“Breaking Bad,” one of the highest reviewed TV shows in the past 20 years, set the standard for TV and for future shows. Its pilot episode came out on January 8, 2008, beginning a beloved franchise that laid the path for the prequel show “Better Call Saul”: a story about a struggling lawyer in Albuquerque who helps “Breaking Bad’s” main characters with their legal trouble.
The story begins when Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston, receives a diagnosis of severe lung cancer and becomes afraid of the financial consequences he and his family will face. They already struggle with finances, caused by Walter’s low-paying job as a teacher. Walter and his former student, Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul, cook meth in an old RV to make money.
“Amazing show. The show moves a little too slow at times for my liking, but still a 10/10. I enjoyed it much more than the sequel “Better Call Saul” because that show was even slower. The show is one of my fav shows of all time, compared to other shows, this show is one of the most well-directed and popular shows of the 21st century,” NC sophomore Noah Kennedy said
Even after the final episode came out on September 29, 2013, fans still reference the show in memes. The iconic scenes and lines from “Breaking Bad,” including the pizza scene where Walter flings a whole pizza onto their roof, or the famous line, “I am not in danger, Skylar. I am the danger.”, popularized the show on social media and the internet.
“It’s pretty overrated and has too much hype. It moves too slowly, but still a good show. Just too much hype. The characters always take too long to do things. The episodes are too long and I sometimes get bored watching. The character development is great and it has a lot of funny moments in it. If they just made the episodes 10 minutes shorter it would be a better, and easier-to-watch show. Other than that it’s a great show.” NC sophomore Jack DeFusco said.
The show won a total of 28 different awards and multiple tributes. Bob Odenkirk, who plays Saul Goodman, and Cranston, both earned a star on the Walk of Fame. The two statues, commissioned by the mayor in honor of the show, became a local landmark in Albuquerque, bringing in hundreds of visitors each week. Backlash created from the celebration of meth dealers upset the public and republican politicians. Several citizens and politicians in Albuquerque, including representative Rod Montoya, made comments enforcing the idea that drug dealers should not receive glorification.
The show continues to be held as one of the most popular and well-reviewed shows of the 21st century. The five seasons remain on Netflix for everyone to watch and enjoy. The show received a 4.5 rating from Netflix.