The Most Underrated Actor On Breaking Bad According To Fans

Believe it or not, AMC's groundbreaking crime drama Breaking Bad has been off the air longer than it was on. If it doesn't exactly feel the way, it's because Breaking Bad's near flawless five seasons continue to cast a long shadow over the world of TV drama.

The enduring legacy of the series — which followed the rapid ascent and devastating downfall of an ordinary chemistry teacher (Bryan Cranston) who becomes a key player in New Mexico's methamphetamine-infested underworld — should hardly come as a surprise, though. Breaking Bad was, after all, one of those rare small screen scorchers which found as much favor among fans as it did with critics. And even when the show was still on the air, it always felt like the sort of program each faction would still be talking about long after it ended.

True to that, critics and fans continue to place Breaking Bad (also a dominant presence on the awards circuit in each of its five seasons) near the top of virtually every "Best TV Show" list compiled since its soul-crushing final season back in 2013. So, too, do they continue to heap praise on the series' ensemble cast, many of whom left Breaking Bad behind with a handful of Emmy awards in tow, and/or exceedingly bright futures in the entertainment biz.

But as utterly brilliant as that cast was top to bottom, among Breaking Bad fandom (possibly the most passionate in TV history) debate rages about who was the series' MVP. While traditional wisdom would point to Cranston (Walter White), Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman), Giancalro Esposito (Gus Fring), or even a dark horse candidate like Anna Gunn (Skylar White), one Breaking Bad fan believes supporting player Mark Margolis is more than worthy of the title. 

If you're having trouble placing Margolis in Breaking Bad, he portrayed the wheelchair-bound Cartel kingpin Don Hector Salamanca on the series (and has since reprised the role for Better Call Saul). Per a recent "Unpopular Opinion" Reddit thread, user bhabriew even proclaims Margolis' bell-ringing turn as Don Hector "the most impressive in the series."  

The user does so noting his ability to convey deep meaning in an almost completely non-vocal performance. "Despite not having any lines, Margolis' expression of Hector's emotions are out of this world. You know exactly what he's thinking just by looking at his face. He manages to make us hate him even though he never said anything." 

As it turns out, that opinion is nowhere near as "unpopular" as bhabriew thought. In fact, the sentiment was met with almost universal support with many a Breaking Bad fan whole-heartedly agreeing with, and most noting Margolis' work in Better Call Saul is every bit as solid. User RedSage218 is among them, quickly responding with, "I don't think this is an unpopular opinion at all. Plus in BCS his throat cancer type personality and voice is really interesting."

8-bit Brandon clearly concurs, pointing to one particular scene as proof of Margolis' skill: "The Gus death scene was just as good as the Jane death scene. The gear change between emotions without saying a word." Meanwhile daddymeltzer believes Margolis should've earned an Emmy for his efforts, "He put on an Emmy worthy performance with just facial expressions. He's great in Better Call Saul as well."

The praise only continues from there, as Breaking Bad fans continue to marvel at what Mark Margolis achieved with so little. And yes, even if Margolis did earn an Emmy nomination for his scene stealing, it still feels egregiously overlooked in general.