In anticipation of theBreaking Badseries finale on Sunday, September 29th,Rolling Stone has been publishingan exclusive interview with a new cast or crew member every day. Yesterday, writer and supervising producer Peter Gould shared some harrowing tales from the writers room.Today, we talk to writer, producer and director Thomas Schnauz.
Do you root for Walt, or against him?
Coming up with despicable things for Walt to do was really satisfying.In season three, when Walt and Jesse were stuck in the RV, and Walt had the idea to call Hank and say Marie had been injured, it felt good because it was brilliant and it worked. As a writer, poisoning a child felt fantastic, because Walt was finally a better chess player than Gus. I dont know what that says about me.
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Its like your favorite sports team. The Patriots cheat and videotape the opposing team practices, but their fans justify it.Or the Eagles hire a dirt-bag dog abuser, but fans still buy his jerseys. If Walt was actually in your life, youd run for the hills. But if youre hooked into the show, you want him to be a winner. He can do no wrong.
Have you told anyone how the show ends?
I told my wife, who cried at a few of the plot turns near the end.
Do you believe in karma?
I dont believe in it at all, except as a storytelling device.Its like aliens or dragons or whatever.
To what degree is Vince Gilligan like Walter White?
He looks great in tighty-whities and a pork pie hat.
Ive known Vince longer than anyone else on the show, longer than his girlfriend. He always tries to do the right thing, even when its ridiculous. Back in 1987 or 88, we went to go get tickets for David Letterman.We had to show up at Rockefeller Center at 5:30 a.m. I got there 10 minutes after he did, and there were two guys behind him in the line. Vince didnt think it was fair that I was jumping the line. So I stood behind the other two guys. That asshole got into the show, and I didnt. Would he do the same thing today?I think now hed let me cut in line, but hed feel really guilty about it.