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Liars and schemers still dominate the small screen, thanks to endlessly twisty shows like House of the Dragon and Netflix's The Watcher. When it comes to sheer entertainment value, there are few experiences more thrilling than watching an expert manipulator at work and betting on whether or not they'll get caught.
From iconic drama characters like Better Call Saul's Saul Goodman and Dexter Morgan from Dexter to less obvious picks like Jonny Fairplay on the reality show Survivor, these are the TV liars that Reddit thinks earned the top title.
Nora Durst - The Leftovers
Whilst the extent of Nora Durst's lies in The Leftovers will continue to be the subject of debate for fans for years to come, it's clear that she doesn't mind taking a liberal approach to telling the truth throughout the show. Redditor Imakemop comments that "the whole show was full of people lying to each other and themselves," and Nora is the worst offender.
Though Nora sometimes confesses to her untruths, such as admitting she lied to Jill about having a gun, a lot of Nora's status as a liar rests on whether the viewer believes her farfetched story to Kevin in the finale. With even writer Damon Lindelof saying in an Uproxx interview that he was surprised how many people believed her, she may have even managed to trick a ton of viewers, too.
Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger - Game Of Thrones
A dozen of the central characters from Game of Thrones could appear on the list of TV's best liars and schemers, but Redditor WeathermanBendix thinks few showed off their skill at dishonesty better than Littlefinger. According to them, "Littlefinger did really well [...] until he started overplaying his hand while going against people with superpowers."
With a gargantuan spy network, Littlefinger was able to orchestrate countless conspiracies and assassinations whilst largely evading suspicion himself. Rather than lying compulsively, Littlefinger was extremely intelligent with how he lied, and it's little wonder some fans still think he was the best choice to rule Westeros in Game of Thrones.
Raymond Reddington - The Blacklist
James Spader's enigmatic portrayal of Raymond Reddington is at the heart of why The Blacklist is such a successful show, and from the very start, it's clear the former Navy officer turned high-profile criminal shouldn't be trusted. Redditor anasui1 comments that "the man has like a garage full of hidden agendas."
At the center of the show is the mystery of Reddington's connection to Elizabeth Keen, which he manages to continually keep obscured for no less than eight seasons, whilst she strives to learn the truth. The most impressive part is that Reddington can remain close to the FBI and charm those around him whilst keeping any real clues about himself shrouded in mystery.
Jonny Fairplay - Survivor
For reality show fans, the genre is no less full of heroes and villains than scripted drama, and one of the most iconic examples of the latter is Jonny Fairplay on Survivor. Redditor Primetime22 puts forward the season 7 contestant for a scheme in which he garnered sympathy amongst the other players by putting on an emotional display after receiving news that his beloved grandmother had passed away.
They explain that "he had planned the ruse with his friend from the very beginning," and the reality was that his grandmother was very much alive at the time. To this day, even the most notorious Survivor villains haven't quite matched the scale and underhandedness of this lie, and it's unbelievable that he managed to pull it off.
Benjamin Linus - Lost
Few suggestions for TV's greatest liars came up more frequently in Reddit's discussions than Benjamin Linus, the eloquent leader of the Others in Lost, and there's a good reason for that. As an antagonist, Linus proved such an expert manipulator that Redditor Maculate branded him "Benjamin "Lie"nus."
Whilst the extent to which Linus was able to craft extravagant lies was impressive, even transforming into the wealthy Henry Gale when captured by Sayid, what sets Linus apart is the almost compulsive nature of some of his lies. One famous example is his joke answer when asked how he was able to read, and he replies "my mother taught me," though she died when he was born.
Dexter Morgan - Dexter
He's far from the only iconic TV character who lived a double life, but the fact Dexter Morgan was able to exist as one of the most prolific serial killers whilst also working as a forensic technician for the Miami police is still astonishing. As Redditor panda388 puts it, "his entire life was a lie except for bits that Debra knew."
As an expert on murders whose focus is bringing the perpetrators to his own kind of deadly justice, Dexter is able to meticulously plan out brutal murders. He manages to pull it off countless times and remain almost completely above suspicion, appearing to the outside world as a perfectly pleasant blood-splatter analyst, and that's proof of just how effective his lies were.
Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill - Better Call Saul
Though there was some debate over whether Walter White could be considered one of TV's greatest liars when he just as often aroused suspicion as evaded it, a few disagreed that Saul Goodman deserves to be known as an expert deceiver. As a former scam artist, Goodman applies all of the tricks of the trade as a sleazy lawyer in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
Redditor highdefrex uses one of his iconic moments to prove this point, commenting that "Saul Goodman once convinced a woman that he was Kevin Costner and it worked because he believed it, so I’d say he’s up there on the list." Smart and quick on his feet, Goodman has an ingenious line for any situation, and he clearly doesn't mind stretching the truth to sell them.
Neal Caffrey - White Collar
As a world-class forger and conman, it's no surprise that Caffrey is adept at the art of the lie. Though he finds himself forced to toe the line in order to remain on the good side of the FBI after they capture him multiple times, it's never quite clear whether they have the upper hand or he does.
Redditor dravenonred stresses this point to prove that he's one of TV's best liars, saying "dude conned the entire FBI." Caffrey's taste for the finer things in life often masks his incredible intelligence, but as the FBI finds out, it's not a good idea to underestimate someone who can so easily win over an entire room with a few conversations.
Shawn Spencer - Psych
As a consummate liar with an eidetic memory and incredible observational skills, Shawn Spencer would make for the perfect detective in another life. Unfortunately, his personality makes him ill-suited to that, so instead, he crafts an elaborate lie about being a psychic through which he consults for the police on cases.
Redditor panda388 thinks he "might be the best one" and explains that "only 2 people know of his lie, and he fools hundreds of others." Telling small lies can be difficult for an average person, but Spencer has no trouble playing an entire character to almost everyone he meets, putting him in his own league.
George Costanza - Seinfeld
Whilst serious dramatic characters generally come to mind when it comes to TV's greatest liars, plenty of fans think Seinfeld's George Costanza also deserves consideration. Throughout the show, Costanza demonstrates that he has no qualms about lying, especially when constructing elaborate ways to impress romantic interests or hide his laziness from his bosses.
Redditor sillywalkr puts forward the dishonest sitcom icon by quoting his iconic line to Jerry when he tells him "it's not a lie if you believe it." Whilst it's a hilarious idea, Costanza seems to benefit from this absolute commitment to every absurd lie he tells, even if it just as often backfires for equally ridiculous reasons.