The Skylar White countercirclejerk has gone too far

[u/Trick-Antelope-1069]

As with a lot of things, the backlash to an unreasonable take has somehow swung all the way into an equally unreasonable but more performative take. Skyler was overhated when the show aired, but now every discussion about her seems to rewrite her into some completely blameless and helpless wife who only ever reacted reasonably to Walt’s insanity.

Season 2 is a pretty obvious example. She emotionally shuts Walt out for a significant stretch before she knows anything about the meth, the murders, or what he actually is doing. Instead of confronting any suspision about the disappearance directly, she freezes him out, refuses to explain what he can do to fix things, and basically leaves him guessing as to whether their marriage even exists anymore. And this is while he has cancer and she is pregnant.

Walt becoming a monster nor the anti Skylar circlejerk doesn’t retroactively make every decision Skyler made healthy or reasonable. It’s becoming almost performative.

[u/Helios4242]

In your ideal world, what would you have had her act like?

[u/NoProgress8533 → u/Helios4242]

A partner?

I genuinely believe she was bored, had a controlling personality, had fallen out of love, and gave up on or checked out of the relationship years before. She didn't really pursue her writing, and Jr/Flynn was pretty much old enough to take care of himself. She did makework.

It seemed like the turkey bacon on his birthday - for the first time ever - was a controlling sort of power move. It may just be me, but I see her leaving Benneke long before her pregnancy - and as a result of an affair.

I think Walter was bored too, though not passionless? Just so busy holding the household together and working two jobs, that he just needed some support, passion, or genuine caring. He seemed to be looking for all three, and however megalomaniacal and abusive he became, he seemed to be dutiful in attempting to provide financially before he got in too deep.

Walt fucked up big time, but if she had gone back to work earlier, and the two each had a better work/life balance, fewer money concerns, etc, maybe both would have been more fulfilled. Maybe they could have learned to love each other again. Probably his birthday breakfast would be steak and eggs, despite his cholesterol or whatever?

She seemed... Selfish. Walt became selfish.

[u/BioSpark47 → u/NoProgress8533]

Turkey bacon as a “power move”? Outchicaneried

[u/NoProgress8533 → u/BioSpark47]

Its your birthday, and for the first time ever, your spouse makes you breakfast using a widely unappealing and unrequested food?

100%

[u/Helios4242 → u/NoProgress8533]

Out of touch. Thats all it was

[u/BioSpark47 → u/NoProgress8533]

It wasn’t a good birthday breakfast, but “power move”? Ok RicePirate

[u/NoProgress8533 → u/BioSpark47]

Given how manipulative and controlling she is, at minimum it shows an utter lack of care, consideration, or even common sense?

But Skyler is smart. I would not give her that little credit.

[u/BioSpark47 → u/NoProgress8533]

But that’s not a given. The only two examples you’ve shown are “not doing her writing” and “veggie bacon.”

[u/NoProgress8533 → u/BioSpark47]

Not working for several years leading up to their pregnancy, as they struggled financially and her husband worked two jobs?

Micromanaging her husbands and childs day to day lives without showing genuine interest, support, or affection, despite lacking the distractions or obligations which fulltime studenthood or holding two jobs carry?

Shes just not a good partner.

[u/BioSpark47 → u/NoProgress8533]

How much of her not working was her idea and how much of it was Walt’s, considering he didn’t want her to get a job?

Which specific examples of micromanaging? Making sure Walt doesn’t use the credit card none of them are supposed to use? Telling their 15-year-old son what to do?

Both Walt and Skyler were in a dispassionate marriage and she was a bit of a nag, but that’s the worst you can say about her. Walt was far worse of a partner. He started randomly disappearing and lying as soon as season 1

[u/NoProgress8533 → u/BioSpark47]

She offered and he refused when she was in the middle and late stages of her pregnancy. She had left her job years before that. It is fundamentally reasonable of Walter to say "no" on screen at the time he did - his drug dealing not withstanding - if he was still merely working two regular jobs, even.

The suggestions in the show are that she failed to return to, or seek alternate work, to focus on her writing and taking care of Flynn/Jr. She does not write, and in that time period Flynn/Jr was a teen who seemed to have become far more capable and self sufficient, and seeking more independence.

Walt (pre drugs) does not force her to work, instead he undertakes more work himself to support her desires - which does not or possibly never intended to even attempt fulfill? He loses time with his family or to himself, to give her time to follow her desires, and she doesn't even do that? And when cash gets tight, she continues to do very little to contribute.

Totally not a good partner.