Relatable TV Villains:
These villains have the potential to be viewed as anti-heroes if the story was told from their perspective. They believe they are doing the right thing. These villains were not born evil, but they had to adapt in order to survive and get the things they desire. Their actions are not at all justifiable, but one could argue that they do make a strong point.
#10: Pete Campbell
Played By: Vincent Kartheiser
TV Show: Mad Men
Pete always dreamt of reaching the top and he certainly had the potential, but he was always under-appreciated thanks to the legendary Don Draper. His ideas were always side-tracked, making him insecure and desperate. That is certainly relatable as under-appreciation can make anyone vain and selfish.
#9: Man in Black
Played By: Ed Harris
TV Show: Westworld
This Westworld veteran has been visiting the park for over 30 years, in a bid to solve the mystery Arnold left there. He has dedicated the majority of his life to this park and it would all be in vain if he fails to uncover the secrets of the park. He is willing to do anything and won’t tolerate any obstruction.
#8: Klaus Mikaelson
Played By: Joseph Morgan
TV Show: The Vampire Diaries
Your entire overview of life would be meaningless too if you have lived for over a thousand years like the Original Vampire Klaus. He never received the proper respect he deserved in his family which made him manipulative and ruthless. He trusted Katerina more than anyone but even she betrayed him, ultimately putting him on a warpath.
#7: Crowley
Played By: Mark Sheppard
TV Show: Supernatural
Fergus’ childhood was nothing to write home about as he was constantly abused by his mother Rowena and he was ultimately abandoned. He suffered a lot even after becoming a demon, despite that he managed to become the ruler of Hell at one point, and you do not get that position by ‘playing nice’, you have to get your hands dirty.
#6: Petyr Baelish
Played By: Aiden Gillen
TV Show: Game of Thrones
Petyr Baelish did everything in his power to become one of the most influential men in the Seven Kingdom. He had no other choice in the ruthless world of Westeros. He started from the bottom and achieved everything with the help of his cunning and manipulative mind. What’s so wrong in being ambitious?
#5: Benjamin Linus
Played By: Michael Emerson
TV Show: Lost
The Shy leader of the ‘Others’, Benjamin Linus is just of the product of unfortunate circumstances. His abusive father made his childhood hell, and the Island is the only place he truly considers to be his home. He did everything in his power to protect his turf and according to his perspective, the protagonists are the ‘Others’ on the island.
#4: Gustavo Fring
Played By: Giancarlo Esposito
TV Show: Breaking Bad
In a dog-eat-dog world, only people like Gus Fring survive. Growing up in extreme poverty opened his eyes to the cruelties of the world and he realized that he must take the things he deserves with force. He always remained calm and did everything necessary to preserve what he gained over the years.
#3: Lucifer
Played By: Mark Pellegrino
TV Show: Supernatural
The ruler of hell has plenty of reasons to despise human beings. He refused to bow down to humanity, which led to his fall from Heaven. He was held in a cage for countless years and it was natural for him to go after the humans once he got out.
#2: Tywin Lannister
Played By: Charles Dance
TV Show: Game of Thrones
One of the best Strategists in Westeros, Tywin Lannister knew exactly how to play the Game of thrones. Even though he was cold-hearted and ruthless at times, we cannot help but respect his tactics. His actions were always backed by solid reasons. His calculative nature is exactly what’s required to survive in a world like Westeros.
#1: Negan
Played By: Jeffrey Dean Morgan
TV Show: The Walking Dead
Negan is ruthless, cruel, and violent, and that is precisely the reason behind his survival. He took extreme steps to lead his people into the future but we cannot really judge him, as the world he lives in is not the same as ours. Even Rick has killed a lot of humans for survival, Negan is just an extreme version of Rick.
