When people talk about sitcoms, they immediately think of physical comedy, memorable gags, hilarious quotes, Machiavellian and murderous villains have no place in this world of fluff.
Sitcom villains can still be quite iconic, even if they're not mustache-twirling, world-ending, bone-chilling monsters. These characters get their laughs from bringing hardship to others, employing the darkest humor possible. Fans love to hate them and often appreciate their presence because it adds some spice to an otherwise vanilla story.
Wil Wheaton - The Big Bang Theory
Although he ends the show as one of Sheldon's closest friends, Wil Wheaton starts as a pretty straightforward villain. He lies about his grandmother's death so he can win a card game and indirectly causes Penny and Leonard's first breakup to win a bowling game.
Petty, shameless, and treacherous, Wil eventually sees the error in his ways. He offers Sheldon a heartfelt apology, and the two become friends, even if their relationship remains adversarial. Still, and at least during his first appearances, Wil is truly detestable.
Sue Ann Nivens - The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Betty White is a television icon and American treasure thanks to her numerous appearances in memorable shows like Life with Elizabeth, man-obsessed Sue Ann Nivens.
Sue Ann enjoys upstaging Mary. She often assumes a ive-aggressive attitude to criticize Mary's clothing, hobbies, and even her intimate life. White adopts an overly sugary tone that makes her lines all the more biting, making Sue Ann a sweet brand of poison.
Evelyn Harper - Two And A Half Men
In the pantheon of bad sitcom mothers, Evelyn Harper has a place of honor. Never bothering to hide her open contempt for her disappointing children, Evelyn is obscenely wealthy, vain, materialistic, rude, and detached from real life. She enjoys criticizing her children's life choices, oblivious to her own mistakes.
After her treacherous husband Teddy dies, Evelyn hardly feels anything. Instead, her main concern is to change her honeymoon tickets. The show also heavily implies that she's an actual witch, and everyone in the Harper household knew it was best not to mess with her.
Dwight Schrute - The Office
It would perhaps be an exaggeration to call Dwight Schrute evil. However, his delusions of grandeur, over-the-top personality that's seemingly detached from reality, and constant paranoia indicates that something might be seriously wrong with him.
Dwight also behaves rather inappropriately over the series' run. In one episode, he reveals a concealed knife, intending to use it as a weapon. In another, Dwight kills Angela's cat and shows no remorse about it. Then there's the time he rips the face off a dummy and proceeds to wear it.
Lilith Sternin - Cheers/Frasier
Lilith Sternin is Frasier Crane's domineering and selfish ex-wife. A stereotypical ice queen, Lilith, like Frasier, first appears in Cheers before eventually moving on to Frasier.
Lilith has no patience for nonsense, takes great pride in her education and abilities as a psychiatrist, and enjoys belittling others. During her first appearance on Frasier, she calls he ex-husband's radio show and proceeds to mock his advice on air. A running gag states that Daphne, who has supposedly psychic abilities, suffers debilitating headaches every time Lilith is in town, signaling the arrival of an evil spiritual presence.
Ursula Buffay - Friends
Cold, envious, and outright cruel, Ursula Buffay is Phoebe's estranged twin sister. Like Phoebe, she works as a waitress, but that's where the similarities end. Ursula is her sister's opposite, lacking any of Phoebe's warmth, empathy, and innocence.
She often treats Phoebe with indifference and borderline contempt and takes advantage of numerous men throughout the show, most notably Joey and Sean Penn's Eric. She also uses Phoebe's name as her adult film pseudonym and sells her birth certificate to a Swedish runaway.
Eric Cartman - South Park
Aggressive, racist, prejudiced, arrogant, intolerant, and narcissistic, Eric Cartman is an endless bag of poisoned gifts. Cartman is also quite intelligent, and the show hints at his potential for destruction should he ever gather enough power. His plans always seem to come to life but never succeed, mostly because of Kyle, Kenny, or Stan's intervention.
Starting with season 5, Cartman begins displaying increasingly terrifying tendencies. He also becomes even more materialistic and money-obsessed, and his treatment of his friends, particularly Kyle, becomes more violent as the show progresses.
Montgomery Burns - The Simpsons
Montgomery Burns is the living embodiment of corporate America. Greedy, selfish, inhumane, and devious, Bruns cares only about his enrichment, which always comes at others' expense. Known for his trademark expression, "Excellent," muttered in a low, sinister voice, Mr. Burns has become one of the show's most enduring and acclaimed characters.
A running gag in the show is Burns' advanced age, which leads him to use outdated language, make obscure references to the Jazz Age, and try to use ancient technology in his everyday life.
Rick Sanchez - Rick And Morty
For all intents and purposes, Rick Sanchez is the very definition of a mad scientist. A pessimistic and alcohol-soaked nihilist and misanthrope, Rick's trauma comes from his seemingly absolute knowledge.
Over the show's run, Rick commits heinous crimes that cement his place as an absolute villain. In one episode, he reveals that he powers his flying car with a battery that contains an entire universe, which he then proceeds to destroy after its inhabitants rebel. However, the show also demonstrates numerous times that Rick lives in profound pain and does his best to cope with his misery.
Newman - Seinfeld
Newman is Jerry Seinfeld's arch-nemesis and the primary antagonist of the 90s sitcom. He is cunning and seemingly jealous of Jerry's moderate success. Newman often schemes against Jerry while also participating in Kramer's bizarre plots.
Newman also enjoys using sinister humor, mainly against Jerry. He is also an irresponsible mailman, hiding stacks of letters in the basement rather than delivering them. Newman is notorious for his elaborate and verbose rants against Jerry, further distinguishing him from other villains of his medium.