As HBO's new hit show House of the Dragon continues to receive acclaim from critics and audiences, fans have quickly come to realize that there's one common trait among each of the show's many characters. After all, not a single one of them is a good person.
It's hardly a new trait among TV show characters. All through the history of the medium, there have been extremely beloved characters who were hardly the kindest or most benevolent people. In fact, many of the most popular TV characters are actually downright awful.
Raymond Barone
Everybody Loves Raymond
Though the show ended nearly two decades ago, there are still fans who despise Raymond Barone from the show Everybody Loves Raymond. Though the sitcom depicts Raymond as an often-introverted sportswriter trying to keep up with his job, many view him as a horrible influence and worse person.
"His marriage is so toxic," says Reddit user Myfourcats1. "He doesn’t do anything around the house." The fact that he tends to regularly run back to his mother for support can also grind the gears of fans. While his saving grace is that he might be pretty funny, he can't keep up with the hilarious Debra Barone.
Rory Gilmore
Gilmore Girls
While usually fans love studious characters who have their heads on straight, Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls is a clear exception, as fans took umbrage with her relationships. "Absolute spoiled, selfish brat even as an adult," says Redditor Pirouette1209.
Many fans thought that Dean would have been perfect for her, before she treated him poorly and even cheated on him. It was the last straw for fans who already couldn't stand her personality. Rory's relationship with Jess may have been perfect, but her time with Dean was just too cruel.
Mr. Krabs
SpongeBob SquarePants
The owner of the Krusty Krab, Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob SquarePants doesn't seem like a character that fans could loathe. As the comedic boss for SpongeBob, there are fans who love the conflicts and energy he brings to the show. Others view him as little more than a greedy monster.
"He’s a money hog, actually terrorized Plankton so much that he wanted Spongebob to step on him, fired Spongebob just to save money, and made a Krusty Krab 2 for money," says Reddit user I_Love_Bulbasaur. Given that many adults may have had bosses exactly like Mr. Krabs, it does make sense that older fans would hate him.
Walter White
Breaking Bad
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There is a common refrain among fans of Breaking Bad that Walter White is a brilliant character because of his slow descent into depravity. After starting out as a hero, he ends the show as an awful person who has gone far beyond anything that could be even slightly accepted as moral.
Yet some fans say the popular character was awful long before the ending. "You go back through the show a few more times and realize you're not supposed to like him at the beginning either," says Reddit user Served_In_Bleach. Having bullied his son and blackmailed a former student into working for him, he was hardly a good person early on either.
Sasuke Uchiha
Naruto
As the cold rival to Naruto, it may have been expected that fans would dislike him, but Sasuke is far from deserving the praise of Naruto fans. "He deserted the village, finally achieved his goal and then says that he'll destroy the village," says a now-deleted Reddit user. "Gets accepted back into the village and everyone pretty much loves him."
While Sasuke has many amazing powers that have endeared some fans to him, but that doesn't excuse his incredibly poor behavior, nor the way he regularly avoids consequences. Everything about Sasuke revolves around hatred and power, which hardly makes him sympathetic to modern audiences.
Lily Aldrin
How I Met Your Mother
While the ending to How I Met Your Mother ruined the show for many fans, one thing remained the same among viewers: Their hatred for Lily Aldrin. "She's selfish, hypocritical, and manipulative," says Redditor Indianfattie. "She never admits that she's wrong, she's controlling, and she's pushy."
As the most immature member of the group, Lily was horrible to Marshall, as she forced him to work a job that he hated while also criticizing him for taking advantage of the opportunities it offered him. Lily even eventually abandoned him to run off to San Francisco, which devastated Marshall.
Tony Soprano
The Sopranos
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While it isn't exactly hard to point to Tony Saprano as an awful person, fans still can't help but reflect on his poor behavior. "He just gets worse as the series ends," says Redditor Cheetah_Heart-2000. "I knew he was a bad guy but don’t remember disliking him so much the first time I watched the show."
While The Sopranos is a show about awful people doing awful things, Tony took it to the next level. Tony can easily be summed up as a brutal killer who cheats on his wife, hurts his family, and gambles away the money that his family needed. It just showed that he had no moral standards, unlike what he pretended.
Rick Sanchez
Rick and Morty
The star of Rick and Morty, Rick Sanchez is a brilliant scientist who also serves as a wildcard as he drags his grandson Morty on all of his adventures. Yet the saddest moments of Rick and Morty depict Rick as a man who understands that he isn't the man he wishes that he was and who wants to be better.
Yet the remorse doesn't satisfy some fans. "The show pretends that he's going to grow as a person but never does, it got old by season one," says Reddit user Desproges. After several seasons that have yet to meaningfully progress the character, it makes sense that they would be annoyed by him, especially as there has been little long-term growth.
Boba Fett
The Book of Boba Fett
The star of The Book of Boba Fett, Boba Fett has grown significantly from his appearances in the Star Wars movies. Yet some fans found themselves bored by the character. "He accomplishes almost nothing and he’s only memorable because he has cool armor and doesn’t talk a lot," says Reddit user CaughttheDarkness.
While Boba Fett has pretty badass moments, it is true that he's still a somewhat bland character. He spends most of the show as a bureaucrat trying to reform Jaba's territory and largely failing in the process. While the hype might be real, the character himself is awful.
Karen Page
Daredevil
Introduced in Netflix's Daredevil, Karen Page was the secretary for Nelson and Murdock and was well-regarded as a fan favorite who truly made a difference in the show. Yet some fans agree that she was a pretty awful character. "She has no personality, does not contribute to the plot other than researching," says Redditor Tonysve.
Often chastising Matt for keeping secrets, Karen was occasionally a hypocrite, since she often secretly worked with Ben Urich. She also was incredibly offended that he would spend time with Elektra, despite the fact that she was running around with the Punisher. While it doesn't make her an awful character, she was still somewhat of an awful person for it.