Culture of Pop
Missing Walter White
If we’re ranking all time TV characters, any regular reader of my content knows Omar Little stands at the top. Cosmo Kramer also has a place by the mountain’s tip, but Walter White is right there with him. If I was forced to rank a top three, that would probably be it. That’s quite an achievement for the Malcolm in the Middle actor who most doubted could lead a dramatic series. Not only did he command a series, he elevated television to a higher platform in helping create one of the greatest offerings the entertainment world has ever given to viewers.
Fans usually adore the flawless hero, the undeniable seeker of good, the embodiment of what society holds as important. Walter was none of these things. He was selfish, murderous, criminally inclined, among other characteristics. There were times when audiences loathed Walter’s decisions – he let Jane die, he gave Jesse up to a ruthless group of Aryan Brotherhood members, he put his entire family in grave danger, and he basically left behind a trail of chaos and sadness because of his lifestyle. A once boring and ordinary teacher grew into one of the most fierce and uncompromising figures that’s come across our TV screens.
When will TV’s next Omar Little, Cosmo Kramer, or Walter White arrive? The likely answer is never. Or at least not in a moment that can be anticipated. By this I mean the following – The Wire had low ratings, Kramer wasn’t Seinfeld‘s titular character, and Breaking Bad was never expected to be the generational hit it became. In other words, you can’t predict when or how an all time great TV persona will arrive. It happens organically, the product of rare but perfect circumstances helping something evolve that stands out among the pack of normalcy and predictability. The Malcolm in the Middle dad being a teacher turned drug kingpin didn’t seem like an ideal match. Regardless, it worked, and this morphing will be remembered for the ages.