Breaking Bad: Season 1

The bar that was set for television with shows like The Sopranos and The Wire has been taken up a notch with Breaking Bad. Like both of those shows, its characters are realistically drawn and believably acted by amazing casts (as noted by many, particularly Brian Cranston's "Walt"). What seemingly began as a somewhat simplistic premise in season one rises to the level of engrossing thriller by the end of season two - and then to the level of Shakespearian Tragedy by the end of season Three. The character arc of Walter White from complacent and defeated suburbanite to calculating criminal is one of the most rewarding rides I've ever experienced in any form of fiction (TV shows/movies/novels). The reason I say the bar is taken up a notch is not because I think it's better than the shows I mentioned (persa). There is a bit of "apples and oranges" in comparing any TV show to another. It's because Breaking Bad easily on par, yet accomplishes its greatness sort of with one hand tied behind its back. HBO has the freedom as a premium channel to be as vulgar or graphic as the story dictates... nearly uncensored. AMC (who produces Breaking Bad) works within much more restrictive limits, yet feels every bit as gritty and intense as those other shows. And I'm not sure that seeing the occasional naked person or cussing rant could do much to improve upon it (though I'm certainly not against either =) Unlike in some shows, Walt's amazing character arc never puts the plot in the back seat. Too often that happens to a show of this type, making it devolve into tedious melodrama that starts to feel like a soap opera. I love Mad Men, but half-way into season two I started to feel like I was watching Melrose Place with brilliant set-design (thank god it redeemed itself in season three). Except for the occasional humorous moment (and sometimes there are many), the show is definitely a drama, but it's punctuated with enough twists and unexpected turns to satisfy the most rabid thriller fan. It's plotting is written near-flawlessly. On another note, although the show looks nothing like a Wes Anderson film, its meticulous set-design and artfully cinematic look bring comparisons to my mind. There is never a scene or shot that seems out of place or boring. It also has moments of unforeseen action (think Bill Murray kicking the Pirates off his boat) that seem to come out of nowhere and lurch the characters and storyline forward rather than merely being cliché set-pieces which seem to be expected from a show essentially about criminals. In case you haven't noticed, I'd highly recommend the show. =)

I did not start watching AMC's "Breaking Bad" until after the second season had already aired. Having played catch-up and seen Seasons 1-3 in their entirety, I do not hesitate when I tell people that this is simply the best show on television right now, bar none. But most people spend these reviews talking about how great the series is, so I'll skip the warm-and-fuzzies and talk directly about the Season 1 DVD set that you are probably trying to decide whether to buy or not. Here's my recommendation: Buy it. First off, the box and cases. The box art is terrific, with the iconic Walt-White-in-tightie-whities stuck right onto the front. The box (which doesn't take up more than 3/4 an inch of shelf space, if even that) contains two plastic disc cases -- the first holds Episodes 1-6, and the second holds Episode 7 along with the Bonus Features. While I would avoid getting the box (which is something in between paper and cardboard) wet, the plastic cases hold up pretty well... I've dropped them several times and they've never so much as cracked on me. The picture quality is terrific. AMC is known for shooting their scripted television almost cinematically, so if you're a full-screen fanatic, get the heck out of here because widescreen is the only way to watch these. Blu-Ray babies: Sorry, the colors don't necessarily pop, but this isn't the kind of show that necessarily would benefit from that anyway. And finally, the bonus features. Audio commentaries are attached to both the pilot episode and Episode 6 ("Crazy Handful of Nothin'"), and feature showrunner Vince Gilligan, along with cast and occasionally crew. Most of the time, it can be pretty entertaining. The second disc has a Making Of feature for those of you who like that sort of thing; the real meat of the behind-the-scenes, though, comes from their 'Inside Breaking Bad' video compilation, in which each video is dedicated to a different aspect of the show (one video deals with Bryan Cranston shaving his head for the role, while another deals with the aforementioned tightie-whities). Also on the disc is a photo gallery and a segment of AMC's interview program called "Shootout," when Cranston, Gilligan, and producer Mark Johnson appeared to promote the show. And last but certainly not least, the Bonus Features include screen tests of actors Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt, and Dean Norris; really cool stuff if, again, you are into that sort of thing. Overall, a terrific box set for the show's first season, cut short by the writers' strike a few years ago. Season 2's boxset is even better, and I recommend that as soon as you buy this set, you hop on over and buy that one as well. I hope this review was informative, and I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did. The picture

Hey, I make joke in my headline! Seriously, I can't imagine anyone reading yet one more raving review of this series and suddenly being convinced that it's worth the time, but I will say it emphatically... absolutely, one of the (if not THE) best TV series ever produced. I came to the show late (only a few months back) as I have such a disdain for so much TV. Only a relative handful of programs win my respect, and I think perhaps none more so than "Breaking Bad". The premise is simple- so much so that it's the reason I wasn't interested sooner. How could a series built on a chemistry teacher turned drug maker/dealer sustain or rise above anything but some silly, stereotypical, profanity-laced, overly-violent drudge that is so much a part of our entertainment media. What I learned by about the 3rd or 4th episode is that it is written by people fully aware of the pitfalls and predictability of modern television; they have, instead created characters with such depth, and plot twists so complex, that I had become sucked in like some drug addict, suffering the joys and anguish and yet demanding more. Characters are multifaceted, and you are expected to hate them and root for them at the same time. This is such an amazing achievement in writing and acting... the acting, of course, is first rate. TV is really reaching a magnificent period. Of course, network and cable are being dragged down by those bored enough to obsess over "reality" television and obnoxious crime stories. Beautiful actors and actresses under 35 adorn most of the roles (being beautiful, smart, and fearless is also "reality" in the TV world of crime), all of which make shows like "Breaking Bad", "Mad Men" and a smattering of HBO shows, exceptional. Again, among the best, "Breaking Bad" rises to the top.

What can be said about this spectacular saga that hasn't been said before? One of the very few series that competes with the best films in history for achievement in cinematic storytelling. Like a great novel slowly unfolding, it's funny, heartbreaking, incredibly tense, deeply disturbing. A nebbishy high-school science teacher finds he has lung cancer, so becomes a meth dealer to make money for his family before his death. Often visually stunning, with a breathtaking performance by Brian Cranston in the lead, and great work from all the supporting roles, this portrait of a man's decent into hell couldn't be much better, and it just grows darker and more disturbing each year. In a way, thematically it recalls "The Godfather I and II" in how that epic charts Michael's journey from innocence to darkness, along with the moral murkiness of the endless drive for money and success - how we lose ourselves, so that succeeding and having ever more becomes an end in itself for which we will pay any price, rather than a route to happiness, trapping us in a game we can never win. It may take a few episodes to get into, in this first season there was a lot of groundwork to lay, but you owe it to yourself to try. This is powerful, important and utterly enthralling stuff.

This is the second of two AMC series I went to catch up with, because this and "Mad Men" were constantly winning awards, and my favorites were being left in the dust. Both series had a hurdle for me. How can I possibly empathize with a meth manufacturer and dealer (the two lead roles). As it turns out, the story line is so inventive and so believable that it is hard not be be drawn into the perils of these characters which are so totally under water. The story on the face of it is so tense, that the show's creator had to add to the premise the fact that the brother in law of the Walter White (Brian Cranston) is a lead DEA agent, and, in most regards, a pretty good one. Perhaps one of the only improbabilites of the first season is that this DEA agent comes so close to gathering evidence which implicates Walter, but he doesn't catch on. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the story is seeing the extent to which people will do totally out of character things, things which are not only illegal (as one may think about drug business as a victimless crime), but violently illegal, including multiple murders. The acting by Cranston and Brian Paul, his "dealer" is superb, worthy of their Emmy wins. I must also give a good word for Raymond Cruz, who does a character far, far different from his police detective role on "The Closer / Major Crimes". The tension between his character Tuco and Walter White holds one's attention like little I've seen elsewhere. This is not for everyone, but watching one or two episodes shows why this one wins awards, and shows such as "White Collar", "Royal Pains", and "Suits" do not.

This item arrived quickly Via Amazon prime. The picture quality of this Blu-ray is on par. I have personally read over the years that the picture quality for season one on Blu-ray was substandard. I have not found that to be the case. There is plenty of fine detail to be seen on the show in season one. It is a huge leap in terms of visual and audio quality over the DVD. The plot of the show is rather simple. A middle-aged science teacher named Walter White is diagnosed with late stage lung cancer. With a second child on the way, and his family's debt climbing by the moment, he uses his knowledge of chemistry to dive into the lucrative world of drug manufacturing, to make sure that his family is financially secure after his death. There's a reason that Breaking Bad is considered one of the greatest shows in television history. The writing here is simply phenomenal, the character development is far above par, and the acting is nearly flawless. These Blu-rays provide the best audio and visual quality you're going to get out of the show. When compared to the DVD, there simply no contest. The technical quality is outstanding. I highly recommend it.

Brilliant. This succeeds where "Weeds" utterly failed for me. As a Christian, I'm very interested to see contemporary stories which illustrate eternal biblical truths so convincingly. Breaking Bad shows us with stunning yet compassionate clarity just exactly how "the wages of sin is death". As a younger person, I heard that and took it to mean that God was a mean-spirited, hanging judge. Naturally, I turned away from the God of the Bible if that is what he offered. Boy, did I get it wrong! Death and destruction are the natural fallout which occurs when we step outside of God's plan for us. If we put our faith in Him and live according to His will, this chain reaction of corruption doesn't get rolling, but if we put our faith in ourselves above all, we cut ourselves off from His peace. Walter White is not a bad guy by the world's standards. He wants to provide for his family, etc. but he steps outside of the boundaries and all Hell breaks loose. Unintended, tragic consequences. Jesse is a wonderful character as well. Breaking Bad manages to show us real characters with whom we can identify and sympathize in spite of their horrendous choices. We're never expected to regard their bad behavior as "cute" the way we are meant to do in "Weeds". I think this series is one of the more moral and intelligent shows I've seen in a long time. I like it for the same reasons I loved The Wire.

Here we have the first season of BREAKING BAD. It is amazing to realize that it is only 7 episodes for the character, plot and drama development is so thorough and realistic another show would need at least double the episodes to achieve it. The basic plot is a teacher who finds out he is dying of cancer and thru unexpected situations gets the opportunity to make a great deal of money thru manufacturing meth. He does so to make money for his family to be able to live on after he dies. But the show is about so much more than this. Every character is addicted to something and the introduction into the dark world of drugs is terrifyingly realistic. This is honestly one of the best shows ever to air on television. It tells a story that may be too dark for some to handle but the superb acting, writing and directing make it all work. These characters are all believable, necessary and the intertwining of their lives is seamless. The show also succesfully combines deep psychological profiles of each character mixed with the heavy, often disturbing drama. And the plot always serves a purpose, is realistic no matter how heavy, and is in no way gratuituous. And with this show we also get one of the best duos ever in Walt and Jesse. When Jesse, Aaron Paul, a former student of Walt, Bryan Cranston, joins him in the making of meth a perfect chemistry is formed. BREAKING BAD also provides the occasional comic break that helps alleviate the heavy drama. This series is a must for its great acting, superb writing and directing and totally unique premise. If it sounds like any other series you have seen believe me when I say it is not. The blu ray of course adds a dimension to the series over that of the dvd. There are many dark scenes but the detail and clarity still shines thru and the scenes with color and specifically the lovely scenery shots pop off the screen. Audio is superb. This is a series that is dialogue driven but when the action sequences happen nothing is held back. This series is superb and I highly recommend it.