BREAKING BAD: Still Got It, 10 Years Later

Breaking Bad, besides being a personal favorite, is a series that has managed to appeal to a large and diverse audience. This intricate story of an anti-hero, the chemistry teacher Walter White, and his transformation into Heisenberg, was one of the most compelling storylines to ever hit the screen.

It’s been ten years since this AMC hit took to the screens and masterminded its way into television history, and it hasn’t begun to lose its luster yet. 

“Kept You Waiting There Too Long, My Love.”

Walter (Bryan Cranston) has a beautiful family with wife Sklyer (Anna Gunn) and son, Walt Jr. ‘Flynn’ (RJ Mittee), teaches chemistry at the local high school, and seemingly lives a normal if not uneventful life. When he’s diagnosed with lung cancer, everything about this, especially his concern for his family’s future with his absence, takes center stage. This is understandable, given the circumstances. As intelligent as Walt is, though, his decisions tend to be clouded by his desperation, and eventually, his greed.

His brother-in-law Hank (Dean Norris) is a DEA agent, and one day when he does a ride along on a drug raid he sees one of his old students, Jesse (Aaron Paul) escape out the window. This, combined with his obvious skill with a test tube, gives Walter the idea to partner up with him for a fast take. 

Despite having more experience with drugs (on both sides of the business), Jesse is fairly clueless himself, and that becomes clear as the two learn together. He’s younger, more reckless, and overall the opposite of Walt, but the two together are television magic. 

Throughout the show Hank and his wife Marie (Betsy Brandt) often spend time with Walt and the family, and it’s clear these two men have a significant bond. Well, with several close calls, and lots of lying, that’s about to be tested. Their cat and mouse game over the course of the series adds an extra level of suspense through all of Walt’s endeavors. 

Walter White is a genius protagonist. I’m not referring to just his actual brain power, but also the decision to put this flawed, somewhat unlikable, middle aged man front and center. On top of his ability to create the best and highest clarity of meth in the area, he also knows how to survive the criminal underworld (or at least – he discovers and adapts). There’s several menacing decisions that he makes, taking advantage of other’s underestimations of him. Eventually, the persona of Heisenberg becomes his truest self.

It turns out there aren’t many making meth of this caliber, and Walter White is completely unsuspecting as the creator. Through pure skill and circumstance he meets some bad guys that aren’t those he engages with in his day-to-day life. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some of these foes and supporting players that gave his rise and fall the sufficient grapple it needed. Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) is remarkable as another inconspicuous character in the drug trade.

He runs the chicken chain Los Pollos Hermanos, and at first glance seems urbane, with a overlook he’s earned from years of involvement and generosity in the neighborhood. This duplicitous life yields a chilling characterization. 

Todd Alquis (Jesse Plemons), a young exterminator who admires Walt and becomes involved in the business, is another seemingly even-keeled guy. He seems harmless enough at first, but then his other, darker shades bleed through, a testament to Plemons’ ability to capture the disturbed role in all its nuances. 

Saul (Bob Odenkirk) had such a presence he snagged his own prequel show on AMC. This sleazy lawyer, who has no shortage of schemes, tricks and thugs up his sleeve, and discomfort-cutting quips, is in it for the long haul with Walt and Jesse (even when it’s beyond his measure or choice). It’s worth mentioning that Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut, the gruff ex-cop, brings a terrific dynamic with his no bullshit attitude. 

“I Guess I Got, What I Deserved.”

It is an unconventional, unapologetic, and wonderfully unrelenting show that has a pedal-down mentality the entire time. As things grow bigger for Walt so do the stakes, forsaking commonality for an abiding thrill that manages to pass from the protagonist to the viewer. We seem to have better foresight for his eventual spiral then he does, but only because we can see each angle. Walt might be a braniac, but the money in his eyes has constricted his judgment. 

There are times when he becomes quite unlikable, but always manages to be someone you can root for. Why is that? I’d say it’s a combination of an astounding performance by Bryan Cranston, spearheaded by Vince Gilligan‘s incredible direction. It’s also the others surrounding Walt. There are several people in Walter’s life that are captured in stellar portrayals, making us soften even when Walt works so hard to tarnish our opinion of him. We want things to work out for the family, for his brother-in-law, and also – Jesse. It becomes more than just him.

In fact, their relationship is one of my favorite aspects of Breaking Bad. What starts out as a duo of convenience between two very different people with varying motives, eventually turns into one of real depth. These characters are brought to life by the actors who work off one another with a creative marvel. Just like the inevitable road to darkness, they also become closer, which makes their fallouts so much more explosive.

Walter and Jesse have a tormented relationship by the end, but there is a lot of love there. The two go through a lot together, and Jesse’s heart offsets Walter’s brains. Jesse is someone who has been consistently pushed aside and overlooked, even by his family (other than his Aunt). He’s characteristically immature, but he also feels deeply. Through some of the harsher events that occur for which Walt can disconnect from, Jesse is crushed. Paul brings to life a role that supersedes the first impression given, becoming a wonderfully layered asset to the cast. 

Cranston imbues sympathy and hope even when he becomes quite lost. As Skyler, Anna Gunn is fierce, doing her best to handle the impossible situations thrust upon her by the man she loves. Breaking Bad doesn’t hide from challenging perspectives: how does this affect those closest to him? Between her, and Mitte, who is also terrific, there’s a lot of pain and strength.

The decisions Walt makes also puts a pressure on Hank that changes him just as much, proving every choice has the potential to be life-altering.

“All My Love I Had For You, My Baby Blue.”

It’s a rarity for a show to not have filler. There’s a considerable amount of tension and building of in-depth characters. Breaking Bad has plenty of violence, none of which is without purpose, and let’s not forget the impeccably-placed humor that arrives just in time to reel in a scene. The brilliance of the writing ensures that each episode is used to contribute to the story and the gradual transformation in a naturalistic, but still entertaining fashion. 

Ozymandias (Season 5, Episode 14) is one of the best episodes in the series. It’s when Walter’s trespasses really come to a head. It also happens to be gut-wrenching. You can feel his ignorance and guilt as a visual of his choices concludes with a deafening boom.

The series, in my opinion, ended with a near-perfect finale. It was full of revenge, redemption, and sacrifice. Most importantly: much like the rest of the journey, it’s unforgettable. It is a heartbreaking climax, but understandable given their arc.

Sometimes shows end with a concentration on catering to their audiences, giving unreasonable happy endings or sole shock value. This has plenty of surprises, but nobody leaves in a freeze-frame, mid-jump celebration. That’s just not Breaking Bad’s style.

Just recently it was announced that there would be a film showing what’s happened to Jesse (Aaron Paul), with Vince Gilligan behind it. Could this be a bad move? Possibly. But, we’ll just have to wait and see. Curiosity and love for the character will be enough for me to watch.

I’ve watched it a few times through and like any amazing show, you notice more each time, especially in a binge-like situation. It isn’t pleasing to see the trajectory of these finely-tuned characters, but it is a hell of a ride. 

What do you think? How does Breaking Bad rank? Let us know in the comments below!