Villainous is a Mexican animated series about a villain who doesn’t really want to be one. That contradiction is the whole joke. The show follows Black Hat Org., led by the evil handyman Black Hat, and his team of less evil aides: Dr. Flugslys, Demencia, 5.0.5, Cam Bot, and Penumbra. Their job is to help other villains solve their problems with heroes, but their plans almost always fall apart in small, funny ways.
Trailer, via Cartoon Network LA.
The Black Hat Org. Team
Black Hat is the leader, a reference to the black-hatted evil cowboys from western films. He’s the one with the evil plan. His aides are the ones doing the actual thinking. Dr. Flugslys, voiced by Todd Asayer, creates the evil inventions. Melissa Gedeón voices Demencia. Mark Fischbach plays 5.0.5. Alan Ituriel himself voices Black Hat.
What Goes Wrong
The show is built on failure. Black Hat’s plans are brilliant in theory. In practice, they have small, often comical flaws. The humor comes from the gap between intention and result.
From Web Series to TV
Villainous started as a 2012 web series created by Alan Ituriel. It was picked up by Cartoon Network Latin America as a miniseries of ten one-minute episodes for the Cartoon Network Anything app. The full series expanded onto a media franchise with books and tie-ins. The series premiered on HBO Max Latin America and Cartoon Network Mexico on October 29, 2021.
Spin-Off Plans
On May 15, 2025, it was announced that an exclusive web series spin-off called Villainous: Ties of Thieves was in production. It was set to be released in late 2025 but was delayed. On April 26, 2026, it was announced that the second part of the first season would premiere on Animated Imagination Studios’ YouTube channel.
Why It Works
The show works because it commits to its premise. Black Hat is genuinely evil, but he’s also clumsy and self-satisfied. His aides are smarter and more competent, but they’re stuck working for him anyway. The jokes land quickly and move on. There’s no wasted time. Each episode sets up a problem, shows the plan, and then watches it fail in a satisfying way.
Final Word
Villainous is a sharp, consistent comedy that knows exactly what it’s doing. It doesn’t waste time trying to be something bigger. It’s a show about a villain who can’t get anything right, and that’s the point.
Key Facts Box
- Title: Villainous (Spanish: Villanos)
- Creator: Alan Ituriel
- Network: Cartoon Network Anything
- Seasons: 2, 18 episodes
- First aired: 2017-05-15
- Last aired: 2018-10-30
- Premiere on HBO Max: May 23, 2023
- Spin-off: Villainous: Ties of Thieves (Villanos: Lazos de Ladrones)
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