Walter White vs. The World of Antihero Dramas The article “The Best Antiheros Aren’t Vicarious Thrill Rides. They’re Morality Plays in Reverse,” by Todd VanDerWerff argues that a successful antihero drama thrives on portraying a character who not only slowly loses his or her morals, but also one that has something tangible to lose like family. The article calls into question the use of antiheroes on television and whether or not they are held to this standard of quality. By explaining the difference between a superior and subpar antihero through multiple examples of antihero dramas, VanDerWerff successful analyzes and describes the keys to a quality antihero that an audience adores. VanDerWerff starts off the article in a sarcastically annoyed tone discussing how there are too many antihero-based shows trying to recreate Breaking Bad and The Sopranos, so he then strategically brings in shows to discuss, such as House of Cards and Ozark. It is a clever strategy because he presents the reader with a variety of shows and then compares them to the shows networks are attempting to recreate. In regards to the mediocre shows, VanDerWerff says, “They invite viewers to revel in the bad choices made by their protagonists, but also think those bad choices are the only interesting things about the characters” …show more content…
There is never something valuable the character loses from his bad choices. Which is why I view Breaking Bad as the best antihero show produced due to its brilliant plot and story. The way the show portrays Walter and the choices he has to make, allow the viewers to feel connected to the show. Throughout the whole series, Walter slowly digs himself into a bigger hole and changes into a badass respected antihero, compared to the beginning of the show where he was a disrespected and lame high school chemistry