Breaking Bad
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| Breaking Bad | |
 |
|
| Genre | Drama |
|---|---|
| Created by | Vince Gilligan |
| Starring | Bryan Cranston Anna Gunn Aaron Paul Dean Norris Betsy Brandt RJ Mitte |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 20 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Vince Gilligan Mark Johnson |
| Producer(s) | Karen Moore |
| Location(s) | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Running time | approx. 47 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | AMC |
| Original run | January 20, 2008 – present |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. The series is broadcast in the United States and Canada on the cable network AMC. It premiered on January 20, 2008, and completed its first seven-episode season on March 9, 2008. The show's 13-episode second season ran from March 8 to May 31, 2009. A third season was announced in April 2009.[1]
Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad revolves around Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a struggling high school chemistry teacher with a teenage son who has cerebral palsy (RJ Mitte), and a pregnant wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn). When the already tense White is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, he breaks down and turns to a life of crime, and starts producing and selling methamphetamine with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in a desire to secure his family's financial future.[2]
Breaking Bad has received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its writing and Cranston's performance on the show, and won two Emmy Awards for its first season in addition to numerous other awards and nominations.
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[edit] Production
The title comes in part from a Southern United States colloquialism "to break bad" which is defined as "when someone has taken a turn off the path of the straight and narrow, when they've gone wrong".[3]
The series is set and filmed in and near Albuquerque, New Mexico.[4]
The AMC network, on which the series premiered January 20, 2008, originally ordered nine episodes for the first season (including the pilot), but the Writers Guild of America strike limited the production to seven episodes.[5]
[edit] Synopsis
[edit] Season one
Walter White, a chemistry teacher with a pregnant wife, Skyler, and a son with cerebral palsy, is diagnosed with stage-three terminal lung cancer. Interested in earning an inheritance for his family before his death, Walter enters the drug trade on the production side, using his chemistry knowledge to cook remarkably potent methamphetamine (crystal meth) with Jesse Pinkman, a former student. Operating out of a recreational vehicle (RV) in the desert, the two must defend themselves against two dealers, formerly Jesse's distributors, who accuse Walter of being a DEA agent. At first offering them the recipe to his crystal meth, Walter instead gasses them with phosphine gas and leaves them to suffocate in the RV, before driving away with an injured Jesse in tow.
Walter and Jesse discover that one of the dealers is still alive, and restrain him in Jesse's basement. After a coin flip, Jesse is tasked with disposing of the dead dealer's body, and Walter with killing the other, a prospect that sickens him. Jesse dissolves the dead body in a bathtub of hydrofluoric acid, but the acid eats through the tub and the floor beneath it, spilling dissolved entrails in the hall. Meanwhile, Walter has begun providing food and a latrine to his prisoner, Krazy-8, whom he also confides in, attempting to find any excuse to leave him alive. Due to his illness, Walter passes out briefly while delivering food in one such instance, breaking a plate. Awakening later, Walter picks up the broken plate and goes to get the key to set Krazy-8 free. However, while upstairs, Walt has a sudden realization that there is a large sharp piece of the plate missing, which Krazy-8 has hidden. Realizing that Krazy-8 intends to kill him the second he sets him free, Walt decides that he has no choice but to kill the dealer, which he does by pulling back on the bike lock around his neck holding him in place until he chokes to death. Following the disposal of the body, Walter severs ties with Jesse and the drug trade.
Meanwhile, Walter's brother-in-law Hank, who actually is a DEA agent and is aware of a powerful new drug producer in the region, follows a trail of evidence left at Walter's cook site. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Walter's sister-in-law, Marie, is an occasional shoplifter. At dinner with his family, Marie, and Marie's husband Hank, Walter finally reveals his cancer. They implore him to visit specialist doctors and undergo chemotherapy. At first adamant to decide his own fate, to die honorably instead of suffering the indignities of chemotherapy side-effects, Walter finally agrees to treatment. He pretends to accept financial assistance from wealthy friends as a cover story to explain the source of payment for his chemotherapy. In reality he approaches Jesse to rebuild their business arrangement and so pay for the treatments himself as a matter of pride. Jesse, unable to replicate Walter's recipe, accepts Walter's partnership and agrees to their clearly defined roles: Jesse the salesman and Walter the cook. Jesse learns that Walter has lung cancer and, realizing his goals of helping his family after his death, develops a newfound respect for him.
Walt sends Jesse to negotiate with Tuco, a violent psychopath who has taken over local drug distribution. During their first meeting, Tuco refuses to pay up front for the product and savagely beats Jesse when he attempts to end the deal. With Jesse in the hospital, Walt confronts Tuco with the demand for up-front payment, using the pseudonym "Heisenberg." As Tuco prepares to assault him, Walt detonates a concealed explosive (Mercury(II) fulminate), blowing out the top floor of the hideout and intimidating Tuco into surrendering payment with a promise for future business. Jesse recovers from his wounds and the two resume cooking meth, this time circumventing the restrictions on over-the-counter pseudoephedrine products by stealing a large drum of methylamine from a chemical warehouse and using an alternate method of synthesis. Now able to produce four times as much crystal meth as before, the two begin steady business with the increasingly psychotic Tuco.
[edit] Season two
After killing his own deputies, Tuco kidnaps Walter and Jesse, planning to take them to a superlab in Mexico after the DEA raids his operation. The two manage to escape after Hank kills Tuco without seeing them. Walter engineers a return home claiming to have been in a fugue state, but this excuse has numerous holes and creates increased tension in his relationship with Skyler. The DEA takes away Jesse's money, putting a strain on his partnership with Walter after he demands half of Walter's meth profit to save him from homelessness.
Jesse rents a new place and becomes romantically involved with his landlord, Jane, a recovering drug addict. He and Walter decide to become the new meth kingpins for the region themselves, but more problems come up as their enterprise expands. One of their dealers, Skinny Pete, is mugged, so Jesse is forced to confront the perpetrators. One of the addicts is killed by his girlfriend, but Jesse receives the credit, earning him fear and respect and further solidifying "Heisenberg" in the area. Another dealer, Badger, is arrested by the DEA, forcing Walter to deal with a crooked lawyer named Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkirk), who can offer only an expensive solution to keep Badger from snitching while also keeping him alive. Walter and Jesse attempt to intimidate Saul, but Saul makes a deal with Walter for a cut of the meth profit in return for being Walter and Jesse's legal counsel and advisor in their drug operation, further eroding their income.
Considered a hero for killing Tuco, Hank is promoted and sent to El Paso. In private, he suffers panic attacks and guilt over the killing. El Paso proves to be too much for Hank after he witnesses the severed head of a cartel snitch explode and severely injure fellow DEA officers. He is immediately sent back to Albuquerque. Meanwhile, Gretchen, Walter's former lover and co-head of Gray Matter, discovers Walter has been lying to his family about Gray Matter paying for cancer treatment. She is horrified when an angry and bitter Walter blames her and her husband, Elliott, for becoming rich off his research, although she still keeps Walter's secret for his family's sake. Skyler goes back to work for Ted Beneke, her former boss who apparently groped her when drunk, forcing her to quit. She increasingly relies on Ted for emotional support due to Walter's constant absence and strange behavior.
After Walter notices a large blotch on a scan of his chest, he believes the cancer has spread. Having only $16,000 remaining of the meth money after the numerous setbacks, he and Jesse spend several days in the desert cooking 38 pounds of meth to sell off before Walter dies. At the doctor, Walter discovers that the blotch is only a treatable side effect of the radiation and that his tumor has shrunk 80%. He plans to quit his meth partnership once the 38 pounds are sold off, but he finds himself bored with the return to his mundane life, finding pleasure only when he is distracted or dealing with dangerous situations.
When one of Walter and Jesse's dealers, Combo, is killed by rival dealers, Jesse is sent spiraling into a drug addiction that drags Jane out of her sobriety. With their remaining dealers backing out, Saul uses his connections to introduce Walter and Jesse to Gus, a cautious yet successful drug distributor, who is skeptical of Jesse. Gus reluctantly offers to buy Walter's products for 1.2 million dollars but offers him only a short time frame to deliver. Walter attempts to contact Jesse to complete the exchange, but he and Jane are incapacitated after an injection of heroin. Walter is forced to complete the trade himself just as Skyler goes into labor. He narrowly manages to complete the transaction, but he misses the birth of his daughter.
Walter loses trust in Jesse and promises to give him his share of the payout only if he agrees to go sober. Jane threatens to blackmail Walter, prompting him to turn over Jesse's share of the money. The two agree to go their separate ways, but Walter feels obligated to help Jesse. After a coincidental meeting with Jane's father, Donald, he returns to Jesse, only to discover that he and Jane have taken heroin again. While attempting to wake up Jesse, he intentionally allows Jane to asphyxiate on her own vomit.[6] Walter ends up bringing the distraught Jesse to a drug rehabilitation clinic. Meanwhile, Gus discovers that DEA agent Hank is Walter's brother-in-law.
As Walter undergoes anesthesia for his lung cancer surgery, he accidentally confirms to Skyler the existence of his secret second cell phone. This leads her to leave him several weeks later, after she systematically investigates and uncovers his lies. Walter offers to explain everything to Skyler, but she responds that she is too afraid to know the truth. After Skyler leaves, Walter sees an explosion in the skies above his home. A grieving Donald, an air traffic controller, accidentally directs two airplanes into each other in the sky above Albuquerque. In an image foreshadowed in the season's first shot, a charred pink teddy bear lands in the Whites' pool and floats there until it is collected as evidence by NTSB agents.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Premiere date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season one | 7 | January 20, 2008 | March 9, 2008 |
| Season two | 13 | March 8, 2009 | May 31, 2009 |
| Season three | n.a. | unknown | unknown |
[edit] Season one
The first season consisted of nine episodes, but due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike only seven episodes were filmed.[5] The first season premiered on January 20, 2008, and concluded on March 9, 2008. Bryan Cranston won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Walter White.
[edit] Minisodes
On the 17th of February 2009, AMC and Sony teamed up to offer original Minisodes of Breaking Bad that take place between seasons one and two. These episodes were made available on the Minisode's home Crackle and AMC's site.[7] On March 6, Minisodes of each of the first seven episodes of the show were released on Crackle to help users refresh their memory of the first season before the season two premiere.
On March 5, a collection of five webisodes was released for free in HD 720p for download on the PlayStation Store via the PlayStation 3 system. These differ from the Minisodes in that they are original clips, never aired on TV.
[edit] Season two
AMC announced in May 2008 that Breaking Bad was renewed for a second, 13-episode season. Production began in July 2008 and the season debuted on March 8, 2009.[8]
"From critical praise to strong ratings and devoted audience, Breaking Bad further reinforced AMC as a top producer of high-quality, distinctive television", said Charlie Collier, Executive Vice President and General Manager of AMC. "Breaking Bad is a powerful, intelligent thought-provoking series that clearly resonates with viewers and critics alike. We're excited for a second season of Breaking Bad with a new provocative storyline that will delve deeper into the next chapter of the life of Walter White".[9]
[edit] Season three
On April 1, 2009, four episodes into Breaking Bad's second season, it was announced that AMC had renewed the show for a third season.[1] The number of episodes in the season was not announced.
[edit] Reception
Breaking Bad has received critical acclaim in addition to two Emmy Awards for its first season. It won the award for best editing, and Bryan Cranston won for best actor in a drama series.[10]
Linda Stasi of the New York Post stated "the acting is as good as you'll see on TV." Time said the series "has the elements of success".[11] Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly rated season one a "B+".[12]
The pilot episode was watched by 1.4 million people, while the subsequent six episodes of the first season were watched by 1.1-1.3 million viewers each.[citation needed]
The second season opener was watched by 1.7 million people, up 21% from the previous season. [13]
[edit] International distribution
Breaking Bad premiered in Australia on the Showtime/Showcase Pay-TV network on August 28, 2008. The show debuted its first season in Ireland and the United Kingdom on FX commencing September 28; Five USA have bought the first run rights for the second season.[14] On October 9, 2008, it premiered on Turkey's on e2 and on October 15, 2008 on New Zealand's C4. It debuted in Italy on November 15, 2008 on AXN and later in Brazil on Sony Entertainment Television (Latin America). On January 1, 2009 the show began airing on Finland's Nelonen. The Franco-German culture TV channel Arte has recently acquired the rights to broadcast the show in France and Germany. Swiss television channel SF2 started airing Breaking Bad on May 17, 2009 and on yes Stars Drama in Israel.
[edit] Awards and nominations
2008
- Emmy Award - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series - Bryan Cranston (win)
- Emmy Award - Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series - "Pilot" (win)
- Emmy Award - Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series - "Pilot"
- Emmy Award - Outstanding Cinematography for a One-Hour Series - "Pilot"
- Satellite Award - Best Actor in a Drama Series - Bryan Cranston (win)
- Writer's Guild Award - Best Dramatic Episode - "Pilot" (win)
- Writer's Guild Award - Best Dramatic Episode - "Grey Matter"
- Writer's Guild Award - Best New Series
- Television Critics Association Award - Outstanding New Program of the Year
2009
- Peabody Award - Breaking Bad: AMC, Sony Pictures Television, High Bridge Productions, Gran Via Productions
- Saturn Award - Best Presentation on Television
- Saturn Award - Best Actor in a Television Series - Bryan Cranston
- Prism Awards - Best Drama Series Multi-Episodes Storyline (Season 1) (win)
- Prism Awards - Best Performance in a Drama Multi-Episode Storyline
- Television Critics Association Award - Outstanding Achievement in Drama
- Television Critics Association Award - Individual Achievement in Drama (Bryan Cranston)
[edit] Online promotion
An online customisable video was used to promote season one. Users would receive a webcam message from Walt urging them to live their life to the fullest, at the end of which he would score their name from a list. The promotion is still live at www.waltswisdom.com. A viral marketing campaign has also been produced for season two, users can experience meeting Walt from a first-person perspective. The promotion is located at www.waltswarning.com.
[edit] Chemical elements in the credits
The credits feature symbols of chemical elements from the Periodic Table in green (for example, the symbols Br and Ba for bromine and barium in Breaking Bad). The credits at the beginning of the show usually continue this, with cast members' names usually including one chemical element symbol if appropriate. One exception being that when, the name of the director of photography, MiChael Slovis is credited the Ch which appears in green is not an atomic symbol for any known Element.
The opening credits also feature the formula C10H15N which is repeated several times in each frame that it appears. This is the molecular formula for methamphetamine, it indicates that each molecule contains 10 carbon atoms, 15 hydrogen atoms and one nitrogen atom.
[edit] References
- ^ a b AMC renews 'Breaking Bad'. Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 7 April 2009.
- ^ "No. 93: Bryan Cranston." Esquire. Retrieved on 18 September 2007.
- ^ "Fans Chat With Bryan Cranston." AMC. 9 March 2008. Retrieved on 6 February 2009.
- ^ "Series 'Breaking Bad' to Begin Production at Albuquerque Studios." Albuquerque Studios. Retrieved on 23 August 2007.
- ^ a b AMC's "'Breaking Bad' mixes dark humor, drugs." USA Today. Retrieved on 16 January 2008.
- ^ Inside Breaking Bad "ABQ"
- ^ ""Breaking Bad" hits the Web in mini episodes". CNBC. 2009-02-17. http://www.cnbc.com/id/29229785/for/cnbc/. Retrieved on 2009-03-02.
- ^ Gelman, Vlada."Breaking Bad Starts Shooting Season 2" TV Week. 8 July 2008. Retrieved on 6 February 2009.
- ^ "AMC Renews Breaking Bad for a Second Season" AMC. 8 May 2008. Retrieved on 6 February 2009.
- ^ "'Breaking Bad' Emmy Winner Brings Award To Albuquerque." KOAT. 23 September 2008. Retrieved on 6 February 2009.
- ^ "Downtime - Breaking Bad." TIME. 18 January 2008. Retrieved on 18 May 2008.
- ^ Tucker, Ken. Novelist Stephen King also praised the series as "the best scripted show on TV" in his "Pop of King" column in Entertainment Weekly."TV Review - Breaking Bad (2008)." Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 6 February 2009.
- ^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ibfbb102b9ca4ac6c88c949ddd1c902ba
- ^ Robin Parker (22 May 2009). "Five bags Breaking Bad". Broadcast Now. http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multi-platform/news/five-bags-breaking-bad/5001753.article.
[edit] External links
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