21 Lovable TV Characters Who Got Away With Messed-Up Stuff
One of the advantages of writing for television is that, provided the studio doesn’t slam dunk you in the trash to appease their accountants, TV shows are long. You’ve got years or sometimes even decades to develop a character or, more importantly, convince the audience to forget something a character did. If a character is just so fun to write that they end up becoming a fan favorite but they inconveniently killed an entire family back in Season One, all you have to do is wait. Tragedy plus time equals six seasons and a movie.
This isn’t a theoretical discussion — it happens constantly on TV, which is why Redditor Own_Championship7862 recently asked r/Television, “What’s the Most Messed-Up Thing A Character Has Done That Everyone Likes?”
To be clear, they didn’t mean the action itself was universally adored, though you have to admit it was pretty sweet when Danaerys Targaryen roasted all them Lannisters. They meant characters who remained favorites even after they revealed themselves to be cruel, violent, and in some cases, deserving of multiple lengthy prison sentences.
Scrubs
Breaking Bad
Sopranos
Oz
The Americans
The Vampire Diaries
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The Mandalorian
Mr. Robot
Archer
Legion
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Sons of Anarchy
The Wire
Justified
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Better Call Saul
The Office
How I Met Your Mother
