Breaking Bad is one of the better TV shows screening at the moment and there are a lot of things I enjoy about the series but the acting, direction and writing are all noteworthy.
The storyline follows the career changes of Walter White, from high school science teacher to criminal mastermind. He seems like a Ned Flanders-like guy and I like the sense the show is a kind of perversion of the usual superhero story as Walter learns to use his powers as a chemist for evil in making high quality amphetamine.
Bryan Cranston is the actor who plays Walter and I've noticed that as the show has progressed he's gained a producer credit. I guess he's had a role in developing the character of Walter and influenced the plot of the show, as well as being integral to its continued success.
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has said the character of Walter had to be simultaneously loathsome and sympathetic, and that "Bryan alone was the only actor who could do that, who could pull off that trick. And it is a trick. I have no idea how he does it."
Giancarlo Esposito acts the role of villain Gustav Fring on Breaking Bad and he's spoken on this dynamic as actors influence the shape of TV characters and plot development.
In early seasons of the show they regularly used a 'flash forward' device to build tension by showing a destructive outcome from the end of the episode in the bit before the opening titles -- which is a great way to catch a viewer's attention at the point when they're deciding whether or not to watch the show.
I like how the narrative for some episodes could probably be explained in a sentence or two but are filmed in a way that stretches time for maximum tension and dramatic effect.
As the show heads into production of its fifth and final season, I've been enjoying thinking about what might be the fatal flaw in the character of Walter White. There have been a few scenes where his ego has gotten in the way of his better judgment and it'll be interesting to see whether his desire to be recognised for producing high quality drugs undoes what he's achieved.
Then again, there are so many ways they could conclude the show and it's already packed so many surprises that there are sure to be more but I'd like to see Walter get away with it. I think my chances are good too, because moral ambiguity has been discovered by US producers in recent years. It's like they're finally freeing themselves from the Hays Production Code.
More importantly, who will cry for Walter White aside from his on-screen family?
