10 TV Shows Where The Villain Became A Hero

3. True Blood - Eric Northman

True Blood Eric Northman
HBO

When True Blood started out, it was Bill who was the 'good' vampire; the one who Sookie fell in love with, and who tried to live amongst the humans and refuse to kill. Eric, while not evil as such, was much more of the 'bad guy' type who'd do whatever it took to get what he wanted. He was violent, arrogant, and manipulative, and even tortured Lafayette in the first season.

By the end of Season 2 and start of Season 3, though, that was starting to shift, with a couple of factors at work. The first was the death of his creator, Godric, and the second was his relationship with Sookie - whereas before he seemed indifferent to her, he gradually develops an affection that results in him constantly saving the day, albeit with a darkness still inside him.

In Season 5 (after losing then regaining his memories in the fourth year) the script is completely flipped: Bill becomes the evil one, possessed by Lilith, and Eric is the saviour of Sookie, Bon Temps, and the wider vampire population. He's still a little cocky, but Alexander Skarsgård's charisma can't help but shine through, making him a much more likeable, noble figure.

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Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.