# TV Shows With No Likable Major Characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769 "2008-06-13T04:10:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/41 "2008-06-13T18:32:22Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] **The West Wing**. The only character who is likeable is Martin Sheen. [/QUOTE] The five percent of me which is gay is in love with Bradley Whitford. Consequently I releasing five percent of my winged monkeys on you. Well, I would, except I only have 13 winged monkeys on staff right now. Stupid cutbacks. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/42 "2008-06-13T18:50:16Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] Please tell me you will spare Miranda Bailey! [/QUOTE] Who? ::checks IMDB:: Oh, her. Yeah, she can hole up with some orderlies in a utility closet or something. Patrick Dempsey must have his face eaten off though. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Lake)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/43 "2008-06-13T19:04:13Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] Lois Griffin’s likeable, isn’t she? She’s warm, smart, devoted to her family, and doesn’t put on the facade of being a Madonna figure the way Marge Simpson does. She’s one of the most balanced, reasonable and likeable characters on TV. [/QUOTE] Er…I find her to be one of the least likeable people on the show. Unlike Peter, she pretends to being balanced, reasonable and likeable, but the abusive comments she makes to her own daughter leave a bad taste. Don’t get me wrong - abusing Meg is part of the fun of the show - but it does effectively take away from her being likeable. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/44 "2008-06-13T19:14:59Z")
[QUOTE=Lady of the Lake] Er…I find her to be one of the least likeable people on the show. Unlike Peter, she pretends to being balanced, reasonable and likeable, but the abusive comments she makes to her own daughter leave a bad taste. Don’t get me wrong - abusing Meg is part of the fun of the show - but it does effectively take away from her being likeable. [/QUOTE] Um, excuse me? MEG KILLED HER CHILD. Of course Lois is pissed at her. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/45 "2008-06-13T20:19:31Z")
How about **Dexter**? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/46 "2008-06-13T20:23:34Z")
Dexter is very likeable. That’s the point, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/47 "2008-06-13T20:25:39Z")
**Smallville** ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/48 "2008-06-13T21:05:53Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] The only character who is likeable is Martin Sheen. [/QUOTE] You found President Bartlett likeable? Don’t get me wrong, I like Martin Sheen, and I enjoyed the character, but he was one of the most smug, self righteous bullies out there. The likeable characters on that show were Leo, Donna, Mrs. Landingham, the blond haired conservative woman who’s name I can’t remember, and in the last season, Alan Alda’s character. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/49 "2008-06-13T23:26:10Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] You found President Bartlett likeable? Don’t get me wrong, I like Martin Sheen, and I enjoyed the character, but he was one of the most smug, self righteous bullies out there. The likeable characters on that show were Leo, Donna, Mrs. Landingham, the blond haired conservative woman who’s name I can’t remember, and in the last season, Alan Alda’s character. [/QUOTE] No Josh? To me he was one of the most likeable fictional characters out there. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/50 "2008-06-14T00:02:56Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] The likeable characters on that show were Leo, Donna, Mrs. Landingham, the blond haired conservative woman who’s name I can’t remember, and in the last season, Alan Alda’s character. [/QUOTE] The blond women was named Ainsley Hayes, played by the gorgeous (though squeaky voiced) [Emily Proctor](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698346/) [QUOTE=Mr Shine] No Josh? To me he was one of the most likeable fictional characters out there.. [/QUOTE] Josh started out as likeable, although even in the first episode he is shown as hot-tempered and self-righteous. But he became more and more of an ass as the series went on…but the end, I thought he didn’t deserve Donna. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/51 "2008-06-14T00:32:29Z")
_The PTL Club._ ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/52 "2008-06-14T01:42:26Z")
A type 2 show for me:_Ally McBeal_ (granted, I only saw the first two seasons). The main reason I liked it was that it was packed with completely unlikable characters who consistently ended up miserable every episode. It was the antidote to _90210_: absolutely detestable characters that the writers seemed to expect me to sympathize with. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/53 "2008-06-14T01:54:44Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] About the only character I cared for any in **The Wire** ended up being Ringer Bell… [/QUOTE] Stringer Bell, not Ringer. While I _like almost every character on the show including Stringer (who is also gorgeous, so he’s pleasant to look at), I’ve never found him likable_. He’s a total sociopath. Probably the most likable to me is Omar. I adore Omar. The actor steals every scene he’s in. Other likable characters: Bubbles D’Angelo Major Colvin Bodie I actually find McNulty the least likable character on the show, and that includes all the drug runners. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/54 "2008-06-14T02:21:14Z")
[QUOTE=DeadlyAccurate] Other likable characters: Bubbles D’Angelo Major Colvin Bodie [/QUOTE] Wallace was likable…remember Wallace? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/55 "2008-06-14T02:46:27Z")
_Mad Men_. Seldom have I seen a show whose characters were so aggressively 2-dimensional. If people in 1960 were really such humorless stiffs, how could they possibly have been having all that sex? ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/56 "2008-06-14T03:18:04Z")
Anyone see _Tell Me You Love Me_ on HBO? There was not a single person on there that was likable, let alone lovable. There was only one of them worth seeing naked, even. Most miserable group of losers I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/57 "2008-06-14T03:25:34Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] Wallace was likable…remember Wallace? [/QUOTE] Yeah. I liked Wallace. And having just finished Season 3, I also should add Dennis Wise (Cutty) and Slim Charles. Slim Charles reminds me of a guy I used to know in college, always calling those of us who were quite a few years younger than him “young 'uns.” \*Six Feet Under \*is a show that, for me, had no likable characters. Interesting, sure. But they were all so damned whiny I wanted to bitch-slap the lot of them. I don’t think _Married…With Children_ ever intended for their characters to be likable. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/58 "2008-06-14T03:52:23Z")
[QUOTE=DeadlyAccurate] I don’t think _Married…With Children_ ever intended for their characters to be likable. [/QUOTE] I guess they succeeded. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/59 "2008-06-14T12:17:40Z")
**2 1/2 Men**. Not even a contest. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769/60 "2008-06-14T14:01:03Z")
Oh, I cannot believe we have gotten this far without a Desperate Housewives mention. Gaby is too young to criticize really, compared to her neighbors. She is self absorbed, vain and immoral. Susan is stupid and chidish. She lets her teenage daughter, Julie, run the household because J is so much more mature. Oh, and the writers think Susan doing pratfalls and being clumsy is endearing to viewers.It is not. Lynette is a harridan. She constantly berates her husband for not being a good businessman. She actually had him fired so she could take his place. Yeah. Bree. This is the one I want to like, but even she has skeletons. She covered up a hit and run murder of her neighbors mother because her son was driving the car. I think I win here. DH rules! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-no-likable-major-characters/452769.md?page=4)