While a tried and true hero is easy to root for, it’s typically the villains who make TV shows worth watching.These antagonists are so compelling and scene-stealingthat it’s easy to imagine them leading a successful spinoff series of their initial shows. Making a spinoff can be a difficult undertaking. There must be a reason why the tale should be told, especially since the audience might already know how these stories end. Many of thesespinoffs would be darker than the original TV showsince focusing on the most morally bankrupt characters means tackling intense themes.
However, theseTV villains are incredibly fun to watch, even when they do despicable things. Witnessing how they came to be the authors of the protagonists' nightmares or what they do in the aftermath of the series' conclusion would only make them more nuanced. Since viewers love to hate these characters,seeing them as more fleshed-out and three-dimensional would complicate how people think about them,making for interesting television. Since spinoffs have become more popular than ever, it would be easy to find an audience base for these potential shows.
Played by Giancarlo Esposito
Breaking Badis a great example of a series almost entirely made up of villains. Though Gus actively works against Walter White (Bryan Cranston),Walt is arguably the most notorious villain of the series.However, since Walt’s story has already been told, it’s time to bring Gus' to life.Breaking Badalready received a prequel show,Better Call Saul, which proved that the series' tone and themes can translate to spinoffs. Gus was heavily featured inBetter Call Saul, but there’s still plenty about his early years that viewers could discover.
Seeing Gus' youth would shine a light on how he came to be the unscrupulous man the audiences meet inBreaking Bad.
Seeing Gus' youth would shine a light on how he came to be the unscrupulous man the audiences meet inBreaking Bad. Though this would mean that a new actor takes on the role, instead of the incomparable Giancarlo Esposito, this could be a good thing. While Esposito has received universal acclaim for his performance as Gus, seeing an up-and-coming actor take on a younger version of the role would help the audience separate the different versions of the man and potentially root for him in his youth.
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9The Master - Doctor Who (1963–Present)
Played by various actors
Like the Doctor,the Master has taken on various forms throughoutDoctor Who,each one evolving with the series. When the series returned in 2005, it didn’t take long for the Master to make an appearance. The Master might also be a Time Lord, but they’re the opposite of everything they stand for, sowing chaos and terror wherever they go. However, with the same level of intelligence and ingenuity as the Doctor, watching the master travel across the universe would be just as thrilling.
The short-livedDoctor Whospinoff,Torchwood, might not have lasted very long, but it proved that other stories can be told within theDoctor Whouniverse, and they can be darker. Currently, the fate of the Master is up in the air, but it’s clear that they’re still out there somewhere and ready to make trouble. However,an origin story for the Master could be the perfect companion for the contemporary seasons ofDoctor Who.Notevery Doctor inDoctor Whointeracted with the Master, but whenever they appeared onscreen and tangled with the Doctor, it was memorable.
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8Kilgrave - Jessica Jones (2015–2019)
Played by David Tennant
David Tennant might be best known for playing the charming hero inDoctor Who, but his character inJessica Jonescouldn’t be more different. Kilgrave is the monster who hunts Jessica’s (Krysten Ritter) dreams inJessica Jonesseason 1, using his ability to control people to terrorize Jessica for years. One of the most terrifying TV villains of the past ten years,Kilgrave has no empathy or moral line, which can be hard to watch throughoutJessica Jones.However, it also makes him an interesting character to explore.
David Tennant’s 10 Best Movie & TV Characters, Ranked
Legendary performer David Tennant is a standout figure in both television and movies, and his best characters are why his career is so successful.
A spinoff that tackles his youth, which was full of torturous experimentation,or the years before he met Jessica, would be one of the darkest shows within the MCU. Focusing on his adolescence and his slow transformation into a person without empathy would show what state he was in when he finally encountered Jessica. While there would be parts of his series that would be extremely upsetting, knowing he eventually gets what he deserves would be comforting.
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7Katherine - The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)
Played by Nina Dobrev
ThoughThe Vampire Diariesalready has a memorable spinoff featuring one of the show’s most iconic villains, Klaus (Joseph Morgan), Katherine was the first and best antagonist of the series. Though Damon (Ian Somerhalder) served as an antagonistic force at first, he was working to bring Katherine back, as she had an undeniable power over the people in her life.Elena’s ancestor and doppelganger, Katherine,frequently pulled people to the dark side while garnering surprising amounts of sympathy.
Since she was already ancient by the time the Salvatores met her in the 1800s, there are many centuries and periods to explore through Katherine’s eyes.After faking her death in the church and going into hiding, Katherine traversed across the U.S.,finding people and supernatural beings to swindle and bend to her will. Discovering what Katherine was up to during these years and watching her in different cultural periods would be a fun historical fantasy series for fans ofThe Vampire Diaries.
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6Ben Linus - Lost (2006-2010)
Played by Michael Emerson
The infamous leader of the Others inLost,Ben Linus, is a ruthless killer and manipulator in the show, but he always has a reason behind his actions.Even though his reasoning is often based on flawed logic, Ben is a survivor above all and is ready to align himself with whoever will offer him the best protection. This instinct and Ben’s undeniable intellect help round him out as a character and ensure that the heroes on the show never underestimate him.
Learning more about Ben’s past might help make this redemption arc more realistic and would help answer some of the questions that audiences and critics are still asking aboutLost.
Unfortunately, Ben Linus is an example of apoorly executed character redemption in a TV show, asLostrushed the story and didn’t make it realistic that Ben had changed his ways. Learning more about Ben’s past might help make this redemption arc more realistic and would help answer some of the questions that audiences and critics are still asking aboutLost. Though his backstory is explored through flashbacks, these only show small moments of Ben’s early life, which could easily be expanded into a show.
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5Kathleen Coghlan - The Last Of Us (2023–Present)
Played by Melanie Lynskey
As excitement forThe Last of Usseason 2 builds, it’s fun to look back on the episodes of season 1 that have come to define the show. While Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) journey is the backbone of the series, it’s characters like Kathleen that make the world feel real.Though Kathleen isn’t a character from the original gamebut an addition made by the series, she easily fits intoThe Last of Usuniverse as a woman driven by desperation and fear.
The Last of Usseason 2 is slated to premiere in April 2025.
Melanie Lynskey was the perfect choice to play Kathleen,and it’s easy to want to watch more of Lynskey in the future. After watching her stellar performance inYellowjackets, the thought of a Kathleen spinoff makes a lot of sense. Witnessing her rise to power and the way her city grew and found ways to survive in the wake of the end of the world would be the ideal extension of the larger universe ofThe Last of Us.
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4Love Quinn - You (2018-2025)
Played by Victoria Pedretti
As one of the few characters who would match wits with Joe (Penn Badgley),Love Quinn appeared to be one of his many victims at first but proved herself to be much more.Though Love did ultimately meet her end at Joe’s hands, she was a worthy adversary, clocking the moment when Joe was losing interest and moving on to his next target. While it eventually becomes clear that Love is just as ruthless a killer as Joe, it’s still easy to root for Love since many aspects of her life pushed her to this point.
Love’s life in Los Angeles before Joe could easily be adapted into a spinoff series as she grappled with her violent tendencies and tumultuous relationship with her brother.
Love’s life in Los Angeles before Joe could easily be adapted into a spinoff series as she grappled with her violent tendencies and tumultuous relationship with her brother. The dynamic between Love and her brother, Forty (James Scully), is one of the most interesting parts ofYouseason 2 and could be the centerpiece of a spinoff about Love. Even if her role in the future ofYouis over, her past is still ripe for exploration.
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3Lukas Matsson - Succession (2018–2023)
Played by Alexander Skarsgård
Alexander Skarsgård is hilariously evil inSuccessionseason 4 as the tech giant Lukas Matsson. While going toe-to-toe with the Roys, Matsson quickly proves just how much Logan (Brian Cox) was doing to hold Waystar Royco together. After his death, the Roy siblings scramble to fill the hole he left in the company and close the deal with Matsson. However, by the end of the series, it turns out thatMatsson is just as much of a shark as Logan.He was always going to betray the Roys.
AfterSuccessionended, many fans and critics were sad to see the series go, and it seems as though there’s still a high demand for shows within this genre. HBO’s more recent series,Industry, has gained traction in the years sinceSuccessionended, and a Matsson spinoff could help fill this hole.Following Matsson at this point in his career would be similar to seeing a young Logan Roy build his empireand would include plenty of ruthless deal-making and backstabbing.
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2Livia Sopranos - The Sopranos (
Played by Nancy Marchand
Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) is considered the best anti-hero in the history of TVand the character who served as the basis for the archetype that’s everywhere on television today. However, the notorious gangster wouldn’t be anywhere without his mother, the woman who shaped so much of who he is. Though fans and critics got to see more of a young Livia in the prequel movieThe Many Saints of Newark, there’s a lot more to learn about Livia Soprano.
The Sopranos: 15 Greatest Betrayals, Ranked
In the world of organized crime, betrayals are the name of the game; and Tony Soprano, his crew, and his enemies were all guilty of it at some point.
Who she was before she met Tony’s father and her dynamic with the neighborhood and the many powerful, violent men who populated it would be interesting to see. A manipulative and shrewd woman who knows how to play those around her, Livia has a lot going on behind the scenes, which Tony eventually realizes when she betrays him.After 26 years,The Sopranoshasn’t faded from the cultural conversation,and Livia’s story could seamlessly continue the franchise.
1Tywin Lannister - Game Of Thrones (2011–2019)
Played by Charles Dance
The Lannisters are a powerful and dangerous house inGame of Thrones, and the patriarch, Tywin Lannister, is one of the more interesting villains in the series. While there are plenty of ruthless and terrifying antagonists in the show, Tywin is smart and careful. He doesn’t needlessly dole out vengeance and violence, instead biding his time.In eventually placing his grandchildren on the Iron Throne, his plans play out over generations,even if he always wanted the throne for himself.
Though it’s his cruelty towards those closest to him that eventually results in his death, Tywin is fiercely protective of his family name and is part of a long tradition of Lannister pride. Watching him grow up and seeing what life was like under the last few Targaryens before the throne was usurped would be an exciting addition to theGame of Thronesuniverse. Whilethere are already spinoffs of the series being produced,if any character from the original show were to get one, Tywin would be a brilliant choice.
Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
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