Can you like a show with unlikable characters?

At my house, there is an ongoing debate about a pair of programs. And, while "Grey's Anatomy" and "Gossip Girl" might not seem to have a whole lot in common, our debate about both shows is the same.

Why are we still watching them even though we don't like any of the characters?

Obviously, both shows are soap operas. "Grey's Anatomy" is about the doctors in a Seattle hospital; "Gossip Girl" is about bratty rich kids on New York's Upper East Side.

And, obviously, all soap operas have to have "bad guys." There have to be characters you don't like for things to be interesting.

A show filled with lovable characters who live happily ever after is no show at all. There has to be conflict in order for there to be a story. That's true of everything from daytime soaps to great works of literature.

But just as you can't have a show entirely populated by characters you like, it's hard to have a show entirely populated by characters you don't like.

And, while that hasn't always been the case, it's gotten darn close to that on "Gossip" and "Grey's."

Is there anybody left on "Gossip Girl" who hasn't done something terrible to somebody? Who hasn't been mean, spiteful, arrogant and just plain awful?

Hey, my daughters and I were openly rooting for a "Mean Girls"-like, hit-by-a-bus ending for Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) in the season finale. And we were, quite frankly, somewhat disappointed when she didn't die.

(The fictional character, that is. We're not that mean.)

The writing on "Gossip Girl" has never been exactly literature, but it's gotten pretty ridiculous.

Just one example — Lily's (Kelly Rutherford) ex-husband is plotting to break up her marriage to Rufus (Matthew Settle). Lily believes the lies. Her marriage hangs by a thread. The truth comes out, she says, "Whoops, sorry," and Rufus instantly forgives Lily.

Ridiculous.

Again, that's just one example.

"Gossip Girl" is not alone. Is there anybody left on "Grey's Anatomy" who hasn't done something terrible to somebody? Who hasn't been mean, spiteful, arrogant and just plain awful?

OK, that's not quite as true of "Grey's" as it is of "Gossip." But even the non-mean characters — like Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) — are just annoying.

Others, like Christina Yang (Sandra Oh), have been so self-centered for so long that they're pretty much unredeemable at this point.

It's beyond belief that men keep falling in love with Christina. It's beyond belief that she has any friends.