The 7 Most Over Dramatic TV Characters Of All Time
TV shows are all about drama, creating a sense of inherent conflict that keeps viewers on the edge of their seat throughout.
Whether it’s in the form of a ‘90s sitcom or a hard-hitting HBO crime drama, every memorable TV show needs drama in order to capture audiences’ attention, ensuring viewers tune in week in and week out to see how their episodic storylines pan out.
Of course, some TV characters take that sense of drama to a whole new level, regularly finding a way to elevate an otherwise normal situation into something way bigger than it needs to be. From teenage prima donnas to fame-obsessed television actors, here are seven of the most hilariously over-dramatic characters we’ve seen on TV yet.
Jackie Burkhart (That ‘70s Show)
The self-appointed princess of Point Place, Wisconsin, Jackie Burkhart has the unrivaled ability to make every situation (no matter how objective) somehow revolve around herself. Experiencing life through an almost storybook lens, to her, every moment of her existence unfolds like a cheap romance novel from your local drugstore, leading her to habitually compare her on-again, off-again boyfriends to literal knights in shining armor. Though the reality of her personal life might not always live up to the grandeur of her fantasies, such minor setbacks seldom prevent Jackie from experiencing life through her fashion brand rose-tinted glasses.
Eric Cartman (South Park)
There’s average levels of petty – and then there’s Eric Cartman levels of petty. The closest thing South Park has to an overarching antagonist, Cartman has proven himself capable of taking the slightest insults hurled at his expense and seeking unreasonably intense levels of retribution. (Need we remind anyone of what he did to Scott Tenorman, the hapless high schooler who scammed Eric out of a measly $10?) A stone-cold sociopath who’s able to destroy people’s lives without the slightest hesitation, heaven help anyone who makes the mistake of getting on Eric Cartman’s bad side.
Pierce Hawthorne (Community)
Deep down, we’ve probably all felt like Pierce Hawthorne at one time in our lives. A longtime student at Greendale Community College, Pierce’s perpetual fear of being left out by his friends often leads him to violently lash out at all those around him. Regularly blowing the most mundane issues out of proportion, Pierce has been shown to seek revenge for the most hilariously minor inconveniences, be it running for campus president to insult Vicki for not lending him a pencil, or threatening to kill Jeff and Troy’s families for refusing to tell him about their secret trampoline. Talk about a dangerously short fuse.
Jenna Maroney (30 Rock)
Tracy Jordan might habitually run amuck on 30 Rock’s sketch comedy TGS, but everyone knows that Jenna Maroney is the real wild card on the set of NBC’s show-within-show. An unstable, vainglorious egomaniac, Jenna always goes to great lengths to avoid sharing the stage with anyone, even if it means putting her life (or better yet, someone else’s) on the line for the sake of retaining everyone’s attention. Believing herself to be the prettiest, most interesting person to ever enter 30 Rockefeller Plaza, viewers have regularly seen Jenna turn into a vengeful, jealous hellcat any time someone tries to edge her out of the public spotlight.
Cam Tucker-Pritchett (Modern Family)
If you were to enter “Modern Family Cam dramatic” into YouTube’s search bar, you’ll find literally dozens of compilations showing off the character’s more melodramatic side. Perhaps the most flamboyant and bombastic character in Modern Family’s ensemble cast, Cam never balked at a chance to become the center of attention, somehow finding a way to spice up even the most ordinary situations. From introducing Lily to his in-laws to the beat of “The Circle of Life” to shrilly threatening to break a car window in order to reach his daughter, Cam’s inherent theatricality often led him to making a mountain out of a molehill, adding a touch of constant unpredictability every time he wandered on-screen in Modern Family.
Michael Scott (The Office)
You know you’re being a bit dramatic when Kelly Kapoor of all people calls you out for your attention-seeking behavior. (“Could you for once just let us enjoy a party instead of making it about all your issues?” Answer: Of course not.) The regional branch manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton, Michael Scott is essentially an eight-year-old boy trapped in a 40-year-old body, complete with all the complications you’d expect from that lethal combination. Pouting, whining, or throwing a temper tantrum whenever he fails to get his way, Michael is shown to overreact over the smallest issues imaginable, from Phyllis gifting him a handmade oven mitt for Secret Santa to viewing his slightly burnt foot as a serious, even mortal injury.
Moira Rose (Schitt’s Creek)
Realistically, any member of the Rose family could have earned a spot on this list. By a very slim margin, however, Catherine O’Hara’s fashion-savvy Moira just barely edges out her children Alexis and David as the most over-the-top member of the Rose brood. For Moira, the loss of her familial fortune is akin to the loss of life itself, forcing her to adjust to an unassuming new existence in the rural town of Schitt’s Creek.
Though initially portrayed as the image-obsessed matriarch of the Roses, Moira does slowly develop into a more thoughtful person over time, thanks in large part to her increasingly active role as a local politician in the community. In spite of her organic growth as a character, Moira still humorously retains her penchant for cheap theatrics, leading her to compare a common cold to the bubonic plague, a minor soap opera role to a legitimate Hollywood production, and her membership in the Jazzagals acapella group to a musical accomplishment worthy of a Grammy.
