5. Livia Soprano - The Sopranos
Many people would have put Tony Soprano himself here in a list of charismatic villains. He is likeable although the majority of his actions are morally reprehensible mainly thanks to stellar work from the late, great James Gandolfini. In my opinion however, the true villain of the show is the woman who brought Tony into the world, Livia Soprano. She is possibly the most poisonous character ever to appear on television and she's utterly riveting whenever she's on screen. It is an outstanding performance from Nancy Marchand who is able to inspire real hated from the viewer with her portrayal of the Soprano matriarch. Whether she's plotting to have her own son murdered or playing the whole family against each other she does it seemingly on a whim. She's so bitter that the only joy she can feel is by hurting others. Her impact on the show is made clear by director David Chase to film what is now widely considered to have been a misguided scene. Sadly Marchand died before any closure could be made on her character so Chase used her digital likeness, allowing Livia to have one last conversation with Tony. It was awkward and didn't come off very effectively but it did prove just how important her character was to both the director and the show. After all, without Livia there would be no Tony.