ListNook

Back whenever I was watching the Netflix series; Sex Education, I had opinions about a fan favourite character that I wanted to have discussions with other users on. Which mainly revolved towards Maeve, regarding how toxic she could be and how she’s not held accountable enough for how her actions affected others around her. Which included how she was directly responsible for why Otis almost lost his friendship with Eric, and how she tried to sabotage his school dance date with Ola by revealing to her his secret of being a virgin and to not be “surprised if he doesn’t seem keen.” All of which happened in the first season. But throughout the course of the show, she constantly gives him mixed signals about her feelings towards him and always gives him the cold shoulder anytime he tried to move on. Yet when I tried to bring these topics up, I get attacked by users who keep romanticizing their relationship despite it clearly being toxic. Will throw mental gymnastics at you on why Maeve is perfect, and is allowed to behave the way she does and excuse her toxic behaviour regardless if she’s clearly in the wrong.

83 Comments

Adrenapup Apr 19, 2026 +44

Dean Winchester

crankypatriot Apr 19, 2026 +7

Seriously

Grenflik Apr 19, 2026 +13

They let him get away with so much. God forbid Sam try to do something and everyone shits on him.

Rynetx Apr 19, 2026 +12

That feeling when I realized no one but me was team Sam. I thought I missed some huge sign we weren’t suppose to like Sam.

crimson_teacup Apr 19, 2026 +5

Dean stans treat “maybe he’s emotionally stunted and kinda selfish sometimes” like a federal crime. Try phrasing it as “I love him but…” to sneak criticism past the guards.

Owls_Onto_You Apr 19, 2026 +4

As a Dean girl, yes, this is true. You sometimes even get jumped by other Dean fans if you make self-deprecating jokes about him.

southernfirefly13 Apr 19, 2026 +27

Spike, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. On the Buffy sublistnook, you cannot say anything critical of him and his relationship with Buffy without being downvoted and argued into oblivion, it’s ridiculous.

judithishere Apr 19, 2026 +11

I think this could be any Buffy character in certain threads. I have seen people crash out hard over criticism of all the main characters

Draxtonsmitz Apr 19, 2026 +3

What about Angel? 200+ year old “man” insanely infatuated with a 16 year old high school student?

southernfirefly13 Apr 19, 2026 +3

Angel has always been a safe topic for me. Spike, though. Rightfully point out how his relationship with Buffy was abusive and toxic, and not one of genuine and true love, I get met with downvotes and “yeah, but”’s.

Draxtonsmitz Apr 19, 2026 +1

I agree with ya!

pumpkinspruce Apr 19, 2026 +1

Angel was never so beloved by fans though. Certain factions of Buffy had their own little corners of the internet universe where you were not allowed to be critical of their favorites at all. I suppose this is true of any fandom though — like I’m remembering the Harry Potter ship wars.

Very true. He wasn’t on Spike’s level of popularity. But never got into any Buffy “fandoms” or anything like that because, well I’m a 40 year old man lol. I just like the show.

judithishere Apr 19, 2026 +2

So you weren't Bangel or Spuffy? Lol

No option for Spangle? I just made that up but I’m sure it is a real thing of course.

It definitely is

Scary_Sarah Apr 19, 2026 +18

Cousin Richie in the Bear. I don't believe that wearing a suit cured his ADHD and childhood trauma but those are fighting words apparently

Brilliant-Advisor958 Apr 19, 2026 +13

> I don't believe that wearing a suit cured his ADHD and childhood trauma No it wouldn't but if he's doing something he really likes, he can get hyper focused on it and that can seem like a changed personality.

Scary_Sarah Apr 19, 2026 +1

He should try therapy

youravgindian Apr 19, 2026 +2

If anyone believes Richie wearing a suit cured his ADHD and recklessness, they need to re think about life lmao. What caused him to change was moving on from pretending that Mike isn't dead and forgiving himself for taking the blame for Mikey's death. Also, learning that people don't blame him for it. They trust him and that he can be more than what he is and actually contribute to the restaurant's growth, instead of sabotaging it. Wearing suits was a start of change to actually respect himself and take the business and his job, seriously.

kcmart716 Apr 19, 2026 +10

Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds

brilliant-trash22 Apr 19, 2026 +5

Second this. The reid fans on the criminal minds sublistnook are absolutely insufferable and have an unhealthy obsession

SerDire Apr 19, 2026 +14

Dr Robbie on the Pitt. Season 1, we all loved him but season 2 added a little more depth and complexity and in reality he’s just a stressed out boss in a highly stressful job. Wants everyone on their A game and is quick to judge and lash out when he too is dealing with heavy shit. Still a great character but a little harder to digest in season 2 compared to the other characters around him.

HLOFRND Apr 19, 2026 +7

I think at least some of the love for Robbie is transference on the part of people who love Noah and/or John Carter. I love The Pitt, and I love Dr. Robbie, but I don’t think he’s untouchable by any stretch.

SerDire Apr 19, 2026 +5

Especially with another season under our belt, you see all the other characters and just how better people they seem to be. He snapped at Mohan and Javadi this season for various reasons, he’s been cold with Landon for obvious reasons while dealing with a mental health crisis all season (which is a day on the show). You have Abbott and Shen who are his equals and the just seem to be vibing and chilling, no stress at all

HLOFRND Apr 19, 2026 +2

I think we also have to keep in mind that each season is literally one shift. So yeah, he was pretty shitty this season, but like, everyone has a bad day. It’s not like we can look at it and see it as 15 different days where he was shitty. I don’t mean to stan for him, just pointing out that it’s pretty unique that way. Yeah, he was cold to Langdon “all season” but it was literally one shift, not weeks and weeks. It’s an interesting show. I look forward to seeing where it goes. I hate that we have to wait again!!!

jrodfantastic Apr 19, 2026 +10

In no particular order: Ron Swanson, Bubbles, Paulie Walnuts, Creed Bratton, Charlie, Bonnie McMurray, Jason Mendoza, Boyd Crowder, Alphonse Elric, Mr Carson, Disco Stu. I’m sure there are plenty of others I can’t think of at the moment. Based on the parameters set by the OP, these would be characters who would be basically impossible to criticize.

Comfortable-Ad1544 Apr 19, 2026 +6

Disco Stu has enough character for people to have discussion? When I was in between jobs I watched all 32 seasons(that's all there was at the time) and I don't remember him being more than a visual gag or having one line. There is a chunk of seasons in the early 20s that are extra rough so maybe he had an episode I completely zoned out on somewhere in there.

Dustmopper Apr 19, 2026 +10

Well he certainly doesn’t advertise

judithishere Apr 19, 2026 +3

Ron Swanson! Them's fighting words

donutsforbenny Apr 19, 2026 +3

not jason mendoza💔💔 what's your criticism of him?

Be_The_Packet Apr 19, 2026 +3

What’s the critical opinion of Jason Mendoza? It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, he was dumb but not malicious atleast.

Bubbles, as in Powerpuff Girls? Also, not to prove your point, but what exactly would there be to criticisize Alphonse Elric for? FMA is overdue for a rewatch but I seriously can't recall a single negative trait or moment the dude had.

Worried-Tea5316 Apr 19, 2026 +2

I assume it's Bubbles from The Wire.

Owls_Onto_You Apr 19, 2026 +2

Given the usual viewing demographics of this sub, that does make more sense.

Fun_Floor06 Apr 19, 2026 +12

Schmidt from New Girl

FleshWoundsInIthaca_ Apr 19, 2026 +9

So YOU'RE the criminal from the statistics.

LilSwampGod Apr 19, 2026 +8

A-a-a white man?!

kye-kitty10 Apr 20, 2026 +1

"Has anyone seen my driving moccasins?"

retrosgrader Apr 19, 2026 +17

Walter from Breaking Bad, especially in regards to attacking Skylar.

kirby2000 Apr 20, 2026 +1

I would argue that attacking Sky**ler** is more likely to get you downvotes here. The consensus seems to be that everything she did was completely justified because of Walt when (in my opinion) she had character flaws that were present before he started cooking meth.

SofaKingStewPadd Apr 19, 2026 +3

I hated when it became apparent the direction George Martin was taking Jamie Lannister in. My opinion didn't improve with his portrayal in the show. Too many fans lauded him as a badass even though we never actually see much of his martial skill. He likely never killed anyone before Rory and then being unleashed against the unprepared Riverlands. Aerys knighted him young to spite Tywin and kept him close, then Robert kept him leashed to mock him. He himself couldn't come up with much besides tournament wins when he was feeling sorry for himself at his poor showing in the White Book. And regardless he was rendered useless before the end of the first book. Who cares what skill he might have had. As for his great deed and resentment of how Ned treated him, that was his own pride. There's not really any other way Ned could have viewed him sitting on the throne with the king laying dead and the city sacked by his father. Just tell people what happened. If he was really worried about the city, leaving a cache of wildfire buried beneath it wasn't wise. And the way his fans defend his attempted murder of Bran. The kid was playing in his attic, not spying or meddling. He likely didn't really know what was going on, could have been scared into staying quiet, anything but being killed. Then how his relationship was actually okay. Can't even get into that. Just a petulant rich boy.

ParksCity Apr 19, 2026 +9

For some reason, apparently Samira Mohan

SerFinbarr Apr 19, 2026 +11

Pitt fans are something else. To a lesser extent, criticism of Langdon also gets met with a lot of hostility.

TheSecondEikonOfFire Apr 19, 2026 +4

I had no idea how insane they were until about halfway through this season. It’s nuts

cabernet7 Apr 19, 2026 +2

Same with criticism of Santos. So many get so vehement defending any slights against those two.

Soft_Interaction_437 Apr 19, 2026 +8

Stiles from Teen Wolf

HeyThereCorgiGrl7 Apr 19, 2026 +3

Elliot Stabler

TroublesomeTurnip Apr 19, 2026 +3

That guy should not been a cop. Holy c***, his anger issues...

ludicrous_copulator Apr 19, 2026 +2

Yeah, but the crimes I would confess to over that ass

TroublesomeTurnip Apr 19, 2026 +2

XD put me in front of Barba and I'll melt

HeyThereCorgiGrl7 Apr 21, 2026 +1

Have you watched any episodes of SVU? His anger is justified…he cared about getting justice for the kids who were hurt. In some cases the victims couldn’t be angry -he was angry on their behalf..as far as I saw it. But we all have opinions!

fltm29 Apr 19, 2026 +4

Rick Sanchez

TurbulentShock7120 Apr 19, 2026 +8

Rory of the Gilmore Girls

pumpkinspruce Apr 19, 2026 +26

Nah, lots of people hate Rory.

cidvard Apr 19, 2026 +10

If anything hating Rory is the popular take now (and one I've gotten on the bandwagon for after the revival movies).

SofaKingStewPadd Apr 19, 2026 +21

Really? She became horrible. I didn't think that was debatable.

Beverley_Leslie Apr 19, 2026 +19

I have never seen a character take so effortlessly to privilege and the access it’s grants them with so little self awareness. Emily is incredibly aware, unembarrassed and intentional with the power her wealth and status provides her and wields it accordingly. Lorelai was aware enough of the gilded cage to reject it. Rory wants to play poverty while dipping into the resources and support of her grandparents since her teens.

I feel like she was so gobsmacked by the fact that the rest of the world didn't treat her like her mom did. If anything, GG is a cautionary tale about not coddling your children lest they turn out to be whiny brats

Driz51 Apr 19, 2026 +8

I thought she was an incredibly egotistical, selfish, thoughtless, stupid and all around jerk of a person from the start. My opinion on her only lowered the more I watched.

ludicrous_copulator Apr 19, 2026 +1

In the first season, I thought she was pretty normal. But holy c***, after she went to Chilton, all bets were off. She hid her inner b**** under all her niceness, but it was evident fairly soon.

ashmaht Apr 19, 2026 +8

Iroh

Gastroid Apr 19, 2026 +6

What's your critical opinion of Uncle Iroh?

I love Avatar and I like Iroh a lot as a character, but many fans see him as "perfect" and refuse to acknowledge that we meet him AFTER he changed following the death of his son. He was a general for the fire nation during a period of extreme conquest and colonization, known as the "dragon of the west" -- dude has moral clarity NOW, but he's not some "perfect little cinnamon bun" or whatever. He laid siege to a city for 600 days. Plus the way he creeped on June, the bounty hunter, was kinda gross. It's played for laughs, but shouldn't be beyond reproach. "He sees the good in everybody." Sure, except for his 14 year old niece. "He always does the right thing." Again, sure, except for challenging Ozai, or stopping his nephew from attacking villages while looking for the avatar. Like I said, I love Avatar and I like Iroh a lot. I just don't think it's healthy to view any person or any character as "perfect." Nuances matter, and they actually serve to ENHANCE the text.

Be_The_Packet Apr 19, 2026 +4

I think he is redeemable yes, but he was leading an attack in an aggressive war, and only had a change of heart after his son died. He was 50 years old. I think comparatively within the community Azula is seen as irredeemable, irrational when she was a 15yo being manipulated by her father. I think had the original series gotten another season Azula certainly would have been redeemed, I’m really just commenting on what I think the fandom thinks.

Raistlarn Apr 19, 2026 +1

There was a comic that takes place years after the original series. From what I've heard Azula kinda tells everyone to F- off with her actions when they tried to help her.

PlanetLandon Apr 19, 2026 +2

I don’t think the Fonz was very cool.

oldspice75 Apr 19, 2026 +3

Peggy from Mad Men (at the time)

HLOFRND Apr 19, 2026 +1

Come for Elliot Alderson and you’re dead to me.

blueconlan Apr 19, 2026 +1

Shane and Negan from The walking dead.

TroublesomeTurnip Apr 19, 2026 +1

I guess in the Gravity Falls sub, Pacifica for some reason?

TheeAmateurArtist Apr 19, 2026 +1

Ilya Rozanov. Yeah he's s*** as shit but he has issues too

Glum_Caramel_7470 Apr 19, 2026 +1

Christian Kane

quasimdm Apr 19, 2026 +1

Darryl Dixon

swoonyaboutclooney Apr 19, 2026 +1

Zeke from Manifest.

VegetableEvidence245 Apr 19, 2026 +1

Min Ho in xo kitty

Gr0bs Apr 19, 2026 +1

Apparently Wonderman

Pale-Performer-7811 Apr 19, 2026 +2

Ugh Maeve defenders are wild! I remember trying to say similar things about her in that sub and getting downvoted to hell. Like she literally cockblocks Otis every chance she gets but suddenly shes this misunderstood queen who can do no wrong. The mental gymnastics people do for characters they find attractive is insane

phantom_avenger Apr 19, 2026 +1

She’s certainly a flawed person and I enjoyed her character, but I just wish people would be more openminded to admit that she’s not perfect and has hurt people with her unhealthy habits. I enjoyed her storyline more when Otis wasn’t involved tbh

[deleted] Apr 19, 2026 -2

[deleted]

-2

Federico216 Apr 19, 2026 +1

I thought part of the allure of that show was hate watching as almost every character on that show was more insufferable than the last. I don't really have a specific example in mind, but there's a somewhat related thing that really irks me. If you dislike a fictional character, such a common Listnook response is "Oh you must hate them because they're [___]". No, disliking Naomi from Expanse or Brian from Shrinking doesn't automatically make you a racist or a misogynist or a homophobe.

chuckfr Apr 19, 2026

Rick and his kids on The Walking Dead

The Ross and Rachel relationship on Friends

Which TV character is so beloved in a fandom, you get attacked instantly if you share a critical opinion about them?

💬 Send a Message

83 Comments