Before Bugonia, Breaking Bad Proved Jesse Plemons Was Born to Play Creeps

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Released earlier this year to positive reviews, Bugonia is a fascinating film from director Yorgos Lanthimos. It tells the strange story of two men who kidnap a powerful CEO, convinced she’s an alien intent on destroying the world. Critics are praising its originality, especially in a time when many movies feel predictable or are part of large franchises.

I’m really excited about this new film starring Emma Stone – she’s fantastic and has a great history with the director, having been in films like Kinds of Kindness, The Favourite, and Poor Things with him before. The cast is packed with talent, including Alicia Silverstone and Aidan Delbis, but Jesse Plemons really stands out. He’s consistently amazing in everything he does, and he’s particularly brilliant when he gets to play someone truly flawed or even awful. This role lets him explore that grey area, but most people probably know him best for playing a really despicable character in what I think is one of the best TV shows ever made.

Jesse Plemons Played One of Breaking Bad’s Most Hated Villains

Jesse Plemons first gained recognition over ten years before his role in Bugonia, appearing as Todd Alquist in the popular drama Breaking Bad. Introduced in the 2012 episode “Hazard Pay,” Todd is initially presented as part of a pest control company secretly used to hide money earned from a meth lab. From the start, there’s something unsettling about him, particularly his unquestioning loyalty to his criminal bosses. However, it’s in the episode “Dead Freight” that Todd’s true nature is fully revealed. He and Jesse Pinkman successfully steal methamphetamine from a train under police surveillance, but when a young boy witnesses the crime, Todd callously shoots and kills him. This moment marks a turning point, showcasing the frightening person beneath Todd’s quiet exterior. Throughout the rest of Breaking Bad‘s final season, Todd becomes increasingly villainous. He’s connected to the Aryan Brotherhood, eventually taking over Walter White’s position as the cook of the blue meth. He even holds Jesse captive for months, subjecting him to brutal torture.

Even twelve years after Breaking Bad concluded, Todd Alquist remains a truly terrifying character – ranking alongside iconic villains like Gus Fring and Tuco Salamanca. This is largely due to Jesse Plemons’s compelling performance. From the start, there’s an unsettling feeling about Todd, with subtle clues suggesting his dark side. What makes him especially frightening is how incredibly calm he always is. He doesn’t react, even when committing horrific acts like torturing someone or harming a child, giving him a chillingly sociopathic edge. Todd’s polite and composed exterior sharply contrasts with his monstrous actions – he’s a monster hidden in plain sight. Despite appearing in fewer scenes than other Breaking Bad villains, Todd Alquist is still remembered as one of the show’s most disturbing characters.

What Happens to Todd at the End of Breaking Bad?

Like all the criminals in the world of Breaking Bad, Todd Alquist’s violent life eventually leads to his downfall. After becoming a memorable character in the show’s final season, Todd finally meets his end when Walter White seeks revenge on the Aryan Brotherhood – the group that took over his meth business. During the attack, Walter frees Jesse Pinkman, who had been held captive by the Brotherhood. Filled with anger, Jesse then chokes Todd to death with the chain that had been used to restrain him for months. That night, Walter also eliminates the rest of Todd’s white supremacist gang, effectively ending their operation. It’s a fitting conclusion for a villain who had a significant impact on the show’s characters and viewers alike.

Jesse Plemons unexpectedly returns in a follow-up to the original series, revealing what happened to Jesse Pinkman after the finale. The film shows Jesse grappling with disturbing flashbacks to his time in captivity and the terrible things Todd did to him. With fewer characters to focus on, El Camino delves deeper into Todd’s evil side. We learn about crimes Todd committed during Breaking Bad that weren’t shown on screen, like the murder of Jesse’s housekeeper. The film also highlights just how unsettlingly sociopathic its most repulsive villain is. There’s a striking scene where Jesse gets a gun and tries to kill Todd, but the villain remains eerily calm and manages to talk Jesse out of it, demonstrating the control Todd had over him and making him even more frightening. Viewers realize Todd genuinely seems to believe he and Jesse are friends, despite everything he’s done. Ultimately, audiences won’t be sad to see Todd gone for good.

Jesse Plemons Is an Underrated Villain Actor

Jesse Plemons first showed his ability to play convincingly evil characters in Breaking Bad, but that’s just one example of his talent for portraying villains. He recently delivered a memorable, though uncredited, performance as a militiaman in Alex Garland’s Civil War. Even with limited screen time, Plemons created a truly frightening character that stays with you. He’s also given similarly unsettling performances as Captain Robert Daly in Black Mirror and Ed Blumquist in Fargo. While he often plays realistic and grounded villains, Plemons isn’t afraid to lean into more over-the-top, theatrical roles as well.

Jesse Plemons has become known for playing convincingly sinister characters, so audiences often start out distrusting anyone he portrays. The new film, Bugonia, cleverly uses this to its advantage, making viewers question whether his character is telling the truth or is lost in fantasy. Though not a typical villain like some of his past roles, Plemons’s character, Teddy, still hints at the darkness seen in his portrayal of Todd. This ability to play complex characters will undoubtedly serve him well in his next big role: Plutarch in a new film opening in late 2026. While Plutarch isn’t a villain, he’s presented as a potentially dangerous figure with unclear allegiances – a role Philip Seymour Hoffman famously nailed in the original Hunger Games movies, and one that Plemons’s past work suggests he’s perfectly suited for.

Jesse Plemons delivers another outstanding performance in Bugonia, continuing a pattern of consistently impressive work. He has a knack for making audiences feel uneasy, whether he’s portraying a dangerous criminal or a seemingly harmless person who goes too far. Though he might not be a household name yet, Plemons is proving himself to be one of the most gifted actors working today.

Bugonia is now playing in theaters.

Breaking Bad is streaming on Netflix.

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2025-11-09 01:40