Villains & Victims of Circumstance in Breaking Bad

The critically acclaimed crime drama series “Breaking Bad” had all the ingredients of a riveting tv series that kept viewers on the edge of their seats – extraordinary personas, shocking deaths, surprising twists & turns, and an overall great script.

Characters like the seemingly meek but seriously ill Walter White, his wife, son, and brother-in-law Hank,  as well as the swaggering dope dealer Jesse Pinkman (whom Walter teams up with to set in motion their drug dealing business) were all presented in the initial Breaking Bad episodes. Yet there were many other characters who portrayed villains and victims of circumstance, adding excitement to the show.  The talented cast members and a great script fuelled the urgency for tv fanatics to keep watching the show from start to finish. Breaking Bad Netflix also ensured that interested viewers across the world were able to tune in.

Human Soup

Breaking Bad Main ImageBreaking Bad Netflix may be credited in part for the phenomenal ratings pull of the hit tv series about a man’s descent into a life of crime.  The AMC Breaking Bad tv series had the Netflix effect working for it after the first few seasons. That was also around the time when new characters were introduced in the show.

One of the villains created for the Breaking Bad tv series was Gus Fring. Actor Giancarlo Esposito effectively played the part of the ruthless methamphetamine distributor in southwestern USA.  The Denmark-born actor began to carve a name for himself during the indie film movement during the 1990s era. At the age of eight, Esposito had already performed on Broadway. In later years, Giancarlo Esposito clinched many roles. He veered away from flicks that cast him as  a street thug, though. He became noted for his portrayals of law enforcement officers, instead.

As the drug kingpin Gus Fring on the AMC Breaking Bad series, he sent a chilly shiver down viewers’ spine, but his character was eventually killed when a bomb is detonated by another villain Hector Salamanca. The portrayal of Gus Fring’s death is one of the best Breaking Bad episodes as far as action-seeking viewers are concerned. You have to watch Breaking Bad season after season on cable tv or catch it on the internet streaming service Netflix to appreciate the show in its entirety. Giancarlo Esposito won the 2012 Critics’ Choice Television Awards for “Best Supporting Actor in a Drama” for his portrayal of the drug kingpin Gus Fring. He also earned a nomination for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in  Drama Series” at the 2012 Emmy Awards. Speaking of Gus, we’ve compiled a list of the best deaths that occured throughout Breaking Bad (I hope what I just said didn’t spoil anything... Check it out here.

Fans may cite that it’s Aaron Paul’s character Jesse Pinkman who’s the biggest victim of circumstance in “Breaking Bad.” Others may say it’s actually Walter White who’s the victim of life’s unfair circumstances. Viewers empathized with Walter in the Breaking Bad episode where he tells Gretchen Schwartz that offering to fund his treatment won’t make him forget how she and her husband Elliott “made millions off his research.” Indeed, Bryan Cranston had lots of shining moments in the tv series, including certain scenes in Breaking Bad Season 5, where his dark side is full revealed to his family.