of Thrones” finale were headscratchers. Who could’ve predicted Daenerys’ sudden rampage? What about the disappointment of Jaime Lannister’s character arc? His transformation from despised villain to beloved anti-hero was one of the show’s most captivating journeys. That’s why it hit fans like a ton of bricks when, in the penultimate episode, Jaime’s character development suddenly hit reverse. After all that growth, he goes crawling back to Cersei, sealing his fate alongside hers. It felt like a betrayal, not just of Jaime, but of the audience’s investment in his redemption. It seemed rushed and ignored past lore. For dedicated fans, this was a bitter pill to swallow.

Which TV character’s storyline do you wish you could rewrite? Let us know in the comments.