Everyone loves Breaking Bad, and everyone is talking about it. The husband and I started watching it because everyone said we should. I admit, the storytelling is good and the characters are well-drawn.
That being said, I’m almost indifferent to the show, on the point of not liking it. However, even though I don’t like it, I feel compelled to continue watching it, and I probably will finish all of it, though at a less frenetic pace than most people seem to. Not long ago, the TV Guy’s Stepmom blogged about it and mentioned how she went through 40 episodes in 5 weeks. The husband went from nothing to caught up in about 2 or 3. I’ve been watching 4-5 episodes per weekend, so I’ll catch up eventually.
It took me awhile to figure out why I’m less “into it” than everyone else seems to be. Before I go further, let me say that I’m going to start talking about some spoilers. I’m only into Season 2, and the spoilers I talk about will be broad concept type things. Just FYI.
The husband watched an episode of Talking Bad with the show’s creator, Vince Gilligan, and he explained that the show isn’t about good guys and bad guys. There’s no moral lesson. It’s just about the de-evolution of Walter White.
And right there is the reason I don’t much like it.
Walter starts out as a nice guy. He’s a pushover, and early on, I cheered him on as he started to gain confidence and some power. I even cheered him on as he pushed around stoner-loser Jesse. However, it quickly became apparent that Jesse has moral lines that he won’t cross, even when “ordered” to. And Walter’s lines are blurring. If they’ve blurred this much by Season 2, I can’t imagine where they’ll go by the end.
I love stories about dystopian futures, tragedies, difficult circumstances. But what I like in a story is a redeeming main character. Sure, we all make mistakes, and I’m fine with a human main characters who makes mistakes, has moral failings, and even acts in ways I don’t approve of. But in the end, I want them to have grown in a positive direction. Walter White isn’t doing that. He’s becoming someone I don’t like, at all. Is it a “true” story of the human condition? Maybe. I could see someone in that circumstance becoming like Walter, but why would I want to watch it?
For the record, I don’t like Skyler either. Something about her just rubs me the wrong way. I really think the people I like best are Jesse and Walt Jr.
Anyone else have thoughts on this very polarizing show? Do you watch it?
Doree Weller 