Why Breaking Bad is One of the Best Shows of All Time

I must admit, I got on the Breaking Bad train super late… like a month ago late.

I binge watched all 5 seasons in about 3 weeks. I, quite literally, could not stop watching the inevitable train wreck occurring on screen.

Please click “Read More” to see my reasons as to why Breaking Bad is one of the best shows of all time.

(Also, please excuse any spelling or grammar mistakes. I have a brutal head cold and my brain is full of snot... I know.. TMI TMI...)

1.   CHARACTER DEVELOPMEMNT!!!! Holy mother of a goat, I have never seen characters evolve and change as realistically and convincingly as they do in this show. The acting is beyond phenomenal. Talk about leaving it all on set. I was captivated by the journey that every single character went on and how their personalities, morals and values changed when faced with incomprehensible decisions.

It was a rollercoaster ride every damn episode. The characters were portrayed so well that you could not help but be 110% invested in them.

2.   WALTER WHITE. Need I say more? Bryan Cranston is a god among men. We should all bow to his ability to give the most painfully raw performance ever. Like, ever ever.  What I loved most about his portrayal of Mr. White, is that sometimes I loved him and sympathized with him, and other times I hated his goddamn guts. He created such a realistic person. He was not glamorous or one-dimensional. He was a real human being. A person who was dealt the shittiest of all shitty hands. Walter did what he believed was the only thing that would help his family when he was gone. His intentions started off pure. I love that we got to see the lead in a show truly cross the line of good and bad. Of acceptable and horrific.  I couldn’t help but be so very sad for him at the end. It broke my heart to see him loose the people he loved most. But I don’t believe that it could have ended any other way.

3.   JESSE PINKMAN. Jesus H. When Aaron Paul was emotional, I was bloody emotional. I felt his characters pain so severely. I love that Jesse’s character started out like you would imagine a crack dealer would be in a one-dimensional world. Scum of the earth, useless, waste of air kind of delinquent. I couldn’t help but dislike him throughout most of the first season. Boy, I was wrong about him.

      Jesse turned out to be the most kind-hearted, caring character on the show. He is a hopeless romantic and truly adores those he is close to. He was so optimistic at times, it hurt. I just about died during most of the last season, seeing him fall apart and loose all hope. I couldn’t help but wish through the whole show that he would just walk away from the drug world and start anew. I truly wanted him to have a better life. Aaron’s portrayal of this character was so heartbreaking. I loved every second of it.

4.   THE WRITING AND DIRECTING. The way this show unfolded was absolutely perfect. I don’t think that they could have done a better job. The script was exactly what it needed to be and it was directed perfectly. Talk about weaving the most complicated web ever! Every single episode was excellent. There wasn’t one minute of that show that was boring. Not one line that wasn’t needed.  

5.   SET DESIGN. I just loved it.  The colour pallet. The locations. The dustiness and seediness of it all was perfection. It set the whole tone for the show. I love that the White’s house was middle class America. It wasn’t fancy in any way. The house looked like it could use an update, and I love that. It was so realistic (I am using that word a hell of a lot… but it’s the only word that does it justice). It looked like a home. I was truly sad in the last season to see it in ruins. I felt how I would if I saw my childhood home in that condition.

6.   CAST. The entire cast was perfect. I would not change one character. I love how we sympathized with the “bad guys” and wished ill upon the “good guys” at times. They truly did the best job at putting us in those characters shoes.  

7.   IT MAKES SCIENCE COOL. I know this may seem like a bit of a silly note but I love that science played such a huge part. I don’t condone drug use of any kind but I was so absorbed by the art of cooking. I love how this middle-aged high school teacher completely blows the meth world out of the water when he creates the best product of all time. I think it is such a cool premise. Any show that promotes the sciences is good by me…even when it is used to create an addictive, life-ruining drug.

8.   CRAK IS WACK. It doesn’t condone drug use. For a show that is all about drugs, it doesn’t ever say that taking meth is a good thing. It doesn’t once make you think that it’s a good idea to go out a try it. I like that it acted, in a very strange way, as a lesson in what will happen if you choose to enter this world.

9.   CINEMATOGRAPHY.  I adore how every single episode was shot, but god do I love those strange little close ups a lot of the beginnings of episodes had and the unique view it gave you.  I also loved the foreshadowing and little teasers that would pop up. It got me so excited to see how the story would progress. The best one for me was when they would show that burnt pink teddy bear missing and eye in the pool. It made my mind wander and wonder how that scene would fit in.

All in all, every single aspect of this show blew me away. It made me think. Made me put myself mentally in situations I could not even being to imagine. It was perfect. I cannot help but be sad that it is over but, on the other hand, I am happy that it ended when and how it did. Not a second was wasted and it wasn’t a minute too long.

If you haven’t seen this show, get your ass on your couch and watch it.  You will not regret spending time with these incredible characters.