10 Best TV Anti-Heroes of All Time, Ranked

What makes an anti-hero so compelling? Unlike traditional protagonists, TV anti-heroes blur the line between right and wrong, captivating audiences with their flaws, contradictions, and morally questionable choices. They can be ruthless, selfish, manipulative, or even criminal, yet viewers often find themselves rooting for them.

Over the years, television has delivered some unforgettable anti-heroes whose complex personalities and gripping story arcs have redefined what it means to lead a series. From masterminds and outlaws to troubled vigilantes and reluctant leaders, these characters have left a lasting impact on popular culture. Here, we rank the 10 best TV anti-heroes of all time based on their influence, depth, and enduring appeal.

10 Fleabag – Fleabag

Portrayed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag is a dry-witted woman with no filter as she navigates life, love, and loss in London. Struggling with grief and tragedy, she often pushes away those who try to help her, masking her pain with humor and confidence. Widely regarded as a feminist anti-hero, Fleabag breaks away from the traditional TV heroine mold.

She is blunt, impulsive, self-destructive, and often makes selfish or hurtful decisions, yet viewers often understand the grief and shame driving her actions. Her honesty and emotional complexity make her one of television’s most compelling anti-heroes. However, her flaws are more personal and intimate than the larger-scale moral transgressions and cultural impact of the anti-heroes ranked above her.

9 Raymond Reddington – The Blacklist

Raymond Reddington is the protagonist of the NBC crime drama The Blacklist. An international criminal and one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives, Reddington works with the FBI to track down dangerous criminals on his infamous Blacklist. Portrayed by James Spader, the character is a classic anti-hero: a manipulative liar who does not hesitate to use deception, torture, or murder to achieve his goals.

Yet he follows a personal code and shows genuine loyalty, compassion, and a willingness to sacrifice for those he cares about, particularly Liz and Dembe. However, his legacy is somewhat affected by the uneven quality of The Blacklist in its later seasons. While the character remains compelling throughout, the series struggled to provide a satisfying payoff to its long-running mysteries, preventing him from reaching the impact of the anti-heroes ranked above him.

8 Kendall Roy – Succession

Kendall Roy in Succession can be understood as a modern anti-hero, but one who deliberately subverts the traditional prestige-TV anti-hero archetype. While he possesses many anti-hero traits, selfishness, moral flaws, ambition, and a willingness to betray others, Kendall is defined by insecurity, emotional damage, and repeated failure. He lacks the confidence and effectiveness usually associated with the role.

As Jeremy Strong described himself, Kendall is “the antihero of our time” (Collider), a character driven less by heroism than by a desperate need for validation, love, and approval from his father, Logan Roy. Throughout the series, Kendall tries to see himself as a visionary leader and successor, but the show repeatedly exposes the gap between his self-image and reality. However, he falls short due to the greater cultural influence and long-lasting impact of anti-heroes above him.

7 Omar Little – The Wire

Few TV characters are as memorable as Omar Little from The Wire. A feared stick-up man who robs drug dealers, lives outside the normal rules of both society and the drug trade, and follows a strict personal code, most notably avoiding harm to ordinary civilians and targeting only people in the game.

He is admired for his intelligence, charisma, and unwavering principles. Often viewed as a folk hero, he preys on drug dealers rather than ordinary people, yet he remains a violent criminal whose actions blur the line between right and wrong. However, Omar can feel more like a larger-than-life legend than a deeply flawed, psychologically complex character. Unlike anti-heroes whose flaws, insecurities, and moral compromises are explored in great depth, Omar is often portrayed as almost mythical.

6 Dexter Morgan – Dexter

When it comes to an anti-hero with a code, few characters are as iconic as Dexter Morgan from Showtime’s Dexter. Portrayed by Michael C. Hall, Dexter works as a forensic blood spatter analyst by day while secretly living as a vigilante serial killer who hunts criminals who have escaped justice.

Guided by The Code of Harry, a set of rules taught to him by his adoptive father, Dexter carefully chooses his targets and avoids harming innocent people whenever possible. Though Dexter follows a strict code, he is far from a perfect vigilante. His dark urges often cloud his judgment, leading him to make reckless decisions that put innocent people in danger. This constant struggle between his code and his darker instincts adds layers to his character, making Dexter one of television’s most complex and compelling anti-heroes.

5 Jaime Lannister – Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is filled with morally complex characters, and Jaime Lannister stands as one of the best in the series. He is introduced as an arrogant and deeply flawed knight, most infamously for pushing Bran Stark from a tower to protect his secret relationship with Cersei. However, as the story unfolds, Jaime proves to be far more complicated than he first appears.

His past, loyalties, and desire to do what is right reveal a man constantly torn between honor and personal attachment. His killing of the Mad King saved countless lives, yet earned him the mocking title of Kingslayer. While Jaime shows growth and seeks redemption, his connection to Cersei repeatedly pulls him back into destructive choices. Despite showing genuine growth and a desire to become a better man, Jaime never fully escapes his flaws. Caught between the man he wants to be and the mistakes of his past, Jaime remains one of television’s most tragic anti-heroes.

4 Don Draper – Mad Men

Few TV characters are as intriguing as Don Draper from Mad Men. He is charismatic, ambitious, and exceptionally talented in his job. However, beneath his polished image lies a deeply flawed man struggling with personal demons. Shaped by a difficult childhood and the burden of living under a stolen identity, Don constantly battles feelings of loneliness, guilt, and insecurity. His dishonesty, infidelity, and self-destructive behavior often hurt the people closest to him. Yet he is also capable of kindness, loyalty, and genuine compassion.

Unlike more violent anti-heroes found in crime dramas, Don is not defined by physical brutality, but rather by emotional damage, self-destruction, and moral compromise. He consistently harms himself and others through deception, emotional detachment, and repeated failures in his personal life. Neither a hero nor a villain, Don’s exploration of identity, loneliness, and reinvention makes him an intriguing character and anti-hero on television.

3 Saul Goodman – Better Call Saul

Saul Goodman from Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad isn’t purely good or evil. He’s a morally compromised lawyer who repeatedly breaks the law, manipulates people, and enables criminals, but still shows genuine loyalty, intelligence, and occasional care for others.

He helps clients, fights for underdogs at times, and clearly has empathy underneath it all, but his ego, love of scams, and desire to win push him into unethical and often harmful actions. Over time, in Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, he evolves from a flawed yet sympathetic hustler into someone who actively participates in criminal enterprises. What makes him one of the best anti-heroes is that, despite frequently causing harm and crossing moral lines, he remains a character the audience continues to root for.

2 Tony Soprano – The Sopranos

Tony Soprano is considered one of television’s greatest anti-heroes as he combines ruthless criminality with deeply human qualities. As the boss of a New Jersey crime family, he engages in extortion, violence, and murder, making him far from a traditional hero.

Yet The Sopranos presents him as a complex individual struggling with anxiety, depression, family responsibilities, and personal insecurities. His therapy sessions reveal a vulnerable side that makes audiences understand, though not excuse, his actions. Despite his many moral failings, Tony remains charismatic, relatable, and compelling. His mix of morality and immorality redefined the archetype for a protagonist and influenced many television characters that followed, making him not only one of the best anti-heroes but also one of the most influential and groundbreaking characters in television history.

1 Walter White – Breaking Bad

Walter White is considered the best anti-hero on television. Introduced in Breaking Bad as a skilled chemist whose goals appear understandable after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Walter wants to provide financial security for his family. However, he pursues this goal through illegal and increasingly immoral actions, including manufacturing methamphetamine, lying to his loved ones, and committing acts of violence.

However, his determination for his family and moments of vulnerability leave viewers to empathize with him despite his wrongdoing. As the series progresses, Walt’s motivations shift from family protection to pride, power, and personal fulfillment, reaching a limit as he gradually evolves into an anti-hero. Nevertheless, for much of the story, he fits the anti-hero archetype: a central character who lacks conventional heroic qualities yet remains the focus of the audience’s sympathy and attention.

Name	Played by	Shows	Streaming
Fleabag	Phoebe Waller-Bridge	Fleabag	Prime Video
Raymond Reddington	James Spader	The Blacklist	Netflix
Kendall Roy	Jeremy Strong	Succession	HBO Max
Omar Little	Michael Kenneth Williams	The Wire	HBO Max
Dexter Morgan	Michael C Hall	Dexter	Paramount
Jaime Lannister	Nikolaj Coster-Waldau	Game of Thrones	HBO Max
Don Draper	Jon Hamm	Mad Men	AMC+
Saul Goodman	Bob Odenkirk	Better Call Saul	Netflix
Tony Soprano	James Gandolfini	The Sopranos	HBO Max
Walter White	Bryan Cranston	Breaking Bad	Netflix

Each of these characters is deeply flawed, morally complex, and endlessly fascinating, helping redefine what a television protagonist can be. Who makes your list of the greatest TV anti-heroes? And if you had to choose just one, who do you think is the greatest anti-hero of all time? Share your picks with us.