3 Crime Thriller Shows With Unforgettable Villains

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It’s rare to find villains in crime thrillers as compelling and well-acted as these three on TV. While the crime thriller genre boasts many excellent shows, truly memorable villains are surprisingly uncommon. It takes a truly exceptional series to create a villain you won’t forget.

You know, I don’t think most TV shows have bad villains, it’s just the nature of the crime thriller format. These shows usually wrap things up pretty quickly – if the good guys don’t catch the bad guy, well, they’re not doing their job, are they? But that means if a villain sticks around for a while, they’re probably only popping in and out of the story, and we never really get a chance to understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. It’s a tough balance.

Many great crime thrillers feature villains who aren’t central to the story. While shows like True Detective have memorable antagonists, they aren’t always perfectly crafted. However, the three shows we’ll be discussing all feature villains who are just as compelling and crucial as the main characters.

James “Jim” Moriarty

Andrew Scott In Sherlock (2010-2017)

Moriarty is a well-known fictional villain, and actor Andrew Scott faced a big challenge bringing the character to life in the popular BBC series Sherlock. He played opposite Benedict Cumberbatch, who offered a fresh take on the classic Arthur Conan Doyle detective. This version of Moriarty is unlike any seen before.

Moriarty is first introduced in season one of Sherlock, subtly appearing in the background. At first, he doesn’t seem like a major threat. However, over the next two seasons, he carries out a clever and ruthless scheme to ruin Holmes’ reputation and almost succeeds in killing him.

Benedict Scott’s portrayal of Moriarty is unique. He delivers his lines with a rhythmic, almost musical quality, and is incredibly charismatic. He acts with complete self-assurance, and while another actor might have made the character seem silly, Scott makes him utterly captivating.

Lorne Malvo

Billy Bob Thornton In Fargo (2014-2024)

The first season of Fargo, which premiered in 2014, immediately stood out as both a worthy follow-up to the 1996 Coen brothers film and the start of a truly exceptional anthology series. A central figure of the season is Lorne Malvo, brilliantly portrayed by Billy Bob Thornton as a darkly funny, menacing, and ruthless character.

Like most films in the Fargo universe, the police in this story are largely incompetent, and the few capable officers aren’t taken seriously until it’s too late. This is especially noticeable when they’re up against someone as cunning as Lorne Malvo, who could easily be seen as pure evil.

Malvo is a hitman, but he’s not motivated by money or any clear purpose. He only kills if he finds it amusing, which makes him truly frightening. He seems to revel in the mayhem he causes, and his victims are chosen completely at random. For Malvo, taking a life is simply a form of entertainment.

Arthur Mitchell AKA The Trinity Killer

John Lithgow In Dexter (2006-2013)

As a huge fan of Dexter, I always thought Arthur Mitchell – or “The Trinity Killer,” as everyone called him – was an absolutely terrifying villain. John Lithgow just nailed the role. What made him so compelling, and honestly scary, was that he was the most challenging serial killer Dexter ever faced. He wasn’t some obvious monster; he seemed…normal, which made him all the more unsettling. He’s easily one of the best TV villains ever, in my opinion.

Okay, so this guy is seriously good at keeping his dark side hidden – reminds me a lot of Dexter, honestly. But what makes his killings really disturbing is the reason behind them. He had a rough childhood, a really traumatic event, and now he targets groups of three – a man, a woman, and a child. It’s like he’s re-enacting some kind of twisted reflection of what happened to his own family, which is just… unsettling.

What makes Mitchell so disturbing in this crime thriller is the carefully constructed facade he presents to the world. He appears to be a devoted family man and a pillar of the community, making it all the more chilling to see John Lithgow’s character reveal his true nature. Even in his final moments, Mitchell’s unsettling words to Dexter ensure he remains a haunting figure long after his death.

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2025-11-16 21:09