Film, TV + Theatre

8 Thrilling shows to watch with interesting villains

Good bad guys

06.09.2024

By Marissa Chin

IMAGES: NETFLIX
8 Thrilling shows to watch with interesting villains

It’s easy to root for the compelling protagonist with a stringent moral compass…but rooting for the bad guy? Now that’s fun. The shining lead characters tend to say and do the right thing, but TV has also shown us that villains are often made and not born, with some having somewhat justifiable intentions (key on the somewhat).

Often, the bad guys are written with much more complexity and nuance than their straight-laced righteous protagonists, so it’s no wonder audiences are sometimes more interested in the big bads of the show. If you tend to find yourself pulled towards the dark side, here are some shows that explore these morally ambiguous characters and show that rooting for the bad guys may not be all that bad.

 

You

Yes, he’s a psychopathic serial killer. It’s probably not the best one to start out with on a topic about rooting for the bad guy, and Penn Badgley himself constantly reminds audiences that his character, Joe, is *not a good guy*. But the fact that You had four seasons proves our point that audiences can’t get enough of this deranged man with a husky voice. Despite his maniacal and murderous behaviour, the show does a great job of making Joe *almost* relatable with his quippy and sarcastic inner monologues and his hatred of screaming babies. Turns out, he’s not all that different from us…if you can forget the glass cage in his basement.

Watch You here.

 

The Penguin

Gotham has seen its fair share of villains but one that stands out is Oswald Cobblepot AKA The Penguin, a timid nobody who transforms into a feared gangster in the city. As an iconic supervillain in the DC Comics, he has been a major antagonist to Batman with his ruthless scheming and violent actions. The prequel series, The Penguin, allows audiences to see how the passing of his mother greatly affected him and exacerbated his feelings of loneliness and abandonment. In essence, Oswald is a mob boss who runs a criminal empire. As such, the businessman knows how to switch allegiances so long as the profits keep rolling in. This unpredictable side of The Penguin makes him a compelling villain to watch.

Watch The Penguin here.

 

Game of Thrones

If there’s a TV show that has just as many captivating villains as there are heroic figures, it’s the iconic Game of Thrones. Spanning over eight seasons, the political fantasy series introduces an ensemble of characters that will tempt you to go from one noble house to another. Whether it’s the cruel Cersei Lannister, the pirate king Euron Greyjoy or the cunning Littlefinger, each villainous character has strong motivations for their actions and vie for power in intelligent and surprising ways. While the last season left much to be desired, Game of Thrones shows how exciting it can be to root for morally grey characters. Don’t forget to catch the prequel once you’re all caught up.

Watch Game of Thrones (and House of the Dragon) here.

The Boys

In the age of big-budget superhero franchises, Marvel and DC Comics make it clear who the good and bad guys are. Superman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wonder Woman—these superheroes are inherently righteous and fight for justice. But let’s be honest, if there were individuals with destructive superpowers in the real world, would they still have the same morals? Created by Gareth Ennis as a comic book series, The Boys takes that idealistic notion and turns it on its head. In the gritty and gory live-action adaptation, the series shows that superheroes can be selfish and manipulative people hungry for power and fame. Villains such as Homelander, Firecracker and Stormfront—despicable as they may be—make the show interesting for its social commentary on the dangers of worship culture.

Watch The Boys here.

 

Hannibal

buro malaysia villains tv show
Image: NBC

Anthony Hopkins is iconic as Hannibal Lecter but make no mistake, Mads Mikkelsen’s interpretation of the homicidal cannibal is bone-chilling. Always in a crisp suit and not a hair out of place, forensic psychiatrist Dr Hannibal Lecter exudes confidence and elegance—even down to his *cough* knife skills. While we won’t excuse his cannibalistic tendencies, Hannibal makes for an extraordinary villain due to his intelligence and how he masterfully fools everyone around him. His relationship with FBI special investigator Will Graham is very much the heart of the show which only delves deeper once they enter a delicious cat-and-mouse game with each other.

Watch Hannibal here.

 

Breaking Bad

Struggling to make ends meet, Breaking Bad follows Walter White—a high school chemistry teacher who starts being a ruthless player in the local methamphetamine drug trade. He succumbs to this because he needs to financially provide for his family after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Sometimes, you will understand Walter’s actions and other times, you’ll downright despise the protagonist. Breaking Bad is the perfect series for people who want to experience a rollercoaster of emotions in an action-packed thriller.

Watch Breaking Bad here.

 

Shadow and Bone

Another reason to love a bad guy? The romance between them and the protagonist is so good that you can’t help but root for them to work out. Take Netflix’s YA fantasy show, Shadow and Bone for instance. Based on the best-selling Grishaverse novels by Leigh Bardugo, the series centres on an orphan cartographer called Alina Starkov who discovers she has a rare and extraordinary power. The dark and mysterious General Kirigan steps in to help her, but he isn’t who he seems. While Kirigan may have questionable intentions with Alina’s power, he treats Alina with care and attention that is honestly swoon-worthy. It also doesn’t help that Ben Barnes plays him!

Watch Shadow and Bone here.

 

Blacklist

buro malaysia villains tv shows
Image: NBC

After running from the authorities for 20-odd years, Raymond Reddington miraculously turned himself into the FBI to volunteer information in exchange for immunity. Through his years of criminal activities, he had built up an impressive list of criminal contacts and syndicates which would be very helpful to the FBI. However, old habits die hard and Raymond’s sneaky and manipulative ways occasionally shine through, making him a frustrating ally to the FBI. While his criminal exploits in the past run deep, audiences will be captivated by his wits and deadpan humour as he wraps the FBI around his finger.

Watch Blacklist here.

 

Killing Eve

This BBC series takes the entertaining cat-and-mouse game between the villain and protagonist to a whole new level. Killing Eve follows Eve, a spy bored with the monotony of her M15 job, and Villanelle (yes, it’s very on the nose), a masterful yet completely unhinged assassin. As their paths begin to clash, the two find themselves increasingly obsessed with one another in a satisfying enemies-turned-lovers trope. The show does an incredible job of making you love Villanelle as steals the limelight with her creative kills and extravagant dress choices. When audiences compare that to Eve’s colourless work life, they just can’t help but question if it’s more fun to live life like Villanelle.

Watch Killing Eve here.

 

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