I love sitcoms more than any other type of The best sitcoms of all time feature some incredible characters, but there are others I can’t connect with, even years after the show’s end.

It’s easy to complain about obvious candidates, like The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper or How I Met Your Mother’s Ted Mosby. While some of my most annoying and controversial sitcom characters include figures like these, there are other, less prominent figures, I wish more people discussed. Despite trying, I just can’t find a way to like these sitcom characters.

12 Ross Geller

Friends (1994-2004)

There aren’t enough words to describe my frustration with Ross in Friends. His poor behavior and attitude are constantly justified by his love for Rachel or that life is unfair to him, which is ridiculous. Ross’ girlfriends in Friends need questioning, because I cannot understand what is so endearing about him that they want to be with him.

Ross is a jealous wreck who thrives on being pitied. Yes, it’s sad that Carol leaves him, but he cares more about being alone than a woman who he loves finding her true self. He cheats on Rachel, then guilts everyone around him into thinking she is in the wrong because she, once again, finds herself through a fulfilling career.

11 Charlie Wheeler

Friends (1994-2004)

I can’t find Charlie likable whatsoever. While she doesn’t really care that Joey isn’t smart like her, she’s still indirectly patronizing of him, and jumps over to Ross without much thought. Charlie also quickly goes back to her far more impressive ex-boyfriend, right in front of Ross, with little consideration for how inappropriate she’s being.

There’s not really a lot to Charlie’s character other than she’s a paleontologist like Ross and has a busy dating life. Honestly, I’m not sure how she isn’t called out for her actions, as I definitely would. Out of all the group’s partners throughout all 10 seasons of Friends, she is the one I find the most nonsensical.

10 Zoey Pierson

How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)

Jennifer Morrison’s Zoey in How I Met Your Mother is so unbearable, and I still don’t understand how she deserves her redemption arc. If anything, I have more respect for her when she’s trying to take Ted down. Zoey can’t take no for an answer, doesn’t listen or weigh up her options, and relies on her ability to guilt others to get her way.

Her relationship with Ted doesn’t make sense to me, although that is a flaw on both of their parts, and when I rewatch How I Met Your Mother, I always want to skip her episodes. Zoey genuinely doesn’t understand why Ted has issues with her befriending the rest of the gang, and her obliviousness to other people’s feelings never fails to astound me.

9 Charles Miner

The Office (2005-2013)

I love Idris Elba, but I absolutely hate Charles Miner in The Office. I it that he highlights the absurdity of some of Jim and Michael’s behavior, but I’m always disappointed that the show wastes Elba on a character whose main purpose seems to be simply shutting everyone down. I feel like he’s turned up for a new job in the wrong show, sometimes.

Charles causes so much to fall apart and is the villain of some of The Office’s worst episodes. I cringe at Kelly and Angela fawning over him, and I’m shocked he doesn’t face repercussions for causing Dunder Mifflin’s best regional manager to quit within hours of his arrival. I’m never happier than when Charles disappears from The Office.

8 Alan Harper

Two And A Half Men (2003-2015)

While Alan Harper is supposed to be the exasperated, eye-rolling brother of Charlie, I can’t get on board with him. Alan gets away with being a terrible person because he is so ive, but this isn’t an excuse. He stands by while the women Charlie dates in Two and a Half Men swan in and out of their house in front of Jake, and if anything, he enables his brother’s behavior.

I understand Charlie is mainly responsible for this, but Alan fails as a father by not providing Jake with solid role models. He’s a massive hypocrite, has little redeeming qualities, and despite having a relatively successful career of his own, Alan mooches off Charlie all the time.

7 Justin Anderson

Parks And Recreation (2009-2015)

Leslie’s relationships in Parks and Recreation aren’t great before she meets Ben, but the boyfriend of hers I hate the most is Justin Anderson. Justin is only in a few episodes, but he ruins them all. He and Leslie aren’t a good fit at all, and he doesn’t listen to her when he pushes boundaries.

I’m never prouder of Leslie when she breaks up with him and acknowledges Ron’s comments about Justin wanting to collect stories. Justin is simply a tourist in other people’s lives, but he wants to craft and improve the stories rather than just take part in them. I can’t understand how he ends up with Leslie, or why Ann harbors feelings for him for so long, either.

6 Manny Delgado

Modern Family (2009-2020)

I want to love Manny, but he gets worse with every season of Modern Family. As he gets older, Manny is insufferable. He tries to make out that he’s sensitive and a feminist, but his attitude towards women is quite creepy, and it’s unfair that because he doesn’t harass anyone directly, he gets away with it.

His all-female play is insulting, but just because he doesn’t see the issue with it, he dismisses his family’s complaints. Manny’s need to appear cultured is boring and is just irritating overall, and it doesn’t make him as unique and quirky as he thinks he is. Jay’s influence is a huge part of his character, yet I struggle to see it half the time.

5 Randy Pearson

That '70s Show (1998-2006)

That ‘70s Show’s failed Eric Foreman replacement, Randy, isn’t necessarily a bad character, but he’s so hollow that he may as well be a background extra. I frequently refer to Randy as Mr. Exposition, purely because I feel that his main purpose is to provide a few comments and fill a space on the screen. Randy is an okay boyfriend for Donna, but the show forces it.

I it that Randy’s odds are stacked against him by being introduced in the last season of That ‘70s Show, but I’m frustrated the sitcom doesn’t give him much of a personality other than giving an occasional witty comment and having shiny hair. I rewatch That ‘70s Show frequently, but I still can’t tell you much about Randy as a person.

4 Pierce Hawthorne

Community (2009-2015)

Community is one of my favorite sitcoms ever, but it takes a lot of patience to rewatch the show when Pierce Hawthorne is so prominent. Pierce is a huge bigot and nobody is truly safe from his comments, and they get old very quickly. Even in moments when Pierce shows some humanity and has the chance to be a better person, he ruins it immediately.

Thankfully, Chevy Chase leaves Community before season 5. I find it strange that an older gentleman is so obsessed with making people decades younger than him be his friend. The fact he is so oblivious to why they want to leave him out, especially considering his blatant disrespect for them, makes me wonder how Pierce gets anywhere in life in the first place.

3 Captain Roger Peralta

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021)

I think "Karen Peralta" is one of the best episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine because of the way Jake calls out Roger for failing as a father. While Roger Peralta redeems himself a little in later seasons, I still can’t stand him because his initial episodes paint him in such a bad light. The womanizer only cares about himself and doesn’t even try to hide his lack of respect for his family.

Even later on, Roger is still a pain. He has zero self-awareness and doesn’t try to have any in the first place, and is unbelievably stubborn. Roger often talks about how proud he is of Jake and acknowledges his son is a better man than he is, but I never understand why the airline pilot is unable to better himself without prompting.