The Obsessive Viewer

In honor of the return of the best show on television next week, today’s Streaming Saturday is Breaking Bad! Next Sunday, the first episode of the final 8 episodes of the series will premiere. Just in time, Netflix has added season 5 of the show to their streaming arsenal. So if you want to rewatch last year’s episodes to prepare for next week, or if you want to call off work and cram all 54 episodes into the next 8 days, they are all available on Netflix. 

I can’t overstate how amazing Breaking Bad is. Given the series’ massive popularity and nearly universal acclaim, I don’t necessarily have to explain my love for the show. Alas, I will. In the early 2000s, television saw a surge in anti hero centered stories. The Sopranos, The Shield and Rescue Me are a few examples of shows that traded in the ethically black and white protagonist for a morally grey main character. By 2013, we’ve watched Jack Bauer, Dexter Morgan, Don Draper, Nucky Thompson and (most recently) Francis Underwood leave their mark on an increasingly cluttered subgenre.

By now, the anti hero has become an expected and, some say, tired plot device. But when all is said and done, Bryan Cranston‘s turn as Walter White is the best that the anti hero subgenre has to offer. That is very high praise, of course, but it is absolutely merited. I feel as though the scene below from season 4 is the perfect representation of Cranston’s incredible acting and the series as a whole.

That clip has over 1 million views and I honestly think I’m responsible for at least 40 of them. I’ve been rewatching the series the last couple weeks. What’s striking me most about this viewing is the use of color. A lot of the characters have distinct color patterns and a lot of the color schemes are relevant to the character’s situation and emotional state. In the clip above, you see Walt transform into his meth cook alter ego Heisenberg. While he does this, he changes his shirt to a darker shade of red. It’s this kind of attention to detail that makes the series incredible.

Check out this review of last fall’s midseason finale for more on the color of Breaking Bad.

I could spend a lot more time writing about Breaking Bad but I’ll spare you for now. You can stream the show on Netflix or buy season 5 on blu-ray by clicking below.

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