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13 Memorably Unpopular Characters From Popular TV

post #1 of 29
6/9/06 at 4:15pm
Thread Starter 
http://www.avclub.com/content/node/49222

Quote:

1. Scrappy-Doo, Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo
2. Oliver Martin, The Brady Bunch
3. Dawn Summers, Buffy The Vampire Slayer
4. Livia Soprano, The Sopranos
5. Barney, Barney & Friends
6. Steve Urkel, Family Matters
7. Pikachu, Pokémon
8. Pat, Saturday Night Live
9. Ross Gellar, Friends
10. Brenda Walsh, Beverly Hills 90210
11. James Hurley, Twin Peaks
12. Coy and Vance, The Dukes Of Hazzard
13. Wesley Crusher, Star Trek: The Next Generation
I think these folks have "unpopular" confused with "unlikable" and/or annoying".

Urkel and Pat were unbelievably popular despite being the most annoying characters on the face of the planet; Brenda Walsh was insanely poplular despite being an unlikable bitch; and maybe its due to my schoolgirl crush on Will Wheaton, but I thought Wesley Crusher was a geat character on ST: TNG; Livia Soprano is someone we all love to hate; and while I never got into the show, the Ross/Rachel "will they-won't they" story arcs were practically the crutch of the show due to fan obsession with that romance.
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post #2 of 29
6/9/06 at 4:25pm
Where the fuck is Skippy from "Family Ties?" I'd still like to shove an ice pick up that guy's urethra.
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post #3 of 29
6/9/06 at 4:26pm
that list makes no sense. I too was a fan of Wesley.
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post #4 of 29
6/9/06 at 4:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva
http://www.avclub.com/content/node/49222
I think these folks have "unpopular" confused with "unlikable" and/or annoying".
Not really. "Unlikeable" might be a great villain or a comedic jerk like Dwight or Michael on the Office. "Annoying" is a trait that all of these characters possess, but it isn't their only problem. "Unpopular" connotes a dislike that transcends the context of the show - they were unpopular with viewers. Even if you disagree with the conclusions reached, each choice is pretty well reasoned in the article.

Also, it should be noted that Wil Wheaton writes videogame articles for the Onion's AV Club, so presumably their problem with Wesley was the character, not the actor portraying him.
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post #5 of 29
6/9/06 at 4:55pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveB
"Unpopular" connotes a dislike that transcends the context of the show - they were unpopular with viewers. Even if you disagree with the conclusions reached, each choice is pretty well reasoned in the article.

Also, it should be noted that Wil Wheaton writes videogame articles for the Onion's AV Club, so presumably their problem with Wesley was the character, not the actor portraying him.
I get what they are going for, but other than the top 3 or so, the article doesn't explain how they determined the characters were unpopular with viewers. As I explained in my initial post, my recollection of many of those characters is that they were hugely popular.

The article mentions that Wil is a writer for the site.
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post #6 of 29
6/9/06 at 5:03pm
I don't really recall Wesley Crusher being unpopular, but I was ten when that show came on. Apparently adult Star Trek fans hated him, and the writers of Futurama (big ST fans) detested him so much that they created the highly annoying Cubert Farnsworth character just to parody him.

I totally agree with the selection of James Hurley. Wish they had made room for Donna too.
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post #7 of 29
6/9/06 at 5:16pm
Molt, did you catch Skippy on Last Comic Standing? he bombed. Screech should be far and away number one on that list......and he also tries to do stand up comedy now. Does Jaleel White have a standup act?
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post #8 of 29
6/9/06 at 5:42pm
I knew Skippy had tried to get a stand-up act going but I didn’t know he was still at it. I’m sure he sucks but I don’t know if it’s as bad as he sucked on “Ties.” Every week with him pining away for Malorie. If you like her so much Skippy then take her. Be a man Skippy, be a man.
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post #9 of 29
6/9/06 at 5:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by swedish miyagi
Does Jaleel White have a standup act?
He was on an episode of 24... day 5, I think.
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post #10 of 29
6/9/06 at 5:51pm
gee whiz Mallory, do you think I could help you with your homework and then maybe you could sit on my face. When that Nick guy with the leather jacket and dangling earring came onto the scene Skippy's chances were truly pummeled.
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post #11 of 29
6/9/06 at 5:53pm
We can all agree on one thing: Scrappy-Doo was horrible.
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post #12 of 29
6/9/06 at 5:56pm
I wish Family Ties had an episode where Skippy ran into Molisanti standing outside of the Keaton house smoking a cigarette and then Molt gave him his "be a man" speech.
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post #13 of 29
6/9/06 at 5:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason P. Thompson
He was on an episode of 24... day 5, I think.
are you serious? can somebody verify this via dvd viewing.
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post #14 of 29
6/9/06 at 6:04pm
IMDB does have him listed on an episode of "24" this past season. I'm calling bullshit though. I think that would have been brought up when it happened. I certainly didn't notice it.
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post #15 of 29
6/9/06 at 6:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva
I get what they are going for, but other than the top 3 or so, the article doesn't explain how they determined the characters were unpopular with viewers. As I explained in my initial post, my recollection of many of those characters is that they were hugely popular.
First, to clarify our terms:
Quote:
pop·u·lar ( P ) Pronunciation Key (ppy-lr)
adj.
Widely liked or appreciated: a popular resort.
Liked by acquaintances; sought after for company: “Beware of over-great pleasure in being popular or even beloved” (Margaret Fuller).
Of, representing, or carried on by the people at large: the popular vote.
Fit for, adapted to, or reflecting the taste of the people at large: popular entertainment; popular science.
Accepted by or prevalent among the people in general: a popular misunderstanding of the issue.
Suited to or within the means of ordinary people: popular prices.
Originating among the people: popular legend.
Quote:
unpopular

adj : regarded with disfavor or lacking general approval; "unpopular ideas"; "an unpopular war" [ant: popular]
So. Barney, Urkel, and Pikachu were widely liked by adult (and the article does make the distinction between adults and children in these cases) viewers? The backup Dukes were appreciated by that audience? Were there scores of 90210 fans who mourned the loss of Brenda?
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post #16 of 29
6/9/06 at 6:17pm
Thread Starter 
As you said, the article doesn't distinguish between adults and kids' views and I'm basing my argument on the target audience of the show. In the case of the characters I've listed in my first post, I recall them all being well-liked and/or appreciated.
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post #17 of 29
6/9/06 at 6:22pm
11 is a good call. I never could stand James' poor-us storyline, or the way he looked like a duck.
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post #18 of 29
6/9/06 at 6:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva
As you said, the article doesn't distinguish between adults and kids' views
Actually, I said the article does. Because it does, you know.

Quote:
5. Barney, Barney & Friends

Barney was hated by an entirely different group of people than the kids who actually watched his show. Most much-loathed characters earn fans' ire by warping a series' dynamic, hogging screen time in unenjoyable ways, or otherwise detracting from whatever made their show popular. Barney, on the other hand, earned near-universal loathing by escaping his own program and turning up all over the media for a few years, becoming almost inescapable. Well, and also by being insipid, one-note, and incredibly annoying.
And the next two entries get "ditto"s.

Quote:
In the case of the characters I've listed in my first post, I recall them all being well-liked and/or appreciated.
Probably because you were a kid and hanging out with other kids. The public-at-large, though? They hated most of these characters.
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post #19 of 29
6/9/06 at 6:42pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveB
Actually, I said the article does. Because it does, you know.

Probably because you were a kid and hanging out with other kids. The public-at-large, though? They hated most of these characters.
I obviously misread your post (and admittedly skimmed the article).

I suppose. It's kind of dumb to have a list of most disliked characters based on the opinons of people whom aren't the character's intended fan base.
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post #20 of 29
6/9/06 at 6:59pm
Certain characters seep into pop culture. But you skimmed, and we've been in this wheelbarrow before... but it's summer, and it's rerun season, so I'll just skip to the chase.
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post #21 of 29
6/9/06 at 7:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChunkyLover53
We can all agree on one thing: Scrappy-Doo was horrible.
Godzukey made Scrappy Doo look look like friggin' Shaft.
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post #22 of 29
6/9/06 at 7:18pm
Buffy was more annoying than Dawn.
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post #23 of 29
6/9/06 at 7:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CountZero
Godzukey made Scrappy Doo look look like friggin' Shaft.
I hated him too, but I guess he was too obscure to make the iist.
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post #24 of 29
6/10/06 at 3:20pm
Dawn was annoying but I think as far as the Buffyverse went, Connor on Angel was far and away the most unpopular character.
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post #25 of 29
6/10/06 at 5:04pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Dellamorte
Certain characters seep into pop culture.
Yeah they do. And nowhere in the article did I get any indication that Ross or Dawn or a number of the characters listed were universally hated. In fact, I don't think the general populace even knows who half those characters are, let alone consider them unpopular.
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post #26 of 29
6/14/06 at 4:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ServantOfDagon
Buffy was more annoying than Dawn.
Agreed. By the end of season 5, Buffy had become pretty insufferable (hell, Xander even called her out over it). To be fair, however, it was part of the character's arc, so I won't complain.

Why was Dawn annoying?
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post #27 of 29
6/21/06 at 3:25pm
Livia??? Fuck that shit.

Janice Soprano wins by 500 miles.
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post #28 of 29
6/21/06 at 4:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sacrilicious Supersucker
Dawn was annoying but I think as far as the Buffyverse went, Connor on Angel was far and away the most unpopular character.
I would absolutely agree with that assessment...
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post #29 of 29
6/23/06 at 8:06am
I pretty much agree with everyone on that list, although Wesley Crusher should be higher.

Its his fault the Marqi happend after all.
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