It’s often the most detestable character that’s so well remembered in television. The villains charm through their darkness, ingenious intelligence, or even terror of unpredictability-which gives viewers reason to root against them, yet keep them firmly attached to the screen. Here’s a look at ten unforgettable TV antagonists and what makes them so compelling.
1. Joffrey Baratheon (Game of Thrones)
From the second he was on screen, Game of Thrones audiences despised Joffrey Baratheon, a sadistic young king played by Jack Gleeson. Cruel and completely incapable of empathy with anyone, the character of Joffrey has truly become the embodiment of power and privilege gone wrong. All the calculated torture he is able to inflict on others, most notably Sansa Stark, along with his utter disregard for any sense of justice, has made him one of the most despised villains in television history. Making an insufferable character with this much ferocity, Gleeson really made Joffrey an unforgettable and detestable presence here.
2. Gus Fring (Breaking Bad)
Gustavo “Gus” Fring is a strange kind of villain-a drug lord in Breaking Bad who is always composed, nearly gentle, even while operating his empire of violence and corruption. Calculative in nature and the skill of being hidden in plain sight, something like a lowly restaurant owner, definitely made him formidable. What makes Gus so compelling is his calm professionalism; he rarely lets emotions get in the way, and he carries an air of sophistication that is both chilling and strangely admirable. His quiet ruthlessness ultimately makes him one of Walter White’s most dangerous opponents.
3. Negan (The Walking Dead)
Negan, portrayed by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, brought brutality to a whole new level in The Walking Dead. Armed with his infamous barbed-wire-wrapped bat, Lucille, Negan is sadistic, charismatic, and completely unpredictable. He’s an embodiment of the absolute danger in a post-apocalyptic world where monstrous actions are at times justified in the name of survival. While he would later show a more complicated and redeeming side much later in the series, initial appearances of Negan were filled with terrifying unpredictability; fans loved fearing him as a villain.
4. Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Without doubt, one of the most elaborated villains in Game of Thrones is Cersei Lannister, played by Lena Headey. Cornered by her love for her children and her hunger for power, she commits some of the darkest acts that occur in the series. What really makes her riveting is the ruthless intelligence behind her, the survival instinct, and how she manipulates nearly anyone around her. She is hungry not only for power but also hurt by a society that keeps underestimating her because of her gender. It’s this complexity that makes her villainous but also oddly sympathetic at times.
5. Kilgrave (Jessica Jones)
One of Marvel’s most chilling villains has got to be David Tennant as Kilgrave in Jessica Jones. How he has this terrifying ability to control people’s minds and uses that to inflict pain, suffering, and destruction. What seals the deal with Kilgrave’s compelling nature is a complete lack of remorse; he is fully convinced that he has every right to do as he sees fit without regard for the consequences. The feeling of entitlement, mixed with the haunting performance of Tennant, makes Kilgrave a memorable and deeply disturbing villain-a true embodiment of unbridled narcissism and abuse of power.
6. Tony Soprano (The Sopranos)
Tony Soprano, played by James Gandolfini, is not a bad guy in the full sense of the term, but he is the protagonist of The Sopranos. To say he doesn’t have a dark side would be an understatement. Tony is a mob boss, living a double life, with mental health issues and performing acts of violence and betrayal. His complexity lies in his human side; he loves his family and is vulnerable at times, which makes viewers sympathize with him and feel horrified by what he does. It’s the moral ambiguity of Tony and the great portrayal from Gandolfini that made him one of the most interesting anti-heroes in the history of television.
7. The Governor (The Walking Dead)
One of the first major villains to ever grace The Walking Dead, The Governor is a personification of pure deception and betrayal, played by David Morrissey. He initially seems like a messiah to his community, but soon it becomes fairly apparent that his charisma masks a brutal, paranoid personality. The Governor proves to be quite an interesting character since he epitomizes the leadership that has lost any remnants of his humanity in the face of survival. His descent into madness and committing atrocities to secure power make him a formidable, terrifying opponent for the protagonists in this series.
8. Ramsay Bolton (Game of Thrones)
If there’s one person in Game of Thrones who can match Joffrey for pure cruelty, it has to be Ramsay Bolton, played by Iwan Rheon. He derived such sadistic pleasure from making people suffer-especially poor Theon Greyjoy and Sansa Stark-that he literally became one of the most hated men on television. Unlike Joffrey, Ramsay is calculating and really smart, relying on his charm and guile to navigate his way up the social ladder. Because Ramsay had no moral compass to speak of, he acted on the fly, which made him a seriously scary villain because anything could happen at any time, thus keeping viewers in a constant state of dread.
9. Livia Soprano (The Sopranos)
Tony Soprano’s mother, Livia, played by Nancy Marchand, is a manipulative genius who has psychological games going on with everybody all the time, even with her own son. Livia’s ability to take situations and twist them in her direction will make her a singularly sinister character. Unlike most film or television villains who draw their powers from violence or intimidation, Livia’s weapon is her mind, and she uses it to torture those closest to her emotionally. The psychological cruelty and the toxic influence she extends on Tony establish her as one of the most quietly terrifying villains ever seen on television.
10. Ben Linus (Lost)
Ben Linus, played by Michael Emerson, is the scheming leader of the Others in Lost. Ben’s a master manipulator, serving up charm and ruthlessness in equal measure, and his motivations are often shrouded in mystery. The thing that sets him apart as such a great villain is how ambiguous his morality often can be-at times, he truly believes his actions are for the greater good. That, combined with the loyalty to his people and the willingness to sacrifice others, presents an enigmatic character who keeps the audience guessing. The scheming and complex personality always at play with Ben made him one of the more intriguing antagonists of Lost.