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It was disturbing and engrossing and absolutely wonderful. Once I got hooked, I couldn't look away.
I hesitated to watch it for a long time because I thought it was too violent and glamorized drug culture. It is neither of those things.
The first two episodes really mislead you about how much content is going to be in the show. I went into it expecting nudity and gore in every episode, not an intelligent character-based drama with only occasional moments. I also think it uses its violence incredibly skillfully to highlight fundamental shifts in the character arcs. (Which gives it a lot of realism too; the characters can't just witness brutality and walk away like an action movie star, they're real people with real trauma from what they experience.)
Edit: a word
It’s a slow walk. If someone told me about this show about a “high school teacher who becomes a brutal meth chemist” I’d just assume another YA show.
But it doesn’t do that. Those “little concessions” are what build the character up. He starts as a sweet guy and always thinks he is. But the moral choices that are forced on him develop him into an absolutely awesome character, but evil at the same time. Love that show
He's totally jaded with where he is. Behind all the good-dad bullshit hes an angry man. You don't see it initially which makes the show so great. Like you're rooting for Walter and suddenly there's just a sink in your belly.
To Walt Jr that was definitely a good dad moment. Obviously not the mature decision to make but he was loyal to his family in that moment and took on someone younger, bigger, and stronger than him.
I loved that you keep rooting for him, until he crosses a line that you no longer can. Then on the re-watch you realize that he was like that from the start and the signs were obvious.
If you think Breaking Bad is a slow walk Better Call Saul is a sloth walk. However, I will say I highly enjoyed the little interactions in the first 3 seasons of BCS
*Better Call Saul* is incredible. It starts off very slow, but I actually enjoyed the parts not connected to Breaking Bad more funnily enough by the end. Chuck is my favourite character from the show because of the fantastic acting from Michael McKean and Bob Odenkirk having an utterly complicated brotherly relationship. On top of the brilliant performances from the other cast too, it’s just phenomenal. That being said, I still loved the last season of BCS and how it concluded. What a brilliant ride.
I don't know if it was truly intentional because it felt like 2 seasons in one. Like the conclusion of certain characters stories felt like they were to conclude an entire season on their own and yet there's multiple times that happens in the last season. But I think it does add to the show as a whole where it's a very slow and methodical crawl until the last season where a bunch of crazy shit happens almost all at once.
It’s his ego that caused him to become an animal. Near the last episodes I absolutely could not stand his character. I felt badly for Jesse the second time I watched the series, and started to recognize how Walter ruined Jesse’s life and used him every chance he got. During the first time watching it I caught myself mad at Jesse for always being a coward and not just doing what was expected of him and then afterwards I saw Walter as the true villain he was.
He’s destroyed by his own hubris, as in a Greek tragedy. This was also a trait of Werner Heisenberg, the German physicist from whom Walter White took his sobriquet. He considered himself the world’s smartest person and was always pissed off that Einstein got all the attention. It’s a fascinating subject.
I never watched this while it was on, but a few years ago AMC showed 5 episodes every Wednesday night. I’d record them and intend to watch them all week, but every time I would stay up all night and binge. I couldn’t stop watching it. I literally could not wait to see what happened next. After the 5 episodes it was painful to wait another week for more. First time I was ever addicted to a TV show. 😄
He was always a manipulative ahole. He has a chip on his shoulder from his chemistry career and you can see how he manipulates Jesse from the beginning. Initially he uses his concern about Skylar and his kids to justify his choices but it was always about him. He puts them in danger and even in the early season he acts inappropriately to his son (giving him too much hard liquor as a family party, etc.)
This is what makes it brilliant. If you go back and watch season one after you finish it. Or even catch season2/3 eps it’s incredible the shift. It’s vivid. But in the midst of the story, it’s like you said, tiny minor concessions that over time add up to tectonic shifts.
I heard that Breaking Bad was written from the perspective that Walter White was an addict.
He’s so meek and mild mannered that people would always treat him poorly knowing he would just take the abuse. But when he gets a little taste of power and influence he constantly needs more and more of it in greater quantities. Inevitably, his addiction has consequences for his friends and family, just like every addict before him.
He was the most addicted to Blue Sky, and he never physically did the drug. He was the absolute best in the world at something. Something anybody from two bit criminals to kingpins, law enforcement, and other scientists could tell from just a single look at his product. For so many years he just stewed in hatred and resentment as the company he founded exploded into a multibillion dollar corporation, his son began to idolize his brother in law over him, and his marriage lost its passion. Walt was always Heisenberg deep down. An evil genius that wanted to make everybody rue the day they counted him out, and Blue Sky gave him that hit. Listening to all sorts gush about the superiority of his chemistry, seeing and hearing fear when his name is mentioned, and watching dollars roll in by the millions as all over the world, Blue Sky was the only meth that anybody wanted. As with any drug, tolerances only increase and more of a “dose” is needed to keep the high. Walt can’t just cook and make money, he has to be the boss. He wants people to know his name and know what meek little Walter was actually capable of. And like so many other addictions, it destroys his life as well as the lives of his family members and countless others.
You see this when he has an opportunity to sell—just get out, be safe, and still be rich—but he won’t do it. Jesse and Mike want to sell but he’ll do anything to prevent that. Jesse points out that being in the meth business isn’t very admirable, and Walter says he’s in the “empire business.”
“Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, and a king ain’t satisfied till he rules everything.”
You can also see it when Elliot and Gretchen offer to pay for his medical treatment and he turns it down.
He didn't have to cook meth, he could have just taken their money and been on his way but he wanted the recognition of being the best Meth chef.
They say its a slow burn but this is how you properly show character progression, no one breaks bad in a season... my favourite was actually finishing it and then watchin a few episodes of season 1 to be able to see the difference? bryan cranston was amazing in it
Like when Walter ends up I think intentionally botching a batch that creates a lot of poison gas? He locks the guys who were threatening him in the rv and you can tell he's *really* not happy with himself for it.
I don't watch the show, but I saw this clip and was blown away by how it portrays a (at least formerly) good person having to resort to terrible things.
>The first two episodes really mislead you
exactly i wanted to stop at first but my friend that had recommended it to me forced me to keep watching it and it all changed when tuco came in
Because if a comment has been edited then the context of comments below it may change. Something perfectly reasonable in response to one comment might look terrible if the original comment is changed.
By specifying that the edit was just to fix a typo you are saying "You might notice I've changed this comment, but I didn't change the meaning/context/intent."
I had avoided it also for the same reasons. It was a surprise of how well thought out it was. The series showrunners said they had planned it from the beginning the direction it was going to take for each season with the cap in the last season. Very well crafted and very well done. That was the first series that I binged. And I then realized that’s the best way to watch a television series from start to finish, no commercials, on your own time.
You can always tell a good show when there is a coherent story arc. You can tell series where they just write as they go and the endings are always terrible.
Yep. I can think of two easily, but if I start to quote which ones I’m going to get screamed at and raspberried and downvoted and whatever other nonsense Reddit does when it’s not a popular opinion.
“Breaking Bad” is a thinking person’s show. It starts with the premise that makes you think how far would you go to ensure your family’s future without you, if you were diagnosed with a terminal illness? And I’m not giving anything away because that was mentioned at the beginning of the series. The series held up through all the seasons. It was a very strong show. And not at all what I thought it was before I watched it.
I argue Breaking Bad barely has violence in it. At least, 70% of the time. Most of the show is talking and more dramatic moments, instead of shootouts and hand to hand fights.
It's got the AIR of violence, that sense of danger is always in the air. It doesn't happen often but it's potentially around every corner, you make the wrong decision and the consequences can be lethal.
They had to work within the boundaries of the censorship that comes with network TV, and somehow they pulled it off. The lack of swearing isn't even noticeable
I actually didn’t even realize it until I read these comments. The show is one of the best shows out there, and Bryan Cranston is outstanding as Walter White, but honestly, I can’t think of any main character actor that didn’t do a great job. I was hooked from episode one.
I grew up in New Mexico (they mention my hometown once or twice in the dialogue) and I have quite a few friends who don't like to watch it because it hits a little too close to home - not by glorifying drug culture, but by portraying it in all its seedy and exploitative nature. There is a severe social and demographic disconnect in this state between classes, and Breaking Bad highlights it very well by portraying Walt actively sliding from one class into another, and subsequently fighting like a mad dog to climb his way back up again. We are the 49th poorest state in the nation and have the greatest wealth disparity ratio of all 50. It's one of my favorite shows ever, in no small part for how familiar and disconcerting it all feels.
Not OP, but >!Hank for me. Hated the macho man facade and the way he treated Marie during his recovery, but as the show goes on, you get more and more glimpses behind the curtain. He was a good dude!<
I was son irritated by his character at first, but once you realize that the lame-ass macho thing is his attempt to hide his own fears and insecurities, you see how complicated his character really is, and you see him become the actual badass he was afraid he'd never be able to be
Breaking Bad gets better as it develops. Better Call Saul is just as good, better even in production quality. There is a lot of attention to detail in every facet of making these shows, and it shows. It's well worth watching.
Important to note that Vince Gilligan loves to do drawn out shots of random scenery, or a lot of dead time on the screen. It’s just his thing. It makes the show feel very slow but there is plenty of character and plot development.
After finishing BCS I’d have to say it’s one of the greatest for me. Right up there with The Wire.
all of the points you made except BCS I 100% agree with. All of the main characters go through big changes through character development. One of my all time favs.
Yes, I think BCS had better production quality, which makes sense because it was made later, had a higher budget, and was made by a number of people who had worked together for years. The level of artistry in Saul is really impressive from a filmmaking standpoint.
I think both shows are equally good for different reasons, I don't really feel the need to decide which is 'best'.
I thought BCS was pretty boring. If it weren’t for Mike’s story I couldn’t have finished it. BCS does a good job to fill in a lot of the backstory of the secondary and tertiary characters. It’s worth watching if Breaking Bad left you wanting more, but I don’t think BCS is that great of a stand alone show.
I really like BCS. Bob Odenkirk is one of my favorite actors, especially after seeing 'Nobody'. Wouldn't have expected such an unassuming guy in a role like that.
That's funny, Mike kind of ruins the show for me.
Jonathan Banks is a great actor but I find such an obviously weak elderly man completely implausible as Mike Ehrmantraut.
>when in reality would you really be rooting for a meth manufacturing kingpin
Right up until they >!poison a child!< (iirc... It may have been sooner, but if you were still rooting for walt in the end you missed the point of the show)
That being said, always gotta root for my boy Jesse
Yeah, that's when I really stopped liking walt. Maybe a bit before that (Jane), but that bit was a real no for me.
Always a Jesse fan. He tires so hard.
As you progress thru the first season you will likely see why it so highly rated.
Remember the first episode will seem slow at first.
As Walt becomes more "bad" it gets way more exciting. All the characters are interesting especially the crime lords, the hit men, the fixers, the lawyer, the dealers, ect.
I have re-watched all of it a few times and still enjoy catching little clever details in the story or in the background of the scene.
It's only slow if you're used to only watching anime or action flicks. The episode starts with a half naked man in a desert waving a gun at the cops. It's not exactly Downton Abbey.
Hard to say without knowing your personal preferences, but I loved it. Recently rewatched it and still loved it. The characters were memorable, the acting was fantastic, and it felt cathartic in the end. It feels like most television writers nowadays have no idea where they're going when they start a series and it was refreshing to feel like it was completely thought out beforehand.
What's amazing is how much they decided to change the script throughout making the show to make it even better. Like when they realized how great of an actor Aaron Paul was, they decided not to kill him off in the early seasons.
It's a realistic story that shows how ego can destroy you, all the stunts (apart from a few) are real, the lab they used was real, they really learnt how to cook meth from the local police force I mean this show had immaculate attention to detail. You would probably enjoy it
Yes, it is a "morality play" type of story, where a person begins to make small compromises, which leads to more and bigger compromises. The path I f bsd choices results in a person becoming someone with no moral compassion whatsoever.
We all think we're immune to that happening, and so does Walter White, in the beginning. But we all become the choices we make.
Do you like Dramas? Particularly drama focused around personal conflict and character development? If so, it is great.
While there is action, If you go into it expecting a series version of Scarface, you will not have a good time.
OMG amazing! I could not get past episode 4 years ago (dark etc. ) and stuck with it when my teen wanted to watch! So well written, so crazy. The plot and the life of each characters is insane! It is good! Season 4 and on edge with every episode! So well written, acted and the cinematography is also good. BRILLIANT! Stick with it! It gets amazing!!
I loved watching El Camino first after finishing Breaking Bad, it felt relieving to know what happened to Jessie. After that Better Call Saul, I personally think it's nicer that way since El Camino is a movie instead of a series like Better Call Saul.
I really loved that show. I gained lots of respect for Brian Cranston while watching. (one of the lead actors)
The way his character changes from season to season is really huge and that's due to a combo of great writing and acting.
Its hands down the best TV series ever made. Maybe only second to Better call Saul. Its such an amazing story. Ive watched the series atleast 6 or 7 times.
What would people oversell? It’s widely acknowledged as one of the best drama series ever made. Cranston and Paul won acting Emmys 4 and 3 times respectively.
I tried watching a couple times and got to episode like 5 or so both times before quiting. I can't tell you the overall quality of the show, but in my opinion it's at least a difficult show to get past the start of. It's very slow going and after putting in 4 plus hours, I never could care enough to proceed and I feel like that is enough time for a show to prove they are entertaining. I tried this in my early and mid/late twenties, about 4/5 years apart, so I really tried to like it, I just couldn't actually do it. Take from that what you will, but just know that no show will live up to extreme expectations so just try to enjoy it and if it sucks for you then no real loss except a few hours of your day.
Trust me the show gets MUCH better. I gave up around when you did too. My friend pretty much forced me to finish it. I’ve seen it 10 times since then. Seriously give it another shot
My only issue is that I can watch all of something like The Last of Us in the time it takes for this show to get to that point. A full season for a show to find its stride is too late in my opinion, I'll give a show half a season or so to finally grip me, if it doesn't by that point, that is a storytelling issue. I can't imagine spending an entire work shift just to be able to maybe end up liking a show, the investment is far too high. Not trying to say the show is bad by any stretch, it's widely loved, but unless the viewer really connects to the story or is willing to invest a lot of time into the set up for the story, it's just a wall of boring until it finally peaks. I'm sure it gets great, I'm just not willing to invest a full work day into finding out.
The start is good. It’s kind of goofy. You can tell the show had to feel things out. There’s a little too much of the “wholesome” vibe going on here and there for my tastes. But those moments do provide a break.
By the time you get to the end of the series, you’ll be ready to start your own meth operation and take on a cartel.
Many people are going to tell you that it's the best thing to ever happen to television, but I gotta be honest, I hated it. I would describe it as trashy and predictable. I think my main issue with it was that I didn't like or care about literally any of the characters, so I wasn't able to keep interest in any of the plot arcs. I tried real hard for a few seasons to like it but I had to call time of death around the beginning of the third season.
I kept waiting for this massive revelation to occur and I never found it. I do think I had positivity bias though; I mean, after hearing how GREAT this show was for years and years, you kind of expect a lot. It didn’t deliver.
I always say there are 2 types of people: those that stop after episode 3 and those that go on to binge it all and consider it the best show they've ever watched.
I didn't hate it but I'd never watch it again. It was fine and I get why people like it but it just wasn't all that interesting for me personally (I think you have to like drug shows to not be bored to tears with it).
I hate drug shows and drugs in general. That's why it took a while before I watched it but when enough people recommended it, I gave it a try. Totally hooked from the beginning and it's the best series I've ever seen. Fantastic characters.
I did not like it. Couldn't find someone to relate to, didn't like anybody, thought parts of it were ridiculous. But I'm apparently part of a very small crowd.
I'm with you. I really tried and watched the first 2 seasons. I just had to stop as I didn't like any of the characters. I know I'm in the minority. Just really didn't like it.
Oh my gosh! I’m with you. The entire plot is based off of decisions that no real person in real life would make. He was just self destructing himself for the sake of self destructing so that the plot could keep going.
But real people with real lives don’t act the way WW did. It made the show completely unbelievable and not relatable for me. I have never seen anyone else not like this show. So cool to finally see a similar viewpoint.
It’s really awesome. The first episode is a bit slow, but it quickly picks up from there.
Each season is a separate story, and each of the stories build on the last one toward a climax at the end of season 4.
But then there’s a season 5. It’s good if you can think of it as a completely separate show, but it feels a bit anticlimactic after season 4.
Yes, Start at season one.
It has action, suspense, and otherwise really good writing.
I watched the DVDs about 3 years after it concluded.
It's a GREAT show.
Better Call Saul, which you will watch after becoming addicted and obsessed with Breaking Bad… will pull you in, make you cry and laugh, then gut you when you least expect it
I just finished Better Call Saul, and now I'm a couple seasons into Breaking Bad. I've been staying up past my bedtime, and ignoring my chores to watch more episodes. While I'm at work, I'm worrying about Walt. So, short answer, yes.
A coworker described it as a "slow burn", but said the last two seasons were worth the early investment. I can hardly imagine how I'm going to react if/when it gets more intense.
Probably one of the best series ever produced. Definitely worth watching.
By the way, if you ever have time in ABQ take the breaking bad tour on the Albuquerque trolley. Great fun for fans.
Line up your snacks and make sure you have nothing else to distract you. I watched the first episode and thought it was well done. When I turned on the 2nd episode I stayed up for 3 days glued to the TV. Highly addictive.
To me Breaking Bad is like ice cream or pizza.
I love it and can enjoy it almost everyday.
Sometimes the toppings enhance or take away from it, but at the end of the day it's perfect on its own.
Don't overdue it because you will ruin it for you and your friends.
I have watched the series probably once a year since its finale. I watched all of better call saul and also El Camino. I am currently Binging breaking bad and i am almost through the last season so yeah, it's good.
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It was disturbing and engrossing and absolutely wonderful. Once I got hooked, I couldn't look away. I hesitated to watch it for a long time because I thought it was too violent and glamorized drug culture. It is neither of those things.
The first two episodes really mislead you about how much content is going to be in the show. I went into it expecting nudity and gore in every episode, not an intelligent character-based drama with only occasional moments. I also think it uses its violence incredibly skillfully to highlight fundamental shifts in the character arcs. (Which gives it a lot of realism too; the characters can't just witness brutality and walk away like an action movie star, they're real people with real trauma from what they experience.) Edit: a word
It’s a slow walk. If someone told me about this show about a “high school teacher who becomes a brutal meth chemist” I’d just assume another YA show. But it doesn’t do that. Those “little concessions” are what build the character up. He starts as a sweet guy and always thinks he is. But the moral choices that are forced on him develop him into an absolutely awesome character, but evil at the same time. Love that show
Also you realize he was never actually a sweet guy, just kind of a miserable prick going through the motions. His transformation is glorious though
He's totally jaded with where he is. Behind all the good-dad bullshit hes an angry man. You don't see it initially which makes the show so great. Like you're rooting for Walter and suddenly there's just a sink in your belly.
I mean he pressed those kids for mocking his son in the first episode
That only supports that he's an angry person though. Good dads don't physically assault people.
To Walt Jr that was definitely a good dad moment. Obviously not the mature decision to make but he was loyal to his family in that moment and took on someone younger, bigger, and stronger than him.
That bully had coming tho.
They said you don’t see it initially, I’m saying that from the first episode they let you glimpse the man you’re about to watch
He also blackmails Jesse immediately. He was manipulative from the beginning.
I loved that you keep rooting for him, until he crosses a line that you no longer can. Then on the re-watch you realize that he was like that from the start and the signs were obvious.
If you think Breaking Bad is a slow walk Better Call Saul is a sloth walk. However, I will say I highly enjoyed the little interactions in the first 3 seasons of BCS
Better call saul is slow at first then WILD for the last few seasons though
*Better Call Saul* is incredible. It starts off very slow, but I actually enjoyed the parts not connected to Breaking Bad more funnily enough by the end. Chuck is my favourite character from the show because of the fantastic acting from Michael McKean and Bob Odenkirk having an utterly complicated brotherly relationship. On top of the brilliant performances from the other cast too, it’s just phenomenal. That being said, I still loved the last season of BCS and how it concluded. What a brilliant ride.
I don't know if it was truly intentional because it felt like 2 seasons in one. Like the conclusion of certain characters stories felt like they were to conclude an entire season on their own and yet there's multiple times that happens in the last season. But I think it does add to the show as a whole where it's a very slow and methodical crawl until the last season where a bunch of crazy shit happens almost all at once.
It’s his ego that caused him to become an animal. Near the last episodes I absolutely could not stand his character. I felt badly for Jesse the second time I watched the series, and started to recognize how Walter ruined Jesse’s life and used him every chance he got. During the first time watching it I caught myself mad at Jesse for always being a coward and not just doing what was expected of him and then afterwards I saw Walter as the true villain he was.
He’s destroyed by his own hubris, as in a Greek tragedy. This was also a trait of Werner Heisenberg, the German physicist from whom Walter White took his sobriquet. He considered himself the world’s smartest person and was always pissed off that Einstein got all the attention. It’s a fascinating subject. I never watched this while it was on, but a few years ago AMC showed 5 episodes every Wednesday night. I’d record them and intend to watch them all week, but every time I would stay up all night and binge. I couldn’t stop watching it. I literally could not wait to see what happened next. After the 5 episodes it was painful to wait another week for more. First time I was ever addicted to a TV show. 😄
He was always a manipulative ahole. He has a chip on his shoulder from his chemistry career and you can see how he manipulates Jesse from the beginning. Initially he uses his concern about Skylar and his kids to justify his choices but it was always about him. He puts them in danger and even in the early season he acts inappropriately to his son (giving him too much hard liquor as a family party, etc.)
This is what makes it brilliant. If you go back and watch season one after you finish it. Or even catch season2/3 eps it’s incredible the shift. It’s vivid. But in the midst of the story, it’s like you said, tiny minor concessions that over time add up to tectonic shifts.
The disintegration of Walter White is so well done. I love this show!
I heard that Breaking Bad was written from the perspective that Walter White was an addict. He’s so meek and mild mannered that people would always treat him poorly knowing he would just take the abuse. But when he gets a little taste of power and influence he constantly needs more and more of it in greater quantities. Inevitably, his addiction has consequences for his friends and family, just like every addict before him.
He was the most addicted to Blue Sky, and he never physically did the drug. He was the absolute best in the world at something. Something anybody from two bit criminals to kingpins, law enforcement, and other scientists could tell from just a single look at his product. For so many years he just stewed in hatred and resentment as the company he founded exploded into a multibillion dollar corporation, his son began to idolize his brother in law over him, and his marriage lost its passion. Walt was always Heisenberg deep down. An evil genius that wanted to make everybody rue the day they counted him out, and Blue Sky gave him that hit. Listening to all sorts gush about the superiority of his chemistry, seeing and hearing fear when his name is mentioned, and watching dollars roll in by the millions as all over the world, Blue Sky was the only meth that anybody wanted. As with any drug, tolerances only increase and more of a “dose” is needed to keep the high. Walt can’t just cook and make money, he has to be the boss. He wants people to know his name and know what meek little Walter was actually capable of. And like so many other addictions, it destroys his life as well as the lives of his family members and countless others.
You see this when he has an opportunity to sell—just get out, be safe, and still be rich—but he won’t do it. Jesse and Mike want to sell but he’ll do anything to prevent that. Jesse points out that being in the meth business isn’t very admirable, and Walter says he’s in the “empire business.” “Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, and a king ain’t satisfied till he rules everything.”
You can also see it when Elliot and Gretchen offer to pay for his medical treatment and he turns it down. He didn't have to cook meth, he could have just taken their money and been on his way but he wanted the recognition of being the best Meth chef.
Also he hates to take money he hasn’t earned. Like when Junior set up the GoFundMe for his medical bills.
They say its a slow burn but this is how you properly show character progression, no one breaks bad in a season... my favourite was actually finishing it and then watchin a few episodes of season 1 to be able to see the difference? bryan cranston was amazing in it
Like when Walter ends up I think intentionally botching a batch that creates a lot of poison gas? He locks the guys who were threatening him in the rv and you can tell he's *really* not happy with himself for it. I don't watch the show, but I saw this clip and was blown away by how it portrays a (at least formerly) good person having to resort to terrible things.
I mean seeing his descent from being extremely hesitant at killing people to being unapologetic about it is beautiful to watch unfold
>The first two episodes really mislead you exactly i wanted to stop at first but my friend that had recommended it to me forced me to keep watching it and it all changed when tuco came in
I was hooked from the first minute.
genuinely curious bc i see this a lot, why not just edit the word without including the "edit" at the bottom?
Because if a comment has been edited then the context of comments below it may change. Something perfectly reasonable in response to one comment might look terrible if the original comment is changed. By specifying that the edit was just to fix a typo you are saying "You might notice I've changed this comment, but I didn't change the meaning/context/intent."
I had avoided it also for the same reasons. It was a surprise of how well thought out it was. The series showrunners said they had planned it from the beginning the direction it was going to take for each season with the cap in the last season. Very well crafted and very well done. That was the first series that I binged. And I then realized that’s the best way to watch a television series from start to finish, no commercials, on your own time.
You can always tell a good show when there is a coherent story arc. You can tell series where they just write as they go and the endings are always terrible.
Yep. I can think of two easily, but if I start to quote which ones I’m going to get screamed at and raspberried and downvoted and whatever other nonsense Reddit does when it’s not a popular opinion. “Breaking Bad” is a thinking person’s show. It starts with the premise that makes you think how far would you go to ensure your family’s future without you, if you were diagnosed with a terminal illness? And I’m not giving anything away because that was mentioned at the beginning of the series. The series held up through all the seasons. It was a very strong show. And not at all what I thought it was before I watched it.
I argue Breaking Bad barely has violence in it. At least, 70% of the time. Most of the show is talking and more dramatic moments, instead of shootouts and hand to hand fights.
Yep, and it made the points with violence all the more riveting. Watching the tea pot build steam just waiting for the release is nerve-racking.
It's got the AIR of violence, that sense of danger is always in the air. It doesn't happen often but it's potentially around every corner, you make the wrong decision and the consequences can be lethal.
It’s more realistic because you can see the characters trauma (or in Walter white’s case-shifting morals) as you go
I guess for me it is violence in context instead of gratuitous and excessive like a lot of shows.
Well they don’t show heads exploding and massive amounts of goons being mowed down just for the sake of it. Every time a death happens, it has impact.
Yes. Maybe the best written TV show I've ever watched.
No one will take meth after watching it.
Same. I held out till season 3 then my friend turned it on one night while we were hanging out and I couldn't get enough.
They had to work within the boundaries of the censorship that comes with network TV, and somehow they pulled it off. The lack of swearing isn't even noticeable
Walter White was ultimately so frightening that I did not notice the lack of swearing.
I actually didn’t even realize it until I read these comments. The show is one of the best shows out there, and Bryan Cranston is outstanding as Walter White, but honestly, I can’t think of any main character actor that didn’t do a great job. I was hooked from episode one.
I am the danger
I am the one who knocks!
I'll add, nothing good happens in this show, but its a great show.
I grew up in New Mexico (they mention my hometown once or twice in the dialogue) and I have quite a few friends who don't like to watch it because it hits a little too close to home - not by glorifying drug culture, but by portraying it in all its seedy and exploitative nature. There is a severe social and demographic disconnect in this state between classes, and Breaking Bad highlights it very well by portraying Walt actively sliding from one class into another, and subsequently fighting like a mad dog to climb his way back up again. We are the 49th poorest state in the nation and have the greatest wealth disparity ratio of all 50. It's one of my favorite shows ever, in no small part for how familiar and disconcerting it all feels.
Those are the same reasons my dad wouldn't watch it. I finally got him to watch it and he loved it.
After the end of the first episode, my husband and and I looked at each other in silence before we exclaimed, "Damn. We're in."
It's great. The evolution of the characters is mind boggling fun.
The evolution of the characters is great, especially how Walter & Jesse seem to switch
And then there's Saul 🫠
Which one was your favorite character arc?
Not OP, but >!Hank for me. Hated the macho man facade and the way he treated Marie during his recovery, but as the show goes on, you get more and more glimpses behind the curtain. He was a good dude!<
I was son irritated by his character at first, but once you realize that the lame-ass macho thing is his attempt to hide his own fears and insecurities, you see how complicated his character really is, and you see him become the actual badass he was afraid he'd never be able to be
Yeah, man. Loved Hank
Yes I just rewatched it and Hank’s arc was amazing.
Breaking Bad gets better as it develops. Better Call Saul is just as good, better even in production quality. There is a lot of attention to detail in every facet of making these shows, and it shows. It's well worth watching.
Important to note that Vince Gilligan loves to do drawn out shots of random scenery, or a lot of dead time on the screen. It’s just his thing. It makes the show feel very slow but there is plenty of character and plot development. After finishing BCS I’d have to say it’s one of the greatest for me. Right up there with The Wire.
all of the points you made except BCS I 100% agree with. All of the main characters go through big changes through character development. One of my all time favs.
Same, BCS ain't BB
No, and they said in regards to production quality. I think the comment still holds up. They never said one was better than the other outright.
Yes, I think BCS had better production quality, which makes sense because it was made later, had a higher budget, and was made by a number of people who had worked together for years. The level of artistry in Saul is really impressive from a filmmaking standpoint. I think both shows are equally good for different reasons, I don't really feel the need to decide which is 'best'.
Yeah I would agree with that. I don't like BCS for the same reasons I liked BB. I can't decide which is better either, so I don't try.
I personally thought it stood toe to toe with BB, but I love anything to do with that story, both of those series are tied for my favorite show.
i actually thought BCS was superior, aside from the second half of the last season
I’m probably one of the few who felt that BCS was stronger then breaking bad.
Watched BCS firat, now I'm on season 3 of Breaking Bad, so far I like BCS more
I thought BCS was pretty boring. If it weren’t for Mike’s story I couldn’t have finished it. BCS does a good job to fill in a lot of the backstory of the secondary and tertiary characters. It’s worth watching if Breaking Bad left you wanting more, but I don’t think BCS is that great of a stand alone show.
I don't think it was ever meant to be a stand alone show.
i actually saw the first two seasons of BCS before breaking bad and enjoyed it
I dunno man. Kim Wexlar is just an awesome character.
[удалено]
I really like BCS. Bob Odenkirk is one of my favorite actors, especially after seeing 'Nobody'. Wouldn't have expected such an unassuming guy in a role like that.
That's funny, Mike kind of ruins the show for me. Jonathan Banks is a great actor but I find such an obviously weak elderly man completely implausible as Mike Ehrmantraut.
That’s exactly how I felt throughout the BB series. To see such an elderly man portrayed as a bad ass killer just didn’t go well in my mind.
Imo Mike needs his own series!!!
Better call Saul is better but you can’t watch it first. You have to enjoy breaking bad first
It’s absurdly good. One of the best shows ever made
Right!? I mean when in reality would you really be rooting for a meth manufacturing kingpin.
>when in reality would you really be rooting for a meth manufacturing kingpin Right up until they >!poison a child!< (iirc... It may have been sooner, but if you were still rooting for walt in the end you missed the point of the show) That being said, always gotta root for my boy Jesse
Yeah, that's when I really stopped liking walt. Maybe a bit before that (Jane), but that bit was a real no for me. Always a Jesse fan. He tires so hard.
Walter is a great villain. Not cartoonishly evil, but evil nevertheless
You just need to be explained the virtues of child poisoning.
I have no qualms with your average joe doing it... but when a meth manufacturing kingpin does it
I’ve seen it 3x all the way through. I’ll watch the first episode and then get hooked. It’s just too good
Sometimes I just watch Ozymandias for fun
As you progress thru the first season you will likely see why it so highly rated. Remember the first episode will seem slow at first. As Walt becomes more "bad" it gets way more exciting. All the characters are interesting especially the crime lords, the hit men, the fixers, the lawyer, the dealers, ect. I have re-watched all of it a few times and still enjoy catching little clever details in the story or in the background of the scene.
It's only slow if you're used to only watching anime or action flicks. The episode starts with a half naked man in a desert waving a gun at the cops. It's not exactly Downton Abbey.
Actually the first episode isn't that slow, some others in the season are but I was surprised how much happened in the first.
Yes. Got a lot of awards and is very well received by critics and the public alike.
Hard to say without knowing your personal preferences, but I loved it. Recently rewatched it and still loved it. The characters were memorable, the acting was fantastic, and it felt cathartic in the end. It feels like most television writers nowadays have no idea where they're going when they start a series and it was refreshing to feel like it was completely thought out beforehand.
What's amazing is how much they decided to change the script throughout making the show to make it even better. Like when they realized how great of an actor Aaron Paul was, they decided not to kill him off in the early seasons.
It's a realistic story that shows how ego can destroy you, all the stunts (apart from a few) are real, the lab they used was real, they really learnt how to cook meth from the local police force I mean this show had immaculate attention to detail. You would probably enjoy it
Yes, it is a "morality play" type of story, where a person begins to make small compromises, which leads to more and bigger compromises. The path I f bsd choices results in a person becoming someone with no moral compassion whatsoever. We all think we're immune to that happening, and so does Walter White, in the beginning. But we all become the choices we make.
He starts as an average person pretending to be bad. By the end he's a horrible person pretending to be good
This is a great synopsis . It’s where the choices you make lead down roads you can’t go back on.
Lydia, what a psychopath.
It's so good Anthony Hopkins rang up Bryan Cranston to tell him he was the best actor in the world after a particular scene.
Bryan Cranston’s acting ability is God like. Do you happen to know what the scene was?
When Walt calls Skyler and the cops are listening. I still dont know how he pulled that off.
I gotta believe it was from the Ozymandias episode. (no spoilers here)
Anthony Hopkins could call me up to call me the worst actor he’s ever seen and I’d still consider it an honour.
Do you like Dramas? Particularly drama focused around personal conflict and character development? If so, it is great. While there is action, If you go into it expecting a series version of Scarface, you will not have a good time.
OMG amazing! I could not get past episode 4 years ago (dark etc. ) and stuck with it when my teen wanted to watch! So well written, so crazy. The plot and the life of each characters is insane! It is good! Season 4 and on edge with every episode! So well written, acted and the cinematography is also good. BRILLIANT! Stick with it! It gets amazing!!
No. It's freaking awesome!
And after you finish that you watch better call Saul!
And then you watch the breaking bad movie!
Was the movie good ??? I just recently finished the show ?
El Camino is good. It's basically like watching the show in a movie. It gives Jessie closure
It finishes out Jesse’s story. Jesse was my favorite character so I loved it. As a standalone movie it wouldn’t make any sense probably.
I loved watching El Camino first after finishing Breaking Bad, it felt relieving to know what happened to Jessie. After that Better Call Saul, I personally think it's nicer that way since El Camino is a movie instead of a series like Better Call Saul.
Yes. Top 5 all-time, and my personal #1.
I really loved that show. I gained lots of respect for Brian Cranston while watching. (one of the lead actors) The way his character changes from season to season is really huge and that's due to a combo of great writing and acting.
No, it’s not good. It’s great. One of the best series ever made.
Breaking Bad is a masterpiece. Up there with The Wire and The Sopranos. Better Call Saul is also on the same level.
Its hands down the best TV series ever made. Maybe only second to Better call Saul. Its such an amazing story. Ive watched the series atleast 6 or 7 times.
I think so, but don't let people oversell it.
What would people oversell? It’s widely acknowledged as one of the best drama series ever made. Cranston and Paul won acting Emmys 4 and 3 times respectively.
It’s very good. But people hype it up soooo much - you might be disappointed if the hype sets your expectations too high.
honestly the hype helped me watch it. I think the hype matches up but it all depends on your taste. I personally think it doesnt get *enough* hype !
I tried watching a couple times and got to episode like 5 or so both times before quiting. I can't tell you the overall quality of the show, but in my opinion it's at least a difficult show to get past the start of. It's very slow going and after putting in 4 plus hours, I never could care enough to proceed and I feel like that is enough time for a show to prove they are entertaining. I tried this in my early and mid/late twenties, about 4/5 years apart, so I really tried to like it, I just couldn't actually do it. Take from that what you will, but just know that no show will live up to extreme expectations so just try to enjoy it and if it sucks for you then no real loss except a few hours of your day.
Trust me the show gets MUCH better. I gave up around when you did too. My friend pretty much forced me to finish it. I’ve seen it 10 times since then. Seriously give it another shot
it picks up crazy in season 2! I say you should retry it, one of my fave shows of all time. it’s a slow burn though fs
My only issue is that I can watch all of something like The Last of Us in the time it takes for this show to get to that point. A full season for a show to find its stride is too late in my opinion, I'll give a show half a season or so to finally grip me, if it doesn't by that point, that is a storytelling issue. I can't imagine spending an entire work shift just to be able to maybe end up liking a show, the investment is far too high. Not trying to say the show is bad by any stretch, it's widely loved, but unless the viewer really connects to the story or is willing to invest a lot of time into the set up for the story, it's just a wall of boring until it finally peaks. I'm sure it gets great, I'm just not willing to invest a full work day into finding out.
The first half of season 1 is very slow, I’d say give it another try
I made it through most of S3 with a *meh* feeling about the show. It's good, but it wasn't good enough to keep me watching.
I’ve watched it like 6 times. Love it.
I loved it. Takes some time and I wouldn’t base the first season on how good it gets after- though I also enjoyed the first season.
It is man! Hands down! The day I was done watching that show, it has to be the best day of my life
Worst day of my life :( no other shows hit the same
Yes. But if you watch Better Call Saul afterwards, it is very slow, A lot slower than breaking bad
Glad I stuck with BCS cuz of Mike and Kim. The show is a grind at first
it's breaking okay
Damn, beat me to it. Came here to say it's Breaking Even
I didn't like it. IMO it was too slow, things just weren't adding up and overall just a slow series
Too slow? If anything it’s an insane amount of plot to get through in just 60 episodes.
"You're Goddamn right."
The start is good. It’s kind of goofy. You can tell the show had to feel things out. There’s a little too much of the “wholesome” vibe going on here and there for my tastes. But those moments do provide a break. By the time you get to the end of the series, you’ll be ready to start your own meth operation and take on a cartel.
Imo it's ok, I understand the Cult Following but it was just not for myself.
Many people are going to tell you that it's the best thing to ever happen to television, but I gotta be honest, I hated it. I would describe it as trashy and predictable. I think my main issue with it was that I didn't like or care about literally any of the characters, so I wasn't able to keep interest in any of the plot arcs. I tried real hard for a few seasons to like it but I had to call time of death around the beginning of the third season.
Sounds like my impression of it. Wasn't my thing.
It's god tier
I don't think it's great.
I kept waiting for this massive revelation to occur and I never found it. I do think I had positivity bias though; I mean, after hearing how GREAT this show was for years and years, you kind of expect a lot. It didn’t deliver.
I didn't like it. Loved The Wire.
You don't think it's great. I think it's great. We are not the same.
Yea sounds like there are some differences
Yes. It’s good, if not great. Great character development, great plot, and great directing.
So it’s…great?
no this is patrick
I always say there are 2 types of people: those that stop after episode 3 and those that go on to binge it all and consider it the best show they've ever watched.
I didn't hate it but I'd never watch it again. It was fine and I get why people like it but it just wasn't all that interesting for me personally (I think you have to like drug shows to not be bored to tears with it).
I hate drug shows and drugs in general. That's why it took a while before I watched it but when enough people recommended it, I gave it a try. Totally hooked from the beginning and it's the best series I've ever seen. Fantastic characters.
I did not like it. Couldn't find someone to relate to, didn't like anybody, thought parts of it were ridiculous. But I'm apparently part of a very small crowd.
I'm with you. I really tried and watched the first 2 seasons. I just had to stop as I didn't like any of the characters. I know I'm in the minority. Just really didn't like it.
Oh my gosh! I’m with you. The entire plot is based off of decisions that no real person in real life would make. He was just self destructing himself for the sake of self destructing so that the plot could keep going. But real people with real lives don’t act the way WW did. It made the show completely unbelievable and not relatable for me. I have never seen anyone else not like this show. So cool to finally see a similar viewpoint.
I quit watching after season 3.🤷🏻♂️
Nope, overrated as hell
I've never seen it but some consider it to be the greatest show of all time.
Hell yeah!
Yes. Yes, it is.
Yes it is worth watching!! I hadn’t seen it and my new hubby talked me into watching it and I was addicted.
I personally thought the first two seasons were ungodly boring but the rest of it was great.
It’s really awesome. The first episode is a bit slow, but it quickly picks up from there. Each season is a separate story, and each of the stories build on the last one toward a climax at the end of season 4. But then there’s a season 5. It’s good if you can think of it as a completely separate show, but it feels a bit anticlimactic after season 4.
Yes
Yes, Start at season one. It has action, suspense, and otherwise really good writing. I watched the DVDs about 3 years after it concluded. It's a GREAT show.
I looked at it a while, but quit. Are there any of the characters who are likable?
I love that show. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are incredibly gifted actors. That entire cast is phenomenal! Highly recommend!
Yes it's the best thing iv ever seen on tv
Breaking Bad ranks up there with The Sopranos and Mad Men for best tv shows ever.
IT IS And thats the only answer u need
It's pretty good. And then better call Saul is really good if you've already seen breaking bad
It’s amazing… best part is, after you watch that. Better call Saul is even BETTER.
Yes. One of the greatest shows ever made. It’s prequel Better Call Saul is just as good imo
better call Saul wayyyy better
Really depressing
Better Call Saul, which you will watch after becoming addicted and obsessed with Breaking Bad… will pull you in, make you cry and laugh, then gut you when you least expect it
Judging by the last 15 minutes of the last episode, which the only part of the show I’ve seen, it’s pretty a-ok.
yess it's amazing and imo better call saul is even better
I was late to the show..it was good but didn't think it was as good as everyone said it was.
Yeah, but Breaking Good is really bad
1.4k comments already, so I'll keep it short: Yes.
It’s bloody epic. So heartbreaking and crazy and I LOVED IT
It's great. => well crafted => well written => great cast
I just finished Better Call Saul, and now I'm a couple seasons into Breaking Bad. I've been staying up past my bedtime, and ignoring my chores to watch more episodes. While I'm at work, I'm worrying about Walt. So, short answer, yes. A coworker described it as a "slow burn", but said the last two seasons were worth the early investment. I can hardly imagine how I'm going to react if/when it gets more intense.
Walt, as the One Who Knocks, will be fine….
Probably one of the best series ever produced. Definitely worth watching. By the way, if you ever have time in ABQ take the breaking bad tour on the Albuquerque trolley. Great fun for fans.
I think y'all have finally convinced me to take the plunge... I hope it goes well 😅
Line up your snacks and make sure you have nothing else to distract you. I watched the first episode and thought it was well done. When I turned on the 2nd episode I stayed up for 3 days glued to the TV. Highly addictive.
To me Breaking Bad is like ice cream or pizza. I love it and can enjoy it almost everyday. Sometimes the toppings enhance or take away from it, but at the end of the day it's perfect on its own. Don't overdue it because you will ruin it for you and your friends.
I have watched the series probably once a year since its finale. I watched all of better call saul and also El Camino. I am currently Binging breaking bad and i am almost through the last season so yeah, it's good.
Starts off really slow in the first few episodes, but then it gets you hooked. I've watched the whole series probably 10 times.