You know the type: endlessly charming, self-possessed, indiscriminately vulgar and almost always gorgeous. Such individuals are best avoided in real life, but wow, do they make for great television. Here are some of the best shows about the worst people.
“The White Lotus”
This social satire from “Enlightened” creator Mike White fits right in at HBO, which, as Washington Post TV critic Inkoo Kang wrote in her recent review of the series, has “cornered the market on terrible (mostly) White rich people.” “White Lotus” introduces a literal boatload of such characters, whose worst instincts and heaviest baggage come to light at a luxury resort in Hawaii. The show mines the upstairs-downstairs relationship between the well-heeled guests and the resort’s downtrodden employees for both humor and horror. As cringeworthy as it is, it’s also immensely watchable thanks to standout performances from a cast including Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, Steve Zahn, Natasha Rothwell and Murray Bartlett — and a murder mystery. The show, which concludes its bingeable six-episode first season on Sunday, has been renewed for a second installment. (Streams on HBO Max)
“Arrested Development”
The Bluths are objectively terrible, okay? Among their misdeeds: withholding emotionally, committing “light treason,” and, uh, borderline incest (one of the show’s many running gags). Even Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), the show’s supposed good guy at the center of his family’s craziness, was not actually that great of a human. But for several seasons — specifically the first three of five total, if we’re being honest — we couldn’t look away from their morally bankrupt shenanigans. (Streams on Netflix)
“Curb Your Enthusiasm”
“You’re the Worst”
FX’s anti-rom com, which ended its five-season run in 2019, is almost too obvious for this list. It’s literally about two objectively terrible people, one of whom does not wash her legs, who meet at a wedding and decide they kind of like being miserable together. But there was always more to Jimmy (Chris Geere) and Gretchen (Aya Cash) than their toxic personalities or the company they kept — looking at you, Lindsay (Kether Donohue). The show thoughtfully explored depression, PTSD and reproductive rights while still being laugh-out-loud funny, prompting us to root for its anti-heroes — Linds included — on a weekly basis. And creator Stephen Falk knows a thing or two about getting audiences to root for unsavory characters, having written for Showtime’s “Weeds,” another show full of terrible people. “I think the most likable characters in literature, in film, in television history are sometimes some of the most loathsome,” Falk told Indiewire in 2014. (Streams on Hulu)
“Big Little Lies”
This absorbing HBO drama from by David E. Kelley follows the rich and beautiful residents of a wealthy seaside community, where competition is cutthroat even at the local elementary school. And then, there’s that whole murder mystery, which reveals many of the town’s residents — Madeline Mackenzie (Reese Witherspoon) and Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman), among them — to be potential villains. Also see: “The Undoing,” a.k.a. East Coast “Big Little Lies.” (Streams on HBO Max)
“Mad Men”
Don Draper was as charming as the ads he wrote, but he was a chronic womanizer, a lousy dad and a subpar boss. Draper’s shortcomings weren’t lost on Jon Hamm, who portrayed the suave ad man and made no effort to conceal his disgust with the character. “I’m always surprised when people are like, ‘I want to be just like Don Draper,'" Hamm told Time Magazine in 2014. “I’m like, ‘You want to be a miserable drunk?’ I don’t think you want to be anything like that guy. The actual guy’s rotting from the inside out and has to pull it together.” (Streams on AMC Plus and Amazon Prime)
“Succession”
“BoJack Horseman”
It’s a question that has spurred several passionate Internet discussions: Is BoJack Horseman a bad person? The answer, of course, is no — because he’s a horse. Semantics aside, BoJack would be the first to tell you he’s pretty terrible. He uses women and leads them on. (He uses everybody, really.) He tried to sabotage his good friend’s wedding. He was essentially responsible for his former co-star’s untimely death. And with the exception of Princess Carolyn, he’s surrounded by a ton of Hollywoo jerks. But the whip-smart show let us know that BoJack was never beyond redemption or help for his addiction and depression, and we loved him to the very end. (Streams on Netflix)
“Veep”
HBO’s political satire was full of disreputable characters but Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) undoubtedly takes the cake. She’s narcissistic and prone to speaking out of turn. As a mother, she’s distant at best. At worst, she says things like “the only thing Catherine ever finished was an entire ice cream cake.” Her historic achievement — becoming the first female president of the United States — basically happened by chance. But she’s endlessly watchable, as evidenced by Louis-Dreyfus’s six consecutive Emmy wins for playing the role. (Streams on HBO Max)
“The Affair”
This Showtime drama featured Rashomon storytelling, so we never really knew who was telling the truth. But in nearly every scenario and perspective, Noah Solloway (Dominic West) is a bad guy. The show quite literally begins with him cheating on his wife, Helen (Maura Tierney), and running off to be with his mistress, Alison (Ruth Wilson). His kids — including the surliest teens this side of the Atlantic — want nothing to do with him. In 2015, Vulture named Noah “TV villain of the year” and the Village Voice went a step further, calling him “the worst man on TV.” It made sense that Noah would fall from grace in the #MeToo era, though arguably it should have happened sooner. Noah wasn’t the only flawed character on the show, but the series ultimately revolved around his story. (Streams on Showtime)
“Gossip Girl”
We’re talking O.G. “Gossip Girl” here, not the lackluster reboot, of course. Serena (Blake Lively), Blair (Leighton Meester) and their crew of Upper Eastsiders (and outsiders) were superficial and snobbish, representing the worst of New York City’s elite. But between the clothes, the gossip and the edgy plotlines, “Gossip Girl” was must-watch TV — at least for the show’s first couple of seasons. (Streams on HBO Max)
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Perspective | From 'The White Lotus' to 'Mad Men,' here are the 11 best shows about the worst people - The Washington Post
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