We all know that villains either make or break a show. Most certainly, a television series is incomplete without a villain. I, for one, have always been on their side as they are smart, witted and on their toes. Having watched a handful of good television shows, I have come up with a list of five devious villains who, in my opinion, are the best at what they do, which is create havoc for a protagonist. Mads Mikkelsen Mikkelson has experimented with a number of diversified film and television roles but his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in ‘Hannibal’ was the winner! He portrays a cannibalistic serial killer who happens to be a food lover. The deadly mind games he plays in the show makes him worthy of the top five. Michelle Trachtenberg Trachtenberg has always been a versatile actress. We shouldn’t have underestimated her as Dawn Summers in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ because she took on a more conniving role a few years later! You got that right! I am talking about her portrayal as Georgiana Sparks in ‘Gossip Girl.’ It was entertaining and fun. Although her character in the show was periodic, watching her grow each season was a pleasant surprise. Sarah Michelle Gellar To this day, Gellar is my all-time favorite actor. Almost all her performances are heartfelt. She played the vicious twin sister, Siobhan Martin in ‘Ringer’, a show that was cancelled by The CW in 2012 for no reason. Her performance as the evil twin garnered critical acclaim and she deserves all the praise. I adored her character in that show; it was something apart from what we usually see on television. Zachary Quinto I can give this lad every credit he asks for delivering not just one, but two spectacular performances in the horror-thriller seasons ‘American Horror Story: Asylum’ and ‘Heroes.’ However, I found him best as Dr Oliver Thredson, a serial killer and psychiatrist in the second season of AHS. He most certainly did his character justice. I wouldn’t mind citing Zachary Quinto as one of the best actors America has ever produced! Published in Daily Times, September 1st 2018.