What happened to Ted Beneke in ‘Breaking Bad’?

In the golden age of television, Breaking Bad was such an example of pristine writing and characterization that it continues to be remembered as one of the best television shows with the best series finale. But it isn’t just the divisive meth cook Walter White (Bryan Cranston) who continues to bring viewers back again and again. Even tertiary characters have such depth that many find themselves wondering whatever happened to them.

Ted Beneke (Christopher Cousins) may not have had as significant a run on the show as many others, but he is the subject of one of the most memorable lines of dialogue in the series. After Skyler (Anna Gunn) endures constant gaslighting and manipulation from her husband, she hurts Walt in the only way she knows how. Skyler has a brief affair with her charming boss and confesses her infidelity to Walt in the only F word of the season. Despite Walt’s lies and illegal activity, he can’t handle Skyler giving him a taste of his own medicine, and takes a stand against Ted. 

Ted has one of the worst endings in Breaking Bad

In any other series, this would have been the end for poor Ted. He served his purpose as being yet another nail in the coffin of Skyler and Walt’s marriage, and should happily drift off into the sunset. Unfortunately for him, the White family is not nearly done with him. When Ted tries to save his family business by evading taxes, Skyler encourages him to pay the IRS and tries to give him the money to do so. Instead, Ted leases a new Mercedes and has no interest in settling his debt. 

Though this could be just one more mistake for a man who makes many, Ted’s selfish desires lead to almost deadly consequences. Skyler ensures that Ted pays what he owes and sends Huell (Lavell Crawford) to force him to write a check to the IRS. He does so under duress and, in a mad attempt to flee, trips over the rug and slams his head into the counter. A victim of his own incompetence, Ted puts himself in a coma.

In the final season, Ted eventually wakes up and promises Skyler he will never tell anyone about her role in his accident. Broken and bedridden, this is how Ted’s story ends. An argument can be made that if Ted had just been honest or didn’t look for shortcuts, he wouldn’t have ended up the way he did.

But the end of Ted’s plotline in Breaking Bad is a cautionary tale. This is what happens when you get involved with the Whites. Both Walt and Skyler have sinned in their respective ways — Walt is an egomaniac who cannot accept responsibility for anything. Ignoring the fact that he’s a drug kingpin, Walt is also a manipulative husband who steals his baby from his wife. Skyler gives as good as she gets, and had Ted met anyone else in the world, he more than likely wouldn’t have ended up in a coma. Ted was certainly not perfect, but until the end of his days, he will most likely be terrified of a suburban family with whom he certainly regrets getting involved.  Viewers can watch Ted’s tragic character arc in Breaking Bad and other shows like it, streaming on Netflix.