In light of the new Mike Love thing, here's why I think he's a well written character.
He's the front and centre, yet over-shadowed by his more talented cousin, despite him touring more often and having the voice associated with the band.
He's balding. When you think about it, most well written anti-heroes are bald in some way. (Tony Soprano, Walter White, Saitama)
Before the Beach Boys formed, his family’s business failed. The Beach Boys form and hit it big, Mike Love's life was full of ups and downs before. Imagine how he felt then. It's a perfect recipe to become the douchebag anti-hero.
He has fatal character flaws and is very quoteable:
"Don't fuck with the formula." (His refusal to change)
"Chickenshit." (Quoteable, like Phil Leotardo's 20 years in the can)
THE speech. (Douchebag + compensating his ego by literally ripping a moment away from his cousin)
He is also a victim who goes about things in the worst way. His early life sucked and songwriting credits were again overshadowed or played down. His lack of humbleness just pains those around him even in spite of that fact.
He is VERY insecure like other anti-heroes. He was the oldest, baldest, least attractive. He couldn’t play an instrument bar the saxophone, which was rarely used. Mike knows, and it no doubt hurt him. He also doesn’t understand art music, and again:
"Don't fuck with the formula."
Shows his refusal to adapt or change.
The band's fall from grace after Surf's up is quick and anti-climactic. They make a comeback based on his lyrics, but which are STILL credited to Brian despite Brian writing the melodies and not lyrics.
He was destined from a young age to feel slighted by the world and had a career that repeatedly tossed salt into that wound.
He's even having the anti-climactic end of the anti-hero, no fireworks, drama, lawsuit, just him, frail on stage, he doesn't know anything else, and again, we see the refusal to change...
Chickenshit. Happy Kokomo.