There was a time when imagining a villain as a lead on a TV show was unheard of. Shows just did not do that. Sure, there were always bad guys, but they were usually in the background, behind the protagonist. Then, The Sopranos changed that with a lead who could very well be called a bad guy. Those lines only blurred even further with shows like Breaking Bad and Sons of Anarchy, where it seemed that even the good guys we were were tuning in to watch were becoming the bad guys.
And then Hannibal happened, and all bets were off. Now, you can have a show with a straight up bad guy as your lead, and it can make for some incredibly compelling television. Being one who always found the Darth Vaders way cooler than the Luke Skywalkers, this is a wonderful time for me to be living in. A time when the bad guys who normally have to wear masks and hide in the background can step up and let their awful deeds and amoral souls shine.
On that note, here are 6 TV bad guys that honestly deserve their own shows. I know spinoffs always end up sucking, but for a moment, let’s imagine a hypothetical world where they can be violent and awesome.
Dare to dream with me for a moment, kids. Dare to dream with me.
