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Often regarded as one of America’s greatest shows ever made,Breaking Bad, quickly gained widespread popularity. The show featured Bryan Cranston in the role of Walter White, a high-school chemistry teacher who transformed into a methamphetamine manufacturer. The complex character, with his dubious actions, ultimately won fan’s admiration due to his family-oriented motivations.
Shockingly towards the end of the show, Vince Gilligan did not have much love for the character. According to the writer-director, he found Walter to be self-absorbed, vain, and a covert narcissist. Giving another blow to die-hard Walter White fans, Gilligan confessed he wasn’t someone people should root for.
Losing love for the bad guy: Vince Gilligan’s take on Walter White
In 2023, a critics poll on Rotten Tomatoes rankedBreaking Badas the best TV show in the last 25 years. The American crime drama ran for five seasons from 2008 to 2013 and created a huge fanbase. The most adored aspect of the show was its morally gray protagonist, Walter White.
ActorBryan Cranstonportrayed the complex character in the most suave and charismatic way possible, leading to him winning several hearts. Despite his criminal ways, fans adored the character and rooted for him throughout the show. But the show’s creator,Vince Gilliganhad a different perspective.
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After a certain number of years, the spell wears off. Like, wait a minute, why was this guy so great? He was really sanctimonious, and he was really full of himself. He had an ego the size of California.
In aninterview with The New Yorker, Gilligan spoke about the character and his ultimate fate. Speaking of his complicated protagonist, the writer confessed his indifference. Highlighting Walter’s ‘woe is me’ personality, he mentioned several of his unappealing traits, which include his enormous ego.
He was constantly griping about how the world shortchanged him, how his brilliance was never given its due. When you take all of that into consideration, you wind up saying, “Why was I rooting for this guy?
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TheBetter Call Saulwriter disintegrated the much-loved bad guy; calling him out for not accepting the lifeboat he got offered earlier on, accepting money from his former friends. Though Walter had some redeemable qualities, like love for his family, it didn’t earn him many brownie points in Gilligan’s eyes.
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During the same interview, Gilligan went on to express his favorable opinion of another character, Skyler White. TheHancockco-writer claimed he felt deeply saddened when fans of the show disliked the character.
Back when the show first aired, Skyler was roundly disliked. I think that always troubled Anna Gunn [who played Skyler]. And I can tell you it always troubled me, because Skyler, the character, did nothing to deserve that.
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Skyler was hated by the fans, who thought she wasn’t nurturing or compassionate. Her compromised moral stance because of laundering drug money also soured the audience’s perspective of the character. Her innermost desire of wanting to keep her family safe from her husband’s criminal ways was justified but the unanimous opinion of her was negative.
I realize in hindsight that the show was rigged, in the sense that the storytelling was solely through Walt’s eyes, even in scenes he wasn’t present for. Even Gus, his archenemy, didn’t suffer the animosity Skyler received.
Gilligan later stated that the reason behind the unwarranted hate was probably because of the show’s one-sided narrative. The audience saw every character and their action through Walter’s eyes, so they had very little knowledge of their true motivations.
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He concluded the interview by stating his wish to write an old-fashioned hero, an inherently good guy. The talented screenwriter is working on his upcoming sci-fi show for Apple TV+, which will mark his return to the genre afterThe X-Filesand its spin-off,The Lone Gunmen.
Breaking Badis currently available to watch on Netflix.
Shruti Pathak
Articles Published :286
An entertainment writer with a passion for storytelling that transcends genres, Shruti Pathak is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in English. She is also a devoted poetry enthusiast, exploring the beauty of language and emotion through verse. Obsessed with the show Friends, a self-proclaimed swiftie, and inspired by classical literature these are just some characteristics that describe the novice writer. Newly joining FandomWire as an intern writer, she hopes to share her thoughts while sharpening her writing skills on various entertainment topics.
