Over time, television series have introduced viewers to engaging narratives and legendary characters that inhabit their fictional worlds. While some of them are newbies to the small screen (given the release of so many new shows), others remain fan favorites after several years.
With so many iconic TV characters out there, it isn’t hard to fall head over heels for a fictional personality, especially when they are fun and relatable, easily making audiences want to befriend them in real life, too. But which are the most intimidating and terrifying characters no one would dare to cross paths with? From downright psychopaths to superhero antagonists, these on-screen personalities are guaranteed to give you goosebumps, according to Reddit.
10 Marlo Stanfield – ‘The Wire’ (2002 – 2008)
Crime drama The Wire is one of Max’s most treasured drama shows for many reasons, but its undeniably incredible storyline and the characters that partake in the story are definitely on top of the list. Marlo Stanfield, played by the talented Jamie Hector, is a narcotics trafficking kingpin in the West Baltimore drug trade and one of the main antagonists of the show.
When viewers were asked which are the “most terrifying characters” ever seen on television, CosmicConjuror2 couldn’t help mentioning Marlo, noting that he was a “pure sociopath” who “seemed to have no humanity” in him. In the replies, another Reddit user gushed over the actor’s performance on the show, highlighting that Hector “did a fabulous job in We Own This City, as well.”
9 Ramsay Bolton – ‘Game of Thrones’ (2011 – 2019)
When the subject is the villains of the epic, fan-favorite series Game of Thrones, Iwan Rheon‘s Ramsay Bolton arguably stands among the most terrifying. Born Ramsay Snow, the character was the legitimized bastard son of Roose Bolton, Lord of the Dreadforth, and makes his first appearance in Season 3.
Many Redditors agree that the GoT character stands out due to Rheon’s magnificent performance, which definitely added to the story. “Yeah he’s truly terrifying in every scene he’s in,” swimmingrobot88 said. “Brilliant acting by Iwan Rheon.” Other users like panda388 can’t help wondering what “he would have been like if he had been born a Lannister.”
8 Kingpin – ‘Daredevil’ (2015 – 2018)
Vincent D’Onofrio has played a crucial role in Daredevil, having recently also made an appearance in the Disney+ series Hawkeye. The actor stepped into the shoes of one of the most feared crime bosses in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, bringing the character to life in the most frightening way.
As written by Eph2k, “Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin/Wilson Fisk from Daredevil” is a very valid pick when the category is intimidating small-screen personalities, and there is hardly any doubt that the character left a huge mark on the show thanks to his unforgettable temperament. Another Redditor remarks that what is so scary about Kingpin is that his behavior is “unpredictably violent,” explaining that he “goes from serene to slamming your head in a car door in just a few seconds.
7 Arthur Mitchell – ‘Dexter’ (2006 – 2013)
Also known as the Trinity Killer, John Lithgow‘s Arthur Mitchell is — from the burial of a ten-year-old to the murder of a woman in a bathtub — hands-down among the most terrifying fictional personalities of all. The antagonist of Dexter‘s fourth season has lived a double life for three decades.
There is no way not to be frightened by Lithgow’s superb performance, especially considering, as stopcounting put it, “that people like that might exist in the world.” On the website, Mountain_Ad_7856 admits that they are still “creeped out by Arthur Mitchell.”
6 Hannibal Lecter – ‘Hannibal’ (2013 – 2015)
One thing about Mads Mikkelsen‘s Hannibal Lecter? He will charm you off your feet and terrorize you in equal amounts. Thanks to his distinguishable and complex personality, the titular antagonist of the 2013 series — a cannibalistic serial killer — remains a fan favorite today.
“Sophisticated, sexy, and intelligent,” were the words ArvadaHayden used to describe the character on Reddit. Part of what makes Mikkelsen’s Hannibal counterpart so appealing is, of course, how charming and enigmatic he is. Nevertheless, it is in plain sight that the character is “absolutely terrifying,” as written by djblaze.
5 Killer BOB – ‘Twin Peaks’ (1990 – 1991)
Known as Killer BOB, Frank Silva‘s Twin Peaks counterpart is assuredly among the most talked-about characters. In the timeless mystery show that still counts many admirers today, the spirit whose true form is that of a long-haired vagrant is infamous for possessing human beings and carrying out heinous deeds.
According to several Redditors, the creature from a realm known as the Black Lodge comes off as a spine-chilling one. “My favorite part about all of this is the Bob was never supposed to be,” Stockpile_Tom_Remake admitted. “He was just someone who was accidentally caught in a mirrors reflection in one scene and Lynch just rolled with it.”
4 Lalo Salamanca – ‘Better Call Saul’ (2015 – 2022)
In Better Call Saul, the high-rated spin-off series for the critically acclaimed Breaking Bad, Tony Dalton is the face of Lalo Salamanca, a Mexican-American distributor and a don of the Cartel and, needless to say, a main antagonist in the series.
When questioning Redditors about who is the most terrifying character on TV, Successful_Gate84 mentioned Salamanca and expressed their own take, saying that “there is just something about his disregard for human life it just makes you feel uneasy and uncomfortable.”
3 Lorne Malvo – ‘Fargo’ (2014 – 2023)
Quite possibly one of Billy Bob Thorton’s finest roles, Lorne Malvo is downright menacing. The Fargo character is a cold-blooded killer who could care less about anyone but himself, on top of being highly manipulative, intelligent, and oddly charismatic.
“I’d throw Billy Bob Thorton’s villain from Fargo S1 in the mix,” CreamyBagelTime commented with many people agreeing. In the replies, some users shared a few of the character’s on-screen moments that sent chills down their spines, including, according to a Redditor, “that scene where he duct taped Dennis Reynolds [It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s Glenn Howerton] to the exercise bike and set the lights up behind him so that the cops would open fire when they breached the door.”
2 Homelander – ‘The Boys’ (2019 – )
There are a few interesting characters in the unconventional superhero series The Boys. Still, Homelander, the strongest supe in the series (played by Antony Starr), is perhaps the character that stands out the most. With the power of flight, super strength, and super speed (among others), he is one of the main antagonists of the comic book series from which the series was adapted.
Starr’s DC counterpart is “Not THE WORST but he’s Top 10 easy,” Bizhop_Ownz said. As for why his character is so loved despite its wicked nature? TenaciousDaniel explains: “His facial expressions are so subtly evil, I love it. He can smile to a crowd and you can see how the crowd could be fooled by it, and you feel like you’ve got an insiders look at him, where only you can see what’s lurking behind the smile.”
1 Kilgrave – ‘Jessica Jones’ (2015 – 2019)
Better known as Killgrave, Kevin Thompson (David Tennant) is easily one of the most manipulative characters on a television series, though it also helps that he has the ability to control people’s minds thanks to the treatment for a neurodegenerative disease that his parents gave him in a young age when they were experimenting on him.
It is not surprising that several users on the platform believe Jessica Jones‘ Kevin to be a terrifying character, especially considering his skills. As Indignant_Latina explained, “the idea of locked in syndrome or any other concept of not being able to control yourself while being aware of it is just too much for me to think about without panicking.”