I got to tell you as a kid I always did root for the good guys, however the bad guys seem to have it all. I mean they really always had the cooler stuff, better cars or space ships, better houses and of course hotter chicks, alas I still rooted for the good guys. Although I did enjoy watching the bad guys go wrong. It seems that if they just stopped the evil they could do just fine on their own. Here are my top five TV villains.

 
5. Boyd Crowder. This is a tough one. I know fans of the show will say he is far more complex than most villains. That being said, you can always count on one thing from Boyd; Boyd is going to what is best for Boyd. If that happens to work out well for others then so be it, but the core Boyd is out for Boyd, not very different from his character Shane on the shield. This is a core belief for villains they are in it for themselves.

 
4. Sylar. This one is interesting. Sylar is not inherently bad but has evil thrust upon him; who am I kidding he takes to it like a duck to water. Sylar wakes up and discovers he has these powers. He is able to see how things work together; probably one of the cheesiest super powers ever. He does put it to good use as he goes around stealing powers from other people how may not even understand yet what is happening to them. Then he is able use their powers as he understands fundamentally how they work, after he cuts their heads open of course. I really feel for Sylar; who among us would be able to awake with powers and instantly use them for good…always? I would certainly try but I know this would be a Sisyphean feat for me.

 
3. Adebisi. Fans of the series OZ knows this is a man not to be trifled with. Adebisi on the surface looks like your typical long time criminal, but underneath all of that he is playing the long game. He knows he will be inside for a long time and works towards complete and total control of the prison. Dark foreboding and imposing this man is to be feared, and respected. He is able to get others to do his bidding, usually out of fear, and by that is able to keep his hands clean. No direct crime can be linked back to him, at least not by the guards. If you have not watched OZ you should check it out. It is like a train wreck you are not sure why you are looking but you can’t look away. Adebisi is one of the villains, amongst many, who make this show even creepier than you could dream up.

 
2. The Joker. This guy has gone from comic book pages to radio to television to movie. He has the longevity needed for a true villain. The arch-nemesis of Batman he has his work cut out for him. Some may simply dismiss him as crazy, and they are probably right to do so. Others would say a super genius on par with Lex Luther or Donald Trump. At his core is a man who simply enjoys chaos. He loves to wind up the pieces and watch them all run around. I really think any and all schemes are nothing more than for his own amusement; another core value of villainy. Simply a desire to watch the world bend to your will, whether or not it is controlled is irrelevant to him.

1. Raymond “Red” Reddington. This is one of my new favorite characters not to mention villains. He is assisting the F.B.I. how can he be a villain? Have you not been paying attention? He is doing what suits him best. If there was no angle in it for him then he would not be there. He also has that other quality. He loves to watch the pieces move to his will. He is clearly in control of the situation and puts the pieces in motion with a simple nudge. Then he sits back and watches; sometimes he goes along for a front row seat to watch. Not thinking of Red as a villain is like thinking of a tiger as a pet. Sure he will be happy to roam the grounds of your mansion but as soon as he gets hungry he will eat you. I love watching Red weave his plan and can’t wait for more.

 
Those are my top five villains of television. Did I miss yours? Let me know in the comments. And please don’t forget to vote.