From Ellie in ‘The Last of Us’ to Ross in ‘Friends’: What did these nine characters do to become so unpopular?
On paper, they were the heroes audiences were supposed to love, the ones driving the story forward. Yet somewhere along the way, they fell out of favor
ELLIE IN 'THE LAST OF US' — There’s no need to explain the negative reactions sparked by characters like Joffrey Baratheon, the spoiled monarch from 'Game of Thrones;' J.R. Ewing from 'Dallas;' or Negan from 'The Walking Dead' — villainous antagonists whose many misdeeds often led to a tragic end that satisfied viewers' thirst for revenge and justice. More curious is when that rejection is aimed at protagonists — characters designed to win the audience’s empathy and accompany them on an emotional journey. It’s not a new phenomenon, but social media has amplified it. In addition to the hostility directed at actress Bella Ramsey—who, since being cast as the lead in 'The Last of Us,' has been attacked by the manosphere for supposedly not being "attractive enough" for the role — many critics have focused their ire on the character, not the actress. The issue, in their view, lies in the changes made to Ellie in her television adaptation, which they believe were for the worse. “The truth is, I don’t think they meant for her to come off as immature and rebellious. My theory is that the writers wanted to portray her as strong and independent, but ended up making her just plain annoying,” wrote one disillusioned viewer.The second season of the series, which introduces a time jump that leaves behind teenage Ellie, is supposed to show a more mature version of the character. But her impulsiveness continues to have catastrophic consequences. We’ve seen how her reckless behavior has led to the deaths of her friends and caused a rift within her community. And she’s not much better when she lets her guard down, picks up a guitar, and performs A-ha covers for what feels like an inordinate amount of time in an action series. It’s in those moments that viewers start to question whether her life is really worth all the sacrifice — and some even wonder if Joel should have just let the Fireflies do their job and save humanity. Ellie’s case shares many similarities with other characters who’ve managed to get under the skin of fans in their respective shows. Let’s take a look at some of them.TED IN 'HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER' – Of the many 'Friends' imitators that popped up after the beloved sitcom ended, 'How I Met Your Mother' was by far the most successful and long-lasting. The story of six friends living in New York mirrored 'Friends' in structure and ensemble dynamics, though the title made it clear who would be taking center stage. The central mystery revolved around discovering the identity of the woman with whom Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) had fathered the children who, week after week, listened to his long-winded stories with visibly bored expressions.CLIFF LIPSON (CBS /Landov /Cordon Press)
Ted was an idealistic and sensitive architect — an apparently ordinary guy whose main concern was finding the love of his life. At least, that’s what the script aimed to convey. But for many viewers, he ended up embodying what’s known as the “nice guy syndrome,” described by one user on the website Parlia in a revealingly titled thread (“Ted Mosby is the Worst”) as men who “consistently lament how great of a guy they are and question why they're still single, whilst actually doing pretty terrible things to women.” The website Ranker went even further, publishing an article titled "30 Moments from 'How I Met Your Mother' That Prove Ted Is One of the Worst Characters in TV History." Among the examples cited: his perfectionism, obsessive and petty behavior, and his controlling tendencies in relationships. Ted Mosby was, in many ways, the opposite of the image he had of himself — but in his defense, it was hard to compete with the show’s other two male leads: the lovable Marshall and the legendary Barney Stinson.
MONTY BRINTON (CBS /Landov)MEREDITH IN 'GREY’S ANATOMY' – The title of Shonda Rhimes’ longest-running series — a play on 'Gray’s Anatomy,' the classic medical reference by Henry Gray — makes it clear that while the show centered on a group of surgical residents, the one who truly mattered was Meredith. She was a talented doctor, the daughter of a legendary surgeon and an absent father, just beginning her career at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital (now Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital — named not in her honor, but in memory of her half-sister who died in a plane crash, just one of the countless tragedies linked to the character played by Ellen Pompeo).Bob D'Amico (Disney General Entertainment Con)In 'Grey’s Anatomy,' there’s so much drama — so many relationships and personal storylines crossing paths — that it’s a miracle the doctors ever find time to treat their patients. And that whirlwind of emotions is one of the reasons viewers have grown tired of the main character. Meredith is involved in too many dramas. Falling in love with a married man didn’t help her case either. In fact, viewers ended up siding with the “other woman,” who became so popular she got her own spin-off series. One could argue Meredith is a product of a traumatic childhood, but many of her colleagues — raised in trailer parks or by abusive, alcoholic parents — have had it just as rough and manage to be far less miserable. “I love Grey’s Anatomy and I hate Meredith Grey,” wrote one LiveJournal user, succinctly capturing a common sentiment. To her credit, as the character has matured, her behavior has become less erratic and whiny. But the fact that the show continues to rack up seasons and millions of viewers — even as Meredith has faded into the background or disappeared for entire stretches — suggests that her role in her own series was never quite as central as the title implies.Eric McCandless (Disney General Entertainment Con)