7 Times a TV Show destroyed a character arc by poor character development

Unlike movies, a TV show gets more room to give us a well-developed character, who sometimes impresses us or makes us feel relatable with their character arc. From Walter White (Breaking Bad) and Roland Pryzbylewski (The Wire) to Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender), these characters’ journeys, where some improved while others experienced downfall due to their own mistakes, are a testament to great character arcs.

However, sometimes some characters fail to complete these ingenious feats by failing to show any significant character development. One bad choice, or one weak plotline, renders these characters the growth that they should have deserved. Here’s a list of seven instances where a TV show undermined a character arc due to inadequate character development.

Disclaimer: The article is based on the writer's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.

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7 Times a TV Show destroyed a character arc by poor character development

7) Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

Rory Gilmore was introduced as a teenager with big dreams in her heart in Gilmore Girls. However, her character never displayed the perfect arc. For instance, her not going to Harvard was not a good decision, as that was her dream, but in the end, she gave up on her dream and went to Yale.

Moreover, her stealing a yacht and affair with Dean while he is still married to Lindsay harmed her character development further. However, her Chilton era will always be one of the best plotlines that made her one of the most loved characters of the TV show.

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6) Alan Harper (Two and a Half Men)

Alan Harper, when introduced in Two and a Half Men, had a contrasting personality to his brother Charlie. However, as time went by, Alan’s character began to lack the charming kindness and thoughtful and considerate character that made him a beloved character.

His personality became somewhat similar to Charlie’s, with all the cheating in relationships, such as cheating on Lindsay with Melissa or his entire relationship with Melissa, where he lied about almost everything to please her, making his character arc deviate from what he stood for in the early seasons of the TV show.

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5) Lori Grimes (The Walking Dead)

Lori Grimes from The Walking Dead never overcame her weak storyline. Her relationship with Shane was not liked by many, and her not telling Rick about it felt more wrong in the zombie-apocalyptic TV show.

Furthermore, other than being the reason for Shane’s rift with Rick, Lori’s character did not have any important milestones. However, just when her story would have improved as Rick began talking to her in the prison, she sacrificed herself for her baby, leaving Rick distraught.

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4) Alex Karev (Grey’s Anatomy)

Alex’s arc was one of the best among the male characters of Grey’s Anatomy. His relationship with Jo was perfect, as it made Alex hopeful about a future after experiencing heartbreak from Izzie. However, all of the hard work built around his character came to an end when he went back to Izzie, leaving Joe, just like what had happened to him years ago.

This one decision made Alex’s character arc weak after experiencing growth in a character for more than a decade. The bad boy turned good, and a responsible doctor’s decision hurt his entire character development in the TV show.

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3) Jaime Lannister (Game of Thrones)

Jaime’s character from Game of Thrones was the most compelling one, as fans went from hating him to loving him, such was his character development. His initially being a rude and arrogant kingslayer to go through so many hardships, such as losing a hand after being captured by Locke and his men.

Throughout the eight seasons, Jaime showed exceptional growth, as even after Cersei refused to join the war with the Night King, Jaime reached Winterfell to participate in the war. However, in the end, he went back to Cersei, which weakened his character arc. While the final season of the TV show had many flaws, Jaime’s character going to waste was a huge one.

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2) Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother)

The hopeless romantic in the quest of finding the one of his life, Ted Mosby was a beloved character from How I Met Your Mother. Throughout the series, we all waited patiently to know when he met the mother and who she was.

With funny and wholesome tales about his relationships and friendships, we finally got to know who the mother was. However, the significance of the whole story of how he met the mother of his children was lost when it turned out that he wanted to try on Robin once again, as he is in love with her. After a perfect character arc that took nine seasons to build was taken away with the last bit of the final episode of the TV show.

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1) Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones)

Daenerys’s character was a hopeful one since the beginning of Game of Thrones. After surviving numerous hardships that were supposed to make her the better leader Westeros needed, her character did not reach the level that was promised in the fantasy TV show.

As she crossed the sea and came back to sit on the Iron Throne, her character suddenly became obsessed with defeating Cersei and winning back the throne, overlooking the destruction it would cause to the common people. Even after Tyrion’s advice, she still waged a war against Cersei and successfully killed her, but in order to do that, she also destroyed King’s Landing. Moreover, it also resulted in her death, as at the end Jon Snow murdered her.

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