No YA or teen show is complete without a mean girl. After all, we need the perfect anti-heroine to pit against the hero. We love to hate her — she’s often beautiful, popular and has that confident queen bee quality that other doesn’t come easily to others. While they might show their sensitive side once in a while, don’t mistake it for weakness — they also have a truly evil side, and they’re not afraid to use it. Here are the best villainous women that made history as the top 10 mean girls of TV.
1. Blair Waldorf, Gossip Girl
This upper east side queen was known for her legendary put-downs and flawlessly chic fashion sense. She keeps her cool in every situation, and her goal is to take the throne — even if her bestie and other friends get in the way. Out of all the TV mean girls to date, no one can measure up to Blair Waldorf’s constant schemes.
2. Chanel Oberlin, Scream Queens
Ryan Murphy is a master at writing mean girls, and he did not disappoint with this master of the Kappa Kappa Tau sorority. It’s clear that Chanel, played by Emma Roberts, was born a fighter. She also wasn’t afraid to haze a pledge or two. Complete with an army of minions named after herself and insults that could make you cry, Chanel forced all her recruits to pledge allegiance to her.
3. Madison Montgomery, American Horror Story
Madison is everything a girl could wish for — she’s filled with charisma, confidence, and her looks aren’t too shabby, either. She was definitely born with a silver spoon, and she’s not willing to stoop to anyone beneath her. She’s ruthless, even with her loved ones, and uses her powers for vengeance and world domination.
4. Katherine Pierce, The Vampire Diaries
Katherine Pierce, the doppelgänger of Elena, embodies the definition of the word villain. She’s only loyal to herself, and her only goal in life is being #1, despite what happens to others in the process. She often comes between Damon and Stefan, who both love her, and often pretends to be Elena when it works for her. And that’s not even mentioning what she did to Jeremy. She might just be the scariest monster on the show to date.
5. Alison DiLaurentis, Pretty Little Liars
The “it girl” of the PLL franchise was definitely Alison, whom Sasha Pieterse Alison played. Even when she was thought to be dead, the other girls were scared of her. She was fantastic at making everyone else feel like an outsider or a loser and was also surprisingly skilled at manipulating adults. This femme fatale knew how to get what she wanted, and her actions led to a girl being blinded.
6. Rachel Gatina, One Tree Hill
Season Three’s new girl, Rachel Gatina was as much of a bad girl as she was a mean girl. She’s willing to do whatever it takes, even if other girls hate her. For instance, when she was competing for Lucas with Brooke. She also caused a major tragedy at her school and released a capsule packed with embarrassing secrets of other students. Her actions made her the most hated character in “One Tree Hill.”
7. Paris Geller, Gilmore Girls
Paris Geller was far from your conventional mean girl on TV. Rather than aiming for popularity and good looks, Paris is instead obsessed with being the best in academics. She’s known for her competitive and paranoid nature, and her aggressive traits make her an alpha who’s always trying to get ahead of Rory. While the two could have been besties over their love for knowledge, Paris instead tries to make Rory’s life a living hell at Chilton, threatening and intimidating her. Eventually, they become friends, but that doesn’t stop Geller from being brutally honest.
8. Naomi Clark, 90210
This genetically blessed blond bombshell was like a storm in “90210”, destroying everything in her path. The ultimate anti-heroine of the show, Naomi was a master at malicious one-liners, and she was also known for being shallow, often insulting people for their looks. Judgemental and hungry for revenge, Naomi makes the original mean of “90210”, Valerie Malone, look like an angel!
9. Cordelia Chase, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The OG of mean girls in vampire shows, Cordelia was a serious meanie who was skilled at using someone’s insecurities against them. She shoots jabs at everyone and embodies the popular girl, using her good looks and social standing to ensure everyone knows she’s the queen bee. Throughout the show, however, this evil cheerleader learned how to become a better person, but she was still just as blunt as she was on day one.
10. Santana Lopez, Glee
Played by the late Naya Rivera, Santana was the ultimate mean girl from 2009-2015. Just one cold stare from this beauty, and you know you’re in the doghouse. This cheerleader was all about being a straight shooter and taking down any enemies that might be in her way. A master at manipulation and an owner of a sharp tongue, she also had a more compassionate side that revealed itself over time, but it never made her weak.
