Charming Psychopaths: Why We Can’t Look Away From Pop Culture’s Darkest Characters

From Joker to Joe Goldberg, what our obsession with charismatic villains reveals about the human psyche

Natalie C. Frank, Ph.D June 4, 2025

Penn Badgdley who playes Joe on "You"; Av Gordon Correll/flickr [CC BY-SA 2.0]

In today’s cultural environment, obsessed with antiheroes, one character archetype continues to intrigue us: the charming psychopath. Think of villains like the Arthur Fleck from Joker, Joe Goldberg from You, Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley, Patrick Bateman in American Psycho or Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal. They all represent a fascinating combination of threat and charm — dangerous individuals who often act without remorse, yet somehow keep us captivated and tuned in. We pay for movie tickets, or stream episodes just to see what they do next.

But what’s behind this persistent fascination? Why do audiences find themselves so drawn to characters who, in real life, would be destructive or even dangerous? The answer goes beyond simple curiosity. It taps into deep psychological roots, storytelling traditions, and our modern struggles with identity and morality.

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