Moral Degradation, and Character Progression As Seen In Breaking Bad
Having watched AMC’s Breaking Bad almost a dozen times, Im now confident enough to be writing a review (if you would call it that) of the show. When i first saw Breaking Bad, i was only a freshman in high school, I still had spots, and was undoubtedly oblivious to the world around me. The people i saw, meet, and interacted with was solely the people i depended on, had something to discuss, or meet in a daily basis. I was bit of a shut in back then, i stay holed up in my room playing games, reading books, and masturbating (as i said, oblivious to the world around me). Whenever i went out, It was because i absolutely had to, if it wasn’t that pressing of a matter, i would remain in my room, sealed from the toxicity (as i once thought) of the outside world. I was comfortable living life in these terms which soon would prove to be my downfall. I had just finished watching ‘Dexter’ for the third time and if that show hadn’t been going away from Netflix, would definitely watch a fourth time, when i accidentally stumbled upon Breaking Bad.
The show’s thumbnail was pretty boring to me, it showed a bald old dude frowning at me while wearing steel framed glasses and a bowler hat (and also a very respectable goatee). “Why the hell not?” i thought to my self, as i continued watching the pilot episode. That day, as i now realized it to be, was the day my life changed, for better or for worse. Needless to say, i was instantaneously hooked, the incredible visual storytelling, actors, screenplay, and general story and character progress, Vince Gilligan was a master in storytelling. In a nutshell, Breaking Bad was just another drama tv series, it had a plot, a main character (or two, as you might argue), a progressive timeline and of course, a season finale/ending. A chemistry teacher by the name of Walter White was just diagnosed with cancer, he teaches at JP Wynne high school, and (because of his financial problems) also worked at a local carwash run by the infamous Bogdan (the dude with the comical eyebrows). His then 16 year old son (ironically named) Walter White Junior, or as we would later call him: Flynn, suffered from Cerebral Palsy, a permanent movement disorder that appeared in his early to late childhood. His wife, Skyler White was also pregnant with an unintended child (Holly White). As if his problem weren’t enough, he had been diagnosed with stage 3-A lung cancer. He also had Hank, his brother in law which coincidentally was a DEA Agent operating in the Alberquerque Drug Enforcement Agency. With His son’s physical limitations, unintended daughter, and poverty in mind. He decided to break bad. Partnering with his former High-school student Jesse Pinkman, Cooked (what proved to be) the Greatest batch of Crystal Methamphetamine west of the border. With 99.1 percent chemical purity, and its signature blue look , this current and future batch of his and Jesse’s would prove to be their rise and inevitable downfall within the next four seasons. I wont go in too much on the details (even if i could) as i would end up telling the whole story, and that wouldn’t be too convenient now would it?
A once respectable Scientist, Scholar, Educator, loving parent and husband has now been consumed by greed and egoism. What began as his statement: “All the things i’ve done, i’ve done for the greater good of the family” would soon be his excuse for doing the things he did. Murder, kidnapping, poisoning an infant, running a drug empire etc, was not a thing you would expect upon meeting Walter White. His mannered speaking, dressing and overall look was convincing his (now) fake identity of “Walter Hartwell White, age 50, school teacher and scholar”. When in reality, he was actually: “Heisenberg, Age 50, Drug kingpin and wanted criminal”. What was once his real identity has now been swallowed up in a sea of greed and monstrosity. And in the end he finally accepted who he really was, and that all the things he did, he did for himself. “I liked it, i was good at it” as he said to Skyler in the series finale “Felina” as he gave her the location of Hank and Steve Gomez’s burial site to trade in with the prosecutor. All the things he did, in the end wasn’t justified by any means. He had lost his family, all the money he had worked for, and most importantly his identity. The world will now remember him as Heisenberg, a man capable of killing, torture, and every criminal aspect imaginable. As his death came about, he died in the place he truly loved, the lab. Hands littered with blood, he savored his final moments, taking one good look at the lab equipments, tanks, chemicals and figuratively, himself: Heisenberg. Died head first, proud, and without regret.
AMC’s Breaking Bad is undoubtedly one of the best pieces of cinematic products in the history of television. And i have no doubt that, 100 years from now, us high-schoolers will be studying it in our art or social study classes. And having watched it almost a dozen times, Im certain that BB has indeed changed my viewpoint of the world and has made me the young man i am today. God bless Vince.
