Skyler White is one of the most-hated characters in TV history. She is constantly under fire online and was even ranked the third most-hated character of all time by users on Ranker.com. However, I truly believe that Skyler White does not deserve the hate she gets. In fact, I believe that most of the backlash stems from a deeply rooted misogynistic view that women should be dutiful and submissive to their husbands. 

Skyler stands up to her husband Walter White throughout “Breaking Bad.” She acts as one of the main obstacles to Walter, often upset by Walter’s lies and manipulation. She is angry that her husband has become a drug lord and is dealing with shady people — people who would not hesitate to kill him and his entire family. She is fearful about the safety of her children around this man who has become a stranger. Walter is becoming a meth drug lord — he kills people, kidnaps them, works with neo-Nazis, poisons children and even sexually assaults Skyler. However, because Walter is the protagonist of the show, viewers want to root for him and will automatically dislike whatever stands in his way — even with all of his moral failings. 

This isn’t to say that Skyler was the perfect character and made no mistakes. Skyler knowingly used Walt’s drug money, cheated on Walt and didn’t follow her lawyer’s advice about divorcing Walt. And sure, the “happy birthday” scene was uncomfortable, but Skyler was a realistic character. No person put into her situation is going to instantly accept it, no questions asked. It would be completely unrealistic for a person to find out their husband has become a murderous meth drug lord and just go with it. Every character is going to have flaws. We don’t want a character that is perfect all the time and never has any obstacles get in the way — no one is watching that show. In fact, female characters that are written that way are referred to as “Mary Sues.” A “Mary Sue” is a derogatory term for a female character that is flawless, perfect and beloved. 

However, it’s not just Skyler White that receives this treatment, as lots of female characters across television get hate for standing up to their husbands. Characters like Carmela Soprano from “The Sopranos” and Betty Draper from “Mad Men,” both wives of criminals like Skyer, who stand up to their husbands, also get significant hate from viewers.

There is a cultural bias against female characters who defy traditional, compliant roles for women, because society still has a notion that women should be dutiful and submissive towards men. Whenever a woman is seen in a position of power, especially over men, they get hate for it. However, a man in a position of power, especially over women, gets love and adoration. This double standard becomes especially clear when you compare male and female characters with similar traits. If a male character displays assertiveness, control, leadership or is morally complex, they get praise. Now give a female character those same traits, and she gets called “naggy,” “ball and chain” and an “annoying bitch wife.” This difference in perception of characters shows how deeply ingrained expectations about gender still shape the way audiences interpret characters.

It isn’t just the character, either — the actresses themselves also get hate for the characters they played. Anna Gunn, the actress who played Skyler White, has stated she received harassment and even death threats over her portrayal of the character. 

Society needs to become more comfortable with women in positions of power. No woman should ever feel obligated to remain in an abusive relationship because of outdated and sexist societal expectations. Skyler White and other characters like her receive hate not because of their actions, but because of what they represent. They can’t be controlled. They can’t be silenced, and you cannot take advantage of them. These traits disrupt the long-standing expectations of how a woman “should” behave, and that makes people uncomfortable. But that discomfort does not mean these characters should get these reactions from viewers. It means that society needs to see the biases behind that reaction. 

Anna Gunn’s portrayal of Skyler was amazing. She is an extremely talented actress who played a complex character incredibly well. The hate she gets is truly not deserved, and it reveals that there are still inherent sexist biases in everyday life. If characters like Skyler continue to spark hatred and discomfort, the problem is not the character, but the societal expectations that are placed on women. 

Serenity Bunner is a first-year on a pre-law track and is a communications and law, criminal justice and society double major and she will always defend Skyler White. Email her about her article or the “Breaking Bad” universe at [email protected].