Nobody wants to watch a TV show where they can predict every major storyline or main narrative plot point. In reality, all the best TV shows thrive on the unexpected, allowing audiences to gasp and recoil as they watch their favorite characters carry out some sort of action they never dreamed possible.
With that in mind, it’s safe to say certain TV characters took every chance they had to do the unexpected. From explosive-tempered New Yorkers to cackling criminal kingpins, here are some of the most unhinged characters we’ve seen on our television screens yet.
Frank Costanza (Seinfeld)
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Jerry Stiller was born to play Seinfeld’s Frank Costanza. The erratic father of his anxiety-riddled son George, the joy of Frank’s presence lay in his sheer unpredictability as a character. Yelling at the top of his lungs with the slightest provocation, Frank always managed to turn every situation into a full-fledged screaming contest (to the horror and embarrassment of his long-suffering family, of course).
Frank Reynolds (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
Technically speaking, almost every single character on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia can be described as manically unhinged, whether discussing the paint-huffing Charlie or the clinically psychopathic Dennis. However, we’ll go out on a limb and single out Frank as the most unpredictable member of the Paddy Pub’s gang. A wealthy mogul who willingly lives in squalor alongside his possible son Charlie, Frank’s unethical business practices, coarse attitude, and general lack of hygiene establish him as one of It’s Always Sunny’s most unforgettable creations.
Creed Bratton (The Office)
Sure, Dwight, Kelly, Ryan, and even Michael are chaotically unpredictable, but Creed Bratton is an entirely different kind of unhinged altogether. Initially billed as the older, slightly more seasoned Quality Assurance representation of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch, Creed somehow morphs into a shady, perpetually spaced-out member of The Office’s workplace. Looking back, we don’t necessarily know if he’s a powerful mob boss, a calculating cult leader, or a dangerous sociopath – although perhaps he’s a little bit of everything wrapped into one hilarious package.
Joffrey Baratheon (Game of Thrones)
Quite possibly the closest thing Game of Thrones had to an outright villain, Joffrey Baratheon is that rare GoT character with little to any redeeming qualities. A petulant, snobbish, immature boy king who uses his monarchical powers to terrorize his subjects, Joffrey’s sadistic tendencies led him to commit all kinds of atrocious acts for the sake of his own amusement. Say what you will about Cersei or Ramsey, but at least they employed some semblance of strategic logic behind their twisted actions. Joffrey, on the other hand, was moved by his own hot-headed, overly-emotional mindset, leading him to act without ever sparing a moment’s thought to the repercussions of his actions.
Ben Chang (Community)
Ben Chang has worn many different hats in the context of Community, initially appearing as the hot-headed Spanish teacher of Greendale Community College before his gradual fall from grace. Since then, Chang has filled an array of distinct roles on the college campus, intermittently appearing as a homeless student, a psychotic security guard, a wannabe dictator, a struggling actor, and an unfulfilled math teacher. No matter the circumstances behind his return, audiences couldn’t wait to see more of Chang’s less-than-stable antics, as well as wondering how he’d interact with Community’s study group this time around.
The Joker (Batman: The Animated Series)
The fact that Mark Hamill’s colorful take on the Joker continues to be mentioned in the same breath as Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger’s iteration of the character should tell people all they need to know. A delightfully wacky figure in the two-dimensional landscape of Gotham City, Hamill’s energetic portrayal of the Joker wound up being the ideal counterpart to Kevin Conroy’s dark and brooding Caped Crusader.
Homelander (The Boys)
As if the idea of an evil Superman weren’t bad enough, The Boys’ Homelander somehow manages to supersede expectations when it comes to his ultra-villainous antics. Though it’s hard to say for certain whether nature or nurture accounts for his obvious psychopathic tendencies, fans have little reason to doubt Homelander’s clearly unstable mentality, as evidenced by his lengthy list of crimes and irredeemably awful actions.
