The phrase “Most Worthless” may sound a little harsh; I don’t exactly mean it that way. Many of the characters on this list I actually like. It’s just that they serve little purpose on an otherwise entertaining TV show. It’s difficult to juggle so many storylines if you’re crafting a long-running TV show. Characters who were once integral may fall out of favor. Some are forgotten for good, some are eventually reborn in a significant role. It’s impossible for the creator of a show to envision where a character will be, and where a character’s story will end up when they are created. Sometimes beloved characters get into ruts that take a number of episodes to get out of. Some characters are simply ill-conceived but, for plot purposes, they must remain on the show in limited, cursory roles.
My list is a personal opinion, but I think we can reach at least some agreement on it. I’ve included a couple of hosts on the list and, although they aren’t characters per se, they do encapsulate a certain persona. Share your comments, disagreements, and anything else below. Who are your nominees for most worthless TV characters?
Check out BuddyTV’s other top ten or more list:
- Top Ten TV Characters You Love to Hate
- Girl-on-Girl Action: TV’s Top 10 Female Catfights
- Fantasizing About Celebrities: Who Makes the Top of the List?
#10 Mohinder Suresh
This Heroes character has bothered me from the beginning. I understand that Mohinder is our entry into the world of Heroes, but, at the start, he was whiny and faithless. We could’ve had a much better guide into the world of Heroes than this stiff.
#9 Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul is nice and all, but we don’t need her. Randy and Simon do most of the heavy lifting on American Idol, leaving Paula alone to act ditsy and become enamored with the male contestants. I suppose she’s necessary to keep the same balance and chemistry between the judges, but there are hordes of women who could do the job Paula does, but better.
#8 Maggie Simpson
Yeah, she’s a baby, but she’s also a cartoon baby. I’ve always felt that The Simpsons really had no need for Maggie. She is pretty much used exclusively as a prop. She’s had her moments (shooting Mr. Burns), but 17 years of not talking and falling on the floor is enough for me.
#7 Claire
Oh, Claire, how badly have the Lost writers neglected you? It’s not your fault. You have potential, I know you do. However, Lost has no need to tell the story of you or your baby right now. They’re all caught up with The Others, Jack, Sawyer, and Kate. Your time will come.
#6 Meadow Soprano
Occasionally, The Sopranos will involve Meadow in a storyline, but typically these felt forced. Her character started out as a pretty snotty one but has gotten better as the series has rolled along. The Sopranos would not have suffered at all if her character hadn’t existed at all.
#5 Preston Burke
Isaiah Washington is, by all accounts, an unlikable guy in person. This has transferred to the character of Preston Burke. Grey’s Anatomy has a great, diverse cast, but Burke is easily my least favorite character. I’m hoping the producers ease him off the show by the end of the year. Unlikely, but one can hope.
#4 Kirk Gleason
Played by Sean Gunn, this Gilmore Girls character is the token eccentric small-town dweller. He has no intertwining storylines with the main characters and mostly just pops up and annoys the audience.
#3 Kim Bauer
I don’t even mind Kim that much (and I do like Elisha Cuthbert), but the Kim Bauer character has done nothing but make things difficult for everyone on 24. She’s found herself in many a dubious situation, only complicating things for Jack Bauer and his saving of the world.
#2 Julie Chen
Julie Chen is an abysmal TV host. One of the worst to ever hold such a tenured position. She remains on as the Big Brother host only because her husband (Les Moonves) is the president of CBS. Lucky her. Unlucky us.
#1 Vincent Chase
The number one spot goes to the most unnecessary lead character of all time. The supposed star of Entourage is uninteresting, not believable as a good actor, and steals screen time from two great characters: Ari and Johnny Drama.
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