My Cart - Everyone loves a good anti-hero and these character types have been featuring in stories since the time of the Greek tragedies. Despite this, TV networks haven’t always embraced the anti-hero, and there was once a time when TV shows were much simpler; characters were good or bad and there was very little room for a grey area in-between.
However, in recent years, anti-heroes have been dominating the world of television, and from the likes of Tony Soprano to Walter White, we’ve been introduced to a wealth of fascinating characters that walk a precarious line between heroism and villainy.
Here we take a look at some of the greatest TV anti-heroes who demonstrate that sometimes being good is overrated.
Tony Soprano, The Sopranos
Tony Soprano is, in many respects, the original anti-hero and James Gandolfini’s performance as the New Jersey mobster is nothing short of incredible. He paved the way for the modern TV anti-hero, and without Tony many of the other characters featured on this list might never have been realised.
At first, the character of Tony Soprano might appear like your typically ruthless mob boss with a penchant for violence. However, the show allowed audiences to really get inside this complex character’s head, giving us an insight into his motivations and making him strangely relatable, such that it’s all but impossible not to root for him. This groundbreaking drama made a reprehensible character palatable to audiences and ushered in a new era of flawed and morally ambiguous characters.
Don Draper, Mad Men
Whilst he may not be the head of an organised crime syndicate, Ad Exec extraordinaire Don Draper, from the hit drama Mad Men, is the quintessential character that audiences love to hate and hate to love. At first, it’s difficult to pinpoint the existence of any redeeming features in this flawed character: he cheats and he lies, and not only is he a serial philanderer, he’s egotistical, manipulative and bit of an all-round scoundrel too. However, despite this, there’s still something strangely likeable about Don and there’s no denying his incredible charisma and passion for his work.
As the show progresses, this conflicted character’s back story is also slowly unveiled and his early life is revealed to be a sad tale of neglect and abuse. Consequently, you cannot help but feel a begrudging sense of respect for him and how far he has risen from his haunted past, grasping the chance for a new life and never looking back.
Here at Electronic World we have a fantastic selection of graded LED TVs perfect for discovering amazing TV shows and characters such as these for yourself. For more information about our range of televisions please don’t hesitate to contact us today, by giving us a call on 0121 327 3273 and a member of our friendly team will be happy to help you with your enquiries.
