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Archive for Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad – Season 3

Jan31

Title: Breaking Bad

Genre: Contemporary Dramedy

Watched: Season 3, January 10-27, 2012

Summary: Even stronger

_

I got distracted by a lot of stuff (mostly involving the publication of my first novel) and stalled for a couple of weeks between the end of season 2 and season 3.

I really like how this show uses the section before the titles to foreshadow. In the second season this was mostly the coming plane crash, during the first half of the third this second is used primarily to characterize  the sinister Mexican twins. These two make one stylized, amusing, and downright creepy pair of assassins.

This first half season slowed the pace a bit to focus on character development. Part of the drag comes from the fact that Jesse and Walt are chronicled separately. Leaving me missing their interaction. There’s also a lot of family and Skyler time which — while well done — isn’t my favorite aspect of the show: The crime and the criminals. But things start to pick up when Jesse joins Walt in the lab and then at the midpoint the season goes into hyperdrive. After seven episodes of build up the showdown with the twins is no let down. Dean Norris is a particular standout.

The remaining seven episodes are pretty intense with the exception of the bizarre “fly” episode. And the last three hours is some of the best television I’ve seen in a long while. After having invested really heavily in character development the show cashes in with breakneck zigging and zagging that is all the richer. And the end leaves you breathless and clicking away to order Season 4.

Part of this show’s strength is the standout character writing and acting. Walt and Jesse are both awesome, but Hank also stands out, Saul is pure pleasure to watch reminiscent of Bill Murray in Wild Things, and I really love cleaner Mike and the coolest cucumber to walk the planet: Gus.

For more of my posts on TV, click here.

Related posts:

  1. Breaking Bad – Season 2
  2. Breaking Bad – Season 1
  3. The Sopranos – Season 3
  4. The Sopranos – Season 2
  5. The Sopranos – Season 1
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Television
Tagged as: Aaron Paul, AMC, Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston, Comedy-drama, Dean Norris, Jesse, Jesse Pinkman, List of Breaking Bad characters, Netflix, Television, Walt

Breaking Bad – Season 2

Nov21

Title: Breaking Bad

Genre: Contemporary Dramedy

Watched: Season 2, November 10-19, 2011

Summary: Even stronger

_

While the first season of this show was great, the second is even better! Spoiler warning. It starts off with a bang resolving the “Tucco situation” and then keeps rolling from there. The pre-titles scene for each episode employs the effective (when done well) TV device of cryptic flash forwards to the season’s last episode, leaving us with the “uh, oh, what’s coming?” and “how the hell are we going to get to that” feeling. Breaking Bad keeps this lean and creepy, without a ton of information. It doesn’t do the kind of sophisticated and deliberately misleading layering that say, Damages (another excellent show) uses.

Even in the middle of the season there are some intense moments, like when Walt and Jesse are stuck in the desert, or Jesse’s attempt to recover some stollen cash from two junkies, and even brother-in-law Hank’s explosive trip to Mexico. All the character’s are really solid. I’m particularly impressed by Jesse. His addictions and weaknesses feel very real, but he has some real good qualities that while not in full control, round the character out to make him very sympathetic.

The last third of the season is really really strong. We delve deeply into Jesse’s personal problems and to say things aren’t going well is an understatement. These all manage to wind themselves into the larger scale cataclysm of the finale. And while this leaves us with a slight taste of Deus ex machina, it really breaks up powerfully at the end. Very strong closer. People tell me seasons 3 and 4 are even better too!

For more of my posts on TV, click here.

Related posts:

  1. Breaking Bad – Season 1
  2. The Sopranos – Season 3
  3. The Sopranos – Season 2
  4. The Sopranos – Season 1
  5. Game of Thrones Season 2 Peek
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Television
Tagged as: Breaking Bad, Comedy-drama, Hank, High school, Jesse, Mexico, Netflix, Television, Vince Gilligan, Walt

Breaking Bad – Season 1

Nov12

Title: Breaking Bad

Genre: Contemporary Dramedy

Watched: Season 1, November 1-9, 2011

Summary: Darkly engaging

_

Friends kept recommending this show and — even better — it’s “free” (included) in my Netflix streaming subscription. The pilot opens with a serious bang, starting with the episode’s chaotic conclusion then flipping back to the turn of events that brought us there.

It’s an interesting premise: what happens when a nebbishy High School science teacher, dying of cancer, tries to take care of his family by becoming a Meth producer. At some level the concept isn’t far off from Weeds (another dark and delicious snack — at least for 3-4 seasons) but Breaking Bad is considerably bleaker and more realistic. Things devolve rapidly into the grim reality of crime and murder. No sexy latino dealers here.

The characters are well drawn and feel fairly real, despite the somewhat over-the-top scenario. And as usual, that’s what really matters in drawing in the viewers. The first season kept me fully engaged. It’ll be interesting to see where this goes.

Breaking Bad is typical (and yet not) of recent well executed serial television in that it doesn’t follow a neat and clean three-act structure or episodic loop (like say Terra Nova, which is a bit of a throwback). In some ways these newer shows have more in common with long novel series or old school Dickens-type serial pulp writing — just without as much cheese. Really, we’re about 10+ years into a golden age of long form visual drama. And I’m loving it.

For more of my posts on TV, click here.

Related posts:

  1. The Sopranos – Season 1
  2. The Sopranos – Season 3
  3. The Sopranos – Season 2
By: agavin
Comments (6)
Posted in: Television
Tagged as: AMC, Breaking Bad, Netflix, Television, Television program, Television Review, Vince Gilligan, Weeds
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