2. Arthur Mitchell - Dexter
It is no small accolade that in a show about serial killers which ran for no less than 8 seasons, Arthur Mitchell is the psychopath who endures in our minds as the most ruthless, unsympathetic and efficient killer. The main antagonist of the shows fourth season, Mitchell leads a painfully quotidian life in order to blend in with his dull surroundings. As Dexter himself puts it: "A wolf in sheep's clothing. Hour by hour the spitting image of a normal man. Up at 6 AM. Breakfast 7 AM. Work 8:30, study session shaping young minds...even on a Saturday. Noon lunch with Faculty, out at 3. Dinner at 6. Father, husband, teacher, Deacon...all in the name of blending in. Camouflage is nature's craftiest trick." This level of control over the way he presents himself to society may seem to discount Arthur Mitchell from the impulsive violence and anti-social behaviour which define psychopaths. However, despite his seemingly positive role in society, Mitchell is unable to stop himself from indulging the monster which is within him. He is dubbed the Trinity Killer by the FBI because of his apparent tendency to kill in threes. This is later proven to be erroneous as Mitchell actually favours taking the lives of four victims. The methods he uses also announce his deeply psychotic nature he kills a young woman by slicing her femoral artery with a razor while having her in a tight choke and holds up a mirrors, forcing her to watch as she slowly dies. The efficiency and volume of Mitchells murders make him a subject of fascination to Dexter, the titular character, who is himself a prolific serial killer.