Have you ever watched someone write the main character to be intentionally problematic? When we think of main characters, we think they're the good guy who's going to be the savior of their universe and be a great person to be around, but there are more and more problematic characters whose main purpose isn't to be a good person, or even save the world. A great example of this trope would be Rick from "Rick and Morty", but if you idolize Rick or say that he's a role model, you probably shouldn't be watching this show.
Rick, the grandfather of the other main character Morty, is constantly shown to be a bad influence on his grandson and the rest of his family, always ruining something, yet there are so many people who actually idolize him and feel sorry for him. I'm not talking about the people who do it ironically, but the people who feel like Rick is this amazing character who's "misunderstood" and "deep". Rick isn't a good person, and that's the entire point of his character.
Another example of a character that shouldn't be idolized is Bojack Horseman, from the Netflix series of the same name. Bojack is a depressed, flawed character who's best known for his main character on the hit 80s show "Horsin' Around." Bojack constantly hurts the ones around him, makes decisions based on his emotions and has problems with alcoholism, yet people excuse his actions and say that he's just "sad."
Bojack's character, like Rick, was created to show that depression can make you a terrible person if you let it. Bojack and Rick both have issues that stem from them acting with how they're feeling inside. It shows that mental illness isn't an excuse to be a terrible person. Bojack and Rick are never seen trying to do anything to fix the issues they have, which results in flaws in behavior and how they cope, and as a result, ends up hurting the people around them.
Why do people end up missing the point of these characters? It's because what they do is so random and so stupid that it's funny to watch. Some of what Bojack and Rick do or say can even be relatable (well, okay, maybe we don't all relate to turning into a pickle, but work with me here). Bojack is depressed despite being rich and having a "famous" lifestyle. He's sensitive, doesn't know how to control his emotions, and lashes out to other people. Rick is an alcoholic who does whatever he wants without thinking of the consequences that can happen. That's not cute, it's destructive. These shows were made to show the people (and horses) whose illnesses and alcoholism destroy them. Bojack and Rick are important to watch, and they're both great shows, but if you watch these shows thinking they're amazing people, you should probably stick to a different show.
