These Are The Top 10 Most-Hated Characters In TV History

Every iconic TV show needs a villain… and sometimes, it’s not even the official ‘bad guy’ that gets under our skin the most.

From manipulative monarchs to morally messy side characters, some TV personalities have managed to unite audiences in collective rage. Whether they were written to be hated or just rubbed viewers the wrong way, these characters sparked endless debates, so here’s our list of the 10 most-hated TV characters of all time, from mildly irritating to genuinely rage-inducing.

As voted by viewers on the Pubity TV channel.

10. Marie Schrader – Breaking Bad

Marie isn’t evil, but she definitely gets on people’s nerves. Her constant meddling, judgemental streak, and awkward honesty made her a tough watch for some viewers. Add in the shoplifting storyline and her habit of making everything about herself, and you’ve got a character many fans found more irritating than endearing. Compared to the chaos around her, Marie’s drama felt petty, which somehow made it even more annoying.

9. Toby Flenderson – The Office

Toby is the human embodiment of awkward silence. As HR rep, he’s meant to keep things professional, but his sad-sack energy, constant rule-enforcing, and painfully cringey interactions made him an easy target for hate. While some fans feel sorry for him, others find his gloomy presence and lack of social awareness quietly unbearable. He’s not evil… just a serious vibe killer.

8. Janice Litman – Friends

“Oh. My. God.” Janice’s laugh alone is enough to haunt TV history. Occasionally comedic, but more often annoying as hell, her loud personality, constant pop-ins, and on-again-off-again relationship with Chandler made her a lot for audiences to handle. While she’s not a bad person, her exaggerated mannerisms and chaotic energy often stole scenes in the most irritating way. Iconic? Yes. Beloved? Not exactly.

7. T-Bag – Prison Break

T-Bag is one of those characters you love to hate. He’s manipulative, cruel, unpredictable, and genuinely terrifying at times. The show does give him depth and moments of vulnerability, but his repeated betrayals and disturbing behaviour made him impossible to root for. Even when he’s helping the main characters, you never quite trust his intentions, and that constant unease is exactly why audiences couldn’t stand him.

6. Sakura Haruno – Naruto

Sakura’s placement on this list is controversial, but long-time Naruto fans know the debates well. Early on, she’s criticised for being underdeveloped, overly focused on Sasuke, and often sidelined compared to her teammates. Many viewers found her frustrating because her potential felt wasted for a long time. While she grows into a stronger character later, first impressions stuck and anime fans have long memories…

5. Cersei Lannister – Game of Thrones

Cersei is powerful, ruthless, and completely self-serving making her one of TV’s most compelling villains. Her manipulation, cruelty, and willingness to sacrifice anyone for her own gain earned her a permanent spot on viewers’ hate lists. That said, her complexity also made her fascinating to watch. You didn’t want her to win, but you couldn’t look away. Hated? Yes. Iconic? Also yes.

4. The Governor – The Walking Dead

The Governor arrived with charm… and quickly revealed pure chaos underneath. His manipulation, sadism, and cold-blooded leadership turned him into one of The Walking Dead’s most disturbing villains. What made audiences truly despise him was how convincingly ‘normal’ he could seem before unleashing extreme violence. That unpredictability made him terrifying. He wasn’t just a villain; he was a walking red flag in human form.

3. Ramsay Bolton – Game of Thrones

Ramsay Bolton took cruelty to another level. Unlike other villains who had political motivations, Ramsay was violent for sport. His torture of Theon, abuse of Sansa, and complete lack of empathy made him almost unbearable to watch. He wasn’t just evil, he enjoyed being evil. That sadistic streak made audiences genuinely uncomfortable, and his eventual downfall remains one of the most satisfying moments in TV history.

2. Skyler White – Breaking Bad

Potentially one of the most divisive characters in TV history, some viewers hated her for ‘getting in the way’ of Walter’s plans, while others argue she was the only one acting like a real human in an impossible situation. Her moral resistance, emotional reactions, and attempts to protect her family clashed with audiences who were rooting for Walter, turning Skyler into a lightning rod for viewer frustration.

1. Joffrey Baratheon – Game of Thrones

Taking the top spot is the undisputed champion of TV hate: Joffrey Baratheon. Spoiled, cruel, cowardly, and power-drunk, Joffrey abused his position at every opportunity. His public humiliations, casual violence, and total lack of empathy made him genuinely painful to watch. There was no tragic backstory to soften the blow - he was just awful. His demise remains one of the most universally celebrated moments in TV history, and for good reason.

Love him or loathe him, Joffrey proved one thing: nothing bonds TV audiences quite like collectively hating the same character.