Rewatching Breaking Bad 17 Years Later Made Me Realize A Harsh Truth About Skyler White

Watching Breaking Bad for the second time revealed so many of the smaller details that I missed on my first watch, and highlighted some much more obvious points. One of these is that Walt is far from being a criminal mastermind, and the White family includes a much more competent criminal. Breaking Bad is widely considered one of the greatest TV shows of all time, partly due to the phenomenal performances of all the main actors in the show. Still, while the story focuses on Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, some Breaking Bad side characters have main character energy.

Breaking Bad featured some unforgettable villains, from the unstable Tuco to the terrifying Gus Fring, whose outwardly pleasant demeanor made my skin crawl during my second watch, knowing what was to come. That said, despite the show containing neo-Nazis and child killers, one of the most hated Breaking Bad supporting characters is Skyler White. Skyler's character arc took her from being a stressed mother and wife, trying to keep her family together, to Walt's reluctant accomplice. However, though Skyler never wanted to be a part of the criminal lifestyle, she could have been a formidable partner to Walt.

Skyler And Walt Were More Similar Than It Seemed

Walt's Gray Matter Grudge Was The Catalyst For His Becoming Heisenberg

From the first uncomfortable breakfast scene in Breaking Bad, it is clear that Walt and Skyler's marriage is strained. Still, they are more similar than they appear, with both feeling unhappy with their position in life. Walt, as a chemistry genius, is stuck teaching bored high school students, while Skyler, an aspiring author, has a few minimal income sources. The two are resourceful, good at problem-solving, and value family highly, though Walt's motivations change. That said, there is one major difference between the two, as Walt's rage was more obvious to me on my second Breaking Bad viewing.

Gray Matter was worth over $2 billion in Breaking Bad, while even at his richest, Walt had $80 million.

Walt might tell people that his actions were taken to support his family, but the harsh truth is that Walt's ego drove most of his decisions in Breaking Bad. When Walt sold his share of Gray Matter, his former colleague married his former girlfriend and became a billionaire. Losing out on this fortune was the catalyst for Walt becoming Heisenberg. He can barely talk about Gray Matter without gritting his teeth, and when he tells Jesse that he checks their profits regularly, his bitterness is clear. Though Walt and Skyler have similar life frustrations, Skyler lacks Walt's suppressed rage.

Skyler Was Just As Clever As Walt When It Came To Being A Criminal

Walt Grew To Enjoy The Criminal Lifestyle While Skyler Played The Hand She Was Dealt

Walter (Bryan Cranston) and Skyler White (Anna Gunn) looking at their big pile of money in Breaking Bad. — Bryan Cranston as Walter and Anna Gunn as Skyler White in Breaking Bad

Walt was exceptional at chemistry, but he was a terrible liar and had too much of an ego to run a secret drug empire. On the other hand, Skyler was a much better liar, a skilled bookkeeper, and knew how to fly under the radar. Most of Walt's best moments in Breaking Bad involve shockingly evil decisions, while Skyler's highlight her intelligence and quick thinking. Her manipulation of Ted's auditor and her idea to use the car wash for money laundering show that Skyler has a better criminal mind than Walt, but she just doesn't want to use it.

Skyler was much more conflicted, playing the hand she was dealt and joining Walt's drug empire.

One of the most chilling changes in Walt was how he taunted other characters. From season 2 of Breaking Bad, Walt seemed to take pleasure in forcing Hank to discuss Heisenberg without realizing he was talking to the man he was looking for. Skyler was much more conflicted, playing the hand she was dealt and joining Walt's drug empire to try and protect her family. Though I was never a fan of the character, I began to root for Skyler White when she stood up for herself against Saul and Jesse, changing her situation when she felt that she could.

Why Skyler Was Such A Divisive Character In Breaking Bad

If Skyler Had Committed To A Side, Breaking Bad Would Have Been A Totally Different Show

Skyler is a character who divided the show's audience, and though recent reviews often claim that the reaction is largely due to misogyny, I disagree. Skyler does not truly commit to a side, spending significant effort helping Walt while constantly leaving and coming back. Skyler had several ways out of her situation, including divorcing Walt when she discovered he was lying about his second cell phone and reporting him to Hank. Otherwise, she could have joined Walt as a full partner, as she had the business knowledge to be an asset to him. Instead, she stays and makes passive-aggressive remarks.

Virtually all the characters in Breaking Bad are deeply flawed, which makes the show extremely realistic in terms of its character development. Skyler was one of the main sources of tension away from Walt's meth business, as there was always a chance that she could report him at any given moment. If Skyler had left Walt in season 1 or joined him as a full partner, this would have removed one of Walt's greatest stressors, making Breaking Bad into a very different show. Breaking Bad still holds up today, with characters like Skyler only growing more compelling over time.