A few of TV’s most unforgettable characters are those who know the way to manipulate these round them.
Whether or not by means of attraction, 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 capacity to deceive, management, and outwit retains us hooked — irrespective of how twisted their strategies could also be.
Listed below are 19 TV characters we predict 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 manage his household and media empire.
Each dialog and each choice is a calculated transfer to take care of his energy, even when it means enjoying his youngsters in opposition to one another.
Logan’s capacity to control allies and enemies with a mixture of concern, attraction, and sheer drive 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 manage these round her.
Because the matriarch of the Soprano household, she manipulates her son, Tony, and the remainder of her household with ease, usually sowing chaos to take care of energy.
Livia’s capacity to twist conditions and play on others’ weaknesses makes her a formidable drive 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from What We Do within the Shadows might not be the sharpest manipulator, however his historical vampire attraction and outdated sense of authority make him a surprisingly efficient schemer.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 usually fall brief attributable to his cluelessness and ego.
Regardless of his incompetence, Nandor’s overconfidence and makes an attempt to manage 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 usually results in hilarious penalties, however it’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 peaceful, 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 needs — usually at any value.
Whereas her husband, Marty, focuses on numbers, Wendy makes use of her sharp thoughts and persuasive expertise to control everybody from ruthless criminals to native politicians.
Her capacity 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.okay.a. The Penguin, is a grasp of manipulation within the prison underworld of Gotham.
With a pointy thoughts and a twisted attraction, he manipulates allies and enemies to climb his method to energy whereas hiding his true intentions behind a cultured exterior.
Whether or not he’s enjoying 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 House 9
Garak is a grasp of manipulation, mixing attraction, thriller, and political intrigue in his pursuit of energy.
As a former Cardassian operative turned shopkeeper, he’s an professional at enjoying either side, utilizing his wit and persuasive expertise to control these round him.
Whether or not weaving complicated lies, creating elaborate schemes, or subtly influencing others together 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 House 9’s most fascinating and unpredictable characters.
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Vic Mackey — The Defend
Vic Mackey from The Defend 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 effective line between regulation enforcement and criminality.
Vic is a grasp of manipulation. He usually makes use of his place to use the system for his personal acquire whereas holding 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 guaranteeing his dominance, irrespective of the fee.
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Cersei Lannister — Sport 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 capacity to manage 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 Sport of Thrones.
Her manipulation isn’t nearly gaining energy; it’s about holding it,
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Frank Harkness — Gradual Horses
Frank Harkness from Gradual Horses is a grasp manipulator of the very 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 ladies to kind his personal non-public military of assassins referred to 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 take care of 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 enjoying.
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Monroe Fuches — Barry
Monroe Fuches is the final word manipulator, enjoying each mentor and villain in Barry.
As the person who pulled Barry into the world of crime, Fuches always manipulates the hitman-turned-actor, utilizing guilt, threats, and refined persuasion to manage 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 capacity to weave webs of deceit and guilt retains Barry tethered to his previous, making Fuches a continuing drive 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 drive 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, usually manipulating these round her to take care of 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 peaceful 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 attraction, deceit, and betrayal to eradicate anybody standing in his manner, all whereas making viewers consider they’re in on the plan.
Frank’s capacity to control each allies and enemies- usually with devastating results- makes him one of the crucial compelling and terrifying characters ever to grace the display.
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Don Draper — Mad Males
Don Draper from Mad Males is a grasp of manipulation, utilizing attraction and calculated deception to form not solely promoting campaigns however the lives of these round him.
As a high advert man within the Nineteen Sixties, Don’s capacity to craft persuasive narratives made him a drive 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.
Along with her political acumen and sharp instincts, she is aware of precisely the way to play each her household and her enterprise rivals in opposition to each other.
Shiv makes use of her intelligence, attraction, and ambition to climb the company ladder, all whereas holding 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 middle of The Mentalist, he makes use of psychological video games, attraction, and concern to manage his victims and keep one step forward of the regulation.
His capacity to control each his followers and the detectives looking him is chilling, and he stays a thriller for a lot of the sequence — till his stunning reveal.
Crimson John doesn’t simply kill; he twists minds, crops doubt, and performs together with his adversaries’ feelings, making him a harmful, calculating drive 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 must at all times be first.
Her manipulative tendencies are deep-rooted in childhood wounds and an insatiable need 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 girl prepared to go to any size — irrespective of how excessive — to take care of 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, attraction, and sharp wit to control everybody in his orbit.
Chuck makes use of his energy and standing to manage the individuals round him, particularly relating to love and household, whether or not within the enterprise world or his tangled relationships.
He is aware of precisely the way to play the sport, twisting conditions to his benefit and holding his true emotions hidden behind layers of vanity and bravado.
With Chuck, manipulation isn’t nearly getting what he needs — it’s about guaranteeing 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 manage anybody with a single command.
His energy to bend individuals to his will makes him one of the crucial harmful characters within the Jessica Jones universe.
Kilgrave’s attraction 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 complete disregard for others solely improve his capacity 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.
Along with her sharp thoughts and stoic demeanor, she makes use of her intelligence and refined charisma to control these round her, usually 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 individuals to her will with calculated strikes and an entire lack of concern.
Her manipulations are extra mental than emotional, utilizing wit and commentary to remain two steps forward of her rivals — and it’s at all times performed with that signature deadpan expression.
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Masters of the Sport
These characters have perfected the artwork of manipulation, whether or not in politics, crime, or household drama. They use attraction, deception, and intelligence to manage 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 perfect 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 assume reigns supreme? Drop your ideas within the feedback under — let’s focus on who performed the sport the very best!
