Spoilers ahead for the September 15 series premiere of Celebrity Weakest Link on Fox, available streaming next day with a Hulu subscription.

Jane Lynch regularly roasts contestants in episodes of The Weakest Link, and the series premiere of Celebrity Weakest Link in the 2025 TV schedule proved that famous players aren't exempt from the shade either. Fox delivered something special to kick off the celebrity incarnation of the hit game show by recruiting no fewer than eight of Lynch's former Glee costars to participate, and there were puns and in-jokes galore for any Glee fan to enjoy.

My favorite bits of the episode actually came very early on, however, with Lynch channeling her inner Sue Sylvester to roast an actor for looking pretty old when playing a teenager and another actor botching a very easy question. The cast members who participated were Max Adler (Karofsky), Becca Tobin (Kitty), Alex Newell (Unique), Chord Overstreet Sam), Heather Morris (Brittany), Amber Riley (Mercedes), Dot-Marie Jones (Coach Beast), and Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina).

Max Adler Looked Too Old For High School

Given that this Glee reunion was on a game show for charity, Jane Lynch of course didn't bring up the controversy surrounding Lea Michele on set or the passing of Naya Rivera, but instead poked mostly gentle fun at the series, including that time the characters did the "Gangnam Style" dance, every unfortunate time that Will Schuester rapped, and Max Adler as Dave Karofsky. Shortly before Adler was confirmed as the first Glee elimination of Celebrity Weakest Link, he had this exchange with the host:

• Jane Lynch: "Can I just say you were the oldest-looking junior in high school? I mean, you were like shaving two times a day back then."
• Max Adler: "Oh yeah, they were filling in the bald spot. It was a whole thing."
• Jane Lynch: "Well, I'm bored with this subject now."

Admittedly, this wasn't the most brutal roast in Weakest Link history (or delivered by Jane Lynch to a Glee cast member), but I just appreciate her saying what I always thought back in the day. Teen shows often cast actors who are already well out of high school so they can work full days, but Glee really didn't seem to try to hard to find actors who could pass for 16-year-olds.

Now, Max Adler wasn't actually the oldest actor to play a high schooler on Glee. Born in 1986, his first episode of the Fox hit aired in 2009, so he was 23 when he debuted as Dave Karofsky. Cory Monteith (who tragically died before turning 40), Mark Sailing, and Harry Shum Jr. were all born in 1982, while Diana Agron, Lea Michele, Amber Riley, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Becca Tobin were all born in '86 like Adler. The Karofsky actor just wasn't quite able to sell playing a high schooler was well as some of his costars.

Adler seemed to take the ribbing all in good fun, and appeared more annoyed that he was eliminated first after flubbing a Friday Night Lights question. At least he can take comfort in knowing that wasn't the most memorable wrong answer of the Glee reunion episode of Celebrity Weakest Link!

Becca Tobin Is No Chicken Wing Expert

These contestants weren't invited onto Celebrity Weakest Link for being culinary experts, but I think Becca Tobin's attempt to answer a question about Buffalo wings will still go down as one of the funniest moments of the entire episode. Jane Lynch asked the actress this:

I initially thought that Tobin was lucky to get one of the easiest questions of the first round... until she responded with "True?" Jane Lynch looked like she was on the verge of a dropping a non-Fox-approved four-letter word in response, and Chord Overstreet and Dot-Marie Jones both had great reactions. Everybody had a good chuckle again when Lynch brought it up later, and I have to credit Tobin's epically wrong answer for making me laugh out loud.

Becca Tobin flubbed another easy question in the next round, to the point that she even said "Oh my god!" at herself for getting it wrong. Like Max Adler, she took it in good fun when she got some heat for not knowing that Buffalo wings are 100% chicken and 0% chicken, and Amber Riley went on to win the episode. This continued her streak of doing well on TV competitions, after winning Dancing with the Stars Season 17 back in 2013 and The Masked Singer Season 8 in 2022, which she described as "such an invaluable experience."

If you missed the episode and want to check it out or now are in the mood to watch these stars back in their Glee days, you can find both shows streaming with a Hulu subscription as well as Glee via a Disney+ subscription.

Characters come and characters go, at least that’s the case for these beloved shows. Whether it’s on one of the best sitcoms of all time, an exhilarating epic fantasy series, or crime dramas holding down a spot on the primetime lineup for decades, these programs all have one thing in common: they lost a fan-favorite before the final episode (or even final season).

Here are 32 TV shows that lost their lead character during their run…

The Office (2005 - 2013)

After being the best character on The Office for the show’s first seven seasons, Steve Carell’s Michael Scott left Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton office back in 2011. Though he would return in a guest capacity in the final season, the absence of the awkward, excitable, yet hilarious regional manager could be felt in the series’ final days.

That ‘70s Show (1998 - 2006)

That ‘70s Show had one of the best runs of any sitcom introduced in the final years of the 20th century, one that would carry on until May 2006. However, the sitcom’s main character, Topher Grace’s Eric Forman, wouldn’t be there for all of it. The actor, whose popularity was rising at the time, left the show after its seventh season. He would return in the series finale one year later.

Two And A Half Men (2003 - 2015)

Amid contract negotiations and a string of controversial incidents, Charlie Sheen left Two and a Half Men and stopped playing fan-favorite Charlie Harper, following the hit sitcom’s eighth season in 2011. One of the most popular shows on TV at the time, the CBS comedy would continue for four more seasons, with Ashton Kutcher coming on to play Walden Schmidt

Cheers (1982 - 1993)

A mainstay of Cheers for the show’s first five seasons, Shelley Long’s Diane Chambers left the friendly Boston bar for good when she was given the opportunity to become a professional writer. However, Diane would later return near the end of the show’s final season in 1993.

ER (1994 - 2009)

Whether it was Anthony Edwards’ Mark Greene being killed off in a spectacular way or George Clooney’s Doug Ross departing following a major scandal, ER lost several of its main characters throughout its 15-season (and 331-episode) run on NBC. However, the show always seemed to rebound from even the biggest losses.

Law & Order (1990 - Present)

Countless beloved characters have come and gone from Law & Order over the years, including NYPD detective Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach), who was a mainstay of the legal drama for 12 years. The series is still on today (after being revived in 2022), but few of the detectives on the show have come close to touching the greatness of the wisecracking cop.

Three’s Company (1977 - 1984)

The late Suzanne Somers became a household name for her portrayal of Chrissy Snow on Three’s Company back in 1977. One of the three leads through much of the show’s run, Somers departed the series after its fifth season. The sitcom would run for three additional seasons after Somers left.

Scrubs (2001 - 2009)

Though Zach Braff’s Dr. John Michael “J.D.” Dorian was technically part of the Scrubs cast until the very last episode of Season 9 (he’s also returning for the upcoming reboot series), he only showed up in less than half of the final run. Maybe it was for the best, because those episodes were of a far lower quality than the previous eight seasons.

Bewitched (1964 - 1972)

This is an odd one simply because the Darrin Stephens character on Bewitched was written off, but instead recast near the end of the show’s run. Played by Dick York for the first few seasons, Elizabeth Montgomery’s on-screen husband was later played by Dick Sargent in the final years of the landmark sitcom about a witch trying to hide her true nature from the world around her.

Mom (2003 - 2021)

When the main star of a show leaves partway through the series run, it can be a nightmare for their co-stars and crew members, and that was the case when Anna Faris departed the hit CBS comedy Mom in 2020. Though the show continued for one more season after Christy Plunkett was written off, the absence of the former lead could be felt.

One Tree Hill (2003 - 2012)

One of the biggest shows of the 2000s, One Tree Hill was a perennial favorite of The WB (and later The CW) through much of its nine-season run. However, the good times didn’t last the whole time, as Chad Michael Murray, who played lead Lucas Scott, departed after season 6 alongside Hilarie Burton’s Peyton Sawyer.

Grey’s Anatomy (2005 - Present)

One of the longest-running shows in TV history, Grey’s Anatomy has always been known for its tremendous cast of characters. And while there are some, like Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey, who have been there all along, others have come and gone. One of the biggest is Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd, aka "Dr. McDreamy," who was killed off in the show’s 11th season.

Glee (2009 - 2015)

In the middle of Glee’s successful run on Fox, the popular musical series lost one of its main characters when the actor who played him tragically died. In July 2013, Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, died at the age of 31.

The Walking Dead (2010 - 2022)

So many characters came and went on The Walking Dead, which is to be expected considering it was a show set in the zombie apocalypse. However, one of the biggest departures came in the show’s ninth season when Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes was written off the massively successful show.

House Of Cards (2013 - 2018)

House of Cards was a show with one shocking moment after another, including the time the Netflix series had to find a way to get rid of its main character before the sixth and final season. After Kevin Spacey found himself in legal trouble, the show’s producers decided to kill him off and carry on.

Blue’s Clues (1996 - 2006)

Steve Burns’ Steve was primarily the only human character on the hit Nick Jr. series, Blue’s Clues, for the show’s first four seasons. However, the actor left the animated show and was replaced by his character’s younger brother, Joe (Donovan Patton). Burns would later go on to appear in the Flaming Lips’ wild 2008 sci-fi film, Christmas on Mars.

The O.C. (2003 - 2007)

One of the main characters through the show’s first few seasons, Mischa Barton’s Marissa Cooper was killed off in heartbreaking fashion in The O.C.’s Season 3 finale. Following the departure of the tortured teenager, the show lasted one more season before coming to an end.

Charmed (1998 - 2006)

Prue Halliwell, played by the late Shannen Doherty, was one of the main characters in the first three seasons of Charmed. Though her fate was initially left up in the air following a Season 3 cliffhanger, it was later revealed that Prue died after her run-in with a powerful demonic assassin.

Laverne & Shirley (1976 - 1983)

One of the most popular spinoffs of all time (the characters originated on Happy Days), Laverne & Shirley ran for eight seasons on ABC between 1976 and 1983. However, while Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio stayed around for the whole run, it was a different story for Cindy Williams’s Shirley Feeney. Williams, who was pregnant at the time, departed partway through what would ultimately be the final season.

Game Of Thrones (2011 - 2019)

Though Game of Thrones had numerous “main” characters over the course of its eight-year run, Sean Bean’s Ned Stark was one of the biggest in the first season. Creating one of the most shocking moments in TV history, Ned lost his head before the end of the first year, which set the tone for the unpredictable nature of the series moving forward.

The Vampire Diaries (2009 - 2017)

The Vampire Diaries was on the air for eight seasons between 2009 and 2017, but The CW’s popular book-to-screen adaptation lost its main character, Nina Dobrev’s Elena Gilbert, two-thirds of the way through. Though her character didn’t die, Debrov left for other opportunities.

Spin City (1996 - 2002)

The popular satirical comedy series, Spin City, ran on ABC for six seasons between 1996 and 2002, with most of those being led by Michael J. Fox as New York City deputy mayor Mike Flaherty. However, a couple of years after Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the actor left the series after its fourth season, with his character being written off by moving to Washington, D.C.

The Wire (2002 - 2008)

The Wire’s cast was full of incredible actors playing some of the best characters to ever grace the small screen. One of the major players in the landmark HBO series’ first three seasons was Idris Elba’s Stringer Bell, a ruthless and ambitious drug lord who aspired for more than running the corners in Baltimore. However, he made far too many enemies and he was brutally killed in the show’s Season 3 finale.

Oz (1997 - 2003)

Though Oz had a killer ensemble cast throughout the HBO series’ run between 1997 and 2003, it lost one of its lead players when Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Simon Adebisi was killed off in the show’s fourth season. Imagine fans’ reactions the following year when he showed up in 2001’s The Mummy Returns.

Roseanne/The Conners (1988 - 2025)

Not long after Roseanne was brought back to TV in 2018, its star, Roseanne Barr, was fired in the fallout of a controversial tweet. The show was quickly cancelled and morphed into The Conners, which ran for seven seasons before coming to an end in 2025.

NCIS (2003 - Present)

A lot of people have left NCIS over the years, but the CBS crime drama continues to be one of the most popular shows on network TV. Perhaps the biggest character to come and go since the show’s 2003 debut is NCIS Supervisory Special Agent and Special Agent in Charge Leroy Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon, who stayed on through the 19th season. Talk about longevity.

8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter (2002 - 2005)

8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, later shortened to 8 Simple Rules, had a nice little run on ABC back in the early 2000s, and even helped launch the career of Kaley Cuoco. The series was originally led by John Ritter, but his character, Paul Hennessy, was written off after the Three’s Company and Problem Child star suddenly died at the age of 54 while shooting the second season.

Lost (2004 - 2010)

Much like the show’s story, talking about main characters dying on Lost is a bit confusing, considering the non-linear structure of the long-running ABC drama series. Numerous characters like Shannon Rutherford (Maggie Grace), Michael Dawson (Harold Perrineau), and Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan) were written off and brought back later on in the series.

Homeland (2011 - 2020)

A once-great show that went on way too long, Homeland had its fair share of shocking moments and final episodes for major characters. At the top of that list is Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a former prisoner of war whose true alliances are ambiguous through much of the show’s first three seasons. However, his time would come to an end a few years into the run when Brody was hanged in a public execution in Iran.

Boardwalk Empire (2010 - 2014)

Michael Pitt’s Jimmy Darmody was pretty much the 1B lead to Steve Buscemi’s Nucky Thompson in the first two seasons of Boardwalk Empire, but the up-and-coming gangster wouldn’t survive the 2011 season finale. The series would run for another three seasons before coming to an end in 2014.

Downton Abbey (2010 - 2015)

Dan Stevens’ Matthew Crawley was just one of multiple fan-favorite characters to be killed off during Downton Abbey during the show’s original run. The third-cousin, once removed of the Earl of Grantham, the character didn’t make it all that long in the grand scheme of things before dying in a car accident during the show’s third season.

Sons Of Anarchy (2008 - 2014)

Sons of Anarchy had an epic run on FX in the latter part of the 2000s through the early 2010s, and in that time, so many fan-favorites got killed off. The most horrifying came in the show’s fifth season when the beloved Opie (Ryan Hurst) was brutally murdered in prison. Some never came back after that.

It is never not a blast to see celebrities make funny cameos in movies or TV shows, or even appear in starring roles, as themselves, especially as a version of themselves that bears little resemblance to their actual personality. Take a look at some of the funniest examples of actors and other artists poking fun at themselves in a hilarious onscreen performance.

Michael Cera (This Is The End)

Each member of the cast of 2013's This Is the End is a celebrity playing an exaggerated version of themselves, but the absolutely wildest of the bunch is Michael Cera. The actor plays dramatically against type as a destructive force of chaos at James Franco's house party... before destructive forces of chaos begin descending upon the entire Earth in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's blistering apocalyptic satire.

Kate Winslet (Extras)

Co-creator and star Ricky Gervais' Hollywood satire, Extras, boasted a gut-busting rotation of celebrity guest stars playing the most ridiculously antithetical versions of themselves, one of the most memorable being Kate Winslet. Years before she took home an Academy Award for The Reader, the English actor appeared in an episode in which she openly obsesses over finding the role that will win her an Oscar.

Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Seinfeld cast member Jason Alexander eventually realized that his hopelessly neurotic character, George Costanza, was the fictional alter ego of co-creator Larry David. However, none of George's self-destructive and alienating flaws on the beloved TV sitcom could compare to David's self-parodic portrayal of himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm, on which the comedian would seemingly go out of his way to offend friends, family members, and just about anyone he came into contact with.

Bill Murray (Zombieland)

Out of all the amazing, random Bill Murray cameos to choose from, the most iconic would have to be his appearance in 2009's Zombieland when our four protagonists (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin) stumble upon him while taking refuge in his mansion. It is actually not too much of a stretch to believe that this is how the comedy legend might live during the zombie apocalypse, from dressing himself up as one of the undead to blend in, to citing Garfield as his one regret before succumbing to an accidental shotgun blast.

Bob Barker (Happy Gilmore)

After decades of maintaining a sunny demeanor as the host of The Price is Right, it was shocking to see Bob Barker appear as anything but in his iconic cameo in 1995's Happy Gilmore. Adam Sandler's title character gets fed up with Barker's incessant criticism of his golfing skills, driving him to show him that "the price is wrong," only to discover that the older man has some real fight in him.

Stephen Hawking (The Simpsons)

Influential theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking played himself on The Simpsons on multiple occasions. One of the funnier instances comes from the Season 10 episode, "They Saved Lisa's Brain," in which he clocks Seymour Skinner in the face with a spring-loaded boxing glove built into his wheelchair.

Prince (New Girl)

As New Girl creator Liz Meriwether recalled in an article for Vulture (via Slate), Prince loved the quirky sitcom, which is why he agreed to guest star in an episode that, essentially, portrays him as some sort of mysterious magical guide. Quite frankly, it is hard to think of this portrayal as much of an exaggeration from the late, great pop star's true, legendary persona.

David Hasselhoff (The Spongebob Squarepants Movie)

Even though most young audience members seeing The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie in 2004 likely were not familiar with David Hasselhoff, it still makes perfect sense that the former Baywatch star would come to SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick's (Bill Fagerbakke) rescue near the end. The actor uses his body as a motorboat to transport the duo back to Bikini Bottom, which was achieved in part with the use of a frighteningly realistic, double-sized replica, which he later brought home with him.

Zach Galifianakis (Between Two Ferns)

Zach Galifianakis has a great reputation as a wonderful talk show guest, despite his alter ego on Between Two Ferns being an absolute disaster as a talk show host. After years of mercilessly roasting celebrities to their faces on Funny or Die's web series, it inspired a mockumentary-style Netflix original movie in which the Hangover star also got to be the butt of the joke.

Neil Patrick Harris (Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle)

You might as well call Neil Patrick Harris' performance in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle his audition to play Barney Stinson, considering his highly fictionalized alter ego has much more in common with his role in the How I Met Your Mother cast. The Emmy winner goes further with the uproarious portrayal in the sequels, which reveal the actor is only pretending to be gay to better his career.

Nicolas Cage (The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent)

I can understand why Nicolas Cage was initially reluctant to play himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, especially for the pretty far-out ways the Academy Award winner pokes fun at himself and his unique career in the film. Then again, it does paint him in a largely positive light and even allows him to be the hero of its irreverent, comedic action plot in the end.

David Bowie (Zoolander)

Admittedly, David Bowie's cameo in Zoolander is relatively tame when compared to his out-of-this-world stage presence. However, the idea of the rock 'n roll legend randomly appearing out of nowhere to help judge an impromptu "Walk Off" between Ben Stiller's eponymous male model and his rival, Hansel (Owen Wilson), is still pretty ridiculous.

James Marsden (Jury Duty)

It takes a special kind of performance as one's self to receive an Emmy nomination for it, and that is what James Marsden achieved with Jury Duty. In the Amazon Prime original reality show, a gentleman named Ronald Gladden is called into serve on a trial he does not know is an elaborate prank on him, involving a cast of actors that includes the X-Men and Sonic the Hedgehog actor as a more vain portrait of himself.

Debra Messing (Bros)

Will & Grace star Debra Messing poked fun at her status as an icon in the gay community with her cameo in the LGBTQIA+ rom-com, Bros. The Emmy winner feels compelled to remind Bobby (Billy Eichner) that she is "NOT GRACE" when he asks her for romantic advice when all she wanted to do was tour his museum.

Keanu Reeves (Always Be My Maybe)

In addition to leading classic action movies like Speed and John Wick, Keanu Reeves has become a cameo king with funny, random appearances, such as in Netflix's 2019 comedy Always Be My Maybe. Marcus (Randall Park) is shocked to discover that his childhood friend, Sasha's (Ali Wong), new boyfriend is the actor, who partially improvised his portrayal as a pretentious weirdo who wears glasses without lenses and asks for a meal inspired by "the concept of time" at a restaurant.

John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich)

John Malkovich's performance in director Spike Jonze's inventive fantasy comedy, Being John Malkovich, is a special case of an actor playing an exaggerated version of himself because he is technically playing multiple roles. One famous scene sees the two-time Oscar nominee entering a portal that leads to his own mind, but places him in a nightmarish world filled with people who have his face and can only speak his last name.

LeBron James (Trainwreck)

LeBron James has made a decent living outside of his professional basketball career by playing fictionalized versions of himself in the likes of Space Jam: A New Legacy and the 2023 House Party remake. However, the movie that started it all was 2015's Trainwreck, which portrays him as the best friend of a doctor (played by Bill Hader) who specializes in treating star athletes.

Olivia Newton-John (Glee)

One of the most memorable guest appearances on Glee was the late Olivia Newton-John. The Grease star showed up on the coming-of-age musical-dramedy a couple of times, in which she is portrayed as extremely rude and "hopelessly devoted" to herself.

Bruce Campbell (My Name Is Bruce)

No matter what role he plays, it is hard to see Bruce Campbell as anything other than the hero of the Evil Dead movies, Ash Williams. The Scream King leans into that reputation in the 2007 horror-comedy movie, My Name Is Bruce (which he also directs), as a hard-drinking, washed-up version of himself who becomes the last hope to save a small Oregon town from a malevolent demon.

Jessica Biel (BoJack Horseman)

Netflix's animated Hollywood satire, BoJack Horseman, is especially famous for its uproarious celebrity cameos, one of the funniest being Jessica Biel. Not only does the former 7th Heaven cast member boldly call out her own career low points, but is also portrayed as the spouse of Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins), whom she leaves for her real-life husband, Justin Timberlake.

Eminem (The Interview)

Earlier in his career, Eminem was criticized for lyrics that were interpreted as homophobic, which he pokes fun at in a hilarious way in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's The Interview. Arguably the funniest scene in the 2014 comedy sees the Grammy-winning rap artist speaking to talk show host Dave Skylark (James Franco), to whom he very nonchalantly reveals that he is a closeted gay man.

Kelly Ripa (Broad City)

TV personality Kelly Ripa brilliantly mocks her clean image with her cameo on Comedy Central's Broad City. During a visit to the beloved daytime talk show host's apartment, Abbi (co-creator Abbi Jacobson) discovers that she can be a pretty hard partier, especially when cracks open a jar of moonshine.

Ryan Reynolds (Family Guy)

Many celebrities have stopped by to voice appropriately cartoonish versions of themselves on Family Guy, including Ryan Reynolds, who clearly had a lot of fun with his guest spot. He moves in across the street from the Griffins and appears to take an intense liking to Peter (Seth MacFarlane), who begins to suspect that the actor has a crush on him.

Cher (Will & Grace)

In Season 3 of Will & Grace, Jack (Sean Hayes) becomes uncomfortably attached to a doll modeled after Cher, treating it as if it were the real multi-talented icon, much to the chagrin of his friends. When the real Cher appears to voice her concerns about his obsession, Jack mistakes her for a very convincing drag queen.

Carl Weathers (Arrested Development)

Some of Arrested Development's remarkably clever meta humor involved hilarious cameos by celebrities as themselves, most notably Carl Weathers. The Rocky and Predator star's appearances on the cult favorite sitcom saw him dropping clues of being extremely thrifty, to the point that he would save the meat on a mostly eaten rib to make stew.

Dave Grohl (Studio 666)

Each member of Foo Fighters willfully takes aim at themselves in the 2022 musical horror-comedy movie, Studio 666, but frontman Dave Grohl especially goes wild here. He becomes a threat to his bandmates after becoming possessed by a spirit that haunts the California house where they choose to record their tenth album.

Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)

One of Matt LeBlanc's most successful gigs after leaving the Friends cast was playing a very personal role on Showtime's Episodes. The actor earned a Golden Globe for portraying himself as likable but overbearing, as the married creators of a new TV show that he is cast in discover.

Shaun White (Friends With Benefits)

Olympic Gold Medal-winning snowboarder Shaun White seems like a fun, down-to-earth dude, which makes his cameo in Friends with Benefits as anything but that so memorably funny. Because of his interest in Jamie (Mila Kunis), White takes an immediate and very intense dislike toward her platonic, occasional lover, Dylan (Justin Timberlake), threatening him at every turn.

James Van Der Beek (Don’t Trust The B– in Apartment 23)

James Van Der Beek's first major return to TV after leading the Dawson’s Creek cast was a main role on Don’t Trust the B– in Apartment 23 as... James Van Der Beek. The actor's absurd portrayal of the famous best friend to Krysten Ritter’s Chloe is miles away from his true self, but it did somehow predict that he would later appear on Dancing with the Stars.

Ryan Seacrest (Knocked Up)

The timeline of Ryan Seacrest's hosting gigs is so prolific and extensive, he is almost (if not more) famous than many of the people he has interviewed over the years. He acknowledges this in his cameo in Knocked Up, in which the then-E! News presenter portrays himself as comically vain, ill-tempered, and foul-mouthed, which are not good qualities on camera.

Tom Brady (Living With Yourself)

The Netflix sci-fi comedy series, Living with Yourself, stars Paul Rudd as Miles Elliott, who discovers that a life-changing wellness spa has cloned him into a better version of himself when he comes face-to-face with his "flawed" double. In the first episode, Miles sees the New England Patriots quarterback walking out of the spa before revealing he has visited it six previous times, which also happened to be his number of Super Bowl wins at the time.

Al Pacino (Jack And Jill)

If there is one good thing about 2011's Jack and Jill, which stars Adam Sandler as both a family man and his obnoxious twin sister, it is Al Pacino's performance as himself. In the comedy, the Oscar winner expresses affection for Jill, which leads him to star in a "Dunkaccino" ad that he believes should be destroyed moments after watching it.

You know when some good relationships on television make you want to squeal the moment you see them? Yeah, these are the relationships down below. Sure, we can spend some time watching the best rom-com movies, but what about several seasons of build-up to a relationship that makes it all worthwhile? Here are some couples that define “goals.”

Chandler And Monica (Friends)

Chandler and Monica are the couple from the Friends cast, and I will not be asking any other questions about it at this time. Ross and Rachel were what people talked about, but these two? I love them. They are defined as “goals” based on how much they love each other, even if they didn’t have the typical start. Friends-to-lovers is one of the best.

Ian And Mickey (Shameless)

There was a time when Ian and Mickey were literally all I saw on my Tumblr feed back in the early 2010s. The Shameless cast featured plenty of great relationships, some healthy and others…not so healthy, but Ian and Mickey were a relationship that made it until the end. There’s nothing quite like them.

Rebecca And Jack (This Is Us)

The This Is Us cast defined my time in college when the show was airing, and Jack and Rebecca were the blueprint for how I wanted my future marriage to go. I have never seen two people just so in love with each other on TV, but also portray such a realistic marriage.

Corey And Topanga (Boy Meets World)

I think Corey and Topanga were the couple for the '90s kids. I didn’t grow up watching Boy Meets World, but I know from many that watching these two grow into teenagers and then young adults was one of the best aspects of this series. And honestly, I love that for you.

Jim And Pam (The Office)

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Sure, there were moments between Jim and Pam in later seasons that felt a little out of character, but these two were the defining relationship from The Office cast. We were all on the edge of our seats at the beginning of the series when these two were just friends, and we wanted them all to get together.

Leslie And Ben (Parks And Recreation)

Leslie and Ben from the Parks and Recreation cast are the perfect example of a relationship that took its time but blossomed beautifully. Ben was the type of person who always let Leslie shine and never tried to dim her light, which is something that I love about them. They always supported each other no matter what.

Marshall And Lily (How I Met Your Mother)

There have been so many relationships that have come and gone in How I Met Your Mother, but you want to know what one of the best was? Obviously, Marshall and Lily. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as many warm fuzzies as I did watching these two.

Stefan And Caroline (The Vampire Diaries)

Team Stefan and Team Damon? Nah, Elena was always going to pick Damon and me, but Stefan and Caroline? Perfect, excellent. There are absolutely no notes on that couple because, honestly, they were better suited for each other. Sorry.

David And Patrick (Schitt’s Creek)

I’m pretty sure watching David and Patrick in Schitt’s Creek altered my brain chemistry because I don’t think another TV couple has stood out the same as them. The Schitt’s Creek cast is filled with memorable characters, but watching the progression of their relationship throughout its five seasons was something that I will always adore. These two loved each other so much.

Luke And Lorelai (Gilmore Girls)

Look, I know that we’re all here for Team Jess or Team Dean or whoever we’re rooting for with Rory, but to me, as an adult woman now, I like Luke and Lorelai’s relationship a heck of a lot more. It feels more mature, more natural, and less dramatic. Please, give me this rather than the craziness of teenage romance.

Nathan And Haley (One Tree Hill)

The definition of high school sweethearts that somehow worked out. They definitely had their moments of doubt throughout the nine seasons of the show, but these two loved each other so much and ended with a happily married life with two children, which is all you can really ask for in most teen drama romances out there.

Phil And Vivian (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

I’m sure you weren’t expecting to see Phil and Vivian on this list because The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air isn’t really known for its romances. But honestly, Phil and Vivian are the perfect couple. They complement each other perfectly, know when to be each other’s rock or to stop the other from making a poor decision, and took care of Will as well as their biological family in the perfect way. I have no complaints.

Santana And Brittany (Glee)

The Glee cast is filled to the brim with couples, so much so that it’s hard to keep up with them. But my personal favorite was always Santana and Brittany. Not only was their relationship a great stepping stone for many lesbian/bisexual relationships on TV back in 2010, but it’s really one of the few that made it to the very end of the series. They were best friends turned lovers turned to something really real, and it ended with them getting married!

Randall And Beth (This Is Us)

“Perfectly imperfect” is a phrase that I still use to this day, ever since Randall uttered it to Beth in This Is Us. These two exemplify what it means to not only marry your best friend, but also marry a partner. They will stand by each other, support each other, and when someone is messing up, they will make them own up to it. There’s no sliding, and that’s what a genuine relationship should be like.

Jess And Nick (New Girl)

New Girl is one of those shows where relationships come and go, but there are always a few that stick the landing for the long haul. Jess and Nick were one of those, and we rooted for them, watching them fall in love, fall apart, and then fall back in love all over again.

Uncle Jesse And Aunt Becky (Full House)

I mean, of course, I have to put Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky. I feel like Full House literally never would have been the same without them. Their relationship started very early on, and it’s always fun to rewatch episodes of the show and watch them fall in love with each other time and time again.

Anthony And Kate (Bridgerton)

While I do love the specialness of Penelope and Colin and the steaminess of Daphne and Simon, there’s just something about Anthony and Kate that gets me going every time. These two, a classic enemies-to-lovers romance, clearly love each other so much by the time the season ends and Season 3 rolls around.

Claire And Jamie (Outlander)

Outlander, in general, is one of the best Starz shows, but a big reason is Claire and Jamie. Their love has transcended literal timelines. I don’t know how you can get more perfect than that.

Mitch And Cam (Modern Family)

I think when it comes to couples in Modern Family, Mitch and Cam are the perfect example of how two people work so well together, and to the outside, people wonder how the heck they function with how crazy they are. But throughout the several seasons of the show, there’s no denying that these two love each other dearly.

Lucy And Ricky (I Love Lucy)

I can’t have a relationships list without putting the OG’s here. Lucy and Ricky are the definition of “goals.” They were the first people on television to show you how in love with each other they are, no matter the amount of shenanigans that they may put the other through. You can’t get better than these two.

Phil And Claire (Modern Family)

I always see Phil and Claire as the much calmer couple of Modern Family, which is saying something because they still have their fair share of hilarious moments in their household of three kids. But what I love about Phil and Claire is that there is evident respect there, and Phil will support Claire no matter what and stand up for her, while Claire will do the same, regardless of what others think. They’re a team, through and through.

Killian And Emma (Once Upon A Time)

God, there are so many couples in Once Upon a Time, but I think the one we always return to is Killian and Emma. Whether it’s their steamy chemistry or their genuinely emotional story, they are an amazing romance with plenty of fantasy aspects that I just love.

Willow And Tara (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

As someone who loves looking back on legendary relationships that paved the way for others, I know there’s no one better to bring up than Willow and Tara. The couple was a significant landmark for LGBTQ+ representation in television and showed two people who clearly loved each other.

Kev And Veronica (Shameless)

These two were freaky, don’t get me wrong – but they were also freakishly in love with each other. Kev and Veronica stood by each other, and when someone dared to threaten the other, it was on sight. They would fight anyone to protect their love and their relationship, and no matter what, always strived to make time for the other.

Fran And Mr. Sheffield (The Nanny)

I’m pretty sure that if you’ve ever read any rom-com novel, then these two are who you picture when you think of the nanny and the billionaire falling in love. But what I love about Fran and Mr. Sheffield is that it’s not an instant lust between them. It’s more of a relationship built on respect and friendship before love was even considered.

Jake And Amy (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

The Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast features some hilarious characters, but personally, I always came back for Jake and Amy. I always saw them as rivals-to-lovers, but it feels so real watching them turn from competing with each other to becoming friends to going on dates and so much more.

Jane And Rafael (Jane The Virgin)

These two are in a strange situation, considering they didn’t even know each other when Jane fell pregnant accidentally. But watching their relationship grow organically throughout the show’s seasons is always something that I love to view.

Rick And Michonne (The Walking Dead)

When you think of couples who would literally kill for each other, I can think of no better than Rick and Michonne. Not only are they one of the best Walking Dead relationships, but there was a whole spinoff series dedicated to them finding their way back to each other after years apart. Now that is true love right there.

Poussey And Soso (Orange Is the New Black)

It hurts to even write about Poussey and Soso because it feels like they weren’t given enough time together in Orange is the New Black, but from what we were able to see, they really did work well together. Poussey was the kind of friend that Soso needed, and that blossomed into something brighter between the two of them before it was snuffed out. I needed so much more.

Morticia And Gomez (The Addams Family)

I mean, talk about a man who is obsessed with his woman. In any iteration of The Addams Family, Gomez always loves Morticia, but of course, we have to put the OG here from the 1960s TV series because these two were so in love that they ruined our expectations for all real-life romances.

Glenn And Maggie (The Walking Dead)

Yeah, I’m sad even writing about these two because the way it ends is something I don’t like to think about. But for the five seasons that we got with these two together, they were a light in the darkness that was the world of The Walking Dead. They loved each other, protected each other, and stood by the other until the very end.

Hopper And Joyce (Stranger Things)

God, I visibly remember screaming when these two finally got together in Stranger Things because it was just so apparent that they were into each other. Hopper literally risked his life for Joyce, and she risked hers to save him, and I love them together.

This just makes me want to revisit all of these television shows and watch these couples all over again. I’m in need of some cute TV romances. It's time for a binge-watch.

We know them, we love them, and most of the time, we love to hate them. Regardless of how any of us feel about the iconic, troublesome teens that round out the fabric of Hollywood’s youth-centric media, they’ve left their signature messy marks. This list covers the big hitters, the unmistakable part-of-pop-culture adolescents who derailed monumentally (dependent on their character and world, not all misguided minors are created equal). Each calling card of these chaotic characters has a few things in common–they’re lost and faced with conflict–but how they solve their issues leads to many more issues than solutions. Buckle up and grab your favorite nostalgic mix tape/playlist; we’re in for a bumpy ride.

Jim Stark and Buzz Gunderson - Rebel Without a Cause

This is by far one of the most influential movies that jumpstarted the teen genre and it’s big thanks to Jim Stark (James Dean) and Buzz Gunderson (Corey Allen). When gang leader Buzz and new-in-town Jim agree to a “chickie race,” that’s when things go up in smoke. Jim is left to face the fallout.

Marissa Cooper - The O.C.

You could probably make a case for most of The O.C. kids, but Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) undoubtedly tops them all. Coop’s undoing was a monolith and started on the wings of her parents' divorce. It led to underage drinking, tumultuous relationships, petty theft, and eventually to her passing away after a car crash at the end of Season 3.

Danny Zuko - Grease

Like many other ensembles, you could make a pick mostly anyone from the Grease cast, but Danny Zuko's (John Travolta) issues bled into everyone else’s. Not to mention, he strung Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) along until the very end of the movie.

Serena van der Woodsen - Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl is another show where you could argue a good case for any of the characters being the biggest saboteur. But like Marissa Cooper, Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) just can’t shake off trouble in most things she does. The thought of old her and Georgina Sparks together really sounds like they’d top the list together.

Veronica Sawyer - Heathers

Heathers and Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) were ahead of the curve. When awkward loner Veronica gets invited to join the school’s most popular group, she quickly realizes it’s not the place for her. After befriending new kid Jason Dean (Christian Slater), they accidentally kill one of the Heathers. This sets off an entire killing spree that wreaks havoc on Westerburg High School.

Dawson Leery - Dawson’s Creek

Even though he may have been seen more as a golden boy during his reign, Dawson (James Van Der Beek) caused some major damage in his day. We literally have a separate list showcasing all the times Leery was the worst character for his loved ones to be around. If he'd only been supportive of Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) going to Paris, who knows what could've been?

Cady Heron - Mean Girls

Tina Fey’s wildly quotable Mean Girls needs no introduction or explanation. With Cady (Lindsay Lohan) coming to terms with attending a public high school in the US after growing up in Africa, she is a poster child for this list. As she explores her new reality, she gets lost for a moment amid girl world drama, which leads to multiple friend, family, and relationship troubles.

Rue Bennet - Euphoria

The Max ‘teen’ jewel-encrusted drama juggernaut holds another ensemble of lost and morose students. However, Rue Bennet (Zendaya) and her substance abuse issues are the focal point. It's upended friendships, caused familial stresses, multiple times over, causing Rue to lie, steal and hurt everyone in the East Highlanders.

Chris Hargensen - Carrie

Stephen King’s Carrie is another classic high school staple that helped push the envelope on what fictional teen worlds could hold. Popular girl and bully, Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen) makes Carrie’s (Sissy Spacek) life a living nightmare. Hargensen continues down a downward spiral that leads to the bone-chilling but iconic prank that happens at the dance (which has some truly grim consequences).

Tim Riggins - Friday Night Lights

If you know anything about this NBC network TV classic, you either love or hate Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch). While he was a regular womanizer, heavy partier, not to mention that he sabotaged himself and the team with some regularity, he straightened up.

Dallas ‘Dally’ Winston - The Outsiders

Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of The Outsiders is a quintessential coming-of-age story. Even though the whole gang is rough and tumble, along with any of the ‘Socs,’ Dally (Matt Dillon) is the most troubled. With an already tumultuous background, Johnny’s death sends him on to make poor decisions for himself and his friends.

Cory Matthews - Boy Meets World

Surprising, I know. The more classic choice from Boy Meets World may be Shawn Hunter, but Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) sparked plenty of trouble in his time (like fellow do-gooder, Dawson Leery). Throughout the 7 seasons, he caused more rifts between his family, friends and Topanga than anyone else.

Billy Loomis & Stu Macher - Scream

Naturally, any teen in any scary movie generally has some baggage that leads to strife in one way or another. Youths like Billy (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu (Matthew Lillard) are different, though, they are intentionally motivated to terrify and harm their fellow classmates and the people of Woodsboro. Unfortunately for them, their plans backfire on them gravely.

Lucas Scott - One Tree Hill

Like the aforementioned teen network drama shows of the mid and late ‘00s, any character is up for debate. Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray), the main protagonist, puts on a good show of commotion for everyone in his life. Being a serial heartbreaker while being unloyal and manipulative to others lands him this particular title.

Jennifer Check - Jennifer’s Body

Jennifer’s Body, again, isn’t filled with average adolescents, and especially not Jennifer (Megan Fox). While she and longtime friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) head out for a semi-average night of Jennifer-approved fun, all goes awry. We find out that Jennifer has turned into a demon feasting on the male teens of Devil’s Kettle, WY. After the friends face off, Needy gets pinned for the murders and gets taken to an insane asylum.

Rachel Berry - Glee

The destined-for-greatness Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) typically stopped at nothing to get what she wanted, regardless of the consequences. While the fictional NYADA darling had moments of hope and promise, her ego and ambition always seemed to cause more harm than good. (Any Ryan Murphy-created teen could do, though.)

Seth - Superbad

The 2007 classic was the first Seth Rogen-Evan Goldberg project, and it immediately put them on the map. The semi-biographical Superbad revolves around characters with the same names and pretty typical senior tropes. Of the fictional duo Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), and their pal, Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), the first of the trio creates the most trouble for their celebratory evening. While the trio make up, along with the girls (Emma Stone, Martha MacIsaac), before graduation.

Rory Gilmore - Gilmore Girls

“Why did you drop out of Yale?” Even though Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) is one of the more unusual fictional high schoolers on the list, her dropping out was monumental for the world of Gilmore Girls. Even Lauren Graham didn’t like the storyline because of the turmoil it created between Lorelai and Rory. Not to mention, her sleeping with Dean, missing Lorelai's graduation and later on, being more lost than ever in her 30s.

Donnie - Donnie Darko

Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) isn’t your typical troublesome, drama-filled teen, even though his choices in one reality lead to serious consequences. His present ED signifiers (Emotional Disturbance) present Donnie as something else, but we eventually come to realize he's an anti-hero of sorts. As he comes to realize that there are multiple timelines at play, he chooses to fix it to save Gretchen Ross' (Jena Malone) life. And with his developed powers, he returns to the day when it all went awry, which leads to his destiny--death.

Archie Andrews - Riverdale

Archie of The CW’s Riverdale was one of the many, much darker TV reboots out there. And though all the drama has always hinged on the red-headed football hero regardless of genre, the TV show really packs Archie with a punch. To be fair, he also found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time quite frequently–it’s how he reacted to them that gives him the top spot for the searching students of Riverdale High.

Kathryn Merteuil & Sebastian Valmont - Cruel Intentions

Another young and terrifying twosome is Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Philippe). The oddball step-siblings wager a bet that involves innocent and new Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon). Through the scheme, the group of students is faced with continuing drama until a very sad end.

Valerie Malone - Beverly Hills, 90210

Though there was plenty of actual drama on the set of Beverly Hills, 90210, Valerie Malone (Tiffani Thiessen) wasted no time sowing seeds of chaos. Arriving in Season 5 with a lot of baggage in the form of family trauma, Malone was immediately set up to be in trouble. She dated many of the guys and regularly feuded with the girls.

Max Fischer - Rushmore

As one of the many stylized Wes Anderson films, Rushmore was one of his earliest. Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is a love-drunk student determined to date his teacher and will stop at nothing to achieve it. After an array of mishaps and his fellow acquaintance, Blume (Bill Murray), hitting it off with her, Max loses it. He leaked the affair publicly and temporarily burned bridges with both of them.

Willow Rosenberg - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Willow’s (Alyson Hannigan) rise to raising hell for Buffy and co. may be a slow burn, but once she hits it, things get wild. While her use of telepathy, manipulation and struggling to keep her magic in check kick off the season, Tara’s death sets Willow into overdrive in trying to destroy the world.

PJ & Josie - Bottoms

Gen Z coming-of-age comedies come in all shapes and sizes, including Emma Seligman’s Bottoms. The satirical take on the high school experience is wild, especially with PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri). The BFF’s hatch a fight club for girls so they can talk to cheerleaders they have crushes on. Needless to say, a lot of drama goes down, including a car blowing up.

Mona Vanderwaal - Pretty Little Liars

Honestly, most characters from the 2010 series have a fair shot here. But Mona (Janel Parrish) is the reason for all of the mystery and torment. She is who sparks the series because of her grudge against the main friend group. Eventually, she becomes one of them, and even more trouble ensues.

Laura Palmer - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

In my opinion, there’s no list about misguided high schoolers complete without Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). The character was cemented into pop culture in David Lynch’s cult show, Twin Peaks, but the less popular prequel movie shows her tragic undoing. Her last days are filled with traumas relating to her drug addiction, web of lies and darker spirits. Warning, this movie isn't for the faint of heart.

DeGrassi: The Next Generation

DeGrassi: The Next Generation is maybe the only title on the list in which each character is as chaotic and troubled as the last. The iconic Canadian teen soap has multiple iterations, but the 2002-2015 series takes the cake. Between the students, they have every classic dramatic HS storyline in the book, and alumni Drake’s “I’m Upset” reunion-filled music video summarizes some key points.

Nancy Downs - The Craft

The quartet of girls in The Craft start as lost as the next, but Nancy’s (Fairuza Balk) power-hungry ways destroy what they have together. After quiet Sarah Bailey (Robin Tunney) moves to town and gets wronged, Downs and her pals take her in. All four hatch a scheme to cast a spell on the wrongdoer, and when it succeeds, that’s when Nancy starts sabotaging everything.

John B - Outer Banks

Netflix’s Outer Banks is one wild ride with wayward John B (Chase Stokes) at the helm. Sure, other characters may be outwardly more troubled (JJ, Sarah or Rafe), but everyone’s lives intensified because of John B’s initial treasure hunt.

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson - Lady Bird

As one of the more subtle teenage pot stirrers, Ladybird (Saoirse Ronan) still makes her presence and opinions unmistakably clear. Her main sources of conflict reside within her relationship with her hardworking mom (Laurie Metcalf) and nerdy best friend (Beanie Feldstein). While Lady Bird temporarily burns bridges with both in pursuit of greater life expectations and new friends, she mends things with both.

Effy Stonem - Skins UK

A cult classic that ran from 2007-2013 and largely featured the rebellious but lost Effy Stonem (Kaya Scodelario). From the jump, we see 14-year-old her sneaking home in the early morning after being out all night at a rave. Needless to say, Effy’s journey was a bumpy one filled with substance abuse, mental health crises, and a web of lies.

There is nothing that makes one’s heart melt quite like a person declaring their desire to spend the rest of their lives with another. This does not just go for real life but also for fictional marriage proposal on both the big and screen alike. The following are some of the most unique and romantic examples we have ever seen.

Maggie Proposes To Ike (Runaway Bride)

In one of Julia Roberts’ best romantic comedy movies, 1999’s Runaway Bride, her character, Maggie Carpenter, spends the entirety of the movie struggling with her ability to commit and her tendency to leave her grooms at the altar. That is until she meets columnist Ike Graham (Richard Gere) and shows how far she has come from the moment she fell for him by popping the question herself.

Patrick Proposes To David (Schitt's Creek)

Schitt's Creek is one of the most heartwarming and simply best sitcoms of all time and a key reason is the romance between David Rose (co-creator Dan Levy) and Patrick Brewer (Noah Reid). Their relationship hits its adorable peak when Patrick takes David to his favorite spot to make the "easiest decision" of his life and presents him with a set of four engagement rings to match the four rings he usually wears on his right hand.

Jamie Proposes To Aurelia (Love Actually)

Easily one of the more uplifting storylines from 2003's Love Actually is that of cuckolded writer Jamie (Colin Firth), who falls for Portuguese housekeeper Aurélia (Lúcia Moniz) while spending the holiday at his French cottage. After they part ways, he learns her language (and almost gets all the words right) to ask her to marry him in front of a full crowd at the restaurant where she works.

Dexter Proposes To Rita (Dexter)

After his girlfriend, Rita Bennett (Julie Benz) becomes unexpectedly pregnant with their son, Dexter Morgan (Michael. C Hall) finds the courage (and the right words, which he borrows from another murderer) to make the ultimate commitment to her despite his commitment to slaughtering Miami's worst. Unfortunately, their marriage came to a tragic end in the fourth and, arguably, the best season of Dexter when, in one of TV's most shocking cliffhangers, he discovers his wife has been killed by The Trinity Killer.

Robbie Proposes To Julia (The Wedding Singer)

In just about Adam Sandler's best romantic-comedy movie, 1998's The Wedding Singer, Robbie (Sandler) ultimately stops Julia's (Drew Barrymore) impending nuptials to the wrong guy with an impromptu serenade on a plane with help from first-class passengers, including Billy Idol as himself, and the airline staff. He never says "Will you marry me?" but the next scene is their wedding so we can assume they were essentially engaged at this moment.

Schmidt Proposes To Cece (New Girl)

In the pilot episode of New Girl, Schmidt (Max Greenfield) was forced to donate a $5 bill to the Douchebag Jar after proclaiming he would marry Cece (Hannah Simone) the day he met her. He would then present that exact bill to her when he finally popped the question after several frustrating seasons of back-and-forth dating and flirting.

Ian Proposes To Toula (My Big Fat Greek Wedding)

The big question that leads to the eponymous main event from My Big Fat Greek Wedding is, actually, one of cinema's more simple marriage proposals, occurring spontaneously while Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) and Ian Miller (John Corbett) are lying together in bed. Still, it is a memorable scene from the 2002 hit and a memorable moment for the romantic-comedy movie genre in general for how well it depicts the couple's mutual passion.

Jim Proposes To Pam (The Office)

The two-part Season 5 premiere of The Office marks a pivotal moment in Jim and Pam's relationship timeline, as Pam (Jenna Fischer) has been taking art classes in New York. When Jim (John Krasinski) requests to meet her halfway (but actually "not halfway," based on Pam's math) at a gas station in the pouring rain, he surprises her with the question she (and viewers) have been waiting for.

Andrew Proposes To Margaret (The Proposal)

In 2009's The Proposal, Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) initially blackmails her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), into marrying her so the Canadian-born editor can avoid deportation. However, after she catches genuine feelings and cancels their fake wedding, he realizes his true feelings and makes a genuine proposal to her.

Chandler Proposes To Monica (Friends)

One of the most famous tearjerker moments from Chandler and Monica's relationship timeline on Friends almost begins in disaster after a surprise run-in with Monica's (Courtney Cox) ex, Richard (Tom Selleck), on the night Chandler (Matthew Perry) planned to propose. This convinces him to feign disinterest in marriage to savor the surprise, but that only seems to make things worse until he turns out to be the surprised one, showing up at their apartment to find Monica surrounded by candles. When she tearfully can not finish her own attempt to pop the question, Chandler finishes the act.

Harry Proposes To Sally (When Harry Met Sally)

Harry's (Billy Crystal) climactic confession to Sally (Meg Ryan) at the end of 1989's When Harry Met Sally during a New Year's Eve party is not exactly a marriage proposal per se. However, it is an admission that he wants to spend the rest of his life with her (and wants the rest of his life to start "as soon as possible") and in one of the most beautifully constructed speeches in cinematic history.

Jake Proposes To Amy (Brooklyn Nine-NIne)

Arguably the best episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine sees the precinct participating in their fifth annual Halloween heist, which Det. Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) believes she has won when she finds the championship belt in the evidence locker. However, her boyfriend, Det. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), advises her to take a better look at the inscription on the belt, which reads, "Amy Santiago, will you marry me?"

Landon Proposes To Jamie (A Walk to Remember)

A memorable Nicolas Sparks adaptation that predates The Notebook is 2002's A Walk to Remember, in which troubled teen Landon Carter (Shane West) unexpectedly falls for shy Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore). After discovering that she has leukemia, he decides to propose to her under the night sky as a comet passes by so that he can marry her before she succumbs to her illness.

Niles Proposes To Daphne (Frasier)

On Frasier, Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce) attempts to plan the perfect marriage proposal to Daphne (Jane Leeves), complete with a string quartet, kid actors dressed as angels, and a dinner prepared by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. However, when Daphne arrives at the apartment with the flu, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) must help his brother covertly escort the performers out. It is then that Niles decides it is still the perfect time to pop the question.

Johnny Proposes To June (Walk The Line)

Director James Mangold's 2005 music biopic, Walk the Line, sees Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) make two attempts to propose to June Carter (Reese Witherspoon). After his first go at it on a tour bus has unfavorable results, The Man in Black tries again by interrupting a public musical duet and tells her that he cannot finish the song until he gets an answer. She tells him, yes.

Ben Proposes To Leslie (Parks And Recreation)

In the fifth season of Parks and Recreation, the future seems uncertain for Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) because the latter might be forced to move to Florida for work. Instead, at the end of the episode, "Halloween Surprise," he unexpectedly shows up to propose to the politician, who interrupts him a couple of times to better remember how perfect everything in her life is at that moment.

Wade Proposes To Vanessa (Deadpool)

The way Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) pops the question to Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin) is perfectly on brand for 2016's hilarious superhero movie, Deadpool. The future Merc with a Mouth's engagement ring of choice (which is revealed to have been hidden between his butt cheeks) is a Ring Pop.

Blaine Proposes To Kurt (Glee)

For the moment when Blaine (Darren Criss) popped the question to Kurt (Chris Colfer) on Glee, the show depicted the moment the only way it could have. Kurt's friends from McKinley help perfect the proposal by participating in a rendition of The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love."

Nick Proposes To Rachel (Crazy Rich Asians)

Admittedly, the scene from Crazy Rich Asians in which Nick Young (Henry Golding) asks Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) to marry him is a bit cliché-ridden, especially since it takes on an airplane. However, considering the ups and downs the couple had faced in director Jon M. Chu's hit 2018 adaptation of Kevin Kwan's novel, they deserved an old-fashioned storybook climax.

Mike Proposes To Rachel (Suits)

Before her marriage to Prince Harry captured the world's hearts, Meghan Markle, as Rachel Zane, shared a captivating onscreen romance with fellow Suits cast member Patrick J. Adams as Michael Ross. The lawyer first lists off all the reasons why he loves the paralegal-turned-attorney before presenting her with his grandmother's ring at the moment he asks for her hand in marriage.

Jim Proposes To Katherine (Hidden Figures)

The astonishing true story depicted in 2016's Hidden Figures is complemented by an astonishing marriage proposal by military officer Jim Johnson (Mahershala Ali) to mathematician Katherine Goble Johnson (Taraji P. Henson). He begins by cooking her and her family a special dinner before surprising her with a ring and an admission that he called his mother the day after he met Katherine to tell her that she was the one he would marry.

Barney Proposes To Robin (How I Met Your Mother)

The two-part Season 8 mid-season finale of How I Met Your Mother reveals that nearly everything we have seen Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) do that season has been part of an elaborate ruse from his famed Playbook. However, the ultimate goal of the play is not to get his off-and-on lover Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) into bed but to finally reignite their relationship and get her to make the ultimate commitment with him, which she tearfully accepts on the rooftop of the World Wide News building.

Edward Proposes To Sandra (Big Fish)

In director Tim Burton's 2003 fantasy Big Fish, Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) experiences love at first sight with Sandra Templeton (Alison Lohman) and, despite her having a fiancée, proceeds to ask this woman he barely knows to marry him multiple times. She finally breaks off her current engagement after Edward picks thousands of daffodils, her favorite flowers, and gathers them in an unbelievable assortment outside her house.

Brian Proposes To Charlie (Shrinking)

In the acclaimed Apple TV+ series, Shrinking, Brian (Michael Urie) creates an elaborate plan to ask his longtime boyfriend, Charlie (Devin Kawaoka), to marry him, which includes singing a song with help on piano from Jimmy (Jason Segel), who ruins it by drunkenly regurgitating. A frustrated Brian then admits his intentions to Charlie, who, before Brian can even compose himself to officially ask the question, readily accepts.

Mr. Darcy Proposes To Elizabeth (Pride And Prejudice)

Director Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice features one of the most romantic movie quotes of all time. Despite his once rivalrous relationship with Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley), Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfayden) tells her, "You have bewitched me body and soul," during one of the multiple times he asks for her hand in marriage.

Ben Proposes To Miranda (Grey's Anatomy)

One of the most romantic moments from Grey's Anatomy begins in the middle of an operation when Ben Warren (Jason Winston George) expresses his disappointment that he and Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) were unable to work on the daily crossword. In the OR, Miranda pettily begins completing the puzzle herself and comes to discover that the answer to the clue, “My question to you,” is, "Will you marry me?" and that the entire crossword was crafted by Ben.

Ronny Proposes To Loretta (Moonstruck)

In 1987's Moonstruck, Loretta Castorini (Cher) becomes engaged to Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello) but unexpectedly falls into an affair with his brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage). Everything works out, however, when Johnny calls off the engagement for his mother's sake and, seconds later, Ronny borrows the ring to ask for Loretta's hand in marriage.

Glenn Proposes To Maggie (The Walking Dead)

Taking place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland overrun with reanimated corpses, The Walking Dead is not quite what one would call a romantic show but does give audiences a romance to root for between Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun) and Maggie Green (Lauren Cohan). The former pizza deliverer would make his relationship with her official by presenting her with a ring he pulled off a walker's finger.

Andrew Proposes To Melanie (Sweet Home Alabama)

Andrew Hennings (Patrick Dempsey) is, ultimately, not the man we are supposed to root for Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon) to end up with in 2002's Sweet Home Alabama. However, the way he pops the question by walking her into a room full of various engagement rings for her to choose from is a dream scenario.

Toby Proposes To Kate (This Is Us)

Toby Damon (Chris Sullivan) pays a good amount of money to make his unique way of proposing to Kate Pearson (Chrissy Metz) a reality on This is Us. He unzips multiple hoodies that each read a different section of the phrase, "Will you marry me?"

Jeremy Proposes to Kristen (Think Like A Man)

In Think Like a Man, commitmentphobe Jeremy Kern (Jerry Ferrara) is so overwhelmed with emotion when popping the question to Kristen (Gabrielle Union) that he accidentally says, "I want to be your wife, and I want to be your husband," before quickly correcting himself. It is easily one of the sweetest moments from the 2012 adaptation of Steve Harvey's self-help book.

Ross Proposes To Emily (Friends)

While Ross Gellar's (David Schwimmer) marriage to Emily (Helen Baxendale) proved to be ill-fated, his spur-of-the-moment decision to ask her to marry him right before she is supposed to leave for London is still one of the sweetest moments from Friends.

There are so many types of films and TV shows out there where one of the main focuses is romance, whether it's the best rom-com movie out there or it's a dramatic, neverending tale of love. But today, we'll be focusing on films and TV shows that focus on young love – teenagers and the like, obviously. Let's get into it.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before Trilogy (2018 – 2021)

This To All The Boys I've Loved Before trilogy defined a generation of young women like me who dream of having someone like Peter Kavinsky sweep them off their feet. We all agreed that Noah Centineo was the internet's boyfriend for years after this—indeed, a culture shift.

Teen Wolf (2011 – 2017)

While Teen Wolf certainly ranks high on our list of supernatural teen dramas because that is the basis of this show, a lot of people focus on love. And I mean a lot. The romances that happen are mainly what drives this series about a high schooler turning into a werewolf. You can't really get much better than that.

Grease (1978)

Okay, while literally, not a single person in the Grease cast was of high school age, the movie itself is about young romance. While I sometimes think Grease can be overrated, the movie musical does a good job of showing how young romance can affect a teenager – in an enjoyable musical form.

One Tree Hill (2003 – 2012)

When literally anyone thinks of teen romance, they think of One Tree Hill. Running for a total of nine seasons, the series tells the story of two half-brothers who compete for the same position on their school's basketball team, but of course, their love lives get entwined and tangled as well. This is drama to the max.

Easy A (2010)

When I think of Emma Stone's best movies, Easy A is always up there. While she's excellent in her dramatic roles, there is just something about seeing her in this comedic romance movie, which takes the cake every time. It takes young romance and makes it a joke, and honestly, it makes the relationship that her character forms with someone else even better.

Gilmore Girls (2000 – 2007)

Yes, I know I'll have some people say that Gilmore Girls isn't really based on young romance because it's more about the relationship between mother and daughter, but you tell me that you haven't spent time wondering who Rory was going to end up with in this series. Before there was Team Edward and Team Jacob, there was Team Dean and Team Jess (and Jess was the better option, BTW).

X.O. Kitty (2023 – Present)

A spinoff of To All The Boys I've Loved Before, this series, X.O. Kitty, is all about Lara Jean's younger sister, Kitty, and her adventures across the world in South Korea and honestly, I love it. While romance is a main aspect of the series, it's also a fun little coming-of-age comedy that anyone can get behind.

Dawson's Creek (1998 – 2003)

Running for six seasons, Dawson's Creek is another essential teen romance TV series that has been talked about for years. The series is like most teen romances out there, where it follows a close group of friends in high school and their lives together, as well as the relationships that follow, but man, it was huge and shot the stars to fame.

She's All That (1999)

Nah, we are not talking about He's All That. We are bringing up the original She's All That. The movie, starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook, is all about a high schooler who says he can make any girl popular and takes a bet to turn a random woman into a prom queen in six weeks. Romance ensues, and it's just a fun teen rom-com from there on.

Twilight (2008)

They are about romance when you think about it. The Twilight films are primarily all about the romance between Bella and Edward. And Bella is a teenager – and Edward is trapped in a young person's body, so technically, it is a teen romance…even if he is hundreds of years old, but THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT, OKAY? It's a teen romance.

Glee (2009 – 2015)

When I was coming up with ideas for this article, Glee was one of the first I knew I had to include here. Sure, we all love the Glee covers, but man, we ate up these romances when the show was out. Blaine and Kurt, Santana and Brittany, Rachel and Finn – it was endless, y'all. This may be about a Glee club, but we are all here for the love.

Gossip Girl (2007 – 2012)

The Gossip Girl cast undoubtedly reached a point while filming this show when they were no longer teenagers, but we all loved this series for its romances—no matter how absolutely messy they got. And they got messsssssy.

My So-Called Life (1994 – 1995)

While My So-Called Life only ran for one season, it certainly cemented itself into pop history. It was very realistic in its portrayal of teenagers and took a natural examination of romance in young love. Sure, it wasn't as dramatic as the others, but it's still a great show – and now a cult classic.

She's The Man (2006)

For a time, it felt like Amanda Bynes was the queen of teen romance comedies, and She's The Man was undoubtedly her best. Telling the story of a female soccer player who goes undercover as a man to join the men's soccer team in order to play, the movie is hysterical and creates a comedic young romance that is just too good.

Never Have I Ever (2020 – 2023)

Running for four seasons, Never Have I Ever is a great teen romance show. It's reportedly loosely based on Mindy Kaling's (the co-creator) life and her life in Boston. It follows the story of a teenager in high school and how she deals with her personal and school life in the aftermath of her father's passing. The romance is just as great as everything else.

Ginny & Georgia (2021 – Present)

While you could make the same argument for Ginny & Georgia as you could with Gilmore Girls – where it's essentially about a mother and a daughter – the Netflix series takes a hard stance on romance and really makes it a primary part of the story. Sometimes, you'll love these relationships. Other times, you'll want to pull your hair out. But hey, it's a fun time.

The O.C. (2003 – 2007)

Taking place over four seasons, The O.C. is another excellent teen drama that puts romance at its front most of the time. The series follows the life of a teenager who is adopted into a wealthy home, how he deals with his new life, and the relationships around him. It's one of the best teen series out there, so you should check it out if you haven't.

Crush (2022)

Starring Rowan Blanchard, this Hulu original film is a fun one. Crush is all about a high schooler who joins the track team in order to get close to her crush – but, in a plot twist, she ends up falling for her crush's twin sister instead and causes a whole mess of problems.

The Vampire Diaries (2009 – 2017)

Don't even get me started on this show. The Vampire Diaries may be about mythical creatures, but the romance is the plot. The show is all about a normal girl falling for a vampire that she thinks is a human, but then his brother ends up falling for her too, and she does as well as it's this whole love triangle – god, it was everywhere at the time. It's a young romance show despite the vampires being hundreds of years old.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, 10 Things I Hate About You is one of the best adaptations of a William Shakespeare piece because it is so fun. The movie is about a student who wants to date someone, so he enlists the help of the local bad boy to date the sister of the person he wishes to date—I mean, it's a recipe for success.

Dash & Lily (2020)

It's a shame because Dash & Lily came out during a time when it wasn't properly appreciated. The Netflix series stars Austin Abrams and Midori Francis and tells the story of two teenagers who fall in love while trading messages and dares in a notebook across various locations in NYC. I mean, that's adorable. Please watch it if you haven't.

Warm Bodies (2013)

I had to get one fun pick on here. Warm Bodies is one of Nicholas Hoult's best movies, and it's so funny. It's literally about a zombie teenager and a human teenager falling in love. Like, come on. That's freaking adorable.

The Secret Life Of The American Teenager (2008 – 2013)

With five seasons, The Secret Life of the American Teenager was a massive hit for ABC Family when it was released. The central premise of the first season is about a teenager who gets pregnant after her time at band camp and a one-night stand, but of course, the series takes plenty of twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time, especially with the romance.

The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022 – Present)

Now, this is a tremendous young romance pick. The Summer I Turned Pretty is based on the novels of the same name and tells the story of a teenager and the love triangle that she develops between two brothers. Yes, it is about as dramatic as you can expect it to be, and I eat it up each time.

Euphoria (2019 – Present)

Is Euphoria a lot more mature than any other picks on this list? You betcha, but that's what you get when you do a young romance show on HBO. The series mainly follows Rue and her time with drugs, but the romance aspect is a massive part of the show, mainly between other characters, but also between Rue and Jules.

Love, Victor (2020 – 2022)

A spinoff of the movie Love, Simon, this series is honestly a great one, and I wish it had more seasons. Love, Victor is all about the titular character, Victor, who comes to terms with his sexuality and learns to love himself and others over the course of its three seasons. It's a great LGBTQ+ TV show that I personally love.

The Kissing Booth (2018)

Okay, so The Kissing Booth in itself is a meme because there are so many moments that make you scratch your head and wonder how these relationships even work. But that doesn't change the fact that the first movie is entertaining as heck and certainly makes for a fun young romance.

A Cinderella Story (2004)

There are so many adaptations of Cinderella out there, but personally, A Cinderella Story is one of my favorites. It's about two teenagers who are online penpals who plan to meet up for the first time at a school's Halloween event. It's so sweet and adorable—ugh, I love it.

Sex Education (2019 – 2023)

I mean, this show is all about romance, love, and sex, thrown into a pretty bow. The series mainly follows a teenager and his experiences at school when everyone finds out that his mother is a sex therapist, but there are some excellent portrayals of young love on this show that really take the cake – ones I genuinely adore.

Love, Simon (2018)

This teen romance movie is one of the best out there. The film, starring Nick Robinson, follows the story of a closeted high schooler who is being blackmailed by someone at school while also trying to find out who the person is that he has fallen in love with online and dealing with his personal life as well. The movie does a great job of showing young love, and I love it.

Heartstopper (2022 – Present)

Based on the graphic novels of the same name, Heartstopper has three seasons and mainly follows the love story between Charlie and his feelings for Nick, a schoolboy with whom he shares a class. But as the series progresses, you get more and more relationships that make it so much more fun.

Literally, Any Romeo & Juliet Adaptation

Do I have to explain why? Whether you're talking about the one from the 1960s, Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo + Juliet, or any of the others, it's all about teen romance and what it does to us.

These are just some of the great picks I can think of, but there are so many others. I think these will be perfect for a little date night or a long weekend binge.

Throughout the history of television, there are examples of characters from shows just disappearing. In one episode they are there, and in the next, they are gone without so much as an acknowledgment from the remaining characters. Or sometimes a half-baked reason that doesn't come until years later. It's like they never existed at all. This is our list meant to remember those characters we have lost to the curse of being written out with no explanation.

Chuck Cunningham - Happy Days

Maybe the most famous example of this is Chuck Cunningham (Gavan O'Herlihy), Richie and Joanie's older brother on Happy Days. His disappearance has become so famous it's become known as the "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome." Though he was never a main star, he was still around in the first season until one day he wasn't and he was never even mentioned again. Harsh.

Santiago Herrera - Friday Night Lights

Linebacker Santiago Herrera on Friday Night Lights was a pretty major character in the second season of the show. Despite seemingly being a leader on the team with Coach Taylor working with him a lot, Santiago vanished from the team after Season 2 and was never even mentioned again.

Monica Dawson - Heroes

On Heroes, Monica Dawson had a unique power that allowed her to imitate anyone around her's power. That would be one of the most useful powers anyone on the show had (save for Sylar). Dawson, played by Dana Davis, is a main character in Season 2 and then is dropped from the show and is never ever mentioned again, without a real explanation.

Mutt Schitt - Schitt's Creek

Mutt Schitt, played by Tim Rozon is the very good-looking son of Mayor Roland Schitt (Chris Elliot). He plays a big supporting role in the first two seasons of Schitt's Creek, especially as one of Alexis' potential love interests. He was seen less and less as the show went on until only being spotted once in Season 3 and one final time in Season 4 before never being sighted or mentioned again

Celia Hodes - Weeds

For a while, Celia Hodes (Elizabeth Perkins) was a semi-regular reoccurring character on Weeds. She seemed to idolize Nancy and hate her at the same time. Despite being an antagonist for the first four seasons, by Season 5 she's only mentioned occasionally in passing until after Season 6 when the character completely falls off the radar and is never heard from again.

Leah Murphy - Grey's Anatomy

Dr. Leah Murphy, played by Tessa Ferrer, had a fairly brief, but action-packed couple of seasons on Grey's Anatomy during Seasons 9 and 10. She was fired at one point, but earned her job back the character seemed like she might make it for the long, but it wasn't to be and after one brief appearance in Season 13, she completely disappeared from the show.

Tiger - The Brady Bunch

When The Brady Bunch first hit the airwaves, it was just the six kids that made up the blended family, there was also the boys' pet dog Tiger. Tiger often made a mess of things, including Mike and Carol's wedding, but he was beloved. Until he wasn't. Tragically, the dog who played Tiger was hit by a car and killed, and rather than replace him, the producers just wrote the poor mutt right out of the show, though his doghouse remained in the backyard for years later.

Mr. Turner - Boy Meets World

For a while there, it seemed like Mr. Turner (Anthony Tyler Quinn) might be a very important teacher on Boy Meets World as he mentored Shawn and even took him in for a time. He was a regular character for three seasons before he dropped off the face of the earth after Season 4. He was mentioned briefly in the series finale, but fans never really got any closure from his sudden departure from the cast.

Judy - Family Matters

One of the most notorious examples of a character simply vanishing was the youngest Winslow child on Family Matters, Judy, played by Jaimee Foxworth. After Season 4, she was completely gone from the show as though she'd never existed. For shame Carl! Ignoring one of your daughters!

John Bennett - Orange Is The New Black

John Bennett was a key character during the first three seasons of Orange Is The New Black, and even had an affair with one of the inmates (Daya) and got her pregnant. Despite this, by the end of Season 3, he had quit his job and was never really even mentioned again. Fan theories abound, but ultimately it was the real world interfering as actor Matt McGorry simply quit the show.

Mandy Hampton - The West Wing

Right up there with Chuck Cunningham in notoriety is Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly) in The West Wing. A full cast member and one of the stars in the show's first season, she completely disappeared and was never even mentioned again from the beginning of Season 2 on. Like the "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome," her disappearance has become shorthand for this kind of thing happening with fans calling it "Going to Mandyville."

Ser Ilyn Payne - Game Of Thrones

Ser Ilyn Payne, played by the late Wilko Johnson, was one of the scariest characters in Game of Thrones. He was King Joffery's executioner and despite playing a larger role in the books, he disappeared from the show after Season 2. Johnson had a major cancer scare and though he didn't end up dying from it, he was given only a few months to live at the time. He wasn't recast out of respect for Johnson. He is mentioned later once by Tywin Lannister in Season 6, but he's never seen again on screen, nor is his absence ever explained.

Tina Pinciotti - That '70s Show

Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon) was referred to as an only child for most of The '70s Show. This, however, is an example of confusing retconning for many hardcore fans. In Season 1 of the show, Donna had a sister, Tina Pinciotti (Amanda Fuller) and she is even seen on screen, not just mentioned. After one more throwaway joke in Season 2, Tina is never even mentioned again and Donna refers to herself as an only child. Did something sinister happen? We'll never know.

Mike - My Three Sons

As the name of the show would imply, on My Three Sons, there were, at least in the beginning, three sons. Mike, Robbie, and Chip were Steve Douglas' sons on the show for the first years. Mike, the oldest, played by Tim Considine, who left the show after Season 5, went to college and is barely ever mentioned again and he's never seen again. He doesn't even show up for weddings. He's just...gone.

Seven - Married... With Children

In Season 7 of Married... With Children, Peg's 12-year-old nephew Seven is introduced. It's a clear attempt at the "Cousin Oliver" effect when a young, precocious kid is randomly introduced to make the show "cuter." For Seven, however, it doesn't last long, as after 12 appearances, the show simply forgets about him, despite a few inside jokes (like appearing on the side of a milk carton).

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

In the pilot episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Detective Daniels is introduced as part of the team in the squad house. He seems like he'll be at least a semi-occurring character, but instead, he's never seen or heard from again.

Ben Geller - Friends

Even fans of Friends can admit that Ross (David Schwimmer) is pretty awful most of the time. Nothing is worse, however, than how he seemingly abandoned his first son, Ben. Ben wasn't a regular on the show, but he did appear multiple times. At least until his daughter, Emma, is born with Rachel. Ben, who was played by Cole Sprouse for a couple of seasons, is never even mentioned again and never meets his half-sister. Harsh, Ross.

Gwen Grandy - The Mindy Project

Gwen Grandy (Anna Camp) is one of Mindy's best friends on The Mindy Project. They talk all the time and Gwen even named Mindy as her newborn's godmother. Then Season 2 happened and Gwen was just gone from Mindy's life without even an explanation. Poof, the best friend is gone forever.

Robin Sylvester - Glee

Did you know Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) on Glee had a child? You might vaguely remember that she was pregnant at one point and in Season 3 fans even meet the child. Then the baby is hardly ever mentioned again and never seen on screen. We know that Sue was selfish and mean, but wow.

Tori Scott - Saved By The Bell

Tori Scott, played by actress Leanna Creel in the final season of Saved By The Bell was a very brief, but very serious girlfriend of Zach Morris. Sadly for Tori, after Jessie and Kelly returned to school after leaving for a time, the character was unceremoniously dropped and never mentioned again. It's not even clear if Zach broke up with her or if she fell off a cliff. She was just gone.

Amy Jessup - Fringe

Before she was cast in Suits, Meghan Markle had an all-too-brief role in Fringe. Markle's character Amy Jessup was introduced in Season 2 of the show and seemed to be a new, full member of the team. However, after two episodes, she was gone and no one ever found out why. She's never mentioned again,

Jenny Kelly - Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Sometimes there is off-screen drama that causes a sudden disappearance and that may be the case here with the character Jenny Kelly (Michelle Beaudoin) in Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Jenny was Sabrina's best friend and a major character in Season 2, but she didn't even get the dignity of a proper send-off when she suddenly disappeared from the show, never to even be mentioned again.

Mark Brendanawicz - Parks And Recreation

Mark Brendanawicz, played by Paul Schneider, was a key character in the early days of Parks And Recreation until he was written out completely when the actor left the show and the producers re-tooled and brought in new characters. Brendanawicz was never mentioned again.

Mo-Mo - Nurse Jackie

Mo-Mo (Haaz Sleiman) in the first season of Nurse Jackie provides a lot of much-needed fun and comic relief with his snarky asides to Jackie (Edie Falco). Sadly, it seems the show's producers didn't think the character was really necessary so he was written out after Season 1 without much explanation, despite being such buddies with Jackie. He deserved much better.

Molly Parker - The Facts Of Life

The character of Molly Parker, played by the great Molly Ringwald in the first seasons of The Facts Of Life and a couple of episodes of Diff'rent Strokes, met an unfortunate end when Ringwald was fired from the show in favor of other, older actors. Her leaving wasn't given any kind of explanation until years later when it's briefly mentioned that she left to become an actress. It seems like everything worked out just fine for Molly Ringwald.

Dr. Grace Miller - Scrubs

Dr. Grace Miller on Scrubs, played by Bellamy Young, was introduced with a lot of hype and promotion. She was essentially playing the female version of Dr. Cox and fans immediately hated the character. The backlash was so bad that she was dumped after just a handful of appearances as though she never existed. It's too bad because Young was great in the role.

President John Keeler - 24

24 went through presidents like people with a cold go through Kleenex. One president who lasted a couple of seasons was President John Keeler (Geoff Pierson), but after he was shot down in Air Force One and left incapacitated, his VP, Charles Logan, took over. It's completely unclear if Keeler died or was simply too injured to return as the character is basically never mentioned again.

Nebula Lawrence - Boy Meets World

Boy Meets World had a little bit of a habit of introducing seemingly important characters only to have them fall by the wayside without explaining why. Nebula "Nebby" Lawrence (Krystee Clark) is the perfect example. She was introduced in an episode of Season 1 and as her name implies, she is the sister of Topanga. That was her first and only appearance on the show and for the rest of the show's run Topanga is an only child. Nebby is never heard from again.

Caitlin - Heroes

Caitlin (Katie Carr) on Heroes gets at least a little explanation as to why she disappeared. She is introduced as a love interest for Peter in Season 2 and together they travel to the future, where she gets stuck and seemingly remains there forever, as she's never mentioned again, nor is her ultimate fate.

Frank Cubitoso - The Sopranos

Frank Cubitoso (Frank Pellegrino) was introduced as the head of the New Jersey office of the FBI in the first season of The Sopranos. He plays a recurring and pivotal role in trying to take down Tony and his crew for a while until he pretty much disappears after the murder of Adriana.

Nina Cassady - Law & Order

Characters coming and going from Law & Order was pretty standard fare for the long-running procedural. Most of the time though, they at least get some kind of send-off or at least an explanation. That was not the case for Detective Nina Cassady, played by Milena Govich, who lasted just one season before she was gone without so much as a hint as to what happened to her.

Behrooz Araz - 24

The Araz family were the main villains in Season 4 of 24 and while the fate of Navi and Dina Araz is clear (both are killed), the fate of their son Behrooz is left hanging. He is traded in a prisoner swap for Jack Bauer and the men who take him find the hidden trackers CTU hid on him. But after that, he just disappears and is never heard from again.

Chris Colfer was all but a household name for more than half a decade thanks to his role as Kurt Hummel on Fox's Glee. While the musical TV show arguably peaked years before it eventually ended in 2015, the glory days of the first few seasons (now streaming with a Hulu subscription) resulted in Colfer landing a spot on Saturday Night Live back in 2011. Now, more than a decade later, the singer/actor reflected on his episode of NBC's comedy mainstay alongside music legends Paul Simon and Lindsey Buckingham... and what he had to keep telling himself.

The SNL episode featuring Colfer aired toward the end of Season 36 back in 2011, with Ed Helms hosting and Paul Simon as musical guest. (You can stream it now with a Peacock subscription.) While the then-Glee star didn't actually have any lines, highlights of his sketch include Kenan Thompson singing, Bill Hader playing Lindsey Buckingham, and then the real Lindsey Buckingham coming on stage as Lindsey Buckingham. Looking back at the experience when speaking with Vulture, Colfer said:

Rarely was Glee a hotter commodity than 2011, with Chris Colfer winning a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor as well as earning an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actor. Still, being on one of television's most talked-about shows packed with memorable musical covers didn't mean that Colfer was fully prepared to work with legends like Simon and Buckingham.

An added complication? Paul Simon and Lindsey Buckingham are such music icons that Chris Colfer of course already knew certain details about their lives, including Simon's marriage to the late Carrie Fisher and Buckingham's infamously tumultuous relationship with Stevie Nicks. The Glee actor had to keep reminding himself what not to bring up to either of the industry legends, as he shared:

Given that Chris Colfer didn't actually have any lines in the sketch, Paul Simon might have honestly thought he was a seat filler if he wasn't a Glee viewer, but Colfer not getting to speak was actually part of the punchline of the entire sketch. Take a look:

Alas, just like Bill Hader's version of Lindsey Buckingham, Chris Colfer just didn't get a chance to speak on Diondre Cole's (Kenan Thompson) show. Honestly, I have to shout out Thompson for his work in the sketch, considering how much singing he did in front of Paul Simon, Lindsey Buckingham, and a Glee star! The longtime SNL star is known for many things, but a music career is not one of them.

It remains to be seen if Chris Colfer will ever get another shot on Saturday Night Live. After more than 100 episodes of Glee from 2009-2015, he hasn't tackled another series regular role. He did appear in two episodes of Hot in Cleveland, Absolutely Famous: The Movie, and voiced a character in four episodes of Netflix's Ridley Jones. If you want to revisit his Glee days for the highs and lows of Kurt Hummel's journey, all six seasons are available streaming on Hulu now.

Is there a single TV show that, for the entirety of its run, managed to keep its story going without any retcons? For one reason or another, it is common to see a popular series amend or completely disregard a pre-established story or character detail, often leading fans to wonder if they are losing their minds. Don't worry: you're not crazy but merely a victim of some confusing or even just annoying TV retcons like the following.

Cory And Topanga's Origins (Boy Meets World)

The romance between Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) could have been the perfect sitcom love story if the classic TGIF comedy could keep the details of their relationship straight. When Fishel first joined the Boy Meets World cast, she was initially introduced as the weird student in Cory's elementary school class but, when she is later reinvented as his love interest, the show tries to play them off as sweethearts since childhood.

Dan Is Alive (Roseanne)

Not only is Season 9 of Roseanne, in which the Conners' lives change when they win the lottery, revealed to be a fantasy in the series finale but we also learn that Dan (John Goodman) was dead the entire time, having suffered a heart attack. This controversial plot twist was ignored in 2018 when the sitcom was revived for a tenth season before it was rebranded as The Conners.

The Fate Of Frasier's Father (Cheers/Frasier)

On one episode of Cheers, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) tells his friends at the bar that his late father was a research scientist. However, in Frasier's self-titled and equally beloved TV show spin-off, we see Martin Crane (John Mahoney) is alive and well and a retired cop. In an episode where Ted Danson appears as Sam Malone, the show tries to explain that Frasier's dad was "dead to him" at the time after a bitter argument.

Sara Was Not Dead After All (Prison Break)

In the third season of Prison Break, Michael (Wentworth Miller) learns that Sara (Sarah Wayne Callies) was kidnapped and beheaded, only to see her come back in Season 4, which reveals it was never actually her head. In reality, the reason for the character's demise was due to a dispute involving Callies' contract but, when she was able to work out a deal to return to the series, her earlier death was rewritten as a head fake.

Jimmy Olsen Was Not Who We Thought He Was (Smallville)

In its sixth season, the acclaimed DC TV show Smallville introduced the iconic character of photographer Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore), only to kill him off three years later. It is at his funeral that we learn that his real name is Henry James Olsen and that the real Jimmy Olsen was his never-before-seen little brother the whole time.

Kramer Was Originally Named Kessler (Seinfeld)

In the pilot episode of Seinfeld, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) calls his next-door neighbor by the name Kessler but, from the next episode on, Michael Richards' character is referred to as Kramer, after Larry David's real-life friend on whom the role is based. The series tries to explain this in Season 9's "The Betrayal" with a flashback to the characters' first meeting when Kramer tells Jerry that the name on his buzzer is incorrect.

Bobby's Death Was All A Dream (Dallas)

When Patrick Duffy decided to quit the CBS primetime soap opera, Dallas, his character, Bobby Ewing, was written off the show in Season 8 when he was run over by his sister-in-law, Katherine Wentworth (Morgan Brittany), and was buried after succumbing to his injuries in the Season 9 premiere. However, after the writers urged the actor to come back to the cast, the Season 10 opener revealed everything that happened in the previous season was imagined by his wife, Pamela Barnes Ewing (Victoria Principal), in her sleep.

Gossip Girl's True Identity Does Not Make Sense (Gossip Girl)

As revealed in the series finale of Gossip Girl, Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley) was the mysterious blogger the entire time but, if that's true, why does he act surprised by several posts about him, his friends, and his relatives in earlier episodes? Furthermore, Gossip Girl publicizes the fact that Dan and his girlfriend, Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), share a half-sibling, which he adamantly wants kept secret. So, why on Earth would he make that public, even anonymously?

What Ever Happened To Judy Winslow (Family Matters)

YouTuber Vee Infuso debunked an urban legend believing that the youngest Winslow child, Judy, once walked up the stairs in a Season 4 episode never to be seen again. While Jaimee Foxworth's actual final appearance in the Family Matter cast came later that season in "Mama's Wedding," her subsequent absence (due to the writers having nothing interesting to come up with for her) was never explained nor acknowledged for the remainder of the series.

The First Time Chandler Said "I Love You" To Monica (Friends)

In one of the most ridiculous Friends episodes, "The One Where Everyone Finds Out," Chandler (Matthew Perry) is coerced by Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) feigned seduction into admitting that he is in love with Monica (Courteney Cox) to everyone's surprise, including her own. However, the otherwise touching moment seems to forget about an earlier Friends Thanksgiving episode, "The One With All The Thanksgivings," in which Chandler lets his feelings for Monica slip when she surprises him with a turkey on her head.

A Time Lord's Maximum Number Of Regenerations Changes (Doctor Who)

Early on in the long-running, classic sci-fi TV show's history, it is established that the title character of Doctor Who, like all Time Lords, can only regenerate a total of 13 times. However, that rule has since been negated as the 13th Doctor actor, Jodie Whitaker, was later replaced by Ncuti Gatwa.

The History Of Superheroes Dates Back Longer Than We Thought (Arrowverse)

After adopting his vigilante alter ego at the beginning of the hit series, Arrow, Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is said to have become the first superhero. Yet, later down the road as the Arrowverse franchise would continue to evolve with its multiple spin-offs, it was discovered that superhero teams have existed as early as World War II.

Kimmy Gibbler's Sibling Count (Full House/Fuller House)

When Kimmy Gibbler is first mentioned in the 1987 pilot for Full House, D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure) says she has three sisters but the character (played by Andrea Barber) says in Season 3 that her parents stopped having kids after her. This could imply she is merely the youngest in her family but she was also known to mention having an unseen older brother named Garth. Furthermore, in Netflix's revival, Fuller House, we are introduced to her younger brother, Jimmy (Adam Hagenbuch).

Dean Loses His Urban Philosophy (Gilmore Girls)

When Jared Padalecki first joined the Gilmore Girls cast as Dean, the character was introduced as a Chicago native who had moved to Stars Hollow fairly recently and loves obscure books and movies. However, when New York transplant and obscure book and movie lover Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) is brought into the mix, Dean is suddenly reinvented as a more rural individual who has lost his cultural interests and thinks of Stars Hollow as his true home after living "most of his life" there.

The Disappearance Of Donna's Sister (That '70s Show)

We are willing to bet that, even if you considered yourself a huge That '70s Show fan, you had absolutely no recollection that Donna (Laura Prepon) had a sister. Tina Pinciotti (Amanda Fuller) makes one appearance in Season 1 and is subsequently mentioned only once more in a throwaway joke from Season 2's "Vanstock" but, from that point on, Donna is referred to as an only child.

Daenerys Goes Bad (Game Of Thrones)

Here is an example of something that is not so much a retcon but a deeply confusing and quite maddening TV character evolution that suddenly comes out of nowhere. One of the most heavily criticized aspects of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones sees the normally level-headed and fair Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) become a coldhearted tyrant who commits unimaginably brutal crimes without a second's hesitation.

Are Jason And Cheryl Really Twins? (Riverdale)

There are a number of notable inconsistencies regarding the characters in the Riverdale cast, but one of the more glaring involves Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) and her brother, Jason (Trevor Stines). While initially established as fraternal twins, later episodes of the Archie Comics-inspired dramedy imply that they are in two different grade levels at school.

Who Made Spike A Vampire? (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

A lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans like to count the sudden appearance of Buffy's never-before-seen younger sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) as a retcon. However, the sentient form of power's inclusion is explained by fake memories implanted into the characters' minds after she is sent to Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) to protect, so we are not counting that. Instead, we will mention how Spike (James Marsters) refers to Angel (David Boreanaz) as the vampire who turned him until it is later revealed that Drusilla is his true sire.

Why Sheldon Knocks Multiple Times (The Big Bang Theory)

One of the most iconic running gags on The Big Bang Theory is Sheldon Cooper's (Jim Parsons) compulsion to knock on people's doors three times, which was only first introduced in Season 2. However, in Season 10, he explains that he formed the habit after accidentally walking in on his father having an affair and wants to give people enough time to "get their pants on" with his courteous and incessant signal.

When Claire Gets Her Powers (Heroes)

In the first season of Heroes, it is established that Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere) developed her rapid healing ability later in life when she hit puberty. However, in a later episode when she meets her birth mother, it is revealed that she was indestructible even when she was an infant.

The Rules Of Being A Vessel Are Inconsistent (Supernatural)

At one point in the 15-season run of Supernatural, it is established that being a vessel for a spiritual entity will result in the host's death once the entity no longer requires their physical form. However, Sam (Jared Padalecki), Dean (Jensen Ackles), and even the Lucifer-possessed President Jefferson Rooney (David Chisum) end up just fine after their time as a vessel ends.

Tina Admits She Was Faking Her Stutter (Glee)

When Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) is first introduced in the first season of Glee, she speaks with a stutter that suddenly disappears after she joins the glee club. She eventually reveals she faked it hoping that it would make Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale) like her more.

Randy Suddenly Gains An Uncle (Monk)

Even a detective show as clever as Monk has been known to make a few logical errors from time to time. For instance, Lt. Randy Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) says at one point that he has two aunts but no uncles but, in the Season 5 episode "Mr. Monk Visits a Farm," he inherits land from a recently deceased family member... his uncle, Harvey (Jack Kehler).

President Barlett's Death Tax Repeal Veto Is A Surprise (The West Wing)

In Season 2 of creator Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing, it is mentioned by political commentator Mark Gottfried (Ted McGinley) that President Josiah Bartlett (Martin Sheen) vetoed a Republican-backed education package. However, in the following season when he vetoes a repeal of the "death tax," it causes an uproar as people claim he had never used the veto before.

Barney Suddenly Knows How To Drive (How I Met Your Mother)

In Season 2 of How I Met Your Mother, we discover that Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) not only does not know how to drive a car but is absolutely terrified to get behind the wheel. Yet, two seasons later, in one of the best HIMYM episodes, "As Fast as She Can," he makes multiple attempts to get a speeding ticket to prove he can talk his way out of one and is also seen driving plenty of times afterward. Perhaps he could have worked up the courage to finally learn how to drive by then but there is absolutely no mention of it, making his sudden acquirement of this skill a bit sudden.

Fans Still Missed Moriarty (Sherlock)

At the end of Sherlock's third season, a message from the detective's archnemesis, Moriarty (Andrew Scott) suggested the criminal mastermind would play a pivotal role in the following season. Unfortunately, fans would discover that he had no involvement in Season 4, which is less of a retcon and more of an infuriating cop-out.

Walker Blood Is Not A Source Of Infection (The Walking Dead)

Early seasons of The Walking Dead established that getting blood from one of the undead in your eyes or mouth or in a wound would prove fatal, yet later seasons ignore this rule almost completely. This retcon goes further than just the TV series as it is an acknowledged and important detail in the Robert Kirkman-penned comic book series that inspired the AMC hit.

Al Dreamt Peg's Pregnancy (Married…. With Children)

By the end of Married… with Children's first season, half of which saw Peg (Katey Sagal) pregnant, it is revealed to have been all Al's (Ed O'Neill) dream but there is actually a dark truth to this retcon. As the actor explains in her memoir, Grace Notes, Sagal's real-life pregnancy at this time was written into the show but when she suffered a miscarriage, it was decided that the show would not bring another child into the cast.

SpongeBob Knew Sandy As A Child (SpongeBob SquarePants/Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years)

In the second-ever episode of SpongeBob Squarepants, "Tea at the Treedome," we see the title character (voiced by Tom Kenny) meet Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence) for the very first time. However, the prequel spin-off, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, suggests that the sea sponge and the squirrel knew each other when they stayed at the eponymous camp as children.

Peggy's Mom Keeps Changing (King Of The Hill)

The first time King of the Hill introduces Peggy's mother, she is depicted as a suburban homemaker but is later reinvented almost completely as the wife of a bitter old rancher. That is not even counting the fact that, in an episode when Bobby's secret admirer turns out to be his grandmother playing a trick, the elderly woman in question is neither Hank's nor Peggy's mother.

Andy's Father's Name Changes (The Office)

In NBC's The Office, after proposing to Angela (Angela Kinsey), Andy (Ed Helms) refers to his mother and father as Andrew and Ellen Bernard, implying that he is Andy Bernard Jr. However, when we meet his parents in "The Garden Party," the father is identified as Walter Bernard Sr. (Stephen Collins) and Andy explains that he used to be named Walter Jr. before his younger brother (played by Josh Groban) was deemed more worthy of the moniker.

The Rules For Transferring Powers (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)

In Season 2 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, when Jason (Austin St. John), Trini (Thuy Trang), and Zack (Walter Emanuel Jones) are forced to leave, the team needs to acquire a special sword to transfer their powers to Rocky (Steve Cardenas), Aisha (Karan Ashley), and Adam (Johnny Yong Bosch). However, in the following season, when Kimberly (Amy Jo Johnson) needed to give her powers to Kat (Catherine Sutherland), she just handed over her power coin.

Some of the best TV characters are the ones that drive us crazy. Whether it's because they are villains, or simply just because they are obnoxious, we can't wait to see what they do next. Here is our list of all the characters we just love to hate.

Brenda Walsh - Beverly Hills, 90210

Brandon and Brenda Walsh may have been twins on Beverly Hills, 90210, but really, they couldn't have been any more different. Brandon was seemingly loved by everyone, including the audience, while Brenda was the ultimate teenage villain. It probably didn't help that the late Shannen Doherty was also controversial behind the scenes of the show, eventually leaving after Season 4.

Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory

Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) on The Big Bang Theory was an incredibly funny character. He was also an incredibly annoying and obnoxious character that fans of the show just loved to hate. He was laughed at and with through the show and was so popular (and despised), that the character got his own spinoff, Young Sheldon.

Cersei Lannister - Game Of Thrones

Without a doubt, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) in Game of Thrones is one of the greatest TV villains of all time. She was universally hated by fans, which is the biggest compliment you can give Headey as the one portraying her. She was so hated that even her death by getting crushed by thousands of pounds of rocks wasn't satisfying enough to fans of the show.

J.R. Ewing - Dallas

"Who shot J.R.?" is arguably the best TV cliffhanger of all time. It wasn't just that fans wanted to know who shot him, but if he survived the shooting. Plenty of people would have been satisfied had the villain on Dallas not made it. Of course, he did make it, and he was only more hated for it - in the best way.

Rebecca - Cheers

Kirstie Alley, who played Rebecca on Cheers walked into a pretty difficult assignment when she joined the show in Season 6. She was essentially replacing another character fans loved to hate, Diane, played by Shelly Long. Still, both the actress and the character slipped right into the sometimes villain, sometimes friend role and fans loved to hate her for it.

Dennis Reynolds - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

The gang in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia are all pretty terrible people. It's why we watch them, to see just how awful they can be. There is little redeeming about any of them, but the worst has to be Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton). There's no way anyone would ever be friends with a person like that, and that's why we love him... and hate him.

Dr. Robert Romano - ER

Dr. Robert "Rocket" Romano was one of the great TV villains of the 1990s in ER. He was brash, obnoxious, demanding, and mean. Audiences really hated him on a level that few TV villains are. It was a visceral hatred. That made his ridiculous death all the more satisfying, even though it was pretty over-the-top and somewhat silly.

Gemma Morrow - Sons Of Anarchy

Katey Sagal's portrayal of Gemma Morrow in Sons Of Anarchy was one of the highlights of the whole show. She was wonderful throughout the whole thing. And her character was simply a terrible, self-centered, shockingly sociopathic person. She was great.

Sue Sylvester - Glee

Even shows like Glee can have the most epic villains that audiences can't get enough of. Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) fits the bill better than most on this list, too. She's brilliantly funny and shockingly mean all at the same time.

Dwight Schrute - The Office

Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is the kind of work frenemy we all are grateful we don't have to deal with. He is obnoxious and overbearing and just simply annoying. Worse, he can be destructive. Of course, that only makes us love him more as a character. We may root for Jim, but secretly, we want to see what Dwight says next.

The Governor - The Walking Dead

Over its 11 seasons, there were a lot of great villains on The Walking Dead and while Negan may be the most notorious, he was pretty much just hated in every way (at least until the end). The Governor (David Morrissey) in Seasons 3 and 4 was the first villain we all truly loved to hate.

Livia Soprano - The Sopranos

Livia Soprano, played by the late Nancy Marchand on The Sopranos, was the worst mother imaginable. The way she dealt with her kids, and the rest of the world, was simply despicable. Had it not been for Marchand's untimely death after Season 3, who knows just how much more she would have been hated by fans of the show. One thing is for sure though, we all loved the late Marchand for her work as Livia.

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

There aren't a lot of heroes in Breaking Bad. At best Walter White is an anti-hero. Gus Fring, however, is a truly great villain. Giancarlo Esposito's portrayal of Walter's rival is unparalleled in TV history. Fans simply could not get enough of the villain and he'll long be remembered as one of the best parts of one of the most rewatchable shows of all time.

The Entire Roy Family - Succession

When it comes to the HBO hit Succession, it's impossible to pick the worst member of the Roy family. They are all so terrible, and seemingly in competition with each other as to who can worse, that we just have to nominate them all for this list. They are all just awful.

Homelander - The Boys

Of all the shows on streaming, there may not be a bigger concentration of terrible people than the characters on The Boys. There are only one or two redeemable characters on the whole show, and the worst are all completely awful. At the top of the list of characters we love to hate though, is Homelander. How could it not be?

Francis Underwood - House Of Cards

Even setting aside the camera controversies of Kevin Spacey, Frank Underwood on House Of Cards was a shockingly terrible person. His quest for power was unrivaled in television history and his willingness to do anything, including commit murders, made him so easy to hate. Yet we couldn't stop watching, could we?

Joffrey Baratheon - Game Of Thrones

Joffrey Baratheon on Game Of Thrones was such a hated character that a rumor once started that it actually affected actor Jack Gleeson's career negatively (it didn't). That not only says something about the character and how much we loved to hate him, but it also says something great about Gleeson who played the evil tyrant so well, that some people can't separate the actor from the character.

Louie De Palma - Taxi

Danny DeVito may be most famous today for playing another terrible person, Frank on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, but he got his big break in television playing the awful Louie De Palma on the classic '70s sitcom Taxi. Louie was the worst kind of tyrant boss.

Steve Urkel - Family Matters

Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, is hated for a very different reason than many on this list. He's just the most annoying TV character ever created. Fans who loved Family Matters also loved how obnoxious he was. People who weren't fans of the show just found him unbearable. A tribute to White's portrayal of the annoying neighbor.

Mr. Burns - The Simpsons

If there is one character on The Simpsons who does his best to be purely evil, it's C. Montgomery Burns. This is a guy who even tried to block out the sun from shining on Springfield. Of course, on any list of the best Simpsons characters, he'd be near the top, too.

Sawyer - Lost

Make no mistake that by the end of Lost, Sawyer (Josh Holloway) would become a hero. It takes him a long time to get there and in the early seasons, he's a pretty terrible person. That doesn't stop us from laughing at the creative nicknames he comes with or some of the snarky lines he has.

Eric Cartman - South Park

Eric Cartman is the worst kid in South Park. He's also the funniest character on the show (except for maybe Randy). Just about everything Cartman does is awful. He's one of the most self-serving and selfish people on TV, ever, yet, we can't stop coming back for more. We can't wait to see what obnoxious thing he will do next.

Ross Geller - Friends

Even the most die-hard Friends fan will admit that Ross Geller is a pretty awful person. Actor David Schwimmer was so good as Ross that it's hard to separate him from the character and that's too bad because Schwimmer seems like a great guy, while Ross is usually very much the opposite. It makes the "great" love story between him and Rachael (Jennifer Aniston) all the more confusing for fans.

Screetch - Saved By The Bell

The late Dustin Diamond played one of the most annoying nerds ever on Saved By The Bell. Screetch did basically nothing right and why anyone ever stayed friends with him is a complete mystery. Still, he was one of the reasons - if not the main reason - we laughed so hard at the show.

Sylar - Heroes

NBC's Heroes started off so strong before it sadly faded almost as quickly as it came out of the gate. However, throughout the show's short run, the one consistently great character was the one we all hated the most, the villain Sylar (Zachary Quinto).

Frank Burns - MASH

Everyone loved Hawkeye, Trapper John, and BJ Honeycutt on MASH. Everyone equally hated Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville) who did everything he could to ruin everyone else's fun. It made it a critical character in the early seasons of the show, and his replacement after Linville left the show, Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) was equally loved and hated.

Glenn Quagmire - The Family Guy

Quagmire on The Family Guy is just a horrible, horrible person. He's obnoxious and gross. Why the rest of the gang stays friends with just a terrible person is a mystery, though it might be because his awfulness makes him completely hilarious. That must be the reason, actually. It's a character we simply love for being so gross.

Gob Bluth - Arrested Development

Gob Bluth, played by Will Arnett, is the funniest character on Arrested Development. The screwup son and magician is also just awful in every way. He's selfish, rude, and honestly, not very smart. He's also occasionally racist. But again - he's the funniest character on the show and it's not because fans are laughing with him, they are laughing at him. Will Arnett deserves all the praise for that too, because it's not easy to be both.

Scrappy Doo - Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

Scrappy Doo is just the worst. We don't love to hate him because he's a great character, like so many others on this list. No, we love to hate because everything about the character, from his introduction to everything he does just sucks. We love to be angry at him, for real.

Janice Soprano - The Sopranos

There are a lot of characters with awful motivations in The Sopranos and among the worst of those is Tony's sister Janice Soprano. Aida Turturro plays the unlikable character so well that there is really very little redeeming about her. There are moments when we feel sorry for her, sure. She goes through some terrible stuff, but none of it makes her actually likable. In fact, anytime we start to like her, she does something to remind us how much we hate her.

Ben Linus - Lost

Ben Linus, played by the great Michael Emerson, on Lost, is a bit of an enigma. There are times when we almost start to like him, or at least feel empathy towards him, but inevitably he ruins that pretty quickly and fans are reminded that he's not a likable person, like, at all.

Georgina Sparks - Gossip Girl

Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg) is the classic high-society mean girl in Gossip Girl. She is so unlikable for her manipulative ways and awful attitude that fans can't wait for her to do something that they can be mad about. The perfect kind of villain.

There are some crazy popular TV shows out there. There are also some big characters from those TV shows that have gone on to become fan favorites. But there are also plenty of other characters as well that have fallen into a long hole of forgotten characters that we still can barely remember. So today, we'll get into some of the most obvious.

Heath (The Walking Dead)

It would be a crime if I didn't include Heath on this list. In all eleven seasons of The Walking Dead, I have never seen a character more forgotten than Heath. He seemed important, but then, after one bad zombie run, we literally never see him again and don't even know if he's alive or dead. There was some solution later, one where we found out Jadis traded him over to the Commonwealth, but that came years later.

Mark Brendanawicz (Parks And Recreation)

The Parks and Recreation cast is filled to the brim with talented stars and great characters, but one who was part of the main cast in Season 1 was Mark Brendanawicz. He was actually a love interest for Leslie and Ann, but he instantly left in Season 2 because he had an epiphany. And we never saw him again.

Sunshine Corazon (Glee)

There have been many characters on Glee who have come and gone from the limelight, but one I have to point out is Sunshine Corazon. She is a transfer student who dared threaten Rachel's spotlight in Season 2 of the show, so much so that Rachel tricked Corazon into going to a crack house. We saw Corazon one more time in the show before, but we never heard from her again despite her killer vocals.

John Bennett (Orange Is The New Black)

It felt like during the first few seasons of Orange Is The New Black, we would find a way for John Bennett to stick around. Eventually, he ends up leaving Daya and their baby alone when he has cold feet. And then we literally never hear about him again. I mean, the Orange Is The New Black cast was still stellar without him, but he just up and left.

Lincoln (The 100)

I really do love The 100 and think it's one of the best shows to binge if you want a series that you have no idea where it's going to go next. But sometimes, I forget the times when the series was grounded, and Octavia fell for a man named Lincoln, who taught her everything about being a Grounder – only for him to be executed a few seasons later and spurring her into the fighter she becomes. But I feel that we all forgot about him, right?

Nicole (Zoey 101)

It's really a sad story about what happened to the actress behind Nicole in Zoey 101, and I stand by her in what she has done standing up to the wrong situations behind the scenes at Nickelodeon. But that doesn't change the fact that her character, Nicole, was also completely forgotten in the show. Out of all the characters in the series, she didn't have much of a story and ended up getting written out entirely as the show went on.

Cathay Simms (The Office)

While Jim and Pam are certainly the most significant relationships in The Office, there have been plenty of other women in Jim's life. One of those was Cathay Simms, a young woman who tried to sleep with him on a business trip, but the trip itself fell apart. However, even when they get back to Scranton, she is literally never seen again.

Simon (The Walking Dead)

I might get some flack for this, but I swear, on my rewatch of The Walking Dead, I forgot Simon even existed until I saw him again. I think the main reason is that Negan became such a tremendous character that most of his followers felt like complete background people, even when some of them – like Simon – played essential roles in the plot. He was killed anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Jacqueline "Jackie" Ames (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

While Tyra Banks has gone on to appear in plenty of movies and TV shows, she made her acting debut in Season 4 of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, where she played Jackie, a friend of Will's from childhood. Their romantic chemistry is off the charts. Still, after a bad night of partying and her fed up with Will's behavior, she leaves. From then on, Jackie is not a part of the show anymore.

Scott Rosson (Gossip Girl)

Yeah, what happened with this? It felt like the fact that Dan and Serena had a half-brother was such a massive part of Gossip Girl for a bit, and then he just vanished without a trace. They even had a family reunion, but it's pretty much never brought up again. Like, how do you forget about a half-brother?

Abby Day (New Girl)

Believe it or not, Jessica Day has a sister—Abby Day, who the lovely Linda Cardellini played. We saw her once, and then we legitimately never saw her again during the series, which is pretty surprising because New Girl has some good consistency with a lot of its characters.

Santiago Herrera (Friday Night Lights)

This is another case of someone just vanishing from a TV show. He was a major recurring character in Season 2 of Friday Night Lights and had a pretty good story, but then he just vanished the next season. Legit, no one knows what happened to his character.

Frank Jr. (Friends)

Remember when Phoebe from the Friends cast got pregnant for her half-brother, Frank Jr.? Yeah, I barely did, too, but that did happen. Frank Jr. seemed like he was going to be a bigger part of the overall story, but then, after she gave birth to the triplets in the one-hundredth episode, we really don't see him or his family that often again.

Olivia Burke (Gossip Girl)

There are a lot of random people I forgot guest-starred in Gossip Girl, and one of those was Hilary Duff, who played Olivia Burke. The character was only there for six episodes, which explains why we forgot about her so quickly, but when looking back, it really feels like she should have been part of a bigger Gossip Girl cast. She was a good addition.

Robin Sylvester (Glee)

Sue had a daughter.

Yeah, that's right, I'll tell you again – Sue Sylvestor had a daughter, whom she named after her deceased sister, and then we rarely ever see her again—a baby. Don't even try to pretend you remembered because I sure as heck didn't.

Detective Daniels (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Alright, while what happened to Detective Daniels isn't that surprising, it's still a good thing to point out. This character was introduced in the pilot of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but we never see her again after. This isn't the first time a show has cut people out from the pilot, but still, a character that we totally forgot about.

Tara (The Walking Dead)

Out of any forgettable character on The Walking Dead, Tara is one that stuck around for several seasons, and I still needed to remember her. Maybe it was because her stories felt like they were pushed far in the background in comparison to what else we were all going through, but man, every time I've rewatched this show, I always forget that she becomes a decently big character.

Tori Scott (Saved By The Bell)

Tori was a new character introduced to Saved By The Bell in her later years. While she made friends with the group and even dated two boys, she was gone ten episodes later and is barely mentioned again.

Matt Rutherford (Glee)

The Glee cast is endless, and it feels like there are always new characters coming and going, but man, everyone forgets about Matt Rutherford. He was a background character in Glee in the first season, and there were so many other crazy characters there that it's honestly not that surprising he was just gone in Season 2. We will always remember to forget you, Matt.

Charles Miner (The Office)

I swear to God, every time I watch The Office, I always, always forget that Idris Elba guest-starred. He's a new VP for Dunder Mifflin, and he doesn't get along with Michael at all. While he was hilarious on the show, it wasn't enough for his character to last super long and be memorable.

Ben Geller (Friends)

I remember back in Friends Season 1, it was a big deal that Ross was going to have a baby with his ex-wife, but then we barely got to see him throughout the show. Thankfully, we did see him grow up a little when young Cole Sprouse played him, but before then, it was like Ben Geller never even happened.

Dani (Glee)

As a young bisexual woman, seeing Dani on Glee basically altered my state of mind. I wished she had stayed on the show forever because she and Santana seemed like a power couple with their voices. However, Dani (and Demi Lovato) ended up not staying on the show for long—and inevitably, Santana went back to Brittany anyway.

Isaac Lahey (Teen Wolf)

These teen supernatural dramas are filled to the brim with characters that just come and go all the time, and one to point out is Isaac Lahey, a student at the primary school of the franchise who was there and then just not the following season.

Ruby Lucas (Once Upon A Time)

Ruby is a character that seemed like she was going to have a big part in Once Upon a Time, but as any fan of this show knows, more and more storylines began to converge and push out other ones that could have been great, and Ruby's was sadly one of them. Eventually, she does get her happy ending, but no one ever really remembers her that much now.

Tina Pinacotti (That ‘70s Show)

Remember that Donna had a little sister? Yeah, I didn't either. We see Donna's supposed little sister, Tina, in an episode about a party, but then we never hear from her again after that episode. And then, we see Donna say several episodes later that she's an only child, so that got retconned.

Chuck Cunningham (Happy Days)

For those who have watched Happy Days, you might remember Chuck Cunningham, the brother of Richie and Joanie. However, he ended up becoming a background character and then vanishing altogether.

Morales (The Walking Dead)

We see Morales one other time in The Walking Dead besides Season 1 of the show, where we watch him leave the leading group with his family. And then, when he suddenly shows up as part of Negan's crew, he's killed by Daryl. Why bring him back to die? Ridiculous.

Mutt Schitt (Schitt's Creek)

Alexis from the Schitt's Creek cast has certainly had her fair share of love interests, and one of those was Mutt Schitt. That fling ended up fading away just as quickly as it began, and then soon, he was gone—which is honestly a shame because he was pretty funny.

Isla (Succession)

The Succession cast is so talented, and the characters have so much depth. One of those that continued to grow over the course of its four seasons is Roman Roy. But do you remember that in Season 1, he had both a wife and a daughter? Her name was Isla (the daughter), and yeah, we legit never heard about this little girl, like, ever.

Cooper Anderson (Glee)

Blaine had a brother who Matt Bomer played, and they actually had some sick duets on the show. But yet again, we legitimately never see him again. He was actually a great addition and really gave Blaine a kick in the butt to become better at singing (even though he already was), but we don't even see him in the finale or anything.

Otis (The Walking Dead)

There are plenty of The Walking Dead deaths that are pretty much forgotten about, and one of them, hands down, has to be Otis. One of the farmhands on Hershel's farm, Otis, is devoured by zombies thanks to Shane leaving him behind. We only saw him for a few episodes, and he was never mentioned again.

Ken Tanaka (Glee)

Ken Tanaka was the former coach of the football team at McKinley and was engaged to Emma. However, after suffering a nervous breakdown, he's gone from the show, and Coach Beiste takes his place. We never see him again after Season 1, despite him playing a big role in the first season.

Did any of these picks stir your memory? They certainly stirred mine—and now I have to rewatch all these shows to see them all again.

We've been experiencing a TV renaissance for years now, to the delight of superfans like myself who love watching my weekly stories. But even before the small screen became a place for A-listers, there were a number of iconic moments that stuck with fans. And this will be all about the single most memorable moment of 32 iconic TV shows.

Obviously not every beloved TV title can be on this list, so apologies in advance if your favorite isn't included. The small screen is simply an embarrassment of riches in this regard, especially once you factor in streaming shows that have arrived in recent years. In no particular order, here are the biggest moments from 32 beloved shows. But be warned: a major SPOILER ALERT is needed, as some of these episodes feature big plot twists and/or character deaths. You've been warned!

The Red Wedding, Game of Thrones

During its run on HBO, Game of Thrones was jam-packed with wild, violent, and truly memorable sequences. And while fans are still debating the final season, perhaps the most iconic scene occurred during the Season 3 episode "The Rains of Castamere". This is the infamous Red Wedding, where Walder Frey betrays the Starks, resulting in the brutal deaths of Robb, Catelyn, and Talisa (as well as her unborn baby).

Nomi's Wedding, Sense8

When Netflix was rolling out expensive and ambitious new content early into its run, The Wachowskis helmed the sci-fi series Sense8. The show followed eight strangers who were connected psychically and was canceled after two seasons, but fan campaigns resulted in a Sense8 finale movie being produced. After beating the bad guys, the show ends with Nomi and Amanita's wedding on the Eiffel Tower, followed by one last, wild, party.

Fonzie Jumps The Shark, Happy Days

The beloved sitcom series Happy Days is known for bringing the phrase "jumping the shark" into the pop culture lexicon. This originates from a Season 5 episode of the classic series, where Henry Winler's Fonzie jumps over a live shark while on waterskis. Say what you want about this plot point, but it's remained the most lasting and iconic plot line from the show's tenure on the air.

"Pick Me, Choose Me, Love Me", Grey's Anatomy

During its long tenure on the air, Grey's Anatomy had a number of iconic love stories. But the biggest has always been Meredith and Derek. Fans waited a long time for them to be together, and one of the show's most iconic moments is when she pleads for McDreamy to "pick me" instead of his wife Addison.

Rory's Graduation Speech, Gilmore Girls

When Gilmore Girls began its run on TV, it followed as Alexis Bledel's Rory struggled to adjust to life at her new fancy school, Chilton. Eventually, she becomes a leader in the school and delivers a graduation speech in Season 3. Not only did it make characters like Lorelai and Sookie cry, but it's one of the most iconic scenes of the entire show, where she pays tribute to all that her mother has given her.

Negan Kills Glenn And Abraham, The Walking Dead

For fans who watched The Walking Dead at the height of its popularity, there's life before Negan and after Negan. Jeffrey Dean Morgan's villain made a horrifying splash when he entered the scene, brutally killing fan favorites Abraham and Glenn with his bat Lucille. Some folks thought that killing was too much for the brutal apocalyptic drama.

The Plane Crash, Lost

Lost's pilot episode started a new must-see television show, with the sci-fi series instantly becoming water cooler talk. While some folks stopped watching as it ran, the first (wildly expensive) episode remains the most iconic, thanks to the thrilling plane crash sequences.

Tyra Banks Screams At Tiffany, America's Next Top Model

There are a handful of reality TV show moments on this list because of their impact on pop culture. America's Next Top Model might not be considered one of the best reality shows of all time, but it left its mark. Particularly the episode where host Tyra Banks screamed at one of the contestants after her elimination.

The Gift, Buffy The Vampire Slayer 

The first five seasons of Buffy The Vampire Slayer aired on the WB, before it eventually changed networks to UPN for the final two entries. Season 5 went out with a serious bang, with Buffy dying after sacrificing herself to save Dawn and the world. After wondering for half the season, we finally understood that death was her gift.

The Movements, The OA

The OA was an ambitious series that ran on Netflix for two seasons and was canceled far too soon. In the Season 1 finale, the group of teenagers (plus Phyllis Smith's BBA) decide to use the reality-traveling movements to distract a school shooter, saving the day in the process. It's a moment we waited all season for, and is an emotional and epic sequence.

The Lake House Fight, Girls

HBO's Award-winning comedy series Girls was a huge hit when it was on the air, and has been getting a lot of positive attention in the years since it wrapped. One of the best episodes of all time is Season 3's "The Lake House", where the four titular girls drink, dance and have an epic argument that shows just how messed up their friendships truly are.

Dexter Finds Rita's Dead Body, Dexter

Dexter was hugely popular during its original run on Showtime, and many consider Season 4 to be its strongest chapter. While Michael C. Hall's character eventually manages to murder the Trinity killer, he doesn't realize that the villain has already murdered his wife Rita. This represented a huge switch for the series and showed the consequences of Dexter's dark passenger.

The Final Scene, The Sopranos

The Sopranos' ending is one that has lived in infamy since it aired back in 2007. With an all-out mob war looming, fans expected Tony and the rest of the crew to go out with a bang. Instead, the finale famously cut to black during the final sequence, with audiences thinking their cable broke when it originally aired.

I Am The One Who Knocks, Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad was a delightful slow burn, with audiences following as Bryan Cranston's Walter White goes from chemistry teacher to bonafide drug lord. Things got more and more dangerous for Walt and his family throughout the show's run, to the dismay of his wife Skyler. When she finally confronts him in Season 4, he gives a truly iconic speech where he claims that he isn't waiting for someone dangerous to knock on the door because "I am the one who knocks."

The Final Sequence, Six Feet Under

Six Feet Under goes in the long list of quality shows to come from HBO. But it stands out as having arguably the best series finale of all time, where the audience is shown how the characters live and (more importantly) die. Set to the tune of Sia's "Breathe Me", try to get through that final sequence without crying.

The Departure, The Leftovers

The Leftovers was a thrilling drama with a super fascinating concept: on October 14th, 2% of the world's population suddenly vanished. While the show follows the fallout of that event, the pilot episode opened on The Departure, with a mother desperately searching for her baby after he disappeared.

Jessie's Song, Saved By The Bell

During its run in the late '80s and early '90s, Saved By The Bell was a favorite show among young people. While it was largely a comedy, certain episodes got more serious. Case in point: the episode "Jessie's Song", where Elizabeth Berkley's character becomes addicted to caffeine pills.

Fiona confronts Monica, Shameless

The US version of Shameless had a super long run on Showtime, ending after a whopping 11 seasons on the air. But it was best during its early years, and perhaps the most iconic moment came back in Season 1. When Monica returns to the Gallagher family and tries to take Liam away with her, Emmy Rossum's Fiona reaches her breaking point and confronts her over years of neglect.

Ross Says The Wrong Name, Friends

Throughout all of Friends' decade-long run on the air, the biggest question was whether or not Rachel and Ross would end up together. They had plenty of starts and stops (they were on a break!) but perhaps the most dramatic part of this saga came during Ross' wedding to Emily. In the middle of his vows, he accidentally refers to Emily as Rachel, ending his marriage before it even began.

The Hallway Fight, Daredevil 

While Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock is taking center stage in the MCU with Daredevil: Born Again, his tenure as the hero began with the Netflix Daredevil show. The series was gritty and featured dizzying fight choreography, with the most iconic being the long hallway fight, which was a thrilling one.

The Family Portrait, Modern Family

The Emmy-winning comedy Modern Family had a long life on the air, with the audience watching as the child actors grew up before their eyes. Season 1 was especially great, and the first finale "Family Portrait" is the show at its best. After stressing to try and pose for the perfect picture, the mixed family ends up throwing mud on each other and letting it all go in a heartwarming story.

Don Draper's Happy Ending, Mad Men

While it had a wildly successful run on AMC, arguably the most iconic moment from Mad Men came from its series finale. Fans have long debated the meaning behind the final shot, where Don Draper is seen happy and meditating, seemingly leaving the advertising world behind him. Although Jon Hamm's interpretation of the ending offers another, less hopeful perspective.

Pam And Jim's First Kiss, The Office

The Office had plenty of long love stories, with fans rooting for the staff of Dunder Mifflin. Jim and Pam's is the biggest example of this, and fans had to wait years for them to finally get together. In Season 2 the pair finally share their first kiss, although they didn't end up together just yet.

Teresa's Table Flip, The Real Housewives of New Jersey

The Real Housewives franchise is a huge behemoth at this point, but in the beginning, there were just a handful of cities. Chief among them was The Real Housewives of New Jersey, which entered the pop culture zeitgeist forever when OG Teresa Giudice flipped a table during a heated argument with Danielle Staub in the Season 1 finale.

Sue Hawk's Speech, Survivor

The first season of Survivor changed the TV world forever, and the show is still running to this day. Perhaps the most memorable moment from that prolific first chapter was Sue Hawk's scathing speech about snakes and rats, where he let out her rage about runner-up Kelly Wiglesworth.

Poussey's Death, Orange Is The New Black

Orange is the New Black was one of the first original Netflix shows, and it remained wildly popular until it ended. Fans know that the show was forever changed when Poussey was tragically killed in Season 4, inspiring a prison-wide riot that would take up all of Season 5.

Nina Kills Teri, 24

24 became a wild sensation when it started airing on Fox, with an entire season of action taking place in just one day. The Season 1 finale offered one more gut punch for audiences, when Jack finds the body of his wife Teri, realizing that she was killed by his former friend and colleague Nina.

Diane And Sam Breakup For Good, Cheers

Diane and Sam were the will they/won't they couple in the comedy Cheers, and fans all had their own opinions about them. In the series finale, we finally get some closure, and the pair realizes they shouldn't be together after all.

Nancy Burn Her House Down, Weeds

When Weeds started airing on Showtime, it was about a single mother who resorts to selling drugs to her suburban neighborhood. In Season 3 she burns down her house to avoid being caught, and the show was never the same after.

Kurt Dances To 'Single Ladies', Glee

Season 1 of Glee hit the world by storm, thanks to its colorful cast of characters and non-stop stream of hit songs. The first season was a huge deal, and there are perhaps no more iconic episodes when Kurt dances to Beyonce's "Single Ladies", and has to try and keep his identity from his father.

'Let's Go To The Mall', How I Met Your Mother

During the How I Met Your Mother episode "Slap Bet" the group of friends (and the audience) are introduced to Robin's teen pop culture persona Robin Sparkles. The song "Let's Go To The Mall" is a hilarious spoof on '80s stars like Tiffany, and is arguably the most iconic moment of the comedy series' run on TV.

Eleanor Realizes The Truth, The Good Place

The Good Place ran for four seasons on NBC, offering a hilarious and complex story. Season 1 was arguably its best, and the most memorable moment came when Kristen Bell's Eleanor realizes that they've been in the Bad Place all along.

It may seem that your favorite character from your favorite TV show was always part of the main cast, but that might not be the case. In fact, some of the most iconic TV characters were never meant to last more than one or two episodes until a behind-the-scenes decision changed their fate. The following are some famous examples that might have you looking at your favorite show's next guest star differently.

Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad)

It was not just three-time Emmy winner Aaron Paul's brilliant, empathetic performance as Jesse Pinkman that kept him in the Breaking Bad cast until the end. Creator Vince Gilligan had a pitch for the early demise of Walter White's (Bryan Cranston) student-turned-partner that shocked studio executives so deeply, that he scrapped the idea and, thankfully, kept the fan-favorite character alive.

Andy Dwyer (Parks And Recreation)

The lovably absent-minded Andy Dwyer was originally meant to appear in just six episodes from the first season of Parks and Recreation when he was still dating Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones). Michael Schur found future blockbuster leading man Chris Pratt just too funny not to keep around, leading to his series regular promotion and Andy's eventual romance with April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza).

Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli (Happy Days)

The role that made Henry Winkler a star would eventually be the star of Happy Days. However, "Fonzy" was originally introduced as a small-sized character before the audience's rousing enthusiasm convinced producers to make his presence more frequent.

Frasier Crane (Cheers)

Kelsey Grammer's stint in the Cheers cast as Seattle-based psychiatrist Frasier Crane was originally meant to last only a few episodes. Yet, he became one of the NBC sitcom's most popular characters and went on to lead his own self-titled spin-off that was arguably as good as the original series.

Spike (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Spike started out as just another vampire for Sarah Michelle Gellar's titular hero to fight when he was first introduced in the second season of Joss Whedon's hit series. However, his subsequent popularity would ensure that James Masters got a regular role in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast and even became a love interest for Buffy.

Chandler Bing And Phoebe Buffay (Friends)

Before Matthew Perry and Lisa Kudrow were added to the Friends cast as Chandler and Phoebe, the sitcom was going to mainly focus on just four young New Yorkers. That was until the actors' natural charisma convinced creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman that they deserved starring roles instead of occasional appearances like they initially envisioned.

Carol Hathaway (ER)

If the pilot of ER were filmed exactly as it was originally written, it would been the first and last episode featuring Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies), who was initially going to take her own life. When test audiences made note of the nurse manager's chemistry with George Clooney as Doug Ross, the head writers kept her alive and on the show until Margulies left in Season 6.

Luke Danes (Gilmore Girls)

Diner owner Luke Danes was originally written as a woman, but creator Amy Sherman-Palladino did a gender swap when the network asked for more male characters. It was not until they noticed the chemistry between Gilmore Girls cast members Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham that their will-they-won't-they dynamic was incorporated into the dramedy.

Lafayette Reynolds (True Blood)

In only the second novel from Charlaine Harris' book series, The Southern Vampire Mysteries, Lafayette Reynolds is murdered. However, the psychic cook's onscreen counterpart (played by Nelsan Ellis) lived on in the HBO series adaptation (and one of the best horror TV shows on Max), True Blood, after developer Alan Ball realized how well the character fit in the world.

Castiel (Supernatural)

Played by Misha Collins (when possessing the body of Jimmy Novak), Castiel first appeared on Supernatural in Season 4 for what was intended to be just a three-season arc. Soon after, however, Collins was promoted to a series regular and the angel would remain a trusted ally to Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester.

Steve Urkel (Family Matters)

At first, ABC's spin-off of Perfect Strangers followed the lives of the Winslows, until the family sitcom's star family took a backseat to their nerdy neighbor, Steve Urkel. After Jaleel White's Season 1 guest spot rescued the show from cancellation, he made more appearances and was promoted to a series regular in the Family Matters cast in Season 2.

Andy Bernard (The Office)

Ed Helms' role as The Office character Andy Bernard was introduced in Season 3, which was initially conceived as his sole year on the mockumentary sitcom. However, creator Greg Daniels really liked the character and brought him back from anger management to be a permanent fixture of the Dunder Mifflin family.

Sgt. Fin Tutuola (Law & Order: SVU)

While most famous for a song about killing cops, rapper Ice-T's most famous acting role is, ironically, a police officer on Law & Order: SVU. Also ironic is the fact that Fin Tutuloa was originally conceived as a five-episode guest role in 2000, but would remain a regular part of the cast.

Jack Shephard (Lost)

Before Matthew Fox joined the Lost cast as Jack Shephard, the character was supposed to die in the pilot to establish that no character was safe in the survival drama. In fact, Michael Keaton signed on to play the role under this condition but dropped out when they decided to make him the lead because he did not want to commit to a series at the time.

Felicity Smoak (Arrow)

Based on the DC Comics character of the same name, Felicity Smoak was initially introduced in the first season of Arrow in a recurring role. Emily Bett Rickards would be promoted to series regular, however, when the role was promoted to Oliver Queen's primary love interest.

Steve Harrington (Stranger Things)

A prime example of a character who underwent a major personality change is Steve Harrington (Joe Kerry), who was initially introduced in Stranger Things' first season as some archetypal '80s high school bully with an expiration date. However, fans' unexpectedly positive response, thankfully, led to the character's revamping and ensured Keery would be a valuable member of the Hawkins crew.

Boyd Crowder (Justified)

Watching U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) and career criminal Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) flip back and forth is one of the most addictive elements of Justified. Thus, we are thankful Boyd survived the pilot episode instead of being killed, like in Elmore Leonard's original short story, "Fire in the Hole," and that Goggins was promoted to series regular.

NoHo Hank (Barry)

Anthony Carrigan is easily one of the standouts of HBO's Barry cast for his performance as Chechen criminal NoHo Hank. It is no wonder his role expanded beyond Season 1 despite initial plans to kill him off.

The Armorer (The Mandalorian)

The Armorer (Emily Swallow) is one of the most fascinating and multi-layered characters from Disney+'s Star Wars Universe TV show, The Mandalorian. Her arc nearly ended with the first season in a scrapped scene that depicted her sacrificing her life.

Logan Roy (Succession)

No one could have succeeded in the role that Logan Roy played in HBO's Succession cast, but there could have been a major void left in his place had things gone as originally planned. Brian Cox's role was meant to die after Season 1, but instead survived and became one of the hit dramedy's most beloved characters.

Topanga Lawrence (Boy Meets World)

In creators Michael Jacobs and April Kelly's TGIF favorite, Topanga Lawrence was first introduced as that one weird girl in Cory Matthews' (Ben Savage) class. Soon enough, however, Danielle Fishel would be promoted to a series regular in the Boy Meets World cast after it was decided that the character would be Cory's love interest.

Gunther (Friends)

James Michael Tyler was merely hired on Friends as a background actor for scenes taking place at the Central Perk at first. In Season 2, however, the coffee shop manager was given the name Gunther, and the actor was promoted to a recurring supporting role that went on to appear in 185 episodes total.

Janitor (Scrubs)

The unnamed Janitor was originally conceived as a recurring role because it was going to be revealed at the end of Season 1 that he only existed in J.D.'s (Zach Braff) imagination. Creator Bill Lawrence decided to scrap that idea and make Neil Flynn a main part of the Scrubs cast after noticing the actor's improvisational skills, which ended beautifully for the character.

President Josiah Bartlet (The West Wing)

When Aaron Sorkin first conceived the idea for his Emmy-winning political drama, it was meant to focus primarily on the White House staff, with the President of the United States only showing up every so often or even not at all. Luckily, that changed and Martin Sheen's performance in NBC's The West Wing cast as Josiah Bartlet became one of the most beloved and inspiring highlights of the series.

Elijah Krantz (Girls)

Broadway theatre sensation Andrew Rannells first joined the cast of HBO's Girls as Hannah's formerly closeted college boyfriend Elijah Krantz in a very minor role before coming back occasionally during the first three years. By the dramedy's fourth season, creators Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner decided to add Rannells as a series regular and Elijah went on to become one of the series' most memorably funny characters.

April Ludgate (Parks And Recreation)

April Ludgate from Parks and Recreation is more than just a character who was not originally planned for a big role. There were no plans for her to be a part of the show at all until creator Michael Schur met Aubrey Plaza during the casting process and was so impressed with her talent that he invented a role just for her.

Aram Mojtabai (The Blacklist)

In the first season of NBC's The Blacklist, Aram Mojtabai was brought in by the FBI as a cyber crime consultant for what was only meant to be one episode. However, the writers responded well to actor Amir Arison's ad-libbing, started calling him back for more episodes, and made him a series regular in Season 2. 

Summer Roberts (The O.C.)

Rachel Bilson had very little screen time in the first episode of The O.C. and her character, Summer Robert, was practically written as an unnamed friend to Marrissa (Mischa Barton). Creator Josh Schwartz found the actor's grasp on the character to be very compelling and her chemistry with Seth actor Adam Brody led him to write her a much bigger part for the coming-of-age drama.

Joshua Rosza (The Originals)

Steven Krueger was first brought in for a minor recurring stint on The Originals as Joshua Rosza. However, by season 5, the vampire character became a regular role in the hit supernatural drama.

Killian Jones/Captain Hook (Once Upon A Time)

When ABC's fantasy series Once Upon a Time brought in Killian Jones (who is really Peter Pan's nemesis, Captain Hook), it was initially meant to be for a five-episode run in Season 2. While he quickly became a fan favorite due to his chemistry with Jennifer Morrison, his promotion to a regular role really came about when the cast and crew became deeply impressed with Colin O'Donoghue's performance.

Brittany S. Pierce (Glee)

Heather Morris was initially brought on to the Glee set to help teach the cast members how to do the dance from Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video before she ended up landing a guest role as Brittany Pierce. However, after he discovered her comedic talents, co-creator Ryan Murphy began giving the once-frequently silent cheerleader more things to say before making Morris a series regular.

Kima Greggs (The Wire)

While filming the first season of The Wire, Sonja Sohn discovered by accident that her arc as Shakima "Kima" Greggs was originally intended to end in the 10th episode of the crime drama. Luckily, HBO executive Carolyn Strauss expressed interest in the character, convincing showrunner David Simon to have her survive her planned shooting and come back for the remainder of the series.

To have a father in your life whom you can trust and look up to is a blessing that should not be taken for granted. You can find more than enough men like this in some of our favorite movies and TV shows. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most honorable dads in pop culture and why we love them.

Chris Gardner (The Pursuit Of Happyness)

One of Will Smith’s best performances comes from 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness, which is inspired by real-life entrepreneur Chris Gardner’s experiences single-handedly raising a child (played by Smith’s real-life son, Jaden Smith) while struggling with poverty in 1980s San Francisco. In addition to the hard work he puts through to provide for his son, also named Christopher, he also guides him with moving words of wisdom, such as refusing to be told he cannot achieve his dreams.

Mike Brady (The Brady Bunch)

One of the most iconic sitcoms of all time is the story of a man named Brady — architect Mike Brady (Robert Reed) — who married the lovely Carol (Florence Henderson) and became the father to three young step-daughters, in addition to his three biological sons. While The Brady Bunch never offered a particularly grounded depiction of life in the 1970s, a man willing to accept the responsibility of six children (seven, if you count the later casting shake-up of Robbie Rist as Cousin Oliver) was refreshing for the time and remains as such today.

Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird)

Some of the most valuable lessons that a parent can teach their children are the importance of empathy and the evils of prejudice, which Atticus Finch explains to young Scout in Harper Lee’s influential novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. It is no wonder that Gregory Peck’s portrayal of the widowed Southern Lawyer — who comes to the defense of a Black man wrongfully convicted of assault — in the 1962 adaptation was named cinema’s greatest hero by AFI in 2003.

Philip Banks (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

While he often seemed irritated by his nephew’s antics, Judge Philip Banks (James Avery) clearly loved Will Smith (Will Smith), as evident by his willingness to let the Philadelphia-raised teen live with his family in California after a dangerous run-in. It is especially clear, however, in one of the most tender scenes from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (and one of the most heartbreaking serious sitcom moments ever) when Uncle Phil confronts Will’s real father after learning he plans to abandon him again.

Gil Buckman (Parenthood)

A major theme of Ron Howard’s Parenthood is the insecurities that parents often face when raising children, and no character from the 1989 comedy better represents that than Gil Buckman (Steve Martin). However, there is no doubt that the St. Louis ad executive is an exceptional father when he dons a cowboy outfit to fill in as the entertainment for his son’s birthday party.

Dan Conner (Roseanne)

Few TV shows represent the blue-collar lifestyle as authentically as Roseanne did in its original run and one of the crucial elements was John Goodman’s performance as Dan Conner. Roseanne’s husband was everything a middle-class family could ask for in a patriarch — a hard-working, optimistic, and lovingly supportive father who was also never afraid to tell it like it is.

Bob Ivanovich (My Life)

In the 1993 tearjerker, My Life, Academy Award nominee Michael Keaton plays Bob Ivanovich — a Los Angeles public relations firm manager who is expecting his first child with his wife, Gail (Nicole Kidman), when he is given a terminal diagnosis. Yet, he is not going to let his impending death prevent him from being there for his son, giving him the idea to film a series of videos in which he explains how to shave, how to cook, how to drive more valuable lessons every parent should be the first to teach their children.

Jason Seaver (Growing Pains)

With a job career in psychology, it seems like raising four children would be impossible to keep up with. However, Alan Thicke’s Dr. Jason Seaver on Growing Pains achieved a decent balance between his professional and personal life beautifully by always keeping his family as the highest priority.

Gomez Addams (The Addams Family)

To the average, everyday individual, Gomez Addams — portrayed by the likes of John Astin in the 1960s-era The Addams Family series and Raul Julia in Barry Sonnenfeld’s ‘90s movies — does not seem like an ideal role model. However, when you consider his creepy and cooky home life, he and Morticia really do seem to be pushing their daughter Wednesday and son Pugsley in a decent direction at the end of the day.

Danny Tanner (Full House)

Following the sudden death of his wife, Danny Tanner (the late Bob Saget) enlists the help of his brother-in-law, Jesse (John Stamos), and best friend, Joey (Dave Coulier), to help him raise his three daughters on Full House. Yet, if not for his job as a TV personality, we imagine the tidy and tenderhearted dad could have handled the job all by himself.

Bryan Mills (Taken)

When his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), is kidnapped while vacationing in Paris, retired CIA operative Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) travels to Europe and reignites his “particular set of skills” to find her. The role that made Neeson into a modern action movie icon — from co-writer and producer Luc Besson’s 2008 thriller, Taken — is the rare kind of father who would single-handedly take on an entire human trafficking ring to rescue his child.

Carl Winslow (Family Matters)

Reginald VelJohnson has played quite a few cops in his day, but none more iconic than Carl Winslow as part of the Family Matters cast for nine seasons. When he was not trying to keep society in line patrolling the streets of Chicago, the father of three did a wonderful job keeping his family in line with love and support that his neighbor, Steve Urkel (Jaleel White), must not have received at home, which might explain why he spent so much time at Winslow household.

Guido Orefice (Life Is Beautiful)

Writer and director Roberto Benigni also leads his Oscar-winning 1998 dramedy, Life is Beautiful, as a goofy Jewish-Italian man attempting to protect and shelter his young son (Giorgio Cantarini) from their treacherous surroundings while living at a Holocaust-era concentration camp. While one might say honesty is a more important parental quality, sometimes keeping your child smiling and laughing in the midst of tragedy is the one thing they need most.

Adam Braverman (Parenthood)

Peter Krause told TV Guide that what attracted him to joining the Parenthood cast as Adam Braverman was the character’s goal to be “the best father, the best husband, the best son, the best brother he could be.” Considering the immense dedication he showed for his children — especially toward Max (Max Burkholder), who is a young boy on the Autism spectrum — we would say he succeeded.

Jack Pearson (This Is Us)

There are few modern TV characters who cross off all the boxes of an admirable fatherly portrayal quite like Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) on This is Us, whose devotion to his wife and three children is stronger than many could claim. His wisdom and wit would even prove to be a large influence in his children’s lives long after his untimely passing.

Eric Taylor (Friday Night Lights)

In addition to being the real father of his teenage daughter, Julie (Aimee Teegarden), Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) acts as a devoted father figure to the Dillion High School Panthers football team he coaches on Friday Night Lights. Not to mention, what better advice could someone offer on or off the field than, “Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose”?

Marlin (Finding Nemo)

In one of the saddest openings to a Pixar movie, tragedy makes clownfish Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) a single father to a single son, Nemo (voiced by Alexander Gould), whom he coddles to a suffocating degree as he grows up. However, by the end of Finding Nemo, he learns to be a more trusting father, but only after facing his greatest fears searching the ocean for his son after he is taken by a scuba diver.

Burt Hummel (Glee)

Just about any teen on the LGBTQ+ spectrum has gone through the challenging decision to come out to their parents, but they might have found some helpful encouragement after seeing Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) reveal his true self to his father, Burt (Mike O’Malley). Not only does the United States Congressman accept his son for who he is, but fights for his well-being against anyone who shows him adversity.

Johnathan Kent (Smallville)

Being the adoptive father of super-powered extra-terrestrial sounds like the toughest job imaginable, but John Schneider made it look easy with his portrayal of Johnathan Kent on Smallville. You could say that the farmer’s moral guidance is what led his son, Clark (Tom Welling), to become the crime fighter he needed to be when he accepted his destiny as Superman.

Louis Huang (Fresh Off the Boat)

Inspired by the childhood of celebrity chef Eddie Huang, Fresh Off the Boat follows the challenges of a Taiwanese family trying to make it in the States. The lovingly optimistic patriarch of the family, Louis Huang (Randall Park), is the embodiment of the American dream, working hard to ensure his children the life they deserve.

George Banks (Father Of The Bride)

In 1991’s Father of the Bride, George Banks (Steve Martin) struggles to let go when his daughter, Annie (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), becomes engaged to Bryan (George Newbern). The reaction is certainly a definitive trait of the typical over-protective father, but considering it comes from a place of great love for his daughter and a certain nostalgia for his early days as a parent, we cannot help but feel a heartwarming empathy for his “overreaction.”

Floyd Henderson (Smart Guy)

The underrated WB sitcom Smart Guy followed T.J. Henderson (Taj Mowry) — a young boy of above-average intelligence who still finds himself in need of the kind of guidance a child of his age typically requires. That is where his widowed father, Floyd (John Marshall Jones), would come in — answering his son’s complicated questions and even disciplining him without ever talking down to him, which even he understands would be a strange thing to do to someone with double his I.Q.

Man (The Road)

The 2009 adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is one of the most frightening depictions of a post-apocalyptic society ever put to celluloid, but that is not what makes it a valuable entry to the genre. At its core, the film is a powerful story about an unnamed man (played by Viggo Mortensen) struggling to do the right thing for his son (played by Kodi Smit-McPhee), which is something any father in the real world can easily relate to.

Phillip Drummond (Diff’rent Strokes)

Before his former housekeeper suddenly passed away, widowed millionaire Phillip Drummond (Conrad Bain) promised to take care of her sons, Arnold (Gary Coleman) and Willis (Todd Bridges). That is the plot of Diff’rent Strokes — a hit sitcom that proved that family is defined by the devotion you have for each other and Mr. Drummond’s devotion to his adopted sons and his biological daughter, Kimberly (Dana Plato), was undeniable.

Mac MacGuff (Juno)

In another story about teen pregnancy, you might expect the father character to fly off the handle after learning his young daughter is with child, but that is not the case in 2007’s Oscar-winning dramedy, Juno. Mac MacGuff (J.K. Simmons) reacts to the news that his titular daughter (played by Elliot Page) is pregnant in a surprisingly calm demeanor and offers strong support to her through every step of the process.

Daniel Hillard (Mrs. Doubtfire)

We cannot deny that Daniel Hillard’s (Robin Williams) actions in the 1993 comedy favorite, Mrs. Doubtfire — posing as an elderly woman to act as his estranged family’s nanny after being denied custody — is a little messed up. However, there is no denying that his extreme decision came from a place of strong commitment for his children, who were actually delighted to learn their father was him in disguise.

Mr. Levenstein (American Pie)

Not too many teens actively seek advice about the more awkward moments of adolescence from their parents, but Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs) would not have to seek such conversations in the American Pie movies. His father (played by Eugene Levy) had no trouble openly discussing the most uncomfortably “adult” topics with his son, but always had the wherewithal to make the discussions somewhat more comforting with the caveat that these were “perfectly normal things.”

Alan Matthews (Boy Meets World)

If you could not figure it out before, the title of Boy Meets World refers to Cory Matthews’ (Ben Savage) journey to figure out what life is all about, often with help from his teacher, Mr. Feeny (William Daniels). Of course, he also received more than enough guidance from his admirable humble, down-to-earth father, Alan (William Russ), who also served as a father figure to Cory’s best friend, Shawn (Rider Strong), whenever he needed it.

Ted Kramer (Kramer Vs. Kramer)

Director Robert Benton’s Best Picture Oscar winner, 1979’s Kramer vs. Kramer, depicts a marriage that falls apart when Joanna (Meryl Streep) leaves her husband, Ted (Dustin Hoffman), forcing him to finally learn what it really takes to be a parent. By the time Joanna returns to take their son, Billy (Justin Henry), with her, she realizes from the love and devotion he shows that he belongs with Ted after all.

Michael Kyle (My Wife And Kids)

We would consider Tisha Campbell’s Janet “Jay” Kyle from My Wife and Kids a TV wife who often put her husband in his place whenever his more childish and egotistical attributes came out. However, Michael Kyle (series co-creator Damon Wayans) is still a TV dad for the ages because of his unique approach to teaching lessons that sometimes even involve elaborate pranks at his kids’ expense.

Mason Evans Sr. (Boyhood)

When Ethan Hawke first appears as Mason Evans Sr. in 2014’s Boyhood, he seems like the stereotypical irresponsible estranged father you might see in most movies centered on divorced families. However, in retrospect, he offers young Mason (Ellar Coltrane) and his daughter, Samantha (Lorelai Linklater), some very profound advice even then and proves, that by the time Mason reaches manhood, he becomes the dad he was always destined to become, including to his child with his second wife, Olivia.

Sonny Kofax (Big Daddy)

Adam Sandler’s role in 1999’s Big Daddy, Sonny Kofax, is the one character her who is not actually a dad and, in fact, is very irresponsible. However, the love he shows for Julian (the illegitimate son of his friend, played by Dylan and Cole Sprouse) is worth a million fathers combined.

Hopefully, you have or had a father (or father figure) who can hold a candle to any of these movie and TV characters.

Melissa Benoist may be best known for her six seasons as leading lady of Supergirl at this point in her career, but her big break into TV came via Glee, where she played Marley Rose for two of that show's final three seasons. Recently, the actress opened up about the pressure from Glee and how it prepared her to join the Arrowverse alongside Arrow's Stephen Amell, The Flash's Grant Gustin, and many others.

Supergirl was a wild ride for Melissa Benoist, as it involved not only her first lead role, but involved starting on CBS before moving to The CW, joining a superhero franchise already going strong, and meeting her future husband on set. As it turns out, the workload of Glee helped her gain confidence. Speaking on Collider's Ladies Night, she said:

Although the two shows were quite different, Marley on Glee helped Benoist to believe in what she was capable of to play Kara on Supergirl. That's not to say that some of her Glee skills didn't come in handy on Supergirl beyond being ready for the work ahead of her. A crossover with The Flash united her with fellow Glee alum Grant Gustin for a fun but bonkers musical episode, which actually made sense within the loose rules of the Arrowverse.

Supergirl was the second of the main Arrowverse shows to come to an end, with Kara's final adventure airing in November 2021, just shy of two years after Arrow wrapped in early 2020. Benoist continues to speak about her superhero role, however, including her explanation for why she won't give Milly Alcock advice as Alcock gears up to play the character on the big screen. (The Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow release date is set for June 2026.)

While starring on a network TV show for six seasons and more than 125 episodes – along with the series surviving the COVID-19 production complications – is a major accomplishment for Benoist, her post-Supergirl TV work hasn't been quite as successful despite her hard work. She arrived on Max for subscribers as star and producer of The Girls on the Bus back in the early spring, but the show was cancelled after one season in May.

You can revisit Melissa Benoist's time on Supergirl easily enough if you have a Netflix subscription. All six seasons are currently available streaming on the platform, along with the full runs of Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow if you want to revisit Arrowverse crossovers. (Batwoman streams on Max.) If Benoist's comments put you in the mood for some Glee, that series is available with a Hulu subscription. For some more current and/or upcoming options, check out our 2024 TV schedule.

There are those shows that ended long before we wanted them to, from '90s one-season wonders like Freaks & Geeks and My So-Called Life to perfectly timed dramas like Succession and Breaking Bad. These are not those shows. Instead, these television titles overstayed their welcome, long after their biggest stars departed, or the critical acclaim and awards dried up, or the storylines made any sense. Here are 32 TV shows that simply went on way too long. 

Californication

At the beginning of Showtime's Californication, which ran on the network from 2007 to 2014, the story of troubled novelist Hank Moody (David Duchovny) and his hedonistic ways felt fresh and edgy. But seven seasons of incessant drinking and womanizing majorly dulled any of that edge. 

The Walking Dead

How long can people survive a zombie apocalypse? Apparently, for a while—the AMC flagship series The Walking Dead went on for an unfathomable eleven seasons and the survival story of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) still isn't over, having been picked up in the spin-off miniseries The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. 

Dexter

One word: lumberjack. For eight seasons, the Showtime series followed Miami man Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) as he worked as a forensic pathologist by day and a vigilante serial killer by night. Spending nearly a decade watching Dexter get away with murder after murder felt both implausible and repetitive. And don't even get us started on that disappointing, woodsy series finale. 

Grey's Anatomy

It's felt like Grey's Anatomy has been resuscitated more times than any of the patients at Seattle Grace. It's been the longest-running medical drama on primetime, but it became barely the Grey's that O.G. fans remember. In later seasons, lead actress Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey, scaled back to a recurring role, and beloved original characters like Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) were all long gone. 

The Handmaid's Tale

There's plenty of argument to be made that Hulu's dragged-out dystopian drama The Handmaid's Tale—which sees fertile American women (played by the likes of Elisabeth Moss, Alexis Bledel and Samira Wiley) being forced into child-bearing slavery by a totalitarian government—should have been a one-and-done miniseries. After all, the 1985 Margaret Atwood novel on which it is based concluded after the events of the first season. 

Sons of Anarchy

Too-long episodes (many of which pushed way past the traditional hour-long mark) and irredeemable characters made it hard to continue to care about Jax (Charlie Hunnam), Gemma (Katey Sagal) and the rest of the outlaw bikers in the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club after seven seasons of the FX crime drama.

Shameless

Sure, Shameless had a jam-packed ensemble throughout its entire eleven season run, including Jeremy Allen White, William H. Macy, Cameron Monaghan and Shanola Hampton. But the grungy Showtime family drama lost its heart when lead actress Emmy Rossum—who played the older sister-turned-matriarch Fiona Gallagher—departed the series in season nine. 

White Collar

Many White Collar fans felt that things were getting a little rinse-and-repeat with the USA Network procedural by the end of its six-season run, with case-of-the-week storylines and stagnant character development. Imagine their surprise, then, when it was announced that the show was getting a Netflix revival, with actors Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay and Tiffani Thiessen reprising their roles. 

This Is Us

The earned emotionality of early seasons of This Is Us—an NBC family drama that follows the lives of two parents (played by Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore) and their three children (Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz and Justin Hartley,) in several different time frames—started to feel manipulative and maudlin after six years. 

Suits

Some television shows suffer from an unsustainable premise. Case in point, Suits, the USA Network legal drama that follows a college dropout with a photographic memory (Patrick J. Adams) who is hired to work as an associate at a prestigious law firm, despite not actually having a license to practice law. Sure, Jan. Despite the dubious concept, Suits aired for a whopping nine seasons. 

Supernatural

Exactly how many demons, ghosts and monsters did brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) have to hunt down to save the world? Fifteen seasons and 327 episodes worth! However, even many Supernatural superfans believe the CW fantasy series lost its way by the end and should have finished after season five when creator Eric Kripke left as showrunner. 

How I Met Your Mother

That is one long story that Ted Mosby (played by Josh Radnor) tells his adolescent children Luke (David Henrie) and Penny (Lyndsy Fonseca) about how their dad first met their mother. In fact, the tale took nine whole years, with many meandering tangents along the way, that we wouldn't blame the kids if they, too, got bored listening to it. 

Glee

Few shows faced quite the critical fall from grace as Glee. Early on, the FOX teen show—which centered on the plucky members of New Directions, the glee club of the fictional William McKinley High School—was an awards show juggernaut, winning several Emmys in its first few seasons, but those high notes were soured when the scripts focused less on the show's original characters and more on ad nauseum celebrity guests. 

Scrubs

Starting with the ninth season, many of the original Scrubs cast—including Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Ken Jenkins and Neil Flynn—stepped back from being main characters on the show, popping up in only a handful or as little as one episode that season. Longtime fans of the NBC medical comedy didn't love that their favorites got replaced with new characters, played by the likes of Kerry Bishé, Michael Mosley and Dave Franco.

The Big Bang Theory

Running for 12 seasons and 279 episodes, this CBS sitcom about Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and their similarly geeky pals got bogged down by too many main characters, recycled old catchphrases and the use of laugh tracks as a crutch. 

The Simpsons

As old as, well, the person writing this very article, the satirical animated sitcom has broken several TV records in its three-decade tenure, including being the longest-running scripted primetime series in American television. And though Homer, Marge, Bar, Lisa, Maggie and the rest of the residents of Springfield are comedy legends, they now feel like relics of a different generation. 

Riverdale

The occurrences within the town of Riverdale were easy enough to keep track of in the early seasons of the CW teen drama, which was populated with the famous characters from Archie Comics (Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and the like.) But as the writing got messier and mazelike, and the characters' storylines more and more outlandish, the soapy series became impossible to take seriously by the end of its seven-season run. 

Game of Thrones

The brazenness with which the Game of Thrones creators killed off some of its biggest, most beloved characters — Ned Stark (Sean Bean) in season one, his son Robb (Richard Madden) and wife Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) in season four — majorly lost its umph when the show killed off Jon Snow (Kit Harington) in the season five finale...only to resurrect him two episodes later. 

Homeland

The first two seasons of this Showtime espionage thriller — in which Claire Danes stars as a CIA officer with bipolar disorder, opposite Damian Lewis playing a Marine Corps Scout Sniper who has just returned home following eight years in captivity — received universal acclaim, including the 2012 Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. However, though Homeland had eight seasons total, it never recovered in quality following the death of Lewis's character in season 3. 

Two and a Half Men

It's always a gamble when you replace the main character of a TV show, especially such a long-running one as the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men. Originally starring Charlie Sheen as a hedonistic jingle writer living with his uptight brother (played by Jon Cryer) and his nephew (Angus T. Jones), the show misguidedly hired Ashton Kutcher to lead the cast in seasons nine through twelve after Sheen left the show to enter drug rehab. 

One Tree Hill

It rarely works when a high school show follows its characters to college and into adulthood. One Tree Hill, the early-aughts teen drama that ran for three seasons on The WB and another six on The CW, stretched the storylines of Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray), Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton), Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush) and the rest of the Tree Hill Ravens crew too long past graduation, especially as both Murray and Burton departed the show after season five.  

Lost

Airing 121 episodes over six seasons from 2004 to 2010, Lost packed a lot of supernatural nonsense onto that island, frustratingly devolving over the years from a character drama to a complex mythology swirling with time travel, smoke monsters and electromagnetic phenomena. Even co-creator Damon Lindelof has said that he wanted the show to end after three seasons instead of six. By the time the series aired its final episode, the sci-fi series had offered up far too many questions and far too few answers.

Modern Family

Even Modern Family star Sarah Hyland, who played Haley Dunphy in 11 seasons of the Emmy-winning ABC comedy, was kind of disappointed by the show's later seasons. And she seemingly wasn't the only one: though it had earned both critical acclaim and strong viewership for its earlier installments, season 10 had the worst ratings of the series. 

Once Upon a Time

The thing about fairytales is that soon enough you get to that happily ever after at the end. The ABC fantasy drama Once Upon a Time seemingly didn't get that message because it made fans wait for that storybook ending for seven long seasons — even Robert Carlyle, who portrayed Rumplestiltskin in the series, retrospectively admitted to The A.V. Club that he felt that the series "ran for too long."

Killing Eve

On paper, we should have never wanted Killing Eve to end, with its cast led by a superb Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer — as a British intelligence investigator and the psychopathic assassin she's tasked with capturing, respectively — and scripts from the brilliant mind of Fleabag scribe-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge. However, when Waller-Bridge departed as head writer after the first season, the once-great show simply ran out of story. 

Bones

Crime procedurals have a habit of staying on TV long after they should, what with their formulaic case-of-the-week structure that's easy to replicate season after season. And Bones, the long-running Fox crime drama starring Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz, is definitely no exception, overstuffed with soapy gimmicks, themed episodes and a way-too-long will-they-won't-they dynamic between Deschanel's Temperance Brennan and Boreanaz's Seeley Booth.

The Office

Of course, we love the entire Dunder Mifflin crew, but everybody knows that The Office should have naturally called it quits when lead Steve Carell — who played the "World's Best Boss," a.k.a. the delightfully incompetent Michael Scott — departed the show after its seventh season. Not even big-name actors like Will Ferrell and James Spader could fill the hole Michael Scott left. 

Westworld

Westworld's first season is to this day the most-watched first season of any HBO original series. However, that popularity, coupled with early critical acclaim, didn't last long for the dystopian Western — the writing and character work drastically declined by the time the show was canceled in November 2022, and just a month later, the entire series was brutally removed from HBO Max. 

That '70s Show

The Fox teen drama — centered on a groovy group of teenage friends living in the fictional town of Point Place, Wisconsin — worked because of the chemistry created by its young cast, including Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Laura Prepon and Wilmer Valderrama. So of course the show itself took a creative hit when that chemistry was altered following the departures of Grace and Kutcher after the seventh season. 

Smallville

Initially a show about a teenage Clark Kent dealing with issues both human (bullies, crushes) and superhuman (kryptonite and such) while growing up in fictional Smallville, Kansas, Smallville seemed to care less and less about the human side of the Man of Steel over the course of ten seasons. Many fans suggest that the TV superhero should have hung his cape after season seven, which saw the departure of both the show's main villain Lex Luther (Michael Rosenbaum) and Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. 

13 Reasons Why

Based on the young adult novel by Jay Asher, 13 Reasons Why is one of those cases where a multi-season show was made to be a limited series. Instead of just neatly telling the story of Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) and the tapes she leaves behind after tragically ending her own life, the Netflix teen drama inexplicably changed genres throughout its four-season run, becoming a poor murder mystery in the show's third season. 

Heroes

Though the NBC superhero drama Heroes only went on for four seasons, critics of the show were already pointing out less-than-engaging storylines and lack of cohesion as early as season two. The tales of ordinary people who discover that they have superhuman abilities and have to work together to prevent catastrophic futures should have been adrenaline-pumping stuff, but it simply couldn't sustain that energy after its acclaimed first season. 

While the summer TV schedule makes it easier to block out memories of all the recent cancellations and series endings, some are harder to shake than others. CBS fans are still missing NCIS: Hawai’i, for instance, and a similar wave of “save this show” energy has surrounded the conclusion of the quirky detective dramedy So Help Me Todd. But for all that Season 2 addition Heather Morris is upset and disappointed it’s over, she’s grateful her biggest worry over landing the role never came to light.

When So Help Me Todd was canceled ahead of its Season 2 premiere, stars like Marcia Gay Harden shared disappointed reactions to the news, and Morris is no exception in that respect. Speaking with Collider, the actress addressed the creeping tension she had upon being hired, and how it tied back to the first time she and Skylar Astin were in the same TV show. In her words:

Now, I think many Pitch Perfect and Glee fans out there would have gone absolutely bananas to see Astin and Morris share a song-and-dance sequence on So Help Me Todd. Given their characters Todd and Judy were on a romantic journey in Season 2, it could have been a fun rom-com send-up, something more sincerely romantic, or even something wholly plot-related, and sparks would have flown.

Unfortunately for some, but very favorably for Heather Morris herself, showrunners Scott Prendergast and Elizabeth J.B. Klaviter never went down that melodic rabbit hole. Could it have happened in Season 3? Considering the bulk of Astin's TV characters sang songs with or to romantic foils — from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend to Zoey's Extraordinary Playbook to Grey's Anatomy, kinda-sorta — the seeds were planted for such a sequence to bloom.

Though she may be appreciative that her vocal talents weren't put to the test on the CBS series, Heather Morris is as disappointed as anyone that So Help Me Todd's plug was pulled, and is holding out the hope that a third season could happen with the right studio benefactor. In her words:

At this point, we know So Help Me Todd wasn’t canceled due to ratings solely and specifically, and that the decision was made in part due to CBS’ already filled primetime schedule, and in part due to behind-the-scenes conversations related to an impending Paramount buyout, which Marcia Gay Harden addressed. So it’s not the wildest idea in the world to think that Season 3 could actually happen one day. Maybe if the Glee vet could just sing “When You Wish Upon a Star.”

Fans can catch Heather Morris in her limited run of So Help Me Todd episodes with a Paramount+ subscription, and she’ll soon be seen in David Moreton’s feature drama Do You Want to Die in Indio?

These are the characters you love to hate. To be clear, none of the characters on this list are bad characters. Many are some of the best characters on their shows, but they aren't the kind of people anyone would want to be friends with. Our list of some of the most annoying characters in sitcom history. 

Ross Geller (Friends)

When you really think about it, none of the friends in Friends were really people you'd like to call a friend. Each of them had their own annoying quirks, but by far, Ross was the most annoying. Whiny and obnoxious, it's still unclear to many what Rachel really saw in him. David Schwimmer played the role brilliantly. 

Steve Urkel (Family Matters)

Everyone had an annoying neighbor growing up, but few can say their neighbor was as obnoxious as Steve Urkel in Family Matters. It's more than just being "nerdy," the character, played by Jaleel White, was as obnoxious as he was popular with fans. White's performance is one of the best in TV history, and the character was one of the least likable too. 

Dwight Schrute (The Office)

Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is a brilliant character because everyone can relate to working with a guy like this in some way. Sure, he has an extreme personality, but there is a piece of that personality in someone that everyone has worked with, whether it's in an office or not. Imagine sitting next to this guy for years. 

Bill McNeal (NewsRadio)

The late Phil Hartman played some amazing characters and had some amazing quotes in his career, but perhaps his best was in the vastly underrated sitcom NewsRadio. Bill McNeal is brash, obnoxious, toxic, and, frankly, hilarious. The diva news reader is the star of his own life at all times, much to the chagrin of his co-workers, who seemingly universally despise him, and with good reason. 

Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (Parks And Recreation)

Jean-Ralphio Saperstein, played brilliantly by Ben Schwartz, makes this list for being just slightly more annoying than his twin sister, Mona-Lisa (Jenny Slate). He's one of the funniest, and obnoxious, supporting characters in Parks and Recreation. Despite loving a good party and always looking for a fun time, he's the last guy you'd ever want to hang out with.  

Rerun (What's Happening!!)

Freddy "Rerun" Stubbs, played by Fred Berry, is the kind of friend whose schemes are always messing things up. Sure, he means well, and he's likable, so you keep him around, but inevitably, he'll screw things up. We've all had good friends like Rerun, and they've all driven us nuts. 

Kimmy Gibbler (Full House)

Have you ever had a friend that drives you so nuts you have to break up with them? Despite that, you always end up friends again? Sure, we all have. That friend is Kimmy Gibbler on Full House (and Fuller House). Andrea Barber is perfect as the obnoxious neighbor to the Tanners and on-again-off-again BFF to D.J. (Candace Cameron Bure). 

Screech (Saved By The Bell)

The late Dustin Diamond played one of the most annoying "nerds" in TV history as Samuel "Screech" Powers in Saved By The Bell. He always meant well, and at times he was an endearing character, but his purpose as a character was to drive everyone nuts. While Diamond had a really rough life after the show, including a short jail stint in 2016 before passing away from lung cancer in 2021, he'll forever be remembered as Screech. 

Cliff Clavin (Cheers)

Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) always meant well on Cheers, but he's exactly the kind of guy that is impossible to deal with when you're trying to enjoy a drink. He loves to hear himself talk and fancies himself an expert on everything. He's not, which makes it even worse. 

Newman (Seinfeld)

There's nothing worse than having a scheming, obnoxious neighbor who hates your guts, but that's what Jerry had to deal with on Seinfeld with Newman. Wayne Knight's brilliant portrayal of the unsavory postal employee is truly one of the best characters we all love to be annoyed by in TV history. Sure there were other annoying characters on the show, like Kenny Bania (Steve Hytner), but Newman was always lurking around, making him the worst. 

Nathan Shelley (Ted Lasso)

Nathan Shelley (Nick Mohammed), the equipment man-turned-coach in Ted Lasso starts of as just an annoying, frustrating employee of AFC Richmond. Then, later in the show, his ego explodes when he becomes the "Wonder Kid" manager of a rival team. At all times, he's annoying, though he is still lovable at times, and is eventually redeemed by the end. 

Dwayne Wayne (A Different World)

There is a lot to admire about Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) on A Different World. He's a good student and by the end of the show, he turned into a great guy. But for the first few seasons, he was a borderline stalker in the way he pursued the women of Hillman College.

Sheldon (The Big Bang Theory)

I'll never understand how the other people on The Big Bang Theory lived with Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons). Not only is he an obnoxious no-it-all, but he's also pretty much a jerk all the time. There may be no character I love to hate more than Sheldon, and I'm not alone as not only was he wildly popular, but the character even got his own spinoff with Young Sheldon. 

Pierce Hawthorne (Community)

The on-set difficulties the rest of the cast had with Chevy Chase on Community are legendary at this point. On the show, Chase's character, Pierce Hawthorne, was just as obnoxious as Chase supposedly was behind the scenes. No one really liked the oldest member of the community college friends, and with good reason, he was generally awful. 

Tobias Fünke (Arrested Development)

Dr. Tobias Fünke on Arrested Development was possibly the most obnoxious character in the extended Bluthe family, and that's really saying something. Every single member of the cast had their own annoying tendencies, but somehow Tobias, played by David Cross, was the most grating. Of course, we love them all and it's one of the best shows of all time, but wow were they obnoxious. 

Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

There is no way to make this list without including Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm. There were times that watching the show was like a stress test in keeping your composure while watching Larry do some of the most insane, mind-boggling annoying things. How many times did you find yourself yelling at the TV while watching Larry just be a jerk? Yeah, it probably happened a lot. 

Lisa Simpson (The Simpsons)

I just want to preface this by saying Lisa (voiced by Yeardley Smith) is maybe my favorite character on The Simpsons. She is the heart and soul of the family, and the constant voice of morality on the show. She's still super infuriating sometimes and if I were Bart or Homer, I'd be annoyed with her pretty much all the time. 

David Brent (The Office UK)

While Steve Carell's Michael Scott on the American version of The Office is kind of a lovable loser boss, Ricky Gervais' David Brent in the original UK version is just an insufferable jerk. There is almost nothing redeeming about the hilarious character, and he's so easy to hate. It's hard to imagine a boss that awful, yet there he is, on screen. 

Dan Fielding (Night Court)

John Larroquette won four Emmys for his portrayal of the skeezy defense attorney in Night Court. He was rude, mean, and chauvinistic. There were very few times he wasn't completely exasperating. Larroquette deserved all those awards for the character, he's just perfect in the role. 

Frank Burns (MASH)

Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville) is one of two annoying "roommates" in MASH. When Linville left the show after Season 3, he was replaced by Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers), who was every bit as annoying. So this show was the rare example of one of the best (and obnoxious) characters getting replaced with another successfully insufferable one. 

Ari Gold (Entourage)

Jeremy Piven deserves a lot of praise for his role as the obnoxious Hollywood agent Ari Gold in Entourage. He's completely maddening and as insufferable as any character in TV history. Someone you often find yourself rooting for him, despite how awful he truly is most of the time. 

Marcy D'Arcy (Married... With Children)

Her name says it all, Marcy D’Arcy. The character, played wonderfully by Amanda Bearse is the annoying next-door neighbor to the Bundys on Married... With Children and spends her time basically being a busybody. She's up in everyone's business, especially Al's, who couldn't hate her more. 

Gina Linetti (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) is truly a character fans loved to hate on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She was mean and nasty to almost everyone, nearly all the time. There are few characters in TV history as despised as Gina. Not that she ever cared, she wasn't really paying attention to anyone but herself. 

Hazel Wassername (30 Rock)

The character of Hazel Wassername, played by Kristen Schaal, in 30 Rock appears only in a handful of episodes towards the end of the show's run, but she quickly established herself as completely obnoxious. Fans hated her, but that should be a credit to Schaal, who plays the role perfectly. She's supposed to be awful, and she is. 

Trudy Wiegel (Reno 911!)

Let's be clear here: none of the characters in Reno 911! are redeemable. They all have reasons to hate them. Deputy Trudy Wiegel (Kerri Kenney-Silver) is, in a way, the most innocently annoying, but that doesn't redeem her, either. She's a hilarious character who gets herself in the most ridiculous situations, but it's impossible to ever root for her. 

Karen Walker (Will And Grace)

Megan Mullally is a national treasure. She is one of the funniest comedic actors in Hollywood, and she proved it with her breakout role, Karen Walker, on Will And Grace. Karen is, simply awful, as the bored wife of a millionaire who "works" for Grace on the show. Though "work" is a strong word for what she does, because she doesn't actually do much of it. 

Hilary Banks (The Fresh Prince of Bel Air)

Karyn Parsons' character Hilary Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air might be the most narcissistic character on this list, and that is really saying something. Sure, she has her moments, as all the members of the Banks family do on the show, but generally she is vapid and self-centered and no one you'd ever want to hang out with. 

Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother)

It's rare that the lead character of a show can also be it's most annoying, but while every character on How I Met Your Mother can be loathsome at times, Ted (Josh Radnor) is just really annoying. A little self-awareness would go a long way, right?

Jan Brady (The Brady Bunch)

In the underrated Brady Bunch movies in the '90s, one of the best examples of turning a '60s show into a movie, Jan Brady is shown in her true colors. Yeah, she's the hapless middle child of the blended family, but she's also really annoying. She's whiny and obnoxious most of the time, with none of the charm of the other kids. Eve Plumb is great in the role.  

Robert Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)

Brad Garrett's character, Robert Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond was a fan-favorite and a character people loved to hate. The dim-witted brother of Raymond (Ray Romano) with a striking number of annoying personality traits, he's great...and terrible. 

Ralph Furley (Three's Company)

The great Don Knotts and his character Ralph Furley proved you can replace one annoying character (Mr. Roper) with another, even worse character. He was so over the top in his obnoxiousness that you can't help but kind of root for him, no matter how awful he was. It's a true credit to Knotts' comedic talents. 

Sue Sylvester (Glee)

Jane Lynch is so good as Sue Sylvester, it's hard to see in her other roles (and she's great in everything). The character is one of TV's greatest villains, and easily one of the worst bullies ever, as well. She's mean, nasty, and hilarious. Sue is a character that fans watch the show to see, and one they just can't hate anymore than they do. 

Some kick-butt lesbian couples have genuinely won our hearts in both movies and TV – and today, we’re going to honor them. 

We truly live in a time when some great projects have awesome representation for the LGBTQ+ community. Whether it’s the best LGBTQ+ TV shows or the best LGBTQ+ movies, there are so many options out there that have really shown love in all its forms and made television and film that much better. 

Today, we’ll be discussing ten lesbian couples from movies and TV who honestly deserve all the praise in honor of Lesbian Visibility Day. While some of these couples have bisexuals as well (women who also like men), these pairings are all girl-on-girl and actually show what love is like. 

Santana And Brittany (Glee)

I’ll be honest and say that for my generation, Glee was everything, and Santana and Brittany were the couple on TV at the time. While both girls take up spots on the best Glee covers of all time, there’s nothing better than this relationship. 

Brittany is bisexual, but in the end, she winds up marrying her best friend. Through six seasons, we see the rise and fall and rise again of these two, where no matter what, their love keeps growing stronger day by day. As a young woman, I remember seeing these two on Glee and thinking, “Huh…so it is okay to like another woman.” They truly changed me. 

Carol And Therese (Carol)

While there are plenty of great LGBTQ+ movies out there, I think Carol is one of the best, and you should certainly check it out. The film tells the story of two women who fall for each other during the 1950s, leading to an affair. 

The film, one of Cate Blanchett’s best movies, tells the story of Carol and Therese, two women who grow to love each other. Honestly, it’s one of those love tales that is pretty realistic, to the point where it truly makes you feel bad for the characters who live during the 1950s when people were not as accepting. 

Clarke And Lexa (The 100)

I loved watching The 100. Despite the ending, I still think it’s one of the best CW shows. It’s a very creative idea—one hundred delinquents sent down from a space station to reconquer the Earth after a nuclear war. That premise alone will probably make many want to watch. 

Through its seven seasons, there were so many couples to follow, but arguably, the most known was Clarke and Lexa – or known as Clexa, a classic enemies-to-lovers relationship. Lexa was a leader on the ground, and Clarke was a leader of the delinquents, and while their love story didn't last as long as it should have, it was totally iconic. 

Korra And Asami (The Legend Of Korra)

As someone who loves both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra (even if I think the former is superior), Korra and Asami were both a surprise and a delight to watch. The ending informed the audience that both of them, two women, were together now. And then, the comics further confirmed it. 

They are both bisexual (as they both dated Mako from their friend group) but ultimately end up staying together. 

Remember, this was a massive deal for Nickelodeon at the time. We had never been given direct confirmation from any show before about anyone being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, so this was a huge stepping stone for the ATLA franchise and children’s TV as a whole. 

ATLA is known for its open conversations about sexuality and gender amidst a kick-butt storyline, and I, for one, will always be a fan. 

Marianne And Héloïse (Portrait Of A Lady On Fire)

If you’re looking for a more historical movie, check out the lead couple of Portrait of a Lady on Fire. The film is about a painter commissioned to paint the portrait of a young aristocrat and how they fall in love. 

I love Marianne and Héloïse’s relationship. It evolves slowly and realistically, especially for the period they were living in. Be warned that this movie does not have your typical happy ending, but for those who want a compelling and complex lesbian relationship, this is the one to watch.

Emily And Alison (Pretty Little Liars)

There are plenty of mystery thrillers out there, and Pretty Little Liars is probably one of the most well-known. The show follows how a clique falls apart when its leader suddenly vanishes. 

Emily and Alison are the perfect examples of what I would like to call a slowburn romance. Like, incredible slowburn. It was clear from the beginning that Emily always had a crush on Alison, but these two did not get together for many, many episodes. And even then, their relationship was ironically one of the most realistic out of all of these because life just happens, and they got through their own journeys. You have to love it. 

Callie And Arizona (Grey’s Anatomy)

Grey’s Anatomy is one of those shows that I’m quite sure will never end. During its two decades on the air, the series has seen several relationships come and go. One of those is Callie and Arizona. 

In another case where one is bisexual, and the other is lesbian, these two doctors got together earlier on in the series. They had one of the most extended relationships out of everyone. Their love story is authentic and raw and, of course, has drama out the the wazoo (as is tradition with Grey’s), but the LGBTQ+ community loved them with a passion. 

Maggie And Alex (Supergirl)

Supergirl is one of those shows that became a hit based on its use of DC Comics material. It has a great story about Superman’s cousin and her powers. But Supergirl’s sister, Alex Danvers, is actually the star of this section, as is her relationship with Maggie, a homicide detective. 

These two have probably one of the most relatable lesbian relationships. They become friends first. Maggie helps Alex come to terms with her sexuality and come out as well, and eventually, that leads to them getting together. They help each other grow throughout their time together. 

Tara And Willow (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Another legendary lesbian relationship we have to discuss is Tara and Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show about a teenage vampire slayer took the world by storm, and this relationship was another huge step forward for proper representation in the media for lesbians. 

While at first, Tara’s introduction to the series was surprising for fans, as they had never seen Willow as a lesbian, their relationship slowly became a massive part of the series. Furthermore, when it ultimately tragically came to an end, fans sent protests to the creators. They were everything to so many people. 

Megan And Graham (But I’m A Cheerleader)

Last, we have Megan and Graham from But I’m a Cheerleader. This film is certainly one to watch if you love Natasha Lyonne because it’s the perfect coming-of-age teen comedy for young lesbians. 

The film is about a young cheerleader who is sent to a conversation therapy camp, and there, through her relationship, she learns that she likes who she is and embraces her sexuality. The portrayal of Megan and Graham, from Lyonne and Clea DuVall, is legendary in many ways and is a must-watch for those who want a hilarious but realistic lesbian couple. 

There are so many great options here to check out – and honestly, this makes me want to rewatch all these films and TV shows. I think it’s time for a marathon.

So, sometimes, certain characters become fan favorites when it comes to TV. They capture the interest of television viewers, and almost instantly, we are pulled into their stories. 

But sometimes, these characters that we love are repulsive human beings. They all have significant issues, whether evident at first or slightly subdued. Today, we'll be going over 32 TV characters that, at first, you might like but you would not want to be friends with in real life. 

Joe Goldberg (You)

This is an obvious one, but I have to put Joe Goldberg from You because there was a time when it seemed everyone was falling for this guy. He's the main character of the series and is played by the talented Penn Badgley. 

Look, I think the actor is handsome too, and Badgley can bring a sort of charisma to Joe that makes him hard to deny – hence why, every season, it seems like he can score some new woman. 

But don't get it twisted – Goldberg is a serial killer. He may think that he's killing people for the sake of his love to make sure all their problems are taken care of, but he's still killing people. And even in the fourth season, when he tries to be "better," he ends up just giving in to his dark side and deciding that killing is acceptable. He is as repulsive as a human as you can get. 

Andrea Harrison (The Walking Dead)

I watched all eleven seasons of The Walking Dead, and few characters annoyed me as much as Andrea – which makes sense since she was killed off quite early compared to the comics. She was whiney, trigger-happy, and always turned everyone down when it came to help – and she nearly killed Daryl, so instantly, that makes her the worst. 

Pete Campbell (Mad Men)

Mad Men was a huge show, and Pete Campbell was a prominent character. But man, this dude was the absolute worst. At first, he seems like a cocky businessman, a smug person who thinks he deserves everything. But as the seasons go on, he gets worse in every way possible. He would be in jail now if this were the real world for all he had done. 

Ross Geller (Friends)

I love the Friends cast just as much as the next person, but let's be honest – Ross Geller is awful. He may be hilarious in specific ways and sometimes sweet, but he's self-centered, has pretty bad anger issues, and cheated on Rachel. And no, they were not on a break. 

Merle Dixon (The Walking Dead)

Ironically, I didn't necessarily hate Merle Dixon in The Walking Dead – maybe because I was such a big fangirl of Daryl as a teenager – but he certainly wasn't my cup of tea. And now, years later, he was just a repulsive human being in many ways. While he did have a love for his little brother, Merle left people to die, killed innocents, and only had one redeemable moment – when the Governor killed him after releasing Michonne from her captivity. 

Dawson Leery (Dawson's Creek)

Yes, we all know that famous meme crying face, but have we ever talked about how the titular character or Dawson's Creek is the worst? Dawson Leery is a miserable crybaby who thinks just because he's a more likable guy than most, he deserves more when, in reality, he's just a whiner.

Lori Grimes (The Walking Dead)

While there have been plenty of female characters from shows that people have hated for no good reason, Lori Grimes from The Walking Dead was pretty bad – in many ways. Not only was she a major complainer about everything, but her significant repulsive action was that she slept with her husband's best friend not that long after he was supposedly left to die in a hospital – and then got pregnant with his baby. Judith is sweet and all, but come on. 

Piper Chapman (Orange Is The New Black)

The Orange is the New Black cast has plenty of great characters, but Piper Chapman, the main character the show follows, is probably one of the worst. She's selfish, doesn't know what she wants, and leads many people on. She also had a crazy power trip a few seasons in that turned her into a malicious person.

Will Schuester (Glee)

I'm sorry, Will Schuester from the Glee cast must be imprisoned. Let's push to the side that he sort of lays all his problems out for his students to see half the time – what kind of chorus teacher has his children sing adult songs like "Toxic" in front of the entirety of the school – and join in? Jailtime, right now. 

Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

Everyone at this point knows how terrible Rory is, in so many ways. She may have been kind in earlier seasons, but she treats her mom horribly, doesn't take her advice well, drops out of school to run on with boys, and treats her significant others pretty terribly. She's awful. 

Madison Sinclair (Veronica Mars)

I usually give high school mean girls a pass because nine times out of ten, they're just going through something at home that makes them that way. But Madison Sinclair in Veronica Mars was as vicious of a mean girl as possible. And what makes it even worse is that she's still just as petty and malicious in the Veronica Mars film, so it's just her personality. 

Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl)

There are several people from the Gossip Girl cast I can point out on this list, and one is Blair Waldorf. No, she does not get an excuse for being a teenage girl and making stupid decisions because she keeps making them as time goes on to get what she wants. She's the stereotypical rich girl. 

Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)

Let's be honest – if Sheldon Cooper were our friend, we wouldn't like him. Sure, the Big Bang Theory cast is extremely talented, including Jim Parsons, but the character of Sheldon Cooper is the worst. He's a know-it-all who has the emotional range of a teaspoon (in Hermione Granger's words) and would probably be the worst friend to have. 

Jenny Humphrey (Gossip Girl)

God, don't even get me started on Jenny Humphrey. She started the series as a pretty innocent girl on Gossip Girl, but it didn't take long for her to rebel and start doing pretty messed up stuff to fit in, and she just started getting worse and worse. I'm not surprised that her character was barely in the show by the time it ended. 

Santana Lopez (Glee)

Look, I love Glee just as much as the next person and Satana Lopez's vocals were some of the best on the show. She killed in every single solo she was in. And while a part of me is in love with her attitude and the fact that she's great representation for LGBTQ+ viewers, she's also kind of a jerk. Like actually. 

At least in the first few seasons, Santana is manipulative in the worst way possible, and if she was going down, she often dragged her friends down with her. It wasn't until later seasons we saw her break out of her shell more and learn to be kinder. 

Serena Joy (The Handmaid's Tale)

The Handmaid's Tale may be one of the best shows on Hulu, but Serena Joy is arguably one of the most despicable characters in the series. You can give me all the backstory into how she became the way that she is, but there is no denying that she is a massive reason why this oppressive society began, and there is nothing you can do or say that will make me forgive her, ever. 

Goku (Dragon Ball Franchise)

Nah, man. I may love anime and will introduce it to everyone, but if they say their favorite character is Goku from Dragon Ball, I'm unfriending them. Why? Because Goku is a deadbeat dad, and he leaves his family and children, especially Gohan, so much that it's a joke that Gohan isn't his kid. 

Erwin Smith (Attack On Titan)

I love Attack on Titan, and Erwin Smith was a part of some of the best arcs of the franchise. But my guy was almost too into the idea of what lay beyond the Walls of Paradis – so much that he's willing to sacrifice hundreds – if not thousands – of the lives of young soldiers just to win a battle. I don't care if you're an army commander – that's pretty messed up, no matter how dire the situation is. He's a kick-butt character, don't get me wrong, but also not that good of a person.

Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)

We can all laugh at Barney Stinson from the How I Met Your Mother cast as much as we want, but if we met a real-life Stinson, we'd all hate him. He's the definition of a womanizer and has the attitude to match in many ways.

Chuck Bass (Gossip Girl)

Nope. No. I don't care if he's marketed as the "bad boy," he and Blaire are an entertaining but toxic Gossip Girl relationship and, more so, a horrible person. No random acts of kindness can make up for how bad he truly is. 

Dwight Schrute (The Office)

Dwight Schrute can take a vegetable beat and suck it – but on a real note, he isn't a great person. The Office cast is exceptionally talented, and yeah, Rainn Wilson certainly gives some humorous moments as Dwight. Still, at the same time, I'm pretty sure the office worker has some OCD with how he micromanages his job and others around him and will sacrifice anyone to get to the top.

George Costanza (Seinfeld)

The Seinfeld cast is full of characters that are all pretty bad in many ways, but let's be honest and say that George Costanza is one of the worst – if not the worst. He may be funny, but he's done some pretty bad things to get ahead in life or out of precarious situations. His frugality even led to the death of his fiance after buying toxic envelopes because they were cheap. 

Angelica Pickles (Rugrats)

No, she does not get a pass because she is a child – Angelica Pickles got her start as a mean girl early in her life with how she treated those babies, and what makes it worse is that she's still a brat in the spinoff, All Grown Up. I don't know who took her bottle away at a young age, but she's just awful. 

Brian (Family Guy)

While Brian is biologically a dog, he's practically a human in the way he speaks in Family Guy and man, has this "hilarious" dog done some messed up stuff. There is not another character that's as self-righteous as this dog, where he thinks he's just better than any other person and always uses that against them. It just makes him so unlikable. 

Dennis Reynolds (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia)

I mean, do we even really need to explain this that much? Dennis Reynolds, at first, seems like a typical narcissistic male – a womanizer who thinks he's better than most just because his daddy has money. But there are some severe cracks in his mental state and moments where you wonder if this dude would let you walk out of a hookup with him.

Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)

I love Jujutsu Kaisen, but Gojo is also a repulsive human being. Yes, I know he's the anime boy that everyone – even some of my closest friends – seems to have a crush on, but he's as selfish as they come and always thinks he'll win everything just because he's powerful. I'm also pretty sure he would sacrifice innocent lives to live, and that's pretty repulsive. 

Ned Flanders (The Simpsons)

There are plenty of popular The Simpsons characters that I could talk about, but Ned Flanders is a pretty repulsive person. I know, at first, he seems like a friendly neighbor, but as the series progresses, he gets more wrapped up in this radical religious mindset. Don't get me wrong, it's alright for you to have your faith – but when you push it on others like Flanders begins to do, that's never the right choice. 

Charlie Harper (Two And A Half Men)

It's his character to be repulsive, but I feel like we've all let that slide because it's Charlie Sheen, and he's funny as Charlie Harper. But if we all met a real-life Charlie Harper, we wouldn't want to be close or even related to him, no matter how many times we watch Two And A Half-Men. 

Eric Forman (That '70s Show)

At first, Eric Forman seems agreeable, but when you rewatch That 70s Show, he is one of the worst characters here. He's just lazy and uses that as an excuse for so many things, and also, he does not deserve the angel that is Donna. 

Debbie Gallagher (Shameless)

Oh, Debbie. At first, Debbie Gallagher of the Shameless cast felt like a misguided teenager who needed someone to help her, but then she got an attitude. And then it got worse. And then she purposefully got pregnant at fifteen. What? It's no wonder Fiona practically lost her mind with this family. 

Rachel Berry (Glee)

Rachel Berry is the type of theater kid that you would never want to be friends with. In Glee, she makes everything about herself, always strives to steal opportunities from others, and even when she goes through something terrible, it doesn't feel like she grows up at all. I could never understand why Finn dated her. 

Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother)

There are so many things wrong with Ted Mosby in How I Met Your Mother, so much so that I could write an entire article about them. He would continuously pursue women no matter what despite trying to find the perfect match and still somehow ended up with Robin in the end, even after his wife passed away – which isn't right. 

There are plenty of other characters that I could add to this list, but let's cap it there – and now, I feel the need to check out different characters that make me happier than some of these horrible ones. 

Look, as someone who watches a lot of TV, there are a lot of television characters that I have come to love, whether it be from the Stranger Things cast, the Game of Thrones cast, or more. But today, we will talk about the characters that deserved (or deserve) way more screen time. 

That's right; we're talking about the side characters we all loved, the strange ones we never got answers to, or even those killed off too early – so obviously, significant spoilers for shows ahead. 

Twyla (Schitt's Creek)

Look, I'll be the first to say that the Schitt's Creek cast is exceptionally talented and features some of the best modern-day TV comedy, but how come no one ever talked about Twyla? She was one of the few people in the town who was genuinely kind to the Roses and would always be there for them no matter what. It's a shame we never got to know her more besides her strange family life. 

Creed Bratton (The Office)

The Office cast is full of strange characters that we may have met once and never seen again, but Creed Bratton is someone I would kill to see more of in the show. He was just so…weird, and the few moments we did get to see him in a more active role in the series, he would always make me laugh the hardest because of the most out-of-pocket things he would say – you can't get better than him.

Sunshine Corazon (Glee)

As someone who loved all the best Glee covers and truly does enjoy the Glee cast, one side character I wish got more screen time was Sunshine Corazon. We saw her a couple of times throughout the show's six seasons, and that is just a crime – with a voice like that? Rachel Berry can step to the side. 

Oberyn Martell (Game Of Thrones)

I know Pedro Pascal's best movies and TV shows have expanded dramatically since his time on Game of Thrones, and while he may be known as Din Djarin or Joel Miller now, he'll always be Oberyn Martell to me. And what's even more surprising is that he was only in the fourth season before he was killed off – a man of that swagger should have been around for way longer.  

Tuco Salamanca (Breaking Bad)

The Breaking Bad cast is incredibly talented, but can we talk about the fact that Tuco Salamanca should have been as big of a villain as Gus? If not more? He was such a prominent figure in Season 1, and then he was just killed off at the beginning of Season 2, and we barely heard about him again. Sure, we saw him a little bit in Better Call Saul, but in comparison to the original? No. I needed more.  

Nadia (New Girl)

While the New Girl cast is hilarious, and the story itself is one I can genuinely love watching again and again, we could have seen more of Cece's life outside of Jess' bubble – precisely her time as a model with her model friends like Nadia (Rebecca Reid), who arguably had the most hilarious date with Schmidt and said the strangest things. It could have been great to see her in more episodes. 

Shego (Kim Possible)

Oh, don't even get me started on Shego from Kim Possible. Yes, I know, she's the partner to the bad guy in the famous Disney Channel series, but it's Shego. She's a kick-butt villain with surprisingly great chemistry with Kim, and she looked good. I would have been fine having her just be the villain instead of Dr. Drakken. 

Euron Greyjoy (Game Of Thrones)

As someone who has read the Game of Thrones novels, Euron's portrayal in the show greatly bothers me. Surprisingly, he's one of the few characters in Game of Thrones who wasn't in the show as much as you would think, and yet, somehow, he left a bad taste in my mouth. I would have liked to see him in more episodes so we could better expand his story and make him the scary person he is supposed to be from the books. 

Ekko (Arcane)

As someone who is patiently waiting for Arcane Season 2, Ekko is a character I would die to see more of in the next part of the story. We only saw Ekko for a couple of episodes in Season 1, and for half of them, he was injured. I saw how much of a fighter he could become; we need more Ekko. I demand it. 

Lexa (The 100)

If you were a fan of The 100 in 2015, you knew how devastating this loss was. The 100 cast was talented and created a huge show, but Lexa was arguably one of the most popular characters. When she and the main character, Clarke, finally got together romantically, she was killed. I mean, come on. There could have been so many more episodes with her. I'm still upset.

Ellie Alves (You) 

Jenna Ortega played Ellie Alves in Season 2 of You, and she was such a great counterpart to Joe in the scenes she was in. She was spunky but also a good kid that Joe genuinely wanted to keep safe. Ortega's portrayal of her made her that much more enjoyable, and I wish we got to see more of her. 

Bo Thompson (Superstore)

Superstore feels like it goes under the radar for how hilarious it truly is, and while the Superstore cast is entirely made up of great characters, I would have loved to see Bo Thompson in more episodes. And what's better is that in the few episodes we got to see him, he grew up a lot, which I can appreciate. I would have loved to see more. 

Heath (The Walking Dead)

So, like, Heath just vanished in The Walking Dead. Angela Kang says that Heath was captured by Jadis and traded to Civic Republic Military, but it was so sudden that fans everywhere were left wondering what the point of his character even was. I would have liked to see more of him so that I could care more about him disappearing. 

Ty Lee (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

I love Ty Lee from Avatar: The Last Airbender and she's one character that I'm sure could have been expanded on more if she were given more episodes. Not only was she incredibly flexible and able to leap from building to building with her incredible acrobatic skills, she was sweet and kind. I would have loved to learn more about her background with her family aside from knowing she came from identical sisters—such a shame. 

Susan Bunch (Friends)

Yes, I know we all love the Friends cast, but let's talk about Susan Bunch for a second. Friends was released in the early 1990s, and to me, she was one of the first openly gay characters I saw on a primetime sitcom as a child – and in doing so, it made me feel a little more comfortable with my sexuality as I grew older. We barely got to see her, while we would see her wife, Carol (and Ross's former wife), way more. I would have loved to see her. 

Judge Gen (The Good Place)

I mean, it's Maya Rudolph – we always want to see more of Maya Rudolph because she is hilarious. Even so, Judge Gen from The Good Place was hilarious every time she appeared on screen, and I don't think anyone would complain if we saw her more throughout the show. 

Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (Parks And Recreation)

Yes, the Parks and Recreation cast is so funny it hurts, but tell me why we didn't see more of Jean-Ralphio Saperstein. He was hilarious and was portrayed by Ben Schwartz, who truly knocked this role out of the park. Saperstein was even in talks to get his own spinoff series – that's how you know he deserved way more episodes. 

Beth (The Walking Dead)

Watching Beth die in Season 5 of The Walking Dead broke a part of me that I don't think I'll ever get back. It was one of the most heartbreaking deaths of The Walking Dead, and I still believe that if she were given more episodes, she could have had some of the best character development of all time. It's such a shame. 

Lyanna Mormont (Game Of Thrones)

While I'm sure most of us all know Bella Ramsay from her role on The Last of Us on HBO now, I first knew her in Game of Thrones when she played Lyanna Mormont, the feisty Lady of Bear Island. Despite her lasting impact, the character only appeared in nine episodes – and we should have had way more. 

Edgar Evernever (Riverdale)

Riverdale had some of the strangest villains throughout its seven-season run. Edgar Evernever was one of the worst and weirdest, considering he was the leader of a cult that harvested organs from vulnerable people. And when he was caught, he decided to take off in his rocket before getting shot -- what? That's so out there. He's such a strange, charismatic character – and out of everyone, I would have liked to see him more. 

Mose Schrute (The Office)

The Office has so many strange characters that appear occasionally, but Mose Schrute is someone I needed to see more of, if not for the fact that he was related to Dwight. Like, if you're related to Dwight Schrute, you're going to be a weird person, and I would have probably laughed my butt off to see more of him.

Mai (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Mai was one of Azula's friends in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Zuko's on-again-off-again girlfriend, and while she certainly had her moody moments, I would have liked to see more of her. I wanted to understand why she became the way she is, her family's history, and how she ended up falling for Zuko – we got a little more in the comics, but it would have been nice to see it on screen. 

Coach (New Girl)

Yes, I know we all love Winston from New Girl and that Coach was supposed to be the original third roommate in that apartment, but Coach is so funny. We didn't see much of him in the show, and he would have made us all laugh so much if he had been given more episodes and storylines. 

Eve (Supernatural)

Eve was a supporting Supernatural character that could have been amazing if given the chance. The show started moving in a different direction, and Eve became one of the prominent antagonists, but she was killed so quickly in Season 6 that I could barely register it. I wanted to see so much more of her.

June (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

She was a bounty hunter in Avatar: The Last Airbender who rode an incredible beast that could scent anything. How the heck did she become that? When did she find this monster? We barely saw her in the show, and I would have loved to see more. She was so cool.

Jinx (Teen Titans)

As someone who did love Teen Titans when it first came out, there were so many side characters that I wish I saw way more of. Jinx was a minor villain that we didn't get to see much until Season 5, when her character is expanded on for one episode and then not talked about again for a while – her powers of bad luck could have been talked about way more, personally. 

Bill (The Last Of Us)

I know we all loved that Bill and Frank episode in The Last of Us, but as someone who also loved that episode and the game, I would have done anything to see Nick Offerman's Bill meet Ellie. It was such a significant moment in the game. I would have liked to see more episodes of him – but I suppose I'm happy with Bill getting a partially happy ending this time. 

Eddie Munson (Stranger Things)

The entire Stranger Things fandom agrees that Eddie Munson could have been in more show episodes. An all-star of Season 4 of the series, Munson was a fan-favorite with a lot going for him, and Joseph Quinn blew up in the spotlight afterward. It's a shame he's gone.

Margaery Tyrell (Game Of Thrones)

The Season 6 finale of Game of Thrones saw the end of Margaery Tyrell, and even if she were in the show from Season 2 on, I would have given anything to see her in more episodes, even beyond Season 6. She was one of the few people who truly was a foil to Cersei – and their interactions were everything. 

The Weirdos (Portlandia)

Portlandia was such a strange but funny show overall, and The Weirdos were arguably some of the best parts of it. Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein played them, and they were people dressed in goth attire that would do some hilarious things – which I could have seen a whole spinoff of if we're being honest. 

Georgina Sparks (Gossip Girl)

It seemed that whenever Georgina Sparks appeared in Gossip Girl, things turned upside down for every character on the popular CW show. And yet, Georgina wasn't in the show that much, and while her name lives on, I wish we could have seen more of her drama. I wanted all the craziness she could bring – not just the few episodes we got. 

Danny (Teen Wolf)

I will never forgive Teen Wolf for removing Danny in the show. Not only was he a popular character, but he had revealed in Season 3 that he knew about all the creatures at Beacon Hills. And then, in Season 4, he's just gone. Vanished. Poof. The showrunner says that Danny graduated early, but, like...what? A fan favorite just gone? Bothers me every time. 

So many great characters deserve more love and episodes, but these are just some of the few that come to mind. Now I need to re-watch Avatar: The Last Airbender again for all the characters I love. 

Have you ever started watching a show about halfway through, fallen in love with one of the characters, gone back to see how it all began for them, and then realized that they weren’t around for the first season? Well, it’s happened to us… more than we care to count. Here are 32 great TV characters that were added after Season 1. From It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia mainstays to one of The West Wing’s best additions, let’s take a look…

Frank Reynolds (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia)

It’s hard to imagine It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia without Frank Reynolds, but that was the case for the FX comedy series’ first season. Danny DeVito’s vulgar and hilarious character wasn’t brought on until the sophomore season and has been giving fans crazy Frank moments ever since.

Brienne Of Tarth (Game of Thrones)

One of the best Game of Thrones characters, Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) was a major part of the majority of the HBO fantasy series, but she wasn’t around before Ned Stark lost his head. The fierce and loyal warrior joined the series in its second season and never looked back.

Saul Goodman (Breaking Bad)

Jimmy McGill, aka, Saul Goodman, was a major focus of Breaking Bad, and even got his own spinoff – Better Call Saul – after the AMC crime drama’s conclusion. However, Bob Odenkirk’s greasy and morally ambiguous attorney didn’t introduce himself to Walter White until the halfway point of Season 2.

Matt Santos (The West Wing)

Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing was one of the most watched and decorated shows of the late 20th century and early 21st century, and featured some of the best characters the medium ever saw. One of those iconic Washington, D.C. power players was Jimmy Smits’ Matt Santos, who was the President of the United States by the time the series ended in 2006. But Santos’ time on the show was brief, as the character didn’t arrive on the scene until the sixth and second-to-last season.

Maggie Greene (The Walking Dead)

The Walking Dead cast included its fair share of characters that felt like they were around for the whole ride. While that is true for a small number of survivors, Maggie Greene, played by Lauren Cohan, didn’t appear until Rick and his group made their way to the farm in the show’s second season.

Max Mayfield (Stranger Things)

Sadie Sink’s Max Mayfield was a Stranger Things Season 4 all-star, but the standout character, who has been one of the most interesting residents of Hawkins, was a late arrival to the series when she set the high score on Dragon’s Lair in Season 2.

Frasier Crane (Cheers)

Though Kelsey Grammer’s Frasier Crane will forever be known as one of the most beloved Cheers characters, he wasn’t around nearly as long as Sam, Cliff, or Norm. In fact, the psychiatrist and future radio host didn’t plant himself at the bar where everybody knows your name until the show’s Season 3 premiere.

Marlo Stanfield (The Wire)

In the ranking of most terrifying characters on The Wire, Marlon Stanfield (Jamie Hector) is at the top of the list. The most ruthless name in the Baltimore crime world, which still sends a shiver down our spines years later, didn’t arrive on the scene and start taking over corners until the HBO classic’s third season.

Amy Farrah Fowler (The Big Bang Theory)

Adding Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) was a great move for The Big Bang Theory as it added another great factor to the character dynamics of the popular CBS sitcom. Fowler, who would later go on to marry Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) in the Season 11 finale, didn’t debut on the show until its third season.

Ben Wyatt (Parks & Recreation)

Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) was one of the funniest Parks & Recreation characters, but Leslie Knope’s (Amy Poehler) future husband and “Pawnee Man of the Year” didn’t arrive on the scene until the very end of the show’s second season. He was around for a lot of the show’s best moments, just none in the first set of episodes. 

Christopher Keller (Oz)

There were a lot of unforgettable characters on Oz, with one of the big standouts being Chris Keller (Christopher Meloni). Involved in some of the HBO prison drama’s most violent moments (his kill count is in the double digits), Keller made an impact almost as soon as he joined the “Emerald City” population in Season 2.

Arthur Mitchell (Dexter)

Arthur Mitchell, aka, “The Trinity Killer,” was the most sinister Dexter villain by a mile, and then some. John Lithgow’s unsettling serial killer impacted Michael C. Hall’s titular character greatly after being introduced in the show’s fourth season.

Jack McCoy (Law & Order)

At any given time on any given day, there’s an old Law & Order rerun playing on a TV set somewhere in America. And chances are, most of those episodes will feature Sam Waterson’s Jack McCoy. Well, unless we’re talking about anything from the show’s first four seasons, as the assistant district attorney didn’t arrive until Season 5.

Leon Black (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

J.B. Smoove’s Leon Black has given fans of Curb Your Enthusiasm countless great moments over the years, but Larry David’s friend and roommate wasn’t always around. The character, which has since become a fan-favorite, wasn’t introduced until the show’s sixth season back in 2007, more than a half-decade after the comedy premiered.

Newman (Seinfeld)

Newman, portrayed by Wayne Knight, gave Seinfeld fans one hilarious encounter after another with Jerry Seinfeld’s titular character throughout their years-long feud. But like a lot of the show’s best characters, the overzealous mailman wasn’t introduced until the second season.

Spike (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

James Marsters’ Spike is one of the characters people think of the most whenever talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and rightfully so. While he was front-and-center for a lot of the teen horror drama’s biggest moments and is one of the vampires most associated with the series, the blonde villain-turned-anti-hero-turned-love-interest didn’t debut until the third episode of its second season.

Seven Of Nine (Star Trek: Voyager)

Seven of Nine, played by Jeri Ryan, is a character known by even those who didn’t grow up watching Stark Trek: Voyager, but she wasn’t one of the original members of the crew of the Federation starship. The now iconic heroine didn’t make her mark on the series until the very end of Season 3.

B.J. Hunnicutt (M*A*S*H)

M*A*S*H, one of the best TV comedies not set in NYC or LA, introduced audiences to characters like Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce, Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, and Father John Patrick Francis Mulchy, and Maxwell Q. Klinger. And while those iconic medics and chaplains were around from the beginning to the end, B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell) didn’t arrive in Korea until the show’s fourth season.

Groundskeeper Willie (The Simpsons)

A classic example of a beloved character not on the first season of The Simpsons, Groundskeeper Willie quickly became one of Springfield’s most colorful residents after joining the animated series in the Season 2 episode “Principal Charming.”

The Priest (Fleabag)

Andrew Scott’s character known as the Priest stole the show during the second and final season of Fleabag thanks to his relationship with Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s fourth-wall-breaking protagonist. Though the character is most well-known from the comedy series, he was nowhere to be found in the first season back in 2016.

Butters Stotch (South Park)

South Park has introduced us to some truly unforgettable characters over the past few decades, and one of the best is Butters Stotch, the manic and scene-stealing classmate of the animated comedy’s core group. Though spotted as a background character in the show’s pilot episode, Butters wouldn’t get his first proper introduction and speaking part until the second season.

Frank Castle/Punisher (Daredevil)

Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, aka, the Punisher, was one of the most violent Marvel characters introduced yet when he showed up in Daredevil Season 2. No one is going to hold it against you if you don’t remember that Castle popped up in the sophomore season to clean up Hell’s Kitchen through any means necessary. He was, however, in The Punisher Season 1 when the spinoff debuted in 2017.

Jefferson D'Arcy (Married... With Children)

Ted McGinley, the antagonist from Revenge of the Nerds, is well known for playing characters added late in the run of various shows. This includes Happy Days, Dynasty, The Love Boat, and most notably, Married… with Children, on which he played Al Bundy’s neighbor Jefferson D’Arcy. The white-collar-criminal-turned-trophy-husband first appeared in the show’s fifth season.

Chloe O'Brian (24)

Mary Lynn Rajskub’s Chloe O’Brian proved time and time again that she was not only one of Jack Bauer’s most trusted allies but also a great friend on 24. The dedicated and highly intelligent analyst came through for her colleague and country when it mattered most, but not until she was introduced in 24 Season 3, which makes you wonder how Kiefer Sutherland’s character made it through everything that transpired in the first two chapters.

 Castiel (Supernatural)

Castiel (Misha Collins) was at the center of Supernatural’s most devastating loss during the show’s final season. The angel, who helped out the Winchester brothers more times than anyone can count, was a permanent fixture of The CW show after making his debut during the Season 4 premiere.

Andy Bernard (The Office)

Andy Bernard is considered to be one of the best characters from The Office, but he can’t say he was one of the Dunder Mifflin employees who was there from the beginning. Ed Helms’ abrasive Regional Director of Sales was introduced in the Season 3 premiere as one of the Stamford branch employees who weren’t too pleased when Jim was transferred to the Connecticut branch.

Desmond Hume (Lost)

Desmond Hume, played by Henry Ian Cusick, is one of the main Lost characters on the mysterious island not around during the first season. Hume, who had all types of strange encounters throughout his time on the show, first arrived in the Season 2 premiere, “Man of Science, Man of Faith.”

Alfie Solomons (Peaky Blinders)

Though one of the most well-known actors in the Peaky Blinders cast, Tom Hardy didn’t start playing the Jewish gang leader known as Alfie Solomons until the second season. Solomons, however, was around for the remainder of the series, appearing in nearly two dozen episodes before everything was said and done.

Fin Tutuola (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)

This one is hard to believe, but Fin Tutuola, Ice-T’s no-nonsense yet lovable detective from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, didn’t join the team of NYPD investigators until the second season of Dick Wolf’s classic spinoff. Over the past few decades, the character has popped up on everything from other shows set in the Law & Order universe to 30 Rock.

Tony Blundetto (The Sopranos)

Steve Buscemi’s Tony Blundetto is a character from The Sopranos we’re always seeing pop up in compilations of the show’s best moments and mobsters, but you can’t include him on a list of iconic figures who were there from the show’s beginning. In fact, Blundetto didn’t make his first appearance until the Season 5 opener, “Two Tonys.” His run, though memorable, was short-lived and the character was killed off before the season wrapped.

Unique Adams (Glee)

Unique Adams, the transgender teen played by Alex Newell on Glee, gave audiences some incredibly inspirational moments and wonderful musical numbers over the years. If you want to see where their story first began, you don’t have to back to the beginning, as Unique’s run on the popular and long-running musical dramedy series didn’t start until the show’s third season.

Klaus Mikaelson (The Vampire Diaries)

Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan), was a crucial part of The Vampire Diaries and even went on to appear in the spinoff series, The Originals, which he led in the main role. After joining The Vampire Diaries in its second season, Klaus would go on to become one of the most utilized characters for the majority of the show’s seven-season run.

Though these great TV characters weren’t part of their respective shows from the very beginning, they all made an impact of some kind of impact on those who watched them on TV week in and week out for a season, two seasons, or dozens of seasons.

Some of the most iconic sitcoms and other great TV shows have been set in New York City or Los Angeles. But for every Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm that has the Big Apple or the City of Angels as a backdrop, there are dozens of others set in other parts of the country or even around the world. 

From classics of the mid to late 20th century to more modern examples, here are 32 famous TV comedies set outside New York and Los Angeles. Oh and, for clarity’s sake, this means no shows set anywhere in those two aforementioned greater metropolitan areas will be included here…

Cheers (Boston)

One of the biggest sitcoms of the ‘80s and early ‘90s was Cheers, a show that primarily took place in the bar where everybody knows your name and filled with characters you'd want to drink with. And that establishment, was famously set in Boston. Sam Malone (Ted Danson) was a relief pitcher for the local Red Sox before opening his famous watering hole, a handful of other references to the city and its culture were made throughout this beloved series.

 Ted Lasso (London) 

The production that's arguably the most popular Apple TV+ original series, Ted Lasso, doesn’t take place in NYC or LA, or even America for that matter. Instead, this Emmy-winning show about an American football coach who becomes the manager of an English football club takes place in London. Though there is a classic episode set in Amsterdam that many believe to be one of the best small-screen achievements in years.

The Office (Scranton)

Though Michael Scott (Steve Carell) did give one of the best tours of NYC in an episode, The Office primarily took place with the offices and warehouse of Dunder Mifflin Scranton in Pennsylvania. The Dunder Mifflin employees would leave the office park and venture into Scranton proper as well as various other locations.

Family Matters (Chicago) 

Over the course of its long run on TV, Family Matters depicted Chicago, where Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) tormented the Winslow family for nine seasons, saying things like “Did I do that?” and “Look what you did.” And while the show didn’t use many Windy City locations, it's hard to forget that incredible title sequence.

Full House (San Francisco) 

Full House was a staple of ‘90s primetime TV and also a show with one of the most iconic opening title sequences in the history of the medium. The shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Ladies and the rolling hills of San Francisco made the intro seem like more of a tourism video than an opening for beloved sitcom, as did countless episodes of the series. You can’t have this series without the City by the Bay.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Minneapolis)

It’s easy to forget that The Mary Tyler Moore Show was set in Minneapolis and not New York City, but that’s the truth. The long-running show, which spawned three spinoffs, was set at the fictional WJM TV station, where Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) broke boundaries and found herself in all kinds of hilarious and impactful situations.

Roseanne (Illinois) 

During its original run and even its brief revival ahead of its cancellation, Roseanne was primarily set in the fictional town of Lanford, which could be anywhere from the greater Chicago area to central or western Illinois. It’s hard to find an episode where at least one character isn’t wearing Bears or the University of Illinois attire. Also, this remains the setting for the spinoff series, The Conners.

The Golden Girls (Miami)

When you have a show about four older women living in a house together, it’s hard to imagine having it take place anywhere besides Florida, specifically Miami. Just about every episode of The Golden Girls took place solely in the Sunshine State, where the core quartet of characters found themselves in all matter of shenanigans.

M*A*S*H (Korea) 

There's a common misconception that M*A*S*H was set in Vietnam, because it came out during the height of the military conflict. However, the long-running sitcom based on a movie actually took place at the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in South Korea during the Korean War. 

Veep (Washington, D.C.) 

It’s hard to have a political comedy about the Vice President of the United States without Washington, D.C. being the backdrop for most of the absurd situations that go down. Luckily, Veep didn’t have that problem to deal with. Sure, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Selina Meyer did leave the nation’s capital quite often, but homebase was good old DC.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (Philadelphia)

FX’s long-running comedy series, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, takes place in, you guessed it, Philadelphia. For years, viewers have watched, as the group of rowdy, vulgar, and misanthropic misfits who run Paddy’s Pub get into all kinds of trouble in and around the City of Brotherly Love.

Frasier (Seattle) 

After he left the bar in Boston where everybody knew his name, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) made his way to another metropolis on the other side of the country: Seattle. Over the course of Frasier's run, the city's iconography was well utilized, with the titular character even having a prime view of the Space Needle. Interestingly enough, the setting switched back to Bean Town in Paramount+'s revival.

Home Improvement (Detroit)

Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (Tim Allen), his family, friends, and crew of Tool Time called the greater Detroit metropolitan area home throughout the course of Home Improvement’s impressive run. The Motor City, with its car industry and sports franchises, was a major part of many episodes. With so much to be proud of, it’s still odd why Wilson hid his face all those years.

3rd Rock From The Sun (Rutherford, Ohio) 

A staple of NBC’s primetime schedule in the mid to late ‘90s and early 2000s, 3rd Rock from the Sun was set on Earth, specifically, Rutherford, Ohio, over the course of its six-season run. That's certainly an interesting setting for a sitcom about a group of extraterrestrials.

 Glee (Lima, Ohio) 

Though you could argue that Glee was a great show that really lost its way by the end, one thing that never changed was the fact that the musical comedy-drama series maintained its Lima, Ohio setting. The students, teachers, and staff at William McKinley High School gave audiences some incredible moments and top-notch musical performances throughout the show’s six seasons.

 Ally McBeal (Boston) 

Over the years, we’ve seen legal shows set in NYC and LA, but the popular comedy-drama Ally McBeal counted Boston as its backdrop. Though the series ended before the city’s sports dominance in the early 2000s, Calista Flockhart’s titular character and crew could have watched Pedro Martinez’s dominant run with the Red Sox in the late ‘90s.

Parks And Recreation (Pawnee, Indiana) 

Besides the time Chris Pratt’s Andy Dwyer went to England in Parks and Recreation Season 6, the vast majority of the NBC comedy series took place in the sleepy Midwestern town of Pawnee, Indiana. In fact, several of Parks and Rec’s best episodes were those that involved the city’s residents one way or another.

 The Bob Newhart Show (Chicago) 

Not to be confused with Newhart, which premiered years later, The Bob Newhart Show was set in Chicago and followed psychologist Robert “Bob” Hartley (Bob Newhart) as he tried to get through his day-to-day life with patients, family, friends, and random people. Oh, and the show might have the best title sequence involving the “Second City.”

The Drew Carey Show (Cleveland)

Years before he became the host of The Price is Right, Drew Carey had a hilarious and successful sitcom consisting of 200+ episodes over nine seasons. And where did The Drew Carey Show take place? None other than Cleveland, hence its title track, “Cleveland Rocks.”

Happy Days (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) 

A sitcom that spawned all kinds of spinoffs during and after its run, Happy Days is another show set in the Midwest. But instead of Chicago, Minneapolis, or other Great Lake cities, the show that introduced us to Henry Winkler’s Arthur Herbert "The Fonz" Fonzarelli took place in Milwaukee.

WKRP In Cincinnati (Cincinnati) 

Despite being a sitcom that didn't make it to 100 episodes, WKRP in Cincinnati remains one of the most iconic CBS comedies of the ‘70s, one the network embarrassingly cancelled way too soon. And as the name suggests, this classic show, probably best remembered for dropping turkeys from a helicopter, was set in the home of Skyline Chili, Cincinnati, Ohio.

A Different World (Virginia) 

A branch-off series from The Cosby Show, the NBC sitcom A Different World primarily took place at the fictional Hillman College in Virginia. Needless to say, it was a long way from the brownstones of New York City.

Mom (Napa) 

Set in Napa, California, the popular CBS sitcom Mom ran for eight seasons and 170 episodes, with its story centered on the mother-daughter relationship shared by Bonnie (Allison Janney) and Christy Punkett (Anna Faris) as well as the various folks in their orbit. Drama, comedy, and everything in between went down in this Northern California-set series.

Monk (San Francisco) 

Over the course of eight seasons, the USA Network crime comedy series Monk followed Tony Shalhoub’s titular and quirky detective as he tried to solve all manners of crime. But unlike its contemporaries set in places like Los Angeles and New York, this long-running series was firmly planted in San Francisco.

The Middle (Orson, Indiana) 

With a title like The Middle, it’s not all that surprising that the ABC sitcom was set in the Midwest, specifically, Orson, Indiana. The show’s 215 episodes primarily took place in the fictional town, though the main characters did travel from time to time.

The Andy Griffith Show (Mayberry, North Carolina) 

One of the most beloved TV comedies of all time, The Andy Griffith Show was set in the small town of Mayberry, North Carolina, where Sheriff Andy Taylor (Griffith), Opie (Ron Howard), aunt Bee Taylor (Frances Bavier), deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts), and others took in all that life threw at them. Small-town shenanigans were abound in this classic series.

The Simpsons (Springfield) 

Is The Simpsons set in Springfield, Illinois, or the Missouri city of the same name, or maybe the Massachusetts town? We may never know, but we do know that the landmark and long-running animated series doesn’t take place in NYC or LA. While Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie have traveled over the years, basecamp is always within smelling distance of the Springfield Tire Fire.

I Dream Of Jeannie (Cocoa Beach, Florida) 

Captain Anthony “Tony” Nelson (Larry Hagman) is an astronaut when he discovers and falls in love with Jeannie (Barbara Eden), a 2,000-year-old magical genie, in I Dream of Jeannie. Their magical and somewhat romantic adventures set in Cocoa Beach, Florida, just miles from Cape Canaveral. 

South Park (South Park, Colorado) 

Set in the fictional mountain town of South Park, Colorado, this groundbreaking, controversial, and long-running animated series couldn’t take place in Los Angeles (too hot) or New York City (too flat). Its decades-long run has allowed fans to meet residents, be introduced to “Humble folks without temptation” and witness just about every situation imaginable in the best South Park episodes.

Eastbound & Down (North Carolina / Mexico) 

During its four seasons, Eastbound & Down followed Kenny Powers (Danny McBride), as the former MLB pitcher attempted to make it back to the big leagues, with only himself getting in the way of achieving that goal. Be it working as a teacher in North Carolina or as a member of a Mexican baseball team, Kenny went all over the place in this HBO classic.

Young Sheldon (Medford, Texas)

While The Big Bang Theory took place in and around the greater Los Angeles area, the prequel series, Young Sheldon, turned its attention to the town of Medford, Texas. That's where Iain Armitage’s eponymous character learned the ins and outs of life, both at school and at home.

Family Ties (Columbus, Ohio) 

The show that turned Michael J. Fox into a household name and almost prevented the actor from landing his iconic role in Back to the Future, Family Ties was set in Columbus, Ohio. Over the course of seven seasons, the show explored the generational divide and the evolving landscape of the American populace in the 1980s.

These are just a couple dozen (and change) examples of great TV shows set outside New York City and Los Angeles. Like the seasons of some of these shows, this list could have kept going and going before hitting syndication.

I'm a massive fan of television. It started when I was young and watched hours of Disney Channel shows, but of course, it has now expanded into the world of adult television through several different genres – drama, comedy, horror, you name it, and I've probably watched it. I had to do something while at home when the pandemic had us confined to our homes. 

But in my time watching show after show, various options started out fantastic. They had excellent plots, brilliant storytelling, and great acting, then slowly dwindled. From terrible, horrible TV show endings or shows that dipped in quality over time, here are 30+ great shows that lost their way by the end. 

The Walking Dead

Do you want to hear a fun fact about myself? I watched The Walking Dead until the bitter end, and the emotional Walking Dead finale made me cry a ton. But man, it definitely could have been better. 

The Walking Dead started hot when it first aired and had a pretty steady and brilliantly told storyline until about Season 6, and then when Andrew Lincoln ended up leaving, it all started to tumble down the weeds. 

While we have a good amount of fan favorites coming back for The Walking Dead universe shows, it never quite picked itself up after that when the show was one the series to be watching. 

Lost 

Lost is known now for its awful finale, but truthfully, the entirety of the series had a downfall slump. The main reason is that it was literally consumed by all the mysteries that needed to be solved by the end of the series, and somehow, the show 'lost' itself that way. And, of course, we don't even need to talk about the horrible ending. I hadn't even watched the show then; it was all I heard about for weeks. 

Riverdale 

I remember writing long ago that I had plenty of issues with Riverdale, but I never expected it to turn into the off-brand MCU because that's exactly what happened somehow and they all had powers. And then, in the last season, the main group went back in time somehow. What the heck? What happened? 

This hit CW show started so good with the murder mystery, and then it just tumbled completely.

Game Of Thrones

So I'll be honest here and say that I have rewatched Game of Thrones, and plenty of it still holds up, but you can tell it starts to dip in quality at the very beginning of Season 7 – maybe even Season 6, though I did love "Battle of the Bastards."

Even so, the Game of Thrones ending is pretty much considered one of the worst of the 2010s, and as a hardcore Daenerys supporter, I fully stand by that. They did my girl – and almost all of these characters – dirty. 

The Office

The Office is another clear-cut example of when a main character leaves, the show starts to fall apart. The hit sitcom did try to pick itself up after Steve Carell left in Season 7, but it never reached the heights of where it once was. I was glad we saw him for the finale, but it never felt the same.

Heroes

The first season of any show is crucial, and Heroes had one of the best, featuring the story of ordinary people who discover they have superhuman abilities. This was the superhero show before all the MCU shows started to take over. 

But then Season 2 came along, and this show went downhill fast. It was just horrendously bad, and I, for one, struggled to get through the rest of the seasons after that. 

Westworld

Westworld had everything going for it: a fantastic idea, an excellent Westworld cast, and, the best yet, the funding of HBO to truly take this world into the new age. 

But then both Season 2 and Season 3 happened, and the plot got so convoluted I could barely keep up with it, and all the characters I once loved, I  ended up hating. And then the fourth season came and it’s just so different from what we were given. Unsurprisingly, it was canceled after the fourth season when backlash started to grow more and reviews went down.

That '70s Show 

I don't know what it is about Season 7 and some sitcoms, but that was the case for That '70s Show, when Topher Grace, who played Eric Foreman, left the show. And, of course, it never recovered. I don't care if he did appear in That '90s Show; it just doesn't feel the same. 

How I Met Your Mother

I don't need to get into this. How I Met Your Mother was great, from the fantastic cast to the comedy to Barney and his jokes, but the intensely divisive ending ruined everything. It just did. I can't return to the series and only recommend finishing it to some.

Weeds 

Weeds is a black comedy that ran for several seasons on Showtime and tells the story of a widowed mother who starts selling marijuana to support her family. And while the first few seasons were great, the rest were very different. It felt like another show in its later seasons, and by the end (102 episodes), the plot didn't feel remotely similar to how it was in the first season. 

Glee

There is so much to like about Glee. The Glee cast is incredibly talented, and the best Glee covers still top my playlists, but the story took a nosedive after Season 3. Both Season 1 and Season 2 were great, and Season 3 was alright but still enjoyable, but Season 4-6 was just an utter catastrophe of a story that was only saved by some of the brilliant voices on that show. Other than that, it can stay locked away at McKinley High. 

Supernatural

Supernatural was an excellent fantasy series about two brothers hunting down demons, ghosts, and monsters. And I did enjoy this series until the end, but it certainly was not the same show from the beginning. Many plot points needed to be clarified, and there was plenty of fan service, so as much as I like my spooky boys, it didn't need to be like this. 

The Big Bang Theory 

So I'll fully say that The Big Bang Theory is a great show, but this is another case where it feels that the last few seasons were there just for the money. There was no impressive story to be told, and the characters experienced little growth. It was just a dive into obscurity.

Pretty Little Liars

Pretty Little Liars was just an unnecessary drag. Again, a murder mystery is always good, but when the puzzle doesn't make sense towards the end, it makes the show that much harder to follow. And not only that, but the main characters weren't still in high school by the end. They were in college and out in the working world – this should have been just a high school story. 

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl should have just ended after a few seasons, but it went on because it was the biggest show ever at the time. The series was fun until the later seasons, where the reveal of who Gossip Girl is was utterly disappointing and nonsensical. Not only that, but the finale – and final season overall – felt rushed. 

Two And A Half Men

Fun fact – I just binge-watched all of Two and a Half Men not long ago and I enjoyed it – until about Season 10. 

Charlie Sheen did bring a certain vibe to the show that Ashton Kutcher couldn't, but he did keep the show going for about two seasons before it started to fall apart more than it already had. 

Euphoria 

Okay, so Euphoria technically is still ongoing. However, I'm still determining if we'll even get Season 3 ever since the tragic passing of Angus Cloud. I'd be fine if it ends with two seasons. 

The first season of Euphoria was great television, but the second was so out there and had so many plot points that didn't make sense. The acting was the only thing that saved it because that's always great. But other than that? There's little to love about Season 2. Some things were improved, but others weren't. 

Gilmore Girls

We all like to turn on Gilmore Girls when the fall comes around, but have we forgotten that the ending is terrible? And that Rory's character is utterly destroyed by the end of it? Yeah, I thought so – and the revival didn't do an excellent job of making it any better. 

Killing Eve

The first two seasons of Killing Eve were brilliant, and I loved watching this cat-and-mouse game. But then the next two seasons' plots fell apart entirely, and it led to characters that really shouldn't have been featured getting the spotlight, followed by an ending that fans are not super happy with. 

13 Reasons Why

I liked 13 Reasons Why during its first season because it told a bold message about the effects of bullying and words. But this show should have remained just a miniseries because the seasons that followed were unnecessary and ultimately dissolve the point of the first season when they somehow try to redeem Bryce (the assaulter). 

Scrubs 

Scrubs ran for nine seasons and took the world by storm with its medical comedy mixed with drama. Plus, viewers got to know Dave Franco for the first time. But the later seasons feel like messy attempts to try and make funny jokes that do not land and a story that is not there at all. 

Suits 

I know Suits was wildly popular on Netflix in August 2023, but the series is just ok to me compared to many other great legal dramas. Don't get me wrong, the first few seasons are great television, but as the show goes on and the cases become stranger and more unique, it's different from the show it originally was. 

Bones

Twelve seasons happened for Bones, and the show was alright, but everything was dragged out so long that by the time there was a payoff, there were barely any more fans to care as much. And not only that, but the story would become more convoluted as time passed. I won't spoil anything, but it's a hard watch for later seasons. 

Community 

Okay, hear me out; I love this show and the Community cast, but let's be honest: Seasons 4, 5 and 6 were not the best. Both Season 4 and 5 were bad, and while Season 6 was getting a little better, it was nowhere near as good as the first three seasons of this show. I'm hoping that the Community movie will bring that level of comedy back.

Money Heist 

The thing about Money Heist is that it was so much fun at first. Was it over the top? Yes, totally, but that's what made it fun to watch. But then, as the series went on, it just got ridiculous with its story, and nothing made sense.

Once Upon A Time

Admittedly, I was a big Once Upon a Time fan because I loved Disney movies, but by the time this show ended, it felt like a Disney cash grab using the most famous names from their list of princesses and characters to make a buck. Elsa somehow even made it into this show. The story didn't mean anything anymore.  

True Blood

I put this on here because I know how badly my mother and father hated the ending of True Blood, and I decided to watch it. Not only did the series' narrative completely fall apart by the finale, but the characters were making choices and decisions that didn't align with what the story had set up for years before. Nothing made sense. 

Dexter

I enjoyed watching Dexter for the first time, and I actually say Dexter is worth re-watching, but I can see why most people don't watch it after Season 5 nowadays. The story certainly takes a dip in quality, and the ending is only for some and is controversial for a reason. I do think Dexter: New Blood made up for it a bit. 

Shameless

Shameless was my favorite TV show, but after Emmy Rossum left, it was always different. The Gallagher family dynamic fell apart, and nothing ever flowed as well. Rossum wasn't even there for the finale, making it feel even more incomplete. 

The Vampire Diaries

Do I even need to get into this? The Vampire Diaries died when Nina Dobrev left, and the story fell apart. I don't care what spinoffs there are; you can't make me watch them. 

Modern Family

Don't even get me started on Haley in this show or any of the choices these characters make at the end of Modern Family that make me want to rip my hair out. I will go on for hours. This show was so good until it wasn't, and it drove me mad. 

House Of Cards

House of Cards was a brilliant drama on Netflix, but of course, the central star, Kevin Spacey, faced several allegations of sexual misconduct, so it had to shift course – and from there, it just fell apart. It should have been canceled once Kevin Spacey. 

All of these shows are worthy of a single watch, but maybe not a rewatch. There is plenty of great drama here, but I can also live without it. Either way, I'll go check out Breaking Bad for the umpteenth time – that'll never let me down. 

Having a long-running TV show is a tricky thing. Namely because quality can ebb and flow depending on the season, for even the most acclaimed projects. Most shows have at least one clunker of a year, whether it be in the beginning of the series, the final season, or somewhere in between. And I've picked the worst season from 32 major television shows. Let's break it all down.

To be clear: this isn't to say that these seasons are unwatchable or made me dislike the show at a whole. Well... mostly. But these are the installments of major shows that simply didn't stand up to the rest of its run. Here are those shows, including major titles like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and more. 

Lost - Season 6

Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams' Lost was quintessential water cooler programming at the height of its run on ABC. But there were a few seasons that failed to really resonate with fans, including Season 6. The final season's big mystery was surrounding its flash sideways, which was finally revealed in Lost's controversial series finale. And it's for the way that it attempted to stick the landing that makes Season 6 the worst.

Dexter Season 8

There are a number of final seasons on this list, as it's fairly common for long-running shows to decline in quality as the years go on. Dexter was definitely in that category, with Season 8 offering a less than satisfying antagonist for Michael C. Hall's title character to face off against. Dexter's finale is also widely panned, so much so that a new season New Blood was produced to give the killer protagonist a better sendoff. And yes I'm still mad about Deb's fate.

Gilmore Girls - Season 6

Gilmore Girls has a wildly popular fandom, who re-watched the original series annually. But there are some parts of the show that remain controversial, perhaps the biggest of which is Season 6. In it there's a huge block of episodes where Rory and Lorelai are not speaking. And it's really not the same show without the titular Gilmore Girls snacking and dropping pop culture references. While Season 7 feels off because it was done without Amy Sherman-Palladino, the feud between protagonists puts Season 6 at the bottom of the list for me. As someone who watched the show live, those months of weekly episodes was especially painful. 

Grey's Anatomy Season 17

For a show to run as long as Grey's Anatomy has, there's going to be some ups and down in terms of quality. There are a number of season that don't work for the fandom, but for me the worst has got to be Season 17 aka the Covid season. Grey's incorporated the pandemic in real time into its main narrative for the season, with actors wearing masks and face shields in scenes to make the set a safe space. The results were awkward, and Meredith spent most of the season in a Covid related coma. While Grey's brought back McDreamy, George, Lexi, and Sloan during Meredith's beach scenes, I still would have preferred to see her involved in the show's main plot. 

Weeds Season 6

Showtime's dramedy Weeds began with an intriguing premise: a widower in the suburbs starts selling marijuana in her affluent neighborhood to provide for the family. But as the show went on the stakes kept getting higher and higher for Mary-Louise Parker's protagonist Nancy. Season 6 saw the Botwin family on the run, hiding from the Esteban. While it was fun to see the Weeds cast in new situations, it ultimately ends up being a season without too much substance. And the gag of their road trip from hell got old after a while. 

The Office - Season 1

While there are plenty of shows with disappointing final seasons, there are also some that struggled to find their footing with early episodes. The US version of The Office is in that category, and it was unclear if Season 2 was even going to happen. Following the first season's performance, The Office made Steve Carell's Michael Scott more likable, with his issues coming from a deep need for approval. And once we understood how Michael ticked, his bonkers managerial choices became endearing rather than enraging. And now its one of the most popular network comedies of all time. 

Game of Thrones - Season 8

Anyone who watched HBO's megahit fantasy series Game of Thrones probably could have guessed which season I was going to include on this list. The eighth and final season stood out among the rest for its strange pacing, and for delivering long-awaited moments like the CleganeBowl. Unfortunately, the final few episodes took some bold jumps that fans didn't appreciate include Dany breaking bad. The series finale of Game of Thrones is still controversial to this day, although fans have returned to Westeros via the new prequel House of the Dragon. 

Roseanne - Season 9

Roseanne was a super successful comedy series in the '90s, running for a whopping nine seasons originally. Part of its appeal was because the Conners family was working class, and was therefore more relatable to typical TV audiences than other picture perfect sitcoms. Then Season 9 happened, with Roseanne and Dan winning the literal lottery. The whole season felt out of place as a result, including the wild Roseanne finale which basically undid everything we saw throughout its tenure on the small screen. Luckily that finale would end up being retconned when the show returned to the small screen and was given a spinoff with The Conners. 

The Walking Dead - Season 9

AMC's The Walking Dead was wildly popular throughout its first few seasons, but some fans ended up eventually losing interest and falling off. What's more, some quit the show after Negan brutally killed off Glenn. But for me the worst chapter in its run on AMC was Season 9. We all knew it was going to be Andrew Lincoln's last few episodes on the show, which seemed to really slow down its momentum. Eventually The Walking Dead would get better by becoming more of an ensemble project without Rick, but this transitional period was a low point for me. 

American Horror Story: Apocalypse

Ryan Murphy's anthology series American Horror Story is usually quite popular every October, but some of the seasons are stronger than others. There was a lot of hype surrounding Apocalypse ahead of its premiere, as it would serve as a crossover and feature the return of beloved characters from both Coven and Murder House. Unfortunately, the final result failed to live up to that premise, and instead felt like a bit of a jumbled mess. Considering how long fans like me waited to see the witches return to the screen, it was a letdown that final result left so much to be desired. 

Friends - Season 9

Friends is another insanely popular network comedy, one that was a complete sensation during its whopping ten seasons on the air. But some seasons were better than others, especially regarding its main plot line. Season 9 suffered because the show was originally going to end there, before negotiations were made to do the tenth and final season. And as such, the main storyline felt muddled and somewhat anticlimactic as a whole. Luckily the Friends finale would end up providing a great ending when it finally aired. 

Breaking Bad - Season 1

Breaking Bad is one of the most acclaimed TV shows to be on the air in years. It consistently performed well at the Emmys, and fans have applauded the final season as a whole, especially the Breaking Bad finale. But the show was also a bit of a slow burn at first. I personally had to try multiple times to get through the first season of Breaking Bad, before things started really heating up with the introduction of Giancarlo Esposito's Gus Fring. So Season 1 is at the bottom of my ranking for the story of Heisenberg. 

The Simpsons - Season 1

The Simpsons is a groundbreaking animated television show that has the honor of being the longest running American show on television. There's been plenty of discussion over the years about the quality of the series, which has gone through ups and downs during its decades on the air. And for me Season 1 was another example of a show that struggled to find its footing. Obviously the beloved series ended up hitting its stride, but I feel the OG episodes don't necessarily stand the test of time. 

Riverdale - Season 3

The CW had a hit on its hand with Riverdale, which served as a gritty adaptation of Archie Comics. The show's unique visual language made it fun to watch, and I'd typically binge watch a full season once it dropped on Netflix. But Season 3 saw the show take a wild turn. Rather than simply being a murder mystery, Riverdale began dealing with the supernatural for the first time. And there were some serious growing pains. Although we never could have known that Riverdale's finale would include a wild quad twist. 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 1

This one might be a controversial pick for fans of the show. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite TV show of all time, and it's one that I often come back to throughout any given year. And while some fans don't like Season 6's dark tone, the show's first season is the weakest for me. During Season 1 Buffy functions much more like a procedural, rather than moving forward and overarching narrative. I personally think the show is best when Buffy's ensemble cast is all assembled, which doesn't happen until later seasons. Plus Season 1 just looks super dated.

Heroes - Season 2

Heroes was a huge hit when it debuted on NBC, with the show offering an original live-action superhero story. Unfortunately, the momentum of that show came to a screeching halt with the Writer's Strike of 2007-2008. Season 2 ends up rushed as a result, and failed to meet the expectations of the series. What's more, Heroes' sophomore season introduces a number of character we'd never see again. One can only imagine which shows will be similarly affected by the recent WGA strike.

Seinfeld - Season 8

Seinfeld is another comedy on this list that is pretty universally acclaimed. But that doesn't mean the iconic '90s sitcom didn't have a few low points throughout its run on TV. Season 8 was the first chapter Seinfeld without creator Larry David, and the difference was pretty obvious. Case in point: the show no longer opened up on Jerry performing a stand up set. 

True Blood - Season 7

True Blood arrived at the height of the early aughts vampire craze, and provided a R-rated take on the blood suckers. The show was violent and campy, and soon became a sensation. But like so many other popular shows, the Anna Paquin-led series failed to stick the landing with its final season on the air. True Blood's finale was generally panned, and the final season felt a bit messy as a whole. I mean, they killed Tara at the beginning of Season 7... offscreen. The disrespect!

Happy Days - Season 5

Happy Days had an impressively long run on the air, and made household names out of talents like Henry Winkler and Ron Howard. The show had a long impact on pop culture as a whole, especially its somewhat infamous fifth season. Season 5 featured Fonzie famously "jumping the shark", which has now become a term for when shows go too far and lose the audience.

New Girl - Season 5

New Girl had a long run on Fox, and has continued to have a life via streaming. But Season 5 failed to bring it the same way the rest of the show did. Namely because Zooey Deschanel was on maternity break, and the show was without its titular character. While Megan Fox's replacement character Regan was a great foil for Nick, the show just wasn't the same without Jess. 

House Of Cards - Season 6

When the streaming wars began, Netflix had some major wins with Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. The latter became a prestige drama, with a killer cast that helped people subscribe to Netflix for the first time. But the allegations against Kevin Spacey saw him removed from the show, and it never really recovered. House of Cards Season 6 killed Francis Underwood off camera, while Claire became the sole protagonist. While Robin Wright killed it, the final season just felt off, and the series finale failed to satisfy fans who stuck it out. 

Glee - Season 4

Glee became a sensation after its first season on Fox, and had a few years of being wildly popular. But its quality started to wane after its first few seasons on the air, and some folks fell off entirely. Season 4 was when things started to change for me, as it took a number of the biggest characters out of William McKinley High School. Kurt and Rachel became roommates in New York City, and it no longer felt like the same musical series that captured the attention of so many. 

Parks And Recreation - Season 1

Just like The Office before it, Parks and Recreation struggled a bit in its first season on the air. The mockumentary comedy was charming, but the cast of Parks & Rec weren't all taking center stage just yet. And Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope was originally criticized for being too close to Steve Carell's Michael Scott. But the show eventually found its footing, and remains popular and utterly meme-able. 

Shameless - Season 11

Like Grey's Anatomy, Shameless produced a season that was set at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. While incorporating mask use helped Season 11 be produced on time, it was a pretty distracting plot point. Overall, the final season failed to live up to what the Gallaghers were capable of. And the series finale felt more like a regular episode, leaving a number of unfinished plot points for the audience to ponder. 

Angel - Season 4

The popularity of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was so high that after three a seasons a spinoff was produced starring David Boreanaz's Angel. These two shows embraced serialized storytelling long before the MCU would make it commonplace. But Season 4 of Angel is my least favorite, despite some exciting Buffy crossovers. Cordelia Chase ends up possessed for a good chunk of episodes, which was a story that got old. And the writing around Angel's son Connor was downright abysmal, as he remains one of the most hated TV characters of all time. 

Community - Season 4

Community is the little show that could, with longtime fans watching as Six Seasons and a Movie came together against the odds. But that doesn't mean that all of its seasons were created equal. Case in point: Community Season 4 aka the Gas Leak Season. It was the first season without creator Dan Harmon, and had a number of gimmicks that failed to really resonate. 

The Handmaid's Tale - Season 5

The Handmaid's Tale is available with a Hulu subscription, and is a gripping and grueling adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name. But the most reason installment to air, Season 5, didn't hit quite as hard as its predecessors. I think this is mostly because so many of the stories weren't actually set in Gilead, but in Canada. Add in the loss of Alexis Bledel's Emily, and the fifth season was my least favorite so far. 

That '70s Show - Season 8

That '70s Show made household names out of its cast of actors. But this level of adoration is why Season 8 ends up being the weakest link during its tenure on the air. The final season continued on without Topher Grace's Eric, and the absence of the show's protagonist was very noticeable. Especially when a new character was brought into the group in an attempt to replace him. Ashton Kutcher also left the show, which is why Season 8 is definitely at the bottom of the list.

Arrow - Season 6

The CW's DC superhero show Arrow is one that famously had ups and downs in relation to quality. Still, many fans consider Season 6 to be the worst entry of the bunch. In it we saw Team Arrow frustratingly get split up, and fans took umbrage with the show's plot and pacing. Luckily there were two more season of Arrow to help and satiate disappointed audiences. 

Felicity - Season 4

Felicity has a unique place in the grand history of network TV. After all, we'd never seen a haircut absolutely shake the entertainment industry as when Keri Russell cut off her signature locks back in Season 2. While the show started off as a teen drama, Season 4 ventured into new territory by introducing witchcraft and time travel into the equation. And while J.J. Abrams would prove his sci-fi skills in Star Trek and Star Wars, perhaps Season 4 of Felicity wasn't the right time.

How I Met Your Mother - Season 9

How I Met Your Mother had a seriously impressive run on CBS, with a whopping 9 seasons. The premise of the show meant that all the years of stories from the show's narrator would eventually reveal... how he met the kids' mother. That eventually happened with the entrance of Cristin Milioti. But fans took umbrage with the final season's handling of that plot line, as well as Robin and Barney's divorce. 

The West Wing - Season 5

The West Wing is TV history, and helped make Aaron Sorkin into a household name. But the show's fifth season on the air was a bit of a disappointment, namely because it was the first one without Sorkin at the helm. Overall the story felt a bit of a jumbled mess when compared to the previous installments, which were rather universally acclaimed.

As beloved as these series are, even the greatest of TV shows can have a weak season. 

Growing up with diverse and representative media is vital. Luckily for us, the LGBTQ+ representation on mainstream television has increased over the years, giving us wonderful stories and lovable couples. This includes some iconic duos on young adult TV shows, and over the last couple of decades some truly wonderful pairings have graced our screens, from Willow and Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer 20 years ago to Nick and Charlie from last year's breakout hit Heartstopper. 

So, to celebrate pride month and some magnificent YA content, here are a few of the couples we consider iconic LGBTQ+ relationships on TV. 

Willow & Tara - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was revolutionary in a lot of ways, from having Sarah Michelle Gellar as the badass titular character to the iconic couple of Willow and Tara, who were one of the most significant same-sex couples in TV history. Over the last two decades, there have been many essays written and posts on social media about how these two magical characters helped women and acted as one of, if not the first, lesbian couples they saw represented on screen in a fantastic way. 

Stream Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a Hulu subscription.

Charlie & Nick - Heartstopper

Heartstopper tells the story of two teen boys, Charlie and Nick, and their stories toward finding themselves and exploring their identities. In Season 1 of the show, we learned that Joe Locke’s character, Charlie, had really struggled at school as many kids bully him for being gay. But, then he meets Kit Connor’s Nick, who accepts him for who he is, and is on his own journey of self-discovery, and from there, their adorable relationship begins. 

Throughout the first installment, we see the two boys blossom as a patient, wholesome, and real love story is played out. Overall, Heartstopper feels like a big warm hug, and it's such a joyful representation of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Honorable Mention: Tara & Darcy

Stream Heartstopper with a Netflix subscription, and make sure to stay tuned to the 2023 TV schedule, as Season 2 of Heartstopper is set to drop on August 3.

Santana & Britney - Glee 

Talk about an iconic friends-to-lovers story! Britney and Santana from Glee were one of the first LGBTQ+ couples, other than Kurt and Blaine, who I personally saw on TV, and it really made a big impact on me. Seeing these two women realize they loved each other romantically was deeply moving, plus we got some legendary musical numbers out of it – I’m looking at you “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” 

Both characters were developed and performed brilliantly, making them well-rounded and fantastic individuals on the show. So, when they got together they just became better, and stronger. 

Honorable Mention: Kurt & Blaine

Stream Glee with a Disney+ or Hulu subscription. 

Adam & Eric - Sex Education

While the entire Sex Education cast is fantastic, Ncuti Gatwa’s performance as Eric is by far one of my favorites, and his relationship with Adam has been a real highlight of the show. 

Even though they didn’t last long, seeing as they broke up at the end of Sex Education’s third season, for the time they were together, they were one of my favorite couples. I understand why they’re no longer a duo, as it was time for Eric to find someone who was “ready to fly” like him. However, there’s also no doubt how lovely they were, and how much they helped each other grow and accept who they are. 

Honorable Mention: Lily & Ola 

Stream Sex Education with a Netflix subscription.

Clarke & Lexa - The 100

There’s nothing like love during the apocalypse, or I guess in The 100’s case after the apocalypse. Following Clarke and 99 other kids’ journey down to Earth from space to see if it's habitable, we quickly find out humans have survived on the planet, and they don’t love the space folk. However, after fighting for a season and a half, Clarke and Lexa, one of the leaders on Earth, realize they can help each other, and they come to the conclusion that they actually like each other. 

To see two incredibly strong women as leaders on the show, and to see their epic love story was powerful, and it meant a lot to see that kind of representation in a mainstream sci-fi YA show. 

Stream The 100 with a Netflix subscription.

Seb & Carlos - High School Musical: The Musical: The Series 

I can’t even begin to explain how happy my heart was when Seb showed up to be Carlos’ date at homecoming in Season 1 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. This show does a magnificent job of highlighting and normalizing LGBTQ+ relationships in high school, and part of that is through this lovely little romance between Carlos and Seb. 

Also, these two sing some phenomenal duets and perform wonderful numbers for each other that will blow you away and really bring home the point that Seb and Carlos are iconic:

Honorable Mention: Ashlyn & Big Red

Stream High School Musical: The Musical: The Series with a Disney+ subscription. 

Emily & Alison - Pretty Little Liars

While figuring out the identity of A was the priority on Pretty Little Liars, the couples were a close second. One of the most iconic pairings on this show was, obviously, Emily and Alison, and their relationship was one of the major points of LGBTQ+ representation in YA media during the early 2010s. 

Their soapy story was dramatic and over the top, but like every relationship on PLL you couldn’t help but ship Emison. 

Stream Pretty Little Liars with a Hulu or Max subscription. 

Victor & Benji - Love, Victor  

This spin-off show to Love, Simon follows a new kid, Victor, who DMs Simon looking for advice on how to navigate figuring out his identity and coming out to his friends and family. What makes this show so special is it deals with the intersections of race, sexual orientation, and religion. Following Victor’s family as they move to Atlanta, we see a working-class Latinx, Catholic family adapt to their new life, as Victor goes on his own coming-out journey.

Part of that journey is his relationship with Benji, the super cute barista Victor works with. Their relationship is sweet and wholesome, however, they face their fair share of bumps in the road, especially in Season 3. But, eventually, the two realize how much they love each other, as Victor continues on his own personal quest of growth and self-love. 

Stream Love, Victor with a Disney+ or Hulu subscription.

There is so much power in growing up with media that allows you to feel seen, and for so many folks, shows like the ones listed above have helped them feel exactly that. From great book-to-screen adaptations, like Heartstopper and Love, Victor, to popular classics like Buffy and Glee, there are some great YA shows out there that feature iconic LGBTQ+ relationships, and these were eight of our favorites.  

One of most iconic, trusted, and universally beloved voices in comedy and in the history of the performing arts in general, Carol Burnett, recently turned 90 years old — a milestone celebrated with a televised tribute that aired on NBC on Wednesday, April 27, 2023. Well, we thought it would only be appropriate for use to pay our own tribute to the talented legend by discussing some of our favorite performances of hers throughout the years of her storied career. The following is a collection of our choices for the most essential highlights in our favorite Carol Burnett movies and TV shows — starting with her most esteemed, eponymous hit.

The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978)

After years of building up a reputation for her incomparable skills as a performer, Carol Burnett went on to headline her own variety show, featuring laugh-out-loud sketch comedy, stunning musical performances, and a stellar rotation of guest appearances by Hollywood’s biggest names at the time. There are far too many classic, gut-bustlingly hilarious moments from The Carol Burnett Show’s 279 episodes to choose from — from wearing a dress held up by a curtain rod in an iconic Gone with the Wind spoof, to her many appearances as the boisterous Eunice — so we’ll just say that we’re so glad we had this time together, all the way through.

The Four Seasons (1981)

While Burnett is best known as a TV legend — with six Emmy awards to show for it — her career on the big screen has not and should not go unnoticed. One of her best cinematic comedies is The Four Seasons, which follows three adult couples (Burnett, writer and director Alan Alda, Len Cariou, Sandy Dennis, Rita Moreno, and Jack Weston) struggling to put up with each other as they vacation together four times out of the year. Burnett and Alda lead the cast as one of the married couples, who, in one key scene, engage in an argument that is as painfully realistic as it is cleverly witty.

Once Upon A Mattress (1964, 1972, 2005)

More underrated than her career on the big screen and on the small screen is Burnett’s time on the stage, having made her Broadway debut and earned her first Tony nomination for the original 1959 production of Once Upon a Mattress — a comedic, musical retelling of the classic fairytale story, “The Princess and the Pea.” 

She would reprise the lead role of Winnifred — which is quite the balancing act, both in terms of her remarkable physical comedy chops and her character’s struggle to sleep atop a stack of 20 mattresses — in two made-for-TV adaptations in 1964 and 1972. However, for ABC’s 2005 adaptation, she brought out her dark side to play the ruthless Queen Aggravain, who tries to prevent Winnifred (then played by Tracey Ullman) from marrying her son with the sleeping challenge.

Annie (1982)

If there is one cinematic performance of Burnett’s that, undeniably, should be considered iconic, it is her role as Miss Hannigan — the abusive caretaker to a group of orphaned, young girls in New York City — in the 1982 feature adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, Annie, which also stars Tim Curry as her con artist brother, Rooster. 

She plays wildly against type here — not just in the way she delivers dialogue with a coldhearted, unforgiving griminess — but also in the way she sings during certain numbers, playing up Hannigan’s boozy demeanor particularly strong in her performance of “Little Girls.” It is not the last of her antagonistic roles, and perhaps not even the most fearsome, but certainly one of the most brilliantly wacky. 

Noises Off (1992)

Burnett’s brilliance and signature wackiness was also key to pulling off what technically counts as a dual performance in yet another film based on an acclaimed stage production — the late Peter Bogdanovich’s adaptation of Michael Faryn’s hilarious farce, Noises Off. 

She plays TV star Dotty Ottley, whose top-billed performance as chattery, Cockney-accented housekeeper Mrs. Clackett in the play-within-the film, Nothing On, is under constant scrutiny by the troubled production’s uptight director, Lloyd Fellowes (Michael Caine). Burnett elevates the already hysterical material with her signature wit and dedication to its slapstick elements, really selling the chaotic nature of the production as it all goes horribly wrong.

Mad About You (1996-2019)

Later in her career, Burnett’s iconic status leant to some very special guest spots and among the most acclaimed was her Emmy-winning performance as Theresa Stemple — the mother of Jamie (Helen Hunt) — on Mad About You. 

Out of the 11 times she appeared on the hit sitcom (the more recent of which was on the 2019 revival season), her best work in the role, arguably, comes in her first episode from Season 5. She and her husband, Gus (fellow TV legend Carol O’Connor, known best for Norman Lear’s sitcom, All in the Family), visit the Buchmans in a cramped winnebago, which makes their family meal an increasingly frustrating affair that makes Theresa uproariously frantic.

The Trumpet Of The Swan (2001)

Burnett gets animated in either sense of the word in The Trumpet of the Swan, which is based on the E.B. White novel about a swan named Louie who, despite a lack of a voice, is an exceptionally talented musician. Burnett voices elementary school teacher Mrs. Hammerbotham, who Sam (Sam Gifaldi) asks to help teach Louie to read and write. She takes her voice to a somewhat familiar high-pitched squeak that never reaches an irritating decibel, and only adds to the genuinely delightful appeal of her performance.

Horton Hears A Who! (2008)

The only particularly delightful thing about Burnett’s performance in Horton Hears a Who! is her invaluable dedication to bringing one of her, otherwise, most ruthlessly villainous characters to life. Kangaroo is blindly and vigorously against the titular elephant (Jim Carrey) and his attempts to preserve a small speck she refuses to believe is inhabited by a community of microscopic people, led by Steve Carell. However, it is still, easily, one of her best voice acting performances and one of the key reasons why it is considered to be one of the best movies based on a Dr. Seuss book.

Glee (2010, 2015)

While there are many examples to choose from, I think that Carol Burnett did some of her all-time best singing for a duet of “Ohio” with Jane Lynch in her first appearance on Glee in the hit musical dramedy series’ second season. She brings out a darker comedic edge to play Doris -- Sue Sylvester’s estranged mother, who shows up in Lima for her daughter’s “bizarre” marriage… to herself.

Better Call Saul (2022)

Burnett’s most recent acting role also became one of the more acclaimed of her entire career, but, surprisingly, it is nothing particularly comedic. While she does manage to invoke a unique shade of her signature wit as the elderly Marion for the final season of hit Breaking Bad spin-off, Better Call Saul, she also delivers some of her best dramatic work — especially in an intense, confrontational scene with Bob Odenkirk’s “Gene” that we will not give away if you have not seen the last batch of episodes yet.

Carol Burnett’s performance as Marion would soon inspire a campaign to get the TV legend to host Saturday Night Live for what would be the first time. I must say, it is very surprising that this queen of sketch comedy has never hosted one of said category’s most essential series. If it were to happen, I am sure we would find a reason to add it to this list.

Although Fox’s beloved musical comedy Glee ended seven years ago, the series is still widely discussed today and is among some of fans' favorite comedies set in school. The dramedy will soon be seen in a somewhat different light, however, via ID’s upcoming The Price of Glee docuseries. The show is set to shed light on the show’s most notable scandals and tragedies. And as the buzz around the production amplifies, series alum Kevin McHale has bluntly denounced it.

Kevin McHale portrayed Artie Abrams on the musical series throughout its six-season run. He's kept busy more recently, having debuted his new podcast, And That’s What You REALLY Missed, which also features former co-star Jenna Ushkowitz. On it, the two discuss all things Glee, though it was on Twitter that McHale addressed a fan's claim that the cast and crew of the Fox sitcom was involved with ID's new show:

The tweet comes after the TV network released the trailer for The Price of Glee, which suggests that the series will tackle a wide range of topics related to the beloved sitcom. So although it initially seemed that stars of the show were involved in the docuseries, Kevin McHale made it clear that neither he nor his co-stars have any part in it.

The was not done with what he needed to say about the docuseries. He also made it a point to tell his followers to not ask him about it again:

While The Price of Glee takes a look at the scandals, gossip, and tragedies of the Ryan Murphy series, Monteith, Salling, and Rivera's tragic circumstances seem to be the focal point. The docuseries is split into three parts, and many across the Internet have seemingly been discussing it with either delight or disdain. Whether this all translates to high viewership numbers remains to be seen.

As for the stars themselves, some seem to be closer than others. Clearly, Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz are tight, but many are still hoping for a full-blown reunion at some point. Amber Riley previously discussed the possibility of getting together with her former co-stars and seemed somewhat hopeful about it. So maybe it’s possible that we could see The Masked Singer Season 8 winner reunite with the rest of the group in the future? Or maybe, at the very least, she could be a guest on McHale and Ushkowitz's podcast. 

One reunion that isn't likely to happen is one between Lea Michele and Chris Colfer, though. While Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel grew to be best friends on Glee, Colfer seemingly confirmed his issues with Michele when he was asked about seeing her in Funny Girl on Broadway.

Considering their histories with the show, one has to wonder if any Glee stars will comment when the documentary series drops. Though it's clear that we definitely can't expect any additional statement from Kevin McHale.

The Price of Glee premieres on Monday, January 16 at 9 p.m. EST on ID. and viewers will also be able to stream it on Discovery+ the same day. You an also stream Glee now using a Hulu subscription or a Disney+ subscription.

Netflix definitely has some amazing series for people to watch, from serious dramas to hilarious comedies - but what if you’re craving something that’s in-between? Something that is both a comedy and a drama? Good for you, because there is a word for that: dramedy.

There are plenty of awesome choices for series like that, including Orange is the New Black, Atypical, and many more. These are just some of the awesome choices that you can pick from, both Netflix originals and shows from current TV networks. If you’re looking for your next TV show to binge, check out some of these TV dramedies on Netflix.

Sex Education

The teen comedy, Sex Education, follows the lives of students, staff, and parents at a fictitious secondary school, telling the tales of personal dramas, issues, and stories usually related to sexual intimacy.

Sex Education is one of those Netflix originals that stand out amongst the rest. The Sex Education cast is full of talent, with stars that have really broken out into the acting world from their brilliant roles on the dramedy. Not only that, but the stories are full of heart, and a lot of teachable moments that will not only make you laugh, but also make you smile. It’s accepting and wholesome in all the right ways. And with Season 4 on the way, now is the time to check out the first three seasons. Genuinely one of the best shows on Netflix to binge.

Stream Sex Education on Netflix.

Derry Girls

Derry Girls may be set across the ocean, but it’s just as amazing to watch in the United States. This hilarious dramedy follows a group of girls who live in Derry, Ireland during a time called the Troubles in the 1990s, who all attend Our Lady Immaculate College, a secondary school (high school) where they are learning to grow up in a politically divided time. 

While Derry Girls is obviously a fictionalized show, it often references real-life events that did take place in Ireland and uses them skillfully to create a masterpiece of a television show, blending comedy and drama all in one. It’s such a great series and one that is totally underrated and everyone should check out if they’ve never seen it before. 

Stream Derry Girls on Netflix. 

Orange Is The New Black

Do you got time? Cause they do.

Orange is the New Black is based on Piper Kerman’s novel of the same name, telling the story of Piper Chapman, a young woman whose life is changed drastically when she is sent to a minimum security prison for carrying a bag of drug money for her former girlfriend. While there, she meets interesting characters, both nice and not so nice.

Let me say, for a long time, this was my favorite Netflix original series. The Orange is the New Black cast is so freaking talented it hurts – my personal favorites out of all of them was either Samira Wiley or Kate Mulgrew. The story has freaking hilarious moments – like that whole prison chicken bit -- but there are some dark tales that are told, speaking bold political and personal messages that will get to anyone. It’s the perfect combination of drama and comedy.

Stream Orange is the New Black on Netflix.

On My Block

Next up on the list, we have On My Block, a teenage dramedy that follows a group of four friends that have known each other for years while growing up in South Central LA. But as they start their journey into high school and the world begins to open up a little more to them than their home street, friendships are tested and new relationships are formed. 

Something about On My Block that I need to say is that it’s seriously one of the best dramedy’s that Netflix has offered. Not only is there some fun, edgy comedy that will make anyone chuckle but it’s not afraid to tackle darker themes such as inequalities or racism, which is something I can always respect the heck out of a show for doing since those are hard topics to handle. It’s so good, and Season 4 wrapped everything up well. Be sure to check it out. 

Stream On My Block on Netflix.

Shameless

Shameless tells the story of the Gallagher family, a poor, ridiculous crew who live on the South Side of Chicago, showing their constant tribulations while trying to get by, and also attempting to deal with their alcoholic father, Frank.

After eleven seasons on Showtime, Shameless proved to be a big hit for the network, and for good reason. The entire Shameless cast is hysterical, especially William H. Macy as Frank - because he’s so unhinged, he’s certainly the funniest. Dramatic moments of the show will tug at your heartstrings, however, and probably make you cry. God knows I did several times.

Stream Shameless on Netflix.

Russian Doll

Think Groundhog Day but a heck of a lot messier. In Russian Doll, starring Natasha Lyonne plays a young woman who is stuck in a time loop that always ends in her death. With the help of some surprising allies, she must figure out what is causing her to die over and over and come to terms with her life before it’s too late. 

Russian Doll is a wacky series but in the best way, and features some hilarious acting from Natasha Lyonne. It’ll make you grin, cry, laugh and more as you watch her character, Nadia, try to get herself out of the craziest situations. With two seasons to watch, this is a show that will make your weekend that much better. 

Stream Russian Doll on Netflix. 

Good Girls

Good Girls tells the story of three Michigan moms who are struggling in life, having a hard time making ends meet. So, they decide to pull off a heist in a supermarket, but it turns out they are way over their heads and get in more trouble than they wanted.

Good Girls sounds like it would be a big drama, especially from the premise, but it’s honestly so funny. The three main stars have great chemistry, and the hijinks they get up to make you snicker often. Even if they’re committing crimes, you root for them, because at the end of the day, they’re just regular women who were down on their luck. With only four seasons, it’s certainly a good, quick binge compared to many other shows.

Stream Good Girls on Netflix.

Dead To Me

Have you ever wondered how sometimes, friendships can bloom in the darkest of places? That’s the story between Jen and Judy, two women who are currently mourning losses in their lives that meet at a support group. But as these two begin to grow closer dark secrets about their past are exposed – and how one of them might be connected to someone’s death. 

Dead to Me is one of those shows that I feel you need to go into blind because there are so many twists and turns your neck is going to end up hurting by the end of it – but in the best way. Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini are literally amazing in their roles and truly are a power pair that have some of the best chemistry I’ve seen in a dramedy. You don’t want to miss out on this one. 

Stream Dead to Me on Netflix. 

The Kominsky Method

Starring Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method tells the story of an actor who made it big a long time ago, and is now an acting coach who named his technique after himself: The Kominsky Method.

Michael Douglas is amazing in this show. I feel that he really deserves all the awards. He portrays Kominsky with such grace and a certain charm that only he could bring, and really draws you in to watch. There are plenty of laughs, plenty of moments to reflect, and a lot in-between, so it’s the perfect dramedy.

Stream The Kominsky Method on Netflix.

GLOW

In this Netflix original, GLOW follows a fictionalized version of the characters and gimmicks of the 1980s syndicated women’s professional wrestling circuit, called Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, and the struggles they faced to be taken seriously.

GLOW is one of those shows on Netflix that is so underrated and I think was cancelled too soon. The cast is full of brilliant, talented stars, led by Alison Brie, and creates a story that’s not only funny, colorful, and entertaining, but heartfelt and heavy at times as well. While we won’t get another season of GLOW, we can at least enjoy the dramedy now.

Stream GLOW on Netflix.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

In this dramedy, we follow Rebecca Bunch, a normal woman who seems to have it all, but is doing something that most of us would probably find a little crazy – traveling literally across the country from New York City to California in order to pursue her ex-boyfriend from high school. And not even just from her classes – no, he’s from summer camp. 

The show received widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards during its run, as well as many other awards, including a Critics Choice Award for Rachel Bloom in her starring role. It’s certainly worth a shot if you haven’t seen it. 

Stream Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on Netflix. 

Master Of None

Master of None, during the first two seasons, tells the story of Dev, an actor living in New York, and his evolution of becoming a more engaged person with his parents, relationships, friends, and others. Season 3 stars Lena Waithe and Naomi Ackie, following their relationship through a series of five episodes.

While I’m not the hugest fan of the change for the show in Season 3, I can still appreciate Master of None for taking a risk and telling a new story that fans weren’t used to. I feel like Master of None is more of a slice of life dramedy, focusing on real-life issues that regular people can face every day, rather than the craziness some of these other dramedies go through. It’s definitely a gem, especially the first two seasons.

Stream Master of None on Netflix.

Dear White People

In this TV series based on the movie of the same name, Dear White People follows several Black college students at a fictitious Ivy League university, touching on issues surrounding modern American race relations.

While shows like Sex Education and some of the others on this list lean a little heavier towards comedy, I feel like Dear White People leans a bit more towards drama, but it still has its light moments that will make you laugh, as well. I think what I love about Dear White People the most is that it’s not afraid to talk about serious situations that will make you think and reflect, and then make you laugh in the next scene.

Stream Dear White People on Netflix.

Atypical

Last, but not least, Atypical follows the story of 18-year-old Sam Gardner, who is on the autism spectrum, and what happens in his daily life, from his time at school, to his family, and the relationships he builds.

I think what I love about Atypical is that it really listens to its fans about stories they want to hear. I personally think that each season just gets better. There are plenty of moments that will make you smile and laugh, and other moments that will make your lip tremble, and everything is done through the wonderful Atypical cast. With four seasons, it’s a great show to binge. 

Stream Atypical on Netflix.

With all these awesome Netflix TV shows, it might be hard to pick just one. But, I can assure you that whatever you go with, you’ll have a great time watching, whether you’re laughing or crying. Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to watch Russian Doll again. 

There are plenty of creators in Hollywood who make fantastic shows, but one who always comes and seems to tackle every kind of genre is Ryan Murphy. You want a comedy mixed in with a musical? Got it. You want some scary stories with interesting looking makeup? He delivers. You want a historical story about one of the most prominent murder cases in history? Done.

Indeed, Ryan Murphy is one of those creators who has done it all, from his hit anthology horror series, American Horror Story, to some of his newer ventures, such as the miniseries, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. If you’re trying to find where to stream some of his work, here is where you can find Ryan Murphy TV shows streaming right now.

American Horror Story (And Its Spinoff) (2011 - Present) (2021-Present) 

In this horror anthology series, American Horror Story covers a new tale each season, ranging from mysterious happenings in haunted houses, to covens down in New Orleans, or to a summer camp in 1984, all while showing the horrible outcomes of what happens during these true American horror stories.

American Horror Story is definitely one of my favorite shows that Ryan Murphy has done. While I could spend my time watching the best horror movies, sometimes I want a nice long season filled with scares, and that’s what American Horror Story is all about. The casts that have popped up throughout the seasons are fantastic, from legendary actress Jessica Lange, to pop superstar Lady Gaga, with plenty of other amazing actors with them, like Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Finn Wittrock, and many more. Truly, it’s such a great series - my personal favorite season is Coven. Gotta love my witches.

Something else you should also check out is its spinoff, American Horror Stories. A Hulu exclusive, the show has two seasons and features a new story with a new cast every episode, featuring some truly twisted tales. The Season 2 episodes are my personal favorite. But that could all change with the upcoming AHS 12.

Stream American Horror Story on Hulu.

Stream American Horror Story on Amazon.

Stream American Horror Stories on Hulu.

9-1-1 (2018 - Present)

In a change of pace compared to many of Murphy’s other projects on this list, 9-1-1 is a procedural television series created by Ryan Murphy that follows the lives of first responders in the city of Los Angeles, focusing on not only the police, but the dispatchers, firefighters and paramedics that help the citizens of the city on a constant basis. 

To be honest, when I think of Ryan Murphy, a procedural series is never what I think of, and yet, he made this show so good. I’m not even a big procedural fan and yet I find myself returning to this show on television whenever it’s on because the stories are that compelling. The show has gotten popular enough that it now has a spinoff called 9-1-1: Lone Star, which takes place in Austin, Texas. If you want to give procedurals a try, this is the one to check out. 

Stream 9-1-1 on Hulu. 
Stream 9-1-1: Lone Star on Hulu.

Nip/Tuck (2003 - 2010)

In Nip/Tuck, the series focuses on two Miami-based plastic surgeons, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy. When they are on the brink of expanding their practice, their friendship is put to the test when McNamara goes off to do pro-bono plastic surgery on victims of a serial rapist/slasher.

This was one of the first TV series that Ryan Murphy ever did, paired with constant collaborator Brad Falchuk, and honestly, it’s really good. I didn’t think I’d be into something like this at first but Murphy does a great job of pairing medical drama storylines with many other genres. Some episodes are very simple, others are nail-biters, and others are strangely… erotic? Is that the best word? I don’t know. I can’t give much away without spoiling the show. Just watch it.

Stream Nip/Tuck on Hulu.

Scream Queens (2015 - 2016)

Scream Queens takes its name after the iconic use of the term, about a girl who can produce a hell of a scream. In this series, a group of girls, starting out at a university and later moving to a hospital, are constantly terrorized by a serial killer.

I don't think Scream Queens got the love that it deserved. Not only was it so funny, but the cast was killer (pun intended). Emma Roberts, Billie Lourde, Abigail Breslin - even Ariana Grande was a part of this series for a time. The ultimate scream queen herself, Jamie Lee Curtis, had a main role! Plus, the scares were actually so much fun, paired with a funny but frightening story. This should have been so much bigger than it was - but you can at least give it the praise it rightfully deserves now by streaming it.

Stream Scream Queens on Hulu.

Glee (2009 - 2015)

Oh, Glee. In this musical-comedy, a group of outcasts at William McKinley High School end up joining the Glee Club under the tutelage of Will Schuester, one of the school’s Spanish teachers, all hoping to maybe gain something out of it - whether that be popularity, love, or anything else.

I feel like when anyone thinks of Ryan Murphy, they think of this show because of how huge it was. I mean, it became so popular the cast went on tour not that long after its second season. While I do think the quality of the show dipped after Season 3 (and bounced back in Season 6), it’s still enjoyable to watch. 

I love the Glee cast, the music renditions are usually very good and show off their wide array of talent, and they touch on some pretty heavy topics very regularly, especially in the first couple of seasons. I think everyone should give Glee a shot - and be a loser like me. If not for the amazing covers.

Stream Glee on Disney+. 

Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)

Arguably one of the biggest television shows of 2022 (so far at the time of writing this) is Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, or more commonly referred to as Dahmer. The series, starring Evan Peters, tells the story of infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, recapping his life and how he turned into the monster we all know him to be. 

The show has been popular on Netflix since its debut, and Evan Peters’ performance has been critically praised across all boards. The story itself is fascinating for the true crime enthusiast, as well as anyone who wants to experience a truly raw and compelling story that will shake you to your core. You don’t want to miss out on this one. 

Stream Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix. 

American Crime Story (2016 - Present)

American Crime Story is an anthology series that follows a new legendary crime case that rocked the world each season. The first season was called The People vs. O.J. Simpson, covering the O.J. Simpson case. The second season was titled The Assassination of Gianni Versace, covering the murder of famous fashion designer, Gianni Versace. The third was titled Impeachment, about the sexual scandal of Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton. 

As someone who loves true crime, I really loved that Ryan Murphy began doing American Crime Story. The show does an excellent job of adapting real-life events while also making them entertaining to watch. The casts have always been impeccably talented, with recurring actress Sarah Paulson returning in another Murphy project, as well as people like Darren Criss, Cuba Gooding Jr., Sterling K. Brown and more. 

Stream American Crime Story on Hulu.

Feud (2017 - Present)

Murphy does quite well with these anthology shows, and Feud is another great example of that. In this docudrama first season, Feud aims to focus on famous feuds that have gotten wide-spread media attention, with the first eight episodes of the show focusing on the famous feud between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. 

The first season was widely acclaimed and ended up earning eighteen Primetime Emmy Awards, showing you just how amazing it truly was. A second season has been ordered and is currently in the works, according to Deadline, featuring a new cast of stars like Molly Ringwald, Naomi Watts, Diane Lane and more. 

Stream Feud on Hulu.

Pose (2016 - 2021)

In this FX series, Pose is all about the African-American and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming drag ball culture scene in New York City in the 1980s and 1990s, showing what it was like to live the way you wanted back then.

I think what I love the most about Pose is that it’s not afraid to take risks. There are so many topics that they touch on throughout the show, and plenty of moments where you’ll either be dancing to the fantastic music, laughing your ass off, or crying. One standout of this series is Billy Porter, who’s won a lot of awards for his portrayal of Pray Tell, but everyone is fantastic in their own right. It’s such a great series, even if it only has three seasons.

Stream Pose on Hulu. 

The Politician (2018 - 2020)

In this Netflix original comedy, The Politician centers on Payton Hobart, a wealthy man from Santa Barbara where each season focuses on a different political race that he is involved in.

You know, at first, I wasn’t really into the idea of watching this show. I wasn’t that big into politics and felt that a show that revolved around it would bore me quickly. But, after giving The Politician a shot, I knew it was so worth it. Ben Platt of Dear Evan Hansen and 2012’s Pitch Perfect fame is absolutely perfect in the leading role of Payton, and the rest of The Politician cast is great too. The story itself is also a lot of fun, making the political races funny and yet serious at the same time - it’s a fantastic dramedy.

Stream The Politician on Netflix.

Ratched (2020 - Present)

In this spinoff of the classic film, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Ratched follows the titular nurse, Mildred Ratched, from the original film, telling her origin story at the legendary hospital, and how she earned her name as one of the worst nurses there.

Let me say that I don’t even think you need to watch the original film to like this series (even though you should because it’s awesome). Ratched adds depth and backstory to this iconic character, played by the ever-talented Sarah Paulson, and the rest of the Ratched cast performs exceptionally well too, including a fantastic performance from Finn Wittrock as Edmund Tolleson. It’s suspenseful, scary, and everything you could want in a spinoff series.

Stream Ratched on Netflix.

After writing this, I’m starting to see that Ryan Murphy likes a lot of the same actors – especially Sarah Paulson – but hey, when they make such great TV with such talented actors, how can you not cast them in more things? Hopefully, now you’ll be able to watch some of his best TV series (so far). 

Something else that recently came out in 2022 is The Watcher, another Netflix original that follows a famous true crime case, and one you should certainly check out. 

Stream The Watcher on Netflix.

What’s even better is that American Horror Story Season 11 is a part of the 2022 TV premiere schedule, so I know that my television life will be packed.  

Much like a lot of Glee stars, Chris Colfer seems to have issues with Lea Michele. As the actress made her return to Broadway in Funny Girl the response from her former co-workers is mixed. Now, Colfer, who played Kurt on the musical show, has spoken about his feelings regarding his co-star and if he will see her show on Broadway.

This all went down when Colfer appeared as a guest on The Michelle Collins Show. The host asked the actor if he’d be seeing Funny Girl while he was in New York City. Colfer responded by saying his “day just got full,” and then he mentioned that he had seen the musical Six the night before and loved it. Collins then asked again if he’d be seeing it, and Colfer told her (via EW): 

Colfer is not the first to respond like this when asked about Michele. Two years ago Samantha Ware spoke out saying while she was on Glee the actress behind Rachel Berry made her first job “a living hell.” And she called Michele out for “traumatic microaggressions.” After that more cast members, including Heather Morris, spoke out against the actress. Morris played Brittany Pierce in every season and said that the Funny Girl star “should be called out.” 

Not long after all of this, Michele issued an apology. Before Michele took the stage as Fanny earlier this summer, she did mention her past. In an interview with NYT she noted that the “pressure of perfectionism” left her with “a lot of blind spots.” 

In the years that followed Michele being called out, she wasn’t seen in much, until this summer. She was announced as Beanie Feldstein’s replacement in the revival of Funny Girl on Broadway. 

The article noted that Kevin McHale, who played Artie Abrams in all six seasons of Glee, hasn't talked to Michele in a while. He also said he has not really thought about seeing Funny Girl, but hadn’t ruled it out. Meanwhile, Jenna Ushkowitz, who played Tina Cohen-Chang in every season of Glee said while she wants to see the show she has not talked to its lead about it. 

While quite a few Glee stars have said they are no longer in contact with and don’t plan on seeing Michele, others have gone to see her belt her heart out on Broadway. Jonathan Groff, who starred in Spring Awakening and Glee with Michele is a very good friend of hers, and he was at her opening night for Funny Girl, along with Ryan Murphy, the creator of Glee. 

Also, Darren Criss, who played Blaine Anderson on Glee has been to see Michele in Funny Girl. The two have remained friends in the years following the Fox musical show. The actress even attended his wedding in New Orleans along with a few other Glee stars.