I was talking with a friend about the latest episode of Friday Night Lights,and how a lot of the fan reaction to a certain character was a little lost on us. It seemed that Julie Taylor (Aimee Teegarden, pictured), Mr. and Mrs. Taylor’s snarky teenage daughter, wasn’t particularly liked among fandom: she was toowhiny, she was too bratty, she was too selfish. These complaints completely escaped us. To be honest, it was one of the aspects that we loved about the character, she was acting in a way that made the show so darn effective in the first place: she was acting like a real teenager.
As we discussed this further, me and my friend figured something out. Something terrible.
We were those fans.
Youknow the kind, the fan that always found themselves liking charactersno one else liked, for the exact qualities that made them unpopular inthe first place? The further back we went in our mutual fandoms, themore characters we discovered: Dawn in Buffy, Connor in Angel, Helo in Battlestar Galactica. It just kept going. And the reverse was happening too: Everyone seemed to love Angela on Bones but I couldn’t stand her. Every FNL aficionado was digging Matt Saracen’s puppy dog eyes, but it was beginning to grate on her nerves.
I was that fan.
So my question to you, fellow PopWatchers, is have you ever been that fan?Has there ever been a character you love (or don’t, you know,vehemently hate) that no one else seems to be able to stand? Has thereever been a character you couldn’t stand that everyone seemed to love?Spill your secret shame here.
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I’m sure there are many, many more, but I don’t get the hate that Lost fans have for either Jack or Charlie. They both have their faults, but ultimately they try/tried to do what they think is right and help people.
On the flip side, I’m always shocked when people love Chase from House. Is it just ’cause he’s pretty? I’ve always found him boring and not particularly bright.
The one that always comes to mind for me when asked this question is Joxer from Xena. Everybody hated him and I really don’t get it. He was a sweet, loyal character who had a very big heart. Sure he was the comic relief, but what’s wrong with that?
Well, he’s not technically a character (I think), but I would have said Christian from Project Runway. However, I think a lot of people are in the same boat as me…started out hating him and now loving him for his ridiculousness.
I cannot stand David Caruso in CSI Miami… He drives me nuts!
I remember “Flags of Our Fathers” and loving Jesse Bradford’s character; not because he wasn’t a sad and publicity-hungry jerk, but because he was, and it was so sad. I liked him more than I did Adam Beach’s or Ryan Philippe’s.
It’s a love hate relationship. I hate what she did to Matt. I love that the writers new that that is exactly how I acted in high school, down to dumping someone like that. I will always love her though as long as her and matt get back together eventually!
yes! i always end up loving the characters that everyone hates! take andrea from 90210 as my perfect example. of all the crew at west beverly hills high school, she was the one i loved the most. sure, she was a total nerd. she was boring. she was, like, forty years old. no one cared about her marriage, her baby, her affair, or anything in her life really. but for some reason, she did it for me. maybe it’s because she was the editor of the school paper. and hopelessly in love with brandon, even if it took her forever to admit it. or maybe it’s because she pronounced her name in a weird way. oh andrea zuckerman – you will always have a place in my heart!
I can’t stand Kate on Lost! She’s just…argh…
This isn’t a character, per se, but I liked Melrose on ANTM.
I couldn’t stand Lily on Grounded for Life and Rico from Hannah Montana. Whenever my kids watch(ed) these shows I wanted to slap those kids! Also the little sister on Drake & Josh (actually every character she’s played) Miranda Cosgrove just annoys me.
90210 is the best example! Brenda was by far the most interesting character – smart, funny, pretty and slightly neurotic like most girls out there. Once she left the show went downhill!
I’m that fan. I love Cameron & 13 & Foreman on House, whereas Chase I can take or leave; I love Meredith on Grey’s; I love Sara on CSI. I have no love for Smallville’s Lana Lang, however. Then again, who does? Besides horny men or 12-year-olds, I mean?
Well, the obvious example is Brenda Walsh from 90210. I mean, I always thought that show was lame, but I always thought(and still do)that Shannon Doherty was hot. I never understood why people hated the character of Brenda; she seemed like a typical teenager to me.
I’m with you on Julie Taylor from FNL.
I like her character a lot.
I hated Logan from Gilmore Girls (NOT Logan from Veronica Mars…I love me some Logan Echolls) with a fiery passion that everyone I know who watched the show could never understand.
The most recent example for me is Morgan on “Chuck”. People on these boards HATE that guy, I think he’s one of the best parts of the show.
Piz (Chris Lowell) from Veronica Mars…I remember everyone on the fan boards absolutely hated him and thought he was so annoying, but my house mates and I loved Piz. Although Logan Echolls (the fabulous Jason Dohring) will always be the best man for Veronica, there was something so incredibly endearing and charming about Piz. I definitely would have crushed on him if he went to my university.
I second your Piz love. I liked his sweetness. Plus I always have a place in my heart for people with unrequited crushes(although I know that his…..)
I must confess that I don’t really care what a brat Julie Taylor is on the show because Ms. Teagarden is HOT, HOT, HOT!!!
There was an obnoxious school snob early on Dawson’s Creek called Abbie. I loved her.
Everyone hates most of the new characters on Heroes (Maya, Monica, etc) but I like ‘em.
Ana Lucia from Lost. Where was the love?
And just to flip it around, Xander was really popular on Buffy, but I always hated him…
I can’t stand Izzy on Grey’s Anatomy. She makes it hard for me to watch the show whenever she is on. Her character is completely insane and whiny. And just about every other negative adjective I can think of.
The ultimate of the hated characters – I actually LIKE Morgan on Chuck. And Sarah bores me to tears.
Oh, and that Pagent Princess Taylor from Kid Nation. What a brat! But she was adorable to me.
I’m with Ashley…I can’t stand Izzie on “Grey’s Anatomy” (though I DO enjoy Katherine Heigl in other things). This puts me directly at odds with my girlfriend who has a pretty big girl crush on her, but she’s just a whiny, overactor on that show. Unwatchable.
Also, I won’t go as far as saying I liked Maya and Alejandro on “Heroes” (I don’t see how anyone could), but I DID enjoy Monica, Micah’s cousin in New Orleans. Sure, her storyline was pretty disconnected from everyone else, but it was nice to see someone actually try to embrace their powers and do some good with them instead of crying and whining about them. (can you tell I don’t like whiners?)
I really love Rob Lowe and Ron Rifkin on Brothers & Sisters, both of whom seem to get short shrift (Rob Lowe is too plastic, ROn is too old
). AND I want to see Kevin end up with Scotty, not Jason. Although thy should bring Jason back and get him in a hot relationship with someone new (I’m thinking Matt Bomer).
Hey Gang,
I don’t know if anyone has mentioned her yet, but I can’t stand Lana Lang on Smallville. I don’t understand why Clark is ‘in love’ with her or Chloe is even her friend. Every guy character seems to fall madly in love with her too. She is very quick to judge anyone. She acts very ‘high and mighty’ to everyone around her. I also can’t stand the way Kristen Kruek ‘breathes’ her lines. Every line seems to be a required whisper. I gave a very enthusiastic cheer when she was killed a few seasons ago. Too bad Clark went back in time and got his father killed instead! Thank you for listening to my rant!
There are times when I don’t necessarily love a character, but I don’t understand why everyone suddenly hates them. Like Nikki and Paulo from Lost. They had about 3 lines between them and suddenly people were calling for there immediate and painful death. I never understood that.
I didn’t realize that people don’t like Jack and Charlie. Go figure. I also liked Joxer.
I liked Dawn, then I didn’t like her, but came back around once I could see things from her POV. (But I still don’t think it’s cool to try to keep people trapped in a house when one of them is bleeding to death.) Conner was raised in a Hell dimension by a man who hated his father. Did people honestly expect him and Angel to be all chummy? Seriously? How would it have made sense for Conner not to have issues?
I don’t know if anyone else here watches Death Note but I’m surprised by the people who actually like Light Yagami. He is a mass murderer: most of the world’s worst criminals are dead. He’s killed FBI agents and plans to kill the task force trying to stop him…you know, the one his father is a part of. It isn’t like he’s funny when he isn’t killing people. He’s only nice when he has to be and it’s always fake. Why does anyone like him?
Eric van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl.
I agree Catherine! Kate on Lost is soooo annoying! I think I might actually grunt ‘argh’ whenever she appears on screen!
When read the blog, the first character who came to mind was Brenda from 90210. Shannon Doherty’s character was the only one that kept me watching. Appears from the posters, I’m not the only Brenda fan.