A high school chemistry teacher (Walter White) joins forces with a former student (Jesse Pinkman) to boost his income via the methamphetamine industry in light of a cancer diagnosis.
Perhaps it was through a family member, a social media post, or even that outspoken classmate back at school who had always watched TV shows years in advance of others; we’ve all somehow heard of the American hit TV series Breaking Bad. It’s also likely that if a friend recommended it, they’d be melodramatically adamant that you joined them on carriage A of the hype train. I’m a very picky customer when it comes to TV series (particularly American ones) and was convinced Breaking Bad would be nothing but a sensationalist flurry of police chases, or even a glorification of the US drug trade. I was unequivocally wrong, and have yet to start the final season myself.
There are so many areas in which this show excels, even aside from the obvious ones like directing and plot-writing. The Albuquerque setting is optimal for such a plotline: barren, isolated, and seemingly dreary. But through the ingeniously angled camera eye, the audience soon observe the initially dull city the way main characters White (Bryan Cranston) and Pinkman (Aaron Paul) do – as a whirlwind of opportunities, threats, police encounters, and danger.
There are so many areas in which this show excels”
Music is used sparingly: Intense, foreboding music is used to intensify key plot developments, whilst light-hearted tunes eerily contrast some of the bleakest portrayals of US society you’ve ever seen. The plot develops incrementally, and as it does, the audience is sporadically reminded of crucial cut scenes from previous episodes which at the time seemed puzzlingly irrelevant. Moreover, the audience is often left with time to catch their breath after the most intense episodes, before everything explodes back to life a few more later. The directors extract cinematic value from what appear to be the most insignificant features of Albuquerque’s landscape, leaving viewers enthralled by linkages between characters, locations, and objects. As someone who has never visited the USA, this really added to my enjoyment of the show.
Contrast is a key theme of Breaking Bad. The iconic duo of austere Walt and hedonistic Jesse provide a specific unpredictability, supplemented by hilarious yet plot altering characters like Hank Schrader and Saul Goodman. Walt’s gut-wrenching business ventures traipse dangerously close to his cosy family life, whilst Jesse constantly tries to juggle his obnoxious criminal persona with his tender, emotional side.
The events of Breaking Bad invite the viewer to empathise with the impossible moral dilemmas characters often face, and after every episode the question ‘what on earth would I do in that situation?’ provides an intriguing thought experiment. I would therefore strongly recommend Breaking Bad to any student looking for a new show, but be warned: there are 62 episodes, each nearly an hour long, so try not to let it destroy your degree!