Unlikable Television Characters Part 2: The Annoying

Yesterday I was watching two television shows that made me think to expand this post: Grey's Anatomy, and Community. The focus of unlike ability here that one character who just annoys the piss out of you, they grate on your nerves, you scream at your television "Why did that character not die?" or you ponder how someone even thinks to call them their favorite characters.

While watching Grey's Anatomy last night in one of their most painful moments, the episode where they all sing, which was one of the worst episodes of television ever I still found myself most annoyed with the April character.  I left Grey's Anatomy behind a few seasons ago, but watch sporadic episodes here and there, like the hospital shooting, and this seasons most recent finale with the plane crash.  After the plane crash I decided to go back and re watch the entire series.  I must say re watching this show has given new meaning to many different characters, and there have been many annoying characters on this show.  Izzie played by Katherine Heigel is the first to come to mind, the story with Denny, the deer, and mainly most of her poor me routine bugged me.  I was glad she was written off.  While Izzie was almost my pick, I could not walk away from think Dr. April Keppner is by far the worst character Shonda created for this series.

April is played by a talented actress named Sarah Drew.  Drew is not a bad actress but this character is just plain annoying.  April walked in with the Mercy West folks in season 6, forgot to check women's throat for smoke inhalation and the chief fired her.  When the chief resigned Derek brought her back for some reason, which was never been explained.  April is a virgin which is an admirable thing, but the way she stomps around pouting, or drooling over Derek, freaking then freaking out about losing her virginity to Avery or failing her test, why was she renewed?  Shonda writes her to be this shaky doctor who lacks confidence, and I'd be frightened to have her as my doctor.  This character never took off, and I look forward to the moments she is not on screen.

After walking away from the drama on Grey's Anatomy I strolled on over to Greendale Community College where I watched the Greendale Seven chase down a criminal who destroyed their yam a la Law & Order.  During season two of this show Dan Harmon did something to Pierce Hawthrone played by Chevy Chase which changed the dynamic of the group too much.  Yet Pierce has slowed his role on the show, and became more of background fixture making him a lot more tolerable, plus Chevy is pretty funny.  Enter Ben Chang played by Ken Jeong.

Ken is hilarious, and has made me laugh a lot in many other projects; he was also hilarious in the shows first season, but he has become a novelty, and I feel many people use him to perpetuate bad stereotypes.  Ben Chang has worn out his welcome on this show; he started out as a terrible Spanish teach, who turned out to not be qualified to teach, then went to being student Chang, but as security guard Chang, and now felon Chang I have say that this man has worn out his welcome, and is more of a pest when I see him on screen than anything else.

What makes these characters part of this spectrum of unlike ability?  These characters drag down their shows sometimes.  Community is one of the funniest shows on television, and while I under the point for the character he takes away from the dynamic of the show.  Drew's character breaks up the flow as well, and never has seemed to fit into the group at all.  Both characters are at a cross road they both could have been removed from their perspective shows, but the show runners have decided to keep them.  I am intrigued to see how they try to change both of them for the better, but I doubt my opinion will change.