Great television crime dramas often owe their power to the villains rather than the investigators.
Complex criminals—whether mob bosses, manipulators, sociopaths, or corrupt officials—frequently become the most memorable figures on screen.
When writers give these characters depth, viewers can find themselves sympathizing with or even rooting for them despite their transgressions. Their moral ambiguity and unpredictability fuel tension, create shocks, and drive the plots that keep audiences hooked.
Nancy Botwin — Weeds
Nancy is an unlikely and improvisational drug dealer who turns suburban domesticity into dark comedy. The show peaks in its early seasons, where Nancy’s schemes blend humor and danger.
Jim Moriarty — Sherlock
Andrew Scott’s Moriarty is Sherlock Holmes’s brilliant, amoral adversary. His elaborate manipulations challenge Benedict Cumberbatch’s detective and create some of the series’ most electrifying confrontations.
George Bluth Sr. — Arrested Development
The corrupt patriarch of the Bluth clan spends much of the show’s early brilliance behind bars. His fraudulent schemes are as inept as they are audacious, exposi...