Summary
I don’t know how many times I’ve rewatchedBreaking Bad, but no matter the amount, the murder of Gale Boetticher still shocks and upsets me. There have beena few smart cooks onBreaking Badthroughout the show’s five seasons, but I don’t care about any of them the way I do Gale Boetticher. From his first appearance in season 3, episode 6, “Sunset”, I was hooked on the sweet, nerdy, scientist who seems bothout of place in the brutal world ofBreaking Badand perfectly at home in the lab.
Gale was Gus Fring’s (Giancarlo Esposito) original meth cook. He’s a brilliant chemist and has a libertarian view on drugs, assuming that if he doesn’t provide quality methamphetamine, users will simply get it from somewhere else.It’s all about the science with Gale, as he tells Walter White (Bryan Cranston) when they first meet. And in that first appearance, I always illogically hope that Gale will stick around for the rest ofBreaking Bad.
The Breaking Bad Universe’s 15 Best Characters, Ranked
Breaking Bad contains a rich universe with an outstanding cast of characters that all have compelling and well-defined story arcs and personalities.
Gale Boetticher’s Death Was The Moment Walt & Jesse Truly Broke Bad
Walt Forcing Jesse To Kill Gale Is One Of The Worst Things He’s Done
Even though I know it’s coming, the season 3 finale always manages to upend my rewatch. In the episode, Gus and Walt come to an uneasy truce after Walter protects Jess from Gus' wrath after they both kill his dealers. Gus claims he will let bygones be bygones, but when Gale comes back to work for Walt after being fired, Walt understands he is being set up to be replaced.
Gale is the one who convinced Gus to hire Walter, insisting that Walter’s meth was so pure as to be impossible to replicate.
Before that can happen, Walt calls Jesse, instructing him to kill Gale, which he tearfully does. The aftermath is shown in the season 4 premiere, with Gale dead and my hopes for a happy series equally shot down. Before everything went south with Gus, Gale was the perfect partner for Walt. I find myself yelling at the screen in his early appearances, “Just be friends with Gale! Make meth, brew coffee, and talk about chemistry! What more can anyone want?”
But this is Walter White we’re talking about. It’s never good enough for him, and it’s at this moment, an admittedlygeniusBreaking Badscene, that he makes good on the show’s title. Walter had it all with Gale. Instead, he chooses to kill him, and in the process, he forces Jesse to break bad too, and makes him commit a murder that haunts him for the rest of the series. I thank Vince Gilligan for bringing Gale back for a few scenes inBetter Call Saul, but even those hurt knowing where he’ll end up.
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Breaking Bad
Cast
Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.
David Costabile Went On To Play My Other Favorite TV Character — Wags In Billions
Mike Wagner Is A Much Different Character Than Gale Boetticher
David Costabile has had a very solid career post-Breaking Bad. His most notable role actually came after playing Gale, when he appeared inthe main cast ofBillionsas Mike “Wags” Wagner. Wags is another treasured TV character of mine and a much different character than Gale. Wags is Bobby Axelrod’s (Damian Lewis) most trusted associate and a drug- and sex-addicted COO of Axe Capital. Though both Gale and Wags are theatrical in their manner of speaking,Wags is a bully whereas Gale is often the one being bullied.
Wags appears in every episode of Billions.
Despite how unpleasant the character is on paper, Costabile is just too likable, and he makes Wags the most charming character inBillions. I think Constabile is always likable, frankly, whether he’s Maddox inObliterated, Art Buchwald inThe Post, Gale inBreaking Bad, or Wags. He’s set to appear in the upcoming action movieThe Underneath: In Fortune’s Shadowas Mr. Gross, and I’m sure he’ll be likable there.
Billions
Billions is a drama series created for Showtime that follows hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod’s quest to accumulate power and wealth, often leading him to utilize unscrupulous tactics. The one man standing in his way is U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades - who will do what it takes to ensure Axelrod is brought to justice. The series is based on several real-world cases featuring dramatizations and embellishments for entertainment purposes.
