Breaking Bad

I'm a big fan of shows that have a finite story line - Breaking Bad ended in its final fifth season, albeit an extended one, on the peak of its popularity. There was no further ground to be broken and its a hallmark of a good show that they wrapped it up at exactly the correct point.

Breaking bad will go down in contention for the best show of all time and possibly losing out to only the superlative "The Wire". Personally, I'd rate Breaking bad as my favorite show and grudgingly award The Wire the best show.

Like all good art forms, Breaking bad requires an upfront investment from the viewer in the form of the first season. I had left off after the first season a couple of years back, expecting it to go down the route of the abysmally bad Weeds. But this show broke into a different direction and much like a good symphony built up into a crescendo in season 4 gently easing me back into the real world through season 5. It's obvious that the show's writers did not chase ratings using "scientific" methodologies like focus groups and user feedback. Despite, or more accurately because of this, Breaking Bad has already acquired cult status.

The characters are well-thought out and executed nearly to perfection by the cast. Performances by Bryan Cranston and the team have already garnered multiple awards, but what elevates this show to the realm of superlative is the secondary, unexplained mannerisms and quirks of the characters - Gus Fring's obsessive attention to sartorial correctness; Marie's recurring bouts of kleptomania and constant obsession for purple; Hank's retreat into the calm world of inanimate minerals; none of these are directly explained. What is alluded to or even completely left out allows the viewer to create a much deeper universe than would have been possible by explanation. As in real life, there are no monologues from characters establishing causality for their actions - simply behaviors.

This element of restraint is evident not only in the story telling, but also extends over other aspects of the show. The dictum of show-don't-tell or tell-don't-show is assiduously adhered to. Pivotal visual scenes have the cleanest, stillest backdrop with little or no sound track. In contrast a scene with the only visual content being Walter White alone in his house deep in contemplation is rendered pulsating by the thumping sound track.

Outstanding cinematography, on par with The Wire and Game of Thrones, is one of the pillars raising this show to greatness. The genius stroke of selecting Albuquerque and New Mexico as the setting (it was originally scripted with southern California) is done full justice by the execution. The vast arid landscape of New Mexico is not merely a backdrop but in itself a crucial character. The camera indulgently ponders over wide shots of the desert before reluctantly admitting other objects into the frame.

It requires an almost Tarantino'ish level of confidence - some might call it arrogance - to indulge in extended scenes that serve no other purpose except pure visual enjoyment. Where Tarantino found the mesmerizing mannerisms of Christopher Waltz, Vince Gilligan discovered the precise physicality of
Giancarlo Exposito as Gus Fring. Gus Fring's character was rightfully allowed to swell up and take his rightful share of the attention bowing
out eventually with a characteristic straightening of the tie. A poignant farewell to an exceptional character.

In midst of the gripping drama, Breaking Bad also incorporates a spectrum of comedy ranging from set pieces like Ted's slap sticky trip over the rug to a dark undercurrent running through the show. But Bob Odenkirk's Saul Goodman - the canny, self-preserving, euphemistically-inclined, glib lawyer - stands out for the brilliant performance. I'm excited about the spin-off Better Call Saul that's in the works.

The only criticism I have which is not even directly related to the show is that the cast could have stayed away from interviews about the characters until the ending of the show. We know its an illusion - of course they are actors with their own personal goals and aspiration - but we willingly suspend belief to invest into the world of Breaking Bad.

Last week when after gluttonously consuming seasons 3 through 5 in a marathon session over four days, I was left with an aching void in my life. And I discovered I was not alone. A champion of a show had come, conquered and left standard of excellence which now others will have to be measured up against.