27 TV Characters Who Ended Up Being Much Better Than The Shows They Were On

"Lexa so much deserved better than The 100 and the show definitely went downhill after her death. This character deserved a full and beautiful storyline."

—avacado_thanks

"She had the best character arc and backstory. Even in the beginning of the show, when she was the main character you were supposed to hate, you still fell in love with her and ended up rooting for her. Regina was so sassy and brought the humor and grit to a potentially sickeningly sweet story. She was the true heart and soul of the show and the paragon of its message. Plus, Lana Parrilla is an absolute gem who carried the show for seven seasons."

—galindafiedtwirler

"I started watching the show only because of him. In the beginning, this show was okay, but after Season 5 I only continued watching it because of Hook."

—sawyea

"Michonne is such a badass character and Danai Gurira is a better actor than the show deserves. In fact, there are a few great actors on that show who are literally carrying the show because of their performances. The Walking Dead fell off the rails a long time ago."

—gigimomster

"These two have the most beautiful sibling relationship and they are both equally flawed. Overall, they are very beloved characters, but they have unfortunately suffered from bad writing and even worse plotlines over these past few years. It’s just sad to see characters you know so well do something totally out of character, and that’s what has happened recently."

—ashleylg817

"Grey's Anatomy noticeably went downhill after Sandra Oh left. Cristina Yang was such a vital part of the story and her role in such a mainstream show felt really empowering to the Asian community. She was definitely the best part of Grey's."

—districtrue

"Brooke Davis carried One Tree Hill through all nine seasons! I love this show, but there sure are crappy parts, however Brooke always made it bearable. Sophia Bush did an incredible job and brought a truly amazing, badass character to life. Brooke had incredible character development and turned from a typical TV cheerleader into a strong and powerful woman."

—mareng49dd7659a

"Michael was such a lovable character and it broke my heart when he originally died. Then, the writers had the audacity to bring him back as Jason, and it was just disrespectful to the memory of him. Bringing back Michael ended up not being worth it."

—johnmulaneyfanforever

"She was misused on that show, and so much of her talent took a backseat to Rachel Berry. Santana's coming out storyline was one that I related to so much. I still remember hearing about her story with Brittany and that was when I started watching."

—mcbrizzy30

"Say whatever you want about the other characters, but Mike was an absolute saint who never did anything wrong. He was a supportive partner, a wonderful friend, and a beautifully blossoming talent and they didn't utilize him enough! Mike deserved better."

—isaaclahey

"He is superior to all the characters and Joshua Jackson is such an amazing actor. I would have loved the show if it was called Pacey’s Creek instead."

—gemrose3

"The show has some brilliant moments and some great actors, but it was kind of uneven as a whole. Yet Claire is one of the most interesting and understated characters ever."

—caitiekickpuncher

"I do really enjoy Killing Eve, however Jodie Comer steals the entire show. I watch it anticipating her character every time. She is just so captivating as Villanelle. I've yet to see anybody else as good as her on TV."

—mrsnegan

"Even in the later seasons when it got more formulaic, Kerry Washington gave constantly powerful performances. Honestly, Olivia deserved better than Fitz or Jake."

—got30p

"Stiles Stilinski, hands down. Stiles was always the most entertaining character, but Dylan O'Brien absolutely BLOSSOMED during Season 3 of Teen Wolf."

—coril

"She repeatedly put her own wants and needs on the back burner to help save her friends and asked for nothing in return. Everyone just expected her to put her life on the line to save Elena’s life without even asking her or considering her feelings, but she always did it anyway without one complaint. Bonnie deserved better than what she was given."

—jeffatkinsgirl

"Stefan constantly put everyone before himself no matter what would happen to him. He also suffered more than most of the characters. Everyone loves Damon for his character arc, but it was Stefan who remained strong throughout the whole series and it was interesting to watch him get through each obstacle they threw at him."

—karamtim

"Hands down, Poussey. Her legacy has gone way past the legacies of the series, tbh."

—annemieke73

"The first few seasons of PLL were good, but by the time it reached the time jump, it was awful. However, Spencer stayed iconic throughout the entire show. She was smart, witty, kind, strong, and confident. I could go on for hours about why she’s the best character on this show. She always felt like the true main character and I was completely invested in her during all seven seasons."

—philbainerr12

"I mention this A LOT, but Toni and Kevin on Riverdale. The show is utter trash, but those two characters are the only ones who are genuinely interesting and actually make sense at this point. The only storylines either of them have gotten so far were either tickle porn (please don’t ask) or related to their significant others. They deserve better."

—human_being1757

"I liked his character in the beginning. He was kind and it was refreshing to see him a little innocent and optimistic. However, the show absolutely butchered him. Since Season 2, he has had some weird plotlines and that stopped a lot of people from liking him. I mean, he became a vigilante."

—allisongracie

"In my opinion, he really has the most well-rounded and complex character development in the entire show, especially factoring in his much more limited screen time compared to the main cast. I think a lot of that is owed to Noel Fisher’s performance and ability to do so much emotionally with the very little he’s given to work with. Mickey also has a really interesting, complex coming out narrative, and he’s a refreshingly unique gay character for television. Mickey was a huge part of what made Seasons 1 through 4 of Shameless so enjoyable to me, and he deserved so much better than the shoddy writing in the middle and later seasons."

—shannonmm94

"I enjoyed the first few seasons and I absolutely loved seeing Oliver and Felicity’s romance, but it got to a point where the writers kept finding things that would keep them apart so I started tiring of it. Felicity became so much better than the show overall. I tried watching the final season, but with Emily Bett Rickards leaving and barely knowing the new characters and storylines, I only ended up watching the final five episodes."

—megana459810788

"Winston needs his own show. He is truly the best character from New Girl."

—jenniferlopez2

"The show got pretty annoying by the end and was kind of a mess overall, but I always thought Quinn was the best part by far. It didn’t matter how many awful things she did during the show, I still loved and respected her because she owned up to it, unlike all the other characters. She was a badass female boss and she never let the men in the show tell her how to do her job or live her life. Constance Zimmer did an incredible job portraying her and she should have gotten more recognition for it. No one else could have played that role like she did."

—strawberrylumps22

"The show is one of my favorites, but Veronica as a character was 100% better than the show itself. Her snark, her sass, her humor, and personality were just everything."

—ashleys454fb1255

"She's the only reason I watch. Liz Gillies is a gift."

—aaronweeks101