The streaming service boom has paved the way for countless television shows. Hulu has heavy hitters like The Bear, which released its fourth season in June, and the Sterling K. Brown-led Paradise, while Prime Video is home to notable projects like Fallout and The Boys. The cream of the crop, though, is Netflix, the platform that sort of started it all. There’s something for everyone on the service, and it feels like it drops another major show or movie every week. However, TV is Netflix’s bread and butter, as it tackles every genre with ease and doesn’t appear to have plans of stopping anytime soon.
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The only downside of Netflix’s library is that it’s easy to give all the love to the heroes. From Eleven to the Umbrella Academy, there are more do-gooders than the platform knows what to do with. But Netflix villains deserve their time in the sun, too, because there are so many good ones.
1) Demogorgon (Stranger Things)
The Demogorgon isn’t much more than a physical threat in Stranger Things Season 1, but it’s a darn good one. It stalks the people of Hawkins, Indiana, taking some to the Upside Down while killing others. The only way the town is able to rid itself of the creature is by having Eleven tap into her psychokinetic powers and vaporize it. She ends up in the Upside Down as a result, making the Demogorgon’s legacy a noteworthy one.
2) Kilgrave (Jessica Jones)
While Marvel no longer houses its The Defenders Saga shows on Netflix, it’s impossible to talk about the service’s villains without mentioning them. One of the more under-the-radar Marvel Netflix shows, Jessica Jones, introduces the world to Kilgrave, who can control minds. He torments the titular hero years before her show kicks off and returns for more. It’s hard for anyone to get under Jessica’s tough skin, but Kilgrave knows how to do it.
3) Reginald Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy)
Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy adapts the Dark Horse comic of the same name about a family of superheroes who work through childhood trauma. The reason the Hargreeves children have so much trauma is their father, Reginald, who constantly uses them for his own gain. It eventually comes to light that he’s an alien trying to bring his wife back to life, but that’s no excuse for treating all his kids like trash and letting one of them die.
4) Wilson Fisk (Daredevil)
Matt Murdock tries his best to keep the streets of Hell’s Kitchen clean, but Wilson Fisk is always in his way. The business mogul never wants his empire to stop growing, which means taking advantage of the less fortunate. However, Kingpin doesn’t make his lackeys do all the work; he’s comfortable getting his hands dirty, even killing people on occasion. It takes everything Daredevil has to bring him down in Season 3 of his solo series.
5) Joe Goldberg (You)
While Joe Goldberg is a really charming guy in You, he has dark tendencies that make him a villain. He obsesses over the people that he loves, and if he thinks they’re going to turn their backs on him, he’ll kill them without a second thought. He even turns on Love, who understands his compulsions and embraces her own. Joe gets what he deserves at the end of You, but not before doing plenty of damage.
6) Oh Il-nam (Squid Game)
The Squid Game is a way for the rich to make the poor believe they have a chance to brush shoulders with them if they complete challenges. It’s a sick premise created by Oh Il-nam, who goes undercover in the first season of the Netflix show as a contestant. He wants to relive his best memories, which is why many of the games seem like they’re for children. Despite being a bad person, though, Il-nam knows how to put on a show.
7) Bullseye (Daredevil)
Fisk realizes by Daredevil Season 3 that he alone can’t take down Murdock’s heroic alter ego, so he sends Benjamin Poindexter, a disturbed former FBI agent, after his rival. Poindexter never misses when he throws an object, a skill that gives Daredevil all kinds of trouble. What makes Bullseye’s reign of terror even worse is that he puts on the titular hero’s costume and besmirches his good name.
8) Omar Navarro (Ozark)
Marty and Wendy Byrdes agree to launder money for the Navarro cartel in Ozark, which means they’re working for Omar Navarro. He’s a ruthless kingpin who’s willing to stab his own family in the back if it means staying above water. The Byrdes remain on his good side for the most part, but other Ozark characters aren’t so lucky.
9) Cottonmouth (Luke Cage)
Cottonmouth’s reign in Luke Cage isn’t all that long, as upsetting his cousin, Mariah Dillard, puts him in an early grave. However, while he’s alive, he’s one of the most menacing figures Netflix has to offer. He’s not even afraid to confront the titular hero, who is bulletproof and puts his fair share of grunts in the hospital.
10) Vecna (Stranger Things)
It’s unclear who’s pulling the strings in Hawkins, Indiana, until Vecna reveals himself. A human who has abilities similar to Eleven’s, he takes control of the Upside Down after the young girl transports him there during a battle. He wants revenge on Dr. Martin Brenner and anyone connected to him, which is sure to be a major part of the events of Stranger Things‘ final season.
Which of the Netflix villains on this list is the best? Are there any other characters that you think deserve a spot? Let us know in the comments below!
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