20 Greatest TV Villains Ever

5. Stringer Bell - The Wire

One of the reasons that The Wire was incredibly critically acclaimed was because of how well it reflected the harsh reality of urban life. And Stringer Bell represented the best that real life evil had to offer. He may not be as hot-tempered and vicious as his boss, drug kingpin Avon Barksdale, but he makes up for it with an ruthlessness and intelligence that is almost scarier. You don't have to worry about Stringer flying off the handle and killing you in a rage, but if you get in his way, he will find an efficient way to get rid of you. In a way, he's a great villain because you can easily see him being a successful and productive member of society, if only his life had gone differently. As it stands on The Wire, though, he's easily one of the last people in the world you would want to cross.