They’re nasty, diabolical, and sometimes just pure evil. Yet we still love to hate them. Whether they are trying to take over the world, thwart the plans of our hero, or just outright kill us, there’s something appealing about them that makes us stay glued to our screens. For decades, television has brought us some memorable villains that have angered us, scared us, and made us yell at our small screens until our throats are sore and our eyeballs are popping out of their sockets. Let’s have a look then, if you dare, at some of television’s scariest villains.

Q (Star Trek): For every good angel on your right shoulder, there’s a Q on your left, goading you in to showing your savage side.

Played by John de Lancie, Q first showed up on Star Trek: TNG and immediately became a favorite of fans, so much so that the character continued in DS9 and Voyager. He is credited with setting up the first human encounter with the Borg and well, we all know how that turned out. For his pure selfishness and desire to never let humans rest, Q is one of televisions top evil-doers.

The Syndicate (The X-Files): How can a group who is in allegiance with aliens to help them colonize Earth not be considered evil? This Old Boys Club went to the extreme to carry out their plans, including sabotage, cover-ups and even murder. Representing the very definition of a shadow government, the face of The Syndicate seemed to be that of the Cigarette Smoking Man or Cancer Man, if you will (played expertly by William B. Davis). For 9 seasons they did everything in their power to stop Mulder and Scully from uncovering the truth but alas, it was their very greed that brought them down. Incinerated by rebel aliens who fought against the colonization, The Syndicate was no more. For all their evil, lies and manipulation though, The Syndicate remain one of televisions nastiest groups to ever grace the small screen.

Benjamin Linus (LOST): Perhaps the most manipulative character ever on television, Ben Linus makes the list as one of TV’s scariest villains. As leader of The Others, Linus (played by Michael Emerson) caused the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 nothing but grief right from the get-go. Although he didn’t show up until episode 14 of the second season (One of Them), you knew Ben was pulling the strings all along. Sure, you could blame his messed up childhood for his actions as an adult, but that’s no excuse for murder, is it? Even coming between buddy-buddies Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) and John Locke (Terry O’Quinn). How dare he! More recently, Ben has been seen as an anti-hero, but you just know that Linus is out for himself and his own agenda, making him even more of a loose canon than initially thought. For lying, cheating, stealing babies, and moving the frickin’ island, Ben Linus is one of televisions scariest antagonists.

Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Stephen King’s IT): “Hiya, Georgie.” What? Are you forgetting that IT was a TV movie broadcast in 1990? Shame on you. Never underestimate the clowns! Especially if you’re a group of kids calling yourself The Losers Club. For millions of years this evil clown dwelt under Derry, waiting for children to show up, and when one does in the way of six-year old George Denborough, he proceeds to rip poor Georgie’s arm from his socket. Yikes! We all know clowns are evil, but c’mon. Played by the diabolical Tim Curry, Pennywise brings The Losers Club back to their hometown as adults to finish them off. With the ability to shape shift into a giant spider-like thing, Pennywise brings all out destruction on the group until IT has its heart ripped out and is dismembered. As the credits roll though, the laugh of Pennywise still echoes, signifying that you can never kill pure evil. For killing kids and making us fear bumbling circus clowns, Pennywise the Dancing Clown is hands down televisions scariest villain.

The One Arm Man, Gargamel, Sylar, I could go on and on about TV villains, but I’ll stop with the clown. This Halloween, when you think all the scares come from the big screen, take a second to remember all the nasty, downright evilness that has been on television over the years. Sit in your darkened living room, close the curtains and whatever you do, keep the remote close at hand because maybe, just maybe, they might come out of your screen to rip off your arm.