Spotlighting the Best TV Villains of All Time

A villain has the ability to make or break a show. 

When written correctly, TV villains are deeply twisted, complex, and driven. They worm their way into our hearts whether they like it or not, only to rip them out at the last second. With the final season of You gracing our screens this evening, what better time to run through the best TV villains around? 

Read on to find out who made our list, and let us know who you think we missed. 

THE TV VILLAINS WE CAN’T HELP BUT LOVE 

Joe, You 

When the writers of You created Joe, they couldn’t possibly have predicted he would become one of the most lusted-after characters on television. Yet, here we are. 

Joe is your classic serial killer—convinced he is doing the world a favour and always hell bent on changing his ways. Whether it’s his flair for the romantic or the fact that he’s played by the endlessly attractive Penn Badgley, something about Joe just makes you want to love him. 

With the fifth and final season of You out today, we can’t wait to see where one of the best TV villains goes next! 

Georgina, Gossip Girl

For those of us who grew up on Gossip Girl, Georgina is without a doubt the greatest villain of all time. 

Powerful, hilarious, and borderline insane, Georgina Sparks, played by the late Michelle Trachtenberg, won us over from the start. Unlike other TV villains, Georgina avoided any poorly written redemption arc. She stayed true to who she was from the start, and we just have to love her for that. 

With her crazy fashion choices and impeccable line delivery, what’s not to love? 

Kelly Kapoor, The Office 

Calling Mindy Kaling’s Kelly Kapoor a villain may be a stretch, but stick with us. 

With her delusional storylines and dysfunctional relationship with Ryan, it is clear that The Office writers wanted us to hate Kelly. But, how could we? Kaling breathed heart into this otherwise unlikeable character, making her not only hilarious but someone the audience could sympathise with. 

The Office may be over, but that doesn’t stop us from ranking Kelly as one of the best TV villains of all time. 

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Klaus Mikaelson, The Vampire Diaries/The Originals

A true TV villain through and through, when Klaus Mikaelson first graced our teenage screens, our lives changed. 

Initially joining The Vampire Diaries cast as a truly evil, mayhem-causing hurricane, Klaus quickly became one of Tumblr’s favourite boyfriends. Shipped with Caroline, Klaus smiled his way into our hearts. His quick stint on the show was full of smirks, sneaky plans, and heated moments—and we just can’t get enough! 

Needless to say, oozing humour and wit, Klaus is one of the best TV villains out there. 

Alison DiLaurentis, Pretty Little Liars 

The writers of Pretty Little Liars may have tried to give Alison DiLaurentis a redemption arc, but 10 years on, we still aren’t convinced. 

How Sasha Pieters managed to portray Alison so perfectly at the young age of 13, we will never know. Gossipy, backstabbing, and completely fabulous, Alison is one of those characters you just don’t forget. Her Lady Gaga costume in season two? Iconic!

One of the best TV villains on a teen show, Alison never failed to leave us filled with fear and begging for more. 

Squidward, SpongeBob SquarePants 

Squidward is so beloved by the internet that it’s easy to forget that he is the villain of SpongeBob SquarePants.

Melancholy, tired, and completely fed up with the world, Squidward gets more and more relatable each year. As kids, he was a caricature of our parents, telling us to be quiet and calm done. As adults, he’s that voice inside our heads telling us to go to bed at 9 pm on a Saturday.

Easily one of the best TV villains on children’s television, Squidward will always hold a place in our hearts. 

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Zebediah Killgrave, Jessica Jones 

When beloved David Tennant was cast as Killgrave in Jessica Jones, the world prepared itself to fall in love with another villain. Instead, they were met with one of the few characters on TV to truly make our skin crawl. 

Tennant’s portrayal of the iconic Marvel character is one for the ages. Killgrave is evil through and through, using his powers of manipulation to get what he wants, when he wants it, no matter the cost. His infatuation with Jones makes him only more horrifying to watch. 

His ability to cause true terror makes Kilgrave one of the best TV villains we’ve seen. 

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