Breaking Bad

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:00 pm

This thread is here because 1) there is no TV base, and 2) Beauregard Bogart Brooks described the show perfectly the other night by saying "the average episode is better than most movies."

He did not mean "better than most movies that are coming out right now, during the summer blockbuster months." He meant, the average episode of Breaking Bad is better than most movies that have ever been made.

This is true. But let me back up.

I never watched the show before about two months ago, because A) Jesus Christ, I watch enough TV as it is, B) it's like pulling teeth to get me to watch a serial drama, because I have the attention span of a gnat. The last serial drama I really dedicated myself to was Lost, and goddammit never mention that show to me because I feel VIOLATED by the writers of that show the way a 12 year old multiple-rape victim could never HOPE to understand. And, C) "Breaking Bad" is a terrible name for a show, because what the hell does it even mean.

Oh, and D) I thought it was on HBO or Showtime or some shit.

All of these things conspired against it, in my eyes.

But L--- was over, and I didn't feel motivated enough to start over with Deadwood. Everyone was all abuzz over the new season of Breaking Bad, so I finally asked someone what it was about.

This is the ONLY answer I would have accepted, and the ONLY answer that would have gotten me interested in the show. Thankfully, it was the one I received:

"The dad from Malcolm in the Middle is a high school chemistry teacher who turns into a meth dealer."

Okay, sign me up.

I say I first watched the show two months ago. In truth, it was probably less. In that time, I and the lovely Savvyraven blasted through the first two seasons on DVD, hired the less lovely Adam Leschack to steal the beginning of season three from the internet, and then watched the remainder of season three on DVR, culminating in the season finale last Sunday.

So I'm kind of an expert on the matter, all of a sudden.

I don't know why I write this, except to tell you this: This is the best television show that there has ever been, by a wide margin.

"Deadw-" no.

"Sopra-" no.

"Family G-" n--... well, different genre.

"--" no.

Why? Why is it so great?

Let us begin.

1. Bryan Cranston. The dad from Malcolm in the Middle. MitM is now a fascinating show, because you didn't realize at the time that one of the supporting players who often didn't show up for more than 30 seconds an episode turned out to to be the greatest actor in the history of thespianism. Holy Christ. He's won the Emmy every year for this shit, and unlike Alec Baldwin, he actually deserves it.

2. While Walter White (Cranston) was 3-dimensional from the start, every other character on the show is introduced as somewhat two dimensional, but either quickly or gradually turns into another fantastically drawn, real person. Through three seasons, there exists only one character that has remained something of a 2D comic foil, but even THAT is realistic, given his profession. A better acted, better written group of characters has never graced a screen, small or large.

3. The production of the show is beyond excellent. Please see it on Blu-Ray, if possible. We only got to see season 1 on Blu-Ray, because I became too impatient and demanded we just rent the regular DVDs from Blockbuster, but the care put into the aesthetic of the show is phenomenal, particularly if you are a fan of the southwest United States, and New Mexico in particular.

4. The story is electric. You kinda know where it's going, but not how it's going to get there. But it ends up not mattering where it gets, because getting there is such a trip. Such a believable, resonant trip. There's not a false note anywhere along the path, and yet you're left spent at the end of nearly episode.

5. The average episode is better than most movies that have ever been made.

I tell you this now because it will not last more than another season or two. Season 3 has just ended, so now is the time to catch up.

I will do no more to convince you. You will either, on the strength of this recommendation, watch Season 1 Episode 1, and thereby commit to the ride, or ignore it completely.

Both are fine, but realize this:

Breaking Bad is the greatest show in television history, and you will love it, and everyone agrees with me.

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:46 pm

IS the theme song for this show also by "They Might Be Giants"?

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 11:48 pm

It is not.

Also, for anyone who wishes to discover the greatest show ever, the pilot (slightly censored for some reason, but not too bad) is available for free here:

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 5:09 pm

Already I am beginning the rigourous methodologies req'd to get the thing on my monitor.

It's time to make teaching Chem hot again!

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 5:10 pm

Also, here's how this is gonna work.

Because I am so worried about SPOILERS I don't talk about tv on the Internet. Anywhere.

There will be a SPOILER THREAD for Breaking Bad. A new thread. And after I watch an episode, I will spoil it. Well, I will discuss my opinions. I'm not going to outright g- you all know what I mean.

It will be labelled. We're gonna do this. It'll be like old times, when Pinner and I ran this place with an iron fist. (That we hit each other with, I mean. We didn- you all know what I mean.)

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 12:25 pm

BREAKING BAD
Season One Episode One

I like that they set it in New Mexico. I'm hoping I never see another show set in NY or LA.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 2:42 pm

That was your only comment about episode 1?

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 3:06 pm

I thought the show was giving us the ULTIMATE end at the beginning there. I thought they were showing us the end of it. All of it. But no, that was not what happened at all!

So that was brilliant.

And I am usually a bit tired of mixed-up timeline plots. So it was nice to see them still "trick" me.

I will say that I will have no patience for this show if it's constantly about Walt juggling his family versus his secret life.

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 5:05 pm

I enjoy it when they cook the meth.

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 7:43 pm

I failed to address each episode because I did not want to pause to write anything after each episode. I also have a mild creative block at the moment, so Breaking Bad is filling in the gap.

The thing that is so astounding is that Aaron Paul is so good. It would really be difficult to take the show seriously if he couldn't act, but he can! I am a bit fascinated about the fact that acting skill doesn't seem to be something you develop through your career and finally master by the time you're 65. You can very well be a much better actor at age 25 than someone at 50. And Aaron Paul knocks it out of the park each episode.

David Milch · Post by **David Milch** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:45 pm

Breaking Bad is indeed awesome. Deadwood was still better, but Breaking Bad is -- see previous -- indeed awesome.

Breaking Bad's chief strengths are the cast -- well, mainly Bryan Cranston but everyone else, too...even Anna Gunn playing a character that I defy you to explain what the fuck she's doing scene-to-scene -- and the ridiculously good writing. I would say 80% of the episodes end with something akin to a holy shit moment, and a HSM percentage of 0.800 is unheard of.

As far as chief strengths go, those are pretty goddamned formidable.

That said, I don't think one inhabits the world of breaking bad, as a viewer, the way one does the world of Deadwood. And every single word spoken on Breaking Bad is not, on its own, brilliant, the way they are on Deadwood. (As evidence, I will pay $20 just to hear Al Swearengen say "the" again.) If people do not, years from now, look back on Deadwood the way we do today on Shakespeare, something will have gone seriously fucking awry with humanity.

That said, Breaking Bad is as good as anything on the air today.

So fuck yeah.

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 10:13 pm

I just saw S03E10.

I'm gonna need a day.

I'm gonna need a day to talk about what I just saw. Because HOLY CHRIST.

Holy Christ.

SPOILERS.

It is the single greatest episode of television I have ever seen in my life.

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 3:35 pm

So, I've got three episodes to last one year, if I am reading this right.

When Kat said there would be no more episodes until July, my thought was, "Well, at least there aren't year-long droughts like in The Sopranos." (I never kept up with The Sopranos.)

There is now a 13+ month drought. This is terrible. The man has cancer people. Cancer.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 4:29 pm

I've attempted to put this in perspective, but mostly I end up using sporting events as markers.

Here's my list so far...

When the next episode of Breaking Bad airs:

1. Super Bowl XLV will have been played, and training camp for the 2011/2012 NFL season will have begun.

2. The 2011 NHL and NBA finals will both be long over.

3. I will be 40 years old.

4. We will be gearing up for the 2011 green chile season. We haven't even gotten close to THIS year's green chile season.

5. Starcraft 2 will have been out a full year, long since mastered by Koreans.

6. You know how the 4th of July is in a week? We'll be fondly looking back on the NEXT 4th of July.

It's...

It's gonna be a while.

AArdvark · Post by **AArdvark** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 6:21 pm

I hesitate to ask, but..

Will you be able to reproduce the magic of -every single episode of House- with Breaking Bad?

THE
DOESN'T WATCH TV
AARDVARK

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:05 pm

No, every episode of BB is different, and as already has been stated, each of them is better than most, if not all, movies.

That ("no") being said, yes.

That's a good project. That's something to work on for the next year and a half.

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 8:52 pm

Hopefully I'll be able to watch it at their home. My TV sucks. I've been downloading it off the Internet, which I don't feel bad about, because it's on cable television.

Bugs · Post by **Bugs** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 6:36 am

Let's see, normal everyday suburban X turns to an illegal life of Y so that they can Z.

I liked this show better when it was called "Weeds." At least that main character is hot.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 12:31 pm

I have not seen Weeds. I HAVE seen 100% of the people who are familiar with both shows say that comparing BB to Weeds is laughable, and that one is a quirky, playful, lightweight piece of fluff, and one is the greatest goddamn television show of all time.

Guess which is which.

Bugs · Post by **Bugs** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:36 am

Ooh, so it's like Weeds + The Sopranos. My (breaking) bad. Ha!