Breaking Bad: Season 1 [DVD] [2008] [2009]

The synopsis (with NO SPOILERS):

A US chemistry teacher (Bryan Cranston, fom 'Malcolm in the Middle') discovers he has cancer, and has no way of paying the medical bills. One day it occurs to him that he could cover the needed expenses by making Crystal Meth - a drug which is in high demand on the streets. The series follows his adventures, and the ever-increasingly tangled web of lies that he weaves.

I've got to say how much I LOVED this series - season 1 is relatively short (7 episodes), but is filled with the kind of high-tension drama that made 'The Wire' so compelling. It's created by Vince Gilligan (the man behind 'The X-Files'* [*see comment]), and has the same quirky humour threaded all the way through - aided immensely by Cranston's witheringly caustic portrayal of a man who does not suffer fools gladly AT ALL, but ends up having to work with one.

As events unfurl, he is forced to keep bigger and bigger secrets from his wife and son...

I don't want to give the impression that this is primarily a comedy, because it isn't - it's a dark psychological drama with some great moments of equally dark humour - the cast are all exceptional, and the casting is spot-on. For example, Cranston's character has a son who has CP, so they cast RJ Mitte, an actor who actually has it in real life. This might seem a little worthy but when watching the series it works perfectly.

If you liked the grittiness of 'The Wire', the dark humour of 'The Sopranos' or the strange other-ness of 'The X-Files', I can recommend this to you WHOLEHEARTEDLY. Seriously - this is the best thing I've seen on TV for a long long time... and the good news is that series 2 is just as good, but 12 episodes long!

Take a chance - buy it - I promise you won't regret it.

Now let's get one thing straight; this is a television program NOT for the faint at heart. If you like your viewing saccherine, with easy answers and everything wrapped up and snapped back to the beginning by the end of the episode, Breaking Bad is not for you. The premise alone should be enough to tell you that; a cancer-striken father who is a chemistry teacher turns to illegal drug manufacture with a not-too-bright ex-student and struggles with his own mortality and morality along the way, doing his best to hide the new career choice from his pregnant wife, son with cerebal palsy, medic sister-in-law and law enforcer brother. Yes, this isn't light-weight material by any means.

I'm not a fan of these shows that rely on "inflated sense of tension" to pump up the viewer's adrenaline levels while covering for poor scripting; stuff like 24, Lost and Prison Break started out well-enough but quickly descended into this cheap shock tactic approach to keep the audience hooked. Once I saw through this I stopped watching them completely and have been seeking out quality American shows that are well-produced and equally well-written, and I am happy to say that Breaking Bad is one of these. Not since I saw Firefly (a very different kind of show) have I enjoyed a television program this much.

Bryan Cranston is perfectly cast as Walt, the man who has to make tough choices to provide for his family. He so perfectly becomes the character that it was not until later I realised he was previously cast as Hal in Malcolm In The Middle. His emotional range is staggering; with a few well-timed gestures or vocalisations he can convey several feelings at once, and when Walt is in pain it is completely believable. Walt is a man of few words, but chooses these words very carefully, so when he speaks everyone on-screen and in the audience are listening.

Cranston isn't just carrying passengers though; he's ably supported by Anna Gunn as his wife Skylar, who brings just the right amount of care and concern for her husband and baby as needed and RJ Mitte plays the son who has CP and gives a very accurate, non-condescending portrayal of the condition so different from the ham-handed "sympathy ploy" approach so overused by shows from the States. Dean Norris plays Walt's brother Hank, the all-American police officer who doesn't take any guff and flushes out drug dealers for a living and his quirky kleptomaniac wife Marie (the lightest character in this show, amusingly) is handled with panache by Betsy Brandt. Rounding out the main cast is Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman, every inch the nervy, paranoid and streetwise "cook" who becomes Walt's new partner and guide to the world of drug trafficing.

I could say so much about what makes this a compelling piece of film-making - it really does play like an extended movie at many points - but I'd be here for a long time. Tight, well-plotted scripts that make the unbelievable tangeable and don't waste a line while doing so. Superb, inventive direction and settings that perfectly fit the mood of the show, an interesting mixture of steadicam, handicam, point-of-view and via camcorders that appear to be captured by the cast themselves. Excellent choice of soundtrack; almost every episode ends with a classic song and the musical cues throughout really add to the atmosphere without becoming overpowering; witness the searing, high-pitched noises when we see through Walt's eyes as he is in pain or being given bad news for an example.

What is most remarkable is that the show never gives easy answers, never biases us towards the characters (we are given both sides of the debate and left to make our own choices, which respects the viewers intelligence) and always does things that you will not expect. There is not a single cliche to be found here, no way of knowing exactly how each person will react to the situations they are thrust into. These are complex, multi-faceted individuals with free will and their own motivations, who exist not as mere tools to advance the plot. The plot itself is always coherent and leaves very few loose ends. If you see an event or object framed, however subtley, you can bet it will come back later on. Maybe not in the same episode, but as part of the story arc. And last but not least is the incredibly pitch black humour that crops up every now and then, so dark it almost feels uncomfortable to laugh.

Overall this is an assured, professional piece of work that ranges from very good to downright stunning, with "Crazy Handful Of Nothin'" being the standout episode of the first season. If they can carry this program on for two or three more seasons and then end it without dragging past the logical closure point (and with Walt the way he is, this is crucial), it will be one of the greatest drama series of all time.

There are only seven episodes in this first series of Breaking Bad but I was so hooked I watched them back to back - it has been a very long time since I have felt that enthralled by any series.

The synopsis below does not give anything away beyond the first episode.

The first episode opens with Walt (played by Bryan Cranston) walking away from a burning RV, gun in hand minus his trousers and with police sirens blaring in the distance. The scene looks bizarre and surreal as Walt couldn't look anything less like a criminal if he tried. The story then switches back to the present day and begins to fill in the gaps as to how he came to be in that position. This is a technique used frequently in both series one and two.

Walt, a middle class, law abiding chemistry teacher discovers that at the age of 50 he has terminal lung cancer. He is working two jobs to keep the family finances afloat. His oldest son, Walt Junior has cerebral palsy and his wife, Skylar finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at the age of 40. Walt is at a loss as to how he is going to provide financial security for his family after his demise and in the short term how he is going to fund his medical care. He needs to get his hands on a vast sum of money - and he needs it quickly.

Walt seeks out one of his former students, Jesse (Dean Norris) - a time wasting, good-for-nothing layabout and small time drug dealer. Much as it pains Walt to have anything to do with Jesse, he needs him for the one skill set he does have - cooking and selling methamphetamine. Together, the pair come up with a scheme to make the best meth on the market and to get rich very quickly. Suffice to say, things don't always go smoothly for them in their new business venture.

The series is full of black humour - some of the things that happen are so awful that they are absolutely hilarious. The subject matter won't suit everyone's taste, some might even find it offensive, but I have to admit that I laughed until I cried on many occasions.

Bryan Cranston plays Walt perfectly. He is completely believable in his role and it is impossible not to side with him and want him to be successful even though at the back of your mind you have that nagging reminder that he is now producing Class A drugs.

The series doesn't make use of cliff-hangers or other tension inducing stunts commonly used in series such as 24, Prison Break, Oz etc - it simply doesn't need to bother with that type of ploy. Instead it relies on an imaginative plot, well written script and well rounded characters. When one episode ends all you will want to do is watch the next one; I would be surprised if anyone could stretch this series out over a long time period.

The only negative is that there were just seven episodes - I wanted more as will anyone else who watches this series. Suffice to say I immediately bought series two and am currently watching those pretty much back-to-back.

Overall, a brilliant drama series. If you missed it first time around on TV then grab a copy now, you won't regret it.