By Thomas Horn
Knowing how to put an audience on the front edge of their seats is vital in the television industry, and AMC’s “Breaking Bad” certainly knows how.
With a brilliant cast that includes Bryan Cranston — who also starred as the dad in Fox’s “Malcolm in the Middle” — “Breaking Bad” has grown in popularity and is highly addicting.
The second half of the fifth season just came on the air, and it came with an intensity that is growing exponentially.
The basic plot of “Breaking Bad” centers on the life of Walter White, played by Cranston. Walter has terminal cancer but does not have enough money to pay for his therapy. He is a high school chemistry teacher with a broad knowledge of chemicals. Looking for a means to pay for his treatment, he decides to start cooking crystal methamphetamine.
One of Walter’s old chemistry students, Jesse Pinkman — portrayed by Aaron Paul — is known for cooking crystal meth. So Walter and Jesse form a partnership in the drug business.
After a while, Walter realizes that he has more than enough money to treat his cancer, and Jesse and Walter soon have so much money they do not know what to do with it.
At this point in the show, things start to get serious. People are killed due to bad drug deals, and Walter and Jesse begin to cross moral boundaries that the typical person would not. Walter starts to break his good side and becomes competitive at almost any cost.
“Breaking Bad” rarely has a dull point, and twists and turns happen throughout all of the five seasons. The tension rises and never stops.
For example, at first it seems the heart attack of Walter’s brother-in-law Hank Schrader — a DEA agent portrayed by Dean Norris — is random. Later it is revealed that Hank’s suspicion of Walter cooking meth was what triggered the heart attack.
One of the greatest properties of “Breaking Bad” is that the opening scene in every single episode is always unique and something strange normally occurs. At first, the opening scene does not make a lot of sense, but as the episode continues, parts of the show clarify the opening.
Another thing that separates this show from others is the different camera angles that are portrayed in each episode. Sometimes GoPro cameras are used, which give a certain style of artistry to the show, while in more intense situations, the camera sometimes shifts rapidly. This makes it hard to follow everything that is happening, but it makes viewers feel as if they are actually in the show.
With the well-known cast of Cranston, Paul and many more, “Breaking Bad” has something to show and is not for the standard viewer. This show defines intensity — I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.
“Breaking Bad”‘s series finale will air this Sunday on AMC. Last Sunday the show was honored with the Emmy award for “Best Drama Series.”
