TV Review: Breaking Bad 5.1, "Live Free or Die"
Breaking Bad is back with a killer first episode.
rating: 4.5
Advertisement
Over the course of five years, Breaking Bad has established itself primarily as a show about transformation. As such, it was evident from the get-go that this was the type of story that, if mapped out realistically, could only last so long before it all had to come to an end. Its strange being on the cusp of that end now it feels like it was only yesterday when the series quietly premiered to little fanfare, only to become one of the most revered and respected television dramas of all time. Over the course of four seasons, Breaking Bad has challenged, surprised, engaged, and enthralled like no other series, and when compared to its top-tier brethren, Breaking Bad has proven itself decidedly more unhinged. Its willing to take much bigger risks within its narrative, and in doing so, has produced substantially bigger payoffs. Two of those risks, Id argue, are two of the greatest moments ever put to screen: Jane Margoliss overdose and the murder of Gale Boetticher. Naturally, both of those moments are very much tied to the shows ultimate objective of character transformation. Walter White had an active hand in both of those deaths, the former from inaction and the latter from desperation, and both actions, no matter how justified you may feel they were, furthered Walter Whites descent into darkness. But theres something that runs deeper than the sheer effectiveness or the brilliance of those scenes. From a structural standpoint, what makes those two moments and so many others wholly impressive when looking at Breaking Bads overall progression is that they were stepping stones into hell not hell itself. In a show about transformation, once the process is complete, the journey is over. But the journey was, and still is, far from over. This narrative reality can mostly be attributed to the talent of Breaking Bads writing staff. Walter White, despite his choices, has managed to remain a sympathetic character a character that has made terrible choices and has done terrible things, but in some small way, still has good within him. He wants to provide for and protect his family. He wants to protect Jesse. And he wants the recognition that so many others have stolen from him throughout the course of his life.