Serial killers are a curious thing. On one hand, we fear and abhor them. They are regarded as monsters, as something that was born like the rest of the world but obviously has somehow mutated into a creature so heinous that they take pleasure from inflicting pain on their fellow human beings. Great debates rage over their true origins. Are they created through trauma or are they simply born with the thirst for death? Through the common thread of trepidation people feel when it comes to these anomalies of nature, there is also a morbid and deep fascination with them. They are studied and reviled as almost pseudo celebrities. People collect paraphernalia that may once have been used by a serial murderer, in the same way that someone else would collect a baseball hit out of the park by their favorite athlete. In recent years, numerous television shows have fed audiences' enthralment for serial killers by creating fictional villains that rival and arguably surpass the real deal. Now, more than ever before, these monsters are in your living room. We can peak into their minds and their worlds every week. In popular prime time shows like Criminal Minds and The Following, we get a front row seat to dissect their motives and methods that continue to test the boundaries of human depravity. These guys will truly inspire your next nightmare and make you double check that dead bolt before bedtime. Here for your viewing pleasure, are the most frightening fictional serial killers who've terrorizied living rooms everywhere.