1) Skyler White
Now, before you go grabbing your pitchforks, there are a number of reasons why Walter White’s much-maligned other half belongs on this list. Yes, she may be the quintessential ball buster. And yes, she may fundamentally act as the frustrating ying to Heisenberg’s badass yang. Nevertheless, Skyler White is designed to counter and indeed complicate the entire premise of the show; an immovable obstacle in Walter’s path to drug lord supremacy. Anna Gunn, the actress who plays Skyler in the show, recently penned an op-ed over at New York Times addressing the vitriol that her Breaking Bad character so often evokes.
It’s an interesting piece, one which brings to the fore her ability to balance the sociopathic slant that Walter so effortlessly produces during the story. Because at her core, Skyler is a complex female character; a piece of the puzzle that Gilligan could’ve so easily relegated to a love sick wife at home constantly fretting about her husband’s safety. Granted, this is a strand of Skyler’s ethical fibre, but it is merely one piece cut from an intricate, morally ambiguous cloth. She isn’t defined by the overly simplistic archetypes of ‘wife’ and ‘mother’, rather, Skyler White stands shoulder to shoulder with the show’s big players – particularly in seasons 4 and 5, where she is essentially calling the shots.
At least in the earlier seasons, Skyler can be paralleled with the character of Rita from Dexter. Neither fully understood their husband/partner’s suspicious activity; all the while adding an extra layer of dramatic tension to the viewing experience. However, unlike Rita, once Skyler becomes aware of her husband’s drug empire, the narrative provides her with a new, intriguing dynamic that emphasises her place on the Breaking Bad hierarchy. Fling with co-worker notwithstanding, Skyler acts as the legally sane anchor amidst the plot’s sinister happenings – providing Walter with the money laundering option is a case in point. But above all, Mrs. White represents a well-rounded, adaptable character. Of course her moral standing experiences its fair share of peaks and troughs, but can’t the same be said about Walter himself?
Skyler is Walt’s necessary equal and is, arguably, the only character in the show capable of exposing his dormant vulnerability. Aiding and abetting his crystal meth empire is one thing, but doing it in such a way that portrays a realistic depth to her flawed character ultimately makes Skyler White authentic, even believable – bitch or not.
