Movies are
movies and TV shows are TV shows: thank you very much. The funny thing is that
sometimes TV shows are as good as movies because they are able to overcome the usual flaws that they have
(dilution, lack of intensity, repetition) and all that remains are the good
things (like the depth and detail of narration).
It is the case
of Breaking Bad: started in 2008, at its 5th season in 2011,
this series, created by Vince Gilligan, is just brilliant. Everybody knows it,
everybody talks about it but I guess it is never enough. For those who may not
know (maybe someone who just came back from the North Pole), it is the story of
Walter White, genius and chemistry teacher, who gradually breaks bad and
gets into the drug business, “supported”by his former student Jesse Pinkman.
So what? Just
another crime series, only from the point of view of the bad guys, right?
Wrong. This show is a lot more than this. And, to these regards, as usual, here
goes the list on what makes this show great.
The performance
of the actors. Let me quickly mention the secondary actors, the most and least
recurrent ones, so that it is clear that high levels are to be expected from
everyone on the screen. And let me then focus on Pinky and The Brain
(Jesse and Walter). Bryan Cranston is out of his comfort zone, comedy, and yet his
performance is natural, intense in all moment, just impeccable. And if we
already knew that he is a good actor, Aaron Paul is the real revelation: I
cannot describe his performance, I can only invite you to watch or re-watch the
final scene of season 4.
The
script/story. We all know that good TV shows usually start great, then go up
and down, mostly down, and peak up near the end of the seasons. This TV shows
keeps you glued to the screen at all times and not just because you are used to
it. The script is brilliant and original, but at no times it is unreal. You may
think “oh my god” or “I can’t believe this is happening”, but you never think
with sarcasm “yeah, suuure, this could happen”. No matter how extreme or crazy
things get, everything you see on scream could actually be… and it
is for some people. This is, of course, merit of the writers. Did you ever
think “what happened to the good writers?” watching a crappy show? It is
legitimate to think that they are all working on this show.
The timing.
Writers, directors, actors and the whole crew give their best to make time a
value added. Details that are shown at the beginning and become important
or symbolic only afterwards are a way in which this happen: an example above
all, the teddy-bear’s eye. This is extremely important to maintain the high
level of intensity I was mentioning before. This makes so that even when there
are no crisis, the show is still interesting and we can be led into exploration
of the life and personality of the characters, without thinking “ok ok but
let’s go back to the shooting”.
This show is a
lot of things: violent, cruel, real, funny, tense and intense. Above all, it is
a journey, from average to bad, going through improbable but strong
friendships, through the facing and resolutions of lifelong dramas, through
love and hatred, through destruction and self-destruction… and with a perfect
end (on these regards, let me express my concerns for the decision to produce
an ulterior season). Definitely to be added to the must-see list.
Creator: Vince Gilligan
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn and Aaron Paul
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