Breaking Badwas a show unlike any other. Airing across five seasons it broke the boundaries on what TV could be, blending criminal drama with funny moments and real, well-developed characters. Vince Gilligan’s evolution as a director can be seen in a series that starts out on a slow burn before delivering a wealth of amazing payoffs that make it clear why this series attracted such a devoted audience.
ThebestBreaking Badcharactersall serve a purpose, however small it may be. However, as with every TV show, some characters were better than others. It wasn’t just the regular characters, cameo characters who served a purpose were also well-received by fans. Walt is one of themost sinister evil scientists on TV, and his interactions with other characters provide fans with plenty of great moments and compelling dialogue.
Updated Jul 30, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Breaking Badis one of the greatest TV shows of all time. Fans love the palpable manner in which Vince Gilligan’s directing style matures over the course of this incredible series. Walter White transforms from a sorry cancer-ridden teacher into one of the biggest drug kingpins in Albuquerque, with his quest to become important eventually getting in the way of his duty as a father and husband. He’s just one of the manybestBreaking Badcharacterswho serve as the beating heart of a narrative that fans can’t get enough of to this day.
23Skinny Pete
Jesse’s Long-Time Friend
Despite seeming like a mindless methhead, Skinny Pete is far from the most boring character on the show. He’s a great representation of the way drugs ruin lives. He and his buddies spend the entire day doing drugs and pushing meth onto other people, instead of doing something meaningful with their lives.
That being said, he still serves as a fairly loyal friend to Jesse and helps him out at his lowest point. Watching him and Badger pretend to be hitmen to blackmail Walt’s friend and her wife to care for Walter Jr. is a hilarious moment that shows. It shows that these twoBreaking Badcharacterswere more important than most fans were led to believe.
22Brandon “Badger” Mayhew
Jesse’s Other Long-Time Friend
One of the funnier characters on the show, Badger has some iconic line deliveries in his high-pitched, cracked voice. He is one of Jesse’s friends, and ends up being the most hilarious member of the group. He tries to walk the straight and narrow, but the funds he enjoys from pushing drugs are so tantalizing that he is roped back into a life of crime time and again.
Still, despite being an airhead, Badger is far from the most morally corrupt character on the show. In fact, one could argue that Badger could have lived a normal life had it not been for the bad company he fell into. Of course, the bad decisions he made are still his own. But it’s difficult to be so hard on a character who lightens up the mood of the show whenever he gets his time to shine on the big screen asone of thebestBreaking Badcharacters.
21Andrea Cantillo
One Of Jesse’s Partners, Who Todd Uses As A Way To Punish Him
Not a lot of good came Jesse’s way, especially after he teamed up with Walter to take over the meth business by storm. The relationships he had met a grisly end one way or another, with Jane’s death marring his psyche.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only person who died because she was close to him. Walt poisoned Andrea’s child in a twisted bid to manipulate Jesse into helping him kill Gus, and she herself was shot in the head after Jesse tried to escape from Todd’s clutches, only to be punished in this cruel manner.
20Ted Beneke
Has Feelings For Skyler That Culminate In An Affair
It’s hard not to hate Ted, given that his short-lived affair with Skyler leads to some of the most iconic moments inBreaking Bad. However, things take a turn for the worse when Ted is contacted by the IRS about the legitimacy of his tax returns. Since Skyler was helping him maintain the books around that time, it put her at risk, since the threat of being put under surveillance could uncover her drug dealing operations.
This leads to a major turnaround for Skyler, who tries her hardest to make Ted see the light by sending him a ton of money. However, when he doesn’t use them the way she wanted him to, she sends two goons to intimidate him. They end up hospitalizing the hapless man, whom Skyler successfully intimidates. He promises to pay the IRS instead of using the money she’d given him to enjoy a lavish lifestyle.
19Lydia Rodarte-Quayle
A Business Executive Who Earns More Money On The Side
A person quick to change allegiances to ensure that her family gets the best hand, Lydia’s persistence to prioritize profits above anything else should definitely be praised if nothing else. There are times when she can be rather overbearing, but that comes with the territory of not wanting to be screwed over.
Lydia’s extremely careful and tries her hardest to not leave behind any evidence or get caught. Unfortunately, by the end of the series, she becomes Walter’s target, who poisons her with ricin for betraying him and helping out Jack Welker’s gang.
18Krazy 8
Triggered Walt’s Transformation Into Heisenberg
Krazy 8 might not be the most ruthless gangster or the clever emperor of a vast drug business, but he is the most essential character in the entire series. His inclusion in the list might be open for debate, but it is undeniable that the on-ground distributor was the first step in Walter White really breaking bad.
Dealing with off-ing someone regardless of their morality is a huge ask for anyone who doesn’t have a flair for it, let alone a dying chemist. But it is the episode where Walter White has to let go of any human ethics to really let loose to become the ruthless danger that he evolves into.
17Gale Boetticher
Obsessed With Walt, Only To Become A Thorn In His Idol’s Side
After being diagnosed with cancer,Walter decided to walk his own path in life. After being a nobody for most of his life, Walter turned into a meth cook who delved into a life of crime and ended up being someone. However, there were many lives lost on the path to fuel his ego, with Gale being one of his many indirect victims.
He is considered by many to be one of the better characters on the show. Sure, he may have fallen into a life of crime, but Gale was a sweet human who genuinely appreciated Walter’s genius and was always in awe of his idol. If there was one character inBreaking Badwho deserved to live, it was him.
16Walter White Jr.
Walter And Skylar’s Son With A Heart Of Gold
Walt shares a complicated relationship with his son, who has mixed feelings for the man that surface after Walt turns to a life of crime. The kid’s heart is in the right place and he’s loved by Walter, there’s no doubt about it.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible for someone to be a drug kingpin and a respected father. By the end of the series, Walter Jr. is horrified once he gets to know of Walter’s criminal actions, going so far as to pull a knife on him in order to protect his mom. He’s blissfully unaware of Skylar’s activities to help Walter out, which was perhaps for the best.
15Huell Babineaux
A Hilarious Enforcer With Ties With Saul Goodman
One of themore hilarious characters in the show is Huell Babineaux. An enforcer who acts as Saul Goodman’s bodyguard, Huell’s deadpan delivery and excellent comedic timing make him a treat to witness on-screen.
That being said, Huell is also pretty competent and does whatever job he’s asked to do without questioning things too much. Sure, there are times when he slips up in the series, but those are few and far between.
14Marie Schrader
Skyler’s Sister And Hank’s Wife
The wife of Hank and sister to Skylar, Marie Schrader was a funny character who had her own faults and quirks throughout the show.
Though she didn’t always have much to do in terms of the main storyline, Marie was important as a side character and member of the main family who was always present when it counted and acted as a source of support for both Skylar and Hank. Fans of Marie will know that she gave one of thebestBreaking Badcameos inBetter Call Saul.
