TV show villains can make or break a series, and when the writers and creators don’t give them the time they deserve to grow and change, it affects the entire structure of the show. While the protagonists and heroes are typically given the most time and focus,villains are just as important to the story because they act as a foil to the hero,providing further insight into both of their psyches. Plenty ofsupporting characters in TV shows are better than the heroes, as main characters rarely get to be as morally ambiguous as side characters or villains.
The rise of antiheroes being the focus of TV shows has increased the attention and care that villains get on television, but that doesn’t mean all antagonists are treated equally. Additionally,TV’s best-redeemed villainsare frequently discussed because a well-crafted redemption arc is a complex but rewarding aspect of TV. How a villain is written out of the show orwhere their story leaves off in the finale comes to define how audiences remember their character.Just because an individual in a show is characterized as a villain doesn’t mean they’re always in the wrong and deserve a disappointing conclusion.
Downton Abbey
Cast
Set in the early 20th century, Downton Abbey follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the fictional Yorkshire estate. The series explores themes of social change, romance, and intrigue against the backdrop of historical events, including the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, and the rise of the working class.
While there are plenty of villains inDownton Abbey,the biggest antagonist is circumstance and the restrictions of the time.However, when it comes to villains on the show, Thomas Barrow had great potential, but ultimately a letdown for audiences and the other characters. Unfortunately, Barrow’s character falls victim to the trope of making the few LGBTQ+ characters on the show into antagonists. Instead of giving him a nuanced approach to the struggle of living in a restrictive time, the series made him bitter, angry, and vindictive towards others.
By the end ofDownton Abbey, the series tried to give Barrow some redemption, but it felt disingenuous and rushed compared to the time and development other characters received.
TheDownton Abbeytimeline of the movies and TV seasonscan grow a little complex, butmany of the best installments have been defined by how effective their villains were.By the end ofDownton Abbey, the series tried to give Barrow some redemption, but it felt disingenuous and rushed compared to the time and development other characters received. If Barrow had been given more time to find like-minded people and escape the confines of Downton, the audience might have been better able to understand his motivations and feel more empathy towards him.
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Gilmore Girls
In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.
Christopher is rarely ranked amongGilmore Girls' best love interests, as his relationship with Lorelai (Lauren Graham) is one of the most hated dynamics on the show. However, for all of Christopher’s faults, he’s not an evil man, just a troubled and imperfect one. Everything he did to win back Lorelai was a misguided attempt to give his life some purpose and make up for his absence in Rory’s life.This isn’t to say that Christopher deserved a happy ending,as he had many flaws, but it would have been interesting to understand him better.
ThoughGilmore Girlsdid a great job giving even its most unlikable characters depth and nuance,Christopher ended up becoming a bit one-dimensional by the end of the series.There was little to say about him, and even when the audience got an insight into his relationship with his father, this paled in comparison to the compelling dynamic between Lorelai and her parents. Additionally, seeing him truly grapple with the way he impacted Rory’s development with his absence could’ve helped viewers understand Rory’s arc.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
When it comes to the most universally despised villains in TV history,Game of Thronesdelivers on all fronts. From outright monsters like Joffrey, Cersei, and Ramsey to more sly antagonists like Little Finger,Game of Thronescontinuously proved thatit’s not the fantastical or magical that’s the most terrifying part ofA Song of Ice and Fire, but the cunning political games.This was proved by the introduction and use of the Night King across the second half of the series.
He would have been more effective if he had remained ephemeral and out of reach.
The goings on in the North and beyond the Wall were a separate story arc from the play for the throne happening in the Red Keep and the stirrings of power across the sea. However, by the final seasons, almost everyone had joined together to stop the coming assault from the Night King that would’ve destroyed the world. Despite the long-awaited battle and the many ominous allusions to the Night King’s power and army,his mysterious characterization disappeared almost immediately.He would have been more effective if he had remained ephemeral and out of reach.
Game of Thrones (2011–2018)
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The Magicians
The Magicians follows a group of young adults who enroll at Brakebills University, a secretive institution devoted to teaching magic. As they engage in an unconventional education in spellcasting, they realize that a childhood fantasy world is indeed real and presents a significant threat to humanity.
Of all the villains inThe Magicians, Marina was the one that stuck around the longest. Though she rarely posed the king of world-ending threats that the likes of the Beast or the nameless gods did, she was cunning and resourceful. It was exciting whenever Marina was brought back, as she always stirred things up and increased the level of drama, and was usually a welcome reprieve from some of the heavier storylines. However, Marina was always getting in trouble and being used by others.
The Magicians Has 1 Of The Best Villain Introductions In A Fantasy Show & It’s Not Even Close
When comparing The Beast’s villain introduction to other iconic fantasy television shows, it’s easy to see that The Magicians did it best.
Though Marina was quick to use others as pawns in her own games, it was clear that she had some moral compass, like when she helped Julia (Stella Maeve) in her initial search for Reynard. Unfortunately,whenever Marina tried to help, it often got her killed or worse,which was wholly unfair. Additionally, there were a few glimpses into her deeper motivations and backstory, like her brief allusion to her father and her anger at being kicked out of Brakebills. However, she was just as complex and nuanced as the protagonists, and her character warranted further exploration.
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You
You is a psychological thriller that follows a dangerously charming and intensely obsessive young man who manipulates his way into the lives of those he fixates upon, using extreme measures to pursue his unsettling aims.
Joe (Penn Badgley) is the ultimate villain ofYou, but as the protagonist, it would have been difficult to make him reap the consequences of his actions too soon. Unfortunately, this means that with every season ofYou, many undeserving people become victims of Joe’s pathology and must go into hiding or become another on his long list of kills.Love was an interesting character, as it seemed that she would just be another one of Joe’s ill-fate love interests,but her fate turned out to be more complex.
Seeing Love be the one to take Joe down would’ve been an incredibly satisfying ending to the show.
Love became quite a villain in her own right,challenging Joe and pushing back on his pattern. It’s a shame that Love’s time on the show was cut short, as she was an excellent foil to Joe and the only person to truly challenge him. Seeing Love be the one to take Joe down would’ve been an incredibly satisfying ending to the show. While, structurally, it made sense for Love and Joe to end up at odds and for her fate to be tragic, she should’ve gotten an even more explosive conclusion to her arc.
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Westworld
Westworld is a television series set in a futuristic Wild West-themed amusement park where advanced android hosts cater to human guests' desires. The series explores the themes of artificial consciousness and human morality as the lines between reality and artificiality begin to blur.
There were plenty of violent and horrible antagonists inWestworld, a show where few, if any, characters were redeemable. However, watching their villainous plots unfold and seeing how they manipulated the other individuals was part of the fun of watching the series. However,Logan never lived up to the high standard that the other malicious characters set.His hidden intentions are merely to push William (Jimmi Simpson) as far as he can to uncover his secrets. Compared to someone like the Man in Black (Ed Harris), Logan is pesky at best.
While others have clear reasons for expressing the darkest parts of their personality at the park, Logan comes off merely as a spoiled child who wants thrills for the sake of excitement. Additionally,byWestworldseason 2, he fades to the background and succumbs to his fateas another causality of the park. As one of thebest Western TV shows of the last decade, audiences expect villains inWestworldthat challenge expectations and grapple with nuanced moral codes.
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The Vampire Diaries
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a story about the developing love triangle between Elena Gilbert and two vampiric brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Set in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the show follows the trio from high school through college as they battle for one another’s affection.
Elena’s (Nina Dobrev) biological mother inThe Vampire Diaries, Isobel, causes a good deal of grief both on and off-screen, but her impact is never fully explored.Isobel is connected to many important characters inThe Vampire Diaries,as she’s the former wife of Alaric (Matthew Davis), Elena’s mother, and was turned into a vampire by Damon (Ian Somerhalder). One of the most interesting aspects of Isobel’s character was that she became close to Katherine, one of the most compelling characters on the show.
The end of Isobel’s arc was disappointing, as she and Elena never had the opportunity to connect or grapple with their uncertain relationship.
However,the audience never got to see Isobel truly enjoy being a vampire,as she was used for the development of others rather than herself. The end of Isobel’s arc was disappointing, as she and Elena never had the opportunity to connect or grapple with their uncertain relationship. Ultimately, it was easy to hate Isobel for the things she did wrong and the people she betrayed. However, her reasoning never went much deeper than that she did what she wanted, which was a disservice to what could’ve been an interesting character.
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Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender, released in 2005, follows a young boy in a war-torn world of elemental magic as he reawakens to embark on a challenging mystical quest to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar and restore peace to the world.
Fire Lord Ozai is a terrifying and interesting villain, but when compared to his children, Zuko and Azula, he is hardly the most memorable antagonist. When it comes to Zuko, the series provides him with an iconic redemption arc and the opportunity to do good and fight against his father by the end of the show. Similarly, Azula demonstrates how far she’s willing to go to receive recognition from her father and gain power through her despicable actions.
10 TV Heroes Who Are Perfect Mirrors Of Their Villains
From Aang and Fire Lord Ozai to Sherlock and Moriarty, the best TV villains are the ones that show what the hero could eventually turn into.
However, other than the final battle between Aang and Ozai and the things the audience is told about his actions, not much is known about Ozai.It’s clear that he was influenced by his ancestors who started the Fire Nation’s invasionof the other nations, but he’s used more as a faraway over-arching evil rather than an actual person. Finding out more about his upbringing and what was happening in the Fire Nation when he was growing up would help the viewer see the parallels between him and Aang even more clearly.
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Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a television series created by Joss Whedon, focusing on Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, a young woman chosen to battle against vampires, demons, and other supernatural forces while navigating the complexities of teenage life.
Buffy The Vampire Slayerseason 4 was a transitional period for the belovedsupernatural teen drama TV show, as the characters were going to college, fundamentally altering the structure of the series. The introduction of the mysterious Initiative was a strong choice for the antagonistic force inBuffyseason 4, as it also brought Riley (Marc Blucas) into the mix and resulted in the creation of Adam (George Hertzberg).Adam was a fantastic villain, and though he couldn’t have existed without Maggie Walsh, she was a means to an endto create him.
Seeing Maggie be immediately turned into a zombie for Adam after he woke up was a disappointing way of concluding her arc and conflict with Buffy.
Had Maggie grown closer to Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and been seen in a more empathetic light,her betrayal and creation of Adam would’ve hit harder.Also, seeing Maggie be immediately turned into a zombie for Adam after he woke up was a disappointing way of concluding her arc and conflict with Buffy. After she treated Buffy like an annoyance throughout season 4, never allowing the two of them to have it out was a wasted opportunity inBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 4.
Gossip Girl
Set among Manhattan’s elite, this drama series follows wealthy teenagers whose scandalous lives are exposed by an anonymous blogger. The show delves into themes of betrayal, ambition, and the complexities of high-society friendships, as the characters navigate interpersonal conflicts and personal aspirations.
Though few characters inGossip Girlhad any redeeming qualities, Jenny didn’t deserve to be treated so harshly throughout her time onGossip Girl. Despite being much younger than the other protagonists, they used her as a piece in their games and punished her when she tried to fight back. While Jenny did get annoying at times, it’s because of the other character’s actions thatshe was pushed into the role of a villain and didn’t get the opportunities she deserved.
Jenny got plenty of screen time, buther exit from the series was anticlimactic and didn’t suit the strong character she had become.While part of this was because Momsen was ready to leave the series, that didn’t mean Jenny needed to be rushed out with such a counterintuitive arc. Seeing Jenny get a redemption arc and refuse to be pushed around by the privileged and awful people who took advantage of her would’ve been a better ending.
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