ABSTRACT
The analysis of the centrist relation to Right-wing ideology and Neoliberal capitalism is applied to Breaking Bad. While the main character, Walter White, at first argues that his turn to crime is driven by his desire to help his family survive, we learn at the end that his transgressions were motivated by the way they made him feel powerful and important. In the structure of this story, it turns out that capitalism is the only solution to the problems caused by capitalism as Walter's criminality is driven by a need to make more money at all costs. With this form of capitalist realism, we find the centrist commitment to careerism as a source of individual survival and enjoyment. Since no alternative to the current system is seen as possible, all one can do is further commit to a system one condemns. From this perspective, the audience is not simply identifying with Walter's compulsive capitalism—the audience is also critiquing and morally condemning his actions. Similar to the way the audience relates to Tony Soprano, it is therefore necessary to take a double perspective on both the content and the audience's relation to the actions of Walter White.
