10 Sitcom Stars Who Played TV Villains and Nailed It

Sitcoms are defined by hilarious protagonists or wise-cracking supporting characters. Fans can’t help but fall in love with these shows, in large part thanks to the brilliance of the actors behind them. While many of these actors have become almost inseparable from their iconic sitcom roles, it cannot be denied that they have so much more to offer, as evidenced by these brilliantly wicked, sinister, and even unnerving performances.

For actors like John Lithgow, the villainous role allowed for an opportunity to completely break free from the typecast with a terrifying performance, while others were able to maintain the sitcom charisma in their transfer to more twisted characters. Regardless of how they approached it, all 10 of these actors turned in villainous performances for the ages when they finally got the chance.

10 Alan Alda as Alan Fitch

‘The Blacklist’ (2013-2023)

An immortalized television star, Alan Alda was made famous for his performance as Hawkeye Pierce in the hit comedy-war series M*A*S*H, earning five Emmy Awards from an incredible 21 nominations for his acting, writing, and directing on the series. Alda’s career has coasted along quite nicely over the decades, with the 21st century seeing him become something of a television star again through minor roles in a number of popular shows including The Blacklist.

The crime drama series follows a renowned criminal mastermind who agrees to co-operate with the FBI to apprehend dangerous criminals. Alda plays Alan Fitch, the Assistant Director of National Intelligence who is revealed to be the head of the terrorist syndicate Cabal. His immense power and deplorable plotting give him the aura of a James Bond villain, something Alda brings to the screen with great presence.

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9 John Ritter as Ted Buchanan

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997-2003)

John Ritter became a beloved figure on television screens in 1980s America with his starring performance as Jack Tripper in the popular sitcom Three’s Company. Following the show’s ending, Ritter became a prolific small screen actor, appearing in a range of TV movies and series throughout the ‘90s, with his most jarring performance coming in a one-off role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

It sees him play Ted, the new boyfriend of Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) mother who effortlessly charms everyone except the young vampire hunter. The nice-guy act begins to falter though, with Ted starting to show alarming behavior before it is revealed that he was a predatory robotthat has been malfunctioning, setting out to find wives that resemble his creator’s spouse. Ritter ended up being perfectly cast as his pleasant demeanor made for an abrupt shock when the truth was revealed.

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8 Courteney Cox as Lucy Spiller

‘Dirt’ (2007-2008)

Courteney Cox rose to fame with her starring performance in Friends, playing Monica Gellar, who came to be loved as the motherly – though sometimes over aggressive – member of the group with plenty of endearing quirks to boot. While the sitcom Cougar Town is her most notable work since Friends finished, her antagonistic starring role in Dirt shouldn’t be overlooked.

While the series did struggle to find its feet and was ultimately canceled after two seasons, Cox was razor sharp as Lucy Spiller, a ruthless tabloid editor who will stop at nothing to further her career in celebrity journalism. Completely immoral and manipulative in her pursuit of a headline, Spiller was a formidable figure who had no qualms about ruining people’s lives and was a great example of a protagonist who is also a twisted villain.

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7 Matthew Perry as Mike Kresteva

‘The Good Wife’ (2009-2016)

A true icon of American television comedy, Matthew Perry endeared himself to millions of fans with his flawless, fun-loving, wise-cracking portrayal of Chandler from the hit 90s sitcom Friends. After Friends ended, Perry remained active in American network television, with roles in underrated series like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Go On, but one of his most striking television appearances came with his brief role in the legal and political drama The Good Wife.

Perry played Mike Kresteva, an attorney with a lot of power in Illinois’ political environment and aspirations of becoming the Republican candidate for governor. Alicia (Julianna Margulies) first encounters him when he tries to blackmail her. A savvy, scheming politician, Krestava appeared in four episodes in the show’s third and fourth seasons before returning for three episodes in the spin-off series The Good Fight.

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6 Tina Fey as Cinda Canning

‘Only Murders in the Building’ (2021-)

Be it television or film, Tina Fey is heralded as one of America’s best modern comics, not only as a celebrated comedy performer but as a talented writer and producer as well, evidenced by her creation of 30 Rock in which she starred as Liz Lemon. While Only Murders in the Building wasn’t a monumental pivot in terms of its comedic tone, it did enable Fey to show how good she could be as a more manipulative, venomous character.

It sees Fey play Cinda Canning, the host of a true-crime podcast called “All is Not Okay in Oklahoma,” which garners her success and fame. Despite her good fortune, though, she is revealed to be a cruel and domineering employer who routinely humiliates her assistant. Canning is a recurring character across the series’ three seasons thus far and had a central role in season two.

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5 Michael J. Fox as Louis Canning

‘The Good Wife’ (2009-2016)

While he is best known as being Marty McFly in the Back to the Future movies, Michael J. Fox first became a household name through his starring role in the hit 80s sitcom Family Ties. Having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Fox hasn’t had the opportunity to carry on his career in the manner so many fans would have loved to see, but he has still been an engaging presence over the years.

Arguably the best performance since Back to the Future is that of Louis Canning in The Good Wife. As a successful New York law attorney, Canning was a recurring part throughout the show’s run. While charismatic and fun, he was also a sneaky lawyer and a ruthless businessman, one who was relentless in his pursuit to get Alicia to partner with him.

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4 Olivia Colman as Godmother

‘Fleabag’ (2016-2019)

While Olivia Colman is now revered as an Oscar-winning actress capable of mastering both drama and comedy with equal brilliance, she was initially a hidden gem on British television. The actress appeared in comedy series such as Peep Show, Rev., and Twenty Twelve as well as dramas like Broadchurch and, most notably, The Crown. But it was her pesky villainous performance in the hit dramedy Fleabag where she really showed how contemptible she could be.

As the otherwise unnamed Godmother, Colman excelled at being Fleabag’s (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) duplicitous stepmother. While she presented herself as being sweet and affectionate, she was actually a cruel, snide, and self-absorbed woman who prioritized her own sexually charged artistic pursuits over everything else. Amid the indulgent villainy, Colman brings out a brilliantly grating comedic performance which makes Fleabag all the more relatable.

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3 Steve Carell as Mitch Kessler

‘The Morning Show’ (2019-)

Steve Carell is one of the greatest modern comics, with a number of hit films and an iconic starring performance as Michael Scott in the beloved sitcom The Office. While his career has seen him take on more dramatic roles with aplomb in recent years, it was still quite shocking to see him play Mitch Kessler on The Morning Show, a drama following the figures involved in a morning news broadcast.

The series starts as Kessler – a seemingly charismatic and kind-hearted anchor who is encouraging his colleagues – is fired amid allegations of sexual misconduct. It is a terrific performance from Carell, who excels at revealing the darker side of an otherwise smart and funny man. His co-starring role throughout the show’s first two seasons, and the toxic environment the character represented, was central to the series’ enticing commentary on systemic abuse.

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2 Nick Offerman as Forest

‘Devs’ (2020)

Having been a much-loved figure as Ron Swanson across all seven seasons Parks and Recreation, Nick Offerman has been steadily revealing more of his dramatic talent in recent years. While this culminated in fanfare hysteria surrounding his beautiful performance as Bill in the third episode of The Last of Us, he had previously shown off his range in the underrated sci-fi miniseries Devs.

Created by Alex Garland, the eight-episode narrative follows a computer engineer as she investigates the disappearance of her boyfriend and the mysterious development division in her company, Amaya. Offerman plays Forest, the enigmatic CEO of Amaya who launches Devs as a means to carry out a dangerous obsession. Lily’s (Sonoya Mizuno) discovery of Forest’s plans reveals a conspiracy which could change the world.

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1 John Lithgow as Arthur Mitchell aka The Trinity Killer

‘Dexter’ (2006-2013)

It could definitely be argued that John Lithgow played the part of Arthur Mitchell aka The Trinity Killer in Dexter so well that fans can no longer see him as a sitcom star. However, that is where he made his first big impression on many with his starring role as Dick Solomon in 3rd Rock From the Sun, seeing the actor win three Primetime Emmy’s.

It did cause a shock when television lovers then saw him in Dexter as Mitchell, a prolific serial killer and volatile domestic abuser who hid under the guise of a loving family man and schoolteacher who was a church deacon and a respected figure in his suburban community. As the major antagonist of season four, Lithgow’s Trinity Killer was one of the most chilling characters to appear on the show.

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