If you’re anything like me, you love all things TV. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t spend all day curled up in my bed with my favourite comedy series playing on a loop (The Office fans, WYA?), though I would like to. But there’s nothing like a good TV show to help you escape from the everyday struggles of being a student.
Let me tell you this: I binge-watched Breaking Bad over quarantine and it was hands-down the best show I’ve ever watched. My whole family is obsessed with it, and I was initially worried that my expectations were too high, but I didn’t understand that there’s no overestimating the show. After watching it, I can say with certainty that I know I’ll never see anything as amazing ever again, and I’m aware that the show entirely changed my perception of TV. But if you’re not yet willing to spend a week watching the best show ever, here are a few reasons to convince you.
- The plot is thrilling and brilliant.
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Picture this: a notorious underachiever, science teacher, and family man gets cancer, and decides to start a meth lab with his former student Jesse to pay for his chemo treatments and lower-class family’s future. If that doesn’t sound like a thrill to you, I don’t know what will.
- The characters are phenomenal.
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Aren’t you sick of the “good guy, bad guy” trope? I sure am. I mean, come on, it’s totally unrealistic — there’s good and bad in everyone. Breaking Bad showcases the complexity of humans’ characters and intentions by giving us a cast of characters so incredible, I can’t see any of the actors without thinking of them as their BrBa character. Let’s take the main character, Walt, for example. He endures major changes throughout the show, transforming from an innocent, kindhearted underachiever into a greedy, egotistical monster, and watching his development is truly fascinating. And, hello, that’s just one character — every single one is unique and interesting. All I can say is that you may see me dressed up as Jesse Pinkman on Halloween this year.
- The storyline is completely unpredictable.
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A major sign that a show is subpar is when a viewer with average intelligence can infer what’s going to happen next. But with Breaking Bad, you have absolutely no idea what’s coming. I’m not ashamed to admit that I have gasped out loud several times while watching the show (several times a season, actually), and you will too. I still don’t understand how the genius head writer, Vince Gilligan, came up with some of the storylines of BrBa; that’s how smart the show is.
- It has unexpectedly dark humour, making the drama a bit lighter.
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There’s nothing quite like laughing, crying, and yelling all in the span of one episode. If you’re not a fan of dark humour, you may not laugh at some parts of the show that most fans find hilarious, but you’ll still love it. Some humorous parts are slipped in so slyly that you might just miss them, and other parts are blatantly funny. All in all, though, the humour is a cherry on top of the Breaking Bad sundae.
- The attention to detail is immaculate.
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Let me put it this way: my dad has watched the show four times through and still finds brilliant little details that make you say, “Ahh, I see what you did there!”. From easter eggs to foreshadowing to major ironies, you’ll never want to miss a second of this show. Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up watching it four times like my dad has.
- The ending is magnificent and truly satisfying.
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One of the worst parts of TV shows is when you get as attached to it as a mother to her child, and then suddenly, you become overwhelmed with a pure hatred for the way it ends (ahem, I’m talking to you, Game of Thrones). The ending of Breaking Bad couldn’t be more satisfying. To name a few reasons why I was so happy with the ending: all loose ends are tied, it’s not rushed at all, the suspense is carried until the very end, it makes perfect sense, the irony is admirable, and finally, you get a big dose of emotions to top it off.
Well folks, there you have it! I promise, your Reading Week will certainly be memorable if you just take my advice and watch Breaking Bad. You’re welcome in advance — you’re in for an awesome ride.