They may be terrible, but these are 15 TV characters we love to hate

Meredith Grey – Grey’s Anatomy

What’s her deal: Meredith Grey is the main protagonist of a show that’s seen more cast turnaround than any other show still airing. Since its beginning, and all the way into the next season, a whopping number 15, Grey’s Anatomy has really put ol’ Mer through the ringer. Any and every possible catastrophe, tragedy and disaster imaginable has befallen our heroine, and she’s not one to forget it.

Whether it’s operating on a patient with a bomb in his chest, a plane crash, getting attacked by a patient, saying goodbye to her “person,” or watching her husband die in her arms, Meredith keeps on going. However, she’s not a cheery, “glass half full” kind of girl, and all the terrible luck that she’s suffered has changed her into a bit of sarcastic, caustic cynic. At best she’s just straightforward and blunt, but at worst she’s mean, callous, and insulting.

Why we love her anyway: She’s the namesake of the show, for heaven’s sake. Without her, the show would have derailed a long time ago, and I’ll even admit she’s the glue that holds the rest fo the characters together.

We also love that she doesn’t really have to be likable to be our favorite. Who says female characters have to be pleasing and ingratiating? Meredith is making space for all sorts of complicated, hard to like women on television. She is also proof that we can root for a woman who is caustic and bristly.

How to find her: You don’t have to look very far. You can turn the TV on at any given time and find an old rerun of Grey’s Anatomy. However, all the episodes are available on Netflix, if you’re interested in starting from the beginning.