Problematic: TV Show Characters Everyone Loves That I Don’t

With hundreds upon hundred of TV shows being released every year, each with their own cast of quirky and unique characters, there's bound to be some misses when it comes to making each member of the population of these fictional worlds likeable. These characters, however, are people that generally went over well with audiences, just not at all with me.

Gregory House. House MD (2004).

So I exaggerated a bit, I don't totally despise the eponymous hero of the 2000's medical drama, but his creed of universal misanthropy quickly wears thin as he behaves utterly abysmally whilst the story and characters within it completely justify it because he's a good doctor. To add insult to injury, recurring cast member Eric Foreman is put down both in the show and on social media for being 'arrogant' and 'always wrong'. At best this is an example of narrative bias - House gets it wrong at least 3 times an episode as part of the show's format - and at worst blatant racism. While it isn't the character House's fault, it really doesn't help me look past his flaws to see his alleged 'heart of gold'.

Mona-Lisa Saperstein. Parks and Recreation (2009).

Is hating a character that's intended to be annoying controversial? Probably not, but the fact remains that the showrunners of Parks and Rec clearly thought that Mona-Lisa's grating voice, selfish behaviour and juvenile motivations were adding to the sitcom's brilliant cast, if them featuring her more and more was anything to go by. From her manipulation of Tom and his business, to her loud begs for 'money please', Mona-Lisa is completely insufferable. I haven't seen any hatred online for her, so either I need to look harder, or I need to get busy.

Jim Bell. Friday Night Dinner (2011).

The insistence that Jim is a lonely and invasive but well-meaning soul is, to me, ridiculous. Episodes like the one where he tricks the family into dog-sitting Wilson so he can go on a date are more than proof that he's well aware of what he's doing, and he never faces any kind of consequence for his consistent barrage on the family's time. These things are perhaps excusable, if he wasn't also constantly touching Jackie inappropriately and forcing himself on her at every opportunity. I'm sure plenty of people have picked up on this, but I'll never forget someone unironically telling me they thought Jim was the best member of the series. If Jim Bell has no haters, I'm dead.