Top 10 TV Characters That Didn't Deserve Their Happy Ending

“Friends” (1994-2004)
He’s more of a frenemy than an actual friend. While he’s undoubtedly one of the most vital characters, he’s also one of the most contentious. He proved on several occasions that he wasn’t a very good partner. From making a list of pros and cons about Rachel’s career and personality to saying her name to a different woman at the wedding altar, it was clear he only cared about himself. Despite all of that, he was still given a fairy tale ending, where Rachel left all of her dreams behind to be with him. While it ended up being the best choice for Rachel in the long run, we can’t help but wish she had just gotten on that plane.

“The Office” (2005-13)
Angela is the personification of your job’s worst nightmare. She was judgmental toward everyone and wasn’t shy about sharing those judgements out loud. She constantly insulted her co-workers and seemed to take joy in tearing them down. Even as the show progressed, she continued to act selfishly. She even went so far as to lie to both Dwight and the Senator about who the father of her child was. However, none of that seemed to matter by the end of the series, when she marries Dwight. While their wedding was a genuinely sweet moment, some viewers couldn’t help but feel that her happy ending wasn’t entirely deserved.

“Glee” (2009-15)
She’s proof that being talented doesn’t cancel out a mean personality. Despite being bullied by everyone else in school, Rachel used her tiny bit of power in the glee club to tear down her fellow teammates. Her competitive nature caused her to act out in vicious ways, from insulting her friends to throwing fits if she didn’t get a solo. She even went so far as to send a potential new member to a dangerous location, just to ensure she would still be the best singer in the club. She was continuously rewarded despite her bad behavior; and her setbacks were short lived. It all culminated in her getting everything she ever wanted – a loving relationship and a Tony – which annoyed fans to no end.

“The Vampire Diaries”(2009-17)
When it comes to romantic programs, it’s an unfortunate reality that some less than ideal behaviors will be normalized and made to seem sweet. However, some things can’t be romanticized, and Damon was the ultimate proof of that. His devotion to Elena caused him to do some deplorable things, from forcing her to drink his blood to snapping her brother's neck when she rejected him. It was proven time and time again how toxic he was. And yet, by the end, Elena chose him as the one to be with for the rest of eternity. While we know shows like this aren’t the healthiest representation of love, presenting their relationship as anything other than unhealthy was a bold choice.

“How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14)
While he may not have been downright evil, he proved on several occasions why his quest to meet the right woman took so long. He was willing to drop his partners quickly if he felt they weren’t going to be permanent and broke up with some at the most inopportune moments. When it seemed Ted had finally met the titular mother, fans were excited. However, their hopes were dashed when it was revealed that she had passed, and that the story had been leading to him committing to Robin, a long-term friend. Seeing Ted get to have his cake and eat it too felt completely undeserved. While things worked out for him, it was at the expense of the show’s ending.

“The Walking Dead” (2010-22)
Redemption arcs can be fun to watch, but some simply don’t deserve them - like Negan. He’s responsible for several brutal deaths in the series, including long term fan-favorites. He went out of his way to be as antagonistic as possible, purely for the sake of showing Rick who was in charge. His violence was seemingly endless, making for a compelling yet horrific villain. Despite all of that, he changed his tune and began to help the people he had once traumatized so horribly. While it was an interesting direction for his character to go in, seeing such a brutal person become so soft was jarring to say the least.

“Mad Men” (2007-15)
Anti-hero narratives, though they can be compelling, can also lead to an unrealistic and undeserved ending. Draper was blinded by his visions of success and was willing to do anything or hurt anyone to get to the top. His constant mistreatment of his family and peers is more than enough to prove that he cared more about his success than the happiness of the people in his life. Despite his toxic behavior, he rarely saw consequences for it. Even the finale implies that Don still hasn’t changed his ways. While we see him meditating, the immediate cut to a Coke commercial implies that he never left the business— and in fact, may have used his treatment as a way to finally reach the top.

“One Tree Hill” (2003-12)
Some characters’ redemptions come across naturally; others seem to come about manipulatively if handled wrong. Dan Scott was never going to win Family Member of the Year. He was needlessly violent towards his children, and even had a hand in the death of his brother. Despite his evil deeds, he never once had to atone for them. Although his arc concludes with his death, everything still manages to be wrapped up in a neat bow for him. Nearly all of his children forgave him, and it's even implied that his brother forgave and invited Dan to join him in the afterlife. It was a bizarre ending for such a horrid character, and to this day fans wonder why they went so far to redeem him.

“Gossip Girl” (2007-12)
From the very beginning of the series, it was clear that Chuck shouldn’t be trusted. He treated the women in his life horribly, whether he was romantically involved with them or not. He also was violent on more than one occasion and only seemed to care about taking over his family’s company. The finale seemed to be setting up an ending where he would face consequences for his actions — only for that to be brushed aside when he and Blair revealed they had successfully evaded a charge. While the show seemed to think it was clever, many fans disagreed. They would have preferred seeing Chuck be held accountable, rather than given everything he ever wanted.

“Sex and the City” (1998-04)
She’s the personification of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss. Though Carrie made it seem like she was a supportive friend and partner, her actions spoke differently. Her constant devotion to Mr. Big caused her to mistreat her friends and herself. Her self-sabotage went so far that she even cheated on her seemingly perfect boyfriend to be with him. Considering how being with Big made her worse, the series ending with the two of them together didn’t feel like a win at all. In fact, it just made it appear as though she hadn’t developed at all in six seasons. Even if she had ended up single but happy, it would have been a much more satisfying conclusion than the one she actually got.