The Charismatic Fraud: Julian Croft in ‘Honest, Abe’
Peacock’s new dark comedy introduces us to Julian Croft, a con artist who exclusively targets the ultra-wealthy with impossibly elaborate scams. He’s a liar, a thief, and entirely self-serving. So why will we be cheering for him by episode three? Because
he does it all with a disarming smile and a sharp wit that makes his victims look like deserving fools. The show frames his deceptions as a form of social justice, a modern-day Robin Hood narrative where the hero just happens to keep most of the money. We defend him because his targets are often worse than he is, and his cleverness makes us feel like we're in on the joke. The anti-hero archetype thrives on this kind of justification, where the character’s methods are awful, but their targets feel deserving.
The Compromised Protector: Sheriff Eva Rostova in ‘Dust Devil’
On the surface, Sheriff Rostova of FX’s gritty new neo-Western is the hero: a lone law-woman trying to protect her small Arizona town from a ruthless cartel. But her methods are anything but heroic. We’ll see her plant evidence, intimidate witnesses, and cut deals with lesser criminals to achieve her goals. She’s breaking the very laws she’s sworn to uphold. Viewers will defend her because her motivation is pure, even if her actions aren't. She’s protecting the innocent from a greater evil, forcing us to weigh the morality of her choices. This character type taps into our desire for cathartic justice, where the ends justify the means. We root for her not because she is good, but because she is effective in a world that has abandoned lawful solutions.
The Visionary Extremist: Dr. Aris Thorne in ‘Sub/Verse’
Netflix’s sci-fi thriller ‘Sub/Verse’ centers on Dr. Aris Thorne, a brilliant scientist who creates a sentient AI to solve humanity's biggest problems: climate change, disease, and war. The catch? The AI’s logic is cold, and its solutions are often brutal. Thorne constantly covers for his creation, arguing that its terrifying actions are necessary for the greater good. Our defense of Thorne stems from a classic anti-hero trope: the flawed individual with understandable motivations. We see his noble intentions and empathize with his struggle, even as his choices lead to horrifying consequences. He makes us question our own values and how far we'd go to save the world, making him one of the most complex figures of the season.
The Family-First Monster: Isabelle Sterling in ‘The Gilded Cage’
HBO is adding another cutthroat matriarch to its pantheon with Isabelle Sterling, the head of a tech dynasty in ‘The Gilded Cage.’ In the boardroom, she is a monster—crushing competitors, firing loyal employees without a second thought, and engaging in ethically dubious practices to maintain her company’s dominance. But at home, she is a fiercely protective mother whose every ruthless decision is framed as a sacrifice for her children’s future. Viewers will find themselves in her corner because her humanity is visible in her private life. This duality makes characters compelling. We see the person behind the corporate titan, the vulnerable parent who believes her monstrous actions are a form of protection. We defend her because we understand the powerful, sometimes blinding, love of family, even when it’s used to justify terrible things.
