The People That Scared Us More Than Any Horror Movie
BY Sadie Flannery ★ november 1st, 2026
Photo credit: Brooklyn Jamison
With Halloween approaching fast, chances are you’ve thought about what you're dressing up as this year. Most likely, you and your friends are planning a sexy group costume or a ridiculous look for a darty. Or perhaps you’re going for something more traditional, like a witch or a vampire. What can be scarier than clowns, ghouls, and ghosts, after all?
Well, sometimes it’s the behavior of characters from our favorite movies and TV shows that is much more terrifying. These individuals' toxic personalities, questionable decisions, and chaotic behavior are frightening enough to deserve Halloween costumes of their own. Here’s my list of the characters that scared me more than any horror movie:
1. Carrie Bradshaw- Sex and the City
To some, Carrie Bradshaw is a fashionable newspaper columnist living on the Upper East Side. But to others, her “hopeless romantic” energy is enough to send any guy running. Carrie repeatedly goes back to Mr. Big, despite his clear message that he can’t give her what she wants.
Even after Big married someone else, Carrie still couldn’t let go. This led to the uncomfortable situation of Carrie sneaking out of Big’s apartment mid-affair, only to be caught by his wife, Natasha. Honestly, I’d rather find a ghoul or a goblin in my apartment than Carrie.
And let’s not forget the time Carrie invited Big to her and Aidan’s weekend getaway at his cabin. I’d rather be trapped in a haunted house than stuck in a room with those three. From Big’s perspective, Carrie’s “Get It While It’s Hot!” stunt felt a lot less like a cute, sexy gimmick and a lot more like being stalked.
2. Jeremiah Fisher- The Summer I Turned Pretty
The long-debated discussion of being team Jeremiah or team Conrad can finally be put to rest, because if you're consciously choosing Jeremiah as the right brother for Belly, you've got to be under a spell.
To start, Jeremiah never wanted Belly in the first place. Only after his older brother started a relationship with Belly was Jermiahs interest piqued. He often viewed his relationship with Belly as a competition to win something.
One could also consider Jeremiah a complete manchild. He also proposed with the ring the size of a molecule, and the only thing he cared about regarding his and Belly’s wedding was his $750 cake. And let's not forget about his scary blue eyes. With a stare that's piercing, it’s almost as if he’s hypnotizing an entire fanbase into ignoring every red flag.
3. Ross Geller- Friends
Ross may be one of the funniest characters on the beloved TV show Friends, but he’s also arguably the most problematic. Ross and Rachel’s relationship is one of the most iconic in sitcom history, but what’s equally well-known is just how out of Ross’s league Rachel is.
One of Ross’ most notorious lines, “We were on a break!” is the result of his biggest mistake: sleeping with a new woman while still in a relationship with Racheal and then lying about it afterwards.
Other memorable moments include lying to Racheal about getting an annulment after drunkenly getting married in Vegas, refusing to take responsibility for their breakup, and saying Racheal's name at the altar while marrying a different woman. Sometimes, the scariest monsters are the fictional men we've spent years laughing at, romanticizing, and rooting for despite their questionable behavior.
Edited by Maggie Foster