History CharacterPerceptionEvolution / WesternAnimation

** While [[Characters/MiraculousLadybugAdrienAgreste Adrien/Cat Noir's]] base-breaking status developed fairly early in the show's run, [[Characters/MiraculousLadybugMarinetteDupainCheng Marinette/Ladybug]] used to be near universally beloved by fans. This started changing at some point during season 3, thanks to a combination of her shortcomings as a character becoming more numerous and blatant (as was happening with a number of other characters at the time), Adrien fans getting tired of what they perceived as other fans bashing their favorite character and deciding to give her the same treatment in turn, and a glut of "salt fic" writers constantly ignoring her flaws and turning her into a perfect angel who deserves everything on a silver platter while her loved ones suffer, much to the annoyance of less salty fans. Nowadays, while she still has a loyal fanbase, she's just as much of a base-breaker to the general fandom as her partner.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': [[Characters/SpongeBobSquarePantsSquidwardTentacles Squidward Tentacles]] was conceived as an "entertaining jerk" character with his snotty personality and one-sided friendship with [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick (with Squidward being the non-reciprocating party), with this defining his perception during the show's first three seasons. However, several factors over the years would lead to his reputation growing more positive: later seasons featured a number of episodes that downplayed his {{jerkass}} qualities while increasing his sympathetic haplessness; other characters would be {{flanderized}} in [[TookALevelInJerkass the opposite direction]]; and most significantly, the show's initial child audience would grow up and enter the workforce, resulting in them sympathizing more with Squidward's characterization as a beleaguered food service worker. Consequently, Squidward is seen nowadays as more relatable than the show's own title character by a significant number of fans, being regarded as an accurate depiction of modern adult ennui.

* While Scrappy-Doo from ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' may be the {{Trope Namer|s}} of TheScrappy, when introduced in ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndScrappyDoo'' his popularity saved the show from being pulled off airwaves due to its waning ratings, being the KidAppealCharacter in a cast filled by teenagers and an adult dog. However the attempt to cash in on this popularity by turning Scrappy into a SpotlightStealingSquad in ''WesternAnimation/TheScoobyDooAndScrappyDooShow'' backfired horribly and would forever taint fan reception of the character due to Velma, Daphne, and Fred being removed from the cast, along with the series shifting from a half-hour mystery series investigating fake monsters to a ThreeShorts format where Scrappy, Scooby and Shaggy face real monsters. By the time of the series revival in the ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooDirectToVideoFilmSeries'', the fandom hate of Scrappy-Doo bled into the franchise and any later mention of the character tends to be a TakeThatScrappy moment (most infamously, the [[Film/ScoobyDoo live action movie]] made him [[spoiler:the explicit villain]]). Recent fans, however, turned him into more of a BaseBreakingCharacter as a number of them pointed out his nobler traits of bravery and loyalty to his uncle Scooby and him being MisBlamed for ruining a franchise that he actually ''saved'', and argue that his biggest problem was the writers overusing him than anything on his part. By the time ''WesternAnimation/{{Velma}}'' came out in 2023 to mixed-to-negative reviews, it became a common occurrence for Scrappy to be compared ''positively'' to the new versions of the characters.

** Timmy Burch is a mild example. When he was introduced, he was an immediate fan favorite for his memetic PokemonSpeak. He was so popular, merchandise was made of him, Comedy Central had a month dedicated to airing Timmy-centric episodes in May of 2001 called "Tim-May," and he was given a PromotionToOpeningTitles between the latter half of season 4 and the end of season 6. However, overtime, while fans don't hate him, they've become more indifferent to him. Fans felt his schtick was pretty one-note, and when Jimmy was introduced, he eclipsed Timmy's role as the resident disable kid due to having more to work with in the personality department.

** Randy Marsh is a double example. When the show started, fans were indifferent to him as they felt there wasn't much to his character beyond being Stan's dad and a geologist. However, come season 9, his character was revamped to be more eccentric, which made him entertaining to watch. Even Trey Parker and Matt Stone grew to love writing for him and would find ways to give him more focus. However, over time, Randy would [[TookALevelInDumbass further levels in dumbass]], and the viewers started getting sick of all the focus he would get, to the point where some accuse him of being a CreatorsPet. The final straw for fans was when he opened a marijuana farm, Tegridy Farms, and Randy got progressively more unlikable and his family more resentful of him. Not helping matters was that this change in status quo started in 2018 and is still going on as of 2024, and the Tegridy Farms centered episodes would be the worst received by fans.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark:'' Pip was originally an EnsembleDarkhorse for his cute design, cheerful demeanor, and for being a huge [[TheWoobie Woobie]]. He was a favorite among fan artists and was regularly shipped with another Darkhorse, Damien. However, over time, he has become a BaseBreakingCharacter, if not an outright Scrappy, for having no depth beyond being a ButtMonkey and an ExtremeDoormat. His ADayInTheLimelight [[Recap/SouthParkS4E14Pip episode]] was poorly received by fans to the point of rarely being rerun and demonstrated that he couldn't carry his own episode. However, the final nail in the coffin for his character was when Butters became an AscendedExtra, and he filled the ButtMonkey role better due to having a more compelling personality.

** Throughout the '90s and much of the 2000s, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon was generally praised as a positive and nuanced portrayal of a South Asian character, especially among first-generation immigrants from the region, thanks to him being a benevolent character who supports himself through a successful business. However, his reputation would grow increasingly divisive in the 2010s due to some among those same immigrants' descendants pointing out how his portrayal both created new stereotypes for South Asians while reinforcing old ones, which was seen as especially unfortunate due to the fact that he was voiced by [[Creator/HankAzaria a white man]]. It didn't help that Apu's {{Flanderization}} and increasingly stereotyped depiction have soured his perception amongst fans. Consequently, viewers today are split on whether Apu's portrayal is no different than the show's caricatured white cast or if his stereotypical traits, placed in the context of a minority group with comparatively low representation in American media, make him an EthnicScrappy (though he does have his defenders including [[MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales actual Indians]], especially first-generation ones who admire and can relate to his work ethic).

** Maude Flanders wasn't thought of much in the show's early days, being seen as a rather FlatCharacter who only served to be [[EnsembleDarkhorse Ned]]'s wife. Even the show's writers seemed to think so as well, given her [[spoiler: infamous death in the episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E14AloneAgainNaturaDiddily Alone Again, Natura-Diddily]]", which was made to avert the series' usual StatusQuoIsGod stance and give Ned reason to undergo CharacterDevelopment.]] It's telling that, at the time, most fans felt neutral about this development. However, with Ned growing into more and more of a mean-spirited stereotype of a religious conservative over the years, even being the TropeNamer for {{Flanderization}}, quite a few fans demanded Maude be brought back to the show, with many now seeing her death as the starting point of Ned's widely-disliked CharacterExaggeration.

* ''WesternAnimation/HorridHenry'': While back in the day, many adults viewed the titular character less as a lovable prankster and more like a [[SpoiledBrat spoiled]] [[{{Wangst}} whiny]] {{Jerkass}} ungrateful for everything he had, in later years, many people have come to sympathize with him due to his [[AbusiveParents parents]] handling his behavior with emotional abuse and [[WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent comparing him to his]] brother, Perfect Peter (Who [[BitchInSheepsClothing isn't as perfect]] as his name suggests). As a result, nowadays more people understand why exactly he's so horrid.

** [[Characters/Ben10BenTennyson Ben Tennyson's]] initial characterization as a BrattyHalfPint IdiotHero as per the original series was originally beloved by viewers, as it made Ben seem believably endearing and flawed, which also stacked up with giving him an AwesomeEgo whenever he would engage in heroics. As such, there were many fans who took issue with Ben's more serious and mature personality during the ''Alien Force'' and ''Ultimate Alien'' era of the franchise, as it seemingly deprived him of his more comedic moments that made the character so fun to watch in the first place. However, as later seasons of both those shows and ''Omniverse'' attempted to bring Ben's cocky and immature behavior back to the forefront of his personality, many fans began to grow disillusioned with it, finding his attitude irritating and regressive rather than humorous. Furthermore, this has caused Ben's UAF portrayal to become more fondly appreciated, with many fans liking how it balanced both funny and serious moments quite well.

** [[Characters/Ben10BenTennyson Ben Tennyson's]] initial characterization as a BrattyHalfPint IdiotHero as per the original series was originally beloved by viewers, as it made Ben seem believably endearing and flawed, which also stacked up with giving him an AwesomeEgo whenever he would engage in heroics. As such, there were many fans who took issue with Ben's more serious and mature personality during the ''Alien Force'' and ''Ultimate Alien'' era of the franchise, as it seemingly deprived him of his more comedic moments that made the character so fun to watch in the first place. However, as later seasons of both those shows and ''Omniverse'' attempted to bring Ben's cocky and immature behavior back to the forefront of his personality, many fans began to grow disillusioned with it, finding his attitude irritating and regressive rather than humorous. Furthermore, this has caused Ben's UAF portrayal has become more fondly appreciated, with many fans liking how it balanced both funny and serious moments quite well.

** Maude Flanders wasn't thought of much in the show's early days, being thought of as a rather FlatCharacter who only existed to be [[EnsembleDarkhorse Ned]]'s wife. Even the show's writers seemed to think so as well, given her [[spoiler: infamous death in the episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E14AloneAgainNaturaDiddily Alone Again, Natura-Diddily]]", which was made to avert the series' usual StatusQuoIsGod stance and give Ned reason to undergo CharacterDevelopment.]] It's telling that, at the time, most fans felt neutral about this development. However, with Ned growing into more and more of a mean-spirited stereotype of a religious conservative over the years, even being the TropeNamer for {{Flanderization}}, quite a few fans demanded Maude be brought back to the show, with many now seeing her death as the starting point of Ned's widely-disliked CharacterExaggeration.

** Ben's initial characterization as a BrattyHalfPint IdiotHero as per the original series was originally beloved by viewers, as it made Ben seem believably endearing and flawed, which also stacked up with giving him an AwesomeEgo whenever he would engage in heroics. As such, there were many fans who took issue with Ben's more serious and mature personality during the ''Alien Force'' and ''Ultimate Alien'' era of the franchise, as it seemingly deprived him of his more comedic moments that made the character so fun to watch in the first place. However, as later seasons of both those shows and ''Omniverse'' attempted to bring Ben's cocky and immature behavior back to the forefront of his personality, many fans began to grow disillusioned with it, finding his attitude irritating and regressive rather than humorous. Furthermore, this has caused Ben's UAF portrayal has become more fondly appreciated, with many fans liking how it balanced both funny and serious moments quite well.

** Maude Flanders wasn't thought of much in the show's early days, being thought of as a rather FlatCharacter who only existed to be [[EnsembleDarkhorse Ned]]'s wife. Even the show's writers seemed to think so as well, given her [[spoiler: infamous death in the episode " [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E14AloneAgainNaturaDiddily Alone Again, Natura-Diddily]]", which was made to avert the series' usual StatusQuoIsGod stance and give Ned reason to undergo CharacterDevelopment.]] It's telling that, at the time, most fans felt neutral about this development. However, with Ned growing into more and more of a mean-spirited stereotype of a religious conservative over the years, even being the TropeNamer for {{Flanderization}}, quite a few fans demanded Maude be brought back to the show, with many now seeing her death as the starting point of Ned's widely-disliked CharacterExaggeration.

** Millie from the 2023 cast quickly became a BaseBreakingCharacter as soon as the first half got fully leaked because her initial superior attitude annoyed many people. The second half initially made her even more divisive due to seemingly learning nothing from last season, as well as pushing Damien down the four-point slide, which almost killed him. However, the controversial portrayal of her best friend Priya in the second half and her divisive relationship with Caleb made Millie's CharacterDevelopment in the first half a lot more appreciated in hindsight.

** [[Characters/AdventureTimeIceKing Ice King]], despite initially being the series' main villain, didn't have a great reception at first, being viewed as a [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain somewhat annoying and incompetent]] crazy old monarch whose only goal was to find [[{{Yandere}} (or rather kidnap)]] a princess to be his wife, and to a lesser extent, [[IJustWantToHaveFriends become friends with Finn and Jake]]. However, after later episodes beginning with "Holly Jolly Secrets" [[DarkAndTroubledPast fleshed out his backstory]], revealing him to have once been a human named Simon Petrikov who [[LossOfIdentity slowly lost his mind]] due to his crown's influence and lost the love of his life because of it, Ice King quickly became acclaimed as a character, with many praising him for being a great example of a TragicVillain, and as an added bonus, many of his previous antics started to be viewed in a [[CerebusRetcon much more depressing yet three-dimensional light]]. It also helps that the show introduced the Lich, a [[VilerNewVillain far more legitimately threatening villain]], to take his spot as the BigBad.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': While [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderPrincessAzula Princess Azula]] has always been a popular villain, the reasons for why has changed quite a bit. During the original run of Books 2 and 3, the general view of Azula was that of an amoral sociopath who lacked the redeeming qualities of her brother [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderZuko Prince Zuko]], to the point of [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating her own allies]], as well as being a highly competent and dangerous foe who effectively usurped Zuko as the primary threat to Team Avatar in her debut, took over Ba Sing Se from the inside, and nearly killing Aang himself, among other notable deeds. By the middle of TheNewTens, people began to reinterpret her character in a more sympathetic light. As emotional abuse became more well known, people began to look at her relationship with her father [[EvilOverlord Firelord Ozai]] differently, arguing that she was ultimately just as much of a victim as her brother. This also coincided with people going back to Book 3, which gave her some more sympathetic qualities (namely, revealing that she believed her mother Ursa hated her, and her increasing SanitySlippage in [[GrandFinale Sozin's Comet]]), as well as ''ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheSearch'' revealing that Ozai only conceived her and Zuko for the sake of producing strong firebenders. Nowadays, while some still view her as irredeemable, many argue that she deserved as much of a chance at redemption as Zuko.
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': The villainess Red Claw was not liked very much when the show was on the air, mostly due to her being a generic and underdeveloped TerroristWithoutACause (her first appearance being really about introducing the much more memorable and popular Catwoman, with Red Claw only being there to provide a larger threat that she couldn't and allow audiences to root for Selina) in a series that was praised for providing layers and complexities to formerly one-note supervillains and creating multiple memorable one-shot antagonists. This unpopularity was one of the factors why she took so long to become a CanonImmigrant in the comics (unlike many of the other aforementioned one-shot antagonists), only debuting in 2018. However, over time fans began to re-examine her appearances, and have come to notice that whilst underdeveloped in motivation and possessing a somewhat generic personality, Red Claw is still presented as a cunning, highly competent and dangerous supervillain with a surprisingly [[AffablyEvil likeable personality]] as well as [[AmazonianBeauty a very attractive design]], causing many to revaluate their views towards her, with some even seeing her as a previously unrecognised EnsembleDarkhorse. Whilst disdain for her still exists in certain circles, it is no longer the universal opinion it used to be and even several who aren't fans have expressed their hope that future comics might correct her problems and allow Red Claw to finally live up to her full potential.

* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'': While [[Characters/HeyArnoldHelgaGPataki Helga G. Pataki]] remains a beloved character for her sympathetic and tragically realistic portrayal of growing up amidst a negligent and dysfunctional family, her treatment and subsequent relationship with Arnold have seen reevaluation. During the 90s, Helga's treatment of Arnold was simply seen as a way for girls to display their affection towards the boys they liked under the pretense of concealing their own feelings. This mindset, along with the series making genuine efforts to explain and even address her behavior on occasion, most effectively with "Helga on the Couch", led many audiences to accept the dynamic between them and even root for them to end up together. However, with increasing awareness of the harms brought upon children through bullying and the DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale, people revisiting the series have found it far more difficult to cheer for Helga's pursuit of Arnold, as the "bully" aspect of the LovingBully trope is more emphasized than the "loving", with victims of bullying generally not expected to reciprocate the feelings of their abusers. While the pairing is not completely condemned, as fans were largely pleased to see them end up together in ''[[WesternAnimation/HeyArnoldTheJungleMovie The Jungle Movie]]'', Helga's relationship with Arnold is seen in a significantly less positive light; her treatment of him is now widely seen as unacceptable.
* ''WesternAnimation/HorridHenry'': While back in the day, many adults viewed the titular character less as a lovable prankster and more like a [[SpoiledBrat spoiled]] [[{{Wangst}} whiny]] {{Jerkass}} ungrateful for everything he had, in later years, many people have come to sympathize with him due to his [[AbusiveParents parents]] handling his behavior with emotional abuse and [[WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent comparing him to his]] brother, Perfect Peter (Who isn't as [[BitchInSheepsClothing perfect]] as his name suggests). As a result, nowadays more people understand why exactly he's so horrid.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot'': Sheldon Lee was at first near-universally seen as a [[{{adorkable}} lovable]], sweet-natured nerd with a crush on [[RobotGirl Jenny Wakeman]] that was found endearing even by many who didn't ship the two of them. However, changing times meant that his StalkerWithACrush tendencies, once viewed as harmless pining, were seen in a more critical light. Some of his other behavior also got re-evaluated for the worse, with him having quite a few moments where he came off as manipulative and entitled to some viewers. Today, while he still has his fans, he's a far more polarizing character than he used to be, with some still finding him a (admittedly flawed) sweetheart, whereas others now consider him a creep who needs to leave Jenny alone.

** Throughout the '90s and much of the 2000s, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon was generally praised as a positive and nuanced portrayal of a South Asian character, especially among first-generation immigrants from the region, thanks to him being a benevolent character who supports himself through a successful business. However, his reputation would grow increasingly divisive in the 2010s due to some among those same immigrants' descendants pointing out how his portrayal both created new stereotypes for South Asians while reinforcing old ones, which was seen as especially unfortunate due to the fact that he was voiced by [[Creator/HankAzaria a white man]]. It didn't help that Apu's {{Flanderization}} and increasingly stereotyped depiction have soured his perception amongst fans. Consequently, viewers today are split on whether Apu's portrayal is no different than the show's caricatured white cast or if his stereotypical traits, placed in the context of a minority group with comparatively low representation in American media, make him an EthnicScrappy (though he does have his defenders including actual Indians, especially first-generation ones who admire and can relate to his work ethic).
** Early on, Principal Skinner was not discussed much, and while his episodes were generally praised, he didn't have a fervent fanbase. Then "The Principal and the Pauper" came out and revealed that he was an imposter named Armin Tamzarian who took the place of the real Seymour Skinner, which turned his entire pre-established characterization on its head and created all sorts of disturbing implications in the process. This episode is widely considered the point at which the "Simpsons Golden Age" ended and the "[[AudienceAlienatingEra Simpsons Dark Age]]" began. The shadow of the Tamzarian twist loomed large over Skinner for many years, and it was very hard to discuss him in ''Simpsons'' fandom without getting into debates over whether said twist added more depth to his character, or completely ruined it. The fact that the Dark Age would go on to use Skinner as a punching bag (breaking up his relationship with Edna Krabappel, [[{{Flanderization}} making Bart's pranks on him even nastier]], and having him undergo severe BadassDecay) only made things worse. However, during the 2010s, Skinner would become a FountainOfMemes (most notably "Pathetic", "It's the Children who are wrong", and "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E2122ShortFilmsAboutSpringfield Steamed Hams]]"), caused a NewbieBoom of young fans to discover ''The Simpsons'' and adore it. And to a modern audience, Skinner ended up coming off as more sympathetic than he was intended to be in the past[[note]]for instance, living with one's parents has become more common after the housing crisis, making Skinner's struggles with his [[MyBelovedSmother beloved smother]] relatable to many millennials and zoomers; likewise, conditions like PTSD are treated with a lot more weight now, so while Skinner's [[ShellShockedVeteran Vietnam flashbacks]] were PlayedForLaughs back then, to a modern audience it makes him come across as a [[TheWoobie Woobie]][[/note]]. Not to mention, these new fans had the advantage of coming in after Matt Groening had declared "The Principal and the Pauper" to be non-canonical. Nowadays, Skinner is a ''massive'' EnsembleDarkhorse, and is so widely beloved that Universal Studios [[https://www.reddit.com/r/UniversalOrlando/comments/159rqgv/you_can_buy_carnival_prizes_skinner_was_5120/ has begun producing and selling plush toys of him]], which is a big deal for an adult human character who isn't Homer, Marge, or Krusty.

* ''WesternAnimation/HorridHenry'': While back in the day, many adults viewed the titular character less as a lovable prankster and more like a [[SpoiledBrat spoiled]] [[{{Wangst}} whiny]] {{Jerkass}} ungrateful for everything he had, in later years, many people have come to sympathize with him due to his [[AbusiveParents parents]] handling his behavior with emotional abuse and [[WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent comparing him to his]] brother, Perfect Peter (Who isn't as [[BitchInSheepsClothing perfect]] as his name suggests. As a result, nowadays more people understand why exactly he's so horrid.

* "WesternAnimation/HorridHenry": While back in the day, many adults viewed the titular character less as a lovable prankster and more like a [[SpoiledBrat spoiled]] [[{{Wangst}} whiny]] {{Jerkass}} ungrateful for everything he had, in later years, many people have come to sympathize with him due to his [[AbusiveParents parents]] handling his behavior with emotional abuse and [[WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent comparing him to his]] brother, Perfect Peter (Who isn't as [[BitchInSheepsClothing perfect]] as his name suggests. As a result, nowadays more people understand why exactly he's so horrid.

* "WesternAnimation/HorridHenry: While back in the day, many adults viewed the titular character less as a lovable prankster and more like a [[SpoiledBrat spoiled]] [[{{Wangst}} whiny]] {{Jerkass}} ungrateful for everything he had, in later years, many people have come to sympathize with him due to his [[AbusiveParents parents]] handling his behavior with emotional abuse and [[WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent comparing him to his]] brother, Perfect Peter (Who isn't as [[BitchInSheepsClothing perfect]] as his name suggests. As a result, nowadays more people understand why exactly he's so horrid.

* "WesternAnimation/HorridHenry: While back in the day, many adults viewed the titular character less as a lovable prankster and more like a [[SpoiledBrat spoiled]] [[{{Wangst whiny]] {{Jerkass}} ungrateful for everything he had, in later years, many people have come to sympathize with him due to his [[AbusiveParents parents]] handling his behavior with emotional abuse and [[WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent comparing him to his]] brother, Perfect Peter (Who isn't as [[BitchInSheepsClothing perfect]] as his name suggests. As a result, nowadays, more people understand why exactly he's so horrid.

** Early on, Principal Skinner was not discussed much, and while his episodes were generally praised, he didn't have a fervent fanbase. Then "The Principal and the Pauper" came out and revealed that he was an imposter named Armin Tamzarian who took the place of the real Seymour Skinner, which turned his entire pre-established characterization on its head and created all sorts of disturbing implications in the process. This episode is widely considered the point at which the "Simpsons Golden Age" ended and the "[[AudienceAlienatingEra Simpsons Dark Age]]" began. The shadow of the Tamzarian twist loomed large over Skinner for many years, and it was very hard to discuss him in ''Simpsons'' fandom without getting into debates over whether said twist added more depth to his character, or completely ruined it. The fact that the Dark Age would go on to use Skinner as a punching bag (breaking up his relationship with Edna Krabappel, [[{{Flanderization}} making Bart's pranks on him even nastier]], and having him undergo severe BadassDecay) only made things worse. However, during the 2010s, Skinner would become a FountainOfMemes (most notably "Pathetic", "It's the Children who are wrong" "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E2122ShortFilmsAboutSpringfield Steamed Hams]]"), caused a NewbieBoom of young fans to discover ''The Simpsons'' and adore it. And to a modern audience, Skinner ended up coming off as more sympathetic than he was intended to be in the past[[note]]for instance, living with one's parents has become more common after the housing crisis, making Skinner's struggles with his [[MyBelovedSmother beloved smother]] relatable to many millennials and zoomers; likewise, conditions like PTSD are treated with a lot more weight now, so while Skinner's [[ShellShockedVeteran Vietnam flashbacks]] were PlayedForLaughs back then, to a modern audience it makes him come across as a [[TheWoobie Woobie]][[/note]]. Not to mention, these new fans had the advantage of coming in after Matt Groening had declared "The Principal and the Pauper" to be non-canonical. Nowadays, Skinner is a ''massive'' EnsembleDarkhorse, and is so widely beloved that Universal Studios [[https://www.reddit.com/r/UniversalOrlando/comments/159rqgv/you_can_buy_carnival_prizes_skinner_was_5120/ has begun producing and selling plush toys of him]], which is a big deal for an adult human character who isn't Homer, Marge, or Krusty.

** Early on, Principal Skinner was not discussed much, and while his episodes were generally praised, he didn't have a fervent fanbase. Then "The Principal and the Pauper" came out and revealed that he was an imposter named Armin Tamzarian who took the place of the real Seymour Skinner, which turned his entire pre-established characterization on its head and created all sorts of disturbing implications in the process. This episode is widely considered the point at which the "Simpsons Golden Age" ended and the "[[AudienceAlienatingEra Simpsons Dark Age]]" began. The shadow of the Tamzarian twist loomed large over Skinner for many years, and it was very hard to discuss him in ''Simpsons'' fandom without getting into debates over whether said twist added more depth to his character, or completely ruined it. The fact that the Dark Age would go on to use Skinner as a punching bag (breaking up his relationship with Edna Krabappel, [[{{Flanderization}} making Bart's pranks on him even nastier]], and having him undergo severe BadassDecay) only made things worse. However, during the 2010s, Skinner would become a FountainOfMemes, and one particular meme involving him, "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E2122ShortFilmsAboutSpringfield Steamed Hams]]", caused a NewbieBoom of young fans to discover ''The Simpsons'' and adore it. And to a modern audience, Skinner ended up coming off as more sympathetic than he was intended to be in the past[[note]]for instance, living with one's parents has become more common after the housing crisis, making Skinner's struggles with his [[MyBelovedSmother beloved smother]] relatable to many millennials and zoomers; likewise, conditions like PTSD are treated with a lot more weight now, so while Skinner's [[ShellShockedVeteran Vietnam flashbacks]] were PlayedForLaughs back then, to a modern audience it makes him come across as a [[TheWoobie Woobie]][[/note]]. Not to mention, these new fans had the advantage of coming in after Matt Groening had declared "The Principal and the Pauper" to be non-canonical. Nowadays, Skinner is a ''massive'' EnsembleDarkhorse, and is so widely beloved that Universal Studios [[https://www.reddit.com/r/UniversalOrlando/comments/159rqgv/you_can_buy_carnival_prizes_skinner_was_5120/ has begun producing and selling plush toys of him]], which is a big deal for an adult human character who isn't Homer, Marge, or Krusty.

* ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'': For the decade following the show's run, the show's incarnation of Jean Grey was easily the least popular of the show's female cast, due to the perception that she was an overly perfect Mary Sue. As she was also in direct conflict with Rogue, the most popular character in the show among both the fans and the writers, over Rogue's crush on Scott (with whom Jean was the OfficialCouple with, after three seasons of WillTheyOrWontThey), [[DieForOurShip she was often on the receiving end of fandom hostility]] that [[RonTheDeathEater twisted her]] into being a massive self-righteous bitch who mistreats everyone, and in particular accuse her treatment of Scott of being borderline abusive. During the 2010s, however, as the fandom got older and more mature, this view of Jean has largely fallen to the wayside as fans of the character have become more vocal about how much they enjoyed this incarnation of the character for being a complex, flawed but still benevolent character who notably ''wasn't'' defined solely by [[NeverLiveItDown the Dark Phoenix story or her deaths]], something that many other incarnations of the character haven't been lucky on. On top of that, people have looked back and recognized that the hostility between Rogue and Jean was ''entirely'' from Rogue's side, with Jean never intentionally doing anything to antagonize Rogue besides liking the same boy as her and being a pretty and popular girl in contrast to Rogue's outsider goth persona. As the 2000s saw a backlash to this type of interaction between female characters (leading to the concept of the "Not Like Other Girls"-type outsider protagonist being seen as frequently misogynistic in execution if not conception for how it encourages hostility towards other women for no reason other than them being more "conventional"; for what it's worth, [[ValuesResonance one episode deconstructed this exact phenomena]] focused on Rogue learning how much Jean's 'perfect popular girl' persona is a front for her own insecurities and difficulties controlling her psychic abilities, and realising they're [[NotSoDifferentRemark more alike than she originally believed]]). While it hasn't harmed Rogue's character in a substantial way (in fact, its seen as adding further nuance to her), it has made Jean herself be re-evaluated as a victim of fans projecting their own insecurities onto her just like Rogue did and missing the point of the show's moral about not doing exactly that.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': The villainess Red Claw was not liked very much when the show was on the air, mostly due to her being a generic and underdeveloped TerroristWithoutACause (her first appearance being really about introducing the much more memorable and popular Catwoman, with Red Claw only being there to provide a larger threat that she couldn't and allow audiences to root for Selina) in a series that was praised for providing layers and complexities to formerly one-note supervillains and creating multiple memorable one-shot antagonists. This unpopularity was one of the factors why she took so long to become a CanonImmigrant in the comics (unlike many of the other aforementioned one-shot antagonists), only deputing in 2018. However, over time fans began to re-examine her appearances, and have come to notice that whilst underdeveloped in motivation and possessing a somewhat generic personality, Red Claw is still presented as a cunning, highly competent and dangerous supervillain with a surprisingly [[AffablyEvil likeable personality]] as well as [[AmazonianBeauty a very attractive design]], causing many to revaluate their views towards her, with some even seeing her as a previously unrecognised EnsembleDarkhorse. Whilst disdain for her still exists in certain circles, it is no longer the universal opinion it used to be and even several who aren’t fans have expressed their hope that future comics might correct her problems and allow Red Claw to finally live up to her full potential.

** Throughout the '90s and much of the 2000s, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon was generally praised as a positive and nuanced portrayal of a South Asian character, especially among first-generation immigrants from the region, thanks to him being a benevolent character who supports himself through a successful business. However, his reputation would grow increasingly divisive in the 2010s due to some among those same immigrants' descendants pointing out how his portrayal both created new stereotypes for South Asians while reinforcing old ones, which was seen as especially unfortunate due to the fact that he was voiced by [[Creator/HankAzaria a white man]]. It didn't help that Apu's {{Flanderization}} and increasingly stereotyped depiction have soured his perception amongst fans. Consequently, viewers today are split on whether Apu's portrayal is no different than the show's caricatured white cast or if his stereotypical traits, placed in the context of a minority group with comparatively low representation in American media, make him an EthnicScrappy(though he does have his defenders including actual Indians, especially first-generation ones who admire and can relate to his work ethic).