10 TV Shows That Made You Love Killers
A deep dive into some of the deadliest and most likeable murderers on the small screen.
So, generally, killing's bad, right? That's something we can agree on? Because we sure do love a good killer in our television shows.
With the amount of crime and thriller shows we are exposed to, it's no wonder that we are inundated with fictional killers on our screen. What's maybe stranger is that we can actually grow fond of some of them.
Let's take a look at a few of these and see what makes us grow to love a killer. Why are they fascinating, perhaps even attractive, to us as viewers and how can we remain emotionally invested in them even when we might be appalled by their actions?
10. Dexter - Dexter
Dexter is perhaps television’s most iconic killer. Most killers either aren’t the protagonist of their show or, if they are, killing is not really the main thing that defines them. Tyrion Lannister has killed people but that isn’t his whole deal.
Dexter, on the other hand, is the main character of his show and killing is sort of what his story is all about. Dexter is a serial killer - so how on earth did he gain his audience’s sympathy? Well, for one, he only kills murderers. Still not great, put perhaps the average person can empathize with this modus operandi more than say that of Hannibal Lecter.
What really gains the audience’s engagement with Dexter (at least for four or so seasons) is how fully the show put us in Dexter’s mind. The show pulls off the tricky inner monologue and we get fully immersed in how Dexter sees the world.
It’s a dark and violent perspective, but also humorous, its charm inextricable from its brutality. The show reveals to us that we can and should disagree with Dexter’s actions, but can still care about him and find him an interesting and entertaining character to be around.