Sitcoms are notable for their flawed characters. The protagonists' shortcomings give them an element of realism, making them relatable to a wide viewership. Those faults often fuel their storylines and can be a point of development. Other times, those imperfections are endearing and seen as quirks. However, there is a fine line between a flawed character and an outright terrible one.
Even the most beloved series that are considered staples of the genre contain hated characters. While the entire ensemble tends to have shortcomings, there is usually one unbearable protagonist. These characters often hurt those around them through their selfish and abrasive nature and often play the victim card, never taking responsibility for their actions.
8 Michael Scott Is The Worst Boss (The Office)
What made Michael Scott intensely disliked in The Office is his pursuit of likability. In his quest to be the "best boss," he often didn't know when he crossed a line, usually perceiving himself as friendly and not obnoxious. Throughout the series, Michael makes offensive jokes about his co-workers and continues to cross those professional boundaries by inserting himself into others' lives.
He also lacked maturity and overused the "that's what she said" joke throughout the sitcom. While the series was meant to be lighthearted and goofy, that joke setup ran its course rather quickly before bordering on sexual harassment. As a boss, Michael definitely made his female employees uneasy and never showed signs of growth in that area.
7 Ted Mosby Overshared With His Children (How I Met Your Mother)
How I Met Your Mother is structured so Ted Mosby can tell his children how he met their mother. The premise seems endearing and innocent enough, but Ted tends to overshare information that isn't appropriate for his kids to know, especially about his so-called conquests.
Additionally, the entire nine seasons are a love letter to their aunt Robin, barely discussing their mother. He held onto Robin even when he was with "the mother," Tracy, and Robin was married to one of his best friends, Barney.
6 Zoey Johnson Doesn't Grow (Black-ish)
First seen in the critically acclaimed series Black-ish, Zoey Johnson's character was enjoyable as it chronicled her growing up as part of the Gen-Z generation. In the spin-off series, Grown-ish, Zoey had become tolerable at best. It is disappointing because her character is an integral part of the series; not only is she the protagonist but also the narrator. However, her most devoted fans have painfully realized that Zoey has not grown as a person across both series.
When she knew that Luka and Aaron had feelings for her, she stayed with both of them and found it demanding that she had to choose between them. Later, that experience didn't teach her anything about herself or help her grow.
5 Jerry Seinfeld Is Selfish (Seinfeld)
Seinfeld is full of horrible characters, but the one that stands out the most is Jerry Seinfeld's fictionalized version. Jerry is not the only one who struggles with finding a relationship on the show; his friends don't have much luck either. However, most of his relationships fail due to his high standards.
After finding a great woman, he often finds a superficial reason to leave her. He repeats this throughout the series. In the few cases that his relationships manage to last more than a scene, he often disrespects his partners, acting with a sense of superiority. Although a beloved character, Jerry is selfish and exploits his friends and partners for his benefit.
4 Eleanor Shellstrop Knows She's A Bad Person (The Good Place)
Unlike other characters, fans knew what they were getting with Eleanor Shellstrop. She is a horrible person and even stated it explicitly throughout the series various times. After all, that is the premise of The Good Place; Eleanor is mistakenly let into the Good Place during her afterlife even though she doesn't belong there.
During her life, she disregarded the well-being of others and was abrasive. Whenever confronted about her demeanor, Eleanor often blamed it on her upbringing. While her parents were indeed lousy role models, Eleanor often milked her upbringing as an excuse for her inability to change. It often seemed that she enjoyed being cruel.
3 J.D. Is The Jealous Type (Scrubs)
The narrator and the main protagonist of the beloved medical comedy, Scrubs, was far from perfect. As the seasons progressed, J.D.'s apparent and rising jealousy surrounding his attraction towards fellow doctor Elliot tarnished his likability.
Since the first episode, J.D. has had feelings towards Elliot but only seemed to act on them when she is in a relationship. J.D. often directs jealousy toward Elliot's boyfriends as a competitive and jealous person. He is also constantly competing with his best friend and roommate, Turk, as well as Elliot, to be the best doctor. If one of his friends is granted a better opportunity, he is often unhappy about it.
2 Ross Geller Is Intolerant (Friends)
Ross Geller is unanimously the worst one on Friends out of the six main characters. After his ex-wife, Carol, leaves him for a woman, Ross experiences severe low self-esteem. He experiences a downward spiral of self-destruction that leads him to mistreat his friends, family, and partners to the point of manipulation and mocking.
Friends is far from being LGBTQ+ friendly and one of the main causes is Ross. He condemns Carol and her partner, suspects everyone's sexuality when they don't live up to his rigid concept of heteronormativity, and often makes anti-LGBTQ+ comments throughout the series.
1 Raymond Barone Sucks Even As A '90s Sitcom Dad (Everybody Loves Raymond)
Everybody Loves Raymond used the tried and true formula of family-centered sitcoms of the '90s. However, Raymond "Ray" Barone is one of the worst sitcom dads and husbands. Throughout the series, Ray was constantly pressuring his wife, Debra, for sex. Even when she said no or wasn't in the mood, he kept pursuing the subject.
Shockingly, this trope was prevalent in many movies and TV works during that time, but the show, even for its time, crossed the line and blurred the meaning of consent. Ray also never wanted to help out with housework, acting either incompetent or pawning the work off on his mother. He adhered to archaic concepts of gender roles and did not lend a hand to his struggling wife.