Characters in television dramas are often nuanced and morally gray, which draws viewers in. Petyr Baelish, a.k.a. Littlefinger, from Game of Thrones, and Skyler White (Anna Gunn) from Breaking Bad are two examples of characters that have found themselves ranking on the latest ‘most hated’ lists. Astoundingly, though, Skyler is currently rated higher than the cunning and manipulative Littlefinger. The latter was played by Aidan Gillen in the HBO TV adaptation, which received positive reviews.
Meanwhile, Gunn won praise from critics for her portrayal of Kyler, the protagonist’s wife. Thus, there is a catch: because of the recent shift in public opinion, Kyler’s ranking on the hate list above Littlefinger has gained an astonishing amount of validation. Aside from the initial knee-jerk reactions, fans also debate the reasons for Skyler’s existence on this most hated list.
Also Read: Real Reason Bob Odenkirk Hated Playing Saul Goodman: “It was fun to play him in Breaking Bad but…”
Why is Game of Thrones’ Petyr Baelish on the Most Hated List?
A recent survey by the popular entertainment website Ranker exposed fans’ thoughts on the worst TV characters. Aidan Gillen’s portrayal of Petyr Baelish, arguably the most cunning character in Game of Thrones, has been ranked in twelfth place. Littlefinger, as his moniker suggests, was once a minor lord who rose to prominence by using cunning, bribery, spies, murder, and betrayal to further his goals. His shrewdness and unbridled ambition are his two main qualities.
Baelish, who came from a small family with little money and power at first, used bribery, deceit, and the connections he made at Riverrun to rise to prominence in King’s Landing. His schemes lead to a number of significant incidents that have an effect on Westeros, such as the War of the Five Kings and the deaths of Lord Jon Arryn and King Joffrey Baratheon.
Baelish is one of the main antagonists in the series. Littlefinger’s ranking in twelfth place was immensely satisfying because we love to hate and hate to love him. Should he, however, be ranked above Skyler White, given his evil manipulations? This is what fans find difficult to swallow. They even argue that it was not necessary for Skyler to be on the list.
Skyler White Gets Vindication After Being Ranked Above Petyr Baelish in Most Hated List
Similar criticism was directed at Breaking Bad’s Skyler White, played by Anna Gunn. For this reason, she was probably ranked even higher on the most hated list than the evil Petyr Baelish. Many viewers unfairly judged the choices and actions of Gunn’s portrayal of the character, which drew mixed reviews.
On the other hand, the recent shift in public opinion shows how perspective and retrospect can change our perception of characters. Fans have been able to reevaluate Skyler’s plot and appreciate the depths she brings to the show because of Breaking Bad‘s deft character development. With time, viewers have come to appreciate her candid reactions to her husband’s illegal activities.
Check out how fans are evaluating her character while arguing she shouldn’t be on the list. One wrote:
y’all hate Skyler White for the most misogynistic reasons. she doesn’t even belong on this list.
— ras ali (@rasalistair) November 26, 2023
Another asked:
Replace Skyler with Chuck McGill
— Super Snow Moon (@SuperSnowMoon) November 26, 2023
One added:
it’s called internalized misogyny.
— ras ali (@rasalistair) November 27, 2023
A fan shared:
Not really. You’re watching the show for Walt, and Skyler as a character is supposed to cause friction… she is literally designed to be unlikable because she’s against everything Walt does.
It’s not misogyny, she’s designed to be disliked by the audience
— Who? (@BloooseGooose) November 26, 2023
Another fan chimed:
To be fair, I think that a less vocal part of people who disliked her were people who just wanted to see Walter spiral out of control more and she kind of was the person that prevented him from getting much worse. She was kind of his anchor in a way or it felt that way a bit.
— Factory Reset (@FactoryReeset) November 26, 2023
One claimed:
She didn’t do anything wrong 😭😭
— steady (milk enthusiast) 🥛 (@SteadySZN) November 26, 2023
Breaking Bad centers on Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher who is overqualified, underpaid, and depressed after receiving a stage-three lung cancer diagnosis. In order to ensure his family’s financial future before he passes away, White turns to a life of crime and teams up with a former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), while dodging the perils of the criminal underworld.
AMC’s Breaking Bad debuted on January 20, 2008, and ran for five seasons, totaling sixty-two episodes, before ending on September 29, 2013.
Breaking Bad is available to stream on Netflix, while Game of Thrones is available on Max.
