It’s New! And It Ain’t Reality! It’s Almost Time To “Break Bad.”

I am excited about Breaking Bad. Really excited. Like, people-are-picking-on-me excited. And I want you to promise me you will watch it. Why? Well, click on “online exclusives” and read all about it … or, hell, just tell me who you are.

  • X-Files fans, watch it because it’s from the dazzlingly imaginative mind of Vince Gilligan. You know you’ve been waiting…
  • Mad Men fans, watch it because it’s on AMC … and it’s every bit as brave and cool and sly.
  • Malcolm In The Middle fans … Cranston’s back. And so are his underpants.
  • Deadwood fans, Anna Gunn. No corset this time around, but hoooooweeee, girl! Ain’t you got fun?
  • Big Love fans, Aaron Paul is back. Hoooooooweeeeee, girls! Ain’t we got fun?
  • Chemistry teachers, your job just got a whole lot cooler. And you just got a whole lot more mysterious. Trust me.
  • NFL fans unwilling to let those adrenaline levels drop, here’s your postgame show.
  • TV fans who are suffering what the Writers Strike has done to our, er, drug of choice — the long, cold winter just got six episodes brighter.

Breaking Bad premieres on Sunday at 10pm on AMC.

2 Comments

  1. Unlike Chem Class, I’m miserable that the season is over.
    BUT, unlike other suspense dramas, this did not end with some dramatic and infuriating cliffhanger. Instead, things ended neatly, though I expect that these points will figure in heavily next year:

    Walter gets a good look at what that drug he is cooking can do to an already unbalanced person.
    He and Skyler begin to see that Skyler’s sister and her DEA agent husband are not quite law abiding
    Walter is playing with the big boys – so there will be a lot of cash to hide and a lot of deals to be made, and the more money he makes the more danger he is in.

    What is truly wonderful about Breaking Bad is that we don’t root for Walter the way fans are rooting for Dexter because Walter is not a force for good. Meth is not just illegal, it’s addictive and its effects are horrible. So viewers are torn between sympathy and disgust. In my own mind, I want Walter to stop – AND to get away with what he’s done so far, poor demented bastard.

    Is this the best series on Television? In my book that goes to Dexter.
    Is it second best – well, if you have a twisted mind, yes. The moment in the finale when Walter is giving that supportive-teacher-pep-talk to his young partner Jesse is dark enough and funny enough to rank with any of Dexter’s pithy comments.

  2. You can get right into the spirit of the chemistry thing by playing trivial pursuit with the opening credits. The chemicals in the title, for example, are Bromine and Barium. The explosion that rocked the roving meth lab in the first episode was accurate. Yes, chemistry hasn’t been this much fun to watch since Mr. Wizard showed kids how to blow up mom’s kitchen back in the 50s.

    However, as those up on their high school chem know, in the March 2 broadcast when a desperate Walter smuggles fulminated mercury into a dealer’s HQ by disguising it as crystal meth, there must have been a chemist consultant arguing “But fulminated mercury is yellow, YELLOW!” People will KNOW!”

    Would yellow have worked just as well in the scene? Maybe better.

    Major dealer pulls a piece of crystal from the plastic bag and studies it dubiously: “What in the…what is this stuff?”
    (Boom!)
    Walter: Ya shoulda paid attention in chem class.
    Major dealer pulling himself off the floor: Dropped out on 9th grade.
    Walter: Your loss.

    So then, Walter could be smart, richer and give yet one more reason for kids to stay in school.

    As for all your Mr. Wizard graduates, don’t try fulminating mercury (Hg) at home.

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About Lori Acken 1195 Articles
Lori just hasn't been the same since "thirtysomething" and "Northern Exposure" went off the air.