Breaking Bad has to be one of the greatest TV shows of all time, and I have no idea why I waited so long to watch it. Here are five elements to the show that make it so awesome.
The Characters
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Every single character in this show is crucial to the plot, and I think that's why I like it so much. Of course, while all the characters are great, the best ones are obviously Walt and Jesse. I don't care what you say, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are the greatest TV duo that ever existed. Their characters are awesome, relatable, easy to empathize with, and their development is so well done. Watch the show if you want to know more about how the chemistry teacher and his former student (that he failed) make it big.
Multiple storylines at once
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In my opinion, the greatest shows have a few plot lines happening at the same time, because it builds tension and keeps viewers on their toes. Breaking Bad does a stellar job of following each of the characters on their own story arcs and picking the perfect times to switch back and forth.
Suspense
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There is one thing that most good suspenseful plots have, and that is dramatic irony. This happens when the audience knows something that one or more of the characters do not, and it makes for a great trajectory of events. The creators of Breaking Bad are masters at this, and there have been times that I've had to pause the episode to just process how well it is set up. There is one episode I just watched where two characters are sitting at a bar, and we as the audience know exactly how they are connected, and it's huge, but neither of them has any idea of who the other is, nor do they know how they are connected, and it is good enough to make your jaw drop, I swear.
Flashbacks
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Cinematically, Breaking Bad is nearly flawless. One of the things it does is start off episodes with out of context clips from unspecified future times and events. So, you start off confused, and then the episode usually explains the intro and it all makes sense. But SOMETIMES they DON'T do that, and the clip they show might not even happen in the season it appears in! That's the beauty of the visions and flashbacks though, is you never. Really. Know. Clever bastards.
It's so funny without trying to be
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The actors in this show are just awesome. The way they interact with each other, the intentional pauses, and the way they deliver their lines can be so funny, even in the midst of a serious or somber scene. Comic relief like that is expertly dispersed throughout the show and perfectly place to diffuse the tension exactly when it needs to be diffused.
Breaking Bad has made me feel happy, sad, angry, and it's made me laugh, cry, and every other emotion in between. If you haven't watched it already or aren't currently watching it, you're making a huge mistake! So this spring break, lock yourself wherever you can access Netflix, and get cooking!
