Above Image Credit: Ursula Coyote/AMC
This month’s serial issue is YOLO - You Only Live Once. Breaking Bad’s finale last week was yet another reminder that all things must come to an end. The show itself – premised on the story of a chemistry teacher who turns to cooking meth after learning that he’s dying – has the idea of YOLO at its heart. Timothy Fernandez’s review of Breaking Bad below is an epitaph honouring one of the greatest TV shows ever to grace our screens (in this editor’s biased opinion).
Warning: Major spoilers for Breaking Bad below. Read at your own risk!
The season finale of Breaking Bad marked the climax of one of the hottest television series in recent times. 10 million viewers tuned in and half a million people downloaded the episode in a 12 hour window to find out the fate of everyone’s favourite anti-hero. What made Breaking Bad so irresistible?
1. Original Story:
Breaking Bad’s tantalising story kept millions of fans of the show chomping at the bit to find out the fate of their beloved (or not so beloved) protagonists.
The tale of Walter White, a downtrodden chemistry teacher who was given a cancerous death sentence, and subsequently turned to manufacturing drugs to provide for his family, was equal parts endearing and admirable. The originality of the idea kept the show alive, especially amid poor early reviews and cancellations in the UK.
Full credit must be given to creator Vince Gilligan for staying true to the original concept. Gilligan’s reluctance to rush story arcs and maintain the sometimes painfully slow pacing of the show paid off in the dramatic climaxes of the later seasons.
Vince Gilligan: the mastermind behind the mastermind
2. Intelligent Writing:
Gilligan often credited the open collaborative atmosphere of his writing team with the creation of one of the most intelligent, taut and consistent television programs of all time.
Particularly effective was the use of non-linear narrative, or cold open, where an episode began with a future point in the narrative, the significance of which only becoming apparent in hindsight. One cold open which caused fans to go ballistic with theories was the opening of season five, which had Walt celebrating his 52nd birthday at a diner before purchasing a high powered assault rifle.
Another cold open at the start of the train heist episode, “Dead Freight,” in which a kid rode his bike through the New Mexican desert on what would prove to be his last ride. This episode shocked viewers and reaffirmed the brilliance of a show in which no scene is arbitrary.
3. Complex Characters:
“Chemistry: it is the study of change. Well that’s… that’s all of life… right? I mean, it’s just the constant, it’s the cycle. It is growth, then decay, then transformation.”
This prophetic quote was announced by Walt in the pilot episode, foreshadowing Walt’s transformation from the high school chemistry teacher into drug kingpin Heisenberg.
This idea of transformation and change underlined the character development in Breaking Bad. Skylar, Walt’s wife, shifted from an over-cautious mother to a money-laundering accomplice to her husband and his burgeoning meth enterprise. Jessie’s naïve enchantment with the money and power of the drug world shifted to resentment when he realised his ill-gotten fortune had destroyed everyone he had ever loved.
It was almost painful watching the White family dinners when the Schraders were present. Walt and Skylar hid behind the banal pleasantries of familial small talk, until forced into desperate attempts at damage control when their lies were threatened to be uncovered.
Gritty, realistic character portrayals were possible through the excellent cast. With Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn and Bryan Cranston all receiving Emmy wins, and the latter receiving three consecutive primetime Emmys for outstanding lead actor in a drama series, it is no wonder the gripping performances had audiences coming back for more.
4. A Tragedy of Shakespearean Proportions:
Everyone loves a good tragedy and if Breaking Bad was anything, it was tragic. While there was some redemption in Jessie being freed and receiving a second chance at life, and Walt finding a way to indirectly get his money to his family, there is no denying the ultimately tragic consequences of Walt’s actions. Skylar and Marie were left widows, Walt Jr was left despising his father and the family was left effectively penniless.
Elements from Shakespeare’s tragedy of Macbeth resonate throughout much of the show’s fundamental narrative. Macbeth depicts the journey of a Scottish general with aspirations of power. He kills the king in order to take his throne and must continue to commit murderous crimes to stabilise the empire he has created, all the while being wracked with guilt and paranoia. Sound familiar?
The show also uses many thematic devices popularised by Shakespeare such as hubris, also known as pride and the fall from grace. Walter’s pride in his work eventually led to his downfall and, like Macbeth, Walt fell into despair when he observed the fruits of his toils had come to naught.
5. Excellent Style and Direction:
Breaking Bad did an exceptional job of attracting talented directors to make important contributions while also staying loyal to the aesthetic of the show.
While episodes directed by Gilligan as well as regulars Peter Gould, Michelle McLaren and even Bryan Cranston established a high level of directing excellence, I think the work of Rian Johnson really distinguished the show’s direction. Johnson was responsible for directing three episodes “Fly”, “Fifty-One” and “Ozymandias”. These episodes were pivotal moments where the characters lost control.
In “Fly,” a fly in the meth lab represented the first cracks appearing in Walt and Jessie’s relatively undisturbed period of meth cooking.
In “Fifty-One”, Skylar’s descended fully clothed into the pool at Walt’s fifty first birthday party, a desperate cry for help from a person disempowered by her husband’s manipulation.
In “Ozymandias,” Walt was unable to prevent the neo-Nazis from killing Hank and stealing all his money.
Skylar at the epitome of her powerlessness
The work of Director of Photography Michael Slovis was integral to the unique aesthetic of Breaking Bad. The setting of Albuquerque, New Mexico allows for plenty of space and diversity. The pristine and idyllic suburbs established a superficiality which was regularly contrasted with the harsh desert landscape.
6. Rich Symbolism:
Last but certainly not least was the rich assortment of symbolic motifs which permeated almost every scene of Breaking Bad, and the internet is overflowing with theorists trying to crack the Breaking Bad code.
The theories and speculations range from the plausible (Walt took on a trait of every person he killed), the spooky (Walt was in a coma) and the downright crazy (the show was a prequel to Malcolm in the Middle). This facilitation of rich public discussion made this show so intriguing.
Reflection was one of the most powerful motifs used throughout the series. Walt avoided looking at his reflection, punched his reflection and eventually came to terms with the face that peered back at him from the mirror. This motif represented one of the show’s major themes, duality – in particular, the reconciliation of Walt and Heisenberg.
Walter White vs. Heisenberg
Various aspects of the show are widely speculated about, such as the pink bear that lands in his pool, Walt’s choice of the moniker Heisenberg, and the use of colour. These Easter eggs add to the beauty of a show which will keep viewers questioning the meaning of the narrative long after the closing credits.
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