Vince Gilligan rose to prominence with the critically acclaimed crime drama series Breaking Bad. He followed up the impressive series with the prequel spin-off Better Call Saul, which also received critical acclaim. However, in a recent interview, Gilligan admitted that he aimed to put the Breaking Bad storytelling style in the rearview mirror.
Gilligan was recently conferred with the Writers Guild Award’s top writing honor. During his acceptance speech, Gilligan shared his feelings on writing bad characters like Breaking Bad protagonist Walter White and explained why he wanted to move away from the archetype in 2025. With Donald Trump returning as President, Gilligan’s comments make sense, and here is what he had to say.
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan doesn’t want to write more ‘bad guys’
Vince Gilligan created Breaking Bad, arguably one of the best shows of the 21st century. The series starred Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a chemistry teacher who slowly turns into a feared drug kingpin. Gilligan was recently honored with WGA’s Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement.
While accepting his award, Gilligan reflected on his past work, including Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. During his speech, Gilligan revealed he was no longer interested in writing bad characters.
I’d rather be celebrated for creating someone a bit more inspiring. In 2025 it’s time to say that out loud, because we are living in an era where bad guys, the real life kind, are running amok.
Gilligan made the above statement (via Variety), explaining why he was no longer interested in telling stories about bad guys.
The acclaimed writer-producer is known for writing morally complex characters. However, Gilligan felt that the recent events in America and the world made him believe that there was a need for more good guys in stories as he felt celebrating good people has become necessary in today’s climate.
Vince Gilligan teased his next series set outside the Breaking Bad universe
Since wrapping up Better Call Saul, Gilligan has been hard at work on his next television series set up at Apple TV+, which will not be related to the Breaking Bad universe. The series is set to star Rhea Seehorn in the role and will be in the sci-fi genre.
During a recent interview with Deadline, Gilligan teased what fans can expect from the upcoming series, teasing that Seehorn’s character would be entirely different from her role in Better Call Saul. He said:
She plays someone who’s trying very hard to be good. She’s a bit of a damaged hero, but she’s a hero nonetheless.
Gilligan’s comments echo his desire to move away from bad guy characters, instead celebrating the good guys.
At the same time, the showrunner admitted that it was a pleasure to work with the actress, who he described as sweet, kind, and talented. Meanwhile, Seehorn also expressed excitement over the series but remained tight-lipped over the details, admitting that she couldn’t even reveal its title yet.
Breaking Bad is streaming on Netflix.
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