Breaking Bad is a middle-class horror story (more commentary about society than about the show)

[fujiyama]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/09/breaking-bad-middle-class-horror-story?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

I found this really interesting and this is probably why the show resonates so much with so many people...

Michael Paarlberg

"The idea that a high school teacher might resort to cooking meth to provide for his family isn't that far-fetched in today's economy"

"Before Walter White on Breaking Bad got his swagger, declared himself "the one who knocks", and told his retiring partner he's in "the empire business", he had a humbler reason for entering the drug trade: he needed the money.

What makes Breaking Bad's anti-hero such a compelling character may be his more complex psychological motivations for staying in it: the regret of missed opportunities, the rush of power from vanquishing his foes. But what makes him believable in the first place is the depressingly unremarkable financial squeeze in which he finds himself at the beginning of the series: working a second job at a car wash, begging an ambulance driver not to take him to the ER because he "doesn't have the greatest insurance", fretting over the debt he'll leave behind for his family when he dies."

"n a country where there are no workers, only entrepreneurs, where our folk heroes are Silicon Valley billionaires, where everyone is told they are middle class, but that status is so precarious, being rich beyond one's dreams is not so hard to imagine. But more importantly, neither is being poor. The one thing that seems fanciful is working hard, playing by the rules, and having a decent income and a stable retirement to show for it."

"Breaking Bad is a truly American TV show. In its universe, bad things happen not because of impersonal structural forces but because of the choices made by bad people. That would be reassuring if that universe weren't so bleak to begin with. A morality tale, Breaking Bad asks the viewer, what would you do in the same situation? At what point do you stop sympathizing with Walt and start to condemn him? But given the economic realities of 21st century America, perhaps the real question is, why aren't more people cooking meth too?"

[Fantastic Anarchist]

1. I'm commenting because I'm on a phone ...

... but I have a lot to say about this show. I'm going to come back to discuss.

In case you're wondering, Greatest. Show. Ever.

[fujiyama]

2. Definitely, thanks for the kick.

I think it warrants a thread in GD, because I found this to be more social commentary on American society. One of Breaking Bad's strengths has been its subtlety - in social commentary and its somewhat apolitical stance.

I like the image he refers to about BrBa Canada: You've got cancer. Treatment starts next week.

The End.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

11. Yes, I've thought about this ...

... and others have brought it up! Definitely great social commentary, but very, very subtle.

However, your ending would be like this:

"You have cancer? We'll start treatment right away, and you don't have to worry about costs."

---end scene---

---fade to black---


Vince Gilligan


Anyway, my fiance and I were just talking about this last night as she's from Canada.

Thought I'd have more to say, but I'm really hungover now. I'll come back later and, hopefully, offer more. I did give it a rec, as I forgot last night.

Glad you posted this.

[Frankie the Bird]

30. I certainly hope my satellite dish didn't crap out the last six or so episode.. currently

having satellite issues due to rain....

[Fantastic Anarchist]

32. I have more problems with TWC than I've ever had when I had DirectTV.

I wish I could go back, but have lots of trees just south of the house.

[Egalitarian Thug]

3. "Why aren't more people cooking meth too?" because the overwhelming majority are

such monumental morons that they either don't have the elementary skills required, or are so completely enthralled in mythology (and dimwitted enough) that they are still clinging to a belief even more far-fetched than those they base their religious beliefs on... - ... and bless them for their simplicity. As long as the supply of morons remains adequate life will continue to be easy for the rest of us.

[David__77]

5. Really?

Rather, I think it's because of ethical considerations, the threat of physical danger from entering that market, and the fact that, like other capitalist enterprises, it takes money to start making money.

[nashville_brook]

19. like any enterprise, ethics likely takes a backseat to easy market access...

most people don't cook meth b/c most people (like Walt in the beginning) wouldn't have a clue as to how to take it to market. And those who do (somewhat), like Skinny Pete, aren't smart/stable enough to cook.

ethical considerations are mitigated by circumstances, and almost all of us, at this point, have mitigating circumstances: a sick loved one, a house in foreclosure, joblessness with children to care for. All these considerations mitigate ethical decisions.

the more pressured we are, we less likely we are to be constrained by storybook ethics.

[demwing]

8. Nah, it's just that America's at the "Weeds" stage

Last edited Sat Sep 21, 2013, 02:04 PM - Edit history (1)

Pot is easy to grow and attracts a less violent crowd. We're all stoned, we don't care. We're not in the Breaking Bad stage--we're in the Breaking "Meh" Stage.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

12. Breaking "Meh, I'll get to it tomorrow" stage.

[Egalitarian Thug]

23. LOL! That's a keeper.

Breaking Meh

[valerief]

31. Meth entrepreneurs eliminate competition wherever they can. Maybe that's a reason. nt

[Fumesucker]

4. The premise of the show is almost uniquely American

[Fantastic Anarchist]

13. !

[nashville_brook]

20. damn that's good.

[Sheldon Cooper]

6. It's a fascinating character study, and it is uniquely American.

Walt gets into the business believing that his death is soon, because originally he'd decided not to take treatment. He assumed he'd be dead in a year, maybe two years at best, and he didn't want his pregnant wife and teenaged son ruined by medical bills. Plus he wanted to leave them a big nest egg so they'd be okay when he was gone.

But eventually he fell in love with the power and insane amounts of money to be had, and he became the one who knocks. Is that lurking in each of us - once we get past our first inhibitions, our first kill, can we become so devoid of humanity that we turn into Walt? I think it's fascinating.

Some other questions about his motivations: Walt has a PhD in chemistry. Why is he teaching in a high school? He worked on a project that went on to win the Nobel Prize. Why is he teaching high school chemistry? He was an original founder of Gray Matter, but sold his shares early and lost out on the chance to be a multi-millionaire. Why did he end up teaching high school? How did this brilliant man, with so many accomplishments and so much potential, end up in a humdrum job, living in a dreary suburban tract house, going from paycheck to paycheck, with $ 7,000 to his name, which he and Jessie use to buy the RV? Does that backstory contribute to his decision to finally, FINALLY, live up to his potential by becoming the mighty Heisenberg? I think it's an interesting story, to be sure.

[scarletlib]

7. One reason

One reason is that Skylar became pregnant. I got the impression that he sold his shares because he needed a steady income to support his new family and the teaching job provided that. The company he was invested with and a partner in was struggling and the big pay off had not yet come in. Also thinking recently about Walt Jrs. Cerebral palsy. Here in America having a child with a pre-existing medical condition causes all sorts of problems with insurance coverage. He could have been "locked" into his job because of insurance for his child. (Thankfully, this is no longer an issue due to ACA)

[Sheldon Cooper]

14. Those are all good points.

Thanks for weighing in. I hope others add their opinions as well.

I am currently fixated on this show - I only started watching it a couple of weeks ago and it's definitely given me my money's worth for my netflix subscription. I'm binge watching the earlier seasons, as well as watching the current shows on Sunday night. I haven't had years to process everything, as someone who has watched from the beginning would, and I wonder if those folks would have a different take on everything.

[RagAss]

9. To me it's the story of how the human intellect takes on a life of its own...

Walt's intelligence cannot be suppressed, even if all legitimate avenues afforded to it have been shut down or eliminated due to his own choices(selling his shares in Gray Matter). A path is eventually dug by this driving force - in the most unlikely of all places - the underworld. By that point, Walt is only along for the ride. Observing his own talent and abilities and getting out of its way as it grows and consumes everything around it. Hardly a middle class tale. The Walter White's of the world, few and far between, do not spend their time on a couch watching Duck Dynasty and swallowing beer.

[Sheldon Cooper]

15. That's such an interesting take on the show and on Walt.

Quite interesting.

[Democracyinkind]

51. Also, once he's on the path he doesn't once look back and reconsider...

That's what strikes me the most. The complete lack of introspection that Walt displays. It seems that everything that happens - success or failure - pushes him harder down that road instead of forcing him to take a good look at what he's become.

I used to root for Walt in every episode, no matter how bad he fucked up. The showdown with Hank and Jessie changed that completely.

[KG]

10. how Breaking Bad plays out in the rest of the civilized world.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. Except that Walt did not make meth just to buy treatment, he killed and cooked until he had

amassed 80 million dollars. Would a Canadian Walt really be satisfied with free chemo and a small stipend to leave behind? He was afraid of death, treatment or no treatment and greedy beyond measure.
The show did not end when Walt's treatment was paid for. It would not have ended had his treatment been a foregone conclusion, he would still want the 80 million.

[Sanddog42]

24. It's a slippery, karmic slope.

He didn't make meth to buy treatment.
He did it to build up a relatively modest nest egg to provide for his family after he was gone.
So if your point was that it still could have happened in Canada, that's valid.
But if your point was that he was a terrible, violent, avaricious person all along, I'm afraid you're off the mark.
He wouldn't have done all those other terrible things if he hadn't compromised his integrity and started cooking meth.
He started out a nice guy. He made bad choices and painted himself into a corner.
Then he had to make increasingly bad choices to get out of the corners he found himself in.
Meanwhile, the choices changed who he was and how far he was willing to go.

[Dreamer Tatum]

22. Except Walt made very clear he wanted an empire. Does an empire come with free health care? nt

[Democracyinkind]

52. But didn't that happen only after he got a taste of empire?

I believe that the Walter White from se1 e1 had his imperial ambitions solidly repressed. And I think that the realization that he had that ambition only came with the ride.

That's why I believe that Canadian Walter would have been just fine. Maybe an affair later on or something, just to sooth the lingering megalomania, but without desperation as a trigger he'd pretty much be the same.

[Bluenorthwest]

17. To characterize what Walt does as 'cooking meth' is a cop out, he's a murderous organized

crime boss, a man who kills for a living. Poisoner of babies. Are the 'economic realities of 21st Century America' really so bad that asking why more people are not willing to poison babies is really a valid question? Because that is the question about Walt. The cooking is one small aspect of what he does, he could have remained a cook and become very rich but he wanted the murder and power part. Did the murder and power part help his health or family economy? No. Did it get Walt jollies? Yes.

[Paladin]

18. Damn, I'm going to miss this show when it's over. (nt)

[Glimmer of Hope]

21. It is stressing me out but I will miss it too.

[Ruby the Liberal]

25. +1

I hadn't seen it up until a few weeks ago. Saw a post on here and looked it up on Netflix. Several marathon weekends later, I am finally caught up - and now there are but 2 more left!

What an awesome job Vince Gilligan did in weaving the storylines and showing how each character is flawed in their own way. Well, all but Walt Jr/Flynn - but I'm not ruling out him going apeshit before its over. Someone had to spraypaint Heisenberg on the living room wall...

[HangOnKids]

34. I think Marie trashes Walt and Skylar's House

Walt Jr will go apeshit but not like that. MY opinion of course.

[Ruby the Liberal]

41. I get confused on those time lapse/forward segments

The pink bear in the pool scenes with hazmat were all black and white - but the Walt-with-hair scene (returning for the ricin) with skateboarders in the pool and Heisenberg painted on the wall was in color.

I read that scooping the bear out of the pool was NTSB after the plane crash, but the glasses in the evidence bag looked like Walt's - not to mention the blown out windows on the car he no longer has AND the two body bags in the driveway.

Help a sister out here. Binge watching can lead to missing things. What is past and what is future with the hazmat people and the house being roped off?

Edit to add - he sold that car to the mechanic who repaired it after he ran over the meth dealers to protect Jesse - so the busted out windows in the B&W scenes???

[Ruby the Liberal]

42. Oh - and Marie?

That would be my second choice with Jesse as 3rd.

[former9thward]

27. I hope they don't kill him off.

Leave room for a movie to be made.

[Warpy]

26. It's set here in NM

where the only meth cookers left are the ones who can buy the Sudafed out of state. It's tightly regulated here to the point that most cooking is now done over the border in Mexico, something that explains the escalating violence of their drug gangs.

I'm afraid even that road to economic survival has been closed off in the state where the series is based. Dealing the stuff, on the other hand, is still more lucrative than working the line at Taco Bell.

[SheilaT]

28. I'm apparently the only citizen in this country

who doesn't watch that show. I watched the first episode, thought it was okay, but just barely. I couldn't get through more than fifteen minutes of the second one when I turned it off and have never been tempted to go back.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but it seems as if it's glorifying the manufacture and sale of a truly horrible drug. Why?

[Sheldon Cooper]

29. If you think this show is glorifying meth, you need to start watching it again.

There's no glamour involved here.

[SheilaT]

33. I said it seems to be glorifying the manufacture and sale of meth.

Meth is such a horrible, horrible drug, that I cannot wrap my brain around why to do a show about the stuff. If there is to be any justice than the Cranston character probably ought to die in the end, but I gather most viewers basically like the guy. I do like Cranston as an actor, and I don't fault him at all for his career choice. Any series that lasts for a number of years is a good gig.

Oh, well. There are plenty of other shows out there.

[Sheldon Cooper]

39. Again, you are wrong.

There is nothing being glorified in this show. Nothing and no one.

[JonLP24]

44. This is one of those shows

where many people loath the main character.

When Gilligan selected Cranston for the role, the reason why he wanted him is because he can make you loath him/feel sorry for him/like him at the same time. The "Drive" episode of the X-Files is an example of this. Says that it is a trick that Cranston can pull off, emphasizes that it is a trick and that he doesn't know how he does it.

It doesn't glamorize it, the first episode, the first batch he cooks, people try to kill him.

[valerief]

36. No. It does the opposite. It's actually more about a family. nt

[Ruby the Liberal]

38. It is anything but glorifying Meth

In one episode, Walt and Jessie (meth cooks) are in Saul's office (attorney) talking about one step forward and two steps back about the physical, emotional and financial toll it takes.

Yes, the plotline is dark, but expertly woven to showcase the humanity of each character, good and bad.

In short - if you have time, give it a fresh look. It is brilliant.

[SheilaT]

40. Yeah, lots of people have told me that.

Clearly I am the only person out there who thinks my way. And, as I have only watched the first episode and part of the second, I'm not basing my opinion on very much information.

[Ruby the Liberal]

43. I watched the first episode last month for the first time

and felt sick to my stomach. Too dark for me. No idea why I kept going other than Netflix auto loads when you are watching a series. The third or fourth episode I was again on edge, and not in a good way. Thats when I looked up commentary to see what the fuss was all about because I didn't get it. I saw the back-to-back emmys for the lead players, but if "the academy" likes it, guarantee I won't because I'm an odd duck and rarely agree on their awards.

Anywhosal - started seeing posts/reviews/articles talking about Vince Gilligan's storytelling/plotline genius and it sucked me back in.

I'm glad it did. Yeah, I lost a few weekends catching up, but Gilligan is masterful in portraying the human fallibilities to the point you find yourself pulling for the bad guy - and all rooted in our completely fucked up for-profit healthcare (non)insurance system.

Not trying to convince you - more trying to convince myself how I got sucked into this 6 year old deal that I didn't even know existed 7 weeks ago.

[fujiyama]

46. It starts off a little slow

and its been over three years since I originally watched the first season, so I don't really remember my original impression. I was speaking recently to a friend of mine and his girlfriend. She mentioned how she just couldn't get into it. He's a big fan, but did mention it took him a season to get into it.

The show definitely doesn't glorify meth. It delves pretty deep into the underbelly of the drug trade and the violence involved - and ultimately more than anything it's about how money, greed and power can destroy the moral core of man and all he holds dear.

[SheilaT]

54. And I suppose there is a very good

lesson about how money, greed, and power can destroy the moral core of a man and all he holds dear. Clearly, this portrayal of that lesson resonates very powerfully with a lot of people.

I often find that novels that are widely praised and become big best sellers don't work for me. I've decided that it's because the reason those novels have become so hugely popular is because they're the ones that are read by those who only read one or two books a year. Television is different because almost everyone watches TV. Even those of us who don't own an actual TV (I don't) watch as much as we want via the internet. I use Netflix. I watch some what less regular TV than most but it's still several hours a week. I generally watch a movie or a TV series all the way through.

If I ever do decide to try watching the series again I will no doubt know how the entire thing plays out, because I won't be able to completely avoid the conversations that go: "Can you BELIEVE they did that?" or perhaps "I CAN'T believe they did that." Hopefully that aspect won't matter to me or to anyone else who comes to the series after this.

Which is what I really like about Netflix, that ability to pick up something you'd missed and watch the entire series from the beginning. It especially matters when there is a strong season long or even series long narrative arc.

And I am very familiar with the sweet regret of coming to an end of a series, a book, or a movie. Which is why it can be so worthwhile to watch or read something again.

[Gravitycollapse]

50. Watch the show and you will realize it does not glorify meth.

[valerief]

35. I love this show, but to speculate on Walt's reasons for doing things is silly. Walt is not real.

He's the product of a number of writers. The environment in BB, OTOH, is based on reality and worthy of speculation.

[valerief]

37. Walt will die by the pipe. My prediction. nt

[a kennedy]

45. "he can make you loath him/feel sorry for him/like him at the same time"

and that, my fellow friends is the "just" of this show......he's it, he's the guy that's your co-worker, your next door neighbor, your brother-in-law. Awesome show.

[JonLP24]

47. The thing that is unique about the show

is the main character completely changes.

I strongly believe this article definitely applies to season 1 and a little bit of season 2. Things he does in seasons 4 & 5 are things he probably wouldn't have done in the seasons 1 & early season 2. He says in the first episode of season 2, after doing the calculations is all he needs is $700,000+ and he's out.

I strongly buy that if there was universal health care the series wouldn't have existed. There was clear social commentary to the failings of our health care system. Remember the scene where he opts to pay in full, there was the scene where the bill was being printed and it was excessively long. Not to mention where he gets himself into the ER, "the most expensive alibi" was more motivation to "keep cooking".

As far as building an empire, the greed, the sociopathic schemes are things that are down the line when the character Walt evolves. It isn't likely, based on the shows intent, he would have went down this road.

Like someone said, it is silly to speculate on a fictional character. The point I'm making is the article clearly applies to the show based on creator's intent to turn "Mr. Chips into Scarface".

[jollyreaper2112]

48. I loved the first season

Loved the situation and early development. Very compelling. But by season 2 a show that was squarely set in the real world gradually transitioned into Hollywood. Plausibility went out the window. Events were no longer driven by character but by plot.

The season 2 finale was the first really egregious case. It was a deliberate fake out with us given clues something violent and horrible happened at the White residence. It was a cheesy copout. It could be forgiven with the arrival of Gus and his storyline but, again, plot took control. Walt won not because he was smarter and more ruthless, he won because he is the main character. It wasn't earned. And those cheesy Mexican killers were parodies of tough dudes doing crazy stuff no real world killers would get away with.

This all makes me upset because the essential drama of the show is undercut. By steering it clearly into fantasy territory they do a disservice to the very premise.

[JonLP24]

49. The character Jesse was supposed to be killed off at the end of season 1

It makes you wonder how the show would've turned out if Tuco cleaned the menudo between his ears.

I still think it is top 3 shows I ever saw but it had more of a "feel"--I can't describe it. Like a small town to a metropolis I wonder what would have happened without Jesse. The character itself is very different from season 1 as he is now filled with guilt, generally pretty innocent, and self-destructive. Walt would've had to have these conflicts with someone else. Also the character surviving impacts the endings of the next 3 seasons in very clear way.

Aaron Paul is an excellent actor and deserves the success from the show and to be a part of it but I can't help but think how different things were. Would it still have the "feel"? Would it be a better or worse show? I can't say but I know what you're saying.

[jollyreaper2112]

53. The problem with Jesse

There's no real prior connection between him and Walt. And there wasn't enough bonding and good times in the beginning of their cooking relationship to really bind them to each other beyond experience. So when they start being shitty to each other, there's no compelling reason for them both to bot just walk away. And this impacts other decisions.

Why did Gus allow Walt to pressure him into firing the competent chemist? Plot. Why did he tolerate Walt's random behavior? The chemist being killed? Plot. And Gus killing his own man in cold blood. It seemed out of character. That's a tricky line to work with. You want to surprise an audience and show that they have underestimated someone but if you do it wrong it just seems like you pulled it out of your ass, like grandma suddenly doing Kung-fu. Plus the guy he killed knew most of Walt's technique already.

In a realistic scenario, Walt shouldn't be so important. Can he outcook the local methheads? I'll buy that. Can he and Jesse outcook professionals working for the cartels? I can't see how. It's just chemistry, not black magic.

The explanation for something happening might ultimately be "because we wouldn't have a shown otherwise" but it should never be the only explanation that fits. Because that's bad writing.

For my money, the Shield was the best villain-protagonist show in recent years. It was skewed more towards unrealistic levels of action cop show but never forgot itself or lost tone. It didn't jump from Dirty Harry levels of unrealistism to Rambo.

Hell, just look at Saul. I have never seen a more honest crooked lawyer. While the portrayal was great, he still remains obviously a writer's crutch to get characters out of sticky situations. He's impossibly helpful.

[fujiyama]

55. I have heard good things about the Shield

I'll have to check it out. I was a big fan of the Wire as well but that was really the only "cop show" I ever got into.