10 TV Shows You Didn't Realise You Were Following The Villain

For the majority of House of Cards' first season, audiences were entirely aware that Democratic congressman Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) was an incredibly shady figure, but in the dirty world of political manoeuvring, he hardly seemed like a true villain. He was a Democrat, after all.

But that all changed irreversibly in the first season's eleventh episode, when Frank murdered Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) - an alcoholic congressman about to blow the whistle on Frank's scheming - even staging it to look like a suicide.

While at the time many fans cried foul that this was a step too ridiculous, it was really just the tip of the iceberg given the various murders, accidents, and general life-ruining events Frank would order and even carry out himself on his road to becoming the President of the United States.

Much better can't be said for his wife, Claire (Robin Wright), who while initially a somewhat ambiguous figure, gradually reveals herself to be at least as ruthless as her husband.

Ultimately she becomes President herself and, in the show's controversial series finale, seemingly defeats every last person capable of standing up to her.