Breaking Bad is an “American Neo-Western Crime Drama” television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. The show ran from 2008-2013 for five seasons and 62 episodes, and it was filmed, as well as set, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The series is about the story of Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston, a depressed high school chemistry teacher who is struggling with a recent diagnosis of lung cancer. Walt turns to crime, partnering with his former student Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul. They produce and sell crystal meth to secure Walt’s family financial future before he dies, all while navigating the dangers of the criminal underworld.
The show's co-stars include Anna Gunn as Walt’s wife Skyler, and RJ Mitte as Walt’s son, Walter Jr. Dean Norris plays Walt’s brother in law, DEA agent Hank Schrader. Hank spends a great deal of time investigating the methamphetamine trade in Albuquerque, which complicates things for Walt. For example, Hank has Walt place a tracking device on the vehicle of a suspected drug kingpins car. Unbeknownst to Hank is that Walt is cooking meth for the drug kingpin Gustavo Fring (John Carlo Esposito).
Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest television shows of all time, and not without reason. The acting of the whole cast, especially Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, is top-notch. I struggle to find a single performance that is not strong. The actors truly disappear into their roles. The show has been nominated for, and won the most awards of any television show in history! The show focuses on Walt White’s transformation from an unremarkable schoolteacher to the infamous drug lord, Heisenberg. As Walt, Bryan Cranston manages to be simultaneously loathsome and sympathetic. It's like a magic trick. Walt is the average middle-class underachiever who decides to “break bad” and start cooking meth to support his family. Eventually, he comes to enjoy what he does, becoming addicted to the lifestyle, not unlike the addiction caused by the meth he cooks. We see Walt's transition from sympathetic to an unsympathetic egotistical megalomaniac. We see evidence of the change when Walt's reason for cooking meth shifts from doing it for his family to doing it for himself and for his pride. After the transition is complete Jesse asks Walt in Season 5, “Are you in the meth business or the money business?” Walt replies, “Neither, I’m in the empire business!”
We see this shift start in a scene in which Hank, who is investigating Heisenberg (Walt), shares with him that he has discovered Heisenberg’s true identity. Hank incorrectly suspects another man, who in reality had assisted Walt in the meth lab. Hank has been a continuous threat to Walt’s business, so Walt should now be in the clear. Except his pride gets in the way. Walt, the chemistry expert, reviews Hank's evidence and says he believes the man identified could not Heisenberg. So Hank continues his hunt for the elusive Heisenberg. Walt was so prideful that he could not allow somebody else to receive credit for his work, even though Hank's investigation threatens Walt and his family.
Another reason why Breaking Bad is such a good TV show is because the writing is smart and moving. Skyler, Walt’s wife, comes across as a normal person who has completely normal reactions to the situations she must deal with, and so she should be likable. However, she is one of the most unlikable characters, in order to help us better understand Walt. For example, many times in the first season, Walt is away from home a lot and then lies to Skyler about what he is doing. When she reacts angrily, we viewers feel frustrated by her doubting and judgment of Walt. We are more sympathetic towards Walt, even though she is completely justified to be angry with him.
Lastly, there are so many amazing moments in this show that stick with you. The cinematography is immaculate, and every color and angle has something to say and convey. Each detail is meticulously set into place, and even details as small as the decoration on a cowboy boot have devastating consequences. Interactions between minor characters have big payoffs anywhere from a couple of episodes to whole seasons down the line. While the plot lines can be predictable, the characters are what make the show exhilarating. Breaking Bad has amazing parts, and still manages to be more than the sum of those parts. I give Breaking Bad a 10/10.