The Most Annoying TV Kid Characters of All Time, Ranked

These TV kids are known for their groan-worthy catchphrases, wheedling voices, constant meddling and even meanness.

As much as we remember the TV characters we loved as kids, we can also recall the characters who caused our teeth to grind and brows to furrow. The annoying catchphrases, the high-pitched or wheedling voices, the constant meddling and meanness.

Yes, these are the most annoying kids on TV, and we’ve ranked them for you. Just remember, if these kids remind you of your own, you may want to rethink some of your parenting tactics.

20. Ellie MacArthur (The League)

Chicken Sticks/FX Productions / Pics of Celebrities

Played by Alina Foley, Ellie MacArthur’s parents Kevin and Jenny have to cope with their child’s annoying ability to be in the wrong place at the wrong time constantly.

Managing to reveal plans to exactly the wrong people and flummoxing her parents and all those around her, Ellie is one of the most annoying sitcom toddlers of all time.

19. Dana Brody (Homeland)

Teakwood Lane Productions / IMDB

Her father is leading a secretive double life as both a returned prisoner of war and an everyday American dad. Does Dana Brody, played by Morgan Saylor, make it easy for her mother, brother and father to get on with their lives in their already difficult world?

No. Bratty, sulky Dana constantly creates drama and proves that selfishness is her middle name.

18. Glen Bishop (Mad Men)

Lionsgate Television / YouTube

Played by Marten Weiner, Glen Bishop is the all-knowing, frustratingly self-assured kid that causes his mother, Helen, no end of frustration.

Invading the space of the kids and adults around him was Glen’s reason for being — and that includes an awkward moment in which he watches Betty Draper in the bathroom. Not cool, Glen!

17. Kaitlin Cooper (The O.C)

College Hill Pictures, Inc. / IMDB

Califorrrrrrnia, here we come! That theme song was classic. Unfortunately, so was Kaitlin Cooper’s mischievous mind games.

Played by Willa Holland, Kaitlin managed to be even more annoying than Mischa Barton’s Marissa. Not an easy feat. Rebellious, conniving and troublesome, she nailed her role as the bratty little sister perfectly.

16. Charlotte Grayson (Revenge)

Page Fright Productions / IMDB

Christa B. Allen played the devious Charlotte Grayson, who plotted with Declan to extort her mother for funds to buy her own place.

Experimenting with drugs, disappearing from home inexplicably and even driving illegally all kept her poor parents in a constant state of worry.

15. Butters Stotch (South Park)

Braniff Productions / IMDB

There was no shortage of annoying characters coming and going on “South Park.” Some were endearingly annoying, but it’s fair to say Butters Stotch was not endearing at all.

A regular victim of Cartman’s tricks and jokes, Butters’ ignorance and naivete caused him no end of suffering. Did we sympathize? Honestly, not that much.

14. Dawn Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Mutant Enemy Productions / IMDB

With serious work to do as far as fighting off vampires, you’d think everyone could pull together. But no, Dawn Summers is the ultimate bratty little sister who managed to end up the victim of kidnappers or at the center of melodrama on multiple occasions.

Fortunately, Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn disappears later in the series with very little explanation. Perhaps even the show’s writers found her annoying?

13. Shane Botwin (Weeds)

Tilted Productions / IMDB

Alexander Gould plays the creepy Shane Botwin. His mother is dealing dope, so it does seem a little unfair to judge poor Shane for being so annoying. Still, he is.

The regular victim of school bullies, Shane demonstrates his own concerningly unapologetic propensity for violence and a worrisome sexual attraction to his own mother.

12. Sophia Peletier (The Walking Dead)

Idiot Box Productions / IMDB

Played by Madison Lintz, Sophia Peletier creates constant worry for everyone around her. Rick simply asked her to stay in one place for a few minutes, but could she manage that? Evidently, no.

Sophia didn’t last long in the series before disappearing inexplicably and fueling half a season of characters searching for her.

11. Olivia Kendall (The Cosby Show)

Carsey-Werner Productions / IMDB

Olivia Symone Kendall was only 4 years old when she first showed up on “The Cosby Show” as the only daughter of Martin and Paula Kendall. Paula gives full custody of the poor girl to Martin before she’s handed over to her stepmother, Denise.

No wonder she’s such a handful. Thankfully, the Huxtables were much fonder of her than any of the viewers.

10. Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten (The Simpsons)

20th Century Fox Television / IMDB

Yes, the very one and only Milhouse from “The Simpsons.” Even though he vehemently tried to be cool, trailing Bart Simpson around like a lovelorn teenager or an enthusiastic puppy, he just failed on every try.

His inability to win over Lisa Simpson was a little heartbreaking, though. Believe it or not, Milhouse’s signature wheedling voice was actually that of Pamela Hayden.

9. Seven (Married… With Children)

Columbia Pictures Television / IMDB

Seven was the cousin of Peg Bundy. Zemus and Ida Mae Wanker’s child, Seven only appeared in 12 episodes, but thanks to his infuriating ability to just be present, even when not wanted, they were a long 12 episodes.

Fans hated him and believed that his introduction to the show was causing it to go downhill. By the eighth season, he had inexplicably vanished. The Bundys didn’t even seem to care. That point is made obvious in a scene that shows Seven as a missing kid on a milk carton, but no one in the family notices.

8. Sam McKinney (Diff’rent Strokes)

Tandem Productions / IMDB

We all know the story: Arnold and Willis were adopted by a rich white man in New York City. But it isn’t until later in the series that Sam McKinney, played by Danny Cooksey, became a key character on this popular TV series from the 1970s and ’80s.

Sam was introduced in the seventh season when Maggie McKinney married Mr. Drummond and moved into the house. But fans hated him for his extraordinary bratty attitude.

7. Jerry Jamal Jameson (Family Matters)

Miller-Boyett Productions / IMDB

Jerry Jamal, played by Orlando Brown, is the young orphan adopted by Carl and Harriette in the 1996-1997 season. As if Steve “Urkel” wasn’t bad enough, Jerry Jamal was almost painful to watch.

His obnoxious manner could be explained by his lack of family roots and his frequent moving between families before finding some stability. Whatever the reasons for his attitude though, he was irritating and viewers didn’t sympathize.

6. Namond Brice (The Wire)

Blown Deadline Productions / Fandom

A drug-dealing, school-skipping brat who constantly harangued neighborhood boys, Namond was played by Julito McCullum. No shortage of self-importance fueled his constant harassment of teachers, neighbors, his mother and … well, everyone.

Of all the characters creating trouble on “The Wire,” it’s Namond who stood out as far as being a true annoyance.

5. A.J. Soprano Jr. (The Sopranos)

Chase Films / IMDB

An overly sensitive, maladjusted, lazy kid who just managed to fail in every aspect of his life. If he wasn’t such a brat, perhaps we’d feel sorry for Anthony John “A.J.” Soprano Jr., but alas, he was just too annoying.

In early seasons, he trails his accomplished, conscientious sister, but in later episodes, he becomes more and more darkly troubled. With a father (Tony Soprano) who is a key character in the local mafia, is it any wonder he isn’t the epitome of goodness though?

4. Tate Langdon (American Horror Story)

20th Century Fox Television / IMDB

Played by Evan Peters, Tate is a murdering rapist. So, rather than purely being annoying, he’s genuinely reprehensible in this very dark series.

His heartbreaker looks don’t manage to make up for his vile personality and his ability to make us grind our teeth at his constant self-pitying behavior.

3. Prince Joffrey Baratheon (Game of Thrones)

Television 360 / IMDB

Was there any more repulsive, miserable and homicidal child in this show — or perhaps any show, ever? Not that we recall.

Played by Jack Gleeson, Joffrey Baratheon was the epitome of evil, with narcissism fueling basically every one of his motives. Incapable of empathy or compassion, he is the constant nemesis of the Stark family.

2. Samuel “Screech” Powers (Saved by the Bell)

Peter Engel Productions / IMDB

Screech was annoying just to look at, but when he opened his mouth, it only got worse. Dustin Diamond played this wimpy, constantly wheedling kid on “Saved by the Bell” and the following offshoot series “Saved by the Bell: The College Years” and “Saved by the Bell: The New Class.”

He considered himself to be catnip to women while actually being the school geek, the target of constant bullying and manipulation. Loud, mismatched outfits and mouthiness ensured he was never going to be liked.

1. Ricky Stevens (The Partridge Family)

Screen Gems Television / IMDB

Ricky Stevens, played by Rick Segall, was the precocious brat introduced at age four on “The Partridge Family.” A neighbor of the Partridges, the character has been blamed by fans for the inevitable decline and end of the show itself.

Stevens was in 10 of the first 12 episodes during 1973 and 1974, though his role was insignificant, and he vanished without explanation by the 11th episode. He was supposed to be the cute little singing wannabe star, but he was actually just — you guessed it — annoying.