You know that awkward feeling when you find yourself loving the serial killer in a television show or film? Well, it happens more than you might think. As the explosive Loki fandom can attest to, it's not a secret that a lot of people identify with the villains more than anyone else. Whereas the heroes are usually noble and honorable and basically perfect, the bad guys are more complicated. There's a level of moral ambiguity that is intriguing by its very nature. But serial killers? That's got to be crossing some sort of line, doesn't it? Well, not really. It's not their fault that they're written to be more charismatic and interesting than the people that we're actually supposed to root for. Genuinely good people are wonderful in real life, but in a television show or movie, we're really just looking to be entertained. And no matter how bad they are, evil people are incredibly fun to watch. So sure, maybe sympathizing with (and let's be honest, sometimes crushing on) the bad guys means that we're probably all going to Hell when we die. But it's a small price to pay for the enjoyment that these villains have generously given us over the years.
10. Dexter Morgan - Dexter
Dexter Morgan has managed to capture the imagination of the viewing public, despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that he is probably the most accurate depiction of a psychopath that has ever been put on television. He struggles to understand and mimic basic human emotions, as well as fighting the urge to commit violent acts. But Dexter manages to blur the line between hero and villain, because he lives by a code. Although he is a vicious murderer, he satisfies his lust for violence by only killing other criminals. It's not ideal, of course, but he can convince himself that it's better than murdering innocent people. Rapists, murderers...the world won't miss them, or so he justifies it to himself. And there is a certain logic and elegance to the arrangement -- after all, as weird as it sounds, him horribly murdering serial killers does save lives. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that Dexter repeatedly insists that he is totally detached from human emotions, we do see him show affection and maybe even love to some of the people in his life, notably his foster father, sister, wife Rita, and son. You could pretty much write an entire psychology textbook on Dexter.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
