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When TV’s Sweethearts Turn Sour
They were the characters we rooted for, the ones who made us laugh, cry, and tune in week after week. But then came that moment, the plot twist, bad decision, or sudden personality shift that flipped our feelings upside down.
Whether it was a shocking betrayal, a frustrating romance choice, or a storyline that derailed everything, these fan favorites lost their shine in an instant. Let’s look back at the moments that broke our TV-loving hearts.
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Rory Gilmore
Rory Gilmore had us all hooked in the early seasons, book-loving, kind-hearted, and the ultimate good girl next door. She made straight A’s feel cool and made being sweet look like a superpower.
But then college hit, and Rory flipped the script. She got arrogant, made messy choices (especially with guys), and totally stopped growing. Don’t even mention that bizarre revival version.
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Ted Mosby
At first, Ted was the sweet, hopeless romantic we all rooted for. He just wanted true love and seemed adorably sincere.
But as the seasons rolled on, he got preachy and full of himself. He judged Barney’s flings while dating endlessly himself.
He was shallow, self-righteous, and never learned from his mistakes. He’d bounce from hook-ups to heartbreak to “soulmate” again. By the time that finale aired, fans were ready to move on, for good.
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Owen Hunt
Owen came into Grey’s Anatomy as confident, stable, and totally Cristina’s match, ambitious, mature, and supportive. But wow, did that change.
He screamed at her for getting an abortion, cheated on her, and tanked all that early respect. Fans couldn’t look at him the same after that. Ironically, in recent seasons, he gets cheated on. Poetic justice? Maybe.
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Veronica Lodge
At first, Veronica seemed like the perfect mix of brains and ambition, making her a standout in Riverdale’s cast. But as the seasons went on, her character felt less real and more like she was trying to do way too much all at once.
But things quickly got out of hand with constant mentions of her dad, Hiram Lodge, juggling way too many side hustles, and somehow balancing detective work with perfect grades. And that Varchie shower scene? Yeah, still shocking!
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Gina Linetti
At first, Gina’s quirky humor made her a standout character on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But as the show progressed, she barely changed, becoming less funny and more downright rude.
Her attitude started to resemble that of a bully, which made her hard to like. Unlike the other characters, Gina’s lack of growth made her less relatable over time.
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Jon and Daenerys
Jon and Daenerys faced countless struggles before becoming powerful leaders, but their ending was rushed and disappointing. Daenerys turned into the mad queen, while Jon became spineless, indecisive, and inactive, with barely any lines in the final season.
Jon was once admired for his integrity and strength, but the last two seasons made him indecisive, whiny, and frustratingly passive. Fans saw a hero reduced to a shadow of his former self in the final seasons.
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Piper Chapman
Piper’s naiveté and privileged charm made her funny and relatable at first, adding a fresh vibe to Orange Is the New Black. Her basic attitude felt real and engaging, setting her apart early on.
But as fans pushed back against her spotlight, the writers turned her into a flat, annoying character with no redeeming traits. It’s a shame because she could’ve stayed flawed yet interesting.
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Haley Dunphy
Haley showed real growth throughout most of Modern Family, becoming a character many enjoyed watching. She balanced humor and heart in a way that felt genuine and fun.
But the final season crushed that progress by having her end up with Dylan. That decision felt like a major step backward for her character and disappointed a lot of fans.
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Xander Harris
Xander was a fan favorite growing up. But as the series went on, he became less useful and more of a complainer, often dragging the group down.
He just complained about every one of Buffy’s love interests and tried to cover up being a garbage person with one-liners.His worst moments? Cheating on Cordelia and ditching Anya on their wedding day.
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Blaine Anderson
Blaine began kind, with a sweet relationship with Kurt, but things fell apart fast. He became a cheater obsessed with Kurt, despite their rocky relationship, and dated Kurt’s high school bully, a bizarre twist no one explained.
The show never addressed his erratic actions, only a brief therapy mention, leaving his character arc confusing and frustrating.
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Ross Geller
Ross started as the sweet, goofy paleontologist everyone rooted for. He was charming, awkward, and genuinely caring, a true friend and hopeless romantic.
But over time, his jealousy, constant whining, and awkward rants of “we were on a break” got old fast. His on-again, off-again drama and possessiveness made him more frustrating than lovable by the later seasons.
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Rafael Solano
At first, Rafael grew into a solid, supportive match for Jane by Jane the Virgin Season 4, showing real maturity and growth. But everything fell apart when Michael came back from the dead in Season 5.
Instead of backing Jane through that wild situation, Rafael turns jealous and controlling, even showing favoritism toward his son, who is with Jane over his other kids. Not great as a partner or dad.
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Dan Humphrey
Dan started as the relatable “lonely boy” outsider trying to break into the Upper East Side elite in Gossip Girl. Fans loved his honest, grounded perspective and his love for Serena.
But as the series went on, his character got way more arrogant and self-important. The final season twist, revealing him as Gossip Girl, made many viewers feel betrayed and turned off by his whole arc.
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Tokyo
Tokyo was the bold, fearless voice guiding us through the heist in Money Heist. Her fiery spirit and loyalty made her stand out as a fan favorite.
But over time, her impulsive decisions and constant drama often put the whole crew at risk, making her less likable and more frustrating as the story progressed like when she attacked Nairobi’s captor without a plan, sparking a violent chain reaction that endangered the entire team.
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Castiel
Castiel in Supernatural burst in as a badass, diverse angel with incredible power and presence. But as the seasons went on, he became useless and lost his edge.
He kept making wrong choices and never really recovered. What started as a strong story arc sadly turned into a lame and frustrating character.
Celebrate your ride-or-dies with these top friendship anthems that hit right in the feels.
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Last Updated: August 14, 2025
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