You only get one chance to make a first impression, so the saying goes. But sometimes on TV , as in life, first impressions aren’t always an accurate account of a person.
Below are 10+ characters fans hated at the start of a show but loved by the end.
Further proof that we should always be willing to give someone a second chance.
Steve Harrington in *Stranger Things*.
Steve was kind of a jerk in the first season of Stranger Things . He was still very much playing the role of the douchey foil.
It isn’t until season 2 that Steve’s friendship with Dustin begins to blossom. From that point on, he’s one of the gang.
Carl Grimes in *The Walking Dead*.
I go back and forth on Carl. For a long time, like many fans of the show, I thought that he was the absolute worst. A useless hanger-on who brought nothing to the table.
His character undergoes a serious rebirth in the later seasons.
‘Tig’ Trager from *Sons Of Anarchy*.
Early on in the series, Tig was painted as a sexual deviant sociopath whose only purpose was taking out SAMCRO’s garbage.
As the story progresses, the writers began focussing more on Tig’s human and emotional side. Now he’s considered to be a show favorite.
The Hound from *Game Of Thrones*.
Over the course of the series, The Hound has done some seriously messed up things. Often, he kills without conscience or remorse.
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But during his travels with Arya, The Hound revealed an entirely new aspect of his personality. He’s now one of the most beloved anti-heroes of all time.
Mickey Milcovich in *Shameless*.
Mickey was awful. It’s as plain and simple as that. When he was first introduced, Mickey was little more than a criminal deviant with serious emotional issues.
Once he an Ian began their relationship, audiences began to understand that Mickey’s rage stemmed from repressing his homosexuality.
Negan from *The Walking Dead*.
I’d like to retract my previous statement about how Jaime Lannister made the worst first impression. I’d completely forgot about Negan!
The first time we meet the leader of The Saviors, he’s caving in Glenn’s head with a baseball bat. But somehow, someway, he became the most beloved villain of the series.
Adam in *Girls*.
There’s no denying that Adam has serious rage issues. Also, the way he treated Natalia was deplorable.
But what makes us root for Adam is the fact that we can see him actively growing and becoming a better person!
Joel Maisel in *The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel*.
You’d have to be crazy to cheat on Midge Maisel, but that’s precisely what Joel does! We’re made to hate him right from the get-go.
However, as the series goes on, he not only becomes the biggest supporter of Midge’s career, we also see just how good a son and father he truly is.
Michael Scott in *The Office*.
If Michael Scott was so insensitive, annoying, and so utterly ignorant then why was it so hard for us all to say goodbye?
I cried like a baby during his and Jim’s final moment.
Winston from *New Girl*.
Winston got off to a rocky start. It was clear to see that the writers hadn’t quite decided if they wanted him to be Coach 2.0 or something new.
Thankfully, they chose to abandon Winston “the jerk” and instead opt for Winston “the lovable, quirky, sucks-at-puzzles” gem we’ve grown to love.
Chang from *Community*.
Oddly enough, audiences were mostly indifferent to Chang at first. It wasn’t until the 3rd and 4th season that he really became unbearable.
He had to work hard for it, but thankfully by the time things at Greendale wrapped up, he was back to his old (original) self.
Andy Bernard in *The Office*.
Andrew Bernard in the early days may actually have been more annoying than Michael Scott. He was an amalgamation of the very worst aspects of Dwight and Michael’s characters.
However, Andy manages to right the ship of the S.S. Bernard, thus securing himself as one of the funniest, most lovable characters in the series.
Alexis Rose in *Schitt’s Creek*.
Alexis didn’t have a lot of redeeming qualities when she first moved to Schitt’s Creek . She held herself above everyone she met and her behavior was cringeworthy.
As the series progresses, we learn just how much heart Alexis truly has. She’s sweet, endearing, and incredibly thoughtful.
Jaime Lannister in *Game Of Thrones*.
When we first meet Jaime Lannister, he’s having sex with his own sister and pushing Brandon Stark from an open window.
By the time winter finally comes to an end, we’re crying during his death scene.
Janice from *Friends*.
Janice’s laugh may go down in history as the most annoying TV character trait of all time. When she first appeared on Friends , just listening to her speak was like nails on a chalkboard.
Little did fans realize she’d go on to become one of the most beloved recurring characters in the series.
