Breaking Bad was filled with characters who were more complex than are seen in most other shows. Audiences would see many sides to these people, from the sympathetic to the horrific. It made this journey within the drug trade all the more compelling because of how rich the characters were.
Breaking Bad, from the main figures in the story to the standout smaller players. There are a lot of factors that go into making them so popular among fans, from their amazing character arcs, unforgettable moments, and even the humor that brought to the series.
Tuco
Tuco could very well be considered the first big bad character Walt and Jesse face in Breaking Bad. And he makes a huge impression on the rest of the series even after he is gone. He is a ruthless drug kingpin whose bouts of violent rage give a sense of tension to any scene in which he is featured.
The unpredictable nature of Tuco really set the show's tone of not knowing what's coming next. Tuco also introduced Walt and Jesse into the violent world they were now a part of as well as the very dangerous Salamanca family.
Badger
As intense as the show could be, there were plenty of funny moments in Breaking Bad, and Badger was responsible for many of them. He was Jesse's drug dealer friend and made Jesse look like a mature professional in comparison.
Badger would pop up every now and then on the show and it was always a treat to see him. He brought a fun lightness to the sometimes-dark series, like with his hilariously graphic idea for a Star Trek episode.
Hector Salamanca
It is quite impressive that Hector Salamanca was able to be one of Breaking Bad's most intimidating characters despite the fact that he couldn't speak or move on his own. Yet with his death stare and the ringing of his bell, Hector sent chills down the spines of viewers.
Seeing the flashback that explained his history with Gus Fring, it is clear Hector is an evil man. Yet there was also something so rewarding to see how he was able to turn the tables on Fring in the end and deliver one of the most shocking death scenes in the series.
Huell
Huell is another character who doesn't speak much yet makes his presence known. But Huell is also much more lovable than Hector. He is a low-level criminal who is often hired by Saul Goodman to carry out his dirty work.
Despite his imposing size, Huell is not a man of violence and he doesn't seem to care too much about becoming a criminal kingpin like others on the show. He simply does his job, says as little as possible, and takes advantage of the small joys in life like lying on a big pile of cash.
Gus Fring
There have been a lot of great adversaries on the show, but Gus Fring is undoubtedly the smartest villain on Breaking Bad. In many ways, he mirrors Walt's own life as he is a criminal who hides in plain sight. But unlike Walt, Gus understands control.
He is capable of doing horrible things, but he does it in such a cold and calculating way that it is even more chilling. He made for a terrifying threat that pushed Walt to some dark places and Gus also had perhaps the best exit from the show.
Mike Ehrmantraut
When Mike was first introduced, he seemed like another lackey who cleaned up messes for Saul. However, he gradually grew into one of the biggest badasses on the show and one of the few characters worth rooting for.
Mike has plenty of experience and it shows. He walks into countless dangerous situations and handles them with ease. He is also one of the few people who is never afraid to put Walt in his place. Yet under that tough exterior, he is also a loving grandfather which makes him even more endearing.
Jesse Pinkman
At the beginning of the series, Jesse Pinkman seemed like a character that fans would have trouble liking. He was an obnoxious drug dealer who seemed to make every situation he was in much worse. But to many fans' surprise, he became the character fans most wanted to see find a happy ending.
As Walt went down his dark path, Jesse was on one of redemption. He was a surprisingly caring person who was especially protective of kids. Seeing the pain he went through over the course of the series made him a tragic figure who fans were always rooting for.
Hank Schrader
Hank Schrader was another character who improved greatly from his first impression. He initially came off as a blowhard cop that felt very cliché. However, he quickly proved himself to be the most effective law enforcement officer on Breaking Bad.
From Tuco to Gus to Walt, Hank was always on the trail of the show's biggest villains. He had a great sense of humor, even if it could be crude, and watching him take down the Salamanca twins was a huge thrill. In the end, Hank faced his own death with incredible bravery, making him perhaps the hero of the show.
Walter White
Fans might have expected to see Walter White as the top-rated character on the show, but perhaps his darker moments were hard for some fans to handle. Nevertheless, he is a fascinating character and his journey throughout the series is what makes Breaking Bad so compelling.
He began as such a sympathetic man only to become a monster and eventually meet his inevitable end. It was hard to like him at times yet impossible to hate him as he was a well-rounded creation. Brilliant, greedy, loving, narcissistic, and tragic all describe Walt in the end.
Saul Goodman
Part of the reason that Saul Goodman is considered by fans to be the best Breaking Bad character could be because of how much his character has been explored in the spinoff series Better Call Saul. But even in just looking at the first series, he was a real treat to have on Breaking Bad.
In a show that was filled with dark and intense moments, a scene with Saul was always guaranteed to provide some big laughs. He was a genuinely skilled con man and lawyer while also being sleazy in the most entertaining way possible. It will be interesting to see how his journey ultimately ends.