Cancel culture reflects a divided line in not just Hollywood, but the whole world. While it is a good thing to hold people accountable for their actions, many stars have found themselves under the microscope and have had what seems like their every word dissected. While cancel culture often goes after the individual, fictional characters can also come under fire as well.
As the world has become more diverse and broad-minded, the behaviours of many iconic TV characters now feel feel out of touch and outdated. Of course, these are works of fiction, but writers must now try their best to create characters that will stand the test of time and endure a lasting legacy that will be truly timeless. So, here are 5 iconic TV characters who likely wouldn’t make it to our TV sets today.
5. Carrie Heffernan – The King of Queens
The King of Queens followed a similar formula to many sitcoms of its time, focusing on the home life of Doug (Kevin James) and Carrie Heffernan (Leah Remini), a working class couple in their 30s. However, where this series stood out was with the fact that the two didn’t have children, instead, they had Carrie’s loud and mischievous elderly father Arthur (Jerry Stiller) living with them. His overbearing presence was often the source of their arguments as Doug never wanted him there in the first place.
At the show’s core, Doug and Carrie were presented as a loving couple who would do anything for each other, and this was felt throughout. Yet, many of the sitcom’s funniest moments came from their intense arguments. Where the problem would be today is with Carrie’s aggressive behaviour. While Doug was no saint, often lying his way out of trouble, Carrie would regularly body shame him and punch him in the stomach. In one episode, she even pushes him down the stairs. The series made light out of this dyanmic, painting Doug as a man who is physically afraid of his wife, but in essence, it would be considered an abusive relationship in the real world. Therefore, it’s hard to imagine Carrie Heffernan surviving cancel culture if the show was fresh on the screen today.
4. Joey Tribbiani – Friends
Friends is without a doubt one of the most legendary sitcoms off all time and has 6 Primetime Emmys to show for it. Following 6 best pals, the show captured the hearts of TV fanatics across the globe with its simple premise that almost anyone can relate to. Amongst the group of New York buddies, Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) was the clumsy yet loveable dunce. A bachelor through and through, Joey was a struggling actor who spent his downtime drinking beers, eating copious amounts of food, and let’s not forget – pursuing women.
While Joey was kind and nurturing and protective over his friends, when it came to women, he had little respect for them. The show ran for 10 seasons and by the end of the show, when everyone else was shacked up, he hadn’t found a girlfriend. But this was by choice. In the grand scheme of things, there is nothing wrong with being single forever. However, Joey sometimes went about it in the wrong way, often sleeping with women and never calling them again. If Friends came onto the airwaves for the first time today, it’s hard to imagine such a womanizing character being so popular. He would likely need to be redeemed in other ways than being the class clown of the group.
3. David Brent – The Office
When The Office landed on the BBC in 2001, virtually nobody knew who Ricky Gervais was. This worked wonders for the show, as given that it was a mockumentary, many viewers thought they were actually watching a real documentary. The illusion was soon broken when David Brent’s (Gervais) actions seemed way too outrageous and un-PC to be a real-life person. In the eyes of many, Gervais brought cringe comedy to the mainstream, as Brent was constantly saying and doing things that made us all wince. However, he was still likeable, as underneath his eccentric exterior, he was really just a lonely man who wanted to be liked by his colleagues and anyone who came across.
Ricky Gervais and writing partner Stephen Merchant crafted one of the most multi-dimensional characters in Brent. He was a man in a somewhat powerful position as a leader of his office, however, what he cared most about was everyone having a good time. Throughout the show, Brent talked a lot about ‘morale’, yet, the way he attempted to boost it was by telling crude and often racist jokes. Even when this landed him in trouble with corporate, he still persisted. Today, it would be near-impossible to root for such a character, meaning the show would not have a protagonist. In fact, Merchant said it himself during an interview with The Telegraph in 2015, saying: “This idea that we have to police ourselves, that we might say the wrong thing and upset someone or something. It’s not fun. It’s just not fun. I don’t think The Office would have got off the ground if we’d made it now. I think it would have been shut down. I think the BBC would have been too jumpy.”
2. Charlie Harper – Two and a Half Men
By the time that Two and a Half Men landed on CBS in 2003, Charlie Sheen‘s reputation had been shattered but the show served as a second chance of sorts. What the series did differently to other sitcoms was play on Sheen’s negative traits and attempt to make light out of them. While this worked a lot of the time, other times it fell flat on its face. The character, also named Charlie, frequently exhibited deeply problematic behaviour, treating most women he encountered with disdain and objectifying them. The relationships he did engage in were marked by deception and superficiality; female characters were often misled and discarded with alarming ease, painting a portrait of emotional recklessness that would likely now fail to resonate positively, even within the show’s comedic context.
As the show progressed, the characters around Charlie began to express disapproval of his actions, possibly to appease to some of the backlash around him. However, Charlie remained stagnant, showcasing little to no personal growth or remorse for his behaviour, in turn going against the typical formula of a sitcom. Particularly concerning to many was the influence he had on his impressionable young nephew, whose views on women and relationships could be shaped by his uncle’s irresponsible behaviour. To that, it’s unlikely that this character would prevail in today’s more sensitive climate.
1. George Costanza – Seinfeld
If you’re well-versed with the comedic writing duo of Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, you’ll likely be aware that when they created Seinfeld, they never set out to make any of their characters likeable. In fact, they are all somewhat flawed, which is perhaps what made the show such a massive success, because who can say they are perfect? However, George Costanza (Jason Alexander) shined as the character who took things a little too far a little too often. From an overall negative outlook on life, to constant rude comments, to low jokes at people’s expense, and casual racism, George was quite difficult to get behind at times.
Where George’s fanfare arguably came from was with the absurd situations he always managed to get himself into to, making his best moments more reactionary. Many of these bizarre scenarios were actually inspired by Larry David’s real-life experiences, as the character was loosely based on him. However, it’s fair to say that George is an exaggerated version, just not as blown-up as David’s character in Curb Your Enthusiasm, a much more adult-targeted show. So, if Seinfeld was made today, would George survive cancel culture? Well, if the show aimed itself at a PG-13 type audience, probably not. If it went down the Curb Your Enthusiasm route, maybe. As let’s face it, Larry David has gotten away with much worse during that show.
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