☰
Genres
DramaComedyAnimationActionCrimeAdventureRomanceReality-TV More genres →
Decades
2020s2010s2000s1990s1980s1970s1960s1950s1940s1930s1920s1900s
Tags Search Sign in
Antihero lead

Antihero lead TV Series

A protagonist doing bad things you can't stop watching.

Ranked by how defining this tag is for each show · 334 series

10/10 means the show is a defining example. Shows scoring below 7/10 don't make the list.

Filter & sort
Genres

Genres as assigned by IMDb. Selecting several means a show must match all of them.

Decades

By first-air year. Several selections widen the range; a specific year narrows within its decade.

Specific year
Tags

Rating patterns, computed from IMDb episode-rating trajectories. Deliberately strict: only shows with an unmistakable pattern carry one, so expect small numbers.

Rating patterns

Taste tags, judged by our AI taste model. They cover the 5,000 most-rated shows.

Tone & mood
Pacing & structure
Humor style
Themes & subject matter
Characters & perspective
Emotional payoff
Craft & style
Format & audience
Viewing-culture clusters
Intensity & content character
334 series Taste tags cover the 5,000 most-rated shows.

Breaking Bad

★ 9.5
2.6M 62 2008–2013
Antihero lead
10/10

Dexter

★ 8.6
942K 96 2006–2013
Antihero lead · Dark tone
10/10

The Sopranos

★ 9.2
585K 86 1999–2007
Antihero lead
10/10

You

★ 7.6
371K 50 2018–2025
Antihero lead
10/10

Dexter: New Blood

★ 8.0
158K 10 2021–2022
Antihero lead · Gut punch
10/10

Dexter: Resurrection

★ 9.0
148K 20 2025–present
Antihero lead · Morally gray
10/10

Barry

★ 8.3
144K 32 2018–2023
Dark comedy · Antihero lead
10/10

The Shield

★ 8.7
98K 89 2002–2008
Antihero lead · Gritty
10/10

Eastbound & Down

★ 8.2
70K 29 2009–2013
Antihero lead · Raunchy
10/10

Ripley

★ 8.1
69K 8 2024–2024
Stylized direction · Antihero lead
10/10

Clark

★ 7.3
17K 6 2022–2022
Antihero lead · Stylized direction
10/10

Rake

★ 8.5
9K 40 2010–2018
Antihero lead · Dark comedy
10/10

Better Call Saul

★ 9.0
845K 63 2015–2022
Character study · Tight writing
9/10

Peaky Blinders

★ 8.7
782K 36 2013–2022
Criminal underworld
9/10

House

★ 8.7
595K 177 2004–2012
Medical · Genius lead
9/10

House of Cards

★ 8.6
561K 73 2013–2018
Cynical · Political intrigue
9/10

Death Note

★ 8.9
487K 37 2006–2007
Anime · Intellectual challenge
9/10

Sons of Anarchy

★ 8.5
357K 92 2008–2014
Criminal underworld
9/10

The Punisher

★ 8.4
307K 26 2017–2019
Revenge · Graphic violence
9/10

The Blacklist

★ 7.9
302K 218 2013–2023
Antihero lead · Mystery box
9/10

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

★ 8.8
282K 178 2005–present
Dark comedy · Cynical
9/10

The Penguin

★ 8.6
242K 8 2024–2024
Criminal underworld
9/10

BoJack Horseman

★ 8.8
235K 76 2014–2020
Mental health · Adult animation
9/10

Boardwalk Empire

★ 8.5
219K 56 2010–2014
Criminal underworld · Period piece
9/10