General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Advice for those who never watched Breaking Bad but want to in the future. [View all]Retrograde
(10,134 posts)It's a well-written, well-acted and stunningly filmed show about a dying man who makes a decision that he thinks will help his family, only to find that all his actions have consequences. As it stands now, he's in hiding, wanted by the Feds and local cops, his family is destitute, his son disowns him, and his only company is a big barrel of money he can't spend or even give to his family. In the process he's seen all ugliness of the drug trade - and even caused some of it.
What draws people in, I think, is that the show depicts the gradual way a person can be corrupted even with good intentions, and how every action has a reaction - something a lot of shows don't seem to care about (yeah, I'm looking at you, Dexter). The protagonist and his family are normal, everyday, even boring people living on the edge of a middle class world and getting screwed by it, something viewers can relate to a little better than, say, your typical cop or superhero show. It starts off somewhat lightheartedly, and like Shakespeare there's a good deal of comic relief throughout, but it gets darker and darker as it progresses.