Ah, the villain. Where would our hero be without this pesky nemesis? A well-crafted villain is essential to a compelling story; characters like Montgomery Burns ("The Simpsons") and Ben Linus ("LOST") help create a rich universe we lose ourselves in.

But what of those other villains? You know the ones…those wretched little knaves that are just begging to be stabbed in the cornea with a rusty thumbtack. We love them! In honor of the delectably flawed, we're sharing our picks for the top five TV villains we just love to hate:

1. Joffrey Baratheon, "Game of Thrones"

Yeah, we know this is an obvious choice, but Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) is the quintessential cruel king. Wrapped up in what appears to be a spoiled 12-year-old lays the heart of a ruthless killer who savors his power with sadistic lust. From having honorable lords beheaded to beating and torturing his future bride, Joffrey's barbaric nature is enough to inspire hate; couple his heinous behavior with his smug bratty face and it's enough to make you want to punch the screen.

How Much Do We Hate Thee? 5/5 rusty thumbtacks to the eye