History AdaptationalVillainy / LiveActionTV

** The show finally managed one that the fans actually ''liked'' with Sansa Stark, who becomes a MagnificentBastard in her own right alongside Littlefinger, and is likely even plotting against him in some way.

** [[ComicBook/Blackhawk The Blackhawks]], a heroic-[[PoliticallyIncorrectHero if]]-[[FairForItsDay sexist]] team of pilots are also turned into a corrupt, criminal [[PrivateMilitaryContractor private security firm.]]

** Lana Lang is also turned into a much shadier character.

* This happened to Salem in ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''. When Sabrina first appeared in ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'', Salem was little more than a pet cat who ''occasionally'' had human thoughts. The series changed him into a more active character, ''and'' made him a once-human warlock who had been transformed into a cat as punishment for attempted world conquest. While not a true villain on the show (most of the time) he's usually the resident {{Jerkass}}.

** [[BigBad The Clairvoyant]] is ultimately revealed to be [[spoiler:Agent John Garrett, a loyal S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in the comics]]. This ties in with ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier,'' where some agents who were good in the comics are part of [[spoiler: the Hydra infiltration of SHIELD.]]

** The Blackhawks, a heroic-[[PoliticallyIncorrectHero if]]-[[FairForItsDay sexist]] team of pilots are also turned into a corrupt, criminal [[PrivateMilitaryContractor private security firm.]]
** Helena Bertinelli, AKA the Huntress, is also changed from a brutal antihero (think Batman without any issue with killing) with a strict moral code into an [[AntiVillain Anti-]]''[[AntiVillain Villain]]'' who carelessly kills innocents to get revenge on her father. She seems to be getting better by the second season, choosing to spare a few people she could have easily killed, though still threatens to kill hostages, [[HeelRealization and at the end realizes how pointless her revenge scheme was.]]

* ''Series/{{Elementary}}'': [[spoiler:Irene Adler]] doesn't exist, and is a false identity of Jamie Moriarty.

* ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'' does this in a couple of its [[TheMovie Movies]], which adapt characters from other ShotaroIshinomori shows. In ''Everyone, it's Space Time!'', the villains are based off of the SpaceIronmenKyodain, while in ''Movie Wars Ultimatum'' they're based off of the Akumaizer3. For a bonus, the former also [[AdaptationalHeroism inverts]] this trope by featuring heroic characters based off of ''Kyodain'' villains Black Knight and Goblin Queen (though with her it's sneaky; the name [[spoiler: Inga Blink]] is a SignificantAnagram in Japanese; the ''katakana'' easily rearranges from [[spoiler: Inga Burinku]] to [[spoiler: Gaburin Kuin.]]

** [[ArmsDealer Black Marketeer]] Biznella in ''[[Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman Gingaman]]'', and his ''[[Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy Lost Galaxy]]'' counterpart, both appeared with Zords created from fallen Galactabeasts. But whereas Biznella supported the Barban's schemes, Deviot was only [[ManipulativeBastard out]] [[TheStarscream for himself]].

** In the books, Xaro Xoan Daxos wants nothing more than to marry Dany so he can get control of one of her dragons, but in the show he allies with the warlocks to assassinate the rest of the Thirteen and seize control of the city, then imprison Daenerys and steal all of the dragons.

* This happened to Salem in ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''. When Sabrina first appeared in ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'', Salem was little more than a pet cat who ''occasionally'' had human thoughts. The series changed him into a more active character, ''and'' made him a once-human warlock who had been transformed into a cat as punishment for attempted world conquest. While not a true villain on the show (most of the time) he's usually the resident {{Jerkass}}.

** [[spoiler: All twelve of Hans' brothers]] are minor antagonists, while they were neutral characters in ''{{''Disney/Frozen}}''. While the behavior of at least some of them towards [[spoiler: Hans]] contributed to his villainy (according to WordOfGod), they were never directly antagonistic towards Anna and Elsa, and his scheme took place without their knowledge or approval. In the series, they attack Arendelle under his leadership.

** In the show, Khal Drogo effectively rapes Dany on their wedding night. However, in the book, he behaves much more gently, coaxing her with a lot of foreplay until she ultimately gives her consent.

** Littlefinger is a ''lot'' less subtle in the series than in the books. The book version makes a game of looking like TheTrickster who is snarky but generally harmless. The live-action version is a DevilInPlainSight who's openly feuding with TheSpymaster of the series.

** One [[MonsterOfTheWeek Ayakashi]] of ''[[Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger Shinkenger]]'', Marigomori, was shy and timid. His counterpart in ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'', Armadeevil, was an aggressive JerkAss.

** [[ArmsDealer Black Marketeer]] Biznella in ''[[Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman: Gingaman]]'', and his ''[[Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy Lost Galaxy]]'' counterpart, both appeared with Zords created from fallen Galactabeasts. But whereas Biznella supported the Barban's schemes, Deviot was only [[ManipulativeBastard out]] [[TheStarscream for himself]].

* This happened to Salem in ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''. When Sabrina first appeared in ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'', Salem was little more than a pet cat who ''occasionally'' had human thoughts. The series changed him into a more active character, ''and'' made him a once-human warlock who had been transformed into a cat as punishment for attempted world conquest. While not a true villain on the show (most of the time) he's usually the resident {{Jerkass)).

* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': InUniverse, ''TheWeddingBride'' basically takes all of the heartwarming, {{Adorkable}} aspects of Ted's and Stella's romance in Season 3 and then twists them around to make Ted look like a {{Jerkass}}.

* In ''{{Series/Smallville}}'':
** Believe it or not, ''Jor-El'' is the main villain of [[spoiler:Season 3]]. Even after the season, he still does pretty nasty stuff like [[spoiler:[[TheyWereHoldingYouBack freezing Chloe almost to death and intending to trap Clark in a crystal until everyone he cares for has died.]] The finale does reveal this was all to test Clark's will in order to make him the hero he's meant to be...though its a fairly unneeded one given how well Clark fared without Jor-El's intervention.]]
** This version of Bizarro is less of a HarmlessVillain and more of a dangerously intelligent one.
** Mr. Mxyzptlk isn't a funny omnipotent imp, but more of a smug psychopath who likes to use his MindControl to induce {{Squick}} and tries to stab Chloe for a deal with Lex Luthor.
** Lana Lang is also turned into a much shadier character.
** The comic book incarnation of Zor-El sent his daughter, [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]], to Earth as a protector for her cousin, though initially he was wrongly believed to have been a villain who sent his daughter as an assassin. The series made him an outright villain who sent his daughter to Earth as part of a plot to have himself resurrected as a conqueror.
* Mr. Mxyzptlk received this treatment in ''Series/LoisAndClark''. He was a superpowered imp from the 5th dimension like in the comics, but rather than the relatively harmless trickster as he usually is, here he's a FauxAffablyEvil villain who traps the world in a time loop where each time around humanity grows more depressed and pessimistic to make them all cross the DespairEventHorizon and destroy themselves.
* In Forrest Wilson's ''SuperGran'' books, the character Tub, while initially a somewhat reluctant henchman to [[BigBad Campbell]], becomes a good guy in later books following a HeelFaceTurn. In the TV show, he is a CardCarryingVillain who goes along with Campbell's plans unquestioningly.
* In the SkyOne adaptation of ''Series/TreasureIsland2012'', the real villain isn't the AffablyEvil Silver; it's Squire Trelawney, who plots to cheat Jim and Dr Livesey out of their share of the treasure, arranges for Mrs. Hawkins to be thrown out of the inn while they're away, has Mr. Arrow executed, and eventually [[spoiler: suffers a KarmicDeath by diving after the treasure when Jim throws it overboard]]. Not much like the [[UpperClassTwit excitable but well-meaning]] "most liberal of men" in the book.
** Tom Redruth, Trelawney's gamekeeper, gets this, too - in the book, he is an elderly man who accompanies Trelawney to the island and is killed by the mutineers. In the series, he is Trelawney's vicious enforcer back in England.
* The television adaptation of the ''{{Sharpe}}'' novel ''Sharpe's Battle'' was written before the novel had been finished, resulting in a vastly different second half. So while Lord Kiely gets a much more sympathetic treatment in the adaptation and dies a heroic death (rather than blowing his brains out on realising he's [[DirtyCoward a bit rubbish]]), SpearCarrier Guardsman O'Rourke, whose main contribution in the novel is to say his name when Sharpe asks him, gets turned into a TurnCoat who [[KickTheDog kills a couple of likeable characters]] mostly [[ForTheEvulz because they're there]].
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** [[spoiler:Doreah]] does a FaceHeelTurn in the show that was not in the original books. This is probably because [[spoiler:she simply dies of illness in the books, so the show gives her a more eventful demise]].
** The character Dagmer Cleftjaw was written out of whole cloth for the series. In the books, he's an HonoraryUncle for Theon Greyjoy, and sticks up for him. All in all, he's a fairly decent guy, at least [[AlwaysChaoticEvil by the standards]] [[RapePillageAndBurn of the]] [[ProudWarriorRace Ironborn]]. In the series, he's an EvilMentor who seems set to guide Theon to alienate himself from the Northmen he grew up with, corrupting Theon as much as possible, [[spoiler:and then sells Theon out when it's a choice between that and dying in a blaze of glory]].
** In the show, Stannis Baratheon is made more morally grey by [[spoiler:being much less concerned about the prospect of sacrificing innocents in magical rituals to secure his throne. He also physically assaults Melisandre at one point]].

* ''Series/{{Arrow}}''

*** Similarly, her father Frank Bertinelli is also far more villainous; in the comics, ''Franco'' Bertinelli was a mobster still, but one who seemed to genuinely love Helena before he was murdered by her biological father, resulting in her becoming Huntress to avenge his, and the rest of her family's deaths. The show however has ''him'' as the object of her vendetta, for killing her beloved fiancé, and once he finds out she's trying to kill him he sees no problem in trying to blow her brains out the first chance he gets. Like above, the Second Season has him genuinely remorseful for being the one who turned his daughter like this and willingly accepts the fact she's going to kill him, hoping it'll stop her warpath.
* In ''Series/{{Justified}}'' Raylan's father, Arlo Givens, is a ruthless ManipulativeBastard and lifelong criminal with few redeeming qualities. In the original books he was a coal miner who died of black lung when Raylan was still a teenager.
* InUniverse example in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': ''TheWeddingBride'' basically takes all of the [[HeartwarmingMoment heartwarming]], {{Adorkable}} aspects of Ted's and Stella's romance in Season 3 and then twists them around to make Ted look like a {{Jerkass}}.

* ''Series/OnceUponATime'' did a really big twist by turning [[spoiler: Peter Pan and most of the Lost Boys into the villains.]] WordOfGod says they decided to do this because they thought about how messed up a person would have to be if they wanted to remain a kid forever. Interestingly enough, Captain Hook, one of the show's villains, [[spoiler: is redeeming himself in the third season - the very season where Pan is the BigBad.]]
* In ''Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow'' Abraham was the local hero who played a prank on Ichabod Crane by pretending to be the Headless Horseman. In ''LivveActionTV/SleepyHollow'', the show's version of Abraham [[spoiler: ''is'' the Headless Horseman, with downright murderous intentions for Crane.]]
* Irene Adler in ''Series/{{Sherlock}}''. In the original story she has an incriminating picture of herself with the King of Bohemia which she has not intention of using, and keeps as protection against him. In the show she has multiple pictures of various important people she keeps as insurance, but also [[spoiler: hands top secret counter-terrorism information to Moriarty, and blackmails the British government with the photos for millions of pounds to satisfy her own power fantasy.]]
* Irene Adler in ''Series/{{Elementary}}'' [[spoiler: doesn't exist, and is a false identity of Jamie Moriarty.]]
* In ''Series/FromDuskTillDawn'' this happens to [[spoiler: Carlos]]. In [[Film/FromDuskTillDawn the original movie]] he was merely [[spoiler:the brothers’ contact in Mexico]] and unaware of the Titty Twister’s true nature. In the series [[spoiler:he’s a full blown vampire.]]
* ''Series/PowerRangers''
** In [[Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger Zyuranger]], [[OurGeniesAreDifferent (Dora) Djinn]] was a neutral entity corrupted by Bandora into becoming her MonsterOfTheWeek. His [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Mighty Morphin]] counterpart, Genie, was on Rita's side from the start.
** [[ArmsDealer Black Marketeer]] Biznella in [[Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman Gingaman]], and his [[Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy Lost Galaxy]] counterpart, both appeared with Zords created from fallen Galactabeasts. But whereas Biznella supported the Barban's schemes, Deviot was only [[ManipulativeBastard out]] [[TheStarscream for himself]].
** One [[MonsterOfTheWeek Ayakashi]] of [[Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger Shinkenger]], Marigomori, was shy and timid. His counterpart in ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'', Armadeevil, was an aggressive JerkAss.
* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'':
** In the comics, "Deathlok" referred to multiple characters, all of which were heroes. In the show, "the" Deathlok is a basically good person but TrappedInVillainy. "Ragtag" also reveals that [[spoiler:the original Deathlok is also The Clairvoyant, the Season 1 BigBad]].
** [[BigBad The Clairvoyant]] is ultimately revealed to be [[spoiler:Agent John Garrett, a loyal S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in the comics]]. This ties in with ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier,'' where some agents who were good in the comics are part of [[spoiler: the Hydra infiltration of SHIELD.]]

** Believe it or not, ''Jor-El'' is the main villain of [[spoiler:Season 3]]. Even after the season, he still does pretty nasty stuff like [[spoiler:[[TheyWereHoldingYouBack freezing Chloe almost to death and intending to trap Clark in a crystal until everyone he cares for has died.]] The finale does reveal this was all to test Clark's will in order to make him the hero he's meant to be...though its a fairly unneeded one given how well Clark faired without Jor-El's intervention.]]

* Mr. Mxyzptlk received this treatment in ''Series/LoisAndClark''. He was a superpowered imp from the 5th dimension like in the comics, but rather than the relatively harmless trickster as he usually is, here he's a FauxAffablyEvil villain who trapped the world in a time loop where each time around humanity was would grow more depressed and pessimistic until they all crossed the DespairEventHorizon and destroyed themselves.

** Helena Bertinelli, AKA the Huntress, is also changed from a brutal antihero (think Batman without any issue with killing) with a strict moral code into an [[AntiVillain Anti-]]''[[AntiVillain Villain]'' who carelessly kills innocents to get revenge on her father. She seems to be getting better by the second season, choosing to spare a few people she could have easily killed, though still threatens to kill hostages, [[HeelRealization and at the end realizes how pointless her revenge scheme was.]]

* ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'' does this in a couple of its [[TheMovie Movies]], which adapt characters from other ShotaroIshinomori shows. In ''Everyone, it's Space Time!'', the villains are based off of the SpaceIronmenKyodain, while in ''Movie Wars Ultimatum'' they're based off of the Akumaizer 3. For a bonus, the former also [[AdaptationalHeroism inverts]] this trope by featuring heroic characters based off of ''Kyodain'' villains Black Knight and Gaburin Queen.

** [[BigBad The Clairvoyant]] is ultimately revealed to be [[spoiler:Agent John Garrett, a loyal S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in the comics]].

** In the books, Stannis Baratheon is made more morally grey by [[spoiler:being much less concerned about the prospect of sacrificing innocents in magical rituals to secure his throne. He also physically assaults Melisandre at one point]].

** There's a particularly aggravating one in season 2 with [[spoiler:Doreah. In the book, she dies crossing the desert, loyal to Daenerys to the end. In the show, she survives the desert, only to happily betray Daenerys, with the line "He said you would never leave the city alive" being our only hint to her motivation.]] The sheer pointlessness of it (she ends up just as dead, with no other impact on the story) is really galling.
** There's also the show's portrayal of Jaime Lannister. While he can certainly be considered a villain in the books- his first major action is [[spoiler:[[WouldHurtAChild throwing an 8 year old boy out a window]] for witnessing him [[{{Twincest}} banging]] [[BrotherSisterIncest his sister]]]]- he's far from the worst person in the series. All of his worst actions were committed out of rage or sheer desperation, and he eventually begins to redeem himself to some extent. In the TV show, he's a complete sociopath who's willing to [[spoiler:[[MoralEventHorizon ruthlessly manipulate and kill a loyal relative of his- a relative who ''admires'' him- all for the flimsiest chance of escaping from his imprisonment]]]].

*** Theon himself, partially due to the SympatheticPOV in his chapters making it more clear that he's struggling with his decisions. The novel also has him just about to accept Maester Luwin's plan to surrender and take the black, when Winterfell is attacked and he misses his chance. The show has him consider it, but then decide IveComeTooFar.
** In the novels, House Locke is a Northern house of which not much detail is given good or bad beyond the fact that they fought on the side of the Starks. The third season of the show introduces a character called "Locke" who is basically a CanonForeigner stand-in for novel-character Vargo Hoat, the evil leader of a sadistic mercenary band.
** In the books, Stannis Baratheon is a lot more reluctant to [[spoiler: sacrifice his nephew (Edric, who had his role replaced by Gendry in show)]] and goes into a detailed explanation about why he feels he has to [[spoiler:(From his point of view, not sacrificing Edric will cause him to lose the war, which means the realm would be defenseless against the Ice Zombies from the north)]]. He also threatens to kill Melisandre if she lied to him about that. In the show, he seems quite eager to [[spoiler:sacrifice the boy]] and possibly due to a lack of screen time his reasoning and threats to Melisandre are left out. This makes him seem like a much darker character than his counterpart in the novels.
** Melisandre herself also suffers from this, being outright antagonistic to naysayers like Davos and Cressen where she's mainly polite and sympathetic to them in the novels.
** In the books, Mirri Maz Duur treats Khalo Drogo's wound with a herbal [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poultice poultice]]. It seems to be working, until Drogo gets irritated with the burning and itching sensation it causes him, at which point he rips it off and causes his wound to be infected. In the show she implies that she intentionally caused his sickness as revenge for him destroying her hometown.
** Joffrey Baratheon takes on some of the negative actions that his mother did in the books (killing Robert's bastards and sending Mandon Moore after Tyrion during the Battle of Blackwater) as well as gaining some that were never in the books (such as sexually abusing and murdering prostitutes). He also treats Cersei with contempt in the series unlike in the books, where he seems to genuinely respect and care for her.