The Beauty Of Breaking Bad
DescriptionA review of Breaking Bad, the hit drama series about high school chemistry teacher turned meth cook Walter White and the beauty of what good characters can do for a story. Breaking Bad is exclusively available on Netflix.
MessageWe recommend watching Breaking Bad to form your own opinions about the show.
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AMCIntroductionBreaking Bad is one of the best TV shows ever, and that is not a unique statement. Almost anyone who has watched it agrees with that one sentence, regardless if it is their FAVORITE (a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes is a good sign). That's the difference for me; though it is not my favorite show ever, I can absolutely say it is one of the top few. But why is that, why is it so universally loved? What do so many people see in it? One thing: character. The show has some of the most compelling, comprehensive, and genuine characters ever, whether you want to talk about Mr. White himself, perfectly played by Bryan Cranston, or others like Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), Skyler White (Anna Gunn), Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), and even Walt Jr. (RJ Mitte). They all go through fascinating and unique journeys that allow us to invest our time into them and yearn to learn what is next. So, here are my three reasons that exemplify the beauty of Breaking Bad and its characters.
Part One - "Diversity" of CharacterOne of the most important aspects of the show is how all of the characters are super different while at the same time all alike. There is a wide range of personalities and goals spread across Breaking Bad's five-season run. Walter White goes from entering the meth business to make money to avoid burdening his family with medical costs to a power-hungry narcissist who would risk it all for more. Skyler White starts as an innocent mother but becomes a sketchy bookkeeper and owner of a money-laundering car wash who was ultimately left with nothing but trouble after the dealings of her husband. Hank Schrader begins with a massive meth mystery at hand, but soon enough learns that the man he is after is one step ahead and living right in front of him the entire time. Nevertheless, all the characters go on similar journeys, starting out innocent but slowly being poisoned by their actions. Though no two journeys are the same, none of them are too similar. They are the same in the goal, but diverse in the trip to get there. And that is what is so gripping, as at first, you think they would all end up at a different place, but in reality, they all realize that Walter has screwed them all. His once righteous actions were the end of them all, regardless of their differences. But that illusion of different characters is truly special, and it is not a bad thing for sure. It just makes the end of the show so much more unexpected and enjoyable.
Part Two - Walter H. WhiteWalter White is a masterclass in how to create a tragic hero. For those who don't know, a tragic hero is typically someone who falls from great heights usually due to a flaw in their personality or life choices. And Mr. White is a perfect example of that. As previously stated, he started out as a chemistry teacher, but when he was diagnosed with lung cancer, he wanted a quick way to make money and ensure that his family was left with something after his death. The only thing, though, is that his death never comes, as he is coerced into getting treatment and it ultimately works. So now he is stuck cooking meth, his choice drug when it came to illegal dealings, as he was the only one who could make it 99% pure. He had a premium product, one that people would pay top dollar for. Walter, not wanting to let large sums of money slip away, continued with his partner Jesse, but as he did so, he got deeper and deeper into cartels, evil businessmen, murder, and ultimately, the harm of his family. That is probably the best part of the show, as the one thing he did to protect and provide for his loved ones is the very thing that alienated and killed them (technically only Hank dies, but the rest are emotionally damaged beyond repair). The important thing for this character is this irony, this point. His selflessness was selfish; his altruistic mission was really a cover-up for his evil. And at the end of the day, no one wins. Walter loses, his family loses, and it was all for nothing. That is what makes him such an amazing character, such a tragic hero, as that flaw, so deep and true, was his ultimate downfall.
Part Three - A Complete StoryThe last part of Breaking Bad that is so crucial to its beauty is the story. From the get-go, it sets up things that are years down the line, seasons away, and pays them off perfectly. One of my favorites was the "disappearer," a man who could give you a whole new life and erase your previous existence. This idea was given to Walter by Saul Goodman back in the middle of season 4, but was never finished until the end of season 5, when it was used by both Walter and Saul, ironically. But that is one of the best parts of the show: its ability to satisfy Chekhov's guns so seamlessly. There are a plethora of other wonderful examples, like the use of Walt Whitman as Gale's favorite poet and as the way that Hank learns Walter's secret. These perfect moments make it such a complete story, as you feel like nothing is ever left behind, no idea is ever left in the background. Every detail is important, and it makes the show so fun to watch, because savvy viewers with a solid attention span can notice things that will come up seasons later. It allows the story to feel whole, even when it spans over five years in real life. It also makes it extremely streamable, as we have come used to shows just being one long story. All of these things together just make it the perfect narrative, complete and sound with few holes in it.
ConclusionAll in all, Breaking Bad is a remarkable TV show with amazing character writing and storytelling. It deserves all the accolades thrown at it, as it truly exemplifies what a great writer can do when they have a plan and a dream. Never have I personally been so happy with the conclusion of a show, no matter how sad it is, and I am pleased with the way it ended. I know it is crazy that it took me roughly ten years to actually get around to it, but I am glad I did. It truly is a beautiful show, a true tragedy, and never could be replicated. The best newish thing we have in the Breaking Bad universe is Better Call Saul (Saul Goodman is my favorite character in BB, so the spinoff is well deserved), which will be my next binge-watching journey. But until then, this is it, my Breaking Bad review in all its glory.
Part One - "Diversity" of CharacterOne of the most important aspects of the show is how all of the characters are super different while at the same time all alike. There is a wide range of personalities and goals spread across Breaking Bad's five-season run. Walter White goes from entering the meth business to make money to avoid burdening his family with medical costs to a power-hungry narcissist who would risk it all for more. Skyler White starts as an innocent mother but becomes a sketchy bookkeeper and owner of a money-laundering car wash who was ultimately left with nothing but trouble after the dealings of her husband. Hank Schrader begins with a massive meth mystery at hand, but soon enough learns that the man he is after is one step ahead and living right in front of him the entire time. Nevertheless, all the characters go on similar journeys, starting out innocent but slowly being poisoned by their actions. Though no two journeys are the same, none of them are too similar. They are the same in the goal, but diverse in the trip to get there. And that is what is so gripping, as at first, you think they would all end up at a different place, but in reality, they all realize that Walter has screwed them all. His once righteous actions were the end of them all, regardless of their differences. But that illusion of different characters is truly special, and it is not a bad thing for sure. It just makes the end of the show so much more unexpected and enjoyable.
Part Two - Walter H. WhiteWalter White is a masterclass in how to create a tragic hero. For those who don't know, a tragic hero is typically someone who falls from great heights usually due to a flaw in their personality or life choices. And Mr. White is a perfect example of that. As previously stated, he started out as a chemistry teacher, but when he was diagnosed with lung cancer, he wanted a quick way to make money and ensure that his family was left with something after his death. The only thing, though, is that his death never comes, as he is coerced into getting treatment and it ultimately works. So now he is stuck cooking meth, his choice drug when it came to illegal dealings, as he was the only one who could make it 99% pure. He had a premium product, one that people would pay top dollar for. Walter, not wanting to let large sums of money slip away, continued with his partner Jesse, but as he did so, he got deeper and deeper into cartels, evil businessmen, murder, and ultimately, the harm of his family. That is probably the best part of the show, as the one thing he did to protect and provide for his loved ones is the very thing that alienated and killed them (technically only Hank dies, but the rest are emotionally damaged beyond repair). The important thing for this character is this irony, this point. His selflessness was selfish; his altruistic mission was really a cover-up for his evil. And at the end of the day, no one wins. Walter loses, his family loses, and it was all for nothing. That is what makes him such an amazing character, such a tragic hero, as that flaw, so deep and true, was his ultimate downfall.
Part Three - A Complete StoryThe last part of Breaking Bad that is so crucial to its beauty is the story. From the get-go, it sets up things that are years down the line, seasons away, and pays them off perfectly. One of my favorites was the "disappearer," a man who could give you a whole new life and erase your previous existence. This idea was given to Walter by Saul Goodman back in the middle of season 4, but was never finished until the end of season 5, when it was used by both Walter and Saul, ironically. But that is one of the best parts of the show: its ability to satisfy Chekhov's guns so seamlessly. There are a plethora of other wonderful examples, like the use of Walt Whitman as Gale's favorite poet and as the way that Hank learns Walter's secret. These perfect moments make it such a complete story, as you feel like nothing is ever left behind, no idea is ever left in the background. Every detail is important, and it makes the show so fun to watch, because savvy viewers with a solid attention span can notice things that will come up seasons later. It allows the story to feel whole, even when it spans over five years in real life. It also makes it extremely streamable, as we have come used to shows just being one long story. All of these things together just make it the perfect narrative, complete and sound with few holes in it.
ConclusionAll in all, Breaking Bad is a remarkable TV show with amazing character writing and storytelling. It deserves all the accolades thrown at it, as it truly exemplifies what a great writer can do when they have a plan and a dream. Never have I personally been so happy with the conclusion of a show, no matter how sad it is, and I am pleased with the way it ended. I know it is crazy that it took me roughly ten years to actually get around to it, but I am glad I did. It truly is a beautiful show, a true tragedy, and never could be replicated. The best newish thing we have in the Breaking Bad universe is Better Call Saul (Saul Goodman is my favorite character in BB, so the spinoff is well deserved), which will be my next binge-watching journey. But until then, this is it, my Breaking Bad review in all its glory.
Sources“Breaking Bad.” Rotten Tomatoes, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/breaking_bad. Accessed 21 July 2022.
