Not Just a Show about Meth Anymore: Breaking Bad - Season 4

"The back of yo' head is REDIKALOUS"

Is it wrong that now whenever I hear the word 'cook', I think of crystal meth? Not to me. It just makes me smile. No, not the crystal meth. It just makes me think of Breaking Bad, which is pretty fucking awesome.

Now up to it's fourth season, it's being regarded as one of the best shows on TV right now, if not the best. I'm not sure if I'd go that far, but it's up there.

The last time I wrote about this show I praised the acting more than anything, but it took me 'till season 2 to realize that as amazing as the performances are, it's much more about the story. The plot really takes center stage from there on in. These are characters that are so well developed that at every turn their decisions are unpredictable, yet somehow, as soon as they take action they always seem to feel appropriate.

The story also benefits from a relentless pace. There hasn't been one filler episode in four seasons. Every detail, every bit of information fed to the viewer is relevant, sometimes in the smallest ways. Every plot hole is addressed, creating a level of realism that just can't be matched for a story this intricate.

The base subject for this season is really interesting to me. It asks the viewer  a very simple question that hopefully people don't ever really need ask themselves; if you had a job where you were forced to think that your boss was willing to murder you at the drop of a hat, would you do it? And if so, would you act any differently that Walt and Jesse do?


I wouldn't make some of these decisions. These two have been through a lot, and anyone can tell that over four seasons, it's taken it's toll. Some of their reasoning is outright bizarre, but when you put into consideration the crazy shit that their profession has put them through, you really can't argue that they need to blow off some steam somehow... And that makes for amazing television: when a great character does something ethically and morally questionable wrong, and we agree with their choice, that's fun to watch.

If you think about it, it's what fuels TV storylines these days. Characters doing bad things that make us feel awesome. Dexter is my current favorite show, and it's probably the best example for obvious reasons. It's focus is making the viewer feel murder is justified and it makes you cheer for the murderer. It might be turning into a formula, but it works, and we're enjoying it. Everyone loves doing stupid things every once in a while, and the only reason we don't more often is because we can't justify them... Well lately, TV has done them for us. And it may not feel as nice, but it's pretty satisfying.

Breaking Bad does an amazing job at this. Every episode has something being blown up, something being destroyed, someone being killed. And at all times, it keeps hold of you. BB seems to make sure that it doesn't jump the shark in it's insanity. It all seems very calculated in the escalation of the character's actions. Obviously the writers are building to something great, and with the announcement that the fifth will be the final season, something probably deadly to some of these characters. I say that because I can't picture all these characters walking out of this show with their lives. There are way too many skeletons in everyone's closets for it to work itself out into a happy ending... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

In closing, being the setup for the final season, the fourth isn't transitional in the least. I would actually say it's the best season since the first. Don't get me wrong, every season is a must watch for this show. Every bit is essential to understanding how complicated this story has become. And for content this outlandish at times, it feels real. And to me, that's what makes it great.

8.5/10