Breaking Bad – A Fan’s Ramblings

Note this article may contain spoilers.

The final weekend in September saw the culmination of a show that many argue as the one of the greatest in the long history of television: Breaking Bad.

Millions of people from around the world tuned in to watch the programme’s final episode, “Felina”, with a large number utilising the online service Netflix – another bit of proof, if we still needed it, that the online television service has a pivotal role to play in the industry’s future.

As a massive fan of the show myself, I thought I would pass on a few musings after looking back on a memorable five series.

For the unfortunate few of you who have never seen it before, Breaking Bad focuses on the terminally-ill chemistry teacher Walter White (brilliantly played by Bryan Cranston, who won three consecutive Emmys for the role) and his decision to open a crystal meth lab as a means to provide for his family after his death. It is the transformation that Walt undergoes which makes the show so riveting – we are forced to watch a suffering man, beaten by the world around him, maintain his steely resilience whilst working two jobs and caring for his disabled son and expectant wife.

In a strange way, Cranston’s character seems to echo another famous invention of American fiction: Jay Gatsby. Like Gatsby, Walt resorts to crime in a perverse attempt to realise the American dream, but despite the illicit nature of his new business, we can’t help but empathise with White in light of the devastating situation he finds himself in at the beginning of the first series – he is not only drug-making for money, but for his own sense of pride.

Simply put, creator Vince Gilligan has crafted five brilliant series of high-octane entertainment

White’s former pupil Jesse Pinkman (portrayed by two-time Emmy winner Aaron Paul) becomes his ex-teacher’s partner in crime by distributing the drugs, but his character undergoes a similar transformation of his own. In the space of 62 episodes, Pinkman goes from the self-titled junkie ‘Captain Cook’ to a man who yearns for a quiet family life and an escape from the society that just doesn’t want to give him a break. In a way, it is feasible to see Paul’s character as the true victim of the show – a rebellious young drug-dealer becomes involved in a much more sinister and foreboding world for his involvement with ‘Heisenberg’ (Walter’s alias).

Walter’s actual partner, wife Skyler White (Anna Gunn), is forced into becoming a bitter and toughened woman by her husband’s actions. The evolution of the relationship between the two is a fascinating one to chart throughout the narrative, as Walter’s dark character leaves a lasting mark on his wife.

Simply put, creator Vince Gilligan has crafted five brilliant series of high-octane entertainment, mixing tense drama and the more mundane aspects of life to support the memorable characters.

Despite conforming to a similar mould of shows such as The Sopranos, Gilligan’s creation attempts to take it to the next level through these clear arcs of character, memorable acting and stunning cinematography.

Through these aspects amongst others, Breaking Bad has succeeded in securing its place in the television ‘hall-of-fame’. It leaves in its wake a legion of fanatical fans and some sizeable shoes to be filled, but it has also demonstrated that people are willing to dip into their pockets if the quality is of a high enough standard. The growth of Netflix during the five series has been notable, with shows such as Kevin Spacey’s House of Cards continuing to fly the flag for online-only TV.

So, if you find yourself on a Sunday afternoon with no reading to be done, why not throw yourself into the world of Walter White – you may just find yourself quickly addicted.