I Love to Hate You: Favorite TV Psychopaths

Alphabetically, of course…

BENJAMIN LINUS (LOST)

One of the most brilliantly manipulative men to ever grace the small screen, we rarely see Ben actually kill anyone. His particular genius is the emotional exploitation of everyone in the vicinity. Ben is equally charming and diabolical, and we are privy to every maneuver he makes as they percolate behind those infamous eyes.

DEXTER MORGAN (DEXTER)

I don’t know if it is because he preys upon and kills those who have committed heinous crimes, but somehow Dexter does not come across as malicious as others on this list. He brings a sense of humanity to his homicides, as asinine as that sounds.

TONY SOPRANO (THE SOPRANOS)

Morally bankrupt yet tremendously conflicted (enough to secretly seek the counsel of a psychiatrist), Tony was America’s preeminent paterfamilias for six seasons. Similar to Dexter, I find Tony to be intensely compelling because of his antithetical duplicity; dedicated to family while fulfilling a personal responsibility to protect them from people…just like him.

AL SWEARENGEN (DEADWOOD)

I’m not sure there is anything remotely redeeming about Swearengen, but I just love the curmudgeonly c*cksucker. Blatantly (almost comically) devoid of remorse, I attribute this character’s irresistible evil to Ian McShane’s sheer talent and onscreen presence.

In Contention
 
Although some would argue that Sylar (Heroes) belongs with this bunch, I would argue that he is more of a caricature than a character.

So – who am I missing? Which repulsive gentlemen are you surprisingly captivated by on TV?