TVLine’s 15 Best TV Villains of the 2010s, Ranked by Their Lasting Impact
Sue Sylvester’s Cruel Streak
On Glee, cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, played by Jane Lynch, frequently clashes with Will Schuester over funding for school activities. Her verbal abuse and hostility toward the glee club made her a standout across the show’s six seasons.
Sue’s schemes include blackmail, violence and putting people in danger. Yet she also supports her sister Jean, who has Down syndrome, and displays an ability to change, complicating her reputation as an antagonist.
Wuntch Takes on Holt
Madeline Wuntch, portrayed by Kyra Sedgwick, is a senior NYPD official and longtime adversary of Captain Raymond Holt on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She uses intimidation, corruption and psychological tactics against the Nine-Nine.
In the seventh-season episode “Ding Dong,” the precinct learns Wuntch has died, but she has arranged for Holt to give her eulogy. Holt, played by Andre Braugher, says he will genuinely miss having a true arch-nemesis.
White Diamond’s Ideal World
Steven Universe features White Diamond, voiced by Christine Ebersole, as a ruler who demands perfection and conformity throughout Gem society. She governs alongside Yellow Diamond, voiced by Patti LuPone, and Blue Diamond, voiced by Lisa Hannigan.
Steven challenges White Diamond’s belief that flaws make someone inferior in the original series finale. The character’s controlling approach also reflects the show’s broader LGBTQ+ themes and oppressive family dynamics.
Key points
- Sue Sylvester’s cruelty is balanced by moments of support and a capacity for change.
- Madeline Wuntch remains a formidable rival to Captain Holt, even after her death.
- White Diamond’s rigid standards make her an antagonist tied to the series’ wider themes.