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A TV show usually has a plot, some secondary characters, and a central protagonist who is morally righteous. However, many shows have turned this concept around and created a series where the villain is the hero and the lead. Generally, such villains have lots of charm and cunning ways that make them a striking and enigmatic protagonist. Here are 7 TV show protagonists who are villains. Some of them start as villains and become better as the show progresses, while others stay evil from the beginning till the end.
1. Villanelle
Based on the novel series by Luke Jennings, Killing Eve is a British spy thriller TV show that features Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer, Fiona Shaw, and others. The show revolves around Eva Polastri (Oh), who is a British intelligence officer and is bored with her desk job. However, her life turns around massively when she gets obsessed with catching a psychopathic assassin called Villanelle (Comer). The show aired for four seasons, and the first season was helmed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. A critical and commercial hit, the series has two protagonists, Eve and Villanelle. While Eve is a morally upright character who begins to turn more complex as the seasons go forward, Villanelle is the outright villain of the series. The show delves into the complex past of the assassin, who has a long history of murder and obsession, her latest hunt being Eve. However, she is also extremely stylish and often catches her victims off guard. Villanelle is one of the most charming female villains in TV history, and her cold and calculated moves and kills are enthralling to look at. Comer does a stellar job of embodying the psychopathic mannerisms of her character as well. However, during the later seasons, Villanelle does begin to develop a moral compass and begins to feel for people she loves and cares about.
2. Walter White
Created by Vince Gilligan and starring Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, and others, Breaking Bad is one if not the most influential TV shows in recent history. The series still has a massive impact on pop culture, and its premise of a humble chemistry teacher turning into a drug warlord has captivated the fantasies of thousands of viewers. Cranston gives a career-defining performance as Walter White, who gets the diagnosis of stage three lung cancer and begins to produce and distribute methamphetamine to get money for his family before he dies. While Walter also takes the help of his student Jesse (Aaron Paul) to fulfill his nefarious ambitions, the true protagonist of the series is Walter. The deadly manner in which Walter quickly becomes the central villain and begins to call himself by the name of “Heisenberg” is chilling. His character stays meek only for a short amount of time, and throughout the series, he begins to feel proud of his ability to produce drugs and distribute them. The series focuses on the various challenges that he and Jesse have to undergo as he tries to keep his drug distribution a secret while also dealing with dangerous drug dealers. There are various points in the show where Walter is so consumed by his hubris that he forgets that he started doing all this for his family and instead puts his loved ones in jeopardy. It is only towards the end that Walter agrees that he did all of this for himself and not for his family. His chilling confession highlights the depths to which humans can go to fulfill their deep-seated and repressed ambitions.
3. Loki
Played by Tom Hiddleston, Loki, is one of the central characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Based on the Marvel comics character of the same name, Loki is also known as the God of Mischief and has appeared in several MCU movies and a TV show as well. The character’s origins are based on Norse mythology and the character is first introduced in the movie, Thor, where Loki is jealous of his brother Thor who is the crown prince of Asgard and will get the throne. During the initial phases of the character, therefore, Loki was the central villain of the MCU movies, and in the movie The Avengers, Loki is instrumental in creating the Avengers, who want to stop him from destroying and subjugating Earth. However, when Loki appears in the TV show, Loki, he still has his villainous traits, but this time he is more of an anti-hero. The character finds himself amid a multiverse crisis and begins to explore his own identity. Loki, therefore, starts as a villain but gradually becomes more mature and reflective. From someone who wanted to fight against his brother for the throne of Asgard, Loki realizes that there is more to fight for, and he helps out his brother during the later representations of the character and even plays a big part in the MCU’s multiverse crisis.
4. Lucifer Morningstar
Developed by Tom Kapinos, Lucifer is an urban fantasy and police procedural series. It is based on an alternate version of the DC comics character of the same name created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg. The show aired for six seasons and revolved around the lie of Lucifer Morningstar, played by Tom Ellis, who is the king of hell. However, he abandons his job to fly to Los Angeles and begins to run a nightclub. A major playboy and a lover of parties, Lucifer’s life turns upside down when he encounters a Los Angeles police detective called Chloe, played by Lauren German. While Lucifer can look into someone’s soul and make them hypnotized, Lauren is immune to his charms. Fascinated, he begins to help her and the police department in solving cases. Lucifer Morningstar is, therefore, quite literally the devil, and is the villainous antagonist of the TV show. While Lucifer does not harm people recklessly, he can show his wrath when needed and when his friends are in danger. Throughout the seasons, there have been many instances where Lucifer has harmed and even killed those people who have done wrong or been dangerous to the people he loves. However, he also has a loving side to him and cares deeply for his people. Therefore, over time, Lucifer becomes more self-aware and even begins to develop a moral compass.
5. Hannibal Lecter
Based on the characters in Thomas Harris’ novels, Hannibal is a psychological horror and crime drama series. Developed by Bryan Fuller, the show features Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, and others. The series has two protagonists, FBI investigator Will Graham (Dancy) and a cannibalistic forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mikkelsen). The TV show focuses on the complex relationship between the two as Will and Hannibal solve cases for the FBI while Hannibal begins to take over the life of Graham. Hannibal is the protagonist and the ultimate villain of the series. From the first moment itself, it is clearly outlined that Hannibal is a genius but a cannibalistic killer. His first shot shows Hannibal preparing a dish of lungs. While Will begins to empathize with serial killers, he does not know that Hannibal is always lurking behind him and influencing Will. The show explores the twisted dynamics of the duo and blurs the line between friendship, companionship, and obsession. Even though Hannibal has some sort of a connection with Will, he is still a ravenous cannibal at heart and resorts to many mischievous strategies throughout the show. The series aired for three seasons, and even though it could not garner a huge following during its airing, it is now considered a cult classic and has been lauded by critics for its visual style and Mikkelson’s performance as the chilling killer, Hannibal.
6. Joe Goldberg
Developed by Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble and based on the books by Caroline Kepnes, You is a psychological thriller TV show. Starring Penn Badgley, Charlotte Ritchie, and others, the show focuses on a mysterious bookstore manager, Joe Goldberg (Badgley), who is an obsessive and psychopathic serial killer. The show aired for five seasons, and in each season, Joe targets a young and attractive woman and lures her into his trap by playing the role of the dutiful boyfriend, until he ultimately traps them in his hidden glass cage and kills them. Joe Goldberg is, therefore, the villain and the protagonist of the show. Even though the series is told from his point of view, which is unreliable and biased. Even though Joe appears to be a charming and humble person who helps everyone, there is a deep need for validation that is hidden within him, and so many insecurities that he covers up with his devious deeds. Penn Badgley delivers a critically acclaimed performance that has been loved by viewers and even made many viewers fans of Joe Goldberg, even though he is the anti-hero and the villain. Throughout the show, Joe has killed over a dozen people by ruthless means, and his internal monologue is twisted and depraved.
7. Norman Bates
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Based on the characters from the 1959 novel by Robert Bloch, Bates Motel is a psychological horror and mystery TV show. Developed by Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano, the TV show features Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, and others. The show is a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock’s famous 1960 movie and focuses on the life of the psychopathic Norman Bates (Highmore) and his mother, Norma (Farmiga). The show explores the origins of a character like Norman, whose mental illness rapidly declines and creates a threat to himself, his mother, and those around him. While Farmiga delivers a dedicated performance as Norma and the show focuses on how Norma has to face various challenges to keep her son safe, even though he is a threat, the actual protagonist of the show is Highmore’s Norman. The actor gives a cold and chilling performance as the depraved character. The show charts the various ways in which Norman descends into his murderous ways and develops an obsession with his mother. The show portrays the uncomfortable relationship that Norma and Norman have with each other and has plenty of violence and suspense. Therefore, Norman is the protagonist of the TV show and the main villain. While other villains find some redemptive arc as the show progresses, Norman is someone who keeps sliding into more violent territory.
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