Top 20 TV Characters That Lost Their Mojo
#20: Morgan Jones
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“The Walking Dead” (2010-22) & “Fear the Walking Dead” (2015-23) You’d think that, over the course of multiple shows, a character would have the chance to grow and change for the better. But sadly, Morgan doesn’t so much change as stagnate in a permanent state of flip flopping. At first a grief-riddled survivor on the verge, Morgan eventually develops into an ardent pacifist. And then he breaks his non-violent convictions whenever he feels like it. Plus, Morgan will often vacillate between a need for solitude and a desire to lead a community. It’s hard to get behind a character when you don’t know where they’ll be standing from one week to the next!
#19: Bill Compton
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“True Blood” (2008-14) Although we also soured on series heroine Sookie Stackhouse over time, it’s one of her primary romantic interests who makes us want to metaphorically spit up blood. Bill Compton proved charming initially, but the eventual vampire king proves supreme at sucking not only blood, but also plenty of our enjoyment out of the show. His constant vying for Sookie’s affections, along with his headlong descent into villainy, made it difficult to have a good time watching him, Southern charm or not. And when there were so many other better vamps to follow in the show, ol’ Bill just lost his appeal.
#18: Sabrina Spellman
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“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” (2018-20) Sabrina burst onto the scene as a breath of fresh air, a determined, feminist heroine. However, the teenage witch’s determination eventually starts to look more like stubbornness. Sabrina often believes she’s right and refuses to consider other people’s perspectives. This often leads to her alienating those around her. Additionally, while we can empathize with her desire to experience a mortal life, it could be argued that it’s not exactly the safest thing for her loved ones. Oh, and there’s also the whole Queen of Hell thing. The early cancellation of her show may have been for the best, because she was quickly losing steam as a character worth tuning in to see.
#17: Doug Wilson
“Weeds” (2005-12) Like a lazy friend sleeping on your couch, Doug Wilson overstays his welcome on “Weeds.” An enjoyer of illicit substances and Nancy’s occasional business partner, Doug is admittedly one of the funniest characters on the show. Despite being fodder for some great comedy though, he’s kind of a terrible person. He’s either stoned or manipulating those around him. And the later seasons really go off the rails with his character, and him never really getting his act together starts to get old fast. He goes on quite the long strange trip, and it doesn’t take long before it’s one we’re ready to get off of.
#16: Fish Mooney
“Gotham” (2014-19) Her name might be Fish, but this character serves up a heaping helping of “ham.” Somehow, the crime boss manages to seem especially over-the-top in a city that spawns dozens of maniacal supervillains. Still, she earns herself fans due to her rise in a male-dominated criminal field and for her role in elevating Oswald Cobblepot. However, Fish’s time on the show takes her to increasingly absurd turns, from losing her eye, to coming back from the dead, to gaining mind control powers. It got to the point where many were begging for Fish to go sleep with her namesake - permanently. They got their wish, as she ultimately didn’t survive.
#15: Britta Perry
“Community” (2009-15) Most of the characters in “Community” find ways to get themselves together and improve their lives, even if it’s a challenging road at times. But that’s not the case with Britta. Granted, she initially seems relatively put-together, especially compared to the rest of the study group. Yet as the seasons go on, her IQ seems to take a few hits, along with her life becoming more and more of a disaster. It gets so bad that the other characters use Britta as a synonym for “screwing up”! Don’t get us wrong though - actress Gillian Jacobs still kills it.
#14: James Olsen
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“Supergirl” (2015-21) The direction James Olsen takes is a bit confusing. No longer is this Superman’s adoring fan and Clark Kent’s colleague at the Daily Planet. James is older, compelling, and tragically inconsistent. First, it seems like the show will get him and Kara together. But the spark is lacking, and he later goes on to become a superhero in his own right. Then, the middle seasons see him in a relationship with Lena Luthor, despite previously being against the Luthors on principle. We’re not saying he didn’t have his moments. But ultimately, the show never seemed to land on just what to do with him, especially as time went on. This basically left him playing second fiddle to the other characters’ storylines.
#13: Ted Mosby
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“How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14) As the show’s narrator and its ostensible protagonist, we’re initially rooting for Ted. It’s the story of how he met his children’s mother, after all. However, as the show continues, this central narrative drifts, and so does Ted. His pretentiousness becomes more apparent, as does his hypocrisy. For instance, he may deride his friend Barney for pursuing shallow relationships, but then does so himself - repeatedly going after women who are wrong for him. The show does take some steps toward redeeming Ted near the end, after the titular Mother is introduced - but then the finale happens. And we all remember how controversial that is, right?
#12: Betty Draper
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“Mad Men” (2007-15) Initially, we feel for Betty. She’s the so-called perfect, beautiful housewife, who’s neglected and cheated on by anti-hero Don Draper. As she gradually realizes what kind of man he is and leaves him, it seems like she might be taking control of her life. But this is balanced out by her frankly terrible treatment of her children, as well as the fact that, unlike the other women, she doesn’t change with the times. In fact, she seems to get more spiteful and spoiled. It’s not all her fault, as she’s been raised in a largely suppressive environment, but still. Plus, once she’s divorced from Don, her connection to the main story feels flimsier, and we’re left with a character who just feels out of place.
#11: Jack Shephard
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“Lost” (2004-10) “Lost” may be an ensemble show, but Jack is still the nominal lead. The surgeon and leader of the survivors is always pretty intense and driven. But given his savior complex, Jack is ironically even more lost after some of the group gets rescued. He falls into a depression and starts consuming substances. Even going back to the Island doesn’t seem to improve things for him, since he hits on a wild plan involving an explosive and time traveling (don’t ask). Plus, it’s undeniable that in the last few seasons, some of the other survivors take the spotlight and make for better leaders.
#10: Brian Griffin
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“Family Guy” (1999-2003; 2005-) The Griffin family’s resident talking dog, Brian starts the show off as the sole voice of reason to the antics around him. He’s charming, sophisticated, and sarcastic. However, as “Family Guy” goes on, Brian becomes more and more flawed. He reveals himself to be pretentious, self-obsessed, and far less kind than he used to be. Although when his “flanderization” reaches its peak is debated, many point to Brian’s return following his death as the beginning of the end for him. Quagmire’s rant about him honestly fits the once beloved dog to a tee.
#9: Arthur Fonzarelli
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“Happy Days” (1974-84) Better known as Fonzie or the Fonz, Arthur Fonzarelli was the breakout character of “Happy Days.” The rebellious, leather jacket-sporting guy quickly became the major focus of the show. However, that spotlight proved a double edged sword. Fonzie is impossibly cool, to the point where it eventually proved hard to take him seriously. This reaches its breaking point with the infamous “jumping the shark” moment, when the Fonz literally leaps over a shark while water skiing. And if you think that soured the public on the character, you would be “correctamundo.”
#8: Andy Bernard
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“The Office” (2005-13) For most of his time on “The Office,” Andy is a fun supporting player. While he has some anger issues, he often feels like an entertaining character, with some musical inclinations. However, following his promotion to regional manager, Andy is revamped to become an obnoxious boss. His relationship with Erin also sours, particularly after his unceremonious boat trip. To be honest, while the final few episodes do see Andy end up in a better place, the last couple of seasons do make it hard to be a fan of the Nard Dog.
#7: Will Schuester
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“Glee” (2009-15) You’d think that as the teacher behind the titular glee club, Will Schuester would be an extremely popular character. And he is - within the show. But viewers watching at home are far faster to point towards Mr. Schue’s incredibly problematic behavior. From putting his students in uncomfortable or harmful positions, to blackmailing them, to his profoundly uninteresting personal life, Will wore out his welcome with fans at some point during “Glee.” It turns out that Sue Sylvester's many rants about him hit closer to home than many of us thought at first.
#6: Leonard Hofstadter
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“The Big Bang Theory” (2007-19) As the nominal protagonist of “The Big Bang Theory,” Dr. Leonard Hofstadter is initially the viewpoint character. While he’s every bit as geeky and nerdy as his friends, Leonard grounds the rest of his comparatively quirkier buddies, while also pursuing his neighbor Penny. However, over the course of 12 seasons, Leonard reveals himself to be needy, insecure, and willing to throw his friends under the bus if it benefits him. He doesn’t treat his love interests any better either, cheating on multiple, and essentially pressuring Penny into both marriage and having a child. Leonard makes the rest of his friends’ relationships look almost healthy by comparison —- almost.
#5: Joey Tribbiani
“Friends” (1994-2004) We all love Joey, don’t get us wrong. But among his friend group, he’s not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. He starts the series as more street smart and charming, capable of keeping up with Chandler’s repartee (or at least delivering his own jibes). But by the sitcom’s end, Joey is essentially a toddler in a man’s body. While still displaying moments of emotional intelligence, it’s otherwise a miracle Joey gets through each day without hurting himself. Flanderization strikes again! He’s still charismatic and lovable, though we can’t help but wonder how he can memorize lines to maintain his work as an actor. Things don’t get much better in his spin-off, either.
#4: Rory Gilmore
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“Gilmore Girls” (2000-07) & “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” (2016) Rory Gilmore begins the show with such promise. She’s responsible, smart, and sassy. However, as the show goes on, particularly after she begins to attend Yale, Rory’s character development takes a nosedive. She develops a sense of entitlement, taking her education, mother, and friends for granted. Her multiple affairs, and the fact that she drops out of Yale, despite all the work she and her mother put in to get her there, really sour many viewers on her character. A lot of us feel like we peaked in high school, but with Rory, we have demonstrable proof that she did.
#3: Piper Chapman
“Orange Is the New Black” (2013-19) Piper winds up being kind of the worst. The privileged white woman whose imprisonment kicks off the show soon proves to be the least interesting part of “Orange Is the New Black.” And, frankly, she’s less sympathetic than many of the inmates around her. She repeatedly frames or rats out her fellow convicts, including her own girlfriend. She takes advantage of her “staff” in her illegal underwear business. Piper even ends up founding a white supremacist group – yes, it’s unintentional, but she partakes for far too long. She may be locked away for most of the series, but by the end, fans are hoping that they’ll throw away the key on Piper.
#2: Dexter Morgan
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“Dexter” (2006-13) & “Dexter: New Blood” (2021-) The serial killer who kills, well, killers, Dexter Morgan makes for a compelling anti-hero, whose struggles with his inner demons are initially offset by his burgeoning relationship with his family. However, after losing wife Rita, Dexter, both the show and the character, start to lose their grip. He no longer adheres as closely to his strict code, and his later attempts at becoming more human fall flat. The revival doubling down on taking Dexter out of his long-time home and reconnecting with his son definitely didn’t help matters in the slightest.
#1: Daenerys Targaryen
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“Game of Thrones” (2011-19) There are so many people whose characterizations suffer during the latter seasons of “Game of Thrones.” However, one of the sharpest declines belongs to Daenerys Targaryen. Within the span of a few episodes, our queen goes from championing marginalized and ordinary people to violently ending their lives en masse. While vicious punishments and tactics aren’t outside her wheelhouse, Daenerys’s rapid descent from queen retaking what’s hers to uncaring tyrant feels a tad too steep to many viewers. With the right build-up, it might have been an effective move, but sadly the foundation just wasn’t there. Is there a character whose lost mojo WatchMojo lost? Help us find it again in the comments!