People say we’re in a golden age of television. And we are, thanks to “Breaking Bad.” The show is a perfect example of how to make quality television.
“All bad things must come to an end,” the showrunners of “Breaking Bad” teased fans before the finale.
The only bad thing about “Breaking Bad” is its necessary end. Millions must now wallow in misery over the void that’s been left by this fine series’ finale.
The show seemed to put viewers into a drugged psychosis, strong enough that one Hillsdale student crammed 51 episodes into nine days. And I’ve lost count of how many times I nearly suffered an aneurysm during a powerful moment in the show. Last Sunday’s series finale, which literally went out with a bang, was no exception.
Not everyone will find the finale perfect. After all, expectations were so unreasonably high that many seemed to expect the second coming. Still, it was a well-executed finale, tying up almost every loose end from the past five seasons.
And that’s the beauty of “Breaking Bad.” It had a definite ending. The showrunners could have put Walt and Jessie through even more miserable situations. They could have eventually turned the show into Walter “Flynn” White Jr. cooking bacon in yet another breakfast scene. But they didn’t. Best of all, the show ended on its own terms, unlike many shows that outstay their welcome and rush through a half-baked ending.
“Breaking Bad” stands out amongst other good shows because its dazzling and inventive plot lines maintained a consistent quality. Throughout its five seasons, the series took viewers on a wildly unpredictable journey through many twists and turns. When everyone thought the show was going one direction, the writers pulled a 180. And they did so repeatedly for 62 episodes.
“Breaking Bad” was more than a simple story. It was a character study that confronted the way people transform under the worst possible circumstances. Viewers first saw a gentle and caring Walter White, who, over the course of the series, gradually disappears and gives rise to the cold and calculating Heisenberg. Unlike so many movies and shows, the story wasn’t about some hardcore agent facing off against tentacle monsters. It was just a regular dad struggling to make ends meet for his family.
The story has appealed to people because anyone could be in Walt’s shoes. In all of us, there’s a foul beast waiting to be unleashed.
At times, the show got so dark that it made Vito Corleone look like Mickey Mouse. But those dark moments were effective because they made us think that anything and anyone could go “bad” at any time. Even when characters performed heinous actions, we still cared for them because, within them, we saw glimpses of our own natures. In retrospect, we still got what might be the happiest ending possible for a show like “Breaking Bad”.
The show is proof that, when done right, television can profoundly impact us so much more than most movies. Long story arcs allow shows like “Breaking Bad” to foster attachments between audiences and characters in ways that movies often struggle to do. We love seeing complex and engrossing narratives that have characters evolve and face radically new circumstances.
The only question now is: what am I supposed to binge watch after “Breaking Bad”?
