Vince Gilligan: It's Time for More 'Good Guys' in TV and Film
Vince Gilligan, the creator of the iconic TV series "Breaking Bad," recently expressed his concern about the portrayal of "bad guys" in popular culture.
In his acceptance speech for the Writers Guild Award's top writing honor, Gilligan argued that the celebration of characters like Walter White, Tony Soprano, and Hannibal Lecter has sent a dangerous message. "When that happens, fictional bad guys stop being the cautionary tales that they were created to be," he said. "God help us, they've become aspirational."
Gilligan believes that the proliferation of bad guy characters has contributed to a decline in the portrayal of positive role models. "Maybe what the world needs now are some good, old fashioned, Greatest Generation types who give more than they take," he said.
He cited the recent wildfires in Southern California as an example of the importance of celebrating heroes. "Wasn't it nice hearing about actual heroes for a change?" he asked.
Gilligan urged writers to consider creating more characters like George Bailey and Andy Taylor, who have inspired goodness and kindness in their audiences.
"Bad guys are fun, I will grant you, and they're easier to write well," he said. "But we could use a few more George Baileys and Andy Taylors. I think characters like that made our country a little bit better than some other tough times in our history."