This has probably been discussed many times. I wouldn't know, for I haven't been able to check these boards as much as I'd like due to being so freaking busy lately with school, work and parenting 1 and 2 year old girls. Apologies in advance if this has already been covered dozens of times...
So.... Todd Alquist:
I was absolutely terrified of this character. Not only did I perceive him as the most terrifying character in the entire series, but probably the most terrifying character I've ever seen on TV. And I'm relatively thick-skinned when it comes to watching TV...it takes a lot to scare me, but this character managed to do so. I can't pinpoint why exactly, Todd Alquist terrifies me 1000 X more than other notoriously terrifying TV characters, such as Hannibal Lecter. I think it's the fact that I found his portrayal of a psychopath to be so spot-on and realistic. His personality can be so sincere, yet he is simultaneously able to do horrific things, such as killing the kid as if it were nothing.
I think the unique combination of the characteristics of sincerity in his personality, his awkward behavior in his interactions with people, his loyalty, his utter nonchalance in unbelievably strenuous situations, his cunning physical resemblance to an "off" version of Matt Damon, his glaring need for approval from his superiors, his lack of ability to merely comprehend let alone distinguish between right and wrong and his capability to do things that are horrifying beyond comprehension without showing a hint of empathy is what makes his character so frightening to me. I find his portrayal of a sociopath/psychopath...more believable than anything I've ever seen.
In my life thus far, I've known psychopaths/sociopaths...a couple-few of them very well. I worked as an Intensive Psych Practitioner/Service Coordinator of a mental health facility for 5 years following my graduation from college (in which Psych was my major...dumb choice). Some of his behaviors/characteristics remind me of some of my past clients who were psycho-sociopaths as well as a couple people I have gotten to know real well in my personal life, who were/are psychopaths.
I dunno, I've just literally never seen anything like him on TV and have never been literally "shook up" from being scared due to something I watched on TV until the last few episodes of Breaking Bad in which he was a prominent character.
Anyone else affected by Todd the same way I was (am)?
Sidenote: Todd reminds me of the type of guy who is predisposed to be a sociopath, but the tendencies are multiplied by a thousand due to not having a positive and/or consistent father figure in his life. I would guess that if the show had a chance to expand on him a bit more, this would likely be reflected as a contributing factor in terms of what made him the way he is. Anyone else catch that vibe from him?
Ugh! (chills thinking about it).