YOU know they’re bad. Or, at the very least, definitely not operating within the boundaries law. But there’s just something about them that makes you root for them to get away scot-free.
Maybe their motives are a reflection of real life that we deeply relate to. Maybe it’s us living vicariously through these fictional characters who are doing all the things we can’t do IRL. Or maybe it’s simply because the 'bad' guy is really, really hot. Whatever the reason, we gotta admit that we find it really hard to hate the supposed criminals when we’re watching these shows and movies:
Red Notice
Framed by the most wanted art thief in the world a.k.a. the elusive Bishop (Gal Gadot) for stealing a priceless artifact, FBI profiler John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) is forced to team up with the 'second best art thief in the world' a.k.a. Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) in a globe-trotting adventure to 'steal' all of Cleopatra’s eggs before Bishop does and clear his name in the process.
Even with Interpol hot on their trail, we can’t help but cheer the stoic FBI agent and his wisecracking frenemy on as they embark on an international cat-and-mouse chase while trying to evade the authorities at every turn. Will they catch up to Bishop before Interpol crashes the party? Find out when Red Notice premieres this Friday.
Army of Thieves
Ludwig Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer) is probably the most endearing and wholesome part of the gritty Army of the Dead, so it’s only natural that we’d want to protect this cinnamon roll at all costs in his spin-off movie.
In Army of Thieves, a prequel to the aforementioned zombie heist caper, we get to see Dieter (then known as Sebastian) as he goes from a shy, naive bank teller obsessed with complicated safes, into a bad-ass but still delightful master safe-cracker when he finds himself recruited for a series of heists across Europe. He’s definitely on the wrong side of the law, but we can’t help but yell at him to keep going when he’s bumbling and fumbling through his first police chase.
Money Heist
They’re a morally grey and volatile bunch robbing the Royal Mint and later, the Bank of Spain, but that didn’t stop fans from all over the world from sticking with la banda through thick and thin.
We’re intrigued and captivated by the Professor’s creative manoeuvres to see his meticulous plans through, but it’s the characters’ familial bond with each other that got us hooked and rooting for them to succeed.
For some, it could also be a case of identifying with the spirit of la resistencia. Though the heist crew’s methods are no doubt questionable, presenting themselves as underdogs protesting against the 'robbers' holding positions of power is a notion that’s relatable – and possibly a form of wish fulfillment – for some fans.
Lupin
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He’s as adaptable as a chameleon, slick as a fox, and a gentleman to boot… what’s not to love about Assane Diop, played by the charismatic Omar Sy?
That’s not even all the charming thief has going for him. We found ourselves entirely in his camp when it’s revealed that Diop has been working towards exacting justice on the man who framed Diop’s father for stealing a valuable necklace, which led to the latter’s eventual death in prison.
You
Okay, hear us out. We fully acknowledge that Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) is a creep we’d never want to meet in real life, but he does have some redeeming qualities and – dare we say – moments where we’re like, “You know what, they had it coming” when he un-alives someone, like the pedophilic stand-up comedian from Season 2 and abusive ex-husband in Season 3.
However, and we cannot stress this enough, please do not stalk people you have a crush on and murder people you don’t like.
Breaking Bad
It’s hard not to feel sorry for Walter White (Bryan Cranston) at the start of the show when he was just a high school chemistry teacher working two jobs to make ends meet. Life threw him another cruel curveball when he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and with no other way to secure funds for treatment and provide for his family, turned to cooking and selling crystal meth with Jesse Pinkman’s (Aaron Paul) help.
His transformation from a principled man who cooks meth on the side to a drug kingpin consumed by wealth and power is a chilling and inevitable one, with Walter making selfish and illegal choices along the way. – The Vibes, November 11, 2021
