Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has said he was always ‘troubled’ about the backlash Skyler White received, saying she did ‘nothing to deserve that’.
Although it was Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston) that was flogging drugs and happily killing those who stood in his way, it was wife Skyler who was slated by audiences.
The character (played by Anna Gunn) was never a big hit with fans, with some viewers seemingly believing that Sklyer should have been more supportive of husband Walter’s unusual career change from high school science teacher to meth kingpin.
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Now, creator Gilligan has shared his opinion on the backlash, saying that the show was ‘rigged’.
In an interview with The New Yorker, Gilligan said: “Back when the show first aired, Skyler was roundly disliked. I think that always troubled Anna Gunn. And I can tell you it always troubled me, because Skyler, the character, did nothing to deserve that. And Anna certainly did nothing to deserve that. She played the part beautifully.
“I realise 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 (Giancarlo Esposito), his archenemy, didn’t suffer the animosity Skyler received. It’s a weird thing. I’m still thinking about it all these years later.”
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He went on to suggest that if fans give the show a re-watch they may feel differently about Walter.
“After a certain number of years, the spell wears off,” Gilligan said.
“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. And he always saw himself as a victim. He was constantly griping about how the world short-changed him, how his brilliance was never given its due.
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Meanwhile, star Gunn has previously said she found the backlash ‘confusing’ and that she thought sexsm was at play.
During a 2018 interview with Entertainment Weekly, she said: “It was a combination of sexism, ideas about gender roles, and then honestly, it was the brilliance of the construct of the show.
“People did find a hero in Walt, but they wanted so much to connect with him so viscerally that to see the person who often was his antagonist – therefore the show’s antagonist in a way – they felt like she was in the way of him doing whatever he wanted to do, and that he should be allowed to do what he wanted to do.”
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Topics: Film and TV, Netflix
Claire Reid