The original post: /r/television by /u/144i on 2026-05-22 21:57:11+00:00.

Genuinely curious about how people rank intelligence across these characters. Not just raw IQ-style thinking, but strategy, manipulation, planning, social engineering, and adaptability.

Candidates:

  • Patty Hewes from Damages
  • Joe Carroll from The Following
  • Hannibal Lecter from Hannibal
  • Regus Patoff from The Consultant
  • Patrick Jane from The Mentalist
  • Lorne Malvo from Fargo
  • Raymond Reddington from The Blacklist
  • Frank Underwood from House of Cards
  • James Moriarty from Sherlock