The 800th episode of The Simpsons was released in December 2025, and in celebration of this landmark, it’s time to look back at some of the best villains in the show’s history. Although most The Simpsons stories feature low-stakes sitcom scenarios, some iconic antagonists have popped up throughout the show’s history. So, here are the seven best villains in The Simpsons, with one major exception: Sideshow Bob.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Sideshow Bob is easily the most popular and maniacal villain in The Simpsons, with him topping nearly every online list regarding this topic. Putting Sideshow Bob at number one is too easy, so we have decided to omit him, giving smaller The Simpsons antagonists some time to shine.
7) Snake Jailbird
Although he isn’t as much of a main antagonist as the later entries on this list, Snake Jailbird is one of The Simpsons‘ most fun villains. Snake is usually depicted as a street-level criminal, with him stealing cars and committing other crimes that hurt the Simpsons. Snake befriends Sideshow Bob and other villains throughout the show, even if he isn’t as bad as they are.
6) Russ Cargill
Although the rest of the villains on this list originate from the show, Russ Cargill comes from The Simpsons Movie. In the film, Russ is the head of the EPA, with him leading the operation which seals Springfield under a giant glass dome. The power then goes to Cargill’s head, with him deciding to destroy Springfield, until the Simpsons stop him. The story of The Simpsons Movie is bigger than any of the episodes, making Russ one of the franchise’s most significant villains.
5) Frank Grimes
Even though he isn’t an evil villain, Frank Grimes is another one of The Simpsons‘ best antagonists. The character comes from season 8’s “Homer’s Enemy,” where he is a straight-laced new employee at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Frank grows to hate Homer’s laziness and stupidity, deciding to attempt to get him fired. However, he fails, causing him to have a nervous breakdown, which leads to his death. Although Frank is the straight man in the dynamic, he is an absolutely hilarious character, and he will forever be at the center of one of the show’s best episodes.
4) Lyle Lanley
There are tons of debates about what the best episode of The Simpsons is, but season 4’s “Marge vs. the Monorail” is often part of these conversations. In the episode, a con man named Lyle Lanley comes into town, tricking Springfield’s citizens into thinking that he is going to build a futuristic monorail. Instead, Lanley hopes to cheaply build the monorail, take leftover money, and get out of there. Lanley is a ton of fun, a great antagonist for Marge, and is the center of The Simpsons‘ best musical number.
3) Kang and Kodos
While most of The Simpsons‘ villains are humans, the most notable exception is Kang and Kodos. The alien duo first appeared in “Treehouse of Horror,” where the Simpsons believe that they want to fatten them and eat them. The aliens have appeared in countless other “Treehouse of Horror” episodes, although they are mostly comedic side characters rather than main antagonists.
Strangely enough, Kang and Kodos have become two of The Simpsons‘ most iconic characters. They appear in tons of spin-off media like video games and comics, and they even have their own ride at Universal Studios Florida. They are some of the show’s strangest villains, and that’s what makes them so fun.
2) Hank Scorpio
Hank Scorpio is a one-time villain, and he is one of The Simpsons‘ best. The character first appeared in season 8’s “You Only Move Twice,” in which Homer accepts a new job at Scorpio’s Globex Corporation. Unbeknownst to Homer, Hank is a supervillain who plans on taking over a large part of the United States. Despite this, Hank is incredibly kind, giving friendly advice to Homer throughout the episode.
Hank’s is one of The Simpsons most villainous villains, with him having an evil lair, goons, an arch-nemesis, and plans to conquer the world. While he has made cameo appearances in later episodes, “You Only Move Twice” is his only major role, and it is incredibly impressive how much of a splash he made.
1) Mr. Burns
Only one The Simpsons villain can compare to the popularity of Sideshow Bob, and that’s Mr. Burns. Burns is the wealthy and incredibly elderly owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, making him Homer Simpson’s boss. He constantly antagonizes Homer, being one of the most common causes of problems in Springfield. The character’s villainous qualities are so apparent that the story of “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” works due to how many characters have the motivation to kill him.
Mr. Burns first appeared in the show’s pilot, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” and has been a consistent member of The Simpsons cast ever since. Christopher Collins voiced Mr. Burns in The Simpsons‘ first few episodes, although Harry Shearer took over the character and has voiced him ever since. Mr. Burns is one of the most recognizable characters in the show, and it is hard to think of another villain who is better than him.
What do you think? Leave a comment belowย and join the conversation now in theย ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Courtesy of Cartoon Network -
Image Courtesy of A-1 Pictures
