If you have turned on a television or opened your eyes at all in the past week or so then you know that AMC's Breaking Bad wrapped up its entire series on September 29th (last night). Now before I go further, I can honestly say that I have not included any spoilers so if you have never watched an episode before, nothing will be ruined and I implore you to begin so immediately after reading this. For those who are like me and have seen every minute of it, we can now say that the finale was nothing short of phenomenal and that the greatest series to hit network television in over twenty years has ended with a bang that will never be forgotten.
Breaking Bad has changed my life, this I can say with pride and a smile on my face. No... I'm not cooking meth but I did sport a pretty shagadelic goatee (if I do say so myself) for a whole week leading up to the finale. This show changed the way I view television because for the first time the audience trusts and even sides with an antihero like Walter White. You may love to hate him or hate that you love him. If you're watching the show and are not caught up yet, you may be asking how could things get any worse or maybe you're looking at Jesse and saying along with Walt, "Apply yourself." There is almost too much to explain with a show like this which is a paradox in itself; it is the simplest things that give it complexity and then vice versa. At some of the intense parts there are calming, classic hit songs that add to the intensity in a subtly gripping way. You'll be left singing "Crystal Blue Persuasion" by Tommy James and The Shondells in your head as you look forward to the next episode, no matter how many times you may have already seen it. I hope this paragraph alone has proved at least some sort of a point.
Vince Gilligan created, produced, and wrote the characters that make up every detail. He is the unsung hero and the mind behind it all. Aaron Paul can thank him for being set for the rest of his career because it was Vince who went to the execs at AMC and convinced them Aaron was perfect to play Jesse Pinkman even though they wanted someone else.
Bryan Cranston is the face of Breaking Bad. The character of Walter White has become synonymous with the likes of Tony Soprano: the head of an empire. The chemotherapy-shaved dome followed by his weathered, over-the-hill face framed with glasses and a red goatee that have become iconic, just add a black porkpie hat on top of it all and you've got Heisenberg in the flesh. If playing Hal on Malcolm in the Middle wasn't enough of Cranston in his underwear then Walter White is what you've been waiting for. Bryan Cranston embodies the true nature of good and evil as Walter the educator and father evolves back and forth into Heisenberg the ruthless and sinister. He takes things to new levels both as an actor and as a character in every episode. The public has come to view him as a method actor and this show is perfect evidence of why he deserves every bit of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Aaron Paul has to make the transition from a meth junkie to a meth expert as Walt's former student, Jesse Pinkman. Which he does pretty well. Pretty. Damn. Well. Aaron loses himself in Jesse's passion and talent both as a dealer and as a protege while throwing in "Bitch" emphatically as a great sentence-ender and character tagline. As I mentioned earlier, Aaron's handsome mug will be seen dominating the big screen in the near future as the star in Need For Speed and I'm sure many more to come, all thanks to Vince Gilligan and a good amount of dedication. Yeah Aaron!
The rest of the cast was a knock out as well. Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, RJ Mitte, Betsy Brandt, Giancarlo Esposito, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks and so many more that would be able to fill up a lecture hall. One side note is that Walter and Jesse's trusty lawyer, the animated and tricky Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), has been given the go-ahead for a spinoff series that will premier on AMC at a date and time TBD. So we can have fun with that when it rolls around, too. Not much room for disappointment even with the smaller roles as well.
It is truly bittersweet that Breaking Bad has come to an end. No more anticipation for Sunday nights at 9 o'clock on AMC but it is comforting and satisfying to know it ended well. So fare-thee-well Walter White and hats off to you, Heisenberg. Thank you for a chemistry and life lesson we can take with us as we jump into other shows. "... Love, Love is the answer. And that's all right." --Yeah Science!
