Jake was the "half" in the sitcom Two and a Half Men, the young son of Alan, who showed up at his older brother Charlie's beach house looking for a place to stay after his wife threw him out. And, well, he never left and Jake continued to live with the brothers, presumably on weekends or any other time he wasn't with his mother.
In the beginning of the series, Jake was just 10 years old, and a precocious, witty child who was charming and fun enough to spark the interest of his uncle, who usually didn't like children. As the show progressed, though, and Jake grew into a teenager and young adult, he changed. He became moody, seemingly dumber, and even rude. Nonetheless, there are still times viewers felt bad for him.
Dealt with Parents Divorce: Felt Bad
Overall, viewers felt bad for Jake being stuck in the middle of his parents' divorce. First, he had to break into his uncle's house with his father after Judith threw Alan out. Then, he had to deal with his mother claiming she was a lesbian (she later married another man).
The two fought relentlessly and it was a really nasty divorce. It's easy to forget that poor Jake was in the middle and likely hurting even though he was acting casual and cracking jokes through the whole thing.
Talked Back To His Dad: Hated Him
As Jake got older, he started to talk back to both his father Alan and mother Judith or make snarky remarks. For example, in one episode when Judith tells him to watch his mouth, he replies that he can't watch it because it's under his nose.
He also makes remarks throughout the series that a young man should never say to his father, disrespecting Alan on many occasions.
Dating Life: Felt Bad
The reason viewers felt bed for Jake with regards to his dating life was because he learned a lot of it from his uncle, who he spent a lot of time with from the age of 10. Seeing how Charlie treated women might have caused Jake to develop a warped understanding of what he thought relationships should be like.
The result was a bunch of empty relationships, two-timing, and dating women that were not good for him. And overall, it made viewers feel bad for the young man.
Started Doing Drugs: Hated Him
As a teenager, Jake seemed to become dumber, which was really odd given how sharp and quick-witted he was as a child. One storyline even saw him doing drugs pretty often, which both viewers and the actor who played him, Angus T. Jones, didn't like.
Jake started off as a sweet, fun, witty young boy, so when they took him in that direction, it was sad. Did it have anything to do with being exposed to Charlie's lifestyle all those years? Nonetheless, it was one thing about Jake that made viewers hate him.
Didn't Really Jive With His Dad: Felt Bad
While Jake seemed to get along well with his uncle Charlie, he never seemed to develop a close relationship with his own father. Maybe he wanted to, or perhaps he didn't care. But it was clear he saw his uncle as the cool one and his dad as the boring and annoying one.
It was sad for both Jake and Alan that they never developed a stronger bond with one another, despite all they had been through together.
Dated The Daughter Of His Much Older Girlfriend: Hated Him
When Jake was dating an older woman, Tammy Sue, he started to date the woman's daughter Ashley, too. At one point, he was seeing both mother and daughter at the same time!
Interestingly, despite this behavior, Jake got upset at Alan when he began dating his friend Eldridge's mother.
The Awkward Years: Felt Bad
Jake even admitted that he was going through an awkward stage and not acting like himself. In an episode in season seven, he says he is in "the awkward years" when Alan and Charlie realize he is acting immaturely and becoming distanced from them.
His voice changes and he gets much taller and thinner. Charlie makes fun of him more often, he drinks alcohol, and he starts getting into more trouble. While some of his actions were bad, it's all part of growing pains, and viewers couldn't help but feel bad for him.
Shut Down Walden's Website: Hated Him
Yes, it seems like a lot of the most-hated things about Jake pertain to Jake in the later seasons when he's older and getting into more trouble. In one instance, after Walden says no to hiring Jake as an intern, his business partner unknowingly gives Jake and his best friend Eldridge jobs during a night shift anyway.
Rather than do their jobs, the two end up downloading tons of pornography and viruses along with it that infect the servers and eventually shut the whole website down.
Missi Breaks Up With Him: Felt Bad
There was one woman Jake seemed to have real feelings for: Missi, the daughter of Walden's family friend (played by Miley Cyrus). But after they enjoy a pretty casual relationship for a short time, she says no to his invitation for a more serious relationship.
It's after this break-up that Jake begins dating a 36-year-old woman with three kids and later on, her daughter. So maybe the rejection had something to do with his terrible choices.
Becoming Friends With Eldridge: Hated Him
Eldridge was clearly a bad influence on Jake. He was always getting into trouble and steered Jake towards bad habits and events. Eldridge wasn't close with his parents - in fact, he despised them.
Among the many misdeeds, Eldridge got Jake involved in were stealing beer from Charlie, getting drunk, and sneaking out when he was grounded. Surely he could have found a better best friend.