Good guys are overcome. In the simplest review of drama history, all things look like this: In the several basic story types and plots, people confront with other people, themselves, faith, nature, system… We know that from ancient times in all stories there are bad guys, up to Shakespeare’s time they were ‘black’, while heroes, even tragic ones, were ‘white’. Then, years after that, characters became more and more complex and moved to so called ‘gray zone’, where the hero and the tragic hero are sometimes the same person. That was approximately the time, not specificly determined, when  the term ‘antihero’ was created. An ‘antihero’ is the main hero who doesn’t posses qualities of archetypal hero and is inclined to moral stumbling. Antihero as a phenomenon had its bloom in the middle of 20th century. Now it is certainly more represented than ever. In earlier times we supported good guys and princes, and hated the evil ones, but now… Far more complex and interesting than good guys, these antiheroes, whether good or bad in essence, rule our TV screens in recent years. Here is the list of such antiheroes who dominated or still dominate our screens.

10. Gregory House

9. Alan Shore

Notorious but brilliant hound dog of lawyers office ‘Crane, Paul and Schmidt’, reminds a lot of House, with exception of being more tolerate to people and in the end learns a lesson from his own work. Created by David Kelly, who is a lawyer himself, Alan is unpredictable machine for ‘grinding’ of clients, he doesn’t hesitate to use blackmails, extortion and other non ethical ideas if it leads him to winning in court. Also a big womanizer and bonvivant. The typical Alan Shore sentence is: ‘Why is that so important to everyone, maintaining integrity?’

8. Benjamin Linus

As a phenomenon of modern age, the series LOST is imagined in such way that it doesn’t have positive or negative characters (well, there are a few exceptions). Every person who shows up in this epic saga has expressed negative characteristics, as well as sins from the past. Still, nobody among them isn’t nearly dangerous nor popular as Ben Linus, the head villain during almost the whole series. In the beginning imagined as a serial killer, pathological liar and ruthless guardian of the Island, also with an antisocial personality disorder, Ben transforms into something completely different in the end. It is interesting that, no matter he isn’t a main character, he dominated almost every scene he showed up in. The typical Ben Linus sentence is: ‘I always have a plan!’

7. Tony Soprano

The famous ‘guido’, the head of maffia and his own even crazier family. He represents a school example of bad guy, just archetypal obnoxious who deals with blackmailing, extortion, drug dealing and murders. He is anxious, depressive, cheats his wife, swears so much… But still, he is a fantastic example of morbid and charming person who fascinates the audience with the fact that it is interesting to watch mafia boss’ development path. Though we don’t know many people like him in real life, I hope so. The typical Tony Soprano sentence is: ‘Why don’t you get the f*ck out of here before I shove your quotation book up your fat fu**ing ass!’

6. Chuck Bass

Young Ed Westwick is a revelation among young actors. He masterly interpretes a character of endlessly selfish and even more rich Chuck Bass, the most interesting character of enormously popular but underestimated series Gossip Girl. This series is our only insight into scandalous life of Manhattan elite. Chuck is spoiled child without parents, who spends his inherited billions in a so sadistic way that you must ask yourself ‘What’s happening to today’s youth?’ He avoids going to school, drinks from dusk till dawn, takes drugs, speaks about his bisexual adventures, walks around with whores and makes scandals all around New York. And nevertheless everybody adore him! Young Westwick is infallible in portraiture of Bass as a modern Gatsby or any other swinging guy from the ‘America’s golden age’. The typical Chuck Bass sentence is simple: ‘Because I’m Chuck Bass’.

5. Cartman

As sympathetic Kyle Brofovski once said: ‘You unbelieveable son of a b**ch!’ Eric Cartman is, by his own admission, the personification of all evil in the world. Little, fat guy who hates everything – Jews, black people, Asians, Canadians… Oh, the list is too long. A great master of intrigues, insults and psychotic outbursts, in the end succeeds in winning good kids and prooving that there is no God. In a sea of brilliant hellish plans, we especially recommend the episode ‘Scott Tennorman Must Die’. The typical Cartman sentence is: ‘Respect my authority!’

4. Dexter Morgan

Certainly the biggest lunatic on the list. In the beginning many people thought that this is the show about a serial killer who covers his own crimes and will never have a positive reception from anybody, but they were all wrong. Dexter Morgan is the absolute, impeccable sociopath, who doesn’t see himself as a society member, but focuses on killing other criminals that he wants to ‘put in order’ before cops get them. Emotionally completely estranged, unbearably cold, even he possesses the dark charm which keeps millions of people around the world chained to a chair every time they hear credits for this series. The typical Dexter sentence is: ‘Killing must serve a purpose. Otherwise, it’s just plain murder.’

3. Mr Burns

The biggest villain ever. The most terrifying, notorious figure ever seen on TV. Shameless, selfish single person, Charles Montgomery Burns terrorizes normally quiet Springfield, because as the owner of a nuclear powerhouse he has all the money and the power he needs to do that. This old man is so fearsome because he could occult the Sun if he wanted to. Nevertheless, we must congratulate him for entertaining the whole planet with his jokes and actions for more than two decades. The typical Mr Burns sentence is: ‘What good is money if it can’t inspire terror in your fellow man?’

2. Denny Crane

Idolatry is the devil’s work, but it is kind of a normal that we like Danny Crane, a good friend of already mentioned Alan Shore. Indescribably direct, funny, charming and talkative, with a mad cow disease, Denny Crane is a true icon of American and world’s life style. In each and every episode he creates funny situations and masters the statements that even truckers under the influence of alcohol wouldn’t say. He is obsessed  with sex, cigars and whiskey, and with a plenty of money he is a dream come true of every man in America. And just for the record, he is now 80! We cannot choose just one typical sentence for him, so here are the most memorable ones:

‘I have an erection. That’s a good sign. I’m ready to go to trial. Lock and load.’
‘Did something happen? Was I in the room when it happened?’
‘Now, Alan, if all else fails and you think you’ve lost, pretend you’ve won! Works for our president.’
‘You know what I’m going to do, Brian, just to show you there are no hard feelings? I’m going to sleep with your wife.’
As such a good actor he certainly deserved his star on Hollywood boulevard.