The Greatest Antiheroes on Television
Often, antiheroes make more interesting and convincing characters than conventional heroes we are used to rooting for in stories on screen. Unlike the classic heroic protagonist Hollywood has portrayed for generations, antiheroes can be anything but honest, brave, or noble.
The best TV antihero characters make us sympathize with them despite their moral deficiencies and weaknesses. In fact, defects in these characters often make us identify with them even more than we do with traditional heroes, as they seem more realistic and authentic as human beings.
Like the best television villains, outstanding small screen antiheroes are those we hate to love but ultimately must come to terms with the feelings they evoke in us. Creating flawed protagonists for television is somewhat easier than in films, as television writers generally have more screen time to attract our sympathies.
However, it is still a challenge to align ourselves with the harmful actions, ambiguous motives, or destructive errors of a character. The best TV antiheroes are identifiable enough to work.
Dexter Morgan
The serial killer vigilante Dexter Morgan takes human lives as part of his daily routine. Inspired by the true story of Brazilian mass murderer Pedro Rodrigues Filho, Dexter’s victims are usually serious criminals, but it’s still unsettling to watch him dismember their bodies.
It is Dexter’s aspiration to live as a normal person without having to kill that makes us support him.
At the same time, Dexter has a deeply traumatic childhood background that makes him worthy of pity and helps us understand his compulsion to kill. However, it is Dexter’s aspiration to lead a normal life without killing that garners our support.
Devi Vishwakumar
Mindy Kaling’s Netflix series, Never Have I Ever, gained popularity thanks to its antiheroic protagonist, high school student Devi Vishwakumar. Despite her flaws, Devi’s actions are hard not to sympathize with as she navigates adolescence, sabotages rivals, and lies to her mother and school.
Despite her mistakes, Devi is simply trying to fit in, and we want nothing more than for her to achieve her dreams.
Michael Scott
Michael Scott, the manager of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton Branch, is one of the most endearing antiheroes on television. Despite his problematic behavior and sometimes abusive tendencies, we forgive him because we know his heart is usually in the right place, and he genuinely cares about those around him.
While Michael lacks heroic qualities, his flaws make him hilariously lovable and incredibly relatable as a character in The Office.
Eleanor Shellstrop
Eleanor Shellstrop finds herself in the Good Place after her death, despite her selfish and inconsiderate behavior in life. However, she is impossible not to love, especially as she brings a sense of normalcy to the afterlife.
The character arc of Eleanor Shellstrop evolves throughout The Good Place, transforming her from an archetypal antihero to a more conventionally heroic figure by the series’ end.
There is a bit of Eleanor Shellstrop in all of us, as she proves to be humble, kind, and a strong leader, earning her place in the Good Place and showing her true worth beyond initial impressions.
Tony Soprano
In The Sopranos, Tony Soprano is an unscrupulous mafia boss who resorts to violence to protect his criminal empire. Despite his ruthless actions, the show compels us to empathize with Tony from the start.
Through his complex character development, Tony Soprano becomes a compelling antihero figure, showcasing the intricacies of human nature and morality in a captivating manner.
