7 TV show villains that still haunt us till today

Villains leave a more profound impression on our minds than heroes do. They stand for fear and the darkest side of human nature. There are some TV villains whose characters are so well written and acted that they keep the viewers frightened even years after the ending of the respective shows.

They remind us that evil can come in different forms through a spectrum of characters ranging from calm and calculating masterminds to charming yet psychotic killers. What indeed makes such characters very scary is not only their brutal side but also the fact that they often seem so real.

Out of the numerous characters who have left their mark, below are the seven TV villains that still make us shiver and also serve as a reminder that a great story is always in need of a ghostly antagonist.

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7 TV show villains that still haunt us

1. Gus Fring

Gus Fring of Breaking Bad is arguably one of the calmest yet scariest villains to ever grace the small screen. He is polite and professional, with the outward appearance of a man who manages a fast-food chain while, in reality, he controls an enormous drug empire. What really sets Gus in memory is silent control and intelligent planning.

Years after the show, people still reference his surprise death and how he was always one step ahead. Of course, Better Call Saul gave a lot more depth to his history, making him all the more haunting. Gus shows viewers that the most dangerous individuals often hide behind the most peaceful faces.

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2. Ramsay Bolton

Ramsay Bolton, a character in the television series Game of Thrones, was the epitome of cruelty among the villains of that era. With his perverse delight in torture and manipulation, every scene that featured him was within the realm of deep unsettling within that context. Opposite to other villains treading revenge or power-seeking paths, Ramsay just loved inflicting pain, nothing more, which made him not only unpredictable but also nightmarishly frightening.

Iwan Rheon’s performance made Ramsay feel uncomfortably real, thus turning him into one of the most hated characters on television. Although the show came to an end, his ghost still wanders in the territory of Westeros.

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3. Negan

Negan has become an iconic character in The Walking Dead with his violent entrance and disturbing charisma. Wielding his barbed wire bat, Lucille dispatched beloved characters in one of the most surprising moments in TV history.

What is it that defines Negan? His interplay between evil and charm, he’s scary but at the same time very alluring. To put it differently, his background story and redemptive arc in The Walking Dead: Dead City over time molded his character. Negan continues to be one of the most ghostly villains of the small screen, demonstrating that even monsters possess human traits.

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4. Joe Goldberg

Joe Goldberg from You is a modern-day villain cloaked in love and obsession. He's just a regular Joe, but this thing that equates to him as love becomes rather deadly. One of the things that makes Joe so haunting is when he narrates his thoughts, making viewers look at the world through his twisted logic. The new season shows him fighting against his darkness more than he has ever had to.

What really sets Joe apart from other villains is that he really thinks he's doing right by doing what's best, which makes him, well, even scarier. His average looks and soft voice make him one of the creepiest villains of this generation: charming yet utterly dangerous.

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5. Vecna

Vecna from Season 4 of Stranger Things became one of the most terrifying villains that Netflix had ever seen. This powerful monster from the Upside Down was once a human, by the name of Henry Creel. That he could enter people's heads and kill them with their fears simply made him unforgettable.

Above all other supernatural villains, Vecna stands out for his truly eerie design and emotional backstory. His return and possible revenge in Season 5 of Stranger Things is highly awaited by fans. It goes to prove that the most frightening monsters are born out of nothing but pain and anger in humans.

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6. Homelander

Homelander from The Boys looks and dresses like a superhero, but he's an absolute nightmare. He is strong, confident, and completely unhinged. The thing that makes him so terrifying is how he hides his cruelty behind patriotic charm. Homelander thinks he is above everyone else, and such a god-like attitude makes him unpredictable.

This season, he's more powerful and publicly supported than ever, making him scarier. The strong acting by Antony Starr turns Homelander into a symbol of corruption and ego. It shows how sometimes the ones who promise to save you can be your worst nightmare.

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7. Tate Langdon

Tate Langdon from American Horror Story: Murder House is still considered to be one of the spookiest villains on TV. Initially, he gives off the impression of being a tormented teenager, but shortly after, his dark truths disclose a very sick psychiatric patient. Tate's conduct is disgusting; nevertheless, his emotional weakness makes him somehow likable.

The acting by Evan Peters was so strong that it made Tate a pop culture icon. It will be with us the ghostly presence of Tate as long as American Horror Story continues to grow, and consequently, we will not be able to forget how captivating the true horror can be.

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These memorable antagonists are a reminder that great storytelling frequently relies on a strong antagonist. The impact of all these characters is still felt not only because they were evil but also because they were so real.

From the cool and collected Gus Fring to the enticing and perilous Homelander, their influence on popular culture is still very much alive. The characters never leave the writers' room, and this is the reason why we can say that real villains do not fade away easily.