A compelling crime drama, which was initially believed to be Netflix’s Breaking Bad replacement, highlighted what made Bryan Cranston’s Walter White incredibly appealing. The show in question did not reach the same critical and commercial highs as Breaking Bad but still managed to make a solid name and identity for itself in the crime thriller genre.
Only a few shows have come close to being as iconic and culturally impactful as Breaking Bad. Like most crime dramas, Breaking Bad started slowly and took time to garner a solid viewership. However, by the time it reached its fourth installment, it had gained a substantial following that paved the way for it to become one of the greatest TV shows of all time.
Over a decade after its end, many shows of the genre still try to emulate its formula and recreate its success. One original Netflix show, too, was seemingly on the path of doing the same with its early story beats. Although it eventually etched its own identity in the crime thriller genre, the Netflix show revealed what drew so many viewers to Walter White.
Ozark Was Netflix’s Answer To Breaking Bad, But It Made One Massive Change
Even though Ozark and Breaking Bad dabble with many similar themes and story beats, their main characters are significantly different. Ozark‘s Marty and Breaking Bad‘s Walter end up in similar situations when they find themselves knees-deep in the quicksand of the criminal world.
However, unlike Walter, Marty was already on the gray side of the moral spectrum in Ozark‘s opening moments. In Breaking Bad‘s early episodes, Walter White is portrayed as an ordinary high-school chemistry teacher who would not hurt a soul. This makes his eventual descent into Heisenberg far more shocking and transformative.
Although both Marty and Walter gradually lose their grip on morality, their starting points are significantly different. Even when it comes to their motivations, there is a stark contrast between what drives them. While Marty, almost consistently, is driven by pragmatism and a desire to help his family survive, Walter White only seeks power and control in Breaking Bad‘s latter arcs.
Ozark Proved That Walter White’s Villain Story Was The True Appeal Of His Show
Many factors contributed to Breaking Bad‘s success and Ozark‘s relative lack thereof. However, the main distinction between the two shows’ protagonists suggests that their story choices might have impacted how they were received by audiences. Walter White is remembered as a more iconic character than Marty because of how significantly he changed throughout the show.
Did You Know: Breaking Bad‘s creator Vince Gilligan called the shots on ending the show with season 5 because he did not want it to outstay its welcome and degrade in quality.
Marty, too, experienced several shifts in his morality and perception towards the criminal world. However, unlike Walter, he did not go from being an innocent everyman to a ruthless kingpin. This shows that Breaking Bad‘s primary appeal comes from how it dramatically delivered the main character’s complete metamorphosis and how brilliantly Bryan Cranston captured it on screen.
