5 anti-heroes from TV shows we hate to love

Everybody enjoys a good redemption arc, and we have all been guilty in the past of loving an anti-hero from a TV show. While a righteous protagonist has their charm, a morally grey character is more complex and layered, which usually makes for good television.

The juxtaposition between their good motive and bad means is in constant contradiction, which ultimately translates beautifully on the small screen. TV shows have featured some remarkable anti-heroes over the decades, both male and female, some of whom have become fan favorites over the years.

Here are five anti-heroes from TV shows whom we hate to love.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the author's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.

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5 anti-heroes from TV shows we all love

1) Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders

No cents for guessing this! Murphy's Tommy Shelby changed the perspective of an anti-hero for many and for all the right reasons. Based on a real-life Birmingham gang leader of the 1880s, Tommy Shelby is ruthless, cold, and has limitless ambition and doesn't bat an eye while eliminating his enemies.

Murphy's nuanced portrayal brought life to this violent gang leader and proved that he is so much more beneath all the layers of wool overcoats he dons for his dapper gangster fashion. While he uses illegal and violent means to achieve his goals, he is a product of his situation and time period.

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2) Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve

Comer's Villanelle is a psychopathic assassin working for the crime syndicate who takes fun in killing and torturing people. Her need to control and her psychopathic tendencies drive her major life decisions, but beneath her killer persona, there is a charming personality that also makes her a likable character.

Once her tragic backstory is revealed in Killing Eve, we understand her violent tendencies, which lend credibility to her character. Villanelle surely set the standards of a strong female anti-hero on the small screen, and fans still feel that her story's conclusion was unjust for the character. Her complicated relationship with her archenemy, Eve, also made her character more interesting.

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3) Álvaro Morte as The Professor in Money Heist

Talking about anti-heroes, we cannot miss the Professor from Netflix's breakthrough Spanish series Money Heist. The Professor is in no sense a good man as he prepares his own army to rob the Royal Mint of Spain by orchestrating the biggest heist ever.

A highly intelligent and manipulative character, The Professor operates within moral ambiguities, which makes his character all the more compelling to the audience. While he breaks all possible laws and openly challenges the government, his concern for his team members makes the audience even root for him in the end.

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4) Viola Davis as Annalise Keating in How to Get Away With Murder

Apparent from the title, Davis was convincing in her portrayal of Annalise Keating, the antihero of the hit Netflix legal thriller. She is a high-profile criminal defense attorney and law professor who selects five students, and they are involved in a dangerous murder plot.

Right from the title itself, Annalise is introduced as a morally complex character who manipulates her students and the law to evade justice. Being a lawyer, she has mastered her oratory and convincing skills, which are her number one assets. However, as the show progresses and we learn about her past, her motives become apparent, and the audience even starts to root for her.

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5) Wentworth Miller as Michael Scofield in Prison Break

While Michael Scofield has the traits of a conventional hero, he largely remains an anti-hero in Prison Break because he consistently breaks all possible laws. To break his innocent brother out of prison, Michael manipulates and abuses almost every person he meets along the way, including the prison doctor Sara, who eventually switches sides and even helps him.

While Michael is not typically a bad guy for wanting his brother out of prison, he included many people on the way on his side and even killed many people of the law to execute his flawless break-in plan.

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