If you’re a person who loves spine-chilling thrillers, then you must have binge-watched “You,” as it is one of the most engaging and spine-chilling psychological thrillers. Penn Badgley’s portrayal of the protagonist of the series, Joe Goldberg, is absolutely phenomenal. From being a charming guy who shows genuine care and affection towards the girls, he likes to become a person who turns out to stalk them, gets obsessed with them, and eventually killing them; this forms an impactful character arc. The twisted mindset and unpredictable nature of Joe Goldberg can make you feel a little uncomfortable at times, but if you’re a person who loves dark characters, then you’ll always find yourself rooting for the charismatic and witty serial killer Joe Goldberg. Here are seven characters similar to Joe Goldberg in terms of their dark and unpredictable nature.
Norman Bates (Bates Motel)
Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) from the web series “Bates Motel,” inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film “Psycho,” is a character who has a very complicated relationship with his mother and eventually becomes a serial killer. Norman’s scarred childhood and having a mental disorder known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) make him truly unpredictable. A very young Norman fighting his own demons tries to kill himself after knowing that he has murdered his teacher while having sex with her, but eventually decides to stay with his mother after she kisses him on the lips. This marks the beginning of the storyline of a serial killer. On the surface level, Norman may appear as a gentle and eloquent young man, but it is quite the opposite, as he turns out to be a cold-blooded murderer.
Jeffrey Dahmer (Dahmer)
The Evan Peters-starring thriller “Dahmer” is based on a real-life serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer. The series showcases the violent nature of a twisted man who has been different from others since his childhood, as he appears to be the kind of kid who doesn’t like things that other kids his age like. Dahmer likes to dissect roadkill with his father and finds immense joy while doing it, which eventually becomes very disturbing when he grows up and starts to kill people and cut off their body parts. Dahmer killed seventeen men and becomes one of the most infamous serial killers in America. Throughout the series, Dahmer approaches many men to visit his apartment, where he drugs them and brutally kills them to satisfy himself. The gruesome murders finally get discovered by cops, but the character of Dahmer stays horrifying for the families of the men who got killed by Dahmer. ‘The Milwaukee Cannibal’ Jeffrey Dahmer is one of the most disturbing characters, which is brilliantly portrayed by Evan Peters. The aspects of having a distorted mind, killing men brutally, and doing acts of cannibalism can give even the toughest person a nightmare.
Dexter Morgan (Dexter)
Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) from the crime series “Dexter” is one of the most twisted and violent characters who go on a killing rampage. Dexter is a forensic technician who works for the police department but kills people and establishes himself as someone who leads a double life. Throughout the series, Dexter kills the atrocious predators. He forges himself to have a persona so strong that no one can barely doubt him or even think that he could do such heinous crimes. Brutally killing his victims, even though he has a perfect image of a person who works for the police department, is quite remarkable to watch. Dexter believes that justice should be served at any cost as he becomes a vigilante serial killer who hunts other murderers who have evaded the justice system.
Hannibal Lecter (Hannibal)
Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) from the crime thriller “Hannibal” is a forensic psychiatrist who is secretly a cannibal serial killer. Hannibal Lecter, orphaned at a young age, moves to the United States of America with the aspiration to become a psychiatrist and eventually develops the dual character traits of an angel and a devil, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It is quite ironic that a psychiatrist has the mindset of a criminal who kills hundreds of people. On one side, he is a very calm, rational, and intellectual man; on the other, he is a heinous murderer and a cannibal who hates the world.
The Homelander (The Boys)
One of the main antagonists of the comic book series “The Boys,” Homelander (Antony Starr), is a charming superhuman who saves the world from danger but becomes a person who kills people for his own sport. Having superpowers that cannot make a person a superhero is astonishingly justified within the character arch of The Homelander. “The Boys” has become a phenomenon, and The Homelander has become a character that the viewers are always rooting for, despite his twisted and unpredictable nature, knowing it’s all a part of the satire that has been magnificently portrayed by Antony Starr.
Walter White (Breaking Bad)
“Breaking Bad” is one of the greatest TV shows of all time. The main protagonist, Walter Hartwell White Sr. (Bryan Cranston), is a humble chemistry teacher in Albuquerque who loves his wife and children. After being diagnosed with lung cancer, a very well-spoken, mild-mannered chemistry teacher named Walter White starts to make crystal meth with his student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and begins his journey to becoming the drug lord of Albuquerque. He eventually gets recognized by his iconic alias “Heisenberg.” Bryan Cranston, with his finest acting, brings life to the character of Heisenberg, who is always loved by the viewers of “Breaking Bad” and quite evidently makes a huge impact on the success of the TV series.
Ed Kemper (Mindhunter)
Ed Kemper (Cameron Britton) from the web series “Mindhunter” is based on the real-life character of Edmund Emil Kemper III, who has killed ten people, including a fifteen-year-old girl, as well as his mother and his best friend. Camouflaging himself as a normal human being in the world, Kemper starts killing young college girls and eventually becomes the infamous “Co-ed Killer.” The rough childhood trauma of being kept locked in the basement by his own mother after his parents’ divorce makes a lasting impact on Kemper. Growing up with paranoid schizophrenia and a disturbing childhood makes Kemper dangerous and unpredictable, which can be debated as the reason for his ghastly crimes.