Breaking Bad, Anywhere but America Edition

[Major Nikon]

[Merlot]

1. Nice!

However, Walter White is a classic example of the angry white man lashing out at years of "repression" because he felt he was to smart to be a teacher and missed his chance to be rich. Simmering under his nice-guy demeanor was a horrible person consumed with rage. Paying for the cancer treatment and taking care of his family (and we see how well he dragged them into the gutter) was just a convienient plot device. He was a horrible, manipulative person and it astounds me how some peole saw him as the hero of anything.

That being said, I did love the show.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. The show was a really good character study.

I think at the very beginning Walter's genuine motivation for cooking meth was to provide for his family, but he after he got into it he discovered that both that he liked being the criminal mastermind who was smarter than everyone else, and that he now had the means to get even with the people who had cheated him. The title "Breaking Bad" suggests that it's a story about how someone who wasn't bad in the first place (or at least wasn't acting bad) becomes bad. He always had it in him, I suppose, but it raises the question of whether everyone does, given the motivation and opportunity.

[JonLP24]

11. I like the science behind Breaking Bad blog

He says people don't go into chemistry for the money.

[lunamagica]

2. Actually, Walter got into cooking meth to provide for his family

after he was gone, The paying for his treatment came later.

[Mosby]

5. being a state employee he would have a pension

That his wife would inherit. He also has social security.

The show was basically about a guy who decided to sell hard drugs for money. Didn't watch it, not into that sort of thing, same with sopranos and SoA. I'll never understand why Hollywood glamorizes criminals.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. If you didn't watch it, how do you know what it was about?

It was about a lot more than just a guy who sold drugs for money. BTW, a stingy teacher's pension and Social Security wouldn't have gone far to support Walter's wife, his young baby and his disabled son.

[Mosby]

7. wilipedia

Breaking Bad is an American neo-western crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. The show originally aired on AMC for five seasons, from January 20, 2008 to September 29, 2013. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series tells the story of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a struggling and depressed high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with lung cancer. Together with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), White turns to a life of crime by producing and selling crystallized methamphetamine to secure his family's financial future before he dies, while navigating the dangers of the criminal world. The title comes from the Southern colloquialism "breaking bad", meaning to "raise hell" or turn to a life of crime.[5]


He's a guy who started making and selling hard drugs for money. What a hero.

Did the show show the users? You know, the young people with scabs all over their bodies and faces, who mumble to themselves, have there teeth rotting out and are in the throes of drug induced paranoid schizophrenia?

But hey, he took care of his family right?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. He's no hero, but as a character study the series was brilliant

and very much worth watching. There are a lot of subsidiary characters whose personalities develop in interesting ways - the writers did a great job exploring the psychology of how people respond to crime or the temptation of crime. It includes some unexpected heroes besides some expected bad guys. It's one of the best TV series I've ever seen.

[Mosby]

15. Good to know, thx.

[lunamagica]

10. As for your question:

"Did the show show the users? You know, the young people with scabs all over their bodies and faces, who mumble to themselves, have there teeth rotting out and are in the throes of drug induced paranoid schizophrenia?"

Yes it did. Walter was no hero. He loses his humanity, becoming more and more evil as the show progresses until he is a true monster. Nothing glamorous about that.

[JonLP24]

12. If you watch the show you end up hating Walter White (spoiler)

At first you understand his choices but he evolves into a scumbag. He lost me when he watched Jane die.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

13. Uh yeah, actually it did show some of that - effects on users. Wasnt a big focus but it was

there.

I am someone who cannot tolerate 95% of the cops/crime/violence type shows. Wont watch it unless I know theres some redeeming artistic merit Breaking Bad (and the Wire) are two series which are masterpieces IMHO, and well worth watching. I had to cover my eyes through some scenes though!

[lunamagica]

9. Had you watched it, you'd see that the show does not glamorize crime at all

Walter's worse mistake in life was to stat cooking meth naively (idiotically?) believing he could just work in the lab, and not get involved with the violent side of the business. His life became a living hell; one in which he kept accumulating money. but was never able to enjoy it.

I don't understand how you can make judgement about a show you have never seen. I saw it. and IMO it was the best produced, directed and acted show ever. And it shows you how brutal. how horrific that kind of life can be.

[Mosby]

14. Thx for the info.

I may have misjudged the show.

[lunamagica]

16. It is a fascinating study on the moral fabric, superbly written and acted

And the New Mexico cinematography is breathtaking.

I'm not a crime drama fan at all. Never watched The Wire or Sopranos. I don't like gore and violence, yet I consider "Breaking Bad" The best show ever.

I suggest that you give it a try. Just watch the pilot to see if you like it. At worst you will have wasted a couple of hours. At best you'll embark in one heck of a ride.

[JonLP24]

17. You should give The Wire a try

A lot of the stories are based on real world homicide investigations in the 80s modernized for post 9-11 society. Marlo Stanfield (the greatest portrayal of a sociopath--scarier than Gus Fring) is based on Timmor Stanfield. Even the characters based on even have parts like real life drug dealer Melvin Williams plays a preacher while Wood Harris portrays Avon Barksdale a character based on the real life Melvin Williams.

It is hard to summarize a brilliant show like the Wire but it shows how institutions compromise individuals. Season 1 was mostly about the police and the drug organizations which continues for the next 4 seasons. Season 2 is about union busting and the dying docks (this is the season for you if you're pro labor) and also highlights Eastern European organized crime.

Season 3 is when they bring local politics into the mix. Tommy Carcetti was based on real life Martin O'Malley who ran for President. The politics continue until the end of the series

Season 4 is about the school to prison pipeline. Talks about underfunded schools and no child left behind and the problems with teaching the test.

Season 5 is about the news which is more than relevant today. It also focuses on the homeless problem in Baltimore.

The Sopranos glamorizes crime while The Wire gives you a cold reality check. It is the greatest and most honest show on television.

The Wire is way different than cookie cutter crime dramas.

[Mosby]

4. rec