BREAKING BAD Boss On Final 16 Episodes, New Big Bads

Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan reiterates his determination to press ahead with the murky path that Walter White has forged for himself, as the final 16 episodes of the AMC serial get underway this summer.

“We are following the same thread that we’ve been following for four seasons now. We are essentially taking a good guy protagonist and turning him into a bad guy. Walter White still has a little further to go down that dark path that he’s very willfully put himself on.”

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But with Gus defeated and Jesse back onside, why would Walt press forward with his seeming self-destruction? Gilligan points to Walt’s ego:

“Does Walt do what he does for the good of his family, or are there other reasons that he does the things he does? On some level, is it ego and self-aggrandizement? Does he feel good about the things he’s doing? Does he feel powerful? Those are the questions I think one has to ask one’s self when they question whether or not he should cut bait.”

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Gilligan wasn’t drawn on who will fill Gustavo Fring’s sizeable shoes as the source of conflict over the final two seasons, but did confess his admiration for the departed superlab don and hint at a few (possibly) new characters filling the void:

“[It] leaves a big void, and hopefully we fill it with Walter White and a few other characters perhaps. It’ll be different, but hopefully, just as interesting. You’re right, though – those are big shoes to fill.”

Source: TV Line

We don’t get to see protagonists go the other way too often on the big or small screens (certainly not to the level of Walter White), so along with all the other factors that make Breaking Bad such compelling viewing, this ‘experiment’ is essential viewing. Serialized TV is certainly the best format for such a journey.

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Tagged as: Breaking Bad, interviews, vince gilligan