I’m rewatching Fringe and it reminded me of how much I love Walter Bishop. It made me wonder about other mad (tv) scientists. Do let me know your favourites and why.
He most certainly is, by any reasonable definition
6
SpudHawkinsApr 1, 2026
+65
Professor Hubert Farnsworth.
65
PremislausApr 1, 2026
+16
Even I laughed at me when I invented this alien cross-species genetic analyzer, but I guess I showed myself!
16
ZamugustarApr 2, 2026
+11
To shreds you say?
11
fountainpopjunkieApr 2, 2026
+3
And his wife?
3
brian5476Apr 2, 2026
+5
To shreds, you say?
5
stroopwafellingApr 2, 2026
+10
Everyone's always in favour of saving Hitler's brain, but when you put it in the body of a great white shark, *ooh* suddenly you've gone too far!
10
brian5476Apr 2, 2026
+1
Well with an angry dome like his, it pays to be mad!
1
Lespaul42Apr 2, 2026
+1
A man can dream...
1
1918underwoodApr 1, 2026
+40
Dr Walter Bishop, Fringe
40
mjtwelveApr 1, 2026
+20
And the other Doctor Walter Bishop, the Walternate, with all the genius, but twice the malice.
20
unkyduckApr 1, 2026
+12
I'll bet that John Noble LOVED that twist.
12
TorgosrightkneeApr 1, 2026
+33
Dr. Clayton Forrester
33
pwndabeerApr 1, 2026
+15
FORRESTER FORRESTER DOCTOR CLAYTON FORRESTER 🎉 🚩
15
stacecomApr 2, 2026
+5
I can't adequately express how appreciative I am that this is the top comment.
5
Argentothe1stApr 2, 2026
+2
DEEP HURTING
2
serialragequitterApr 1, 2026
+26
Dr Bunsen Honeydew
26
RepulsiveLoquat418Apr 1, 2026
+4
glad someone beat me to it. although the swedish chef was the scary one. those hands, man.
4
t3ss3r4ctApr 2, 2026
+9
Dr. Horrible
9
LeonValentiApr 2, 2026
+3
With his freeze ray he will STOP the pain
3
syntaxterror69Apr 1, 2026
+31
Rick Sanchez
31
Aware_StateApr 1, 2026
+1
My exact thought. He’s definitely not a hero, but absolutely entertaining.
1
FondleGanoosh438Apr 2, 2026
+3
As the show went on I started viewing Rick as the villain.
3
Aware_StateApr 2, 2026
+4
He definitely is, but he’s also a catalyst for things that are already happening. That doesn’t make him better, just more nuanced. Again, he’s no hero, and further I refuse to impute more into his character since I find it to be an extremely entertaining cartoon. I don’t care, and I don’t think we’re supposed to
4
FondleGanoosh438Apr 2, 2026
+5
Honestly, you have the right idea. Rick is a nihilist drunk who does what he wants. Nothing more to read.
5
MeasurementNo0Apr 1, 2026
+21
Doc Brown(not tv) from back to the future or Dr. Weird from aqua teen hunger force
21
balloonmaxApr 1, 2026
+14
Gentlemen, behold!
…Corn!
14
MeasurementNo0Apr 2, 2026
+3
Its not different at all, is it Steve?
3
dingleberryboy20Apr 1, 2026
+21
Dr. Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture
21
Cabana_bananzaApr 2, 2026
+3
He made Dr Killinger such a proud papa.
3
SuzyQ93Apr 1, 2026
+15
Doofenschmirtz.
15
SylphinApr 2, 2026
+5
He's an evil scientist not a mad scientist. He has specifically pointed that out.
5
djkhan23Apr 1, 2026
+5
I love Lex Luthor on Justice League.
Kryptonite powered suit. Dealing with Amazo. Trying to bring Brainiac back to life from a rock.
Always had a fun evil scientist scheme in the works.
5
revdonApr 2, 2026
+5
Q, from James Bond, but might just be a pissy technologist.
5
Apprehensive_War173Apr 2, 2026
+5
Walter Bishop is hard to top, honestly. He’s chaotic but still weirdly emotional in a way that sneaks up on you. I’ve always had a soft spot for Doc Brown, too. He’s more on the fun side, but still has that same obsessive energy that makes those characters so memorable.
5
kinisonkhanApr 2, 2026
+4
Dr. Gaius Baltar.
4
thebarkbarkwoofApr 3, 2026
+1
What an angel!
1
haysoos2Apr 1, 2026
+8
Gotta give it to Dr Hans Zarkov, in particular as played by Topol in the glorious 1980 movie.
8
ChronoMonkeyXApr 1, 2026
+5
... Flash Gordon.
5
haysoos2Apr 1, 2026
+2
Lol. Yeah, that information might have been useful.
2
davegammelgardApr 2, 2026
+3
ANGRY SCIENTIST!
3
blogomanApr 2, 2026
+3
I'm glad there is someone else who remembers Sheep in the Big City.
3
AcrylicPickleApr 2, 2026
+3
Dr Horrible
3
clownsinadarkforestApr 1, 2026
+7
The rock when he invented a child molesting robot
7
mjtwelveApr 1, 2026
+4
I mean, at least he understood the assignment.
4
1CUpboatApr 2, 2026
+1
This guy gets it
1
DustmopperApr 2, 2026
+1
RoboChoMo
1
Dangerous-Change2136Apr 1, 2026
+5
Professor Fink
5
f0gaxApr 2, 2026
+4
Dr. Clayton Forrester.
4
brickiex2Apr 2, 2026
+4
Emmett Brown
4
Kryceks-RevengeApr 2, 2026
+2
Y’all stole my answer: Walter Bishop.
I’ll throw in Rush from SGU as the egomaniac version.
2
bagman_Apr 2, 2026
+2
The brain, of course
2
tidesharkApr 2, 2026
+2
Princess Bubblegum!
2
ImmediateFondant4615Apr 2, 2026
+2
[Hououin Kyouma](https://youtu.be/BYvhhMjW32k)
2
redfaction99Apr 2, 2026
+2
Does Rusty Venture count?
2
Ankh4921Apr 3, 2026
+2
Abso-freakin’-lutely. (He might not a be a competent scientist, but he’s definitely a mad one 😂) I ❤️ The Venture Bros.
2
bros402Apr 2, 2026
+2
Walter
Or Walternate. I don't know which.
2
R_V_ZApr 1, 2026
+3
H.G. Tannhaus. He'll never know what his experiment did for him.
3
sonderific3Apr 2, 2026
+4
Dr Venture!
4
OlobnionApr 1, 2026
+3
Not TV, but [Dr. Gangreen from Return of the Killer Tomatoes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1n4pZOUqe4) is an exemplary mad scientist.
3
serialragequitterApr 1, 2026
+2
[but there was a tv show](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLCaRp8Nn4A)
2
Select_Insurance2000Apr 1, 2026
+1
Lionel Atwill.
Colin Clive.
1
NativeMassholeApr 1, 2026
+1
Hange
1
bomilk19Apr 2, 2026
+1
Hannibal Lecter.
1
res30stupidApr 2, 2026
+1
Dr Jumba Jookiba.
1
tanhauser_gates_Apr 2, 2026
+1
Doc Brown is the template for the mad scientist.
1
revdonApr 2, 2026
+1
The Unabomber but he self-identifies as an Aggrieved Naturalist .
75 Comments