Since Boardwalk Empire and The Walking Dead both have threads, I figured I'd start one on Breaking Bad.

IMO Breaking Bad is, without a doubt, the best show on television. In fact, I'll take it one step further. Breaking Bad is the best show to EVER appear on television. If you haven't seen it, it's a must see. I believe seasons 1-4 are currently streaming on Netflix.

I really don't want to go too deep into the discussion without first seeing how many of you watch the show. "Season 5" wrapped up last night and there's a lot of s hit to discuss.

Really disappointed that I have to wait another year for the second half of Season 5.  Stupidly big reveal before a ten-month wait.

But yeah, it's a fantastic show, right up there with The Wire.

Thanks for starting the thread there Penguin,

Breaking Bad is one of the handful of television shows that fires on all cylinders. That said last night's episode was one of the episodes I had mixed feelings about. Probably because I know it is coming to an end.

SPOILER:

Well if Hank stays in character, even his new revelation won't have any impact on Walt to start the homestretch next year. Hank will just think Walt and Gale where working for Fring, end of story. Hank will continue to underestimate Walt and use him to find Heisenburg, but as far as we know Walt is out of the game. I think Jessie knows about Brock, Saul most likely spilled the beans. I think what made the episode feel light was that Walt withdrew from his ego without really facing it. I'm sure if the toll on his family was the reason he got out of cooking, what he's done to Jessie will be key if he ever wants his soul back.

I've heard great things about the Wire. I've also heard that it's on par with BB so I'll be checking it out shortly.

interesting points JN. yeah i thought that it was super intriguing how Walt bounced back from being this ego driven, pathetic guy. it seems as though he's returning to some sort of decency. and IMO, this is even a BIGGER question than whether or not the cancer has returned.

i don't think jesse knows about brock just yet. i feel like that, and jane, will be the breaking point for jesse.

does anyone remember Gale's book of poems and how it ended up in walt's possession? did gale just give it to walt or was it in hank's possession as evidence? I completely forget....

While a great show, (one of my favorites) its far from being the best show ever. IMO it's not even currently the best on TV, Mad Man no chance there.

With that being said when i first started watching thee show i was really disappointed, it felt like they were trying to make it comical and dramatic at the same time but it came lacking on both sides. But along the 2nd and 3rd season this show just gradually exploded into something very very good.

Both the comical and dramatic essence is still there but much more "matured" and focused. Unlike the first two seasons, the show seems to have now more aesthetic consistency, and by this i mean that in the first two seasons, some episodes didn't seem to follow the same path direction and even plot wise.

Overall a great show, were the unexpected is always next door, and with one of the best hero/villain in tv shows history, Walter White.

I'm upto the last few episodes of season 4 and TBH, before that, it was a pretty average show. It felt like there was so much filler and episodes were just crunched in there to find mundane reasons to why something big is going to happen at the end of the season, at least IMHO. But at least now, when they've got to the heart of the show, it's damn enjoyable. Wouldn't call it the best show on TV but I don't watch enough TV shows these days for an opinion.

OMG - as a writer (and someone who finds most of TV boring) Breaking Bad is the best thing that I've come across in so, so long!  (Bits of Boardwalk Empire were promising, but it's started to drift.)  

The characterization - the plot turns that keep me riveted.  WOW.  We just started watching a few months ago, and are now caught up through the end of Season 4.  Unfortunately, there's no way to see the first half of Season Five before everything starts up again...so now we're in limbo until it's available.

Breaking Bad writers, I love you guys!!  

FYI - as a point of comparison - I've seen bits of Walking Dead (decent, for what it is.)  Haven't caught Sons of Anarchy or Mad Men yet....

After learning he has lung cancer, a high school chemistry teacher makes crystal meth so his family will have money after he's gone. With the help of a junkie former student, he moves up the ranks in the criminal world as he slowly loses his soul and becomes a villain.

The fifth and final season is on now.  Seasons one through four are available on netflix.


Phil

Along with Game of Thrones this is the best show on tv, easily better than crap like mad men and Jersy Shore. Walter White is Awesome!

I don't think you can group Mad Men and Jersey Shore together.

Quoted from Gage I don't think you can group Mad Men and Jersey Shore together.

lol exactly.

Anyway i find really confusing how some writers here have been missing on so many shows apparently. Some show's episodes out there are so much better than many movies. Actually in the past few years the most original content i've seen were TV shows and not movies.

Quoted from Grandma Bear I quit going to the movies maybe 10 years ago or so. Just seemed like everything I saw, I disliked. Same for TV shows. I'm watching AHS now though and am actually looking forward to Wednesdays. I watched BB the pilot today. I can't say it was bad, but it certainly didn't grab me like AHS did. I am more open to give other shows a chance now though. Btw, I'm probably the only person on the planet that have never seen one single episode of the Sopranos.

Somehow wish i was in your shoes. You've got a decade of great shows to catch up to.

Walter's decent into evil is slow and nicely developed.  The first season has a lot of funny scenes in it which, IMHO, took away from the story.  The comedy lessens with each season.


Phil

Quoted from Grandma Bear I'm going to watch episode 5 today. If it doesn't make a huge impression on me, I think I'm done with BB.

This is a terrible, terrible idea.

If there's any exception to the "wait... it gets better" excuse, it's Breaking Bad. Season 1 is not without growing pains and the occasional genre conventions can make it difficult to differentiate the show from others of its ilk. But you gotta get the ball rolling somehow. It's also a short season. Two more episodes after 5 can hardly be worse time spent than any given mediocre Netflix WatchInstant, which you probably would've watched anyway.

Season 2 ups just about everything, essentially sets the standard for what the majority of the show is like from here on out, and features some of the best antagonists in TV history. I think it'd be a mistake not to stick it out for a few more episodes. I can say for a certainty that you'd be missing out down the line.

...but if you must stop, watch The Wire. Pretty much the best show ever made.

...but don't stop with BB!  Spectacular show and characterization.  And if there's any TV show out there that epitomizes Scriptshadow's rule of GSU (goals, suspense, urgency), it's BB!

Wow, I love that show...  I only wish I could see the first half of Season 5 before it starts back up....