My Small Screen Villain Five

It's a little known fact that I spend far too much time watching television. Or is that a well known fact? I forget. But there are definitely some memorable performances on the old hypno-box, so let's take a gander at My Five Best Small Screen Villains:

1) Sylar (Heroes):
At times, Heroes can be an uneven show, with characters making foolish or inexplicable decisions inconsistent with their past experience. Among the ups and downs of its Heroes, Zachary Quinto's portrayal of their greatest villain remains consistent and scary, even through tangents of losing his powers, questioning his lineage, or seeking redemption. Sylar's base ability is “intuitive aptitude”. The adopted son of a watchmaker, his ability to know how anything works led him initially to continue the family business. He would soon learn that he could understand the abilities of other superhumans just as easily as he could understand the inside of a watch. He does this by exposing and studying their brains, killing them in the process. With understanding comes acquisition, and after gaining the powers of a telekinetic he went on to cut open the heads of future victims with a wave of a finger. Even though he eventually learned it was possible, with effort, to acquire new abilities without killing for them, he soon reverted to his old methods. His array of powers and detachment from humanity make him deadly, and at times he seems to really enjoy taunting his prey. His latest acquisition is shapeshifting, which means this known murderer can walk freely through the streets. Quinto genuinely seems to have fun with the role, and having only seen him previously on 24, I'd have to say this is the best work of his career. A tilt of the head, raise of an eyebrow, or twitch at the corners of his mouth accompanied by his “ticking” and “chiming” theme music always precedes his characters most diabolical deeds.

2) Benjamin Linus (LOST):
I could probably refer once again to the Michael Emerson nursery rhyme clip that Rey posted and that would sum up this creepy little guy quite nicely. The son of an abusive, alcoholic father who worked as a janitor for a team of scientists based on a mysterious island, Linus grew up to betray his own people and kill them all, in the process taking command of the island's apparent natives. He often lies or tells half-truths without blinking his beady little eyes, and despite his reputation has still managed to manipulate the good guys on more than one occasion. Linus has a knack for getting to know his enemies, to predict how they will respond to certain situations. The one time he was wrong about a foe it cost him his adopted daughter's life, but that only led him to seek vengeance on a biblical scale. His small size and at times helpless appearance are as deceiving as he is, and he's one of the most dangerous characters on the show. He's at his best when he's in control, when he can coldly and blatantly admit his true plans and intentions while barely suppressing a smirk. Even with his reputation, he can still surprise those around him as well as the show's viewers.

3) Arvin Sloane (Alias):
Sloane ran a fake CIA operation for years, with many of his operatives unaware of the true evil nature of their division. He was a cold and calculating liar without remorse, and didn't hesitate to have Sydney Bristow's fiancée killed and lie to her face about. Bristow would learn the truth about her employer and eventually work with the real CIA to bring him down. Sloane would go on to apparently turn over a new leaf and run a charitable organization, but it was all a ruse in his master plan of gaining immortality through the miraculous devices of Milo Rambaldi, even at the cost of loved ones. His obsession with the works of made him dangerous, and often overrode any brief moments of remorse or glimmers of humanity beneath his cool exterior.

4) Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell (Prison Break):
Actor Robert Knepper has a talent for infusing charm and humor into an otherwise unsympathetic sadistic serial killer. In the first season, he was definitely the worst of the criminals to escape as a result of Michael Scofield's actions to free his brother, and in the second season his lack of remorse and trail of blood illustrated what a dire price his freedom was. T-Bag is a devious serpent, and even when playing the part of an ally he's always scheming and looking out for himself. Losing a hand only seemed to make him more dangerous, and his way with words can definitely lead people to mistakenly trust him. Over the years, the show has toned down some of his violence, having him grieve for the loss of an ally/former nemesis and show concern when his mother's life is threatened. He's been forced to work alongside some of the show's protagonists lately by the larger threat of a corrupt company, but it's only a matter of time before his murderous ways resurface. Going against his killer instinct and sparing someone's life led to his current predicament, and it will be a scary day indeed when he is unleashed once more.

5) Sideshow Bob Terwilliger (The Simpsons):
No list would be complete without Kelsey Grammer's greatest (vocal) role. The former sidekick of Krusty the Clown, he was sent to prison for trying to frame Krusty after Bart proved his favorite clown's innocence and Bob's guilt. Bob swore revenge has returned to kill Bart time and again, nearly once every season. Some of my favorite appearances include a spoof of Cape Fear and references to Frasier with an appearance by David Hyde Pierce(playing Bob's brother Cecil. Grammer lends class and dignity to the voice of a character prone to evil schemes and acts of violence, and it's a wonderful contrast that makes every appearance a treat.