8 TV Villains So Good That They Ruined The Show

There are a lot of great villains in TV shows, but eight of them were so good that they doomed their shows by setting the bar too high for anyone else to reach. Many long-running TV shows end up cycling through sizable lists of villains, while others use overarching antagonists to fill their villain roles over multiple seasons. From crime procedurals to big-budget epic fantasy series, every good TV show needs a strong villain, but creating a villain who is too good can also lead to problems.

In many ways, villains are the most important characters in TV shows because they are what makes the audience want to cheer for the protagonist. It’s hard to get invested in a show if the villains aren’t engaging enough to warrant strong opposition. Considering how essential it is to have a strong villain in any given TV show, it makes sense that some series end up making their villains so captivating that nobody who comes after them is able to replicate their level of engagement. Eight characters in particular, including some of TV’s smartest villains, stand out for being so good that they make all future antagonists disappointing.

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8 Jim Moriarty — Sherlock

Played by Andrew Scott

Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) is easily the best villain in the BBC’s Sherlock series, and he’s probably one of the best TV villains ever. Moriarty is at the heart of Sherlock‘s best seasons, and there is nobody capable of replacing him after his eventual death in season 2. It takes a truly worthy villain to match wits with the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch), and after Moriarty’s demise, the show never manages to integrate a worthy successor. He’s simply too wicked and fascinating for another villain to have the same impact, and his brilliance inevitably makes every villain after him seem dim-witted.

7 Reverse-Flash — The Flash

Played by Tom Cavanagh

The Flash‘s Reverse-Flash, or Eobard Thawne (Tom Cavanagh), is the show’s best villain by far, and he is such a perfect foil to Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) that it’s impossible for the series to make another villain anywhere near his level. The Flash‘s best seasons are focused on Reverse-Flash’s clashes with Barry, and though other villains appear in the show, they all feel like filler used to take up space until Reverse-Flash can return. He is an ideal arch-nemesis for a superhero because his turn to evil is caused by the hero himself, and their abilities mirror each other so closely that they are the perfect opponents for each other.

6 Boyd Crowder — Justified

Played by Walton Goggins

Justified‘s Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) is a TV villain whose charisma is irreplaceable. Crowder is an old friend of the show’s protagonist, Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), and the characters’ history together makes him a fantastic villain. Crowder is a ruthless individual with few morals, and his proclivity for violence makes him incredibly intimidating. Goggins’ performance is one for the ages, and despite some great villains that come after Crowder in Justified, there is nobody capable of meeting the villainous expectations he created.

5 Darlene Snell — Ozark

Played by Lisa Emery

While Ozark has a lot of standout villains, none of them can quite compete with Darlene Snell (Lisa Emery). She is Ozark‘s main antagonist in season 2, and though she remains relevant over the next two seasons, the show is never as good without her making up the central threat. Darlene is a merciless killer and Lisa Emery’s portrayal of her is absolutely haunting. None of Ozark‘s other villains feel as unpredictable and reckless as Darlene, and her willingness to act without thinking things through makes her a true wild card. Because of that, no other character is able to lend the show the same level of suspense as Darlene.

4 Arthur “The Trinity Killer” Mitchell — Dexter

Played by John Lithgow

Dexter cycles through plenty of villains in its eight seasons, but none of them live up to the standard set by Arthur Mitchell (John Lithgow), otherwise known as the “Trinity Killer”. Firstly, no other killer in Dexter manages to create the same level of fear that Mitchell does when it’s revealed that he’s a killer. His facade as a community leader and high school teacher makes him far more intimidating than a typical serial killer because he’s been able to hide in plain sight for so long. Other killers in Dexter are terrifying for various reasons, but none of them are as casually savage as Miller.

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3 Al Swearengen — Deadwood

Played by Ian McShane

Ian McShane’s Al Swearengen from the hit HBO series Deadwood is another all-time great TV villain. Part of what makes Swearengen such a great villain is his complexity as a character. Swearengen’s penchant for loyalty can be endearing, but the savagery he is willing to engage in to demonstrate his loyalty can be disturbing, as is the vicious dedication he expects in return. McShane’s portrayal of Swearengen is also so captivating that every scene he doesn’t feature in feels like a disappointment. As soon as he leaves the screen, it’s hard not to be impatient for his next appearance.

2 Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell — Prison Break

Played by Robert Knepper

Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell (Robert Knepper) from Prison Break is probably one of TV’s creepiest villains. T-Bag sticks around for much of Prison Break, but when he stops being a primary antagonist in the show’s last few seasons, there is a notable drop-off in the show’s quality. Part of that dip in quality is due to some repetitive storylines and perhaps a bit overly convoluted plot devices, but T-Bag’s absence as a primary villain plays a big role as well. He is easily the show’s most convincing antagonist, and Knepper’s harrowing performance is impossible for the rest of Prison Break‘s villains to match.

1 Ramsay Bolton — Game Of Thrones

Played by Iwan Rheon

It’s no secret that HBO’s Game of Thrones experienced a decline in its final few seasons. While this happened for a number of complex reasons, the lack of a universally detested villain like Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) definitely played a role in it. While the Night King (Vladimir Furdik) is scary and powerful, Ramsay’s sadistic madness makes him a far more engaging villain. Further, other villains in the show, like Cersei (Lena Headey), were too nuanced to hate in the way Ramsay is despised.

Ramsay is so cruel and heartless that he makes the Night King look warm, and Rheon’s performance in the role is absolutely top-notch. One could certainly argue that Lena Headey’s performance as Cersei is even better, but too many fans of the show love her character for her to play the same role as Ramsay does. In the end, Ramsay turned out to be an irreplaceable character for the hit series, and the absence of an equally engaging antagonist contributed to Game of Thrones‘ downfall.