The most tortured TV characters of all time

Bonnie's selflessness was actually her downfall. She was so busy using her magic and sacrificing her own life for the betterment of friends, loved ones, and her town. Of course, a number of her family and loved ones died on her watch, thus adding to the trauma Bonnie (Kat Graham) experienced and to the overall complexity of her character. In The Vampire Diaries world, Bonnie is considered a true tortured soul who definitely deserved better. 

Another iconic television character. Benson (portrayed by the great Mariska Hargitay) has plenty going for her. However, she's also a bit jaded from a rough, abusive past with her mother. Benson is good at her job, rising from detective to captain. She also tends to get emotionally invested in her cases; through time, her career in SVU wears on her. She's seen everything and endured plenty of physical and emotional pain, but has persevered and moved on with strength that would have destroyed even the most hard-boiled cops. 

Yes, Charlie Brown is a "good man." He's also a pushover. He is often taken advantage of by his friends. Snoopy likes to mess with him, Peppermint Patty calls him "Chuck," and we all know what Lucy keeps doing with that football. Charlie Brown never really succeeds at much, whether in baseball or getting that "Little Red-Haired Girl," who never notices him. That said, Charlie Brown is resilient. While he can be ho-hum, he never quits and keeps trying. 

Mischa Barton's Marissa Cooper was one of the more iconic fictional teen characters of all time. So, it was seemingly unthinkable that she would be killed off in the 2006 Season 3 finale of the popular WB drama. In dramatic fashion, Marissa died in the arms of love, Ryan (Ben McKenzie), following a car accident. As Barton noted on many occasions, Marissa was such a tortured heroine that it was only a matter of time before she met her demise. However, hardcore fans of the show still can't believe it happened.

Wile E. Coyote's inability to catch The Road Runner remains one of the great fails in television history. Knowing Road Runner is too fast for the Coyote to catch on his own, the latter resorts to various goofy means to get the job done. It often involved a variety of ACME explosive products that ultimately backfired on the Coyote (pun intended). He is blown up, burned, falls off several cliffs, and endures more cartoon abuse than any animated character should have to handle. 

Flawed, immature, and abrasive, the woman known only as "Fleabag" (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) was also vulnerable, honest, and jaded, which makes her more appealing and attractive. The coolness element of television's most celebrated character from the last 15 years cannot be denied, largely because she's human. Her life is truly dysfunctional, but she's hilarious, heartwarming, and easy to root for despite her obvious flaws. 

There are plenty of Shameless fans who find Fiona (Emmy Rossum) completely annoying. She's generally an angry person, whose outlets are questionable (casual sex and fights). But, she also happens to be the most mature and dependable member of the dysfunctional Gallagher family. The eldest daughter, who tries to hold a large family together without a mother, and essentially minus their father. If Fiona didn't keep getting in the way of herself, she might actually make some steady accomplishments. 

Amid the Grey's Anatomy universe, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) has seen and experienced it all -- good and certainly bad. From one-night stands to marriage to having a miscarriage to motherhood to the death of her husband to natural and man-made disasters. And she's managed to survive it all for parts of the more than 20 television seasons the popular show has aired. Talk about resilience. Meredith Grey is one of the most empowering women in television history.

Carrie (Claire Danes) sure dealt with a lot during her career with the CIA—and beyond. Mathison lived with bipolar disorder, and her significant other appeared to be a terrorist. Despite all that she had to deal with, Carrie was somewhat of a role model, especially for those dealing with mental illness. She was strong-willed and capable of saving portions of the planet from potential destruction. Considering her backstory, there's otherworldly pressure.

Yes, they "killed Kenny." Perhaps the most notable phrase from this classic animated cable stalwart. We must admit, the first time Kenny was actually killed was quite troubling, since he was a boy. However, it soon became obvious this was going to be a running gag and a staple of South Park episodes. Killing a child isn't necessarily appropriate, but the ways he goes out continue to draw laughs. 

One of the great network television characters of the 2000s. A member of the rock band Drive Shaft, Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) struggled with addiction prior to the crash, but is one of the more sympathetic figures on the island. He's smitten with Claire and has become an unlikely father figure to baby Aaron. So, one can imagine just how heartbreaking it was when Charlie drowned during the Season 3 finale while trying to save the others on the island. 

One man can't run a respectable and profitable meth business alone. Walter White  has his man as a partner and friend, Jesse (Aaron Paul). One of Walt's former students, the underachieving Jesse, continues to learn from his old chemistry teacher while teaching his older friend a thing or two. That said, Jesse gravitates toward trouble, and not just from making drugs. Remember that truly toxic relationship with Jane? Jesse endured plenty of physical and psychological trauma throughout his life.

Donnie Wahlberg, the unofficial leader of New Kids on the Block, turned into an above-average actor. As the  son of the NYPD commissioner, Danny is hardcore and pushes many boundaries in his detective work. He's also managed to endure a lot while being part of a police family. He had to deal with losing his wife to a medical helicopter accident that appears to have been orchestrated. And, even before that, lost his older brother on the job. Danny has since made his way to Boston (Wahlberg's actual hometown area) after his police officer son nearly died, and he is fighting crime there.

There's a serious argument to be made that this is actually Kate Winslet's most noteworthy role. It's perhaps the most raw and emotional performance Winslet has delivered. She played a Philadelphia-area detective who is hard-working but jaded. An emotionally tortured mother and grandmother who is still haunted by a tragic past (losing her son) and trying to solve the case of a murdered young woman, and the lingering case of another who disappeared. Winslet won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the part.

There are plenty of memorable characters from NYPD Blue, but Detective Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) is no doubt at the top of the list. Andy endured plenty during the run of this uber-popular show, including battles with alcoholism and losing a son, a wife, and two partners (played by Jimmy Smits and Ricky Schroder). It's a wonder the guy was left standing by the end of the series. Franz won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for his iconic role.  

The eldest daughter of Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn Stark.  Sophie Turner's Sansa is another character on this list who used resilience and self-will to overcome some horrendous tragedy. Notably, she watched her father's head being chopped off and other murders within her family. She dealt with physical and mental torture, and endured a tumultuous marriage. As the saying goes, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."  

How many people could balance school, friends, and killing vampires to keep the Earth spinning? Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) seemed to pull it off without a hitch. OK, maybe it was all too much to ask for a young woman to do at times, but Buffy was a battler. She was also a great friend and was literally willing to put her life on the line (she actually died twice) for those she cared about — or didn't even know, for that matter. Oh yeah, she also battled depression.

In the history of 90210 , popular girl Kelly (Jennie Garth) dealt with a lack of self-esteem, underwent a nose job, managed to shed her image as "easy" and overcame an eating disorder. And that was just in high school. Following her days at West Beverly High, Kelly suffered severe burns during a fire at a rave, got sucked into a cult, and battled a drug addiction. Yet, she came out clean on the other end of all that. 

When you spend time in Hell, the trauma is genuine. At least that's what viewers learned from the Winchester brothers. Sam (Jared Padalecki) endured plenty of actual torture while spending 40 years in Hell, and he had his soul encased by the devil. Meanwhile, Dean (Jensen Ackles) was possessed and had to endure the losses of his mother and girlfriend. Meanwhile, both walked around with a tremendous amount of guilt for the way their lives had unfolded.