The Decade's Best Television Villains
Long before Spencer Pratt weaseled his way onto The Hills and Simon Cowell dressed down his first off-note performer, television audiences relied on fictional characters for their daily doses of evil. Take a scoundrel like J.R. Ewing of Dallas: viewers could watch as he swindled his own mama out of her rightful stake of the Ewing Oil fortune, click off the television, and not have to worry about hearing that J.R. got a D.U.I. on a late night burger run or was arrested for child molestation. Sure, our airwaves may have been invaded by parasitic reality evildoers, but this decade could still boast some of the best fictional television villains of all time. So please join us as we remember the best TV creeps of the last decade (no antiheroes allowed!):
Sylar, Heroes (2006 - 2009)
Portrayed By: Zachary Quinto
Profile: Superpowered serial killer and skilled watch repairman.
Powers: Intuitive aptitude, which allowed him to figure out how other powers worked and acquire more after murdering the people who possess them. Powers gained from murder include telekinesis, lie detection, shape shifting, flight and rapid cell regeneration.
Weakness: Brain theft
Teen Choice Award Nominations: 2 ("Choice TV Villain," 2007 and 2008)
Quote: "I believe in fate and karma, and I'm not just saying that 'cause you're Indian."
T-Bag, Prison Break (2005 - 2009)
Portrayed By: Robert Knepper
Profile: One of the nastiest prisoners to come out of Fox River State Penitentiary, Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell was even conceived criminally (his father raped his Down syndrome-afflicted sister), which perhaps explains his interests in vandalism, animal torture, murder, rape, kidnapping, pedophilia and racism. T-Bag even convinced a veterinarian to reattach his severed hand once (it was chopped off with an ax, long story), before killing the Good Samaritan.
Powers: Ability to rig a set of cards, adeptness with a razor blade, intelligence (studied encyclopedias as a child) and charm.
Weakness: The law.
Leadership Experience: Established a white supremacy gang at the prison, giving him serious pull with his inmates.
Claim to Fame: Was once featured on an episode of America's Most Wanted within an episode of Prison Break.
Teen Choice Award Nominations: 1 ("Choice TV Villain," 2007)
Quote: "All cons are equal."
Wilhelmina Slater, Ugly Betty (2006 - 2009)
Portrayed By: Vanessa Williams
Profile: The daughter of a senator, Wilhelmina is an egotistical former supermodel and co-editor in chief of Mode. She makes Betty Suarez's life a living hell and boasts an impressive list of flings including Mick Jagger, Andre Agassi and the Prince of Dubai.
Powers: Possesses blackmail information on fashion industry rivals, tempts recovering alcoholics to forfeit their sobriety, manipulates press expertly
Weakness: Botox, the rare wave of emotion, Chanel
Teen Choice Award Wins: 1 ("Choice TV Villain," 2007 -- 2009)
Quote: "That is the absolute cruelest thing I've ever seen. Someone's getting a raise."
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Comments
What ever happened to Spoiler Alerts?
Thanks for the info on the last Dexter season, to be shown outside of the US in the New Year. I won't have to bother watching it now I know the ending. Thanks a bunch. Merry Christmas.
Holy shit! Where's Lucille Bluth, the only woman ever to mix Nancy Reagan's ambition and style with the charm of the Terminator? She'd eat the Trinity Killer for lunch and wash him down with a T-Bag martini.
So true.
I like the comic villains. After Lucille Bluth, I'd cite Harold Crenshaw from Monk and Beverley Leslie from Will & Grace.
This is a weak selection of TV villians from the last decade. What about Gaius Baltar from "Battlestar Galatica", President Logan from "24", Patty Hewes from "Damages". I could go on, but these are from top of my head.
Thank you for mentioning Harold Crenshaw! He was a great foil for Monk.
I agree. Gaius Baltar should be included. He is just the greasiest most cringe inducing character ever. I cast my vote for Sue Sylvester of Glee though. She is a whole new level of evil.
Marlo from The Wire, or Cy Tolliver from Deadwood. For real.
number one television villain of last decade... bill o'reilly. Also number one looser.
The jack-off will be getting coal for Christmas.
So true...
in know ST:voyager ended in 2001 but what about the borg?
they can't be stopped bcause they have superior speed and strength
Ben Linus is not really a villain, he didn't sacrifice his daughter, we find out that he had a deal with Charles Widmore and Widmore broke the rules by murdering Ben's daughter, Ben was expecting a bluff. Oh and those Dharma guys are not exactly a bunch of nice hippies, they clearly have a dark side (torture springs to mind) and I'm sure we'll find out more, basically it seems like one group had to go and the Dharma guys were the ones who lost out, I'm stll convinced the "others" are doing whatever is necessary to keep the island safe. Mind you if everything resets in the next series, maybe none of this will ever happen. I'm confused...
Are you kidding me, you forgot Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor in Smallville.
Omar Little is one of the best TV villians (he'll kill you if you call him an anti-hero) in ANY decade. But not including anyone from The Wire ('Stringer' Bell, Chris Partlow, 'Snoop' Pearson, etc.) seriously negates this list.
Arvin Sloan from ALIAS!!!
Where's Brother Justin from Carnivale? This guy breaks into people's minds to show them their worst sins, and demonically rapes women to the point of insanity FOR FUN.
What about Phil Leotardo, played with gusto by Mr. Frank Vincent, on The Sopranos? There's also a bevy of other villainous/antagonistic characters on that show - Richie Aprile (David Proval), Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) or even Tony Soprano himself.
Rosenbaum tops the all.
you must not watch a lot of television, considering you've skipped the many villians in The Wire and The Sopranos, Antwan Mitchell from The Shield, Patty Hewes of Damages, etc. etc. etc.
no wonder this website is called Movieline. you suck.
dexter is my all time favorite show and you just ruined the ending for me. i scrolled down as fast as a could but i saw it anyway.it's called a spoiler alert. i really can never get back what you have just ruined for me. thanks, jerk.
nice to see both ben and Sue on the list for Sue gives new meaning to the word queen bitch . in fact she could teach Wilhelmina a few things. though Dexter should have been on the list more then the trinity killer. for he is more a villian by whacking those he whacks on the show. but Trinity did kill rita. Ben hope he finaly gets what is coming to him for the guy is one step closer to a tv version of the devil
alright, for the people mad that the (idiot) author ruined the end of this season's Dexter for you...
THE FINALE AIRED TWO WEEKS AGO!!!!
if you loved the show so much, you would've seen it already!!!!
"i really can never get back what you have just ruined for me."
really, Cade? it's as if someone killed your first born...except the exact opposite.
how long are people supposed to worry about spoiling things for you? should we warn you before revealing who shot J.R.?
dont be such a dick - thats what the words "spoiler alert" are meant for. asshole.
Sylar and t-bag are definitely winners
And sue and ben are nightmare worthy as well
pretty good list, i'd say
Of the shows I watched... Lucille Bluth should have been on the list and lets not forget the UK- the 456 from torchwood were quite evil
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