• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

Breaking Bad

Kalach

Filthy Apes!
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
4,310
MBTI Type
INTJ
I like to think of Walt as INTJ in large part because of his vexed relationship to routine. He insists on it, yet for him it is joyless. He suffers long and hard to maintain the routine and persists with a claim that in this routine there is value. But it gives him zero joy. The value lies in some distant illusion then, some version of the family where good things happen, and his long-suffering approach to routine is his way of removing the temptation to intuit. Or at least, that's how he began the series, an ISTJ clone by choice.

Since then, he's spent quite a lot of time avoiding knowing the future too, to the extent that his MASTERMIND status is and should be doubted. Where are the reinventions of current circumstances? Where is the reconfiguring of all items so that a new path becomes visible? Where's the divorce and the escape to distant shores?

Either Walt holds an invisible key in his mind that he knows is there but can't display yet or he insists on routine because there is no other way forward. Both approaches might look the same. I watch the show imagining Walt's approach is the first and that this is Ni. And it should be that this will bring all sorts of horrible things into the world.


I still think Gus is INFJ too.




It's interesting. If Walt fails to triumph, and all this horrible stuff remains just horrible stuff, then Walt's a bad man. How confusing.
 

Zarathustra

Let Go Of Your Team
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
8,110
I agree. I hated her for the longest time. Now, at the end of season 4, I still dislike her.

I think she's the perfect example to bring into the Fe fakeness thread.

Maybe it's not fakeness that's her primary problem (although that is part of what makes my hair stand on end), but it's the controllingness.

The fakeness comes in as part of the controllingness, though, cuz it manifests as her trying to get all these things accomplished "for other people", but, really, they're all clearly for her own selfish motivations. I'm not denying that she actually cares for the other people, and wants those things done, to varying degrees, for them as well, but every time she opens her fucking mouth in the first season regarding Walt's treatment, you can just feel how it comes from a clearly selfish motivation. Which is not to say that it's completely non-understandable, I mean, she's pregnant, has a 16-yr old kid, doesn't have much money and what not, but there's something about the way she goes about doing it all that's so obnoxious. And it reeks of what people complain about of Fe. I wonder if it's all just acting, or whether the actress is actually an ENFJ. She plays the annoying cunt of a wife part brilliantly.

Probably an enneagram 1, too, no?

Maybe it is a I-see-my-father thing, but my first impression was ISFJ; now I am at ISTJ too.

Interesting...

Noted.

I think Jesse is an ISTP.

So it seems there are two camps: ISTP and SFP.

I'm still not sure on this one...

Either Walt holds an invisible key in his mind that he knows is there but can't display yet or he insists on routine because there is no other way forward. Both approaches might look the same. I watch the show imagining Walt's approach is the first and that this is Ni. And it should be that this will bring all sorts of horrible things into the world.

:rly???:

I still think Gus is INFJ too.

I don't think I've met Gus yet.

It's interesting. If Walt fails to triumph, and all this horrible stuff remains just horrible stuff, then Walt's a bad man. How confusing.

I'm obviously not far enough to know where the show goes, but it is a great dynamic the show's creator has developed.

Man dying of cancer > doesn't have good enough insurance or enough money to cover high healthcare costs > has family he needs to take care of in case he dies > turns to illegal drug trade to make as much money as quickly as possible > ??? > what you said.

I mean, what a great fucking show: justifying meth trade (rather large problem in US) via high healthcare costs (biggest problem in US).

It's just an awesome premise (and is well executed).
 

PeaceBaby

reborn
Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
5,950
MBTI Type
N/A
Enneagram
N/A
Walt: INTJ (but they've got him stuck from a character dev POV and he's getting stale)
Jesse: ISFP
Skyler: ENFJ (and please stop calling her a c***)
Walter Jr: INFP
Marie: ESFP
Hank: ESTP
Gus: INFJ (and you'll know why soon)
Mike: ESTJ
Gale: INTP, definitely

The show has lost the magic - only 2 episodes left (this season ooh open-ended statement yet again - what season has 6 shows?) The character development has failed to live up to the original premise. The first two seasons were excellent, season 3 meh and now ... IDK, we'll see what they do to try to end it. *yawn*

This is always the reason shows start to decline for me: the characters cease to be as real and devolve to mere caricatures of the original characters.
 

Zarathustra

Let Go Of Your Team
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
8,110
Yeah, same thing happened to Californication...

The originality is lost.

It just becomes a reproduction of the original.
 

PeaceBaby

reborn
Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
5,950
MBTI Type
N/A
Enneagram
N/A
[MENTION=8413]Zarathustra[/MENTION]: sorry, I should have put my opinion in spoiler tags, but I would be interested to see how you feel once you are up to date on the series too.

I agree the premise is fantastic.
 

Kalach

Filthy Apes!
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
4,310
MBTI Type
INTJ
I think probably to maintain Walt as an INTJ character, particularly as a central character facing difficult circumstances, sudden and irrevocable changes in dynamics and circumstance are required. He doesn't get to show off any particular N otherwise. And season three noticeably lacked that. Season four has been kinda meh too, but... Walt's particular reaction at the end of episode [eleven] promises something special.

I don't know though. It should be that bringing full-on Ni into a story--that's to say, letting Walt be the INTJ he could be--it should be quite the nightmare. It should be that the mastermind remakes everything into everyone else's horror, not his own. Season two was on its way to that as I recall.

Interesting. Ni as everyone else's nightmare.
 

Kalach

Filthy Apes!
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
4,310
MBTI Type
INTJ
That's the spirit! Tactical response is one thing, people management is one thing too, technical management is also a one thing, but when suddenly there is no way forward but through the impossible, who ya gonna call?

For Walt to succeed at any of the things he does, he has to alter the circumstance of pretty much everyone else. Season two has a lot of these moments and maybe is even an examination of them. Especially near the end of the season. No spoilers.
 

Zarathustra

Let Go Of Your Team
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
8,110
Have you been taking lessons from Marmie Guru? Not a good idea, buddy.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!??! YOU'RE THE WORST PERSON I'VE EVER SEEEN!! HONESTLY. I GIVE MY :heart: AND MY LOVE TO YOU, AND THIS IS WHAT I GET IN RETURN?!!? YOU POOP ON ME?!! YOU'RE PROBABLY A LIBERTARIAN, TOO!!! I HATE MY LIFE...
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,187
MBTI Type
BELF
Enneagram
594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!??! YOU'RE THE WORST PERSON I'VE EVER SEEEN!! HONESTLY. I GIVE MY :heart: AND MY LOVE TO YOU, AND THIS IS WHAT I GET IN RETURN?!!? YOU POOP ON ME?!! YOU'RE PROBABLY A LIBERTARIAN, TOO!!! I HATE MY LIFE...

WOw, Zara is really a sock puppet for Marm. I'd better ban it...

(Actually, that was only a cheap fascimile. I'm disappointed. :smile:)
 

ZPowers

New member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
1,488
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
The show has lost the magic - only 2 episodes left (this season ooh open-ended statement yet again - what season has 6 shows?) The character development has failed to live up to the original premise. The first two seasons were excellent, season 3 meh and now ... IDK, we'll see what they do to try to end it. *yawn*

This is always the reason shows start to decline for me: the characters cease to be as real and devolve to mere caricatures of the original characters.

No spoilers in this post.

Have you seen some in advance or something? I'm fully up-to-date with what has aired (and there are only two left this season for me). I'm not sure what "(this season ooh open-ended statement yet again - what season has 6 shows?)" means exactly. Are referring to season one? That had six or seven episodes. All the others are 12. And next season is 16 episodes, and will be the show's final season.

I have to say, I feel the opposite of you. I think 2 was more or less the weakest season (or, more specifically, the second half of season 2, which was still very good) and seasons 3 and 4 have been the strongest seasons yet (I've heard people dislike 4 for being slightly slower, but it's still fairly engaging and that hasn't been an issue. When plot isn't advancing it tends to be very character or theme-based), and I think they've put characters in new situations and how they've grown and responded and it feels like solid character evolution. It's certainly as unique and thrilling as ever. The last ten minutes of the most recent episode is like nothing I've seen on TV.

But don't despair yet, [MENTION=8413]Zarathustra[/MENTION]. I think PeaceBaby's opinion is uncommon. Fan and critical support of the show is as strong if not stronger than ever. It's worth sticking with and deciding on your own.
 

Rasofy

royal member
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
5,881
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I put some thought into it and these are my guesses:
Walter White: ISTJ
Skyler White: ESTJ (I think she is hardcore Te and I can't see how she could be a F)
Walter Jr: not developed enough for a decent guess, but likely IXTX
Hank: ESTP
Marie: ESFP
Jesse Pinkman: ESFP
Gus: INTJ
Mike: ISTJ
 

Xenon

(blankpages)
Joined
Oct 5, 2009
Messages
832
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
I think Jesse is an ESFP. Very impulsive, rash, physical, often throwing himself into action and chaos without thinking of long-term consequences. He's also shown a side that's ethical, sensitive, and prone to deep guilt over his own actions and moral outrage over others'. He's been pretty troubled for much of the series, which may be why he doesn't show that spark and warmth that ESFPs usually do, and sometimes seems more introverted or flat.

I'm not at all convinced Skyler is a Feeler of any sort. One of the comments from an online recap pointed out that a major weakness in Skyler's plans and schemes is in predicting people's reactions. This is typically a strength of NFJs, but Skyler doesn't have it. She plans things out in detail, she sees a lot of possibilities and covers all her bases and crunches numbers....but she slips up when people's unanticipated feelings, behaviour or reactions throw things off. I'll put some specific examples below in spoiler tags (they are from the end of season 3 right up to where we are now):



Gus, in contrast, is an excellent manipulator. He has an outstanding talent for predicting people's reactions and figuring out exactly how to pull their strings to get them to play into his plans. I can see why some people are typing him as INFJ. I still lean toward INTJ for him myself. He's certainly a hard one to figure out.

Really, I don't see an Fe preference in Skyler at all. I don't see the warmth, the skill in dealing with people, the focus on their feelings. She's decisive, sometimes overbearing, likes to be in charge...but this could just as easily describe a Te dom. She's seemed emotional throughout the series, but she's sure had reason to be, and that isn't the same as a preference for Feeling the judging function.

My guesses for the characters:

Walt: ISTJ (not sure about this, but he doesn't seem Ni-ish to me, especially compared to Gus and even Skyler)
Skyler: ENTJ
Jesse: ESFP
Hank: ESTP
Marie: ESFJ? Not sure
Gus: INTJ (could be F...whenever I think I have him figured out we see a different side to him)
Mike: ISTJ
Gale: INTP

Have you seen some in advance or something? I'm fully up-to-date with what has aired (and there are only two left this season for me). I'm not sure what "(this season ooh open-ended statement yet again - what season has 6 shows?)" means exactly. Are referring to season one? That had six or seven episodes. All the others are 12. And next season is 16 episodes, and will be the show's final season.

I have to say, I feel the opposite of you. I think 2 was more or less the weakest season (or, more specifically, the second half of season 2, which was still very good) and seasons 3 and 4 have been the strongest seasons yet (I've heard people dislike 4 for being slightly slower, but it's still fairly engaging and that hasn't been an issue. When plot isn't advancing it tends to be very character or theme-based), and I think they've put characters in new situations and how they've grown and responded and it feels like solid character evolution. It's certainly as unique and thrilling as ever. The last ten minutes of the most recent episode is like nothing I've seen on TV.

Season 1 had seven episodes; the others so far have had 13.

I agree with you about the quality of the show; I don't think it's gone downhill at all. I was starting to get a little bored for awhile earlier in the season, but I thought the last few episodes have been very engaging and intense. The characters have certainly changed, in some ways maybe even deteriorated, but I see that as a reaction to everything they've been going through, rather than a decrease in the quality of writing.
 

Nicodemus

New member
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
9,756
Walt's particular reaction at the end of episode [eleven] promises something special.
 

shoshana

New member
Joined
Jul 11, 2011
Messages
103
MBTI Type
eNTJ
Instinctual Variant
so
how does everyone feel about the progression of skyler's character? she has been really pissing me off in the last two seasons and i want so badly to like her again!
 
Top