After
all these years, much of the technical superiority of Breaking Bad does not
look so unassailable. Breathtaking photography, emotion appropriate editing,
use of topography-making the landscape a protagonist, using heartbreakingly
normal situations to enact epic questions of humanity and great acting have
become rather common and do not count for insurmountable strategic advantage.
Great TV in Fargo, The Fall, Luther, True Detective, Orange is the New Black,
lately, American Gods etc have amply demonstrated that these aspects, though
making for a sustained advantage, are replicable with similar success. Then,
what makes series like Breaking Bad a classic, first among equals and account
for such high degree of sustained cult popularity coupled with mainstream
acclaim?
Answer
to my mind is that none of the other contender have this dense collection of
great characters. Each and every character of Breaking Bad is significant
enough to have a personality and interesting background story worthy of an
independent spin off series- Better Call Saul is one highly rewarding
example. Though Walt and Jesse get most
of the screen time and their character ticks are most microscopically
presented, but none of the significant characters are peripheral. Mike, Gustav Frig, Skyler, Hank, Marie, Todd,
Lydia or the kids (including the infant-Holly), and, off course, Saul Goodman
have been invested with strong personalities. They are all people who make for
great partners but never can be relegated to the status of a tool or paid
employee. Bit characters like Uncle Jack of Todd or the Vacuum guy, Badger and
Skinny Pate have a quality of permanence that carries them through for a very
long series spanning over five seasons. Other series too have memorable
characters and some of them are permanent fixture of TV pantheon but Vince Gilligan has created an
unprecedented constellation of great characters and placed them in a perfect
story. Command over the progression of the story- often tricky in long series,
is pitch perfect and creates a narrative which forces the viewers to stay
invested in the fates of the characters.
A
character grows on the audience in the alchemy of paradox. The character needs
to be immediately clear also and it should have an element of surprise – joy of
deciphering or unraveling. Gustav Frig is a character that has coiled neatness
about him. We know he has more to him than meets the eye. We take delight in
discovering his backstory, innate decency, capacity for violence or capacity
for revenge. Mike too portrays his reliable solidity immediately but we take
pleasure in discovering his languid approach, his softer aspects, his supreme
efficiency in what he does. Hank comes as an amiable lout of a detective. His
detective skills and uncorruptibility is immediately evident. We love his
tenacity and fragilities. Ladies, Skyler, Marie and Lydia have fully developed
character arch complete with flaws and undiluted capacity to give. Lydia’s
greed, absolute self centeredness and paranoid ambition simply shine through in
the limited number of scenes that she had. Todd’s type gets established in
efficient strokes and a high functioning sociopath was established in few quick
scenes. In short, strong characterization is the main strength of this much
awarded show and a quality that can’t be copied very easily.
Other
technical virtues, mentioned in the beginning may be easy to copy but their
standard in Breaking Bad is nothing short of outstanding. Spare, sparse
landscape of New Mexico complements the rugged mood of the topic and creates a
neo western aura around the show which serves it well. Photography and editing
are elegant and their cleverness contributes and doesn’t distract. Angle shots
from inside safe, barrels table top etc add urgency. Close ups, play with depths,
wipes are plenty but never come in the way of story telling and only add to the
atmosphere.
The
mixture of operatic ambition in technical aspects, epic aspirations in latent
messages on the one hand and resolute everydayness of the settings worked well
for the show. The family, household, neighborhood, office, car wash, dresses,
bit characters at gas stations, department stores and look and feel was kept
real. Sense of grandeur came from the sweep of story, photography and far
reaching changes that the situations brought I the characters. This has a
quality of a great literature- almost Shakespearean.
Even
for a binge watch, the show did not lose its story thread and one cannot but
marvel at the impeccable continuity and controlled arch of the story. Breaking
Bad is compelling television, the best of its kind. It will continue to attract
lovers of quality TV for a long time.
