13 Greatest TV “Big Bads” Since ‘Buffy’ Coined the Term

There are villains, and then there are “Big Bads.” The kind of antagonists who seem hell-bent on derailing the protagonist’s best-laid plans, thwarting their every move, and reshaping an entire season’s worth of narrative. The term “Big Bad” was first popularized by Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show turned the concept of serialized storytelling around by introducing season-long villains who would not only create problems for the heroes, but also serve as a catalyst for them to evolve, adapt, and sometimes, completely break down before clawing their way back in.

From the Master and Glory to Angelus and the Major, Buffy ensured that each season had a central villain whose presence would dictate the course of the series and the emotional arcs. Since Buffy coined the term, TV has embraced the “Big Bad” formula and created villains who dominate a season or two but leave a lingering effect on the story. These “Big Bads” range from manipulative cult leaders to evil sociopaths, and they make every episode immersive, infuriating, and entertaining.

Here are 13 of the greatest TV “Big Bads” since Buffy set the standard.

13

Sylar

‘Heroes’ (2006 – 2010)

NBC

Heroes presents a world where ordinary people gain extraordinary abilities, and they work together to prevent various catastrophes. It also introduced one of television’s most chilling villains in the form of Sylar. Born Gabrial Gray, he was once a humble watchmaker, but his insatiable hunger for power turned him into a serial killer.

Heroes

Release Date: 2006 – 2009
Network: NBC

Santiago Cabrera

Simone Deveaux
Jack Coleman

Isaac Mendez
Tawny Cypress

Micah Sanders

Sylar’s powers, known as Intuitive Aptitude, allowed him to understand and absorb the abilities of others, but at a horrifying cost. He would crack open skulls and remove brains to study his victims, and this process made him an unseen menace behind a string of gruesome murders in the first seasons. Sylar was brought to life by Zachary Quinto, who played the character of a misunderstood man turned into a predator quite well. His presence was vital to the success of Heroes’ early seasons.

12

Reverse-Flash

‘The Flash’ (2014 – 2023)

In The Flash, time travel is both a gift and a curse, and when it comes to purely obsessive “big bads,” Eobard Thawne, better known as Reverse-Flash, is a complete nightmare to deal with. A speedster from the 25th century, he idolized Barry Allen. That is until he discovered that he was destined to become Barry’s greatest enemy. Suddenly hateful, Thawne replicates the accident that gave Barry his powers, but instead of becoming a hero, Thawne becomes his reverse. A twisted reflection of everything Flash stood for.

The Flash

Release Date: 2014 – 2023-00-00
Network: The CW
Showrunner: Eric Wallace

Thawne mastered the Negative Speed Force, and he used the power to manipulate time and ensure that Barry’s life was filled with suffering. In a way, Reverse-Flash is a paradox because he cannot be erased. He made his debut in The Flash Season 1 and was played by Tom Cavanagh and Matt Letscher in different timelines. Reverse-Flash is clearly one of the most dangerous villains in the Arrowverse.

11

Joe Carroll

‘The Following’ (2013 – 2015)

Created by Kevin Williamson, The Following is a three-season-long crime series about former FBI agent Ryan Hardy and his attempt to recapture serial killer Joe Carroll. Carroll was a literature professor who became a serial killer and led a cult of killers who worshipped his twisted ideology. He believed that murder was an art form, a narrative that needed to be finished.

Carroll’s influence went beyond his own actions, and he ended up creating an army of followers who were willing to kill in his name, and the entire narrative became a nationwide nightmare. Introduced in the first season of The Following, he was played by James Purefoy. His arc was all about manipulation. He escaped prison, orchestrated murders, kidnapped his own son, and tormented Hardy, before finally being put on death row.

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10

The Reapers

‘The Walking Dead’ (2010 – 2022)

The Walking Dead universe is a bleak and brutal place for survival, where the dead find themselves in just as much danger as the living. But there’s one group of “big bads” that bring military-like discipline and cult-like fanaticism to the series. And they’re The Reapers. Introduced in Season 11, this was a faction of trailed killers and former mercenaries who adapted to the apocalypse quite effortlessly.

Led by the very unhinged Pope, The Reapers operated with a terrifying sense of purpose and ambushed the enemy in a way that left little room for escape. They first appeared in “Home Sweet Home” as a threat stalking Maggie’s group. Their arc was defined by planned attacks and brutal executions, but Pope’s erratic leadership led to betrayal from within. It was a short-lived but memorable presence.

9

Dread Doctors

‘Teen Wolf’ (2011 – 2017)

Teen Wolf follows Tyler Posey’s awkward teen who becomes a werewolf and protects his California town from all sorts of supernatural threats. For a series ripe with werewolves, banshees, and other creatures, it’s the fifth season that brings the mysterious Dread Doctors to the screen. This trio of masked figures is first seen reprimanding Belasko, a Werewolf-Garuda hybrid, for failing to kill Scott.

Teen Wolf

Release Date: 2011 – 2017-00-00
Network: CBS

They were essentially targeting teenagers, conducting horrific experiments, and turning them into hybrids known as Chimeras. Their presence was so cryptic that they felt more like urban legends. The Dread Doctors used Beacon Hills as their laboratory, and their trio, known as The Surgeon, The Pathologist, and The Geneticist, was played by Marti Matulis, Douglas Tait, and Caitlin Dechelle.

8

Agent June Stahl

‘Sons of Anarchy’ (2008 – 2014)

Agent June Stahl in Sons of Anarchy — FX

Exploring the complexities of family and violence within the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, the series presents a world of outlaw bikers and criminal enterprises. It’s had no shortage of villains across seven seasons, but one “big bad” that’s worth mentioning is Agent June Stahl. As an ATF agent, Stahl was supposed to uphold the law, but her lack of morality made her one of the show’s most dangerous figures.

Stahl was essentially playing a game with SAMCRO by coercing the allies to turn against each other. She was a part of all sorts of betrayals, false accusations, and cold-blooded murder. Stahl was first seen in Season 1’s “AK-51.” Played by Ally Walker, she had an arc that spanned a couple of seasons, but in Season 3, she framed others for crimes and even murdered her own lover to cover her tracks.

7

The Carver

‘Nip/Tuck’ (2003 – 2010)

Ryan Murphy’s medical drama aired on FX for six seasons, and it follows Dr. Sean McNamara and Dr. Christian Troy, the founders of a controversial plastic surgery center as they perfected the outward appearances of privileged denizens of Miami while also dealing with struggles in their personal lives. Nip/Tuck introduced a horrifying antagonist in Season 2, known as The Carver.

A masked serial attacker, he terrorized the city’s elite by disfiguring them and using brutal surgical practices on them. He would leave just a gory, jaded smile carved into their faces. Nip/Tuck is known for its provocative storytelling and The Carver’s arc helped the show explore themes of vanity and the dark side of being obsessed with your appearances.

6

Kilgrave

‘Marvel’s Jessica Jones’ (2015 – 2019)

Kilgrave in Marvel’s Jessica Jones — Netflix

Marvel’s Jessica Jones, created by Melissa Rosenberg, tells the story of the titular character, who is an ex-superhero turned private investigator running her own detective agency. Like any superhero show, this one features “big bads” that would either rely on brute force or manipulate from the shadows to make sure the good guys didn’t get their way. But Kilgrave was something far worse. He gained the ability to control minds and bend reality from a young age as a result of his parents conducting experiments on him.

Jessica was one of his victims. She was forced into a nightmare where every thought, every action, every emotion, was dictated by him. She managed to break free, but because Kilgrave was “in love” with her, he pursued her. When Jessica betrayed him by getting him arrested, Kilgrave’s presence grew chaotic and his downfall came when Jessica broke his neck in a single, decisive motion.

5

Francis Dolarhyde

‘Hannibal’ (2013 – 2015)

The horror in NBC’s Hannibal is never just about bloodshed and gore; it’s mostly psychological. Based on the characters from Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, it is a masterfully presented gore-fest filled with villains. Francis Dolarhyde, also known as The Tooth Fairy, is a serial killer that fits into the show perfectly. His murders were rituals and each one, he believed, brought him closer to his monstrous evolution into The Great Red Dragon.

Hannibal

Release Date: 2013 – 2014
Network: NBC

Dolarhyde has an interesting backstory. He was raised in abuse and isolation by his grandmother, which is what gave him a split personality and turned him into a psychopath. Played by Richard Armitage, Dolarhyde is introduced in Season 3. And while he’s a certified “big bad” in Hannibal, his relationship with Reba McClane brought his humanity to the surface.

4

Stormfront

‘The Boys’ (2019 – Present)

The subversive, outrageous, and darkly comedic superhero satire, The Boys, turns the genre around and morphs superheroes into corporate-owned celebrities with plastered smiles and sinister agendas. Almost all the members of The Seven in the show are bad, but Season 2 introduced Stormfront, a seemingly progressive and fascinating new member, who took little time to reveal herself as something else.

Aya Cash’s Stormfront was a white supremist with deep ties to Vought’s dark past. She pranced around as an influencer, but she was actually a former Nazi experiment and a firm believer in creating a superpowered master race. Her arc was all about gaining Homelander’s trust, rallying followers, and spreading propaganda. It always resulted in the loss of innocent lives. But watching Starlight, Queen Maeve, and Kimiko beat her to death was a satisfying conclusion to her story.