My most recently completed, binged TV show was the notorious “Breaking Bad” created by Vince Gilligan. The series premiered Jan. 20, 2008 and concluded Sept. 29, 2013. The series finale accumulated more viewership than the Sunday Night Football that year, with 10.3 million views. The show recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, and even almost 10 years later, the show continues to get extremely high praises.
“Breaking Bad” managed to hold its IMDB score of 9.5 overall and become the second highest rated TV series for as long as I can remember, and it was rightfully deserved. From the impeccable writing to the compelling actors, everyone involved gave it their all, and it was definitely showcased brilliantly. This show became the blueprint of many other neo-Western genres.
For those who do not know, the premise of “Breaking Bad” is an overqualified, underpaid chemistry teacher partners up with a drug addict former student of his to provide for his family after his recent diagnosis of terminal lung cancer. Throughout the show, Walter White, our main character, is seen facing challenges you would not believe and conquering them almost effortlessly. Simultaneously, we see our main character change drastically in a dramatic way.
My personal experience with the show was an emotional roller coaster to say the least. Some parts of the show either got spoiled for me and/or became a meme, but I was still surprised it happened the way it did. Every well-executed component of the show had strong intention, and every episode, including fillers, were important to the story. Everything was perfectly tied together, and audiences can agree they were satisfied.
I believe what makes “Breaking Bad” great is the conversations it starts on morality and dark psychology. According to Far Out Magazine, “The series is poetic from the very start to the end with brilliant wide-ranging imagery. On that note, it is essential to pay heed to how the creators stopped at an appropriate moment unlike other fan favorites which had the most disappointing finale in the history of TV shows.”
The series went on winning a total of 16 Emmys along with many other awards ranging from Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series to Best Writing for a Drama Series. I mean, when you look at the material, getting those awards were rightfully earned. Following “Breaking Bad” came along shows such as “Ozark,” “Snowfall” and “Mr. Robot” that incorporated the successes of the predecessor.
One episode in particular that legit felt like 20 minutes was season five, episode 14 “Ozymandias,” and fans of the show can agree with me on this. This episode is the only episode as of yet with a perfect 10/10 on IMDB, and the reason why is that everything we expected to happen, happened. However, the execution and direction made the stakes elevate more.
With the show fresh on my mind, I definitely understand what all the hype was about. I am left feeling both conflicted and content with the show and how it concluded. I guess the main thing that is so difficult to wrap my head around is the intensity as well as the speed of how the events unfolded. Regardless, “Breaking Bad” is a cult classic, and its legacy will continue to burn alive for new and original fans.