Entertainment

The Most Irrelevant Characters in TV History

There is always one. The pesky character in the television shows you love that is just completely pointless. They appear more or less every episode, but their relevance is entirely lacking so they end up just being an irritating distraction to the plot line.

I have listed my top three here, but of course there are countless more with the same agenda. Many of which will be in shows I have yet to pencil into my already heaving Netflix schedule.

My top three ‘neither here nor there’ culprits who have featured in three TV shows that have become a substantial part of my life during University, and have shamelessly taken up several hundred hours of my time in total. These characters don’t just annoy me out of their pointlessness, but I find it increasingly harder to justify my comatose viewing state when they continue to feature. I do not appreciate that!

 

Buffy’s Mum – Buffy the vampire Slayer

Oh hey Buffy, I know you’re out saving the world again, but could you be back for dinner? Oh by the way, you’re also grounded. Okay, I understand the whole she’s also just a teenager thing, but the whole of the first series becomes a little tedious when Buffy’s mum gets involved. It is hard to believe that vampires, demons, zombies and God knows what else are being slain a plenty around her and Joyce is completely oblivious. Her entire role in Buffy’s life appears to be to continually get in the way, and usually end up in mortal peril in the process.

The writers tried to make her more interesting by having her introduce strange men into Buffy’s life, or placing her slap bang in the middle of trouble, but to no avail. I’m afraid that you have been completely and annoyingly irrelevant from the beginning, Joyce. Sorry.

 

Jacob – Lost

I was late to the whole stranded on the magic island program by a few years, but when I tuned in during my second year of University, I found myself in what I can only describe as a Lost-hole. Some days I would spend around 8 hours watching back to back episodes, yet not always paying complete attention to what was actually going on. My friend warned me of this, and described her own experience of Lost as “ending up as the soundtrack to my life” and “although you probably won’t care what is going on, you won’t be able to stop watching.”

Because of this, it wasn’t always easy to care when a new character was introduced (especially when they brought in that weird diamond-obsessed couple in series 3. We’re supposed to believe they were there all along? Please!). Jacob was no exception. The last series or so led to his introduction and half-arsed explanation of who he was and his involvement of why they were there and how it was all so God damn important. I certainly did not care by that point. Sorry Jacob.

 

Rory Williams – Doctor Who

I don’t think I will be the first person to say this, nor the last. Rory was probably the most pointless character ever to enter Doctor who. Not just Doctor who; the entirety of television. We have seen companions bring their boyfriends and the like on board the TARDIS before, but never to the sickening, irritating, knack for finding themselves in distress extent of Amy’s pet boyfriend Rory. Also, how often can one guy die? Seriously, it’s not even sad anymore. Even the ‘shock’ ending of them both being poked by an angel didn’t bring a single tear to my eye. I think a general rule of not letting lovers on the TARDIS should be abided to, as that whole series was far too touchy-feely for my liking. If anyone can name a single memorable or worthwhile part of Rory’s character appearances, then please do share it. If you fail to entertain with the fact you were a Roman robot for 2000 years, then I am afraid that you, also, are completely pointless.

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