My Review of the First Episode of Breaking Bad (Long)

[cmyk]

@Two_Many_Cats

Not to get too deep into this, but a few points.

I’m not saying it’s implausible that Walter would keep his cancer diagnosis to himself. But having him do so makes for an uninteresting character who stares into space a lot. It’s not up to me to assign Walter an intriguing personality, by guessing what he might be thinking. That’s the writer’s job, and it’s not being done here.

I figured it might be your style from this remark in the other thread (bolding mine):

@Two_Many_Cats

It’s just like last season. There’s not a damn thing that I’d bother watching.

Somewhere else on the boards, someone mentioned the seventies show Starsky and Hutch, saying that the show would never make it today because it had long scenes where people just talked and smoked cigarettes.

I remember thinking, “Yeah, scenes like that were called plot and character development.”

So, we both agree 100% that you have to stick with a show as the characters and plot develop, because that’s what we call plot and character development.

@Two_Many_Cats

Of course, you can tell me that his character develops later throughout the series, but what a glacially paced story you’re going to have that way. I found this episode painfully slow to begin with.

I guess that depends on what you consider to be slow-paced. There’s a lot going on under the surface as the pilot sets up the premise for the series. If you thought the set-up up of Walt’s character as shown to be a whitebread, milquetoast man who’s dignity and manhood has been slowly deflated by almost everyone around him; who learns he will now probably die within six months; has no real pension or security for his family upon his death; and the dawning of realization that he has powers beyond anyone ever thought him capable, including himself, to wield as a means to provide for the family he loves; culminating in the show-down in the desert between Crazy Eight and his cousin was slow, well… I’m honestly baffled.

@Two_Many_Cats

And you don’t have inexpressive characters panic for no other reason than it’s ten minutes until the end of the show. It’s tacked on and unconvincing. All Walter has to do, is drive away, dump the dead bodies, and leave. Not drive like his ass is on fire. There was no one chasing him at that point. The sirens show up after the crash.

Huh… Dead bodies. Are we so sure about that?

@Two_Many_Cats

Oh, but he panics because he’s an ordinary man thrown into an extraordinary situation? He’s not used to killing people and he’s upset? Then how come he’s been Mr Cool until now? He’s able to keep mum about his terminal cancer and starting a life of crime, but a teeny little brush fire freaks him out? Total inconsistancy of character.

That’s just it, he’s been a hurricane underneath for most of his marriage and his teaching career. The cancer was the tipping point that made him realize he’s going to take control over every aspect of his life (see episode 5, Gray Matter)*.

Plus, because he’s human; this is all new to him, and he thought the jig was up before he really even got it started. He was so close, but totally naive and unprepared. It’s his consistent flaw. Perhaps he’s not as cold and calm as he believes himself to be.

*A spoiler from this episode, if you choose to finish out the season, maybe don’t click (although it doesn’t spoil much), but these are words from Walt from this episode, in which…

[spoiler]…Skyler, Walt’s wife, after he finally tells her he has cancer, holds an intervention with her sister Marie, her husband Hank, and their son Walt Jr. as to why they think he should go forth with chemotherapy and expensive treatment. She uses the “Conch Shell” method for everyone to take their turn discussing why they think Walt should go through with it. He’s forced to remain silent, as everyone gets their turn. Marie’s the last, and working at a hospital, thinks Walt shouldn’t and this takes Skyler by complete surprise, Hank wants to change his mind now to agree with Marie, and now, everyone is arguing and talking over each other, until Walt stands and blows out a whistle stopping everyone.

Walt Jr.: “This is so stupid.”

Walt grabs the “talking pillow.”

Walt: "Alright! I got the talking pillow now… okay?!"

He sits, everyone is tense.

Walt: "Now, we all, in this room. We love each other. We know that. We want what’s best for each other, and I know that. I am very thankful for that. But, uh – I want – what I want – what I need; is a choice.

Skyler: "What does that [sigh] mean?

Walt: "Sometimes I feel like I never, actually, make any of my own. Choices, I mean. [exasperated laugh] My entire life, it just seems I never… y’know I never had a real say; about any of it.

And this last one: Cancer… all I have left is how I choose to approach this.

Skyler: “Then make the right choice, Walt. You’re not the only one it affects. What about your son? Don’t you want to see your daughter grow up? I just…”

Walt: [waffling his hands and tears] "Of course I do.

Skyler, you’ve… read the statistics. [sigh] These doctors, talking about “surviving”. One year, two years; like it’s the only thing that matters. Well, what good is it if I’m – too sick to work. To enjoy a meal. [looks at Skyler] To make love.

For what time I have left, I wanna live in my own house. I wanna sleep in my own bed. I don’t wanna choke down 30 or 40 pills every single day and lose my hair, and lie around; too tired to get up.

And so nauseated, I can’t even move my head?

And you… cleaning up after me? [shaking his head in disgust] And me, some dead man, some artificially alive… just… marking time? No. no.

And that’s how you’d remember me.

That’s the worst part. So… that is my ‘thought process,’ Skyler.

Sorry… I choose not to do it."
[/spoiler]

@Two_Many_Cats

Yes, this show has won Emmys. I think that has more to do with a lack of competition than any true merit.

Perhaps, but look at some other serial dramas that’ve won Emmys over the decades, and try to articulate why they did? You can always whip out the lack of competition argument. If it so happens that most of the shows you find worthy of Emmys just so happen to be within a certain range of television you were growing up with, you might consider the possibility of a bias on your part.

In the year I was born, 1973, here were the nominations for best dramas:

**Kung-Fu

Mannix

Hawaii Five-O

Cannon

Columbo

The Waltons** = Winner.
Here’s the nominations in the same category for 2010:

**True Blood

Mad Men** = Winner.

**Breaking Bad

Dexter

The Good Wife

Lost
**

And a wild card, 1962 (a date I asked my wife to pick randomly between 1950 and 1970):

**Hallmark Hall of Fame

The Naked City

Alcoa Premiere

Ben Casey

Dick Powell Show

The Defenders** = Winner.

I can’t argue with the winners for those nominated in any of these years. I have my personal favorites, but as you can see, I’d say for any given year there’s seems to be only two or three really good contenders. And if you could find a way to compare “quality” from year to year between the winners, can you say the Emmy Winner Studio One from 1952 is any better overall than Mission: Impossible from '68, Hill Street Blues in '82, NYPD Blue in '95, The West Wing in 2001, etc…?