Breaking Bad

by Clea Guy Allen

Breaking Bad is not, as one might assume, a series about a man trying to break the habit of being bad. No, in fact, it is quite the opposite.

The series follows the life of Walter White, (Bryan Cranston from Malcolm in the Middle) a struggling chemistry teacher with a pregnant wife Skyler (played by Anna Gunn) and a teenage son with cerebral palsy (RJ Mitte).

At first glance the synopsis belies the beauty and brilliance this series has to offer. I can hear what you're thinking, an entire show based on a deadbeat teacher and his messed up family life, with that guy from Malcolm in the Middle playing the lead - No thanks.

Throw into the mix that this deadbeat teacher tries his hand at being a badass drug dealer, and the intrigue rises slightly, but only for those that have a liking or predisposition for tv shows based around everyday people becoming involved with drugs, think US TV show Weeds.

However, after giving it the time of day, I now know it deserves it. I was completely surprised at the connection I was feeling to Walter's cause, how pained I was that he was in pain, how sad I was that he was sad and how relieved I was when he was relieved.

Relating to characters

Through the unlikely character of a 50-year-old man who is undoubtedly going through a mid life crisis of epic proportions, one can relate and one can empathise, one can laugh both with and at.

The script is brilliant, understated and yet full of meaning and the acting from Bryan Cranston is nothing short of astonishing. There is nothing critics hate more in the industry than someone breaking out of their known 'role' in order to try and be known as a 'serious' actor, that is, apart from them succeeding at it. And succeed he does.

Walter White is a middle aged, middle of the road kind of guy, working two jobs in order to support his growing family. He represents what it is like to be living in the 'middle America' of today.

A downtrodden man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, Walter White has always done the right thing by his family, putting aside his hopes and dreams in order to aid their's.

To make matters harder for him, his wife Skyler, is not only expecting their second child, but she is also expecting Walter to cover all the bills along with decorating the new baby's room.

A series of unfortunate events (think one of his high school students seeing Walt working his second job as a car washer and telling all the other students) added to a handout of even more unfortunate news (a bit more serious this time) leads Walt to leave behind the life he once knew and start in a different direction entirely. Walter is acutely aware that he needs to make more money if his family are going to survive what the next few years will throw at them.

The plot thickens

Thanks to his DEA brother-in-law Hank, Walter gets the inspiration he needs. The answer to his problem is Meth. Not taking it you understand, but making it. Being a chemistry teacher himself, to him, the perfect batch is pure equations, however the perfect batch of Methamphetamine is no good to anyone if no-one knows it exists.

For this he needs a partner in the know, someone to get Walt's foot on the ladder. He decides to go on a drugs bust with Hank "to see what it's like", and Hank is more than happy to accept. He can see more than most that Walter needs to start getting a bit more life out of life.

Whilst on the bust, Walter runs in to the perfect candidat, Captain Cook. Captain Cook is, coincidentally, an ex student of his, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), so not too keen on the idea of partnering up.

However, after a healty does of blackmail (you scratch my back and I won't turn you in to the police) Captain Cook reconsiders his first refusal. After stealing the neccessary lab equipment from his work and investing all of his savings into buying a winnebago they can use as a base, the rest, as they say, is history.

Breaking Bad

Comments:

Post a comment: