10 TV Characters Who Deserved Better
4. Dean Forester - Gilmore Girls
Dean Forester was one of Gilmore Girls' finest creations. With a knowledge like no other on the show, and a witty tongue to go with it, Dean was instantly likeable, and his relationship with Rory Gilmore was largely one of the strongest elements of the show's first season.
Dean was everything Rory could've hoped for in a boyfriend. He was kind, caring and considerate, and looked after Rory with every fibre of his being. However, the character received the short straw from the writers, as he was cast aside so that bad boy Jess could win Rory's affection.
If that wasn't bad enough, the ambitious teen failed to realise any of his dreams, settling for working as a handyman in Stars Hollow, before marrying Lindsay - a character he had no chemistry with. Not long afterwards, he cheated on Lindsay with Rory - an act that was so out-of-character for Dean. The whole thing was contrived, and went against everything we'd learned about the character previously.
It wasn't just the writing that let the character down, however, as Rory treated him really poorly during their brief romance in Season 5 - a move that was nothing more than a plot device to aid in Rory succumbing to the rich lifestyle that awaited her with Logan. After this, Dean barely featured, and although his brief appearance in Netflix revival offered some closure, it doesn't change the fact that the writers gave Dean a very raw deal.