Top 10 TV Shows Where You Root for the Bad Guy
#10: “Mad Men” (2007-15)
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“Mad Men” helped revitalize interest in 60s fashion and culture, and it’s not difficult to see why. Whether it be rocking stylish suits or guzzling down whiskey at the office, the characters of “Mad Men” epitomize being suave. It even instilled in many a desire to be “a mad man”. However, many forget that these characters were terrible human beings. Notable examples include Roger Sterling being openly racist, and Don Draper exuding selfishness at every turn. Sure, Don’s not a murderer or anything (more on that in a bit), but no one will ever say that Don is a good man. Good traits? Maybe. Good man? Absolutely not.
#9: “The Punisher” (2017-19)
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Netflix’s iteration of “The Punisher” significantly toned down the titular character by stripping away many of his villainous traits and making him more of a conventional hero. But let’s just say that he wouldn’t exactly be a great fit in The Avengers. He often resorts to dark and unethical tactics in order to catch criminals, and he’s shown that he’s certainly not afraid to take them out...permanently. His methods are particularly brutal, and were on full display when he disposed of Agent Orange. We’re aware that he only kills criminals, but you know what they say – two wrongs don’t make a right.
#8: “Boardwalk Empire” (2010-14)
HBO is home to several shows that feature some of television’s most iconic anti-heroes, one of which is “Boardwalk Empire.” It stars Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson, a corrupt politician who leads his own illegal bootlegging operation in Prohibition-era Atlantic City. Right off the bat, he seems like a real goody two shoes. As with most gangster stories, we can’t help but fall for the glamorous life and exciting political machinations of its protagonist, even though he’s...you know, a gangster. Nucky is a little more sympathetic than most crime bosses, as he genuinely seems to care for his constituents and the downtrodden, but he is by no means a good person.
#7: “The Wire” (2002-08)
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One of the primary aims of this show was to dispel stereotypes to the criminal underworld, and add nuance and depth to its criminals. But there is a moral spectrum, and many of the show’s characters fall on the more immoral side of that spectrum. The Barksdale and Stanfield organizations, Omar Little, and Idris Elba’s Stringer Bell, all perform immoral actions, yet they always remain the most entertaining and complex characters on the show. We root for them not only because they’re entertaining, fun to watch, and often hilarious, but because the show humanizes them. Although they did terrible things, we still wouldn’t necessarily classify them as bad people.
#6: “Sons of Anarchy” (2008-14)
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From the very beginning, viewers quickly learn that the Sons of Anarchy spell trouble. Even their names sound like ones that would be given to bad guys. The show’s protagonist, Jax Teller, finds a manifesto written by his deceased father in which he condemns the notion of his simple motorcycle club becoming an organized crime syndicate. Soonafter, Jax begins to question if his mother Gemma and stepfather Clay conspired to have his father murdered. All this, along with suddenly becoming a father, leads him to question his future with the violent club. We love Jax and the rest of the group for a variety of reasons, including their brotherly bond. As a result, we can’t help falling for the allure of an outlaw motorcycle gang.
#5: “The Shield” (2002-08)
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“The Shield” made its intentions known right off the bat. In the very first episode, protagonist Vic Mackey kills a fellow cop who was sent to spy on him, revealing right from the get-go that he is in favor of first-degree murder in order to get his way. The show subsequently chronicles the violent and often illegal adventures of Mackey and his Strike Team, a police force modeled after the real CRASH unit, a corrupt special operations group that was tasked with combating crime. Despite their unforgivable methods, they are just straight up cool: even other police officers admit that they’re the toughest dudes around. Yes, they do help take down the real bad guys, but that doesn’t make them any less nefarious, dishonest, or selfish.
#4: “Dexter” (2006-13)
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Whether you agree with his intentions or not, Dexter Morgan is a psychopath and a serial killer: palan and simple. He often has trouble empathizing with those around him and shows a penchant for dismembering people to satisfy his bloodlust. Luckily, he does have virtues that allow us to sympathize with and root for him. This includes a tragic backstory and the fact that he only targets those more morally repugnant than himself. That said, he stretches this code on more than one occasion, and has shown a penchant for toying with his victims. He’s an evil man trying to better society, but a serial killer who murders evil people is still a serial killer.
#3: “Game of Thrones” (2011-19)
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Before the show went too black and white with its morality, “Game of Thrones” was filled with brilliantly complex and interesting characters, many of whom had traces of evil and degeneracy within them. And while most viewers cheered for the heroes, many so-called villains became fan favorites. Some viewers adored the Lannisters, including the unquestionably evil Cersei and Tywin, and morally dubious characters like The Hound, Littlefinger, Jaime, and Bronn quickly became standouts. Even the traditional protagonists with huge fan bases did bad things, yes Tyrion and Arya, we’re looking at you. Ok, some of these characters were bound to do something morally wrong in order to get their way, but still. Let’s just face it - the moral characters were often the most boring to watch.
#2: “The Sopranos” (1999-2007)
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Many consider this New-Jersey mob boss to be the greatest and most influential character in television history. Before him, there weren’t many evil protagonists that appeared on TV. But that all changed with Tony Soprano. Tony was an immoral monster who preyed on those around him, including innocent people. He both indirectly and directly killed countless people (including his own nephew), constantly cheated on his wife, was openly racist, and even preyed on desperate citizens like Davey Scatino. But whether it’s his glamorous lifestyle, his charisma, or his sense of humor, we can’t help but love the guy. Simply put: Tony Soprano changed the course of television in the 2000s by ushering in the age of the anti-hero.
#1: “Breaking Bad” (2008-13)
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This is easily the greatest example of misaimed fandom in the history of television. Throughout the run of the series, we watched Walter White go from a mild-mannered dweeb desperate to provide for his family to a legitimate criminal mastermind. This path included having numerous people killed, selling Jesse into slavery, poisoning a child and showing no remorse for Drew Sharpe’s demise. Yet despite this, fans always remained on Walt’s side and would actively hate anyone who went against him, including his wife, Skyler. There isn’t a more heartless and selfish protagonist in TV history, yet everyone cheered for him regardless.
