Who is the most annoying fictional character ever?

[WomenHour]

I would say currently it's Geoff from Corrie.

I really like Anne Shirley as a child, but she becomes something of a bore as an adult. I dislike Paul Irving in 'Anne of Avonlea', though: so twee!

Someone whom I dislike, despite the fact that I don't think we ever get to meet him, is Alex, the ex-fiance of Cousin Helen, in 'What Katy Did'. He seems to have it both ways: getting social kudos and sex from his wife Emma, while pursuing a sort of emotional affair with Helen, and rubbing it in the faces of both by setting up house next door to Helen. I'm surprised that Helen and Emma didn't murder each other, or, better, murder him!

Young Werther in the Sorrows of Young Werther.

Ragnar Lothbrok. I just want to slap him for that irritating smirk.

Topsy and Tim's Mum.

The Tiger Who Came To Tea.

Entitled cunt.

Someone whom I dislike, despite the fact that I don't think we ever get to meet him, is Alex, the ex-fiance of Cousin Helen, in 'What Katy Did'. He seems to have it both ways: getting social kudos and sex from his wife Emma, while pursuing a sort of emotional affair with Helen, and rubbing it in the faces of both by setting up house next door to Helen. I'm surprised that Helen and Emma didn't murder each other, or, better, murder him!

That whole set up is so bizarre. Alex and Emma also call their daughter Helen, and Cousin Helen gives her 'lessons'.

Cousin Helen's refusal to marry Alex is presented as a sign of how good and unselfish she is, but actually I think it was quite unfair. Alex clearly didn't mind that she was partially paralysed and (presumably) unable to bear him children. She ditched him leaving him forever in love with her, and as you say, poor Emma has now got dragged into a weird almost-menage-a-trois.

@RiftGibbon

Maggie Tulliver Topsy and Tim All of the Odd Squad Miranda The gurning idiots from Danny and Mick Angel Clare Hamlet Mr Tumble Biff Chip and Kipper All of the famous 5

I actually like Maggie Tulliver but Tom, on the other hand, can get in the sea. Well, he got in the river at the end, anyhow.

I've been against Maggie Tulliver for a long time - or more accurately George Eliot. At school, I wrote some story set in WW2, and eventually they all died because of a direct hit on their house. Apparently that was a very lazy way of ending things, and my argument that George Eliot killed them off in Mill on the Floss apparently didn't hold any sway. So I've held that grudge against her since I was about 11. (Didn't stop me reading stuff like Middlemarch, though.)

Everyone in Sweet Valley 😂

Jar Jar Binks

@Collidascope

I've said this in another thread, but Anne Shirley. I love the Green Gables books, and I mostly like Anne too, but LM Montgomery's constant assertion of how special Anne is (Anne of the starry eyes... boak!), and how above all the pettiness and spite of the other little girls she is, and how struck everyone is by her is really irritating. Phil calls her Queen Anne in the third book, and goes on about how everyone in her home town will go "wild" for Anne when they meet her! Beautiful Ruby Gilli's looks so ordinary next to Anne. It's so implausible!

There's a similar idealisation dynamic going on with Ginny Weasley in Half Blood Prince but I think that's a bit more understandable as we're basically getting Harry's view of her and he fancies her. She goes around putting hexes on people and she's so gorgeous and feisty and so amazing at Quidditch and bla bla bla.

I love Anne (except in Anne of Ingleside, which is a depressing book), but I always felt sorry for poor old Ruby, who gets punished with an untimely death for being boy-crazy and a bit of a ditz. She had good intentions and was much nicer than that bitch Josie Pye.

Dawson

Danny LaRusso in Cobra Kai.

Harold from The Stand. I want to punch him right from the start every time I read it.

The Marlowe's mother. Couldn't she do some farming herself or get a job so Rowan wouldn't have to drop out? Like, what does the woman actually do all day?

I just thought of another Blyton one, not sure if anyone else has read her book "The Put 'em rights". Dreadful characters in there- pious and bullying. I think one called Sally was especially irritating, IIRC. Seem to remember that some children went and knocked on a ladies door and told her her house was dirty, but my memory is quite vague!

@Eriq

The Marlowe's mother. Couldn't she do some farming herself or get a job so Rowan wouldn't have to drop out? Like, what does the woman actually do all day?

They had Mrs. Bertie too, so she didn't have to cook or clean much, especially as her 8 children were all away from home most of the time and kidnapped/chasing criminal drug gangs around in the holidays.

'I just thought of another Blyton one, not sure if anyone else has read her book "The Put 'em rights". Dreadful characters in there- pious and bullying.'

Oh YES. Most books of the time contained some unconscious snobbery, but this book was very CONSCIOUSLY snobbish. Bobby ought to be playing with his own kind, among the village children, not getting ideas above his station and running after his superiors like Sally. Etc. Everyone is really snooty and smug in that book.

Dobby the house elf and Jar Jar Binks.

Thomas. Every day, the same.

Fat controller: Thomas, please go from A to B and complete this simple task.

Thomas: I know what will really impress the Fat controller! I'll go off on a ludicrous deviation, get myself into some sort of easily avoidable trouble and wait for one of the other engines to come to my rescue...

Thomas: Oh, Gordon, you're so grumpy!

Gordon: I was happy enough until you came along, you incompetent, brown-nosing little bell-end.

Harry Potter is another uniquely British celebration of entitlement over ability.

In seven years he learns one spell fit for use in a duel. You'd think the certain knowledge that you'd one day do battle with an undeniably skilled evil overlord (you know, the one murdered your parents?) might galvanise you into reading a fucking book.

Laura Jessie (Celia Johnson) in Brief Encounter who definitely should have dumped her deathly dull non-life and run away with the sexy doctor. Preferably without wasting an hour of the film agonising over it.

Bridget Jones's mother. For God's sake !!!!!

Oh lordy where to start. Becky Bloomwood and her obnoxious spoilt brat of a daughter. Jar Jar Binks- seriously cannot find anything remotely likeable about that character. Scrappy Doo and Godzuki both really fucking annoying sidekicks! Julian in the Famous Five for being a misogynistic know-it-all and Anne for not telling Julian to piss off and for being such a drip. That bint from the 50 shades books. Just don't get me started on her. Silly cow.

@missmuppit

Julian in the Famous Five for being a misogynistic know-it-all and Anne for not telling Julian to piss off and for being such a drip.

And George for thinking that she has to pretend that she's a boy in order to join in fully, why not join in as a girl?? (As an aside, she was 13, she would surely have gone through puberty by then and look like a girl?? )

@Toilenstripes

Young Werther in the Sorrows of Young Werther.

Oh my goodness, yes! So infuriatingly self centered!