The Greatness of Breaking Bad

Editor’s Disclaimer: Breaking Bad is rated TV-MA and is not suitable for all viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.

Over 14 years ago, on January 20, 2008, the pilot episode of Breaking Bad debuted, introducing the world to a universe of love, hate, elegance, pain, and betrayal, ultimately leaving viewers in tears on the night of the final episode. Though not appropriate for all audiences, the show amassed an impressive collection of achievements. Currently, IMDB has the show at a total rating of 9.4/10, making it the second-most top-rated TV show of all time. It also boasts an IMDB rating of 10/10 for the season five episode, Ozymandias, which is the only television episode to ever do so. This grandiose show about a chemistry teacher who turned into a drug-manufacturing kingpin won 16 Primetime Emmys, with 154 wins and 247 nominations. To top it off, Breaking Bad has an audience rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars across over 17,000 total reviews.

This show is truly like no other. From the very first episode, the characters all had relevance and great personalities. Walter White came across as uncanny; his intelligence was irradiant whilst his happiness seemed to diminish day after day. After all, learning that you have been diagnosed with incurable cancer does that to you. Vince Gilligan, the director and executive producer, then chose Aaron Paul for the role of Jesse Pinkman, the goofy sidekick to Walter. Jonathan Banks was cast as Mike Ehrmantraut as Gustavo Frings security, playing the role of a nonchalant, older gentleman. There are many more examples that demonstrate Gilligans prowess in choosing great characters for the show, as well as the actors performances; the presentation of the performers was outstanding and the final product was a fascinating watch.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Each and every episode of Breaking Bad had cinematic quality, but one season, in particular, stuck out: season five. This was the longest season, racking up a total of 16 episodes. It included the death of many characters, such as Hank Schrader in Ozymandias, Walter White in Felina, Michael Ehrmantraut in Say My Name, and many more characters in notable roles which caused a lot of tears from the audience. The shows finale, Felina, emphasizes Walters sophistication and genial mind in his final appearance to the world. Walter White planned a clever assassination against Gretchen and Elliot, who used to co-own the company Gray Matter Technologies, and Walter later sold his share for a measly $5000. He viewed the now multi-billion dollar company as an opportunity for Walter Jr., his son, to be gifted $9 million in cash without further suspicion and without denying the large sum of cash. Walter White being able to intimidate the couple with such elegance further accentuates his pure wit and his strategist ways, which is one of the many reasons he is widely regarded as such an eloquent character.

Breaking Bad is a show that deserves all of its recognition and more. The characters all played such a significant role in developing the plot and the varying storylines, and the actors did a phenomenal job in shaping the personalities of the characters who broke bad. The diegesis was exquisite; there was rarely a dull moment, and most viewers become hooked within the first few episodes. The greatness of Breaking Bad is so immense that all should give this crime drama a chance.

SOURCES:

Breaking Bad (TV Series 20082013) - IMDb. Www.imdb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt0903747/episodes?ref_=tt_eps_sm. Accessed 12 Nov. 2022.

Breaking Bad Wiki. Breakingbad.fandom.com, breakingbad.fandom.com/wiki/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2022.

Cook, Meghan. 26 Major Breaking Bad Deaths, Ranked from Least to Most Heartbreaking. Insider, www.insider.com/complete-ranking-of-the-major-deaths-in-breaking-bad#1-the-16. Accessed 12 Nov. 2022.

Gezegen Lersavasi. Gezegen Lersavasi, gezegenlersavasi.blogspot.com/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2022.

Gilligan, Vince. Breaking Bad. IMDb, 20 Jan. 2008, www.imdb.com/title/tt0903747/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0.