Skyler's Breaking Bad

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The anti-hero, a flawed character acting as the protagonist, has grown in popularity despite the character’s questionable morals and unpredictable actions that follow. Those who oppose the anti-hero are widely ostracized in the piece itself and even publically. Skyler White, played by Anna Gunn, in AMC’s groundbreaking hit Breaking Bad is cast as the antagonist to her husband, Walter White, which is especially evident in season one episode five. In this episode Walt and Skyler’s relationship is the focus as the family looks at the course of action to take as they found out in the previous episode that Walt has lung cancer. Breaking Bad sets her up as the unlikeable antagonist using her gender, wardrobe, and cinematography to do so, while the …show more content…

She does not fit into the new life Walter has created for himself. The business he is a part of is run by testosterone alone and as the audience dives into the foreign world the women are left behind. The only women in the show are characterized as simply wives: Skyler, Marie, and Gretchen. Walt embodies the Hollywood gangster stereotype cheered on by viewers. While Skyler is a suburban, pregnant housewife. The writers do not make the women in Breaking Bad nearly as interesting as their male counterparts. Skyler contributes to Walt’s likeability while taking an unjust amount of hate herself. Having dynamic characters to collectively root for as an audience makes a show great just as much as having someone to hate. Her character attempts to grapple with the problem at hand using a legal channel as his wife attempting to insure a future for her family in the best way she knows how to. This calls into question Walt’s masculinity as he doesn’t want the treatment as Hank says during the family intervention, “Maybe, Walt wants to die like a man, all right” (00:34:04). Walt attempting to gain control of his last choose and defy her is a moment when he goes directly against her wishes and regain his status as the man of the family (00:35:00-00:38:58). Her drive makes her unlikeable as viewers impatiently wait for her to get out of the way so Walt can begin …show more content…

In the breakfast scene the focus is on Walter Jr. awkwardly seated in the middle of the table watching his parents glare at each other each seated on opposite ends, so understandably their son opts for the bus. In the background the weather is being stated and there is commentary on how a perfect a day it is to be with family which further enforces how powerful this scene is in showcasing the deterioration of their relationship. The technique of the two characters, protagonist and antagonist, facing off is used once again in the intervention scene. Each tries to maintain their power with the talking pillow as they bicker with the family in the middle, the camera focusing on the raw emotion in each of their faces. They have gathered to discuss as their all can agree they care about each other, with is signified with the family placed in the middle, but the matriarch and patriarch disagree on what is best. This can be gathered by their placement in the room as the scene is shot. Once Walter makes his decision, “I choose not to do it” the screen goes black, signifying the weight this has. This quickly changes as the camera pans in the bedroom scene while Walt moves to Skyler’s side of the bed changing his mind as the camera moves the viewer watches his mind turn and then decides to give in to her. The scene where Walt tells Skyler he will as she wishes provides the viewer with an

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