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In the light of the genre-heavy lists we’ve been showcasing recently, this week’s Top 10 will be tackling a somewhat different question. Who are the best serial killers in fiction? As to be expected, a number of choices in this list come from horror films, since it is a genre specific subject, but there may be a few surprises along the way.
10. Jigsaw – Saw (2004)
Hear me out. Jigsaw earns his place on this list through the sheer malicious nature of his traps. While most serial killers are content enough to use a dagger Jigsaw instead opts for a series of torturous instruments where there is always the possibility of escape. Not many do though.
9. Michael Deats – South Park (2004)
As killers go, this man is plain disturbed. By the keeping of the left-hands as a trophy and the use of mind-numbingly boring slideshows in order to subdue his victims he is an example of why you should be weary of people calling their blow-up doll ‘Mom’.
8. Reverend Harry Powell – The Night Of The Hunter (1953)
So much of what we now associate with film villains originates from Robert Mitchum’s 1955 portrayal. From the ‘LOVE-HATE’ tattoos on the knuckles to the stereotype of a preacher in black delivering his own brand of religious justice, this man is truly one of the most iconic villains in cinema history.
7. Freddy Kruger – A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Of all the horror movie serial killers Freddy Kruger is probably the scariest because of his ability to attack us in our dreams. Cheesy sequels aside, the original film still stands as a classic.
6. Sylar – Heroes (2006)
Sylar, real name Gabriel Gray, truly stole the show when Heroes first aired back in 2006. With the charismatic Zachary Quinto it was hard not to fall for this serial killer’s charms. Just hope to God that he isn’t after your superpower.
5. The Joker – Batman (1940)
Even though he may be the sole comic book villain entry on this list there really is not much to say that has not already been done in The Dark Knight.
4. Hannibal Lecter – Red Dragon (1981)
Hannibal is easily dismissible in modern culture as just another cannibal, which is probably due to the many films that have been made depicting him. Silence Of The Lambs remains the best and is the last film to have won the ‘Big Five’ at the Academy Awards®.
3. Norman Bates - Psycho (1959)
The psychology of serial killers only really entered the public domain after the shocking performance Anthony Perkins gave in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 adaptation of the novel. However mocked his origins have now become he is still able to give people the chills.
2. Sweeney Todd – The String of Pearls (1847)
Long before Johnny Depp brought the character to life Sweeney Todd had been a staple of English urban legend as well as finding a way into everyday vocabulary. It is encouraging to see that since his literary debut back in 1847 the character hasn’t really changed his modus operandi.
1. Dexter Morgan – Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004)
With his charms, and the odd fact that you end up rooting for him, Dexter Morgan is the obvious choice to top this list. He also tops the list as he is the only one to actually recognise his need to kill and as such devotes his time to targeting paedophiles, murderers and drug lords instead of innocents. At the last count Dexter has notched up 67 kills.
No Bateman???? 
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