Summary

• A great villain reveal can instantly improve a TV show, changing the character dynamics and raising the stakes dramatically.
• Clever twists can recontextualize past events, making mediocre shows brilliant and giving a new dimension to old characters.
• Rushed or unearned villain reveals can ruin a popular show, but well-planned ones can surprise and engage audiences effectively.

A great villain reveal can improve a TV show in an instant, adding a new dimension to the drama and shattering every expectation the audience has. The key is for a show to plan these twists far in advance. If they are rushed or unearned, audiences can easily feel cheated. Bad TV villain reveals have ruined some popular shows, but good ones can have the complete opposite effect.

A clever twist provides a new context for everything that came before it, and this can mean that mediocre shows suddenly become brilliant. Things which didn't make sense or weren't very interesting can be reassessed in hindsight after a villain twist, and it's often the case that the writers have left subtle clues which can only be picked up on a rewatch. A surprising reveal can still help a show that's already brilliant, by raising the stakes and changing the character dynamics.

10 Victoria Neuman In The Boys

Played by Claudia Doumit

This reveal proves that there is no legal path to fighting the corruption and evil of Vought, and this reaffirms Hughie's commitment to Butcher's less tactful methods.

Victoria Neuman is one of only a handful of characters who Hughie and the Boys think they can trust, and this makes her villain reveal a massive shock. Victoria represents a hopeful new start for Hughie, who begins to turn away from Butcher's violent and dispassionate crusade against Vought. Her work leads Hughie to believe that there is a way to hold Supes accountable without having to break the law.

Ultimately, Hughie finds out that Victoria is the head-popper, the chaotic supe whose powers outrank most members of the Seven. This reveal proves that there is no legal path to fighting the corruption and evil of Vought, and this reaffirms Hughie's commitment to Butcher's less tactful methods. The Boys season 4 could make Victoria even more of a threat as she teams up with Homelander to try and get into the White House.

9 Benjamin Linus In Lost

Played by Michael Emerson

Ben's constant scheming means that he remains one of Lost's best characters long after his identity is uncovered.

Lost first introduces Ben as Henry Gale, a mild-mannered and unassuming islander who supposedly crash-landed his hot air balloon. The genius behind his eventual character transformation is that it doesn't happen all at once. Lost teases his true identity just enough without giving it away, as he subtly manipulates other characters on the island using his meek facade.

Ben Linus is the leader of the Others, the mysterious organization who work against the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 to protect the secrets of the island. Ben's secret motives aren't just another one of Lost's most puzzling mysteries. He's also dedicated to ensuring that many of the other mysteries remain elusive too. Ben's constant scheming means that he remains one of Lost's best characters long after his identity is uncovered.

8 Moriarty In Sherlock

Played by Andrew Scott