Wendy Bryde from ‘Ozark’ reminds us of Walter White from ‘Breaking Bad’! Did you too spot the resemblances?
After ‘Ozark’ was released on Netflix, many viewers and fans were quick to find it a derivative of the classic drama series ‘Breaking Bad’. Just like ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘Ozark’ features a man who gets caught in a life of drug cartels and money laundering. The Byrdes, with their kids, launch a new money laundering cartel. The three seasons of ‘Ozark’ shows them get sucked into a whirlwind of crimes. Not only is the plot of the show being compared to ‘Breaking Bad’ but also the show’s powerful characters: Wendy Bryde and Walter White. Let’s see how they are the same!
Highlights —
- Walter White from ‘Breaking Bad’
- Wendy Byrde from ‘Ozark’
- Wendy Bryde from ‘Ozark’ is the female version of Walter White from ‘Breaking Bad’?
- Jason Bateman on Wendy’s future
Walter White of ‘Breaking Bad’
In ‘Breaking Bad‘s’ first season, Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston, is an obedient chemistry teacher. His safe secured world is shaken when he is diagnosed with lung cancer. Sadly, the salary of a chemistry teacher isn’t enough to get him appropriate treatment. White decides to find help for himself and a secure future for his family by using his knowledge of chemistry for manufacturing the finest quality of methamphetamine.

During a ride-along drug bust with his DEA agent brother-in-law Hank Schrader, he sees his former student Jesse Pinkman. Walter White threatens him to join him in trading the methamphetamine. He keeps Pinkman loyal to him at all times. White also influences him to kill another superior meth scientist, Gale Boetticher. He further manipulates his wife Skyler to stay with him, who later helps him launder money too. Though White always tells everyone he did the business for his family, he later admits to doing it for himself.
While fans have been comparing Ruth Langmore’s role with Jesse Pinkman’s, many are realising the similarities between Wendy Bryde and Walter White
Wendy Byrde of ‘Ozark’
Wendy Byrde played by Laura Linney is introduced to the audience as a cheating wife. The mother of two kids, Charlotte and Jonah, is involved with Gary “Sugarwood” Silverberg. She has plans of leaving her family for Silverberg, but things change when he is killed by the Mexican drug cartel leader Del Rio. Her family decides to leave Chicago, Illinois, and move to a small town in Missouri to help Marty set up a larger laundering business.
In the beginning, she’s busy taking care of her family. Marty is the only one handling the business. Later, we slowly see her getting more involved in the business. When the laundering operation starts expanding, Wendy gets obsessed with power. She further goes behind Marty’s back and orders hits. In an attempt to expand the operation, Wendy contacts the leader of the Navarro cartel. Wendy pushes everyone around to open a second casino too. In season 3 of ‘Ozark’, Wendy sees her brother’s bipolar disorder as a liability to the illegal laundering. So, she gets him killed by a cartel hitman.
The three seasons of ‘Ozark’ shows them get sucked into a whirlwind of crimes. Not only is the plot of the show being compared to ‘Breaking Bad’ but the characters from both the show are also displaying striking similarities
Wendy Bryde from ‘Ozark’ is the female version of Walter White from ‘Breaking Bad’?
While fans have been comparing Ruth Langmore’s role with Jesse Pinkman’s, many are realising the similarities between Wendy Bryde and Walter White. Both of them are initially shown as submissive characters that later on take charge. Wendy and White both justify their actions initially by declaring that they are doing it for the family. But, the truth is that they do to it just for themselves. As the seasons progress, both can be seen turning into evil beings as opposed to their passive selves in the beginning.
Jason Bateman on Wendy’s future
From being the passive spouse to a force to be reckoned with, Wendy has been on an emotional ride since the first season of ‘Ozark’ started. Lastly, we saw her calling a hit on her brother Ben. But will fans of ‘Ozark’ see her continue her antics in season 4 of ‘Ozark’ too? In an interview to “Deadline,” Jason Bateman said that he’s hoping that she’s not wanting to pull a Walter White, and hoping that she’s not going to get carried away with a singular ambition at the expense of the family’s health. Not really knowing how that’s all going to kind of coalesce in the next season, hopefully, their priorities are in a good spot as we hurtle towards the crescendo.
What do you think of the uncanny resemblances between Wendy Bryde and Walter White? Will the future of ‘Ozark’ see the similarities between the show get more dense? Let us know in the comment section below!
