Breaking Bad took the entire crime drama genre by storm when it was released in 2008. It showcased how circumstances can turn a high school teacher into a drug kingpin. And with actor Bryan Cranston leading the way as Walter White, it truly became a go-to show for millions. Much of this applause also goes to creator Vince Gilligan, who was the true mastermind behind the series.
While he is often praised for his sharp storytelling and brilliance, he himself admitted that it was indeed self-doubt that played a very important role in the show’s success.
Not confidence, but self doubt made Breaking Bad so legendary according to Vince Gilligan
Being the creator of one of the most iconic shows out there is not an easy feat. But Vince Gilligan has constantly proved his cinematic genius with projects such as Breaking Bad and its sequel Better Call Saul. Both series have garnered huge love from the public for their great storytelling and carefully curated crime elements.
Many would think that confidence would have played a major role in Gilligan coming up with the idea of the show. But in reality it was self-doubt that pushed him towards success, and he himself never imagined that Breaking Bad would become such a big deal on television. In an interview via Den of Geek, he dived deeper into the experience of making the show and detailed everything about his experience.
Here, he also disclosed that he was not at all confident about the project and felt that either the show would get canceled or the fans would have a tough time connecting with the story of Walter White. But ironically, his “general lack of confidence” was something that actually worked out in his favor, and it became one of the major reasons for its huge success.
The creator also added that throughout his life, he has been a perfectionist and hence second-guessed all of his decisions. From small plot details to pushing his team to achieve the best output, he triple-checked everything to ensure that each episode was perfect.
This ensured that the quality was there in every element of the show, which in turn made it so perfect that despite ending in 2013, people still talk about it.
Bryan Cranston almost missed out on the role of Walter White
Breaking Bad fans can never imagine any other actor playing the role of Walter White apart from Bryan Cranston. The actor brought such realism to the role that it made watching the show a hundred times better. However, in an interview via Yahoo Entertainment, he revealed that he almost missed out on the opportunity if his previous show had been renewed for another season.
For those who don’t know, before stepping into the universe of Breaking Bad, Cranston was a part of the show Malcolm in the Middle. In this, he played the lovable yet clueless father, Hal, from 2000 to 2006. So, when the seventh season of the show ended, everyone thought that it would continue to the eighth season as well. On this, Cranston added:
If the eighth season of Malcolm in the Middle came through, which was very close, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now. Someone else would.
The show was loved by many, but after a few months, he learned that it wouldn’t be renewed. While the actor was disappointed, he soon got a call from his agent, who asked him if he knew who Vince Gilligan was. He recalled that he had worked with the creator on The X-Files, and now Gilligan wanted him to audition for Walter White.
He did the same, and the rest is history, as he not only played the role but did such a good job that nobody else could have done more justice to it.
You can watch all the seasons of Breaking Bad on Netflix.
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