13 Most Despicable Scumbag Characters In TV History

7. Arthur "Trinity Killer" Mitchell - Dexter

Remember the heady days of Dexter before the later episodes lost their way, and the finale disappointed? It seems a long time ago, but Season 4 was arguably the best season of Dexter and that was in no small amount down to the character of Arthur Mitchell, so masterfully portrayed by John Lithgow, in a performance that rightly won him multiple awards. Arthur Mitchell was one of the most successful serial killers in the U.S., and while heavily hunted, his everyday life and appearance kept him safe for a long time. Mitchell was the reason for Dexter to explore the possibilities of him being a family man and a serial killer at the same time, and the battle between Dexter and Arthur gave the season many very intense moments. All in all, though, Arthur Mitchell was a dark and utterly nasty piece of work. While from the outside, his family life looked perfectly mundane and loving, Dexter uncovered the truth: Mitchell manipulated and threatened his family to stay with him and frequently abused them, under the facade of normalcy. And right after Dexter finally killed Mitchell, he soon discovered the Trinity Killer's most awful and final murder: that of Rita, Dexter's wife, in their own bathtub, which is easily the most enduring image of the entire show.