10 Horror TV Shows That Wasted Incredible Characters

10. Augustus Cole - The X-Files

The X-Files has served up some truly mind-warping horrors over the years, but sometimes the earth-bound characters are the ones who leave us wanting more.

Sleepless, from the show's second season, introduces us to Augustus Cole, played by Candyman himself, Tony Todd. As a walking, talking metaphor for the way in which the US treated its soldiers both in-conflict and after they came home, Cole is a veteran of the Vietnam War who was experimented on to remove his sleep, and who consequently possesses the ability to telekinetically affect other people's minds and perceived realities.

He wreaks havoc while fighting a losing battle with sleep-deprived demons, tracking down and killing members of his former squad and those involved in the experiments, proving a force to be reckoned with as he manipulates those around him, causing hallucinations, creating conspiracies and turning everyone against each other.

Unfortunately, Sleepless is a 'monster of the week' episode and Cole was killed off before the credits. But his complexity and tortured psyche have made him enduringly compelling. Whether as an asset for the Bureau, or as an anti-hero using his powers to do some good, he could have been an excellent recurring character.