Waiter, there's a fly in my soup

Cute article in USA Today's Pop Candy column about characters you hate. Sometimes it's just the characters and the way they are written, sometimes it's the actors portraying them, sometimes it's both.

Here are mine (from current shows):

1. Meredith Grey, Grey's Anatomy. The only one I can think of who was so profoundly annoying that I deleted the show off my Tivo season pass list. A whiny, ponderous skank who thinks she's all that. Granted, I grew to dislike just about every character on this show, but Meredith leads the hate list.
2. Julia Mallory, Dirt. I think Laura Harris is attractive. But there's something about her acting that completely rubs me the wrong way. I hate her character here, I hated her character on The 4400 and if wasn't for her making out with her drug dealer on Dirt, I would use the 30 second skip button liberally.
3. Cally, Battlestar Galactica. I was torn between Helo and Cally, but eventually went with Cally. See my earlier post for just a few reasons why.
4. Niki, Heroes. Who really gives a shit about the clichéd and lame trollop with a heart of gold, just trying to make ends meet for her kid? Ecch. Occasionally, I enjoy Jessica when she gets her ass kicking on, and despite my loathing for the character, I do think Ali Larter does a nice job of switching back and forth between the two personas.
5. TJ, Gilmore Girls. A totally annoying character whose stupidity is too much to believe, even in the wacky world of Stars Hollow. It's one thing to spew inanity and have an interesting delivery (like, say, Kirk in the same show), but when you couple it with an over the top and grating delivery, it's just cringe-worthy.
6. Carla, Scrubs. Carla was an amusing, if "second tier funny," member of the cast in the beginning. The last couple of seasons, it's been all seriousness and all about the baby. And dear gods, do I hate babies on my TV.
7. Janet, Rescue Me. Hot? Yes. Funny in an argument, and just as manipulative and angry as her ex, Tommy Gavin? Yep. Loathsome and more or less unredeemed? Difficult to watch or empathize with? Yeah and Yeah.
8. Oliva Benson, Law and Order SVU. Nice, sweet and concerned in real life, annoying, sanctimonious and sainted as a character.
9. Milo, 24. I haven't liked Eric Balfour, his supposed neo-hippness nor his pubic looking facial hair in any of the shows they've tried to foist him upon us.
10. Casey, Shark. Not sure which one this is? That's because the "remoras," or "sharklettes" have very little written personality. There's the chick with the Sideshow Bob hair, who stares disapprovingly at Shark. There's the smoking hot bitch with the nasally voice, high heels and questionable morals. There was the dude from Stargate who got killed. And then there's Casey, whose only distinguishing characteristic seems to be the look of having a king sized dip of skoal in his lip. I keep looking for a spit cup in every scene.

Dishonorable mention: Catherine from CSI, Martin from Without a Trace, Everyone on Grey's Anatomy, Parker from Veronica Mars, Michelle on Nip/Tuck (she's gone now, hopefully), Wayne Palmer's sister on 24.