TV shows often feature know-it-all characters who, despite being obnoxious, are made lovable through sympathetic backstories and redeeming qualities. Know-it-all characters like Paris from Gilmore Girls, Cristina from Grey's Anatomy, and Chidi from The Good Place show growth and vulnerability, making them fan favorites. The know-it-all personalities of characters like House from House MD, Annie from Community, and Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory are balanced by their unique charms or by their eventual character development.

In TV shows, many characters are total know-it-alls whom audiences can't help but love. Movies and TV shows frequently make use of archetypes as the building blocks for characters. Examples of archetypes include the caregiver, the know-it-all, and the rebel. While archetypes can be helpful, good stories know how to effectively subvert the expectations of an archetypal character.

On TV, this frequently occurs with the know-it-all characters. Know-it-all characters are traditionally obnoxious and insufferable.