Sometimes, a TV show can have all the ingredients for a great character and still completely waste them. Whether it is gradually pushing a character in the wrong direction, undoing years of development, or making that one baffling decision that changes everything, here are the top 10 times TV shows failed their characters.
10. Bran Stark in ‘Game Of Thrones’
When ‘Game of Thrones’ began, Bran Stark was just a young boy dreaming of becoming a knight one day. Those dreams were shattered when he tragically gets paralyzed from the waist down. This could have been the perfect setting for his character to explore and find new purpose in life.
But his journey towards becoming the Three-Eyed Raven eventually goes downhill. It leaves Bran completely emotionless. This transformation might have fit the lore the series was trying to create, but it all came at the cost of his character.
Related: 10 Beloved TV Shows Their Own Stars Say Would Never Be Made Today
9. Rachel Berry in ‘Glee’
Rachel Berry spent her whole time on ‘Glee’ chasing one dream above anything else: getting up on that stage. So, when she finally lands the role of Fanny Brice on Broadway, it felt like the perfect payoff to years of ambition and hard work.
Then, she threw it all away to headline a terrible sitcom, which was also canceled after just one episode. Watching Rachel repeatedly make such ridiculous decisions felt less like character development and more like betrayal of everything she stood for.
8. Ned Flanders in ‘The Simpsons’
It is aptly after Ned Flanders’ character that we get the term “Flanderization”, where a character’s most recognizable traits become so exaggerated that they eventually replace everything else that made them interesting.
Ned wasn’t always the best, but at least in the earlier seasons he was complex. Over time, every other trait is pushed aside to create a character who is almost impossibly nice, overly strict about his faith, and frustratingly one-dimensional.
7. Elena Gilbert in ‘The Vampire Diaries’
Elena Gilbert’s character arc in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ was one of the most frustrating cases of TV shows failing its character. She was doing well as a human and we all could easily root for her. But as the show went on, she just became too selfish, chaotic and exhausting.
Once she became a vampire, her characterization seemed to spiral. On top of that, her endless arguments with Damon and Stefan only added to the frustration. During the later seasons, Elena seemed to make the wrong decision at every possible moment.
6. Joey Tribbiani in ‘Friends’
When ‘Friends’ began, Joey Tribbiani was never supposed to be the smartest person in the room, but that was part of what made him so lovable. As the series went on, the writers clung to this one part of his personality and forgot about everything else.
He was pushed to be the bumbling comic relief with no meaningful character growth. Sure, Joey remains one of television’s most beloved characters, but none of his original charm was even there in the later seasons of the show.
In Case You Missed It: Top 10 Stupidest Ways Characters Were Killed Off In TV Shows
5. Robin Scherbatsky in ‘How I Met Your Mother’
When ‘How I Met Your Mother’ began, Robin Scherbatsky stood out as an independent, career-driven woman who had no interest in fitting into anyone else’s expectations. Unfortunately, the showrunners forgot about it all and just decided to make the archetypical early 2000s rom-com female character.
Instead of allowing Robin to grow into a fully realized person with ambitions and a life beyond romance, the show repeatedly brought her back to the same love-triangle dynamics. By the end, much of what made Robin so different from other female TV leads was completely spoiled.
4. Miranda Hobbes in ‘And Just Like That…’
‘And Just Like That…’ did little justice to the legacy of ‘Sex and the City’, but Miranda Hobbes was arguably the worst victim. The original Miranda was strong-willed, level-headed, fiercely independent and confident in who she was.
The revival transformed her into a chaotic figure whose life only revolves around her romantic relationships. Every attempt that the show made to somehow make her more progressive just backfired and ruined the qualities that once made her a beloved character.
3. Debbie Gallagher in ‘Shameless’
Debbie Gallagher goes through such a drastic character change in ‘Shameless’ that it is completely unbelievable. The sweet, forgiving and considerate child at the start of the show was unrecognizable by the end.
Despite growing up in a deeply dysfunctional family, earlier Debbie was still so compassionate and mature. But when in season 5, she somehow got the idea to get pregnant, her arc just kept going downhill.
2. Rory Gilmore in ‘Gilmore Girls’
Rory Gilmore was once the easiest character to root for: intelligent, ambitious, and working hard towards a bright future. But as the show went on, her choices became increasingly difficult to defend.
But what is even more frustrating is that the show still had the chance to explore a realistic character. Instead, in the revival, they just decided to give her the same fate her mother once wanted to escape from: pregnant and uncertain about her future.
1. Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Game of Thrones’
Throughout ‘Game of Thrones’, we watched Daenerys Targaryen grow from a naïve young bride into a resilient, determined leader, and we could genuinely root for her. She still had many morally questionable moments, but the show spent years developing her ambition, compassion, and sense of justice.
Then, in the penultimate episode, the show suddenly decided to take the route of the “Mad Queen,” and she burns down King’s Landing, killing countless innocent people. Whatever the writers intended to do with the show’s ending, we can agree that Dany deserved better.
You Might Also Like To Read: Top 10 TV Shows That Changed Tone Halfway Through
