Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston Believes Walter Broke Bad In Episode 1
"Breaking Bad" is easily one of the most pivotal shows of the 21st century (via Forbes). In terms of cultural impact, it's likely that only crime series like "The Sopranos" and "The Wire" have been as iconic as AMC's drug-dealing drama was. From being critically lauded to bringing in massive enough ratings to prompt both a feature film and a spin-off "Better Call Saul" series, there are few shows out there as big as "Breaking Bad."
Of course, much of this popularity came from the unique premise of the show, which saw mild-mannered chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) turning to a life of crime to support his wife and son. While the show opens with Walt pointing a gun down the road at incoming law enforcement, many fans still frequently debate exactly when he became irredeemable or lost completely. Though there are many opinions from the "Breaking Bad" fanbase in this regard, Cranston has his own thoughts on when Walt officially turned to the dark side, and they might be somewhat surprising to fans.
Fans often debate when Walter became beyond redemption
On the r/IAmA subreddit in 2013, Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad" joined fans for a round of Ask Me Anything, and one of the top questions came from u/TheDuskDragon. The user asked Cranston when he thought Walter White officially broke bad, and Cranston was very clear and forthcoming with his answer.
"My feeling is that Walt broke bad in the very first episode. It was very subtle, but he did because that's when he decided to become someone that he's not in order to gain financially," Cranston wrote. "He made the Faustian deal at that point, and everything else was a slippery slope." Here, the actor is comparing his character to the legendary folklore of Faust, a man who made a deal with the devil, Mephistopheles, for power and profit (via Britannica).
Though White constantly suggests that he has no choice but to embrace his life of crime for the good of his family, the character is given several early outs, including an offer from former colleagues to pay for all of his medical expenses. With this in mind, Cranston's assertion definitely holds some water. Furthermore, while many fans initially found the character to be likable and relatable, that shine has come off of Walter over the years, with even "Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan suggesting that he was perhaps not a very good person, to begin with (via The New Yorker).