ABSTRACT
This chapter presents how the antihero's wife is portrayed in recent American television series, with a special focus on Walter White's wife Skyler in Breaking Bad. It discusses female antiheroes. The chapter presents investigating the antihero's wife as a special case of villainy. It argues that the antihero's wife is a drag, one prolonged, lingering reality check offering little attraction amidst the enjoyable transgressions her husband offers. There is little attraction to be found in engaging in the perspective of the antihero's wife. Female fans of melodrama and soaps may object, and surely viewers do traditionally find the suffering victim-hero appealing. The chapter concentrates on male antiheroes up until now, and on the function played by his wife in the antihero narrative, where she is seen as traditionally tied to their home. Although the male antiheroes dominate, there are also female antiheroes to be found.
