10 Amazing Horror Villains That Made TV Shows Great
9. Mayor Richard Wilkins III (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
Appearing in the third (and undoubtedly best) season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mayor Wilkins III remains the shows most lovable 'Big Bad', even up against strong competition from the likes of The First and sassy hell-goddess Glorificus.
Where previous Big Bads had always been of the toothy, garlic-hating variety, Wilkins was an entirely new type of threat for the Slayer, one that couldn't be so easily felled with a bit of sharpened wood.
An immortal being who'd stood as Sunnydale's mayor for well over a century, going so far as to pose as his own son and grandson to avoid suspicion. He'd been secretly pulling the strings on the town's demonic activity for quite some time before making his presence known to Buffy and her friends.
Despite his nefarious nature, he still had a heart underneath it all. Taking wayward Slayer Faith under his wing and acting as the father she never had. It was a rare touching display for such a villainous character.
His eventual 'ascension' from immortal human to giant snake demon is one of the show's most iconic set-pieces and helped elevate Buffy well above many other genre shows on TV at the time.