Cable Forum - General Breaking Bad

Sorry for the four year bump, but... this series needs a thread.

I've made it "general", rather than tie it to a specific season or "pace"/"timeline" so as to talk about the show overall, in the hope that perhaps some people will read it who wouldn't have bothered if it said "US timeline - season 4". If anyone wants to mention any specific plot points or anything else considered a "spoiler", then please use spoiler tags. Anything for season four can of course go in the existing season four thread.

Anyway. Thanks to the wonders of Netflix's recent UK launch and free trial, I got into this series a couple of weeks ago.

In the US it is broadcast by AMC (which also shows "Mad Men" and "The Walking Dead"). As is usually the case for cable dramas, it's excellent, and a cut above what you find on the networks.

As alferret says above, it's about a high-school chemistry teacher who - after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer - decides to manufacture "crystal meth" to provide money for his family.

It's awesome. Absolutely brilliant. Easily up there with all the usual suspects for "best US drama" such as "The Sopranos", "Boardwalk Empire", "Mad Men", "The Wire" and so on. The recent season, number 4, was some of *the* best TV I have seen in ages.

It's from Vince Gilligan, who before this was best known as a writer and producer on "The X Files".

Bryan Cranston plays the main character, "Walter White". People may know him as "Hal" from "Malcolm in the Middle". He has won three Emmy awards in a row for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series".

Aaron Paul plays Walter's former student, "Jesse Pinkman", who Walter teams up with for his drug business. Has has won an Emmy award for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series".

The cast, crew, and series have also been nominated for many other awards, with a variety of wins. It's received widespread critical acclaim.

Sadly, Breaking Bad has suffered from crappy treatment in the UK. Only the first two seasons have been shown on TV and released on DVD (hence only the first two then being available on Netflix in the UK ) - 5 US and FX are the channels which UK viewers unfortunately have had to "rely" on to show the series.

It seems unlikely we'll get season three onwards in the UK.

Seasons one and two have been released on DVD in the UK (Region 2).

Seasons one, two, and three have been released on DVD (Region 1) and Blu-ray Disc (Region A) in the US.

Season three has been released on Region 2 DVD... in Germany.

Season four should be released on DVD and BD in the US before season five premières later in the year.

Netflix in the US has seasons one, two, and three. Season four will presumably come to Netflix in the US after the DVD/BD release.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakin...ical_reception

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Critical reception

Breaking Bad has received widespread critical acclaim and has been praised by some critics as the greatest television drama of all time.[3][43] On the review aggregator website Metacritic, the first season scored 74/100,[44] the second season scored 85/100,[45] the third season scored 89/100[46] and the fourth season scored 96/100.[47] The American Film Institute listed Breaking Bad as one of the top ten television series of 2010 and 2011.[48][49]

(snip)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakin...nd_nominations

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Breaking Bad

The series has won numerous awards and nominations, including six Emmy Awards and Cranston winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series three consecutive years.[66] and two consecutive Outstanding Drama Series nominations. Overall, the show has won 16 industry awards and been nominated for a further 40.[67]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_Breaking_Bad

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Breaking Bad is an American drama series that has aired on AMC since January 20, 2008. It has been nominated for a variety of different awards including nine Primetime Emmy Awards (four wins for the series), twelve Saturn Awards (three wins), three Satellite Awards (three wins), one Golden Globe Award, eight Writers Guild of America Awards (one win) and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Amongst the wins for the series are a Satellite Award for "Best Television Drama Series".

Several different Breaking Bad actors have received acting award nominations. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are the only actors to win Emmy Awards, with Cranston winning three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. "Pilot" is the most nominated single episode of the series, receiving nominations for six different awards, winning four, including an Emmy Award. "No Mas" and "ABQ" are the tied second most nominated episodes, with three. Breaking Bad has been nominated for 40 awards and has won 16.

(snip)