A few of TV’s most unforgettable characters are those who know manipulate these round them.
Whether or not by means of allure, deception, or psychological video games, they pull the strings and keep a step forward, making everybody else dance to their tune.
These characters blur the road between hero and villain, creating their very own actuality and bending others to their will.
Manipulation isn’t only a tactic; it’s their weapon and what makes them so compelling.
Their means to deceive, management, and outwit retains us hooked — irrespective of how twisted their strategies could also be.
Listed here are 19 TV characters we expect are true masters of manipulation.
Logan Roy — Succession
Logan Roy from Succession is the epitome of company manipulation. He makes use of his ruthless techniques to regulate his household and media empire.
Each dialog and each resolution is a calculated transfer to keep up his energy, even when it means taking part in his kids in opposition to one another.
Logan’s means to control allies and enemies with a mixture of concern, allure, and sheer power of will makes him a formidable participant in enterprise and household drama.
His chilly, calculating nature leaves everybody round him questioning their very own loyalties — particularly when survival is at stake.
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Livia Soprano — The Sopranos
Livia Soprano from The Sopranos is a grasp of emotional manipulation, utilizing guilt, passive-aggressive habits, and crafty to regulate these round her.
Because the matriarch of the Soprano household, she manipulates her son, Tony, and the remainder of her household with ease, typically sowing chaos to keep up energy.
Livia’s means to twist conditions and play on others’ weaknesses makes her a formidable power in a world of crime and household drama.
Her manipulations are refined however run deep, leaving a long-lasting affect on everybody she encounters.
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Nandor — What We Do within the Shadows
Nandor the Relentless from What We Do within the Shadows might not be the sharpest manipulator, however his historical vampire allure and outdated sense of authority make him a surprisingly efficient schemer.
Because the chief of his vampire family, Nandor makes an attempt to command respect, although his manipulations typically fall brief resulting from his cluelessness and ego.
Regardless of his incompetence, Nandor’s overconfidence and makes an attempt to regulate these round him — particularly his fellow vampires — present that he can nonetheless be a grasp manipulator in his personal delightfully awkward manner.
His mishandling of energy typically results in hilarious penalties, but it surely’s at all times rooted in his want for management.
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Wendy Byrde — Ozark
Wendy Byrde is the queen of manipulation. She takes a relaxed, calculated method to navigating the prison world and household dynamics.
From managing the cartel’s operations to controlling her household’s future, Wendy expertly pulls the strings to get what she desires — typically at any value.
Whereas her husband, Marty, focuses on numbers, Wendy makes use of her sharp thoughts and persuasive abilities to control everybody from ruthless criminals to native politicians.
Her means to stay composed in high-pressure conditions and make ruthless selections makes her one of the crucial highly effective characters in Ozark.
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Oswald Cobb — The Penguin
Oswald Cobb, a.ok.a. The Penguin, is a grasp of manipulation within the prison underworld of Gotham.
With a pointy thoughts and a twisted allure, he manipulates allies and enemies to climb his technique to energy whereas hiding his true intentions behind a sophisticated exterior.
Whether or not he’s taking part in factions in opposition to one another or leveraging his affect through intimidation, Oswald’s crafty is aware of no bounds.
Each transfer he makes is calculated to make sure his rise, proving that manipulation is the important thing to survival and success in Gotham’s underworld.
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Garak — Star Trek: Deep Area 9
Garak is a grasp of manipulation, mixing allure, thriller, and political intrigue in his pursuit of energy.
As a former Cardassian operative turned shopkeeper, he’s an knowledgeable at taking part in each side, utilizing his wit and persuasive abilities to control these round him.
Whether or not weaving complicated lies, creating elaborate schemes, or subtly influencing others along with his calculated phrases, Garak retains everybody guessing about his true motives.
His manipulative skills are sometimes shrouded in ambiguity, making him considered one of Deep Area 9’s most fascinating and unpredictable characters.
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Vic Mackey — The Protect
Vic Mackey from The Protect is the epitome of a morally complicated manipulator. Because the chief of the Strike Crew, he makes use of his energy and affect to navigate the positive line between legislation enforcement and criminality.
Vic is a grasp of manipulation. He typically makes use of his place to take advantage of the system for his personal achieve whereas maintaining his crew below his management.
He’s expert at bending the reality, making offers, and pulling strings behind the scenes whereas sustaining his picture as a hero.
His manipulative nature isn’t nearly survival — it’s about making certain his dominance, irrespective of the fee.
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Cersei Lannister — Recreation of Thrones
Cersei Lannister’s manipulation is as lethal because the poison she’s prepared to make use of to safe her household’s energy.
From orchestrating political alliances to plotting the demise of her enemies, Cersei’s means to regulate and deceive is aware of no limits.
She makes use of her magnificence, wit, and unyielding ambition to outmaneuver everybody round her, making her one of the crucial harmful gamers on the Recreation of Thrones.
Her manipulation isn’t nearly gaining energy; it’s about maintaining it,
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Frank Harkness — Sluggish Horses
Frank Harkness from Sluggish Horses is a grasp manipulator of the best diploma. A former CIA operative turned mercenary, he has a twisted imaginative and prescient of loyalty and energy.
His strategies are brutal, together with impregnating girls to kind his personal non-public military of assassins generally known as the deniable assassination squad.
Harkness thrives on secrecy, working from the shadows whereas pulling the strings of worldwide politics, utilizing his lethal connections and skillset to play everybody in his path.
A real grasp of bending others to his will, he’ll cease at nothing to keep up management — even when it means manipulating his circle of relatives and former colleagues.
With chilling calmness, Harkness retains his true intentions hidden, at all times staying one step forward within the harmful recreation he’s taking part in.
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Monroe Fuches — Barry
Monroe Fuches is the final word manipulator, taking part in each mentor and villain in Barry.
As the person who pulled Barry into the world of crime, Fuches continually manipulates the hitman-turned-actor, utilizing guilt, threats, and refined persuasion to regulate him.
Although he claims to care about Barry, Fuches’s true motivations are pushed by his personal self-interest, making him one of many present’s most complicated manipulators.
His means to weave webs of deceit and guilt retains Barry tethered to his previous, making Fuches a relentless power in his life — whether or not Barry likes it or not.
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Serena Pleasure — The Handmaid’s Story
Serena Pleasure’s manipulation is a quiet however highly effective power within the dystopian world of Gilead on The Handmaid’s Story.
As one of many regime’s most influential figures, she makes use of her intelligence and crafty to maneuver inside a patriarchal society, typically manipulating these round her to keep up her place.
Beneath her composed exterior, Serena is a grasp of emotional manipulation, particularly together with her position as a spouse to a Commander and her relationship with the Handmaids.
Her drive to guard her place in Gilead leads her to make calculated selections, manipulating these closest to her to realize her personal targets — irrespective of the fee.
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Frank Underwood — Home of Playing cards
Frank Underwood from the Home of Playing cards is the definition of political manipulation.
With a relaxed demeanor and an iron will, Frank navigates the treacherous waters of Washington, pulling the strings behind closed doorways to climb the political ladder.
He makes use of allure, deceit, and betrayal to get rid of anybody standing in his manner, all whereas making viewers imagine they’re in on the plan.
Frank’s means to control each allies and enemies- typically with devastating results- makes him one of the crucial compelling and terrifying characters ever to grace the display screen.
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Don Draper — Mad Males
Don Draper from Mad Males is a grasp of manipulation, utilizing allure and calculated deception to form not solely promoting campaigns however the lives of these round him.
As a high advert man within the Sixties, Don’s means to craft persuasive narratives made him a power to be reckoned with, whether or not he was promoting merchandise or his personal fastidiously constructed persona.
Behind the polished exterior lies a person who manipulates his id, relationships, and even his feelings to maintain management of his world.
Don’s manipulation isn’t simply skilled; it’s deeply private, making him each magnetic and deeply flawed.
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Shiv Roy — Succession
Shiv Roy from Succession is a talented manipulator who expertly navigates the cutthroat world of media moguls and household dynamics.
Together with her political acumen and sharp instincts, she is aware of precisely play each her household and her enterprise rivals in opposition to each other.
Shiv makes use of her intelligence, allure, and ambition to climb the company ladder, all whereas maintaining her true intentions hidden.
Whether or not she’s making strategic alliances or betraying her personal blood, Shiv’s manipulations are at all times calculated, positioning her to in the future take the throne — if she will be able to outwit everybody, together with her circle of relatives.
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Crimson John — The Mentalist
Crimson John is a prison mastermind whose manipulation is aware of no bounds.
Because the elusive serial killer on the heart of The Mentalist, he makes use of psychological video games, allure, and concern to regulate his victims and keep one step forward of the legislation.
His means to control each his followers and the detectives looking him is chilling, and he stays a thriller for a lot of the collection — till his stunning reveal.
Crimson John doesn’t simply kill; he twists minds, vegetation doubt, and performs along with his adversaries’ feelings, making him a harmful, calculating power who thrives on management and deception.
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Jan Bellows — Solely Murders within the Constructing
Jan Bellows from Solely Murders within the Constructing is a grasp of manipulation. She expertly weaves lies to guard her fragile ego and conceal her darkest actions.
What begins as a seemingly candy, quirky musician rapidly unravels right into a harmful, obsessive particular person pushed by jealousy and a have to at all times be first.
Her manipulative tendencies are deep-rooted in childhood wounds and an insatiable want for management.
Whether or not she’s charming Charles, plotting Tim’s homicide out of petty jealousy, or hiding behind the facade of innocence, Jan’s psychological video games preserve everybody guessing.
Beneath her calm exterior lies a lady prepared to go to any size — irrespective of how excessive — to keep up management over these round her.
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Chuck Bass — Gossip Lady
Chuck Bass from Gossip Lady is the final word schemer, utilizing wealth, allure, and sharp wit to control everybody in his orbit.
Chuck makes use of his energy and standing to regulate the folks round him, particularly concerning love and household, whether or not within the enterprise world or his tangled relationships.
He is aware of precisely play the sport, twisting conditions to his benefit and maintaining his true emotions hidden behind layers of conceitedness and bravado.
With Chuck, manipulation isn’t nearly getting what he desires — it’s about making certain he at all times stays one step forward.
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Kevin “Kilgrave” Thompson — Jessica Jones
Kevin “Kilgrave” Thompson is the embodiment of terrifying manipulation, with the flexibility to regulate anybody with a single command.
His energy to bend folks to his will makes him one of the crucial harmful characters within the Jessica Jones universe.
Kilgrave’s allure is simply as lethal as his powers — he makes use of his manipulative skills to control and torture his victims, at all times discovering new methods to torment Jessica and people round her.
His lack of empathy and whole disregard for others solely improve his means to control, making him a real grasp of psychological management.
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Wednesday Addams — Wednesday
Wednesday Addams from Wednesday is the queen of quiet manipulation.
Together with her sharp thoughts and stoic demeanor, she makes use of her intelligence and refined charisma to control these round her, typically in ways in which go away others unaware of her true intentions.
Whether or not she’s navigating the world of Nevermore Academy or fixing darkish mysteries, Wednesday bends folks to her will with calculated strikes and an entire lack of concern.
Her manipulations are extra mental than emotional, utilizing wit and remark to remain two steps forward of her rivals — and it’s at all times carried out with that signature deadpan expression.
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Masters of the Recreation
These characters have perfected the artwork of manipulation, whether or not in politics, crime, or household drama. They use allure, deception, and intelligence to regulate their world — and everybody in it.
From energy performs in boardrooms to quiet psychological warfare, their manipulative strikes preserve us hooked, making us each admire and concern them.
The most effective half? They make us query whether or not we’d be their pawn or their accomplice.
Over to you, TV Fanatics! Which TV manipulator do you suppose reigns supreme? Drop your ideas within the feedback beneath — let’s focus on who performed the sport the very best!
