10/15/26 - Remembering "Flynn"

Good afternoon ...

Okay, let's talk about RJ Mitte. TW: suicide. Also, spoilers ahead for the TV show "Breaking Bad."

RJ Mitte, ‘Breaking Bad’ Star, Dies at 34

Ethan Shanfield, Variety - October 12, 2026

"RJ Mitte, who played Walter White Jr. on “Breaking Bad,” has died. He was 34 ... The actor died by suicide at his home in Texas, a representative confirmed to Variety."

How Breaking Bad's RJ Mitte changed the way we see cerebral palsy

Emma Saunders, BBC - October 13, 2026

"'What I really like is that he was on TV playing a character that had cerebral palsy, but it wasn't about the fact that he had cerebral palsy,' says Emma Livingstone, founder and CEO of Up - the Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement ... 'When we see RJ Mitte on TV just playing a role, but who also happens to have CP, I think that's really powerful.'"

RJ Mitte’s Legacy and the Struggles Many People With Cerebral Palsy Carry in Silence

Grace Dow, Grace Dow Writes - October 13, 2026

"The physical symptoms are difficult. For me, spasticity makes movement challenging, and there are times when I grow frustrated with my body. Yet, cerebral palsy can take a significant toll on mental health as well. The physical challenges are only part of the story ... What people do not always see are the tears shed after a difficult day. They do not see the frustration of living in a body that will not always do what you want it to do, or the exhaustion that comes from fighting the same battles again and again. They do not see the loneliness that can emerge when it feels as though no one truly understands what you are carrying."

I won't try to speculate or comment on the cause of RJ's death, which was apparently suicide. Grace's post says most of what I can think of to say right now. I do wonder about what might have been behind it all for RJ himself, and about any possible conclusions or implications about disabled people's wellbeing in general. For now, I'd prefer to think about what RJ Mitte meant to me. For me, it's all about Mitte's character, Walter Jr., son of Walter and Skyler White – a character with Cerebral Palsy played by an actor with Cerebral Palsy.

We'll start off with what I wrote on Tuesday, sharing an article about RJ Mitte's death on Facebook:

"I will always remember a scene in "Breaking Bad" when RJ's character, Walter Jr. physically protected his mother from attack. It was superbly filmed and acted ... and the character's disability was a perfectly calibrated and realistic part of it. It's my favorite scene in the whole series."

It's hard for me to explain the multilayered, but essentially positive feelings that scene provokes in me, no matter how many times I rewatch it. Another favorite "Breaking Bad" moment, a bit more complicated morally, is when Walter Jr. finally has his say in the family "intervention" aimed at convincing his father, Walter White, to agree to treatment for his lung cancer.

Walter Jr.: "All this that I've been through - and you're scared of a little chemotherapy?"

I think it's the first time on the show that Walter Jr. directly refers to his own disability. And the argument does seem to help Walter decide to fight his cancer – and to do other, much more problematic things too, of course. At the same time, the scene is more than just inspiration porn, or actual inspiration. This type of, "If I can handle it, why can't you?" inspirational/guilt-tripping stuff is at best a mixed bag in disability life and culture. It's not a difficult point to understand, and easy to agree with. On the other hand, every person's hardship is their own, and comparing pain and suffering is often a much worse idea than it seems. People with disabilities understand that better than anyone – or at least they should.

On the other end of the scale, there's the delight every "Breaking Bad" fan takes in Walter Jr.'s appreciation for a good breakfast. Seeing a disabled character defined not just by disability or ableism, but, (at least early in the series), by an uncomplicated love of bacon and eggs is a lovely way for audiences to get to know and identify with the ordinariness and small joys of disability life.

What are your favorite Walter Jr. lines and moments from "Breaking Bad?" Email them or other related comments to: apulrang@icloud.com.

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