by Zoë Pollock
Malcolm Harris singles out Breaking Bad, Dexter, and Psych for ushering in a new genre:
The three differ widely in tone and content, but their protagonists all trace their lineage back to the rogue cop cum independent consultant. Of the three, Breaking Bad is influenced most by the old antihero’s moral transformation, with cancer-diagnosed, public-high-school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) taking a second job as a meth cook for hire – a quality consultant.
… As with the archetypal antihero of old, the audience doesn’t want to see any of these protagonists caught or returned to stable work, not only because they’re likable, but also because it would likely involve some shark jumping. But unlike the traditional antiheroes, whose drama hinges on whether they will cross the line and use unlawful means, the protagonists in my examples have each forsaken ethical means from the beginning and hardly look back.
Harris argues the shift springs from an American economy gone haywire.
The Dish 