# Most despicable television character in history, in your humble opinion **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 10, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498 "2015-09-10T04:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/41 "2015-09-10T16:44:10Z")
Nancy Grace. ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/42 "2015-09-10T16:48:55Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Well sure, but he was merely a cosmic wuss (and it turns out near the end a perv). Gendo and Ritsuko, OTOH… The crimes against humanity trial would last several lifetimes… > > AAAahhhh, Miiister Mordenn… Nah, come on: _ **Bester** _!!! I liked Bester. He had some great lines, a snazy star fury and a big heart, for his own kind. What about both Gaius Baltars? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/43 "2015-09-10T16:55:42Z")
> [@Gothic](#): > > Mr Morden. > > What do you want? Hey, flesh does what it is told. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/44 "2015-09-10T17:04:53Z")
Evil Roy Slade. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/45 "2015-09-10T17:06:46Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > Evil Roy Slade. 🙂 I need to see that movie again. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/46 "2015-09-10T17:12:31Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Seemed a decent sort, why do you ask? He’s got a serrated knife to your genitals as you type, doesn’t he ? Blink twice for yes. 🙂 Curiously, I think the most depraved character on GoT might have been Dead King Robert. I mean, yes, the show doesn’t lack for psychopaths, but that’s the point : they’re monsters in human shape. I can’t hate Joffrey, he’s not a person, he’s just a Being A Dick elder elemental. Same goes for Ramsey or Littlefinger. Robert on the other hand knew full well he was being shit all of the time, and he knew he was making the people around him miserable (or dead !) for no better reason than “it’s not what I thought it would be like”… and he just didn’t change anything. Just an endless spiral of “fuck it, fuck 'em, let’s drink and forget about it”. Having the wolf killed (traumatizing the Stark kids in the process) just because he just doesn’t want to be arsed fighting about it with the missus ? Fuck youuuu ! ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/47 "2015-09-10T17:15:36Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Dr. Smith from Lost in Space. That’s what I came in to say. He did what he did out of pure selfishness. Granted Sheldon on Big Bang Theory functions in much the same way. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/48 "2015-09-10T17:16:57Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > 🙂 > > I need to see that movie again. For some reason, it’s always on [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRtIJSLF2bo). ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/49 "2015-09-10T17:18:15Z")
No Walter White? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/50 "2015-09-10T17:28:07Z")
_L.A. Law’s_ Rosalind Shays, as played by Diana Muldaur. Nasty nasty piece of work. The viewing public’s collective hatred of her is a great testament to Ms. Muldaur’s acting talents. Who can forget the shock and then and the feeling of satisfaction when she walked into that elevator shaft. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/51 "2015-09-10T17:33:20Z")
Livia Soprano ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/52 "2015-09-10T17:34:23Z")
Eric Cartman is quite despicable, but he’s also a great character. Yes, I hate him and always want to see him get his come-uppance, but the show wouldn’t be what it is without him. [In a similar thread i noted](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732893): He has (among many other things) Kidnapped Butters as a prank, but let Butters’ parents grieve as though their son was dead Traded the market in dead fetuses Developed a “crack baby” athletic association Intentionally infected his \*friend \*with HIV. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/53 "2015-09-10T17:44:30Z")
After my first choice, Russell Hantz, I’d like to offer a shoutout to another of the best at being a real shit: [Zach Grenier,](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340260/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t10) primarily for his David Lee character on _The Good Wife_ but also from an amazing array of turds in his IMDb resume’. In fact he has little competition (as I see it) for the “that guy” role that helps a drama move along toward the hero getting his revenge. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/54 "2015-09-10T17:50:24Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > No, Endora’s behavior was perfectly justified. Durwood’s attitude toward his wife and her talents was despicable. I agree, Dickweed was quite oppressive to his wife. He abused her emotionally by making her feel ashamed of who she was. She should have been allowed to be a proud witch like Endora. > [@Gothic](#): > > I liked Bester. He had some great lines, a snazy star fury and a big heart, for his own kind. > > What about both Gaius Baltars? At least the second one was hot and had a nice accent. I nominate Steve Urkel. Annoying and took over the show, I stopped watching it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/55 "2015-09-10T17:50:57Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Dr. Smith from Lost in Space. > [@TV\_time](#): > > That’s what I came in to say. He did what he did out of pure selfishness. Yeah, but they kept giving him [Pet the Dog](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PetTheDog) and [Heel-Face Turn](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeelFaceTurn) moments. More than Frank Burns ever got, anyway. There’s Jim Profit in [_Profit_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profit_(TV_series)) – but his being despicable was the whole point, not only of the character but of the show, so maybe he belongs in a special category. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/56 "2015-09-10T17:54:29Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > I nominate Steve Urkel. Annoying and took over the show, I stopped watching it. Well, I think the OP asked for despicable characters, not annoying characters. It’s more a matter of moral judgment than esthetic judgment. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/57 "2015-09-10T17:59:06Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > The first one who comes to mind is Nellie Oleson from Little House on the Prairie. This is so incredibly spot on. And Nancy wasn’t far behind. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/58 "2015-09-10T18:03:14Z")
Francis Urquhart in the original UK House of Cards was a thoroughly despicable human being…far moreso than his American counterpart Frank Underwood. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/59 "2015-09-10T18:23:41Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Well sure, but he was merely a cosmic wuss (and it turns out near the end a perv). Gendo and Ritsuko, OTOH… The crimes against humanity trial would last several lifetimes… Based on the OP’s example of McNulty, from The Wire, I’m pretty certain that the aim of the thread is to nominate characters that are dislikable, not characters who are bad people. James Bond is a sexist, womanizing, cold-blooded assassin and egomaniac. By very few measures would he be considered a good person. But he’s likable (to most people) and people pay good money to keep watching him. Human likes and hates aren’t very in-keeping with morality, generally. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498/60 "2015-09-10T18:27:45Z")
Perhaps they’re not as bloody-minded as some of the villains mentioned upthread, but O’Brien and Evil Gay Thomas from _Downton Abbey_ were uber-malicious just for the hell of it. I couldn’t figure out just what they were hoping to accomplish with all their plotting and undermining. It seems they did it just for spite. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-despicable-television-character-in-history-in-your-humble-opinion/730498.md?page=4)