From Angelus to Russell Edgington: What Makes a Great TV Supernatural Villain?

It’s undoubtedly true that any “genre” TV series is only as good as its best villains, and the reason for the enduring popularity of HBO’s True Blood (which has its fourth season premiere on June 26th) is the fact that it’s given us so many wickedly entertaining otherworldly antagonists to sink our collective teeth into over the last three years.

So what makes for a good supernatural evildoer? With so many different factors to consider (not the least of which is the talent of the performer inhabiting the role) it’s certainly a tough thing to quantify, but in order to celebrate the return of Sookie Stackhouse and company we thought we’d give it a shot anyway.

Below you can check out AE’s profiles on ten preternatural vampires, demons, witches, warlocks and other assorted miscreants that have captured the popular imagination on the small screen over the years, including two beloved True Blood hell-raisers (one of whom will be returning for Season Four). Enjoy!

Angelus
Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel

Appears As: A hunky, brooding James Dean-type loner
Is Actually: A cold-hearted, nihilistic vampire and Angel’s alter-ego
Also Known As: Angel, Liam, The Scourge of Europe, The Demon With the Face of an Angel, The One With the Angelic Face
Powers: Superhuman physical strength, speed and agility; some psychic abilities; skilled in the black arts; photographic memory
Weaknesses: His own narcissism, which includes a propensity to talk endlessly before killing his victims (which often proves convenient for escape and rescue attempts).
Daddy/Mommy Issues: He brutally murdered his own parents the night Darla turned him into a vampire. So there’s that.
Sex Appeal: I mean, have you seen him?
Gay-friendly Attributes: Angelus loves the ballet, and he’s even been known to cry at a performance or two. He also has a predilection for wearing leather pants and black eyeliner.
Larger Plan for World Domination: Not domination so much as destruction; on at least two separate occasions he assisted in awakening ancient demons to bring about the end of the world.
Willingness to Harm Children: He mercilessly slaughtered countless numbers of children in the past, including his younger sister Kathy. And he's totally cool with offing nuns.
Shape-shifting/Impersonation Abilities: None really, unless you count the times he’s passed himself off as his good-hearted alter ego Angel.
Irredeemability Rating (on a scale of 1-10): 9.9 (.1 taken off for that whole “crying at the ballet” thing)
Crazy Quote: "Hey, open book. Anything you want to know. How sweet that virgin gypsy tasted, the fresh smell of a newborn's neck. My first nun - now that’s a great story!"

William Herrick
Being Human

Appears as: A high-ranking police officer
Is Actually: The Hitler-esque leader of the Bristol Vampire Clan
Also Known As: Uncle Billy
Powers: Superhuman strength and speed
Weaknesses: Herrick is a slave to his craving for human blood and can be harmed or repelled by all the typical stuff (garlic, religious symbols, wooden stakes, etc.)
Daddy/Mommy Issues: Undoubtedly, though none have been dramatized on-screen.
Sex Appeal: Power can be intoxicating, but let's get real: he's no David Boreanz.
Gay-friendly Attributes: Valid Hitler comparison = totally not gay friendly
Larger Plan for World Domination: Herrick is intent on bringing about a “Final Solution” that would see all humans turned into vampires or enslaved like animals.
Willingness to Harm Children: Herrick was “turned” after being bitten by a young vampire girl who he was attempting to sell into prostitution. Also, that whole “Final Solution” thing.
Shape-shifting/Impersonation Abilities: None, except for the fact that he passes himself off as an ordinary police sergeant.
Irredeemability Rating: 10. Again: Hitler.
Crazy Quote: "And the pain... was incredible. And I remember every moment. And so now, not unreasonably I think you'll agree, I want him to suffer. But not for moments. For days, weeks...months. And the best way of doing that, um, is to kill you. Here's my dilemma. You were kind to me. Everyone else in the house wanted me dead. Except for you. It's a knotty one, isn't it?”

Angelique Bouchard
Dark Shadows

Appears As: Whatever persona best suits her evil agenda at the time – as long as said persona is that of a gorgeous, seductive woman with perfect hair and makeup.

Is Actually: A scheming and powerful witch (and sometimes vampire).
Also Known As: Angelique Bouchard Collins, Miranda DuVal, Cassandra Blair Collins, Angelique DuVal, Angelique Rumson, Valerie Collins, Angelique Stokes Collins (Parallel Time)
Powers: Trained in the black arts, Angelique is capable of casting a variety of powerful spells, including but not limited to: raising the dead, love hexes, invading people’s dreams, speeding up the beating of the human heart to dangerous levels, transforming her enemies into animals, and hypnosis.
Weaknesses: Her blind, overwhelming love for Barnabas Collins; her brother Nicholas’ ability to drain her of her powers.
Daddy/Mommy Issues: Only in Parallel Time, in which she and twin sister Alexis were raised by an alcoholic mad scientist father.
Sex Appeal: Let’s just say that if you make it your life’s mission to go around acting like an evil, crazy bitch, it helps if you look like Angelique Bouchard.
Gay-friendly Attributes: Angelique is gorgeous, assertive, well-put together, and can always be counted on for a deliciously catty one-liner or two.
Larger Plan for World Domination: None. Angelique desires nothing more than to a) make Barnabas Collins love her and b) failing that, sow the seeds of his destruction. That's something we can all get behind.
Willingness to harm children: Not directly, although it seems inevitable that many off-screen young ones were ultimately harmed by her self-centered machinations.
Shape-shifting/Impersonation abilities: Though she is unable to alter her physical form in any supernatural way, she regularly assumes aliases, each one accompanied by a different fabulous hairpiece.
Irredeemability Rating: 8. While Angelique is no doubt a cold-hearted, conniving psycho, as seen in the 1970 timeline (alias: Angelique Rumson) she appeared to have made a genuine attempt at leaving the sins of her past behind her. Notice that I said attempt.
Crazy Quote: "Is it still possible for us to be friends? No, Barnabus, it is not possible. I'm going to make you pay for turning away from me, but not through Josette this time. There's someone else you love - little Sarah, your dear little sister. You are going to watch her suffer, Barnabus. And seeing her suffer will be the worst agony you have ever known."