Six Current Television "Bad Boys" Women Love

You don't need a degree in psychology to understand the appeal of "bad boy" television characters to women. Aside from their typical good looks and sex appeal, these characters seldom subscribe to the rules of society and are willing to challenge social norms. With their intense, assertive, take-charge nature, they seldom take "no" for an answer, giving their personality an air of excitement or even an element of danger. [1] More often than not, these television characters come equipped with a quick wit or a sarcastic sense of humor, and if that isn't enough to get women's attention, then their little boy charms will. That said, here then is a list of six current "bad boy" characters which women love to watch (if not fantasize about).

Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) Grey's Anatomy
A first class womanizer, it helps that television's Dr. McSteamy is also a world class plastic surgeon. Good looking and proficient at his work, Mark often comes across as arrogant and self-centered. His lack of a moral compass has led him into affairs with his best friend's wife, his tennis partner's wife, and to countless trysts with doctors and nurses within the hospital he works in. Such overt sexual promiscuity once caused a boycott by the nurses at Seattle Grace, who refused to work with him for the day. Still, aside from his looks, sense of humor, and little boy charms, Sloan's desire to find love (or at least a steady grown up relationship) still makes him appealing to female fans of the show. [2]

Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) Supernatural
The older of the two demon hunting Winchester boys on the CW's Supernatural, Dean is a leather jacket wearing fan of classic rock who drives around in a 1967 Chevy Impala. Never one to put down roots, Dean Winchester is constantly on the go chasing down demons, a fact that severely impacts his love life. Among his bad boy traits are his fondness for greasy fast foods (and pie), his witty use of sexual innuendos and his skepticism about religion. Still, his strong love of family, his desire to constantly save mankind, and his good looks are reasons enough for women to tune in to this bad boy weekly. [3]

Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley)Smallville
Sure his alter ego is a tights wearing superhero on the CW's Smallville, it doesn't mean that Oliver Queen doesn't come with all the bad boy trappings of a spoiled rich kid. Often self destructive, Oliver has been known to drink hard and party with the best of them. Add to that a long history of romances that are aided by his ability to fly off to a distant land aboard his own private jet, and you have all the makings of a television bad boy. However, his recent relationship with the perpetually perky Chloe Sullivan, and his friendship with do-gooder Clark Kent, not to mention his work as the Green Arrow leave hope to female fans that this bad boy may be salvageable after all. [4]

Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion ) Castle
You really can't blame Castle for all of his bad boy ways, since deep down inside he would really like to be involved in a romantic relationship with his crime solving partner Kate Beckett, the inspiration to the main character (Nikki Heat) of his current novels. But until that climatic event happens, Castle will go on living as one of New York City's most eligible bachelors. Besides his book writing fortune and rugged good looks, Castle is a big child at heart, a trait that is most often seen in his relationship with his daughter. That relationship alone is enough to make female fans believe that within the proper relationship, Richard Castle would behave himself.[5]

Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) Friday Night Lights
Probably the quintessential bad boy on TV, Tim Riggins is a hard luck ex-high school football player on Friday Night Lights. Though he usually means well, Riggins is a hard drinking, college dropout, who had a relationship with the girlfriend of his wheelchair bound best friend in the series first season. Last season capped off with Tim Riggins about to do time for a crime his brother committed. Riggins appeal as someone who needs saving more than taming makes him one of televisions current bad boys.[6]

Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) Two and a Half Men
There are reasons why the show has been on the air since 2003, and why Charlie Sheen is one of the highest paid actors in television. Some of those reasons stem from the appeal of Sheen's character Charlie Harper. Harper's life (which could easily be chapters out of Sheen's life) is chalked full of women, drinking and gambling. Despite his long list of bad habits, Charlie's somewhat naïve nature and carefree attitude still hold a level of charm.[7] [8]

Sources:

[1] Bad Boys Ebony Article

[2] Eric Dane

[3] Jensen Ackles

[4] Justin Hartley

[5] Nathan Fillion

[6] Taylor Kitsch

[7] Charlie Sheen

[8] Charlie Sheen's Pay