Part III, here we go! We're really getting into the fantastic ones now. Game of Thrones starts showing itself, Oz will rear its ugly head, and the villain with by far the most actors to play him will surface. Officially halfway done everybody!
Enjoy!
30. Joffrey Baratheon
Played by: Jack Gleeson
Featured on: Game of Thrones
"Everyone is mine to torment! You'd do well to remember that, you little monster." - Joffrey Baratheon
Ahh Joffrey - the physical incarnation of how a teenager, mad with power, would act. Well... a teenager who may or may not be a sociopath. Joffrey already has issues due to the fact that his parents are siblings, he's been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and despite his conquering attitude, is far from the sharpest knife in the drawer. Though he's occasionally cartoonishly evil, Joffrey is a fantastic villain, one that, until his death by poison, was the youngest terror of the seven kingdoms Westeros had ever seen. Joffrey had many memorable moments, such as when Tyrion gave him a couple prostitutes as a present, yet instead of having his way with them, decided to make them fight each other with maces for the young king's enjoyment. Scenes like this, or his constant yelling at everyone around him for the littlest of issues, made Joffrey a hate-able villain, but also an amusing one. At first introduction, we thought he was just a prick, but as time went on, Joffrey proved to be a psycho. However, since he lasted so long into the show, Joffrey became a part of the seven kingdoms, instead of a temporary plague. We began to accept the temporary king, knowing he would eventually have to die, but also acknowledging how he had risen to be a tyrant. When he finally was dispatched, a full plotline came out of it, begging the question of who had poisoned him, and with a new power vacuum, who would take the Iron Throne next.
29. Phil Leotardo
Played by: Frank Vincent
Featured on: The Sopranos
"You want compromise, how's this? Twenty years in the can I wanted manicott, but I compromised. I ate grilled cheese instead. I wanted to fuck a woman, but I jacked off into a tissue. You see where I'm goin?" - Phil Leotardo
The Sopranos is an interesting show when it comes to villains. Since Tony himself is such a villain, yet at the same time a hero, the antagonists many times are better people than Tony. Ralph Cifaretto jumps to mind here. And, while it may be up for debate which mobster is better, Tony or Phil Leotardo, the opposing boss was at least someone equally as unlikable as our leading man. Thus, as an end-of-the-show villain, Phil Leotardo provided a fantastic foil for Mr. Soprano. As a gangster, Leotardo was similar in many ways to Tony. He had a family, he was older, and he respected the rules of the modern mafia. While a war was started between the two of them, it wasn't anything immediate. Meetings were had, lines were drawn, and when things finally went down between the two of them, it made sense on both ends of the spectrum. From there, Leotardo proved to be the most powerful enemy Tony had made, carrying out hits on many of his right hand men, and, though Leotardo himself was eventually killed, it's still a hotly debated issue as to whether or not he was responsible for the hotly debated issue of Tony's apparent death at the end of the show. While not quite as memorable as some of the other villains in Sopranos, Leotardo was fantastic for what he represented, and for being the ultimate downfall of many longtime characters.
28. Simon Adebisi
Played by: Adewale Akinnyoye-Agbaje
Featured on: Oz
"You are a sick motherfucker, O'Reily." - Simon Adebisi
"Coming from you, that's a compliment, Adebisi."
Oz is a show full of villains. Even Tobias Beecher, the de facto inmate protagonist of the show does horrible acts of violence and evil during his time in the prison. All of this should display exactly how Ozwald turned once-good people into the monsters they are in the show. However, while many of the characters represent this change, it's hard to imagine Simon Adebisi ever being a "good guy." The monstrous Nigerian is a notorious murderer, rapist, and leader of the "black gang" in Oz. He represented the far evil side of the men in the prison. However, while a terrifying monstrosity, Adebisi also had a light side, as shown in the episodes when a tribal Nigerian came to the prison, and for a short while, turned Adebisi into something of a ritualistic follower. After the Nigerian was killed however, it was the final nail in the coffin for Adebisi's evil. From there, the war between himself and Said began, almost a war between good and evil. And, with Adebisi's ultimate downfall in the season four midseason finale, light ostensibly won out. Though not quite as interesting as a couple of the other villains on Oz, Adebisi is an absolute must-have when considering the most evil characters on television.
27. Professor Ernst Lodz
Played by: Patrick Bauchau
Featured on: Carnivale
"You're crazy."
"Quite." - Ernst Lodz
Just saying the word "Carnivale" brings me back to the desolate, dark lands of the American Dust Bowl, and the magical carnies and preachers that inhabited it. The mythos of the show, the fascinating characters, and the sharp, yet cryptic dialogue brought some of the best television ever made. However, due to a cancellation after the second season, the biggest missed opportunity in television history came about, never allowing us to know how the show would have worked out had it gone on the expected six seasons. One plot that did get to finish itself however, was the arc of Professor Ernst Lodz, the blind mentalist. Throughout the first season of the show, we learned little bits of his past life, and what he does for the Carnival itself. We learned that he had once been the leader of the Carnival, but after a falling out with the enigmatic "Management," had lost his place, yet continually tried to regain his spot. We learned of his power plays against Samson, and of his quest to regain his vision. Lodz wasn't outwardly evil, yet as we came closer and closer to his climax, we understood just how dark a character he was. His cryptic messages weren't just ramblings, they were his own self-fulfilling prophecies of Godlike power and leadership. When he met his end, Lodz had finally revealed his true intentions, or at least what he thought were his true intentions, and was duped. While rumors had gone around of a potential Lodz return had the show gone on longer, his character arc, as it stands, was still a thing to behold, landing him a well deserved spot on the list.
26. Commodore Louis Kaestner
Played by: Dabney Coleman & John Ellison Conlee
Featured on: Boardwalk Empire
"Ask the man inside you this: when you come face to face with destiny, do you want to be the bear, or do you want to be the man holding the shotgun?" - Louis Kaestner
The first two seasons of Boardwalk Empire featured the former boss of Atlantic City, known to most as just "The Commodore." As we learn across the show, and mostly in the flashbacks during the fifth and final season, not only was he something of a tyrant, but he was also a father figure to our leading man, Nucky Thompson. This made his plot all the more important when, in the second season, he became the central antagonist, organizing a group to overthrow Nucky and bring himself back into power. The rise and fall of the Commodore was an interesting plot in itself, but what made him such a powerful character and villain was his emotional effect on the other characters. To Nucky, he was somewhat of a harsh loving father. To Gillian Darmody, the girl whom Nucky had saved and later given to the Commodore at a young age to secure himself a position at the top of Atlantic City, he represented a father, a husband, and a twisted representation of love. To Gillian's son, Jimmy, he was a battling father with Nucky himself, and an out, in the second season, for him to overthrow Nucky and potentially do what Nucky had taught him, rise up. Thus, the Commodore, though adept on his own as a villain, was especially fascinating to watch terrorize the other people on the show. When his end came, it was an emotional moment for all involved, making Nucky kill the man who he looked up to, while at the same time hardening him as a leader. The following fifth season flashback appearances of the Commodore further gave the character depth, and showed exactly how he had ruled Atlantic City when he was in his prime. In an overall sense, a fantastic addition to Boardwalk Empire.
25. Marlo Stanfield
Played by: Jamie Hector
Featured on: The Wire
"What the fuck you know about what I need on my mind, motherfucker? My name was on the street? When the bounce from this shit here, y'all going to go down on them corners and let the people know: word did not get back to me. Let them know Marlo step to any motherfucker - Omar, Barksdale, whoever. My name is my name." - Marlo Stanfield
Where many of the villains of The Wire had a bit of a human side, Marlo and his merry band of thugs seemed to be demons taking the Baltimore underground by storm. They took no prisoners, made no bargains, and essentially made killing their top priority. Marlo, as the ringleader, was terrifying. He never seemed to have real emotion, just a lunatic with a shockingly smart sense of how to play the dark politics. What sets Marlo apart from someone like Stringer in terms of quality is that humanity, but at the same time, it was what made him so dangerous. He wasn't the most well-drawn character in the book, but he was certainly the scariest. In the end though, part of Marlo's excellent comeuppance was the irony of it. This is part of what ranks him so high on the list. When Marlo eventually ends his plot, he's accepted into the real business areas of Baltimore, almost making him go semi-legitimate. However, Marlo never wanted to go into this business, preferring the streets, and ends up on opposite sides of where his nemesis, Stringer Bell, would want to end up. Bell being doomed to the street and Marlo doomed to the office. The ultimate comeuppance in the least suspecting way.
24. Chris Keller
Played by: Christopher Meloni
Featured on: Oz
"I'm not the one who is here by accident. I kill because I have to." - Chris Keller
Chris Keller has one of the more twisted plots on this list. Being originally set up to court Tobias Beecher at the hands of Schillinger, Keller eventually began to have mixed feelings about whether he actually loved Beecher or whether it was a true ploy. However, as the plot went on, these feelings got more and more complex. Love triangles developed, and betrayals were made. We also learned that Keller was imprisoned for the rape and murder of three men prior to his arrival in Oz, adding to the mystery and the darkness of Keller. But what made Keller such a great villain was just how in touch with the feelings of those around him he was. Though Keller was never on top of any plan or leader of any one gang, he was constantly in the thick of things with his own agenda. Almost a free agent for how everything was going down around him. Almost like a poker player, Keller was able to read those around him, telling what they were thinking and how he could emotionally stir a pot. When he finally met his end, falling over a railing whilst professing his love for Beecher, his mark was still felt on the jail as a mysterious packet of anthrax from Keller still took the lives of multiple inmates and guards. A fitting end to such an emotionally dangerous man.
23. The Master
Played by: Roger Delgado, Peter Pratt, Geoffrey Beevers, Anthony Ainley, Gordon Tipple, Eric Roberts, Derek Jacobi, John Simm, William Hughes, Michelle Gomez
Featured on: Doctor Who
"You do not understand hate as I do. Only hate keeps me alive. Why else would I endure this suffering?" - The Master
The Master is one of the harder ones to rank on here. Being a villain literally first showing up in 1971, he's gone through a lot of transformations over the years. Sometimes he's a dark, looming figure, while other times he's been a bit of a Q from Star Trek type. However, all across the character's history, he's always been the antithesis of what The Doctor is. While one seeks light, the other continually seeks darkness. He's essentially the Moriarty to The Doctor's Sherlock. Thus, for historical purposes, as well as basic interest, The Master earns a spot here. Just recently, in the modern incarnation of the show, we saw a season long plot, ending in the cliffhanger of a female Master, the first time in history that the character has taken that form. This plot unto itself is very interesting, but it's for the sheer amount of times the Master has had this sort of plot that a spot is earned.
22. Cirsei Lannister
Played by: Lena Headey
Featured on: Game of Thrones
"When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground." - Cirsei Lannister
It seems fitting that on the same edition in which Joffrey would be featured, his dear old mother would be as well. Cirsei, in many ways, is the central villain of Game of Thrones. As the matriarch of the Lannister family, the antagonist to both of her brothers, all the Starks, and the general commonwealth of Westeros, she truly is the queen bee of villains. What makes her so fantastic though, is that as a manipulative Queen, she seems to play all the right cards. When talking to her sons, she guilts them into letting her rule. When she talks to men, she uses sex as a weapon. When talking to her people, she uses power and fear to prove dominance. Otherwise, she is a smooth talker, and one that can issue threats without any kind of obvious gesture. Cirsei is a femme fatale, but one where instead of a hidden stiletto, will kill you with a command to a guard. In addition though, we see Cirsei's side of the story. As a woman in medieval times, getting ahead isn't easy, and with the rule of the land making men the ones to generally take a throne, micromanaging is a skill that the Kings cannot posses. Thus, she makes herself more dangerous than almost any man in the seven kingdoms, manipulating, murdering, and breaking her way to the top of the food chain, When Cirsei's downfall eventually comes, something that will almost certainly happen, it must be glorious to either move up the list or maintain her spot however.
21. Gyp Rosetti
Played by: Bobby Cannavale
Featured on: Boardwalk Empire
"What's that? A gun? I got a gun. He got a gun. He got a gun... everybody got guns!" - Gyp Rosetti
Gyp Rosetti, in terms of seasonal villains, is one of the kingpins if you ask me. As we zero in on the final twenty, Rosetti probably sets a new tier here. From the moment he's introduced in season three to the moment of his death, not only was Rosetti terrifying, he was pure fun. Almost like an Italian Tuco Salamanca who got more screentime. Gyp had so many traits that made him fantastic. He believed he was the second coming of Napoleon Bonaparte, getting all of the power he wanted for himself and holing up in a crossroads town to assault all who passed through. With this action, Rosetti also set him apart from all of his superiors, as well as our protagonist in Nucky Thompson. He was unafraid though, even in the face of so many enemies, standing his ground as the biggest badass on the East Coast. However, this pompous personality also led to his terrific downfall. His own cohorts ended his madness, hoping it would dig them out of the mile deep hole he had gotten them into with neighboring bosses. Before that death though, Gyp offered some of the most fun scenes I'd ever seen. He would beat a roadside worker to death for a slight disrespectful tone. He'd patronize the bosses of Atlantic City and New York's appearances just to anger them more. He'd wear a Napoleon hat to get into the character of the man he so wanted to be. And, though he never achieved his dreams of Mobster domination, every ounce of Bobby Cannavale's charismatic, crazed, rogue boss was must-watch television.Labels: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Bobby Cannavale, Christopher Meloni, Dabney Coleman, Doctor Who, Frank Vincent, Game of Thrones, Gregory Itzin, Jamie Hector, John Ellison Conlee, Lena Headey, Patrick Bauchau, The Wire
