10 TV Characters Who Deserved Better

For fans of television, there's nothing quite like sitting down to enjoy your favourite show. The series that we love are designed to provide many things for us, from simple escapism to pure joy, but the main component that we require in order for a series to keep our attention is really a selection of compelling characters.

Without these characters, TV programmes simply wouldn't be worth watching, which is why it's so frustrating for us when the writers and producers of our fave shows neglect some of their best fictional creations, refusing to allow him or her to reach their full potential, and - on occasion - kill the character off for no obvious reason whatsoever.

More often than not, the characters who fall victim to such fates are those that are forced into the background, despite shining brighter than the protagonist. It's the ultimate betrayal. After the hours we've spent with these people, is it too much to ask to see their story reach a natural conclusion? Believe it or not, we like to see these characters achieving their dreams, accomplishing their goals, or simply being able to stay alive against all odds.

With The Walking Dead having recently committed an atrocity of this nature, let's take a look at several characters that deserved so much more than what they were given.

Smash initially focused on the creation of a Broadway musical centred around Marilyn Monroe. By the time the second season rolled around, protagonist Karen Cartwright had had enough of the Blonde Bombshell, and found herself drawn into the darker, sexier world of Hit List: The Musical.

Enter Kyle Bishop. The young fashionable thespian was one of the best things about Smash's second season, which is why it's so hard to understand why he received so little screen time. The character was full of potential, and was far from one dimensional. What's more, his unrequited love for Jimmy allowed viewers to empathise with to him.

The writers attempted to use Kyle's death as a means to help solve the conflict between several of the main characters, which was an admirable move on their part, but they failed to realise that they'd squandered an incredibly strong character for the sake of a quick plot fix.

Considering the character was incredibly optimistic and positive, removing him from the Smash resulted in the show losing a lot of its charm. So much of the character's brief arc was about him achieving his dream, and yet he was robbed of this moment - and so were the viewers.

Actor Andy Mientus did a wonderful job bringing Kyle to life, and his rendition of Everybody Love You Now remains one of the show's greatest musical offerings.