Sometimes our favorite TV characters are the ones we absolutely hated when we first saw them on our screens.
Maybe they were incredibly annoying or rude, or maybe they were flat-out evil. But as their shows went on and we got to know them, or when they ended up getting shiny new souls, we found that we couldn’t help but love them.
From vampires to tough bosses, here are 13 horrible characters we eventually grew to love!
Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Spike showed up in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2 as a pretty nasty villain who was dead set on killing Buffy, but along the way, we saw that even he could show compassion. Plus, he had some amazing one-liners and that killer blonde hair.
Alex Karev, Grey’s Anatomy
Remember when Alex was a total jerk? This guy did not make a good first impression, but we got the chance to watch him grow up, fall in love, and learn from his mistakes. In fact, of every character on Grey’s Anatomy, he’s probably the one who has changed the most.
Mellie Grant, Scandal
Oh, Mellie Grant. Even though she was really the one being wronged, she was our villain when it came to Liv and Fitz’s scandalous relationship – and she didn’t exactly make herself likeable. But she grew on us as we got to know her better, and now she’s maybe one of the more likable characters on the show.
Jaime Lannister, Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones’ Jaime Lannister has done some despicable things (like, dispicable), but he’s another character we grew to love as we saw his softer side.
Louis Litt, Suits
When we first met Louis Litt, he was clearly just an awful guy. But now that we’ve made it to Suits Season 6, we’ve had the chance to see him prove how loyal and thoughtful he can be.
Paris Geller, Gilmore Girls
She started out as Rory’s clear adversary, a brash, mean girl who always had to be on top. Paris Geller kept many of those characteristics, but we eventually saw her softer side, especially as she and Rory became close friends and college roommates.
Sawyer, Lost
Let’s be honest, Sawyer was a bad boy we were intrigued by from the beginning of Lost, but he wasn’t very nice, and we definitely weren’t rooting for him. By the end of the series, though, there’s a good chance he was your favorite.
Rumplestiltskin, Once Upon a Time
He’s the Dark One, and he was a villain from the beginning, but over time we got to see his backstory, and we got to see him fall in love, making him much more sympathetic – at least at times.
Lemon Breeland, Hart of Dixie
Lemon Breeland had absolutely no love for Zoey Hart when she came into town, we didn’t have any reason to like her at all. But, it really didn’t take long for that to change as we got to know her. As with most of these characters, it’s seeing their vulnerability that makes us warm up to them, and that was definitely the case wtih Lemon.
Pete Campbell, Mad Men
Ugh, Pete Campbell. He was absolutely the worst in the early seasons of Mad Men, and he really didn’t get that much better. But we did eventually begin to sympathize with him.
Chuck Bass, Gossip Girl
Sometimes, all it takes is to watch a character start growing up a little for them to grow on you, and when it comes to Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl, that’s exactly what happens. This is another bad boy who, as it turns out, has a softer side.
Diana Trout, Younger
She was willing to give Liz a job, but man, Diana Trout is one tough boss, and she was harder on Liz than she needed to be. But now that we’re heading into Younger Season 3, we know a little more about her, and we’ve seen what’s behind her ruthless exterior. Plus, she’s proven to be incredibly loyal.
Bellamy Blake, The 100
Bellamy Blake was trouble in the beginning, but he quickly learned how to be real leader, and was forced to re-examine his priorities.
