10 TV Characters With Wasted Potential – Armessa Movie News

Summary

• Characters can make or break a show, with some promising personas falling short of their potential, leaving behind disappointment.
• Underdeveloped characters like Riley Finn, T-Dog, and Ros demonstrate the challenges showrunners face delivering on a character’s potential.
• Poor writing and inconsistent development can squander the potential of characters like Mandy Milkovich, Charlotte Byrde, and Skyler White.

In the realm of television, characters have the capacity to elevate a show to new heights or drag it down into mediocrity, wasting serious potential. Some characters develop throughout a series with intricate backstories and engaging storylines that draw viewers into their narratives. However, there are instances where these promising characters remain underutilized, leaving behind a sense of disappointment.

From once-enigmatic anti-heroes who lost their edge to captivating side characters with unresolved storylines, these personas demonstrate the complexities of character development and the challenges showrunners face delivering on a character’s potential. In the realm of episodic storytelling, where arcs ebb and flow, these unfulfilled character arcs provide insightful lessons on the art of narrative weaving.

10 Riley Finn (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduced Riley Finn in the season 4 premiere, “The Freshman.” At first glance, Riley seemed like an ideal love interest for Buffy Summers: a clean-cut, all-American soldier with a deep moral code. Riley had the potential to be an intriguing and layered character, but his storyline became less central. His character lacked the development and complexity to make him a more memorable addition to the Buffyverse. Ultimately, Riley was written out of the show due to fan reactions and low ratings. Despite his initial promise, Riley Finn’s character ultimately fell short of the high expectations set by the show’s other iconic figures.

9 T-Dog (The Walking Dead)

Known for his unwavering loyalty and strong moral compass, T-Dog was introduced as a survivor in The Walking Dead season 1. He played a crucial role within the group by mediating conflicts and maintaining a sense of unity during the apocalypse. While he had the potential to be a well-rounded character, T-Dog’s development was somewhat limited, and his backstory remained largely unexplored. Despite the writers having ample time to flesh out his persona, T-Dog eventually took on a supporting role. When T-Dog died in The Walking Dead, his potential still felt untapped.

8 Ros (Game of Thrones)

A character created specifically for the HBO adaptation of Game of Thrones, Ros was a clever and resourceful sex worker known for the intelligence and adaptability that helped her build connections with powerful figures like Littlefinger and Varys. Introduced in Game of Thrones season 1, she became a recurring character in Westeros. Ros’s potential, however, was wasted, as her character became increasingly tangled in the show’s explicit sexual content and violence. While she initially served as a complex and intriguing character, her storyline eventually reduced her to an object of exploitation and brutality. Her arc was cut short when Ros was killed by Joffrey in Game of Thrones season 3.

7 Mandy Milkovich (Shameless)

Introduced as a complex and multifaceted individual, Shameless’ Mandy Milkovich was a street-smart young woman known for her fierce loyalty to her family and friends. Despite her rough exterior, Mandy was layered with vulnerability and a genuine desire for love and stability. This gave her the potential for a compelling and relatable story arc. However, that promise was wasted as her character development became inconsistent in later seasons. Despite starting as a strong character, Mandy’s involvement in Shameless became less prominent. In Shameless season 5, she was written out, with the character moving to Indiana with her abusive boyfriend. Her exit was somewhat unexpected and left her storyline unresolved.

Related: Shameless: Why Mandy Milkovich Was Recast In Season 2

6 Charlotte Byrde (Ozark)

Ozark’s Charlotte Byrde was a teenager who became increasingly disillusioned with her family’s criminal activities. Her attempts to wrap her head around the moral and ethical dilemmas arising from her family’s involvement in money laundering added depth to her character. While she started as a typical rebellious teen, Charlotte’s development throughout the show showcased the psychological and emotional toll of being embroiled in a criminal world. This gave her the potential to be a fascinating character. Unfortunately, her development became sporadic as the series progressed, and her storylines often took a backseat to other subplots.

5 Lafayette Reynolds (True Blood)

True Blood gave viewers one of the most memorable characters in Lafayette Reynolds. A charismatic, openly gay short-order cook in the small, supernatural town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, his character was known for his sharp wit, fierce independence, and inspirational confidence. Lafayette’s vibrant personality, along with his eclectic style and memorable one-liners, quickly made him a fan favorite. While Lafayette’s character did not necessarily go downhill, his storylines did. Despite remaining a fan favorite until True Blood killed him off early, the later seasons struggled to provide him with substantial and engaging plots. This shift in focus from led to a decline in his depth and complexity.

4 Claire Littleton (Lost)

Claire Littleton from the ABC show Lost was another character whose potential was squandered due to poor writing and under development. As one of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, Claire’s characterization in Lost was derailed during the later seasons. Claire was initially a Lost character shrouded in mystery, but her development was sidelined. After becoming isolated from the main group of survivors, her character fell into a state of uncertainty and her storyline wasn’t fully realized. Claire returned to the main group by the Lost series finale, but her earlier potential for development and growth had already been wasted.

3 Christopher Moltisanti (The Sopranos)

As Tony Soprano’s nephew and protege in The Sopranos, Christopher Moltisanti aspired to become a respected member of the mafia family. Despite some of the worst things Christopher did in The Sopranos, the character showcased moments of vulnerability and introspection, which set him apart from many other personalities in the series. Despite his intelligence and ambition, his actions often veered towards recklessness, making it frustrating to watch him repeatedly undermine his own goals. Christopher’s inner conflicts were not always explored to their fullest capacity, and his character arc could have been more nuanced.

2 Skyler White (Breaking Bad)

Skyler White from Breaking Bad became one of the most polarizing characters in television history. Some viewed her as a sympathetic as she navigated the dangerous world her husband thrust her into. Others found her actions and choices frustrating and saw her as an impediment to Walter’s endeavors. This, however, this was not intentional. Skyler was polarizing because of poor and inconsistent writing. As Breaking Bad progressed through its five seasons, Skyler’s character was often demoted to the role of a nagging wife. Her potential for further character development and exploration was not fully realized, making her one-dimensional and less central to the show’s main narrative.

1 Barb Holland (Stranger Things)

The loyal and responsible best friend of Nancy Wheeler, Barb became a fan-favorite character after Stranger Things season 1. Her untimely disappearance in the early episodes of the show set the mystery of the Upside Down into motion. Barb resonated with many viewers for being an outsider with a strong sense of morality. Despite her significant impact, her potential was wasted. Her fate in Stranger Things was overshadowed, and justice was never truly served for Barb. This even led Stranger Things fans to create a #JusticeForBarb hashtag. While it didn’t change the character’s fate, it highlighted the power of social media to bring attention to underdeveloped characters.