The 25 Greatest TV Villains of All Time

They're the best at being the worst.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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There are many reasons that we fall in love with TV villains. Maybe they live life the way we only dream of, ignoring the rules of polite society and taking what they want. Perhaps we are intrigued by the intricate traps they set for our favorite characters. Or, simply put, they're just badasses.

Whatever the reasons, a great villain can capture our imaginations in ways that a hero often can't. If you have a vision of morality that is absolute, you're likely disappointed when noble leads let you down. For villains there's much more of a grey area: Absolute evil is rare (and usually boring). The chance for redemption exists in even the darkest of souls.

Whether they traffic in petty nuisances or plots of wholesale destruction, there are those small-screen baddies that everyone loves to hate. These are the 25 greatest TV villains of all time.

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Written by Brenden Gallagher (@muddycreekU)

25. T-Bag, Prison Break

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24. The One-Armed Man, The Fugitive

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23. Nina Meyers, 24

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22. Stefano DiMera, Days of Our Lives

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21. Wile E. Coyote, LooneyTunes

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20. The Master, Doctor Who

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19. The Borg, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager

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18. Amanda Woodward, Melrose Place

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17. The Smoking Man, The X-Files

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16. Boyd Crowder, Justified

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15. Joffrey Baratheon, Game of Thrones

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14. Shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

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13. Ben Linus, Lost

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12. Vince McMahon, WWF/WWE

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11. Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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10. Al Swearengen, Deadwood

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9. Gus Fring, Breaking Bad

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8. Newman, Seinfeld

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7. Bill O'Reilly, The O'Reilly Factor

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6. The Cylons, Battlestar Galactica

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5. Vic Mackey, The Shield

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4. Mr. Burns, The Simpsons

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3. Stringer Bell/Avon Barksdale, The Wire

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2. J.R. Ewing, Dallas

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1. Tony Soprano, The Sopranos

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