Breaking Bad Character Analysis: Walter White | Mental Health & Personality

[@zappawench6048]

I always found it touching how Jesse always called him "Mr White" despite everything they'd been through together.

[@Vojife]

Or "bitch"

[@zoxyy.1x]

@@Vojife bro 🤦🏾

[@masterlcpl3736]

well he did call him walt a couple times.......and bitch lol

[@ndschau]

I think when when someone’s a teacher in high school, you never break that habit of calling them “mr/mrs/ms” no matter how old you get. Doesn’t matter what happens with my old high school teachers, they’ll always be “mr. So-and-so.” That’s just how I knew them.

[@patrickbateman4541]

@@ndschau i think Jesse secretly looked up to Walt. Jesse spent a good amount of time seeking approval and respect from Walt. He lied a lot to Walt to seem stronger and tougher than he really was too

[@cecilialeon2593]

Chemistry - the study of transformation. What a great series.

[@freedomlover622]

A few thoughts. 1) As Walt is transforming, he is experiencing both decay (cancer) and re-birth simultaneously ("I felt alive"). 2) I don't believe Walt told Jesse about Jane out of respect for Jesse. The purpose was to hurt him as much as possible ("I could have saved her...but I didn't"). We see this is true by Jesse's reaction. 3) I believe Walt initially intended for Jesse to die with the rest of the gang, but when he saw that Jesse was not a partner of Uncle Jack's, but a slave, Walt saved his life.

[@pauldank3453]

@@freedomlover622 acutally first time i watched breaking bad i was confused in the end if walt actually wanted jesse dead but the 2nd time i watched it i noticed that walt blamed jesse for hanks death

[@justinfalzon6854]

Its the study of matter, Walt prefers to see it as the study of transformation. I personally see it as the study of relationships.

[@switzerlandful]

I heard someone say once... "Math in action is physics. Physics in action is chemistry. And chemistry in action is biology."

[@justinfalzon6854]

@@switzerlandful Ill allow it.

[@AnonAnon1]

I thought walter told Jessie about his girlfriend’s death to cause him pain, not out of respect.

[@stevenrowan9244]

Correct. He said that to Jesse basically as a "Fuck you". It even said so in the script of 514.

[@cindiadams8158]

That’s what I thought too. The way he told Jesse was spiteful

[@llchapman1234]

It was Walt manipulating Jessie to see his end game plan through.

[@cryojudgement2376]

Walt's brother in law just got murdered because jessie went to the DEA and now his brother in laws corpse is rotting in the desert. Walt showed jessie the mercy of not telling jessie that his girlfriend died by his inaction. Walt did mean it as a screw you. But all this is just a horrible point of view from walt's view. Though he was right that jessie kinda got hank killed.

[@cryojudgement2376]

@@llchapman1234 walt couldnt have planned that far in advance.

[@je7771]

You can tell by the way he talks that Dr Todd just binged Breaking Bad so hard in the week before this video 😀👍

[@neuralmute]

Are you kidding? You can tell he was already a fan who was glad for an excuse for another binge watch! XD

[@JacX1]

That's Dr. Grande to you buddy.

[@randomdude6719]

Best week of his life lol

[@victoria5846]

@@JacX1 lol

[@JustinEdwords]

Maybe he binged the blue stuff.

[@rorys988]

Yo wtf legit im sitting down thinking “I wish that mental health guy on youtube would make a video about walter white” and not long after i open youtube to see this like wtf... I was thinking it like an hour ago jesus

[@rishaa682]

haha

[@ChristianLawsonNYC]

Great Analysis. I've been thinking about the change in Walter for quite some time.

[@groundless1238]

Haha, I was thinking the same the other day, because I watched the whole series over again because of el camino.

[@rock3tcatU233]

Nostradamus, is that you?

[@justinunion7586]

Wtf is this I was legit sitting here thinking, "I wish someone would comment about how they were legit sitting here thinking they wish that mental health guy on youtube would make a video about walter white." And not long after I open youtube to find this in the comments section like wtf. I was thinking it like 5 mins ago lord.

[@tonichan89]

Walt strikes me as a vulnerable narcissist. Even in the beginning he has an extremely vulnerable ego, he's bitter due to his entitlement, and the changes take hold of him due to how it gives him power, agency and recognition, things he seemed to have always wanted.

[@marshallballantine-jones3819]

@Dopey Vaper I disagree - i think he was deeply corrupted by resentment of the Grey Matter associates, which came to life when realising he has only 2 yrs to live. From there, his actions, driven by obsession to make it big through building a meth empire, resulted in his moral deterioration.

[@marshallballantine-jones3819]

@Dopey Vaper The resentment was definitely related to his belief in being entitled to all that success of his old associates, so yes - covert narcissistic traits for sure. Don't forget though that before killing Crazy8 in S1, he drew up the For and Against ethical list, so his moral compass hadn't fully been corrupted at that stage. Although we're wrangling about a fictitious character, so not grounded in reality, I see a growing evil, fertilised by resentment-born narcissism...i.e. his evil seemed to develop

[@meatisomalley]

Most narcissists are vulnerable. They rely on constant reinforcement from their environment to validate their narcissism, and when they don't get that, it crushes them. I think any discussion about how Walter was "always evil" is deeply flawed, as I think it kind of misses the point of the character - he was a flawed person with a very big ego, and his cancer grew in tandem with that ego. One can see the remorse that Walter White feels about the terrible things he's done in episodes like 'the fly,' where he wishes he had died before he transformed into the malignant narcissist he was near the end of the series.

[@judywright4241]

---Especially the virulent hatred he has for Eliot & Gretchen. Walt didn’t believe in the company and got out early. He gambled and lost, it could’ve just as easily hit the bricks too, but he’s blinded by his own rage. It goes back farther since even Gretchen doesn’t get what happened for Walt to walk out on her, yet she still feels friendly towards him & it’s real unlike Walt was faking it. He is not close to his mother & seems to detest weakness, yet doesn’t see his own.

[@filminginportland1654]

He didn’t show any entitlement early on in the show. Certainly not before he started making meth. Moreso frustrated by his lack of more success given his very real talents.

[@jamesgomez9151]

When Walt let Jane die, that was the moment I conceded that I'm watching story about a villain.

[@fritzidler9871]

@Hassan Syed As Mike would tell you, he was a villain too, or criminal. A great one, yes. He was a one man wrecking crew, and super-fixer. Like the Wolf in Pulp Fiction. Yet look at how Hank disdained Mike; not impressed at all. Just as he was not impressed by Walt's formula either. Referring to it as old school biker crank. Hank was right. And IMO, Jane should have never let Jesse rent from her. He was the influence that caused her to relapse.

[@pauldank3453]

@Hassan Syed i started hating him after the end of season 4

[@filminginportland1654]

Hassan Syed But snapping and killing someone without real motive is, unfortunately, a crime of passion and that kind of thing is within us all, not just villains. Anyone can do something pretty terrible given the right circumstances. That’s a trait of humanity that most people don’t like to admit.

[@filminginportland1654]

Fritz Idler How was Hank right? Walt’s formula was not old-school biker crank. It wasn’t even crank. It was pure crystal math, which is very different. Having done both quite a lot back in the 90s, there’s a HUGE difference, crank is a million times grosser. Though they’re both nasty, disgusting drugs that make you smell horrible and feel gross.

[@Jackholiday1025]

It wasn’t the first episode Where he started cooking meth to be sold amongst his community ? Lol. Good people wouldn’t do that. Walt was always bad.

[@natethomas9253]

I'm loving these new television character personality breakdowns!

[@internetperson9121]

There were hints of Walt's narcissistic tendencies in early life, such as when they flashed back to when Walt and Skyler first viewed their house with a Realtor and Walt did not like it because he had higher expectations for his future. There is also narcissism in Season 1 in his refusal to take help from Elliott, despite the fact that Elliott would have loved to do it and had respect for Walt. I believe Walt couldn't get over his early decision to exit Gray Matter, and so he told himself money didn't matter (an I-didn't-want-all-that-money-anyway" mentality) and settled into his comfortable teaching job (the opposite of a business endeavor), suppressing most of his grandiose feelings. In the flashbacks to young Walt, the grandiosity is there. When Walt begins having "success" in the meth world, this latent grandiosity and narcissism simply reemerges. In his behavior toward Elliott and his wife (cannot recall her name) in the final season, you can see how there were years of pent up feelings being unleashed. So I don't think it's necessarily that Walter changed from normal to narcissistic, but that he always had narcissistic tendencies, they had just been beaten down for years. Once they were unleashed in a major way (the major part being the extreme invigoration of committing crimes and escaping from dangerous situations), the narcissism reemerged on steroids. A Walt that had been suppressed for decades suddenly exploded out upon the world, now radioactive.

[@EM-xj8hy]

Spot on.

[@goread5544]

He’s a vulnerable narcissist that finally finds an outlet for his narcissism accidentally - when initially trying to provide enough money for his family after his death (it could be argued this was motivated by pride & narcissism too and not love). Once the money & power & sense of achievement give his narcissism permission to exist he can’t beat the addiction. Ironically he was the real addict.

[@internetperson9121]

@go read I think your analysis correlates with mine for the most part, but with some additional insight. Very interesting take.

[@bettycasvin8877]

I just finished watching Breaking Bad. I agree with you're opinion. What a great show!

[@CosmicLover8]

Yes, as described in the video we first see Walt as depressed and I would say there’s self loathing caused by the narcissistic injury of working 2 normal jobs compared to what he missed out on with Grey Matter. Jesse is his punching bag throughout the series, choosing a partner whom he flunked in high school knowing that Jesse is of low intelligence thus keeping Walt’s ego continuously stroked by always appearing more intelligent by comparison. Anytime a wrong doing is pointed out to Walt he blame shifts it into Jesse.

[@raffa4456]

I wouldn't say Hank actually liked Walt in the beginning. I thought he was often very belittling towards Walt, often undermining his masculinity by letting everyone know he thinks his profession makes him more of a man than Walt and I believe Hanks behavior towards him in particalur fuelled a lot of Walts motivation to break out of his boring teacher's life and follow the route of doing drugs in particular. Hank was of course not the reason Walter behaved the way he did or developed into the monster he was in the end, but I believe it was of great satisfaction to Walt to toy with Hank and make him look bad at his job.

[@DwideShrude]

Yes totally. I thought Hank was such a jerk. In the beginning I truly felt bad for Walt because Hank’s behavior was so unnecessary. I think it shows the contrast between the two characters that they were both kind of bad guys in their own ways on either extreme and on either side of the law.

[@judywright4241]

---I’ve often thought it was Walt’s jealousy of Hank’s life that was a component of his decision, getting over on Hank as a secondary motive. Hank was a bit of a braggart but it could have been laughed off because secretly he worried about his own weakness after the shooting of Tuco.

[@lelidawi2446]

That's not because Hank didn't like him, Hank obviously liked and even loved Walt. For most of the show they were very friendly and just became closer and closer, giving each other advise and things like that, supporting each other during divorces and other hard times. Hank was mostly a bully towards Walt in season 1, and that's not because Hank didn't like him, it's just because Hank was kind of an asshole and bully in general in season 1, not just to Walt. That's how assholes and bullys talk to people, even people they like, they riff and they constantly try to assert their masculinity, it's more to protect themselves than to hate on others, they just act mean in the proccess.

[@trace9657]

Agreed, and I could not stand Hank in the beginning. I have no patience for that sort of alpha male posturing. The only thing I found remotely redeemable about the guy was that he clearly loved his nephew with Cerebral Palsy. Sometime men like that cannot accept anyone with a disability, but he never bullied his Walt Jr Hank was demeaning toward Walt, basically because Walt was just a really smart guy with a menial life. I always felt like that WW conversation between the two was Walt leading Hank into the revelation of who he was.

[@Jackholiday1025]

Trace hank busted Walt’s balls sometime but he was always there for him. He loved Walt and he respected him a lot. He thought walt was the smartest person he had ever known and he highly valued his opinions.

[@SamiSmolboi]

I just keep imagining you binge watching this and taking notes.

[@neuralmute]

Hey- my pals and I did just that when we watched it the first time!

[@amanda2488]

With polar bear pyjamas, (love you Dr Grande)

[@porcelana4ever]

Holly 😂 I.was thinking the same thing! I can imagine him binging and pausing to get something to eat while analyzing every moment. I also imagine him rewinding and writing his thoughts 🤔 That require lots of patience and passion 🤗 Priceless!!!!

[@BeingLifted]

' ... wants him dead -- kind of a popular position for the characters in this series." 😂

[@DaVinci112358]

Yes had me dying🤣

[@mwheeler138]

I love the complete understated way he says things that I dont think at all he intends to be funny but are.

[@absolute_aero]

I now want a show where Dr. Grande breaks bad by using his psych expertise to manipulate his way into a ring of international arms dealers, but through a vicious series of betrayals must flee the US to avoid arrest, which pisses off a few of his criminal associates who chase him to Japan where Dr. Grande convinces the Yakuza to protect him in exchange for his insider connections. I need funding for four clean seasons, and can guarantee a better finale than S8 GoT.

[@annaheff7332]

I would absolutely watch this

[@B.I.-EIO_macdonald9786]

annaheff me3 that’s a great story line.

[@anamariaramirez9341]

That would make such a good show!

[@FranciumBoron]

You've got my vote.

[@danstewart2770]

_Love it!_ Pencil me in for $500K.

[@EvanLandry221]

I like how a huge chunk of this video ends up with you just listing off all the people Walt killed.

[@madcapper6]

When Walt told Jessie about watching Jane die when he could have helped her, I believe his reason for telling him about it at that particular point in time was to inflict pain on, torment and destroy Jessie on all levels: mentally and emotionally as well as physically. It was like rubbing salt in the wound as he was sending Jessie off to die. A pure act of cruelty rather than as a confession.

[@sharkquisha3407]

He did it because in the moment he blamed Jesse for Hank's death because Jesse wouldn't listen to Walt and led them out there in the desert.

[@cjgem80]

Interesting. I've always wondered about him while watching the series. Can you do one on Gus? He seemed to only portray fake emotions and charm.

[@Researcher_Jim]

Gus was definitely more simple. A ruthless businessman leading a double life using the guise of being a good human being to conceal his drug empire.

[@moomyung9231]

Except with his murdered partner. (That it's hinted he was in love with.)

[@jayrose6312]

Los Pollos Hermanos, LOL! 😆

[@praesidium4278]

OCD definitely not a psychopath or sociopath not even a narcissist he was so obsessed about wanting to get his revenge hel he was trying to get revenge for over 20 years and didn’t stop tell me one more he could have and I wouldn’t believe it l

[@masterlcpl3736]

yes! do a video on gus and tuco!

[@PulpTales]

I dig this analysis. I think the premise of the show was that evil is often a logical response to circumstances. One place where Dr Grande's analysis is deficient, imho: Hank liked Walt as long as Walt was subservient to him. Hank's dislike for him at the end wasn't his love of the law or dislike of Walt's new persona. It was because he no longer saw himself as Walt's dominator. He liked his position of power over Walt most, same as he did with his wife. Hank did like and care about the other people around him, he just loved his own power over them more.

[@iambuhlockay8007]

Cameron Hoppe I disagree wholeheartedly. There’s no evidence to suggest that. Hanks first reaction is shock. Which then turns to a panic attack, then becomes denial, then he realizes it’s true and becomes angry, but not because Walt “had power over him” it’s that Walt had caused so much death and misery to so many different people, Hank included.

[@whyohwhy9679]

@@iambuhlockay8007 I think his shock came from realizing he had sorely underestimated his brother in law. The answer Hank had been chasing for so long, for his own pride, bucking his superiors to his detriment, had been right under his nose. Hank's machismo cowboy beliefs don't allow the idea that people who are "smart" and "normal" can be criminals too. It would never occur to him that the family member he constantly puts down as a milquetoast could pull off something like Walt did. I think he was shocked about Walt but also disappointed in himself for not putting it together.

[@mintlatte9934]

I am Buhlockay I think it’s a bit of both. Hank cared about those around him to an extent but as long as it was on his terms. There was a bit of ego involved which accounted for his relentless pursuit of the case against his superiors orders. Also the fact that once he found out Walt was Heisenberg he didn’t immediately report it because of how it would affect him. That’s selfish not altruistic. He knew how dangerous Walt was.

[@hiduck8247]

You do realize that Hank was searching for "Heisenberg" for the whole series, only to find out that it was Walter all along. He was obsessed with catching the guy, and that didn't change when he found out who it was.

[@corneliahanimann2173]

Can't it be both? Underestimating his enemy but also realising his brother in law is not inferior and that his brother in law, a person he trusted, would make him feel so foolish and also a person that caused a lot of pain

[@dusty3913]

Really brilliant analysis. Only 2 points stick out for me. 1) When Walt ran over the dealers who had Combo killed, you could argue another motive-justice for their murder of the little kid. 2) When Walt admitted to Jessie that he let his gf die, it wasn't respect. He was trying to hurt Jessie in that moment. It was pure animosity.

[@JediBunny]

Wow, this is an excellent analysis Dr. Grande! I would love to hear your take on Jimmy McGill (Saul Goodman); particularly in relation to his sibling dynamic with his brother Charles. (As explored in *Better Call Saul.* ) And even your insight on how that type of dynamic might develop during developmental years due to specific parenting styles!

[@JeanieD]

I agree! That would be very interesting.

[@lynnie6633]

Great analysis! I agree that Mike never liked Walt, and the very first time he was going to get out of the business, he says to Walt, "You know how they say it's been a pleasure? It hasn't"! I think that Mike cared about Jesse a great deal though.

[@captainbluegill3357]

Walter was one of the greatest Americans that ever didn't really exist. “Smoking marijuana, eating Cheetos, and masturbating do not constitute plans in my book.”

[@stacyyoust]

"Chemistry is about...TRANSFORMATION!!"~Mr. White, high school teacher

[@Zizou_77]

Phenomenal series - best show ever (IMO)! Vince Gilligan is a genius! Bryan Cranston’s superb portrayal made for a great moral arm-wrestle. I don’t believe any other actor could have given it the justice the writing deserved. The ‘chemistry’ he struck up with Aaron Paul was perfect. Beautifully balanced. Great breakdown, Doc! Thanks! Now, say...my... name! I think a lot of people had too much expectation of El Camino - it was Jesse’s story, not Skyler’s, Walt Junior, Saul, Mike’s or anyone else’s, just Jesse’s. Some nice cameos therein too. I thought ‘The Fly’ episode was very symbolic, for what it’s worth. Slow, but necessary to show where Walt’s head was at! Have you made a video on Tony Soprano, Doc? Though that one is pretty much self explanatory, he’s still a very complex character. Cheers!

[@Zizou_77]

@@deeb8733 Better Call Saul? Spin-off to Breaking Bad. Completely different shows but equally well written and acted. Wouldn’t say it’s as good as BB but it has its own unique flavour. Well worth a watch if you enjoyed its predecessor/sibling show.

[@RaferJeffersonIII]

The fly was one of the best episodes. A lot of Americans can’t cope with 30 mins without special effects and slow motion explosions

[@curiousworld7912]

My only issue with your assessment, is that Walter never took responsibility for his actions until the very end, when he told his wife that he did it all for himself. I don't think Walter went from a good man to a bad man - I think he simply allowed himself the freedom to behave the way he chose to behave. He was operating on an 'expiration date', in a manner of speaking, and so grew to loving his role as being in the 'empire business'. His wounded ego from the start of the series, grew into a massive narcissism, where he manipulated everyone around him - including the family he kept insisting he was doing all this for.

[@ranierserratore8471]

The last sentence of your comment perfectly describes what makes Walt a bad man.

[@jbolanowski1]

That's exactly what bad means for most of the people, allowing ourselves to use and hurt other people for our own convenience. There are few psychopatic saddists, who have no compassion and enjoy evil for evil-sake (Todd was such a monster). Most of the people don't want to kill or seriously hurt other people, but they still want to get what they want, so they are just taking shortcuts through other people lives and don't mind the price as long as they are not the one who are gonna pay it. I should really write we instead of they, cause to some degree it is most of us.

[@lelidawi2446]

He obviously went from good to bad also, to a certain extent at least. In the beggining, he avoided killing at all costs, he cried and felt a gigantic amount of guilt and anxiety everytime he did kill or let someone die, even if they were bad people or people who tried to kill him/ruin his or somebody else's life first, and he tried very hard to leave the drug-bussiness many times in the show, up until the middle of season 3, and even in season 5. He obviously had more empathy and morals in the beggining of the show, and far less arrogance (rather insecurity).

[@berniebro5162]

I agree, It irks me to no end when people say that Walter was a good man turned bad because when you compare him to Jesse you see what an actually good mad turned bad is, Walter was always bad.

[@lelidawi2446]

@@berniebro5162 I disagree that Walt was always BAD, but he certainly wasn't ever as good as him family thought he was. However, he still cried the first times he killed, and only killed when he almost had no other choice. He also felt a gigantic amount of guilt in season 1-3, especially about Jane, Jessie, and how his son keeps talking about him like he's a hero. He tried to burn his money even.. he couldn't stand to hear his son tell a news reporter what a great guy he is, because he knows it's not true... He changed the radio when they were talking about Jane's dad killing himself.. and so on.. And when he gets druged in Fly, we really see how much guilt and love for Jessie he has. Compare this to season 5, where he abuses his wife and kills like 10 people without caring or feeling any guilt at all (yes they were prisoners but many of them were pretty much innocent, like the car wash owner and Mike's lawyer), as well as killing Mike just because he got butthurt over Mike telling him the truth. And in season 5 he basically tries to manipulate someone in every single scene, while in season 1 he felt way more genuin and honest about his insecurities and depression, instead of trying to hide it behind a fasad. So yeah, I think he was a somewhat decent person in the first episode at least, and a grey character until the middle of season 3.

[@Ilovetruecrime545]

Another great video- this character drove me nuts!! Lol so self-centered and the show does an amazing job at demonstrating how his personality deteriorates further and further

[@hellonhead5905]

But it makes him more loveable through time.

[@naufrage0]

@@hellonhead5905 no it doesn’t.

[@naufrage0]

I agree but most people idolized this guy and thought he was a badass. It always worries me. Nothing about Walt made me sympathetic towards him. He was just a bad guy.

[@Fellow_Traveller1985]

Do Hannibal Lecter soon.

[@zoewynne8433]

The Bryan Fuller/Mads Mikkelson iteration of Hannibal is the richest, imho, so it would be great to include it.

[@sparky4747]

Yes, Hannibal Lecter is an interesting one. He is portrayed as being very high in narcissism, machiavellianism and sadism. But a lot of effort is made to convey that the character is very meticulous and organised as well as intelligent. He is commonly thought of as the stereotypical portrayal of a psychopath but he lacks the impulsiveness and reckless criminality that you would expect from that personality style.

[@madammadamwantnot3745]

Sparky Hannibal becomes more impulsive as the series progresses, unless you're talking about the movie???

[@Fellow_Traveller1985]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYuwma2ed9dkqqc Here is a very extensive character analysis of Hannibal Lecter, I highly recommend watching this.

[@preciousvicious9025]

@@zoewynne8433 yes please

[@franklynd5895]

As comprehensive and thorough as always. Are you planning on doing a similar video on Jessie Pinkman in light of the new movie?

[@davec3651]

18:55 He doesn't want to "say something impolite" lol 😂 I want a character analysis of Dr. Grande.

[@Catssandra13]

One of the best shows ever, thank Dr. Grande for this analysis. I always felt that the biggest change in Walt started with Jane's death. Nothing Stops This Train...

[@nursebridgie]

That was some kind of line. Crazy shit.

[@freedomlover622]

Thank you, Dr. Grande, these videos are much appreciated! A few thoughts. 1) As Walt is transforming, he is experiencing both decay (cancer) and re-birth simultaneously ("I felt alive"). 2) I don't believe Walt told Jesse about Jane out of respect for Jesse. The purpose was to hurt him as much as possible ("I could have saved her...but I didn't"). We see this is true by Jesse's reaction. 3) I believe Walt initially intended for Jesse to die with the rest of the gang, but when he saw that Jesse was not a partner of Uncle Jack's, but a slave, Walt saved his life.

[@mortimerjames218]

This might be my favorite vid of yours so far. Also Mike was the greatest character ever. Edit: Walt NEVER deserved poor Jesse

[@craigbenz4835]

Hank and Mike were the only characters I liked in that series.

[@camuscat123]

No doubt

[@freedomlover622]

Jesse first name is actually Poor Jesse. ;)

[@mortimerjames218]

@Джон Таргариен what? No way! Him saving Jesse was deserved & also went to show the ONE thread of humanity Walter had. Jesse NEVER deserved to die, imo

[@FreshZCORD]

walt was the greatest character ever

[@Griff2323]

Good analysis. There is also a spinoff about his lawyer Saul Goodman called Better Call Saul. You should review that as well. The characters are just as complex.

[@charleslyall5857]

An excellent analysis. A disturbing and utterly brilliant series. Despite the mayhem, the character of Walter White still remains haunting and compelling.

[@kimberlys8422]

He was a chemistry genius working under his payroll. He has to take a second job and his bratty students make fun of him... then he collapses from undiagnosed lung cancer. Then he thinks "I"m gonna use my talentents to help my family before I die" Then he learns his cancer is in remission, he just goes blood thirsty.... he's like "Fuck this shit!"

[@EnoYaka]

Will you do a mental health analysis of Todd from breaking bad? His character is so strange sometimes acting nice but still able to do horrible things

[@avisco01]

Probably a sociopath.

[@veronicaramirez3714]

Yes please!!!

[@irrittt]

Todd was fascinating. To me he seemed even more dangerous than Tuco (outwardly insane & dangerous) or Gus (outwardly charming, but later known as a ruthless business man & dangerous) because Todd seemed like a softie, and didn't even crack like Gus did. I think that's the most dangerous type. Just seemed soft even when he did horrible things, he was completely nonchalant about it - perfect psychopath.

[@FreshZCORD]

todd is so complex we need this

[@jkgent4087]

Todd was a complete sociopath, a textbook example. He possessed no empathy or remorse. He killed a child as if the child were a rabid animal. He just passed it off as “shit happens” to Jesse. I think Todd identified with Walt and wanted to take Jessie’s role with Walt. Todd hated Jessie, kept him prisoner, and tortured him in the worst possible way by killing Andrea. Todd made Brock an orphan, leaving Jesse powerless to help Brock after the death of his mother. Todd truly behaved as a Nazi sadist working in a concentration camp. An analysis of Todd would be great!.

[@illyillyill]

I think the idea of Breaking Bad was to show the "one bad day" motif that's been popularized by, honestly, The joker/ Batman dynamic. Walt was dying, and he lost out on billions of dollars. That's a pretty bad few days. I don't know if Walt classifies as insane though. According to actual psychology he might not. However, as you said he does refuse his own name in the place of a "super villain" one. Which is definitely a delusion of sorts. I've heard people over the years say that Walt just went insane due to his circumstances, which i could only argue by bringing up the Dark Triad traits he clearly showed, but how different are they really? How do Dark triad traits relate to pure insanity? Thanks for the vid.

[@camuscat123]

I really valued the writing and character development this series offered. I find it more interesting to not just look at the main characters, but how White relates to others and how they relate to him.. I wonder how personality evolves or expands into more psychopathology (or less), what really guides those choices?. I also wonder if Jessie represented his desire for a son who would assume a different role in his life which fulfilled his narcissistic needs. How could he make his child more of a reflection of him? Hence, the careless purchase of a car he wanted for his son (but really appealing to his wish to be a badass man). Jessie seems a surrogate used for such narcissistic needs. I interpret White as one who is torn by his fantasies: why he saves Jesse but also screws him over. He has a daughter: what could that mean to the character Walter White? Thanks: probably one of my favorites of the many series from which to choose. A slice of awesomeness for sure.

[@nikkiscapegoat5662]

I wish you could analyze my "parents" I swear they are demonic. I'm excited to watch this!

[@franmellor9843]

Head spinning ,anything like that ?!

[@ROCKLIKEACOBB]

If you're saying that you can't wait to watch Breaking Bad, then maybe you're like me and I was glad I already knew the ending. If you're talking about watching you're parents being analyzed...yikes, I hope it's not too scary.

[@aruvielevenstar3944]

Mine too

[@Len124]

Awesome video. It's a very rare thing to find a channel that's both helpful with SPSS and entertaining!

[@ronchase1673]

Walt didn’t go to release Jesse, he thought Jesse partnered with the Nazi gang, I think when he saw the sad condition Jesse was in that his instincts were to release him

[@shannonmayer18]

Can you do Sons of anarchy characters? Of course, most are sociopathic, and Gemma is a narcissist

[@kslothy9388]

This made my night! My favorite mental health professional analyzing my favorite series! I think your analysis was excellent, and I'm glad that you enjoyed the show, as well. I believe that Walt resented his controlling wife Skyler, for giving him a guilt trip to take chemo. Especially the intervention that followed. He even stated that he wanted to make his own decision, for the first time in his life. Once again, he let others choose his fate. I don't think Hank liked Walt. I think he felt some sort of guilt trip by his wife Marie, that made him tolerate Walt. He enjoyed bullying Walt and was very condescending toward him. Also he was a little bit jealous of Walt's intellect. I see narcissistic traits in Hank, anger and control issues, and possibly ideation, fantasies, and a mild obsession (the beer making hobby) with substance use disorder, that led him to choose his line of employment as DEA agent. I think the life of crime that followed, was as a duty to take care of his family,(mostly his kids) as he loved them and wanted them to have a good life. He was so angry at himself for not being able to be the father that they needed. He did have a big heart. The sudden turn from taking a backseat in his own life, then facing his mortality, allowed him to release that had been repressed for his whole life. It wasn't just about taking on a life of crime for creating this new life, identity as Heisenberg ,and the power, it was about him choosing to finally break his shell and be free to the end. If I'm not mistaken, he even had his death planned to the minute. The ultimate OCPD. Awesome analysis! I really enjoyed it. Thank you.

[@ArielManxx]

Indeed, Skyler didn't seem much like a loving wife, she was emotionally distant and cold, always showing her disappointment with Walter and the life that she had. It feels like she married an aspiring chemist with promising future, but instead got stuck with a poor school teacher and a disabled kid. It seems like she despised him for that all the years of their marriage. And by the way, Walter didn't just sell is share of the company, he had moral disagreements fith other co-founders because they wanted to involve in some shifty schemes, so he made a choice to qiut. As for WJ he did genuinely love his father and admire him, but he entered his teens and that's when kid start to question authorities, and eventually in the eyes of a teenager his uncle Hank started looking "cooler" than Walt, and WJ started looking up to his uncle instaed. So yeah I agree, it seems like there was a lot of suppresed anger in Walt's life contained for years and directed at himself, so a lifestyle of a criminall just enabled him to release this anger outwards.

[@robertisham5279]

No Skyler did not control him. His pride got in the way of everything, that's the whole point. He could have been a billionaire like Gretchin and Elliott but bailed out because he didn't get things his way.

[@rullmourn1142]

It is my favorite TV series ever. Well written and such believable acting. Nothing stops this train...Walter White.

[@jcrnda]

The show was over in 2013 and I forget many twists and turns and who did what to whom and for what. But what really stands out is those closeup seconds when they showed Walter's face turning into Heisenberg! That was really scary. Stays imprinted in my memory. Good show. Equals Dexter in my opinion.

[@ayuxx10]

I'd love to see an analysis of Bree van de Kamp from Desperate Housewives, if you've ever seen that show.

[@rejaneoliveira5019]

Excellent analysis! A lot of lessons to learn from the destructive power of greed. He could have all his financial issues resolved much earlier in the show but decided to continue with the business, and that made all the difference. I enjoyed the show very much. Thank you Dr. Grande:)

[@hellomoto5870]

Thank you for making this and also love that you know this much about the series

[@Mlpgirl168]

the way I remember Hank's attitude toward Walt was that of bullying him, joyfully condescending to him (making fun at his expense), consistently disrespecting him, while acting nice at times when other people were looking. perhaps I need to rewatch it, but I remember Hank as racist and not a very good person especially towards Walt.

[@ChillConservative2k15]

Even if you factor those things out, his involvement in the never ending pointless war on drugs makes him definitively not a good person. Not evil but certainly not good.

[@Mlpgirl168]

Yaboijay thanks for your input. I agree! it seems he uses fighting the war on drugs as his excuse for acting like a big, tough guy trying to kill all of the "bad" guys...such black and white thinking. Evidently, I was very annoyed by his character!

[@wholelottagangshid]

@@Mlpgirl168 Lots of people ended up liking his character later on in the series, because after that incident where he was shot and had to learn how to walk again, he showed vulnerability and was expressing emotions. I started to like his character more when this happened, it showed that deep down he wasn't a tough guy and he was scared of never being able to walk again

[@Mlpgirl168]

Gang shid yes. thank you for pointing that out!! i totally forgot about that major character struggle he suffered through ..which made him really relatable and likable!

[@Nimbus3690]

He wasn't bullying Walt, just gently joshing. It was Walt's timidity that made it look like bullying. Hank really cared from the start, he says so after Walt's cancer diagnosis. He's not a racist, he just jokes around with his buddy Gomez who returns racist jokes in kind. It's a dynamic of theirs but isn't based in true beliefs.

[@Archivist82]

I would absolutely love to hear an analysis of Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman/Gene through Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad. An amazingly complex character development for what started as comic relief.

[@cucujing301]

Let's not forget the moment Walter was in a fatigue and called Junior “Jessie”

[@shirleytreumuth1692]

I always thought that Jessie was a strong son figure for Walter.

[@deniz9062]

Yup

[@charlesmchugh8811]

I think Breaking Bad is the best series I’ve ever seen on TV. Your analysis is excellent and thorough. Thank you for this video. I love to hear your thoughts.

[@CarterSams]

I'd like to see one on Jesse, my friend. #teamjesse all the way. The character development TOTALLY makes the show.

[@mrssmith1691]

I love these analyses! But I have some disagreements with this one, having just rewatched the series. He blackmails Jesse from the get-go, Jesse doesn't want to cook with him, he forces him in that if Jesse doesn't, Walt is going to turn him in. At the end, part of why Walt is so angry with the Nazis is because he thinks they reneged on their deal and instead of killing Jesse have partnered with him. He has no idea before going there that they have imprisoned Jesse. I think when he throws himself on top of Jesse, he surprises even himself in that it shows he still has a shred of humanity left. If Jesse hadn't shown up in chains and scars, I think Walt would have wanted him dead as well. He walked out on his girlfriend (the co-owner of Gray Matter) with no explanation years ago, which is a jerk move. So it feels to me like Walt had alot of nasty character traits, he just was too timid to express them. Also, Skyler and Hank were pretty disrespectful - to the point of abuse - before Walt became a drug kingpin. Sorry for the long comment, no one I know wants to watch and talk about Breaking Bad, and I think it is so fascinating!

[@mamapetillo8675]

Don’t forget the scene when Walter Jr goes to his father’s condo, they had a real discussion, then as he laid down to go to sleep, He calls his son Jesse. That spoke volumes.

[@JediBunny]

This is wonderful! In the spirit of Halloween season, I’d love to hear your take on Jack Torrance (as portrayed by Jack Nicholson in Kubrick’s The Shining) as well as Annie Wilkes (as portrayed by Kathy Bates in Misery)!

[@tarrenhunt]

Jedi Bunny as would I.

[@aruvielevenstar3944]

Yessss

[@davidthomspson9771]

He became the opposite of what he wanted to be.A killer.A sociopath.It was a good series and having once been involved in the meth nightmare it was sad to watch but very good.

[@MisterTutor2010]

When I was getting my PhD in chemistry, Breaking Bad was popular among the the undergraduates in the organic chemistry laboratory section I taught. I myself didn't really watch it all that much until my last year.

[@ajelder99]

Have really enjoyed your breakdown of these great television show characters. One of the pivotal scenes in the series to me was Walter's near blow-up at Skyler when he told a rare truth to her declaring that he was the person that others feared, not the other way around. "I am the danger. I am the one who knocks." Wish you had touched on that and their relationship in general a bit more.

[@p_nk7279]

I thought you might cover the relationship with his former partner, the Gray Matters guy, as one of the important relationships. Though not ‘in’ the show much, this whole situation sets off traits and behaviors in Walt (or exposes them). And we see their interaction again at the end. So I think that one is also an important relationship. To me this is best TV that’s ever been. Thanks for reviewing and breaking down.

[@hermanubis7046]

Excellent analysis and also a good description of the qualities of the series, like for instance that it's very educational on a wide variety of subjects. Couldn't you make a second part? I'd love to hear more. :)

[@rb5078]

This is so great. I watched the whole video even though I’ve never seen Breaking Bad 😂 Please do this for Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead!

[@iulia.bianca.b]

I would absolutely love to see your take on Gus Fring, dr. Grande! He's such a complex character. Even better, you now have Better Call Saul, where you can see more of his character development.

[@pauldank3453]

speaking of bcs i think jimmy is probably the third most developed character in the series at this point

[@praesidium4278]

He has OCD i think it’s obvious.

[@milesbeler3974]

I think what makes him such a compelling protagonist is the fact that he does such evil WITHOUT a personality disorder, that we could all do something that bad given his power of mind, intellectualizing our misdeeds, and bitterness towards our misgivings. Great video thought!

[@ostevoostevo8989]

Great video ! Breaking Bad , along with The Sopranos were my two favorite series.I'm enjoying Better Call Saul too and I have just seen your video about Jimmy McGill . Thanks for all your videos !

[@SayMy_User_Name]

This is when u know you’re dealin w the pinnacle of film making when you can do legit real world mental health analysis of a fictional character .. Vince Gillian creates these characters - mr. white and Saul Goodman - that are so real and grounded in reality and react to situations in such realistic logical ways that we can actually do a real life mental analysis of these characters .. legendary

[@jasonmalice]

Telling truth about Jane wasnt respect on any level. That was Walt being spiteful and pouring salt on the wound.

[@vincentford9254]

I always looked for a video like this about Walter white and finally found it, thank you very much. It would be very good an analysis of the personality and mental health of ed kemper. He is a very interesting character and has also appeared in the series mindhunter. Thanks.

[@jamesmoffat124]

I hope you can do episodes about substance abuse, dependencies and on how some people can still function under the influence etc.

[@rosiellagrace]

I'm so ready for this, and the giggle that'll come about from it.

[@yourbestfriend8518]

Can't wait. What a great series!

[@soniajardon7546]

Thank you Dr. Grande for your video. I really liked it. I also suggest doing a psychological analysis of the "Better call Saul" spin off. I think it lives up to the original and is very interesting psychologically speaking.

[@skandababy]

I greatly appreciate your videos. Thank you for your insight to something we are all familiar with, yet not ACTUALLY familiar with the narcissists reality. We see them everyday yet we don't really understand them at all... your videos have really opened my eyes, and my interest. There's a particular concern I've had, all my life, about narcissistic people... actually, I guess it would cover anyone suffering with mental heath issues. It's a point of view that is never really discussed, and I suspect it's THAT point of view that causes it to be ignored or avoided. It's hard to feel sympathy for anyone that systematically hurts the people that care about them. Specifically, what I want to understand: is narcissism a mental illness that causes suffering to those who have narcissism? What I mean to ask is, is it against their will? Does the narcissism prevent someone from living an otherwise mentally healthy life? And, again, it's really a question of any mental health issue... but especially cases involving narcissism or psychopathy. Are people who have narcissism or psychopathy victims themselves? Does the narcissism itself prevent them from making the proper decisions to live a healthy life, as well as work against them for getting help? I would love some insight from that point of view, even the topic for a video. I apologize in advance if this topic or inquiry is naive or ignorant.

[@leealexander3507]

I found the progression of changes in Walt's personality and the breakdown of his relationships fascinating as I watched the series. I'd almost forgotten it was a series rather than a movie because I binge watched it all at once on Netflix. The slower episodes cause the movie as a whole hold up better than if they hadn't been there. Without the slower ones which did, in fact, lend toward an understanding of the character the non-stop intensity would have dulled the senses of the viewer although I suppose they might have seemed somewhat boring if watched one episode a week.

[@leejay2418]

This is so great! I was hoping for this! Thank you Dr Grande.

[@abandonthisfate2461]

Great video was looking for a person in the field to do a psych breakdown and summary of the character

[@Fontenelle2307]

Jesse is a BPD, I would say. That's how he could love Walter, as you said. Remember the "danse macabre" between BPD & NPD. And he appears to suffer from PTSD, too.

[@meme3395]

I don't know about the bpd assessment. Don''t bpds have deep identity disturbances? Jesse has very strong morals, seems to have an established identity.

[@3Mores]

Can you analyse the characteristics of the main character of "Mommie Dearest" portrayed by Faye Dunaway?

[@c1audius]

I put off watching series for years but I’m so glad that I finally did. It’s a testament of how good the writing of Walter is when you find yourself rooting for him and hating his guts. Personally I flip flopped between the two. I cheered when he was no longer the under dog and I shouted at the TV when he did despicable things.

[@RGale60]

It’s been a while since I watched Breaking Bad but I remember feeling intense emotions especially in the last season. That rarely happens for me. It was a good series, excellent commentary!

[@Markus-gf7su]

Can't wait to watch this one, about Heisenberg!!!

[@numbersletters2920]

I am fasantied.there is so much to learn or learn.

[@macmedic892]

9:11 Even paranoid people have real enemies!

[@amiller9628]

Just bc you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re NOT out to get you!

[@matthewrocca4197]

Excellent analysis as usual! The only differences of opinion I have are in the assessment of Walt's motivations in telling Jesse about Jane's death, and his "saving" of Jesse. I don't think Walt was telling Jesse that he watched Jane die as any kind of sign of "respect" whatsoever. I think this was 100% Walt just digging the knife deeper into Jesse's heart, before sending Jesse to what he assumed would be his death. In other words, Walt confessed this purely out of spite, to completely and utterly destroy Jesse as what he probably hoped would be some of the final words Jesse would hear before dying. We have to remember how enraged Walt was at Jesse at this point in the series: in Walt's mind, Jesse had utterly betrayed him by giving him up to Hank, and because Walt is so completely unable to accept responsibility for his own failures and actions, he HAD to blame Hank's death on someone else besides himself, so of COURSE he would blame it on Jesse. This, to me, creates further evidence of Walt having some form of Antisocial Personality Disorder, as a key trait for psychopaths and sociopaths is an inability to accept responsibility and blame for their actions. Then, in Walt's final big act of revenge, I don't think Walt went there with the intention of *saving* Jesse whatsoever. Walt was livid that someone else was cooking his precious blue meth, and he knew it had to be Jesse. In his mind, Jesse must be working with the neo-Nazi gang, undermining him and his "legacy" by continuing to create "pure" blue meth. So Walt went in there with every intention of *killing* Jesse, along with the rest of the gang. It was only when Walt saw Jesse in chains, beaten and bruised from torture, that he realized Jesse was a victim and not a conspirator or competitor, and THAT is when he made the last-minute decision to save Jesse. This, to me, speaks volumes about Walt's Narcissistic personality traits. Anyway, that's my two cents. As usual, love your analysis! Would love to see a similar psychological breakdown of the character Dexter Morgan from the series "Dexter", and Francis Underwood from "House of Cards"

[@juanandresnunez9865]

Fantastic!! An analisis of Jimmy McGill (Saul goodman) and his relationship with his brother could be interesting

[@pauldank3453]

saul by this point is probably the 3rd most developed character and his change of character is so fantastic also i think jesse is really interesting and worth an analysis

[@ryanreynolds2134]

Just found your channel and really enjoy all of your content. As far as the tv/movie content goes I would love to hear your analysis/take on the movie No Country for Old Men (specifically the character Anton Chigurh). If you haven’t done a video on him already..

[@thomasrockwell3296]

Anton the shit

[@Schreibtisch1]

Great video, thanks for your work and effort you put into these videos. Here are some persons I would love to hear analysis of you: Andrew Cunanan (serial Killer, who also killed Gianni Versace) - Adam Lanzer (Sandy Hook school shooting) - Tony Sopranos (I'm pretty sure you know him and Dr. Melphi) - Jens Söring (german guy who was released from a live long prison sentence recently)

[@psycherevival2105]

I cracked up when you said “I learned a lot about chemistry.” 😂🤣😂🤣

[@intorainbowzOG]

I think the fly episode is one of the best episodes. I really enjoyed this video. I'd love to see you analyze more fictional characters.

[@language-n-learning]

Great review and analysis of the show! Would it be safe to say that the relationship between Walt and Jesse was that of a narcissist and co-dependent? And, if so, what does that say about Jesse's parents, who I despise? I thought they were quite cruel to Jesse.

[@j1947m]

But they let him live in their house alone, and he went and made a METH LAB in their BASEMENT!!! And that party where they spray painted and trashed the whole house; it looked like HELL had been there....(though he did repaint it...) And don't forget how he pulled that young neighbor back into a drug habit,, and then she died, thanks to Walt....(of course, they couldn't know about that)......I'll bet they would have forgiven him after a while, if they saw him healthy and productive....maybe

[@johnnymills4022]

That was a perfect analysis of Walter White. Keep up the great work Dr. Grande!!

[@therapyfornerds6020]

Yeah, Jane was definitely the tipping point.

[@emilefrenette9325]

Very interesting. Could you cover a few other characters with their own episodes ? The ones i had in mind: Marie Schrader, Gale Boetticher, Skyler White, Gus Fring, Tuco Salamanca, the "Cousins"(Leonel and Marco Salamanca), Mike Ehrmantraut & Lalo Salamanca(appears in: "Better Call Saul" ).

[@o.7.o]

Awesome topic and video! I’ve sometimes wondered about the psych profiles of Mike and Saul Goodman...so if you need an idea for another video :)

[@j1947m]

That was one of my favorite character study stories of all time!!! Sal's brother truly hated him....because although he was "a screw-up" his mother still loved him better.

[@NORIEGA200]

Breaking Bad is one of my favorite TV shows! I watched it 3 times! I like to analyse shows and your break down of it is spot on!☺

[@andreasleonlandgren3092]

The sad thing is he could have just gave his family his time and care. He choose the wrong path to be subtle😳

[@LoriLeeSurfCityTemptations]

One of the best shows on t.v. ever . Great video thanks

[@cat4331]

I used to support Walt first few episodes and then his true nature showed... he’s extremely selfish and reckless...I hate him so much Interesting video topics as always!!! Will you consider Dr. Lecter?

[@RJ-hx5nb]

YES ! SILENCE of the lambs ~~~

[@blorkpovud1576]

I think I read somewhere that Lecter's personality is unclassifiable.

[@Nope2022HugeTheWarningFan]

@@blorkpovud1576 Lecter shows traits of a psychopath in some instances, but a sociopath in others. Seems to be without fear, but then you can see an illumination of it in certain scenes. His backstory suggests sociopathy, yet, since he's fictional, there's not really a person alive who has this exact personality, thus it's hard to classify.

[@alyssapinon9670]

Same here. Eventually you get to a point where you can’t defend him anymore.

[@naufrage0]

@@stairwaytoheaven8 so many people view Walt as a hero and it’s sickening

[@tamedshrew235]

Really enjoyed this commentary as im just watching the series on Netflix now. My take from a layman's point of view is that everybody has a dark side and is capable of crossing over. I actually think Schylar demonstrated this if not in magnitude but in her voyeurism.

[@j.martinez8767]

You have an interesting point regarding his openness. Walt never goes into philosophical debates or discusses ethics, it's all business and optimizing processes. He is indeed highly intelligent and conscientious. However there is a side to him that is rarely explored, when he was younger seemingly in love with Gretchen he does mention how human's value amounts to its elements. Does this show lower or higher openness? I'm not sure.

[@CarterSams]

Also, if you add a few hashtags to your description box you might have a better SEO. Especially because this is a pop culture favorite. Thanks for your channel!

[@s.s.776]

Thank you for making this Dr. Grande. I love you.