OK late to the party but only just got Netflix - Breaking Bad, are we supposed to like the wife?

[foslady]

Because I don't. Not sure if it's because she reminds me of someone I didn't gel with or just her attitude

[Carrierpenguin]

I'm on series two. I love Hank, he's a bit of a smug git at times but he's a great character and although he's not the brightest he seems to genuinely love his job, family etc.

The other characters are all flawed too, which is great viewing. I agree that their are no decent female parts in it though, couldn't there be a female cop lead to join hank?

[Felina]

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rVt7nZTPBA

[Felina]

I think the final scene of the finale with the song "Baby Blue" is actually Walt's song for Jesse and not Walt's song for Crystal Meth.

[VivaLeBeaver]

She reminds me a bit of Lynette from Desperate Housewives. Yy to that unfulfilled exec type potential but had kids and became this slightly crazy housewife.

[Ohmygrood]

I thought Walt and Jesse were like father and son. Jesse never actually calls him 'Walt' he always says Mr White!
Jesse always shows respect for Walt in that way, whereas Walt doesn't have respect for anybody.

[milkjetmum]

My only criticism of bb is how badly the women were written. Skyler/marie/Jesse's girlfriends were all just 'accessories' and would change personality at the drop of a hat to fit with the male characters storyline.

But I think really Jesse was much more Walter's wife... It was like watching an abusive relationship evolve. Jesse wanted to please Walter at first, then when he wanted to break away kept being pulled back in by Walter's promises that everything would be different this time (and of course it never was)... may have overthought this

[HowardTJMoon]

In the first series she was overbearing but I thought she got so much better as it went on, particularly with the strain of being the hellishly difficult position that Walt dragged her in to. Didn't hurt that she's gorgeous too...

[Ohmygrood]

Skylar would have found working difficult when Walt Jr was growing up. He mentioned that he went through a lot of operations, so one parent would have needed to be there for appointments.
She must have worked at some point though, as she went back to work at the same company.

I thought with Walt it was all about power and control.

[Felina]

[Imscarlet]

Philosophy

[Felina]

Imscarlet so what was Badger's hidden talent?

seriously though I like your unfulfilled potential theory. It is most resonant with Jesse.

[Imscarlet]

I think that sometimes that is why I like Walter White as a character. I even found him quite attractive, which frightens me.

[Imscarlet]

But isn't a lot of their story about unfulfilled potential? Walter should have been a chemistry genius, Skyler a high flying exec, Hank a chief of police etc, even Skinny Pete had a hidden talent. To me, some of it was about how we are the very people holding ourselves back from our full potential and Walter got his chance to just break free and go for it with nothing to lose and the emotional crutch of doing it for his family.

[Bartlebee]

But honestly, it transpires she is an accountant or at least, a bookeeper and yet her husband is expected to supplement their household income by working in a crappy carwash while she half heartedly sells the odd bit of tat on EBay? I was indignant on Walt's behalf.

The only one I rooted for was Hank, and Walt, a bit.

I still loved it though.

[WhyYouGottaBeSoRude]

I think she was a control freak precisely because she didnt work/have purpose other than mother/wife. Her home, child and husband were her 'job' and so she made it all run like a well oiled machine, she perfected it and managed it. She didnt have work or a social life so literally had nothing else to control in her life so thats why all her energies went to making her family life as perfect as she could. Anyone who has watched it all will see that her controlling behaviours lessen a bit when she has bigger concerns outside of the home.

[Threeplus1]

Best TV series EVER! The characters are all flawed and show both humanity and selfishness and, some, even evil. I didn't like Hank much at first, but he becomes a much more complex and likeable character towards the end - I ended up loving him! As other posters have said, you end up loving characters you thought you'd hate and disliking those you may have started out rooting for. Skinny Pete and badger added a bit of light comedy relief and Gomie is ma homie He and Hank are the only characters, other than Marie and Walt jr, that never compromise their morals.

I don't want to spoil anything so won't say anymore, but I'd also love to watch it all again with new eyes. The scriptwriters did an amazing job of showing how good intentions can lead you down a road to hell and how, in the right circumstances, anybody is capable of anything.

[Felina]

I do think Sky is a control freak and makes walt's illness all about her somehow.

[500Decibels]

I don't like Skylar either. I like Jesse and I love Saul but don't really like anyone else.
Love the series though. I've just started the last season and I actually surprised myself by how shocked I was when I realised how low Walt would go. I don't normally get so emotionally involved in TV!
I won't give anything away but people who've seen it probably know what I mean.

[ALittleFaith]

It struck me as odd that Sky didn't work but Marie did. I've have imagined it the other way around!

[Bartlebee]

I was joking, of course.

But I am just a bit incredulous, that in yet another US show, the woman has no role other than being a housewife.

[ALittleFaith]

I assumed she stopped working to support Walt Jnr when he was little and never got round to going back to work. Saying it's all her fault is victim blaming! He's an abusive narcissist! He had choices. He made bad ones because by his own admission, he enjoyed it. I didn't really like Sky but it's not her fault.

[Felina]

It can't be all her fault - are you joking?

[Bartlebee]

I didn't like the wife, not one bit.

If she had actually had a job at the beginning rather than be a lazy arse, her husband wouldn't have had to have 2 jobs and possibly would not have turned to a life of crime.

It was all her fault.

[InanimateCarbonRod]

I wish I hadn't seen it so I could watch it all over again. Best TV in a long long time.