Ratched, a prequel to with enticing characters, dark scenes, and a truly binge-worthy tale that leaves fans begging for more. Ratched is significantly older in Cuckoo's Nest than she is by the end of season one of Ratchet, leaving open the possibility of following the character and those around her for many seasons to come— as well as interesting new allies and enemies along the way.
Edmund Tolleson
Edmund Tolleson, also known as the "Clergy Killer," is a master at blurring the lines between good and evil, leaving fans on their toes. He leaves a trail of bloodied bodies everywhere he goes and his introductory act is ruthlessly and brutally killing four priests. When he arrives at Lucia State Hospital, he is so feared by staff that he is placed in the basement, away from all other patients.
He later falls in love with Nurse Dolly, but his burning desire for revenge against Mildred leads him to take seven more innocent lives just to get her attention. This adds to his laundry list of victims and shows he has no regard for human life.
Henry Osgood
Bitter, cruel, and entitled, Henry Osgood is the epitome of a rich, spoiled brat. He's also sadistic, and gets pleasure from pricking the staff with needles. When his mother, Lenore, grows more concerned with his violent behavior she hires Doctor Hanover to treat her son.
While under the care of Doctor Hanover, and in a drug-induced haze, Henry murders the gardener and cuts off his arms. Soon after, Henry cuts off his own arms and asks Doctor Hanover to sew the gardener's arms onto him. Henry has little to no regard for human life, including his own mother's. The act he commits against her in and of itself shows audiences just how far Henry is willing to go to feed his cruel desires and violent intentions.
Nurse Mildred Ratched
Mildred Ratched, one of the series' most cunning and manipulative characters, is a master at coercion and getting what she wants. In one of her more grizzly acts, she performs a lobotomy on the only surviving priest following Edmund's brutal killing spree.
Her cruel words and vicious punishments often leave fans squirming in their seats. Although she does skirt the line between moral and immoral when it comes to her patients and anyone who threatens Edmund, her harsh words and cutthroat actions are rooted in selfish tendencies. This makes her a character fans love to hate.
Governor George Milburn
Fans agree that Governor George Milburn is an easy character to hate. He's sexist, crude, and gluttonous in his insatiable hunger for power. With his desire for reelection prodding him forward, he knows the only way he'll win is if Edmund is sentenced to death. He even goes so far as to coerce Dr. Hanover into g off on the execution with the false promise of state funding.
His true character is shown when he sentences an inmate to a particularly barbaric execution in the electric chair purely for show and does not stop the execution even when it goes painfully and horrifically wrong. This makes audiences cringe and dislike the monstrous politician even more.
Charles Wainwright
Charles strolls in as a handsome and mysterious stranger looking for a good time but makes his exit as a burly, frustrated, and money-hungry hitman hired by a rich heiress to kill Doctor Hanover for leaving her son limbless.
Although he's not the cruelest of the bunch and even has a few laugh-worthy lines during his cringe-inducing night with Mildred, he's still a no-questions-asked killer for hire with no regard for the people he is paid to kill. This makes him a likable character with a dark twist that fans can sink their teeth into.
Lenore Osgood
Snobby, egotistical, and out for blood, Lenore— played by Sharon Stone in head in a box.
Her desire for revenge consumes Lenore throughout the show. This turns her into a ruthless and manic character who is easy to hate. In her final act, she leaves all of her worldly possessions to her monkey and leaving nothing for Henry, showing fans her cruelty and disdain for others doesn't stop even after her death.
Nurse Dolly
In the beginning, Dolly is an easy character for fans to root for, but her intentions quickly become less and less relatable. Dolly falls unequivocally in love with Edmund and jumps at the promise of a new life together with the violent, sociopathic killer.
When Dolly's escape plan for her and Edmund doesn't go as smoothly as the two had hoped, she takes no hesitation in shooting an unarmed Gwendolyn in the chest, nearly killing her. This proves just how cruel Dolly is capable of becoming when she's blinded by love. In one final act that further cements her as an unsympathetic character, Dolly later runs out of a barn wielding a gun, killing multiple police officers that surround her and Edmund.
Richard Hanover
Richard is less cruel than others on this list in the sense that he doesn't kill anyone, although his treatments are barbaric and even torturous at times. It's clear he (sometimes) truly cares about his patients and curing the human mind, but he overlooks just how horrific his protocols and practices can be.
Richard also cruelly and needlessly embarrasses Nurse Bucket with some of the meanest quotes of the show in front of staff and patients at Mildred's party. Richard has pure intentions at times, but his obsession with his work and his questionable treatments make him a threat to others.
Betsy Bucket
Betsy isn't always the kindest of the bunch but she certainly is one of the least cruel, although her practices are questionable at times. Betsy is a polarizing character from the beginning. She spends most of her time obsessing over Doctor Hanover or trying to get Mildred to trip up, leaving little room for anything else.
As her character progresses and grows she becomes more relatable, showcasing her kinder side. This draws audiences to her and makes her an overall more likable character than it initially seemed like she would be.
Gwendolyn Briggs
Gwendolyn's kindness is shown throughout the show. She is patient and understanding with Mildred. She speaks up for Doctor Hanover and his facility. She even tries to reason with Dolly during an escape plan gone horribly wrong.
Even while battling cancer, Gwendolyn stands strong and brave in her dedication to living with kindness for everyone around her. This makes Gwendolyn an even more comionate and empathetic character for fans to love.