Breaking Bad

The series Breaking Bad is an American crime drama television series which aired from 2008 to 2013 on AMC. Vince Gilligan created the show and it followed the story of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher with lung cancer, becoming the particularly odious drug kingpin Heisenberg.

Pronounced Alamogordo, the series, although based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, emphasizes the moral, selfish, and always bloody results of a person’s actions. The story, the actors and, the impact the show had on television are some of the staple reasons why Breaking Bad is famous.

Breaking Bad Explained

Walter White is a no nonsense, slightly unorthodox high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with stage three lung cancer at the beginning of Breaking Bad. Being desperate to secure his family’s future in life, Walter gets his former student Jesse Pinkman to make and make drug, methamphetamine together. From here we follow these rich and elite folk as they grapple with the dangers and moral quandaries of falling into the criminal underworld in these darkly comedic series.

The reason why the show’s narrative progresses is because we know Walter’s character arc. It begins with a mild man who becomes a ruthless drug lord. It is masterfully made, each episode being a variation on top of the previous and all for a crisp and stern storyline which will catch you by surprise. But there's also a lot of interesting characters, Gus Fring, a high level drug distributor that turns out to be, Saul Goodman, a crooked lawyer who Walt and Jesse end up getting, any number of memorable characters.

Breaking Bad Reviews

Widely acclaimed and repeatedly praised as one of the all time great television show, Breaking Bad we also have. Overall the series garnered an 87 out of 100 on Metacritic and has recived rave reviews for its fantastic writing, acting and cinematography. In 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 the American Film Institute included Breaking Bad on the list of top ten television shows. It was ranked the ninth greatest TV series of all time in 2013 by TV Guide, and 3 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

But nuanced character development has earned audiences and critics praise for a sophisticated cast even when it goes to the edge of tastelessness, and especially for Bryan Cranston as Walter White. For his performance, it earned four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series; Cranston won them.

Morales won three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, including the most recent one in August 2013, while Aaron Paul, who plays Jesse Pinkman, won three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. It has been picked up 16 times for a Primetime Emmy Award and 58 times for nominations, with the television series winning in 2013 and 2014 for Outstanding Drama Series.

Breaking Bad on Netflix

Much credit has been given to Breaking Bad being available on Netflix in re kindling its popularity. In 2011, AMC struck a deal with Netflix to carry the streaming service’s version of Breaking Bad. By making viewers able to binge-watch earlier seasons of the show, this move increased interest and curiosity of new, fourth and last season. The first season finale was watched by 12.6 million viewers, but the series finale on September 29, 2013, was watched by 10 million viewers — nearly double the numbers of the first episode.

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And not only did the Netflix effect seriously elevate Breaking Bad’sviewership, but it in tandem has made it feel cemented into the pantheon of groundbreaking series with locks down on its legacy and notches on its belt. Those viewers had missed it in the original run were able to pick it back up and get a full scope of narrative arc which sparked a very passionate and dedicated fan base.

Breaking Bad Seasons

American crime drama television series Breaking Bad, which has five 13 episodes seasons aired from 2008 to 2013. Take a look below for a season breakdown dissecting each with the number of episodes, air dates and a summary of the plot.

Season 1 (2008) - 7 Episodes

Air Dates: March 9, 2008 to January 20, 2008

Plot Summary: Walter White is a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with terminal lung cancer pitched as a main character in the first season of the show. Walter is desperate to stay atop of his family’s financial future so he learns how to make and sell methamphetamine with his former student, Jesse Pinkman. Season 1 covers the first stages of their relationship and what happens when they do something that hasn’t been scanned yet.

Season 2 (2009) - 13 Episodes

Air Dates: March 8, 2009 - May 31, 2009

Plot Summary: In Season 2, an expansion of Walter and Jesse’s methamphetamine business is accompanied by an expansion of risks. But other drug dealers and the law are some of the challenges they have to deal with. Walter roulessly grinds his way through, with his family, meanwhile, becoming more and more suspicious of his goings on resulting in tension at home.

Season 3 (2010) - 13 Episodes

Air Dates: From March 21, 2010 to June 13, 2010

Plot Summary: In season three, Walter and Jesse’s partnership is put to the test as they learn what exactly happens when you get involved with drug trade. Geared for the thick world of drug trafficking they have to contend with, running into cruel Tuco Salamanca and calculating Gus Fring.

Season 4 (2011) - 13 Episodes

Air Dates: Oct 9, 2011 – July 17, 2011

Plot Summary: The fourth season explores the moral grey areas of the characters a bit more. That friction in Walter’s relationships, especially Jesse, comes from Walter’s ego and desire for power growing. Meanwhile the DEA is closing in on the methamphetamine trail and Gus Fring’s operation gains huge importance.

Season 5 (2012-2013) - 16 Episodes

Air Dates: From July 15, 2012 through September 29, 2013.

Plot Summary: The season is divided into two parts for the final season. Episode 1-8 aired in 2012 and episode 9-16 aired in 2013. Season five shows us how Walter becomes the infamous Heisenberg, and begins to become a big part of the methamphetamine world. But he draws too much attention: the Neo Nazis, the law. We reach a dramatic, explosive ending to the series in which the characters’ storylines are brought together.

Each season is stacking up and stacking up on what’s happening before making what’s happening in each season feel like it’s going to stick with you emotionally. Wide known for it’s intricate storytelling, complex characters, and its examination of morality, family and consequences of actions, the series is well knnote for it’s over shades of variation emphasizing the very speculative nature of any type of science fiction.

Is Breaking Bad Good?

For those of you who watched Breaking Bad, it is known for being a masterpiece of television. It succeeds because its device for doing so is to cross elements of drama, crime, and suspense into a unified story. During one of the most touching show giving emoting experiences you will be explained the morality and the consequences of one’s actions, which is something that resonates well with the audience.

The series has been praised for its top notch writing because of its complex plotlines and mature character development that critics and fans alike call out. Often cited performances of the cast with Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul rocking the best in television history. Along with its cinematography and its use of color to signify themes and character development the show also uses visual storytelling.

So in the end, Breaking Bad is not just a good television series is one of those great works that are separating television, breaking the rules, shaping the future like LOST did. It is evident still, with prequel series Better Call Saul still earning critical acclaim and a fan base.

• Director

  : Adam Bernstein, Vince Gilligan

• Casting

  : Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul

• Production

  : Melissa Bernstein, Stewart Lyons, Bryan Cranston