Breaking Bad is one of the greatest television series of all time. It is a modern underworld Western, a masterpiece of television storytelling, and an epic tragedy about a man’s simultaneous ascent and descent into moral depravity. The show follows Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher in a dusty corner of America, who is diagnosed with cancer and teams up with a former pupil to make and sell crystal meth in order to provide security for his family after his death.
The show is dark and deals with difficult issues such as drug dealing, drug addiction, and murder. But it also conveys a powerful message about humanity, and if your child can understand it, they should watch the show. The violence can be strong at times, but it is not as brutal as other shows like Game of Thrones and The Wire. The drug content is pervasive, but the use of drugs is not as frequent as one might expect. The sex and nudity is also very tame compared to other TV-MA shows. There is basically no nudity in the entire series and sexual content is rarely shown, mostly implied. The language is frequent, but children start to hear pervasive coarse language in their daily lives as they grow older.
The show has been praised by critics for its complexity and realism. It has been called a Chekhovian story, a modern underworld Western, and Dostoevsky in the desert. Bryan Cranston’s performance as Walter White has been particularly praised, with his transformation from a mild-mannered chemistry teacher to a drug lord being one of the most remarkable character arcs in television history.
The show is not perfect, however. The intriguing flashbacks to Walter’s early life hint at some mysterious backstory, but this fizzles out. There are also some plot holes, such as the fact that drug kingpins care so much about the quality of their product that they will pay millions for it. Additionally, the show is heavily male-centric, with the women being passive observers.
Overall, Breaking Bad is an incredible show and a must-watch for anyone who can appreciate its dark message about humanity. It is a remarkable achievement in television, and the complete box set is a great way to experience the entire journey.
