The reason the characters in happy-go-lucky boozy womanizer, Charlie, the hapless Alan, or even the icy Judith, each of the characters from the show left a deep impact on its viewers.
Though the show is full of people who are deeply flawed and can hardly command sympathy, there are certain characters that are definitely more relatable and likable than others. Here’s a look at some of the characters from the series, ranked based on their likability.
Evelyn
It should come as no surprise that the Harper family matriarch, Evelyn, is by far the hardest person to warm up to. The diabolical, narcissistic Evelyn had often been referred to as 'Satan' by Charlie and though that may be an exaggeration, Evelyn has proved herself to be unbelievably shrewd and selfish.
It's not that she doesn't love her sons and her grandson - she's even aware of how complicated she made Charlie and Alan's childhood. But her plotting against her sons and her relentless criticism constantly weighs on Charlie and Alan and takes a toll on their relationships.
Judith
Judith came across as someone who clearly had a vendetta against her ex, Alan. Post their divorce, Alan and Judith agree to co-parent Jake, and while Alan has often tried to put up a united front and keep things civil, Judith has been particularly unyielding and nasty in her approach.
In her defense, fans of the show have often pointed out how Judith has been depicted to fit the stereotype of the vengeful ex-wife. But besides being hateful and uncompromising, Judith has also proved herself to be deceitful, especially since she clearly does not want Alan to be happy or even get his life together and takes quite a bit of joy in his misery.
Rose
Rose is easily one of the scariest characters on the show and also the most unpredictable. She's Charlie's stalker and has proved herself to be quite deadly, especially if scorned.
Rose develops a curious dynamic with the Harpers, especially as she doesn't mind hanging around their home, often babysitting Jake or even entertaining Charlie's dates. But she makes Charlie decidedly uneasy, as she often gives in to her stalker tendencies and is quite delusional.
Mia
Charlie's ex-fiancee has often drawn the ire of the show's fandom, simply because she tried desperately to turn Charlie into something he's not. Mia knew from the very beginning that Charlie is a carefree slacker who's not particularly ambitious, especially since he was never in want of money.
So, fans could never understand why Mia would be with someone who she clearly doesn't appreciate or even respect all that much. To be fair, many other women have tried to make Charlie a better person, but Mia's way of manipulating Charlie was not just tedious, but also unethical. Not to mention, she never understood Charlie and Alan's relationship.
Berta
It's very hard to define the housekeeper of the Harper household because she is a tough and temperamental straight shooter, but has also proved that she can be quite selfless and caring in certain aspects. The best thing about Berta is that she doesn't judge, and even if she does, she believes in 'live and let live' and never gets preachy.
The Harpers value her presence, even though she's not very good at her job and not even very warm, friendly or accommodating, but she's almost like family to them.
Alan
Alan is one of the most nuanced characters on the show. His self-awareness has often surprised viewers since he never really seems to make any substantial changes to fix his situation, even though he's acutely aware of why people mock him.
As the show progressed, Alan became more and more like the 'loser' his family made him out to be. But after season 5, fans found it particularly difficult to sympathize with Alan, as he became deceitful and unethical and even started exploiting his family and friends.
Herb
Herb is Judith's second husband, who's a lot friendlier and kinder than his wife and also a lot more generous. He is a good step-father to Jake and even develops a warm relationship with Alan, which is surprising since he's Judith's ex-husband.
Herb is a good-natured pediatrician who comes across as the antidote to Judith's cold hostility, especially towards the Harpers. He is not without flaws, and yet is perhaps the least controversial character on the show, who has demonstrated time and again that he's capable of being the bigger man. He's also a decent husband, as he is willing to work at his marriage and is not above addressing the issues in his relationship.
Charlie
Despite his outrageous devil-may-care lifestyle, the one thing that particularly stands out about Charlie is his almost zen-like approach to life. He can still be petty, jealous, suspicious, greedy and even manipulative, but Charlie believes in taking each day as it comes.
A lot has been said about how he sees women as conquests and how he's averse to commitment, but he has never made a big secret of what he's all about, especially to those around him. Charlie has also shown that he's capable of being loving, selfless and caring, and clearly loves Alan and Jake. He gets anxious when he senses change and immediately craves the safety net of his family, which may be the most relatable thing about him.
Chelsea
Of all the women Charlie has been, with Chelsea has been a true companion to him. She was the exact opposite of Mia, who sought so desperately to change Charlie. Chelsea accepted Charlie for who he is and actually made him want to be a better man, so much so that Charlie even went to therapy so he could work on the relationship.
Chelsea is also one of the few women Charlie actually cared for very deeply and when he asked her to marry him, he did envision a future with her, which was a big deal, considering his fear of commitment. In fact, fans still believe that getting back together with Chelsea was the only way to bring Charlie back from the path of self-sabotage.
Jake
The reason why Jake is so widely loved by fans is that his predicament has always worried them the most. An impressionable kid from a broken home who's not particularly gifted and has to live with an alcoholic, womanizing uncle and mooch of a father could grow up to be a very distraught person. But Jake has always come across as a grounded kid and seemed to show a lot of self-awareness.
In fact, in spite of all the jokes about him being dumb, he has always possessed a sense of precociousness, especially since he has not let the insecurities of his father and his uncle rub off on him. He's not only a good son, but also grows up to be a good partner, and is clearly capable of being in balanced, loving relationships. He is also, surprisingly, the least bitter person in his family.
