Though there is nothing to laugh about or love about sexism in real life, it is a character trait that keeps rearing its head in a bunch of characters, both old and new. Sometimes it is a deliberate choice by the writers, other times it is not quite as clear.
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Still, as terrible as it is there are instances we find ourselves drawn to, or even sympathetic towards these characters. After all, what is good television if not good escapism, right?
For that reason, we have compiled a list of a few of those characters who, though would be the cause of a lot of complaints to HR in real life, are quite likable onscreen even if they are a bit problematic.
1. The Vulture (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
He may have acquired his nickname because of his penchant for swooping in and stealing cases from the detectives at the 9-9 right at the death, but he also is unrivaled in his ability to drop hilariously sexist comments practically anytime he sees a woman.
2. Barney (How I Met Your Mother)
Funny, charming and highly charismatic. But over the course of the show's run, Barney showed a tendency to treat the women he was involved with as nothing more than objects for his own gratification.
3. Tony DiNozzo (NCIS)
Ever the infantile prankster and general deadweight, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything special Tony brings to the team other than movie references and a strong whiff of arrogance and chauvinism. The logical half of our brain is telling us not to like this guy, but somehow we do, and that is why he got to stay on for over a dozen seasons.
4. Ari Gold (Entourage)
He may have been a faithful husband, despite his tendency to makes empty boasts in front of his friends about sleeping with models, Ari has taken every opportunity to lambast or grope any woman that happens to be around him at that time, including an imaginary sister.
5. Serena Joy (The Handmaid's Tale)
As one of the chief architects of the dystopian hellhole that is Gilead, Serena's situation captured the very essence of karmic retribution after she was pushed aside in favor of the men. In spite of her colossal missteps, it's hard not to feel sorry for her when Fred physically abuses her.
6. Christian Troy (Nip/Tuck)
If we were to make a list of Christian's sexual partners it'd be longer than the Nile, but that fact alone, in and of itself isn't the problem. It's the way Christian exploits his position as a doctor to get his patients into his bed without a hint of remorse, and that's just the tip of this iceberg. The writers decided to not only use his sex addiction as a crutch, but they also added an unnecessarily dark backstory just to make him sympathetic. In hindsight, it kinda worked because we were rooting for him in spite of his many atrocities.
