They can be whiny, obnoxious, ignorant, or an unpleasant combination of all three.

Some of them we love to hate, while others we’d rather never be seen on television again.

This pathologically opportunistic, eavesdropping assistant hasn’t met a door he doesn’t like pressing his ear against.

Annoying TV characters

Teri Hatcher on ‘Desperate Housewives’; Dustin Diamond on ‘Saved by the Bell’; Matthew Morrison on ‘Glee’.Credit:Everett Collection; Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty; Everett Collection

It didn’t help matters that, in the not-so-grand tradition ofThe O.C.

(Seriously, she hooked up with the bad guy on two consecutive seasons.)

Darren Franich

Kim Bauer,24

They called her ‘‘Cougar Trap.’’

Smash | For the love of sweater vests, please kick Terrible Ellis (Jaime Cepero) off Broadway! This pathologically opportunistic, eavesdropping assistant hasn’t met a door he doesn’t

Patrick Harbron/NBC

Apparently the cougar was smarter than she was.

Wait…no, that’s not what I mean.

I mean,don’tgive him to me.

Laurie Holden, The Walking Dead | WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW! A character with an incoherent personality who seemed to reinvent her motivations on a weekly basis, Andrea (Laurie Holden) really began to

Gene Page/AMC

Because he’s super annoying!

running through my head.

And it’s that kid’s fault.

24, Elisha Cuthbert | They called her ‘‘Cougar Trap.’’ The hapless teenage daughter of terrorist fighter Jack Bauer on 24 , Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert) had a never-ending series

Everett Collection

Dalton Ross

Oliver Trask,The O.C.

Oliver (Taylor Handley) was around for only six episodes, but it seemed like much longer.

Just the mention of Oliver’s name still makes us brood, Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) style.

LOST, Kiele Sanchez, … | There’s a reason some characters are relegated to the background. When Lost writers decided to bring two of the also-crasheds to the forefront, no one

Mario Perez/ABC

One of her most defining traits: her especially stinky feet.

Gibbler, go home!

you wanted to send him straight to detention.

Friends | If irritation could be tapped as a fuel source, our reaction to Janice’s laugh could power a midsize city. The curly-haired cackler (Maggie Wheeler) ruined

NBC

Susan found herself there naked way back in season 1.

It was ‘‘zany and adorable’’ at the time.

It’s not always about you, sweetie.

Most people point to The Brady Bunch ’s Cousin Oliver as the ultimate horrifying example of a newer, supposedly cuter little kid brought in to

Mario Casilli/mptvimages.com

No wonder Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies) wanted nothing to do with him.

), I couldn’t stand to see Janice onscreen.

But gone is the deceivingly sweet exterior that made the character a hit.

The O.C. | Oliver (Taylor Handley) was around for only six episodes, but it seemed like much longer. During his time in Newport Beach, the Marissa-obsessed poor little

Fox

She’s gone from sinister to sinfully unnecessary.

Frankly, it was fun to watch Blair and Co. squirm upon her arrival.

But did she have to be such a brat?

Full House | The Tanners' wacky next door neighbor and DJ’s best friend was definitely the Urkel of Full House . Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) and Uncle Jesse

Everett Collection

Ron Palillo, Welcome Back, Kotter | Sounding a bit like a vacuum cleaner trying to suck up a billiard ball, or the cachinnations of a gravely ill hyena, Arnold Horshack’s laugh

Everett Collection

30 Rock | He’s not funny, he’s not likable and perhaps most importantly, he’s not Alec Baldwin. On a show where no character has any real redeemable qualities

Ali Goldstein/NBC

Glee, Matthew Morrison | Despite essentially being Glee ’s main character, the ever-drippy Will Schuester has the intrigue of a blank chalkboard and the personality of a pair of

Carin Baer/Fox

Sarah Drew | I will admit, April’s lightened up a little this season, but a few episodes of sympathetic behavior can’t erase the painful memories of Seattle Grace-Mercy

Jordin Althaus/ABC

Teri Hatcher, Desperate Housewives | To get to the core of why Susan (Teri Hatcher) is a nuisance, one need look no further than the helpless shrubbery of Wisteria Lane.

Andrew Eccles/ABC

Dustin Diamond, Saved by the Bell | Brillo-haired Samuel ‘‘Screech’’ Powers (Dustin Diamond) was a scrawny misfit whose squeaky voice, nerdy interests, and talent for bungling things made him unbearable — Steve

Everett Collection

Once Upon a Time | To be fair, Henry’s (Jared S. Gilmore) screen time has drastically decreased as Once ’s freshman year has progressed — and absence makes the heart

ABC

Michelle Trachtenberg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) had issues, and with good reason: The people she loved kept abandoning her, her sister was an ultra-enviable superhero, and, oh yeah,

Everett Collection

ER, Eriq La Salle | Why did it always seem like there was a bug up the butt of Dr. Peter Benton? We get it — an emergency room isn’t

NBCU Photo Bank

Aida Turturro, The Sopranos | No one in this Mob family could be said to make good choices, but Tony’s sister Janice (Aida Turturro) seemed to delight in her selfishness

Everett Collection

Nicki Aycox, Supernatural | Once upon a time, demon Meg was a formidable foe for the Winchesters. Whether she was infiltrating Sam’s life, setting traps for the boys and

David Gray/Everett Collection

Michelle Trachtenberg, Gossip Girl | In season 1, Georgina was a welcomed challenger to Queen B Blair Waldorf. Frankly, it was fun to watch Blair and Co. squirm upon her

Giovanni Rufino/THE CW

Granted, Kennedy (Iyari Limon) had some serious shoes to fill, replacing the dearly departed Tara (Amber Benson) as the new girlfriend for sapphic witch Willow

The WB