History RootingForTheEmpire / LiveActionTV

* ''Fatal Lessons: The Good Teacher''. Who are the "heroes" of this popular LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek? Four depressingly bland suburban numbskulls. And who is the villain? Smoking-hot babe Erika Eleniak (Shauni [=McClain=] from ''Series/{{Baywatch}}''). EvilIsSexy plays a part, but what makes Eleniak's villain such a tempting character to root for is ''[[TheAce how astoundingly competent she is at everything]]''. Besides being a goddess in human form, she's very WickedCultured, a scientific genius ([[MadScientist creating poisons in her own private laboratory]]), [[DarkActionGirl a skilled hand-to-hand fighter]]... and she's even a better athlete on the ski slopes than anyone in the aforementioned suburban family she befriends (and then stalks). And on top of all that, she's an impressive {{Manipulative B|astard}}itch capable of getting you to believe ''anything''. When she and the MamaBear of the family finally square off in the end, there's a very good chance that Eleniak will win: she's disconnected the phone, she's tied up and drugged Dad (the only family member physically capable of subduing her), and she's kicking Mom's ass. In the end, [[NiceJobFixingItVillain she's defeated only by her own carelessness]].

* It appears that fans of ''Series/OnceUponATime'' are in agreement that Queen Regina and Rumplestiltskin are the true stars of the show. This may be due to their genuinely [[CryForTheDevil sympathetic]] [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds origins]], and that Regina at least is a clear case of EvilIsSexy.

* In the short-run (8 episodes) ''Series/WizardsAndWarriors'' series, the good guys were more-or-less the straight men of the ensemble, especially [[TheHero Prince Eric Greystone]]. His opposite number, [[EvilOverlord Prince]] [[EvilIsCool Dirk]] [[MagnificentBastard Blackpool]], is so ''[[EvilIsSexy deliciously evil]]'' that he completely steals the show. It helps that he's played by [[MrFanservice Duncan Regehr]]. The evil wizard, [[EvilChancellor Vector]], also has a lot more audience appeal than the good wizard.

* ''Series/WonderWoman1975'': So many fans wished to see Wonder Woman defeated by the villains that they re-edited clips of the series in order to show the bad guys triumphing over her/Wonder Woman herself turning evil (Henry Roberts genuinely transforming her into a living waxwork, the Pied Piper hypnotising her into becoming one of his obedient groupies, the Toy Maker transforming her into a living doll, etc.) and published them online.

* As mentioned in the film section, one of the things ''Series/Batman1966'' is best known for is the large variety of colorful villains (In fact, some won Emmys), and you can't help but feel sorry for them sometimes, because they lose ''all the time'' (within three episodes at the most). Every once in a while, one (Catwoman, usually) will pull off a KarmaHoudini, but it doesn't happen often enough to make it something worth hoping for.

* ''Series/SixHundredSixtySixParkAvenue'': Henry and Jane's characters are... not the best ones on the show, especially Henry.

* ''Film/RogueOne'' prequel ''Series/{{Andor}}'' gives us [[StateSec ISB]] Supervisor Dedra Meero and her superior, Major Partagaz. Dedra is a highly skilled and dedicated investigator who susses out that a series of seemingly disconnected thefts and terrorist actions are actually being coordinated by a single individual to build a violent resistance against the government. Partagaz strives to be a good mentor figure to her, encouraging her investigation while also cautioning her about the political scheming she faces from her fellow supervisors who care more about their careers than about doing the job. The issue is that both them work for TheEmpire, furthering Palapatine's authoritarian agenda for the galaxy, but it's so refreshing to see imperial officers being genuinely competent at their job that it takes some KickTheDog moments from each of them to establish that they are indeed willing to engage in some very dirty business.

* As mentioned in the film section, one of the things the ''Series/{{Batman|1966}}'' series is best known for was the large variety of colorful villains. (In fact, some won Emmys.) And you couldn't help but feel sorry for them sometimes, because they lost ''all the time'' (within three episodes at the most). Every once in a while, one (Catwoman, usually) would pull off a KarmaHoudini, but it didn't happen often enough to make it something worth hoping for.
* A lot of people were rooting for the Cylons in the reimagined ''[[Series/BattlestarGalactica2003 Battlestar Galactica]]'' series as many found the human cast to be self-serving, self destructive assholes. While the series had HumansAreTheRealMonsters pumping through its veins like blood, any portrayal of the humanoid Cylons themselves hinged on them not being so different from the humans (in terms of both bastardry and the potential to rise above their petty natures at times).
* Cole in ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' was treated as an outright villain when he returned in season 5 despite wanting to be good. It was just that Phoebe suddenly decided it was his fault for everything bad that had happened to her, ignoring her own mistakes and refusing to take responsibility for her own actions in the previous season. Many fans felt she treated him unfairly and applauded when he punched her in an alternate reality and when she was killed off briefly in another episode. It didn't help that Phoebe got some really heavy CharacterShilling in that season.
* ''Series/CriminalMinds'' appears to know this trope well, as it's always careful to give its {{Sympathetic Murderer}}s at least one genuinely-evil act to drive home the point that, yes, we ''should'' be rooting for them to be caught. Often the character is a revenge killer targeting only {{Asshole Victim}}s who nevertheless kills someone unrelated to their revenge.
* This might sometimes happen in some episodes of ''Series/{{CSI}}''. Even murderers get some sympathy when from their point of view it's either running away or facing a BolivianArmyEnding. And the often brutal manners used by the police don't gain the "good guys" any extra points.
* In ''{{Series/Deadwood}}'', Seth Bullock is supposedly the main character [[YouCantFightFate trying to start a new life]], but the show tends to focus on the more [[EvilIsCool interesting]] Al Swearengen.

* Unsurprisingly in a series called {{Series/Vikings}}, the Vikings are portrayed as badass warriors who for two-and-a-half seasons rape and pillage the woefully incompetent Saxons, who get destroyed in every battle. When the Vikings finally faced defeat when they tried to siege Paris, many fans found themselves rooting for the Franks, if only to see the Vikings brought down a peg.

* ''Series/TwentyFour'' had this in the case of [[spoiler:Jack Bauer]] for the final season. Kind of.

* Negan in ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' has garnered a fan base which views him as a charismatic badass with a profane sense of humour, despite him murdering two of the main characters with a baseball bat, keeping a harem of other men's wives and killing the Saviors only doctor by throwing him into a furnace. They even claim that he was justified in his vendetta against Rick's group because they wiped out one of the Saviors outposts. Though this ignores the fact that they only did this in retaliation after a group of Negan's men ambushed and tried to kill Daryl, Abraham and some of the others without provocation.
* ''Series/WonderWoman'': so many fans wished to see Wonder Woman defeated by the villains that they re-edited clips of the Lynda Carter 70s TV series in order to show the bad guys triumphing over her/Wonder Woman herself turning evil (Henry Roberts genuinely transforming her into a living waxwork, the Pied Piper hypnotising her into becoming one of his obedient groupies, the Toy Maker transforming her into a living doll etc) and published them online.

* ''Series/WonderWoman'': so many fans wished to see Wonder Woman defeated by the villains that they re-edited clips of the Lynda Carter 70s TV series in order to show the bad guys triumphing over her/Wonder Woman herself turning evil(Henry Roberts genuinely transforming her into a living waxwork, the Pied Piper hypnotising her into becoming one of his obedient groupies, the Toy Maker transforming her into a living doll etc) and published them online.

* ''Series/WonderWoman'': so many fans wished to see Wonder Woman defeated by the villains that they re-edited clips of the Lynda Carter 70s TV series in order to show the bad guys triumphing over her/Wonder Woman herself turning evil and published them online.

** Some fans were rooting for the Maquis, seeing the Federation at fault for seceding their Colonies to the Cardassians without informing them first, then expecting the colonists to just up and move from their homes. Of ''course'' they were fighting back! Even high-ranking members of Starfleet and the Federation were sympathetic to the Maquis, so it's not like these fans were bucking convention with this.

* ''Series/Firefly'': whilst Mal and Zoe have an enduring hatred of the Alliance due to their service with the Independents during the war, the rest of the crew do not share this view. Fans point out the Alliance actually seems to benefit its' citizens a great deal, bringing law and order to chaotic outer planets, rescuing those in distress in space, providing medicine to the population. In the end it is the Alliance fleet which [[spoiler: destroys the threat of the Reavers although ultimately they accidentally created them in the first place]].

* On ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', Sheldon identifies with The Grinch ("I was right there with him all the way until he gave in to the Holiday Who Whooey at the end") and according to Leonard roots for the Sun against Frosty the Snowman ("A bit of frozen, supernatural ephemera in a stolen hat)". Another episode reveals that Sheldon actually ''[[InvokedTrope does]]'' root for the [[Franchise/StarWars Empire]].

* ''Series/Firefly'': whilst Mal and Zoe have an enduring hatred of the Alliance due to their service with the Independents during the war, the rest of the crew do not share this view. The Alliance actually seems to benefit its' citizens a great deal, bringing law and order to chaotic outer planets, rescuing those in distress in space, providing medicine to the population. In the end it is the Alliance fleet which [[spoiler: destroys the threat of the Reavers although ultimately they accidentally created them in the first place]].

* A lot people were rooting for the Cylons in ''{{Series/Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' as many found the human cast to be self-serving, self destructive assholes. While the series had HumansAreTheRealMonsters pumping through its veins like blood, any portrayal of the humanoid Cylons themselves hinged on them not being so different from the humans (in terms of both bastardry and the potential to rise above their petty natures at times).