(Damages)

If a bad person does bad things for a good reason, is she still bad? Or is she just Patty Hewes? Played by Glenn Close, Hewes thought nothing of blackmailing opposing lawyers, suborning perjury, bribing witnesses and even trying to have her own associate killed—all in pursuit of the greater good.

In five seasons, Hewes and her firm (including at times, partner Tom Shayes, protégé/rival Ellen Parsons and fixer/would-be hit man Uncle Pete) took down corrupt CEOs, Ponzi schemers, polluters and other powerful people and companies who had hurt many more people than she ever could. All at considerable cost to herself and those she claimed to love.