Sure, cliff hangers get us talking but there’s nothing we find more commendable (and oddly satisfying) than when a show can take a character we loathe to our very core and somehow, slowly, make us love them.
The redemption arc, as it’s often called, can be a tricky one to achieve, but when it’s done right it’s a sight to behold.
This isn’t a matter of characters we love to hate; these are those blood boiling, cursing at the TV folks we truly despise.
And yet, by series end we somehow find ourselves wishing they were our best friends or on occasion fictional boyfriends.
See some of the best redemption stories, below.
spike
Spike in Buffy The Vampire Slayer
A bonefide bad boy with his bleach blonde hair, witty yet reckless attitude and motorbike, Spike was the epitome of cool. As devilishly dangerous as he was, he was still a vampire and a nasty one at that.
Things took a turn when he comically fell for Buffy but over time his love proved undying and in the finale episode he laid down his life to save not only her but the whole world. Sob!
Marie
Marie in Wentworth
Few Wentworth fans ever imagined they’d feel sympathy for Queen Bee, Marie, including her portrayer Susie Porter! As tables turned on the top dog fans learned of her tragic past with her son and watched as she took Reb under her wing, all the while the hate for Marie seemingly vanished.
“I suppose it was a surprise to me,” Susie told Metro.co.uk of her character’s change.
“Before, everything was for herself – she [Marie] didn’t even know she had good in her.”
luke
Luke Ward in The OC
In the beginning Luke was your run-of-the-mill high school jock bully hyped up on his own bravado. As the romantic rival to Ryan, fighting (literally) over Marissa, it was easy to hate him.
But as we got to know him we realised his anger was fuelled by his own troubles. While he still made questionable choices (like falling for Marissa’s mum, Julie) fans came to like him, as did Ryan and the rest of the gang.
Steve
Steve Harrington in Stanger Things
The highschool heartthrob who knows his way around a can of hairspray was a farily typical self-obsessed popular kid when we first met him. At his lowest point he spread terrible rumours about Nancy in an attempt to ruin her life.
Facing the evil of the upside down proved a perfect wake up call and Steve became like a mother-hen to the Stranger Things tweens, forming a particularly sweet bond with Justin.
bellamy
Bellamy Blake in The 100
When we first met the 100 teens sent to a dystopian Earth to determine its habitability Bellamy was a self-centred and reckless character who would have happily sacrificed his own mother if it meant saving himself. As time passed, however, he became a fearless leader and loyal best friend to Clarke.
Kit Harington’s emotional reaction to a fan who asked if he was Jon Snow
theon
Theon Greyjoy in Game Of Thrones
Fans spent much of Game Of Thrones hating Theon Greyjoy, and rightly so. After betraying the Starks he got what he seemingly deserved when he was captured and tortured by Ramsay Bolton. But after a while it felt as though even Theon didn’t deserve the level of torment Ramsay had forced upon him.
Eventually he would pledge his allegiance once again to the Starks through Sansa and die protecting her brother Bran from the Night King.
irene
Irene in Home And Away
Before becoming one of Summer Bay’s most beloved characters, stalwart Irene was considered quite the opposite.
When she first arrived in town Irene was an alcoholic who neglected her children until they had to be fostered out.
After hitting rock bottom Irene turned her life around and has since become the kind-hearted, arms-wide-open character we know now, fostering anyone and everyone who needs a home in the coastal town.
finn
Finn Kelly in Neighbours
It’s a cliché saying but, in this case, well earned, our journey with Neighbours character Finn Kelly aka Patrick Ashton was a rollercoaster of emotions.
Firstly he was evil and pretending to be good. Then he was in an accident, lost his memory and was actually good, loveable, in fact.
THEN the amnesia began to wear off and he was somehow more evil than he had been the first time, attempting to kill many of our favourite Ramsay Street residents while camping on a secluded island before succumbing to a tragic fate himself.
chuck
Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl
Still somewhat controversial (never forget when Chuck sold Blair in exchange for a hotel) show creators managed to change fans’ minds about main character, Chuck Bass.
Starting out the series as a terrible, self-centred billionaire his love story with Blair saw him become a little more human.
