‘Breaking Bad’ Creator Vince Gilligan Urges More Good Guys in Stories Now That Bad Guys Have Taken Over the World: ‘God Help Us, They’ve Become Aspirational’
variety.comMichael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Vince Gilligan created one of the most iconic antiheroes of all time: “Breaking Bad” baddie Walter White, as played by Bryan Cranston.
But Gilligan created the chemistry teacher-turned-meth-dealing-Heisenberg as a cautionary tale, not someone to aspire to. With so many bad actors now in power in real life, Gilligan says it’s perhaps time to shine the light once again on the good guys.
Accepting the Writers Guild Award’s top writing honor, the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement, Gilligan told the audience that he really hopes that the next generation of hit TV shows returns to a bit more of an aspirational world where the heroes are good. “Walter White is one of the all time great bad guys,” Gilligan said. “But all things being equal, I think we I’d rather be celebrated for creating someone a bit more inspiring.
In 2025 it’s time to say that out loud, because we are living in an era where bad guys, the real life kind, are running amok.
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