Tim Curry’s Pennywise terrified an entire generation, but despite how iconicly harrowing he was inIT,the dancing clown isn’t his scariest role. TheITminiseries, first broadcast in 1990, became an instant horror staple thanks in large part to Curry’s unforgettable portrayal of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. While the makeup and costume were unnerving enough, it was Curry’s unhinged performance - slipping between manic humor and pure menace - that burned itself into pop culture history. Even decades later, Tim Curry’s Pennywise remains one of the most talked-about horror performances on television.
However, among the countless iconiccharacters Tim Curry has playedthroughout his career - fromThe Rocky Horror Picture ShowtoLegend- one of his most frightening roles came nearly 20 years afterIT. In a chilling guest appearance in a long-running crime procedural, Curry delivered a performance that was just as memorable, but far more grounded in terrifying reality. Though it may not have the supernatural flair of Pennywise, Tim Curry’s portrayal of serial killer Billy Flynn inCriminal Mindsis easily one of the most disturbing villains to ever hit the small screen - and it’s a role that still haunts viewers today.
Tim Curry Played One Of The Most Dangerous Serial Killers In Criminal Minds
Billy Flynn’s Body Count And Brutality Made Him One Of The Show’s Most Terrifying Threats
In 2010,Criminal Mindsbrought in Tim Curryfor a chilling two-episode arc that closed out season 5 and opened season 6. Appearing in “Our Darkest Hour” and “The Longest Night,” Curry portrayed Billy Flynn, a nomadic serial killer and home invader known only as “The Prince of Darkness” until his identity was uncovered.
Tim Curry’sCriminal Mindscharacter was based loosely on real-life criminals like Richard Ramirez, with a similar pattern of breaking into homes during blackouts to commit unspeakable crimes. It’s a brutal and realistic premise - and one that waselevated into something far more horrifying by Curry’s dark and commanding performance.
Tim Curry leaned into every sinister detail when he stepped up to become one ofCriminal Mindsmost memorable UnSubs.
By the time the BAU catches up with Flynn, he has murdered over 200 people across multiple states. His M.O. was as horrifying as it was personal: he would force a child or spouse to witness the execution of their loved ones before abducting them.The psychological trauma he inflicted was part of the kill, not collateral damage.
Tim Curry leaned into every sinister detail when he stepped up to become one ofCriminal Mindsmost memorable UnSubs. He portrayed Flynn ascold, calculated, and completely devoid of empathy. The character exuded quiet menace, never needing to shout or rage to be terrifying. This juxtaposition with the moments that Flynn did snap into a snarling, bestial rage ensured viewers were constantly on the edge of their seats.
Tim Curry’s Pennywise inITmay have comefrom the mind of Stephen King, but Billy Flynn is rooted in a far more believable horror. In a series that already featured its share of unsettling killers, Curry’s villain stood out because he felt so real. Fans ofCriminal Mindsstill rank Billy Flynn among the show’s most dangerous UnSubs, and with good reason.
Billy Flynn Was Much Scarier Than Pennywise
Tim Curry’s Pennywise Was Supernatural, But Billy Flynn Was Real-World Nightmare Fuel
Tim Curry’s Pennywise inITis a genre-defining horror villain, but Billy Flynn is, somehow, even more chilling. Pennywise is a shape-shifting monster from beyond space and time, preying on children’s fears with gleeful sadism. Curry’s iconic performance was unforgettable - equal parts theatrical and grotesque - but ultimately, viewers could take comfort in the fact that Pennywise wasn’t real. That’s exactly what makes Billy Flynn such a terrifying contrast: he could be.
InCriminal Minds, Curry plays Billy Flynn withan eerie calm and unrelenting precision. He’s not just a murderer - he’s a predator who thrives in chaos, using power outages to cloak his movements and instill helplessness. The character never breaks into clichés or typical serial killer tropes.
Instead, Tim Curry brings a grounded, bone-chilling realism to Billy Flynn. His voice is low, deliberate, and dispassionate. There’s no clown makeup or monster transformations here -just a man who kills without remorse and disappears into the night. The contrast between the two roles highlights Curry’s range, but also his understanding of what truly terrifies audiences.
Tim Curry’s Pennywise scared viewerswith fangs and otherworldly abilities. Billy Flynn frightened them with silence, stillness, and the cruel reality of a killer who could live next door. It’s that quiet dread - the idea that monsters don’t need to be supernatural - that makes Tim Curry’sCriminal Mindsrole feel even more disturbing thanIT.
Tim Curry’s Criminal Minds Unsub Remains One Of The Most Disturbing
Billy Flynn Is Still Considered One Of The Most Haunting Villains In The Show’s History
Criminal Mindsintroduced dozens ofmemorable and disturbing UnSubsover its 15-season run, from cannibalistic cult leaders to deranged family annihilators. Yet, Tim Curry’s Billy Flynn continues to be ranked among the show’s most haunting villains.
His appearance in “Our Darkest Hour” and “The Longest Night” isn’t just a highlight - it’s a turning point thatset the bar for how disturbingCriminal Mindscould get.Unlike many other UnSubs who lasted just one episode, Flynn’s story had scope, stakes, and a sense of escalation that made his takedown feel urgent and necessary.
What truly sets Flynn apart is the emotional weight of his crimes.
Billy Flynn stands tall alongsideotherCriminal MindsUnSubswho appeared more regularly and directly threatened members of the BAU, such as Mr. Scratch and Frank Breitkopf. However, what truly sets Flynn apart is the emotional weight of his crimes. Tim Curry’s UnSub onCriminal Mindsdidn’t just kill - he destroyed families, left survivors emotionally shattered, andforced the BAU team to confront some of their darkest fears. That level of psychological damage is rare, even in a show built around profiling killers.
It also doesn’t hurt that Tim Curry, already a horror legend thanks toIT, gave the performance everything it needed. Tim Curry’s Pennywise remains iconic, but Billy Flynn proved that sometimes the scariest monster is the one without fangs or claws. In a show full of terror, Billy Flynn’s legacy is that he remains one of the most realistically disturbing villains ever portrayed - not just inCriminal Minds, but in all of television.
It
Cast
It is a 1990 miniseries based on Stephen King’s novel, featuring a group of childhood friends known as the Losers' Club. Set in 1960 and revisiting them 30 years later, the story follows their battle against an evil entity posing as a demonic clown in their hometown.
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds follows an elite team of FBI profilers from the Behavioral Analysis Unit as they analyze the nation’s most complex criminal minds, led by experienced agent David Rossi. The team works to anticipate and prevent crimes by understanding the behavior of these dangerous individuals.
