A good villain can really elevate any story and that is certainly the case for television shows. The 21st century has given fans what many people consider to be the golden age of television with countless amazing shows, some of which feature villains who have become iconic characters in their own right.
While this new era of television introduced the idea of a protagonist who could also be considered a villain, such as Tony Soprano or Walter White, this list will look at pure antagonist characters. Some were central figures, others only lasted a short time, but a[tldr_position]ll were memorable in their own evil ways.
Arthur Mitchell - Dexter
With a series whose main character is a serial killer who targets other serial killers, there was never a shortage of bad guys on Dexter. But the character who stands out the most and made the biggest impact was Arthur Mitchell, aka the Trinity Killer.
Played by John Lithgow in another great villain role, Mitchell was a terrifying murderer who becomes Dexter's next target. As Dexter investigates this man further, he finds Arthur living a seemingly ordinary life as a family man and community leader. But when Dexter gets too close, Mitchell enacts terrible revenge that makes for one of the most shocking moments in the show.
Hannibal Lecter - Hannibal
Hannibal Lecter was already a well-established cinematic villain by the time this series came around. While that might help to make him more memorable, it also is a very daunting task to recreate such an iconic character.
Despite the pressure, Mads Mikkelsen created his own take on Lecter, infusing him with intelligence, charm, and menace. However, what made him such a chilling and effective villain was his complex relationship with the show's hero, Will Graham.
Villanelle - Killing Eve
Killing Eve is one of the more recent shows on this list as its fourth and final season is gearing up. That goes to show how much of an impression Villanelle's character has made in such a short amount of time.
She is an international assassin who is also a master of disguise. This kind of character has been seen countless times before, but Villanelle is also an agent of chaos who is impulsive and thrill-seeking. She is a frightening yet darkly funny killer and, like Hannibal, her obsession with her pursuer makes her all the more intriguing.
Marlo Stanfield - The Wire
One of the aspects that makes The Wire such a masterpiece is how it plays in grey areas. The people on either side of the law don't so easily fit into categories of good guys and bad guys. Marlo Stanfield is the exception as he is purely a villain.
The young man uses ruthless tactics and cunning strategy to rise to the top of the drug world in Baltimore. He is cold-blooded in who he has to step over in order to get to the top. But while he is smart at keeping himself out of jail, in the end, the thing he cares about the most is the power his name has on the streets.
Lorne Malvo - Fargo
Though Fargo is an adaptation of the Coen brothers movie of the same name, the first season seems to be inspired by another of their movies for its main villain. Lorne Malvo is an operative of an organized crime syndicate who feels like a restyling of Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men.
Malvo is someone who is relentless in whatever mission he's on, seeming inhuman and unstoppable at times. But as calculating as he is, he also just likes to wreak havoc for the pure joy of it. He is like a wild predator, leaving a long trail of bodies in his wake.
Joffrey Baratheon - Game Of Thrones
Given how many evil characters are on Game of Thrones, it's hard to narrow it down to one villain. However, there is one character who so effectively became the most hated character on television that it is impossible to overlook him.
Joffrey Baratheon is the spoiled and twisted son of King Robert who later becomes king himself. Unlike some of the other cartoonish villains on the show, Joffrey has layers. He does horrific and sadistic things, often to beloved characters, but he is also an insecure child who has wonderfully entertaining tantrums even while sitting on the Iron Throne.
Boyd Crowder - Justified
If Justified is a modern take on the Western genre, Boyd Crowder makes for the perfect outlaw. He is also one of those villains who is so endlessly entertaining and whom the audience could listen to talk for hours.
Boyd has a captivating arc throughout the series, making the audience wonder if he is truly a villain or if he's just an antihero. That plays into the series' Western feel as the outlaws of the past might have seen themselves as folk heroes but were actually just murderers.
Ben Linus - Lost
It's easy to forget how big of a deal Lost was when it was at its peak as every episode introduced a new and enticing mystery. One character who became one of the most intriguing was Ben Linus.
Though he is introduced as a possibly innocent man being wrongly accused, it is eventually revealed that Ben has been on the island long before the heroes crashlanded there. As the series goes on, Ben becomes a central figure, one who can manipulate and torment his enemies with chilling efficiency.
Gus Fring - Breaking Bad
As stated in the introduction, there is a solid argument to be made for the fact that Walter White was the true villain of Breaking Bad. But it certainly didn't feel like that when Gus Fring was around. This unassuming owner of a fast-food restaurant gradually revealed himself to be a true menace.
Fring could switch from the polite businessman to a cold and emotionless threat in a matter of seconds. Watching him calmly cut a man's throat while looking in Walt's eyes solidified him as a villain who is not to be messed with.
Al Swearengen - Deadwood
The violent and vulgar Western Deadwood remains one of the most impressive shows HBO has ever produced. It is filled with complex characters, but none of them has as big of an impact as Al Swearengen.
Al is introduced as the owner of the local saloon, but it soon becomes clear that he has more control in the titular town than it seems. He is a fascinating character, capable of saying and doing truly awful things, yet he is so open with his greed and underhanded ways that it is hard not to admire him in some small way. He is a force of nature who takes over the show whenever he appears on the screen.