7 Polarizing TV Characters You’ll Either Love Or Hate

What exactly makes us tune into a television show in the first place?

Is it the situational premise that catches our interest, be it in the form of hilariously mismatched roommates, ragtag college students, dysfunctional office coworkers, or bickering family members? Or is it the characters themselves that encourage us to watch in the first place, forcing us to pay close attention to how their goals, dreams, ambitions, and respective hopes for the future pan out with each new episode?

Though there’s no shortage of overarchingly likable or morally ambiguous characters within our favorite TV shows, some series’ protagonists continue to divide fans years (sometimes decades) after the fact. From quirky if brilliant sitcom scientists to resourceful plane crash survivors, here are some of the most polarizing characters we’ve seen on television yet, many of whom are either avidly loved or passionately hated by fans of their respective series.

Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

Like so many other well-loved TV characters, Rory started off as an enjoyable enough character within Gilmore Girls’ earliest seasons. But as time drew on, the once sympathetic teenager became a shadow of her former self, regularly abusing the close-knit relationship she had with her mother to pretty much do whatever she wanted. Whether cheating on her boyfriend with a married man or skipping Lorelai’s graduation ceremony, Rory somehow always found a way to go from bad to worse. While it certainly made for great television, not even the most cathartic heart-to-hearts she had with her mother made up for her obvious character flaws, with most viewers continuing to see her as a spoiled, selfish, frustratingly unpredictable protagonist throughout Gilmore Girls’ narrative.

Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)

Admittedly, Sheldon Cooper was purposely designed to be a bit of a pest. An ingenious scientist known for his straightforward interactions and poor social skills, Sheldon made a habit of flaunting his vast intelligence over his peers, annoying his friends just as much as he routinely irked viewers. While these awkward interactions provided The Big Bang Theory with plenty of standout comedic sequences, some audience members saw Sheldon as little-more than a stereotypical TV nerd in the same vein as Urkel or Screech before him. Though he arguably became more sympathetic once his romantic interest Amy was introduced, more critical viewers continue to cast Sheldon in the same unflattering light they had at the very start of the series.

Malcolm (Malcolm in the Middle)

Like most younger TV characters, Malcolm’s childlike propensity for getting into trouble came across as an innocent enough characteristic in Malcolm in the Middle’s earliest seasons. Whether he was finding a way to undermine his tyrannical mother or playing an immature prank on his brothers, the character appeared as a lovable misfit who regularly used his genius-level intellect for all the wrong reasons. By the time Malcolm in the Middle neared its conclusion, this once adorable character trait slowly vanished without a trace, with Malcolm’s personality steadily worsening as he reached young adulthood. By the time he was a teenager preparing for graduation, the once sympathetic oddball had become a self-serving, embittered cynic with a severe superiority complex – flaws that did little to impress longtime viewers of the show.

Kate Austen (Lost)

If there’s one central lesson to take away from Lost, it’s that nobody’s perfect, with every individual possessing their own intricate backstory that defines who they are and the choices they make. Yet even when compared with other fundamentally flawed characters like Ben or her on-again, off-again lover Sawyer, Kate Austen rarely seemed as sympathetic as her fellow survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. Whether openly flirting with Jack and Sawyer or stubbornly refusing to return Aaron to his rightful family, almost every decision Kate made left viewers scratching their heads, resulting in her becoming one of the least-liked main characters throughout Lost’s six seasons on ABC.

Skylar White (Breaking Bad)

As with most characters in Breaking Bad, viewers tend to fall into two wholly different camps when looking at Walter White’s embittered wife, Skylar. On the one hand, fans and critics have applauded Anna Gunn’s presence in the show, citing Skylar’s fascinating growth as she grapples with her husband’s fast-growing criminal empire. Conversely, many have expressed continued frustration with the character’s decisions in the show, including her abrupt affair with Ted and the combative relationship she maintained with her husband. Still, even the most derisive viewer has to admire her dedication to her family, with Skylar almost always prioritizing the safety of her children above all else.

Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother)

Like his sitcom predecessor Ross Geller, Ted Mosby simply tends to rub most viewers of How I Met Your Mother the wrong way. Frequently prioritizing his own romantic interests over the thoughts and feelings of his partners, Ted’s overarching interest in Robin came across as more desperate or clingy than endearing or heartfelt. If that weren’t bad enough, after spending the majority of the show underscoring reasons why Robin and Ted could never work as a couple, the duo somehow came together for a mind-numbing romantic reunion on the very last episode of the series. (Talk about an unsatisfying conclusion …)

Ross Geller (Friends)

Few sitcom characters continue to divide viewers to the same extent as Friends’ Ross Geller. While it’s impossible to take anything away from David Schwimmer’s energetic performance as the lovesick Manhattan archaeologist, even the most dedicated Friends fans regard Ross with a degree of derision to this very day. Taking issue with his neurotic nature, stubborn attitude, and turbulent relationship with close friend/prospective love interest Rachel, viewers tend to see Ross less as a sympathetic bachelor and more as a manipulative, high-strung, paranoia-fueled eccentric. For ample evidence supporting this fact, just look at the intense debate over whether Rachel made a mistake getting back together with Ross by the time Friends concluded – an argument waged by longtime fans of the series for well over 20 years.