15 TV Characters We Love To Hate

Every show has them, whether they intend for them to be that way or not. Naturally, we are speaking about characters that are either a pain in the neck or evil in some way, but somehow still manage to capture our hearts. 

Whether they are the villain in an intense drama or a pestering nuisance to the main protagonist, these characters do the opposite of what they are meant to do. We all can’t help but love them fiercely for how much they frustrate, infuriate, or downright annoy us. 

The number of characters whom we love to hate is almost impossible to narrow down, but we definitely tried. Please enjoy our list of 15 TV Characters We Love To Hate.

1. Robert “Rocket” Romano (ER)

For those of us who grew up watching the OG medical drama, ER, Romano is always on our minds when we think of frustrating characters. He is the epitome of the male ego with the power trip of a surgeon’s talents.

Between his often crash, sexist, even harassing comments towards others — especially females or people of the LGBTQ community — and his ginormous ego it is very hard to love this character. But, then he goes and saves a kid’s life or sticks up for one of the other doctors. Or, he treats Benton’s son with kindness and respect. So we push those bad parts of him to the side.

That is not to say we didn’t also cheer loudly when an accident caused his hand to be chopped off by a helicopter propeller or better yet welcomed his untimely demise by helicopter crash (I mean a helicopter twice? That’s some real karma) a few seasons later.

The best part about Romano’s legacy is that Dr. Kerri Weaver was left to decide how his financials would be donated so she used the money to create a free clinic for those who were LGBTQ. 

Whether you love him or hate him, or love to hate him one thing can be easily said about Romano. He is a very polarizing character.

2. Gemma Teller Morrow (Sons of Anarchy)

On a show about the lawlessness of a California motorcycle club, one character stands out above the rest. We are, of course, talking about the matriarch of the Teller/Morrow dynasty Mrs. Gemma Teller Morrow herself.

Craftily played by the supremely talented Katey Sagal, this mother of a character made all the wrong moves for the right reasons. We could forgive her and her transgressions because we knew she was doing it for the love of her son and his legacy to the club.

Whether she was going along with her husband’s ideas for retribution or enacting some of her own, Gemma was always as ruthless as she was compassionate. Audiences felt for her when her husband’s actions would sometimes spill over and cause trauma to her, but she would always give as good as she got.

Her death was a long time coming, and fans actually accepted it as the only outcome for her in the end. 

3. Roman Roy (Succession)

On a show where pretty much every character falls under the category of “love to hate” it is hard to pick one above the rest. However, when it all boils down to it, Succession’s Roman Roy is the most sarcastically chaotic member of his family.

This quality paired with his desire to simply gain his father’s love and admiration puts him a step above anyone else. We all love him for his good qualities and despise him when he turns into an utter ass — as is the Roy family M.O. 

With the huge talents of Kieran Culkin bringing a whole other layer to what could easily just be a dick of a character, Roman has quickly become a fan favorite. His inner struggles make his outer hostilities make more sense and give him a sympathetic edge. 

Also, who wouldn’t want to hug him tight after that Season 3 finale where he was left emotionally gutted on the floor?

4. Wendy Byrde (Ozark)

If your kind of “villain” is a woman with the brains and know how to stay ahead of the cartel, then Wendy Byrde is definitely your character to love/hate. From the beginning, she has shown that while her husband may be the direct man in bed with the cartel, she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty either.

Honestly, the whole Byrde family continues to stay alive and within the good graces of Navarro because Wendy knows how to stay one step ahead. She can manipulate just about any situation to her benefit and is willing to make the tough calls.

While this doesn’t necessarily make her a good and decent person, we all still love her to pieces. She is the true star of Ozark and the reason we keep tuning in.

It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to this show because we want as much Wendy as we can get.

5. Izzy Hands (Our Flag Means Death)

On the show about a merry band of misfit pirates, there has to be at least one who stands out as going against the group. Izzy Hands fits that to a T on Our Flag Means Death.

He is a man who is extremely set in his ways of what makes a pirate a pirate. So, naturally, Stede Bonnet’s crew would drive him to frustration and anger.

Gratefully, every ill thing he says toward someone else is met with equal parts humor and strength. Unlike most stories, Izzy isn’t taken seriously by anyone, and his negative comments aren’t tolerated in the slightest.

That being said, the fans still love him dearly. There is just something endearing about how attached he is to who he believes Blackbeard to be. He isn’t disarming in the slightest, which makes him hard to truly hate. 

6. Rowena (Supernatural)

Strong and independent women are often hated by television viewers because that strength appears to make them go against the grain too much. However, in the case of Rowena on Supernatural, the fans loved that she was part villain, part compassionate mother — it humanized her; all things considered.

The Queen of Hell may have been the mother to Crowley himself, but when the Winchesters came along something within her attached her mothering instincts to them. Her skills as a witch came in handy for the brothers time and time again — despite her actions going against the goals of Hell.

Ultimately, it was this side of her that made her easier to care about and love. In fact, she was so beloved that by the time she met her untimely demise in the final season fans were heartbroken. 

In the end, Rowena makes the ultimate sacrifice proving that good and evil can reside within the same person and it can create a complicated dynamic.

7. Peter Hale (Teen Wolf)

If you were to ask any fan of Teen Wolf who their favorite villain is, most of them would say Peter Hale. That is due in large part to his character growth and journey over the span of six seasons.

When we first meet him he is all evil, with no good within him at all. However, when he is brought back from death, there is something else that is brought back with him — his humanity. Add in Ian Bohen’s ability to give that little bit of “can we trust him?” doubt into each nuanced performance and you have a perfectly complex character.

Over the course of the series, Peter manages to be equal parts distrustful and reliable. While he willingly helps the team of scrappy werewolves and other supernaturals, it always comes at a price.

His underlying grief over the loss of his family and the fact that he has laid down his life for members of the team on multiple occasions makes this baddie soft and fluffy inside. Basically, Peter is a toasted marshmallow.

8. Nina Sharp (Fringe)

This woman has always been a bit shady and honestly, that is what excites us most about her. In the world of Fringe it’s hard to trust even your own right hand, so a villainous businesswoman isn’t that off-putting.

Nina Sharp is supposed to be this huge figure in the JJ Abrams universe — one that shouldn’t be beloved in any way. And yet, fans love her because she gives as much truth as she does lies. 

A version of her truly does want to help Olivia bring about order and control from the fringe sciences that are now taking over. However, there is also the side of her that wants to be the one with the most power in all of this.

It’s a truly complicated game she plays and she does it so well we all want to believe her, which is why when our trust in her is exploded upon we continue to respect her.

9. Roland Schitt (Schitt’s Creek)

Upon first meeting the mayor of Schitt’s Creek, we are convinced there is nothing we could ever experience with this man that would make us like him. Then we hit Schitt’s Creek Season 6 and we are willing to put down our lives for Roland Schitt.

So, what changed? Over time, Roland learned how to be a bit more couth and well-rounded because of his friendship with Johnny. Honestly, this character simply needed someone to like him as he is in order to make him a better man.

That doesn’t mean he can’t still manage to annoy each and every one of us, because let’s face it — he does, a lot. In fact, his ability to be heartfelt and wonderful one minute and the ultimate cringe the next is a testament to the character.

The rule of thumb with Roland Schitt is the residents of Schitt’s Creek can troll the crap out of him, but if an outsider does it they will see these hands. 

10. Faith (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

One of the most iconic TV characters that could fall under love to hate is Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This young woman had moments where everyone — audiences and characters alike — hated her. 

She always made questionable decisions but with the best of intentions behind them After all, she just wants to feel like she belongs somewhere and is loved by someone.

While her introduction puts her at odds with most of the Scooby Gang, over time she proves to them that she’s worth taking a chance on. Of course, that doesn’t always work out the best for others because Faith isn’t to be fully trusted.

Eventually, she runs off — and fans had very mixed feelings about it. Some loved that she was gone because of the havoc she wreaked while others were sad to see her go because her presence created a complex dynamic on the show. 

11. Klaus Mikaelson (The Vampire Diaries / The Originals)

Being one of the original vampires is a tough road for anyone because it’s often a lonely one. Klaus Mikaelson proves that despite this loneliness and overwhelming urge for villainy, he does in fact have a heart.

That’s not to say loving this vampire comes easy, because it doesn’t. It takes time and trust to really see that Klaus isn’t all bad all the time.

The love story he shares with Karoline is definitive proof that he does in fact have a human side to him. He wants to do good things and be a good person — for her — but he still has his nature to contend with.

Honestly, with a father like his could you really blame him for being the bloodthirsty, vindictive asshole he sometimes tends to be?

12. Barry Kripke (The Big Bang Theory)

If you want to talk about annoyingly endearing characters, look no further than Barry Kripke. This physicist is the bane of Sheldon’s existence — second only to Wil Wheaton — because he’s always the first to humiliate Dr. Cooper if the situation presents itself.

With a very distinctive voice, Kripke grates on everyone’s nerves while also serving up memorable laughs and one-liners. His inability to say his R’s properly makes for hilarious moments in equal measure to the petulant behavior he is conducting. 

Ultimately though, Kripke is just as lost and alone as the rest of us the only difference is he doesn’t have a band of misfits to be lost and alone with. Quite a bit of his behavior boils down to his jealousy and desire to simply be “one of the cool kids.”

It’s an age-old desire that everyone can relate to which is why everyone grits their teeth and bears it when Kripke comes along. We’d honestly be lost without him. 

13. Jolene (Wynonna Earp)

If you love Waverly Earp, there is no way you can completely hate Jolene. Considering Waverly is the light and Jolene is the dark sides of the same coin, you can’t love or hate one without the other.

Jolene was born of darkness on the same day and time as Waverly was born of light — her mother being an angel and all. So, when Waverly inadvertently releases Jolene from the binding she has to their mother Michelle, Jolene creates chaos.

There is something exciting and unexpected about Jolene that draws viewers to her. Sure, she is manipulating those around her to her will, but underneath it all, there is something worth caring about.

Like all of the characters on Wynonna Earp there is a complexity to Jolene that can’t be underscored or ignored. It makes for a compelling story when she’s around.

14. Homelander (The Boys)

What happens when a superhero is a super-dick? Well, you find yourself having very complicated feelings about them overall.

This is exactly what happens in the case of Homelander on The Boys. Overall, we want to love him because he’s one of the good ones, a super being, but then we soon find out that he’s actually very corrupt and quite violent at times. 

However, the minute we dive deeper into who he is as a person/character is the minute we realize that we actually do carry a soft spot for him in our hearts. It’s a very fine line we walk with this guy, but if it came down to it we would probably die for him. 

He makes us want to believe that his heart is in the right place even if he’s easily corrupted by the powers in charge. 

15. Leland Townsend (Evil)

Michael Emerson almost made it onto this list as another character from his career — Ben from Lost. However, we ultimately decided the better of his two roles to focus on was Leland Townsend from Evil.

Leland is one of those characters who immediately comes off as smarmy and distrustful. Over time, that feeling doesn’t really ever go away — in fact, it intensifies. 

And yet, that is the exact reason everyone loves him. He’s a truly unlovable character which makes him a true villain which is something that isn’t found very often in television.

He is living proof that sometimes the world’s greatest evils aren’t even supernatural or satanic in nature, they are human. It’s Emerson’s performance that really sells us on this character and endears us to him even further. 

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What TV characters do you love to hate? Sound off in the comments with your favorites!

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