Representation

    One show that really outdoes the rest in terms of layered, complex representation is Breaking Bad. The series narrates the story of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who becomes a methamphetamine kingpin, and Jesse Pinkman, his former student and partner. With these two characters driving the show, Breaking Bad plumbed deep into the transformation of identities, toxic masculinity, and class struggles-all while challenging stereotypical portrayals of anti-heroes. Conversely, this balance between the two leading actors is explicitly revealed in the way the show handles the power dynamic between them and everything that surrounds their decisions in spirals of downfall.

    Walter White's arc is informative on the ways in which the show will negotiate power, control, and identity. At the outset of the series, he is powerless, innocuous even, meek-a loving father and teacher diagnosed with terminal cancer. Early episodes detail the ways in which he has become marginalized in every sphere of life: the shadow cast by his brother-in-law Hank, his humiliation in the job. However, when Walter transforms into "Heisenberg," he is an avatar of toxic masculinity and disintegration of morality. To that extent, such a transformation underlines a critique of patriarchal structures in the show, along with the destructive nature of unruly ambition. This is visually reflected by Walter's change of attire from soft pastel-colored clothes to the symbolic black hat and sunglasses, part of his dive into the darker dimension of his character.

    On the other hand, Jesse Pinkman stands in pretty stark contrast to Walter: from "junkie" stereotype and low-tier crook to one of the most complex morally and sympathetic characters. His struggles mirror much greater issues of disparity between classes and a systemic failure. Unlike Walter, who has the means and privilege of choice, Jesse is imprisoned by his socioeconomic background. The show also dramatizes Jesse's desire for redemption most poignantly regarding his relations with children and his growing discomfort with the violent world that he has been dragged into. His arc is a counterpoint to Walter's moral descent, as Jesse strives-and oft succumbs to-attempts to flee the darkness now surrounding him.

    The duality between Walter and Jesse is pivotal to how the show tackles the concepts of power, morality, and the complexity of humans. Where Walter becomes more corrupt and hungry for power, Jesse clings to the need to feel redemption. These interwoven narratives create a dense exploration of how individual free will and structural pressures can corrupt an individual or force one to grow. Breaking Bad is not a show based on clear-cut heroes versus villains; rather, it deals with multidimensional characters who constantly ask the audience for a shift in allegiance.