The 20 most intimidating TV characters

The year 2022 saw the release of AMC’s Interview with the Vampire, a new adaptation of Anne Rice’s beloved novel. Though told from the point of view, and in the voice of, tortured vampire Louis, it’s really Lestat, his maker and partner, who steals the show. With his cruel beauty and his narcissism and his willingness to brutalize Louis when he doesn’t get what he wants (according to Louis’ story, anyway), Lestat is an undeniably intimidating vampire character. However, as was the case with his book equivalent, this is precisely what makes him so irresistible, to both Louis and the viewer.

Alexander Skarsgård brings his Nordic good looks to bear in his portrayal of vampire Eric Northman in True Blood. He might be handsome, but Eric is also a killing machine, which is precisely what makes him so compelling and intimidating for Sookie and the audience. He casts a spell that’s almost impossible for anyone to resist, particularly since he’s one of the show’s most powerful vampires, and both Sookie and the audience find him impossible to resist.

Jessica Lange created many terrifying characters on American Horror Story, but there’s no doubt Sister Jude of Asylum is her most intimidating. Jude is one of those people who truly believes that she is doing what’s best for those who are under her care, even if that means she essentially has to torture them. It’s one of Lange’s most powerful performances, and though Jude is capable of great cruelty, she also gets her redemption arc by the time that the series draws to a close.

Jean Smart brings her formidable acting talents to bear in her performance as Deborah Vance in the hit HBO Max series Hacks. Deborah is a comedian who has had to claw her way to what success she’s attained, and she’s quite willing to cut anyone down to size, whether that be the men in her life or her assistant, Ava. She might not always be the most likable character, but Deborah’s intimidating mien means that everyone, including Ava (begrudgingly), admires and respects her and her accomplishments.

Julia Sugarbaker, played by the late Dixie Carter, was one of the most entertaining characters in Designing Women. Julia was one of those who didn’t suffer fools lightly, and that included her sister, Suzanne. Julia also wasn’t afraid to tell others what she thought of them, particularly if she thought they were picking on the weak. Her diatribes were one of the highlights of the series, and to this day, there are many of the show’s devoted fans who can recite them word-for-word.

Jodie Comer created a female antihero for the ages in Villanelle, the sinister assassin of Killing Eve. From the moment she appears, it’s clear that Villanelle is willing and able to kill literally everyone, even a disfigured boy with whom she shares a hospital room. In less capable hands than Comer’s, Villanelle would be nothing more than a pathological monster, but thanks to her charisma and the power of her acting, she turns Villanelle’s intimidating nature into a strength, and it is the very thing that makes the character so beloved and so alluring.

Not every intimidating character appears in a drama. Bea Arthur, for example, uses her tall frame and deep voice to make Dorothy Zbornak of The Golden Girls a formidable presence in the universe of the show. It’s all played for laughs, of course, but it’s still true that all of her roommates, including her mother, are more than a little intimidated by her. All it takes is an utterance of “Shady Pines, Ma!” and Sophia, despite her rascally and independent nature, will do whatever Dorothy tells her to do. That is the very definition of power.

David Thewlis is the epitome of unsettling in the third season of Fargo, where he portrays the mysterious character V.M. Varga. Like so many of the other villains of this series, there’s not much that the viewer knows about him, but what’s clear is that he is ruthless in the extreme. Like Malvo from the first season, he has a keen understanding of the weaknesses of human nature, which is precisely what makes him so dangerous. His disheveled appearance makes him an even more terrifying presence in a show known for plumbing the dark depths of human nature. 

The late Michael K. Williams gave one of the best performances of his career as Omar Little in The Wire. Omar is fascinating for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he’s a gay man who is nevertheless remarkably ruthless when it comes to carrying out acts of violence. He’s one of those characters who just radiates power and vulnerability in equal measure, and it’s thus easy to see why so many praised Williams’ performance and why the character remains key to the show’s enduring appeal.

The prematurely canceled The Wheel of Time brought many of Robert Jordan’s most beloved characters to life, including the Forsaken, Lanfear. Beautiful and deadly, she is in some ways the epitome of feminine evil, particularly once she manages to sink her claws into the unsuspecting Rand. She repeatedly shows just how much she has fallen under the influence of the Dark One, most notably by torturing Egwene in the World of Dreams. She is not to be trifled with, and her skill with the magical force known as the One Power makes her even more intimidating. 

The TV series Fargo has consistently managed to stay true to the spirit of the Coen Brothers’ film while also setting out on its own path. This was true from the very beginning, when it introduced Billy Bob Thornton’s character Lorne Malvo, a malevolent and malicious influence on everyone around him. He’s enigmatic and mysterious, which is precisely what makes him such an unsettling presence on the screen. He brings out the worst in everyone and, for this reason, he continues to be one of the most compelling characters to have graced recent TV.

Matt Smith has played many handsome but ruthless characters, and Daemon Targaryen is one of the most notable of these. This is a man, after all, who killed his own wife to enable him to make a more advantageous marriage. He’s also someone who carries a chip on his shoulder, and this makes him a very dangerous force in Westeros. He might be one of Rhaenyra’s most valuable allies, but he’s also someone whose power to intimidate is a double-edged sword that often causes as much damage as it does assistance to her mission to claim the Iron Throne.

Jason Momoa catapulted to fame thanks to his performance as Khal Drogo in the first season of Game of Thrones. It’s easy to see why this would be the case, as he slips so naturally into the role of this brutal and bloodthirsty conqueror. Drogo is the type of man who is truly a Dothraki, and he has no qualms about putting thousands of people to the sword. Even though he has a soft spot when it comes to Daenerys, the audience is never left in any doubt that his brutal side is never far away.

Giancarlo Esposito has a reputation for playing villains in his various TV roles, and he is especially frightening as Gus Fring in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. In the former, in particular, he shows that he has no scruples or conscience when it comes to making sure that his business isn’t challenged by Walter White. Watching the two of them spar and match wits is one of the highlights of the latter seasons, and there’s no question that these two men bring out the very worst in one another. It’s no surprise that only one survives.

Brian Cox is nothing short of a force of nature in Succession, in which he plays domineering patriarch Logan Roy. Logan is one of those men who has made his fortune through his own effort, and he is unsparing when it comes to his children and his expectations for them, particularly Kendall. Cox brings an electrifying, and often quite terrifying, intensity to the role of Logan, turning him into a character of Shakespearean proportions. He takes no prisoners, and one can’t help but admire him, even as one also condemns him for how terribly he treats his children.

Mads Mikkelsen is one of many actors to portray the character of Hannibal Lecter, and he puts his own indelible stamp on the character. He’s suave and sophisticated, of course, but he’s also capable of acts of remarkable brutality. It’s precisely his unique blend of charm and terror that makes Mikkelsen’s interpretation of the character so compelling, and one can’t help but be entranced and compelled by him, even if one is terrified of what he might do next. Mikkelsen thus deserves all of the praise he receives for his remarkable interpretation of the character.

Bryan Cranston is undeniably compelling and terrifying as Walter White in Breaking Bad. He immerses himself so fully in the character that one can be forgiven for thinking this is real life unfolding on the TV screen. As the series goes on, Walter becomes ever more ruthless and committed to his mission of being a true titan in the world of meth cooking. Although his pride goeth before a fall, there’s no question that he dominates the series and its ongoing legacy.

Game of Thrones is, of course, a show all about power and who gets to wield it. In that regard, there are few characters with more intensity than Tywin Lannister. He proves time and again that he is one of the most intimidating men in Westeros, capable of destroying the Stark family when he believes that they’ll pose a challenge to his grandson’s supremacy as king. He’s also more than happy to sacrifice his own son, Tyrion, when he sees him as no longer useful. He’s thus the very definition of intimidating. 

Of all of the nefarious characters that appear in The Handmaid’s Tale, Aunt Lydia is arguably the most terrifying and intimidating. She’s one of those who is tasked with ensuring that the Handmaids fully embrace their new rules and, as such, she is quite unsettling to watch, particularly since Ann Dowd gives a remarkably committed and intense performance. While she is more complicated than she appears at first, there’s no question that she remains one of the most terrifying characters to have emerged from recent television.

The world of Amazon Prime’s The Boys is a truly terrifying one, since it’s one in which superheroes, known as Supes, can essentially write the rules. Even though most of the Supes are monstrous in some way or another, it’s really Homelander who is the most unsettling. With his dead-eyed gaze and his tremendous power, as well as his capacity to destroy anyone who gets in his way or who might be a threat to his power, he is everything frightening about toxic masculinity distilled into one superhero form.