25 Morally Gray TV Characters We Should Hate, But Absolutely Don’t
25. Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman – ‘Better Call Saul’
He’s not a lawyer, he’s a “criminal” lawyer. What began as comic relief in ‘Breaking Bad’ evolved into one of TV’s most tragic and compelling figures. Jimmy McGill is the classic con man with a heart—well, maybe half a heart—buried under years of hustling and a desperate need to prove himself. In ‘Better Call Saul,’ we watch his slow transformation into Saul Goodman, a persona he crafts to survive but eventually becomes trapped inside. You’ll laugh at his schemes, cringe at his choices, and somehow still root for him as he spirals deeper into moral quicksand.
24. Annalise Keating – ‘How to Get Away with Murder’
There’s brilliant, and then there’s terrifyingly brilliant. Annalise Keating is both. She’s a legal juggernaut who bends justice to her will, not always in the name of justice. From hiding evidence to manipulating students, she’s ruthless, but undeniably magnetic. She’s also a deeply broken person, masking years of trauma behind scotch and power suits. You’re never quite sure if she’s the hero, the villain, or just surviving—one trial at a time.
23. Damon Salvatore – ‘The Vampire Diaries’
He kills, he compels, he drinks blood straight from the jugular, and fans still swoon. Damon Salvatore is the ultimate bad-boy vampire who constantly flirts with redemption. One minute he’s snapping necks, the next he’s saving the town. His love for Elena pushes him toward humanity, but his instinct to destroy always lingers. He’s chaos in leather, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
22. Jax Teller – ‘Sons of Anarchy’
What do you do when you inherit a criminal empire… and a conscience? Jax Teller is torn between his outlaw biker legacy and a dream of a peaceful life for his family. Spoiler: the dream dies a bloody death. His path is soaked in contradiction—brutality in the name of love, brotherhood overshadowed by betrayal. You’ll want to believe he’s the good guy, even when he’s holding a gun to someone’s head.
21. Elizabeth Jennings – ‘The Americans’
She’s a KGB spy living the suburban dream… and a walking paradox. Elizabeth believes in her mission with chilling conviction, even when it means manipulating or eliminating anyone in her way. But she’s also a mother, a wife, and, somehow, still sympathetic. Her loyalty isn’t to a flag, it’s to her values. Even if those values come with a body count.
20. Gregory House – ‘House’
Dr. House doesn’t care about your feelings, or your rules, or your survival odds unless your case is interesting. He’s a diagnostician with the bedside manner of a shark and a mind sharp enough to save your life while destroying your ego. Add a painkiller addiction and a love for confrontation, and you’ve got TV’s most caustic medical genius.
19. Joe Goldberg – ‘You’
He’s a romantic, sure, but he also happens to stalk, gaslight, and murder people. Joe Goldberg is the ultimate “but he means well!” villain. He believes he’s doing it all for love, which makes his narrative so chillingly seductive. The brilliance of ‘You’ is how easily it pulls you into Joe’s warped point of view, until you remember you’re cheering for a serial killer.
18. Shiv Roy – ‘Succession’
Siobhan “Shiv” talks like she’s better than the rest of the Roys—more progressive, more moral, more evolved. And yet, she’s just as power-hungry, manipulative, and cutthroat. She’ll throw her family under the bus, then blame the driver. In a sea of sharks, she swims with a smug smile and designer heels.
17. Jack Bauer – ‘24'
Jack Bauer doesn’t have time for your moral dilemmas…he has 24 hours to stop a terrorist attack. Torture? Collateral damage? Broken laws? All fair game in Jack’s adrenaline-fueled war for justice. He’s America’s ticking time bomb, doing the wrong things for the “right” reasons.
16. Frank Castle AKA The Punisher – ‘The Punisher’
Frank Castle is what happens when vengeance becomes a lifestyle. After his family’s murder, he takes out criminals with military-grade precision and zero mercy. The line between justice and psychopathy is so blurred, you need night vision to see it.
15. Elliot Alderson – ‘Mr. Robot’
Cyber vigilante by day, mentally unstable insomniac by night. Elliot wants to take down corrupt corporations, but his methods involve hacking, manipulation, and a growing disregard for collateral damage. He’s the hero and the threat, the voice of justice and chaos.
14. Carrie Mathison – ‘Homeland’
She’s brilliant, unstable, and completely incapable of letting go. Carrie lives in the ethical minefield of espionage, constantly choosing the least terrible option. Her bipolar disorder doesn’t define her, but it amplifies her instincts and her mistakes.
13. Tyrion Lannister – ‘Game of Thrones’
The smartest man in the room, even when the room is on fire. Tyrion drinks and knows things—especially how to navigate war, politics, and toxic family drama. His moral compass points toward survival, but not without a few detours into betrayal and manipulation.
12. June Osborne – ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’
From handmaid to revolutionary, June evolves from victim to avenger. Her trauma fuels her rage, and while her fight for freedom is just, her methods get darker by the episode. The line between justice and revenge? June doesn’t care anymore.
11. Hannibal Lecter – ‘Hannibal'
He’s the most charming cannibal you’ll ever meet. Hannibal Lecter isn’t just a killer, he’s an artist. A gourmet. A philosopher of death. He doesn’t just manipulate people, he sculpts them. And yet, we can’t look away.
10. Omar Little – ‘The Wire’
A gangster with a code. Omar robs drug dealers but won’t hurt civilians. He’s ruthless, but oddly noble. In a city defined by systemic failure, he’s the closest thing to moral clarity, while holding a shotgun.
9. Raymond Reddington – ‘The Blacklist’
Criminal mastermind, FBI consultant, and lying enigma. Raymond Reddington plays every side, every time. You never know if he’s working with the law or laughing at it from the shadows, but he’s always ten steps ahead. You can’t help but be enamoured by his twisted worldview and admire his empire.
8. Fleabag – ‘Fleabag’
She’s messy, selfish, and constantly self-sabotaging, but also raw, real, and heartbreakingly honest. ‘Fleabag’ turns self-destruction into art, and somehow makes betrayal, grief, and flirting with a priest feel relatable. You can't escape the love you feel for Fleabag.
7. Wanda Maximoff – ‘WandaVision’
She enslaves an entire town in a grief-fueled hallucination, and still breaks our hearts. Wanda’s pain explodes into power, and while her actions are horrifying, her suffering is palpable. A supervillain born from love and loss.
6. Dexter Morgan – ‘Dexter’
Dexter Morgan kills, sure, but only “bad” people, those who slip judgment by the law. The man is a monster on a leash, trained to channel his darkness toward justice. The question is: does that make him less of a monster? Maybe, just the most enduring anti-hero on TV.
5. Don Draper – ‘Mad Men’
A man of contradictions: creative genius and emotional wreck, devoted father and relentless womanizer. Don Draper is the American Dream with a hangover—glossy on the outside, broken inside.
4. Villanelle – ‘Killing Eve’
She kills with a wink and a couture outfit. Villanelle is as deadly as she is delightful. Psychopathic? Absolutely. But also lonely, oddly vulnerable, and hilariously entertaining. You hate to love her, and love to hate her.
3. Tommy Shelby – ‘Peaky Blinders’
He’s a gangster, politician, soldier—and a master of cold calculations. Tommy doesn’t hesitate to kill, manipulate, or betray, all under the guise of building a better world. But the deeper he gets, the more he loses himself.
2. Walter White – ‘Breaking Bad’
Say his name. Walter White’s transformation from cancer-stricken teacher to drug lord Heisenberg is one of TV’s most gripping arcs. He starts off sympathetic, ends up evil, and we watched every descent with bated breath.
1. Tony Soprano – ‘The Sopranos’
The godfather of modern anti-heroes. Tony Soprano is a mob boss who cries in therapy, hugs his kids, then orders hits over dinner. He made us question what makes someone “good” or “bad” in the first place. The rest? They’re just following in his bloody footsteps.
