Though it is a joyous occasion, Mettel Ray’s big birthday bash starts off the Top 5 week with a rather bloody topic – serial killers! Then again, I’m a big fan of them, in movies and shows not in real life, and therefore it seemed fitting to dedicate a post to some of the most memorable ones I’ve encountered over the years. Let the Top 5 week here on Mettel Ray begin!
Bonus: I did neglect to mention Patrick Bateman from American Psycho in my list because he has always been too over the top for me. I prefer my serial killers subtle, creepy and silently horrific.
5. George Foyet from Criminal Minds
It was ages ago when I last saw George Foyet on screen, and it has been almost a year since I last saw an episode of Criminal Minds. That being said, Foyet remains one of my favorite serial killers for one reason and for one reason only, he was his own victim. The fact that he managed to go unnoticed due to the fact that he was he was supposedly a victim who survived, was a mesmerizing element to Foyet and his twisted mind.
4. Arthur Mitchell from Dexter
Out of all the seasons, out of all the serial killers from Dexter, and including Dexter himself, Arthur Mitchell takes the prize for the most thrilling one in the series. The scene where he sits in a bath with that girl is lodged deep into my subconscious and I’ve only seen that scene once! That’s how powerful the imagery was, though not as consistently in my mind as the following serial killers, Mitchell remains one of the creepiest among my favorites.
3. Paul Spector from The Fall
This one does not come as a surprise and I can’t really muster anything new to say about this killer. One of my favorite pieces I’ve written is about Paul Spector and the reason why it is so beloved among all my other posts is because I felt a deep and a passionate connection to the character. I know it sounds twisted and obscene in a way but the way Spector was portrayed just gave me all kinds of emotions.
2. Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of The Lambs, Hannibal, Red Dragon, Hannibal Rising and Hannibal
When it comes to the amount of exposure, Hannibal Lecter certainly has had the most opportunities to become fascinating for me and he has succeeded in every possible way. Granted, my favorite in a way has always been Red Dragon (probably because of Edward Norton) but I do also recall remembering the chills I got during Hannibal Rising as well. Needless to say, Hannibal is probably the most well known serial killer who also happens to have a taste for the human flesh – and that’s cool and creepy at the same time!
1. Zodiac Killer from Zodiac
Hands down my favorite from all of the above, despite the fact that he is the only serial killer in this list that, in a way, was never actually revealed nor captured. Sure, he could have been Arthur Leigh Allen, or he could have been not. The mystery of the Zodiac killer, based on real life, is absolutely stunning in its awfulness as shown by Fincher and there’s nothing more to add.
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So glad you limited this to the fictitious kind. 😉
Haa. Though Zodiac was actually real in real life..
Oh, yes. The Zodiac was real. Thanks.
No worries, that’s what makes him more scary though.
I love Zodiac. That film was excellent. I haven’t watched the other shows you talked about, though I did see quite a few Dexter episodes. He was definitely good.
Trinity killer was the best on Dexter by far because I still remember him! I recommend The Fall.. very good!
I’ve seen Zodiac, Silence of the Lambs (Hannibal might be my #1), and a few episodes of Criminal Minds and think I’ve stumbled into that storyline a time or two. Some others I like:
Jigsaw (Saw franchise)
Henry (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer)
John Doe (Se7en)
George Harvey (The Lovely Bones)
Patrick Bateman (American Psycho)
Norman Bates (Psycho)
Good choices there but I think Jigsaw is not even remotely close to my radar because with others, the notion of reality is so strong. I think the whole Saw franchise is so out of control that it all feels not real and the element of reality is what makes some serial killers especially scary.
Nice one! Zodiac is such a great film, have to give it a revisit! I have to agree on Arthur Mitchell as well, that was definitely the best season of Dexter.
Glad to have you on the same wavelength there! 😀
Zodiac is such a great pick for number1…I saw that film for the first time last year…totally creepy and well done!
Certainly deserves a rewatch as well!
Arthur mitchell 😂😂😂 he was so cool