The original post: /r/television by /u/zeptabot on 2025-12-25 16:01:29+00:00.
I’m normally a big fan of psychopathic/sociopathic villains. I love Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs and Patrick Bateman from American Psycho. I started watching this show because it was recommended as the same hero archetype, except in an organized religion context.
However, 6 episodes into the show, I just can’t seem to get into Lenny the way I got into the former two. Despite being bad people, Hannibal is highly charismatic, articulate and charming, while Patrick demonstrates a high level of discipline and ambition. These are attractive qualities that make you admire these characters despite their evil. But Lenny doesn’t really seem to have those. He’s really just an awful person manifesting his abandonment issues through power abuse. He’s always whining. His arrogance and narcissism are nothing short of childish. Lenny claims he’s smarter than the Italian Prime Minister, but I genuinely don’t see how. Are there any moments later in the show that make you go like “Wow, this mofo is badass?” besides performing miracles, Cuz for now he’s being like a baby.
The deal with Hannibal and Lecter is that you are allured to them while simultaneously being afraid of them. But when I see Lenny now, I just feel averse and afraid. I don’t want to meet him ever for a single second in my life, while I’d love to interview Hannibal or Patrick. I kind of don’t even wanna watch him anymore. Is this what I’m supposed to feel about the character? Does anyone else feel like this?
Maybe it’s just a me problem. I have bad childhood memories about arrogant a-holes who take advantage of institutional power to act abusively toward ppl like me. I’m currently converting to Roman Catholicism, so one could suggest that the version of the Church I venerate in my heart is highly romanticized and idealized, and seeing a much darker and trauma inducing version of it averses me because it makes me question my faith?