Breaking Bad

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Breaking Bad

Genre	Dark comedy Drama
Created by	Vince Gilligan
Starring	Bryan Cranston Anna Gunn Aaron Paul Dean Norris Betsy Brandt RJ Mitte
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	7^[1] (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Mark Johnson
Producer(s)	Karen Moore
Broadcast
Original channel	AMC
Original airing	January 20, 2008-
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Breaking Bad is an American dark comedy/drama television series created by X-Files co-producer Vince Gilligan. The AMC network, on which the series premiered January 20, 2008, originally ordered nine episodes for the first season (including the pilot), but the Writers Guild of America strike limited the production to only seven episodes.^[1] Breaking Bad has been renewed for a second season consisting of 13 episodes. A start date for the second season has yet to be announced.^[2]

The series stars former Malcolm in the Middle cast member Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a struggling high school chemistry teacher with a handicapped child and pregnant wife. When the already tense White is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, he breaks down and turns to a life of crime, setting up a meth lab in order to support his family.^[3]

The title comes from a Southern United States colloquialism "to break bad" — "when someone … has taken a turn off the path of the straight and narrow, when they've gone wrong".^[4] The series is set (and filmed) in and near Albuquerque, New Mexico.^[5] The campus of Rio Rancho High School was used for the shots involving White teaching. Cranston performed Character Observations^{[citation needed]} in the high school in the suburb of Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

A viral marketing campaign hosted at www.waltswisdom.com was launched by AMC to promote the series. Users could create personal messages to send to friends in which Walter White (Bryan Cranston) calls them by name and berates them for not living their lives to the fullest.

1 Plot
2 Characters
3 Episode listing
- 3.1 Season one
- 3.2 Season two
4 Reception
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Plot

Breaking Bad follows protagonist Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a chemistry teacher who lives in New Mexico with his wife (Anna Gunn), and a teenage son (RJ Mitte) who has cerebral palsy. White is diagnosed with Stage III cancer, and given a prognosis of two years to live. With a new sense of fearlessness based on his medical prognosis and a desire to secure his family's financial security, White chooses to enter the dangerous world of drugs and crime and ascends to power in his new world. The series explores how a fatal diagnosis such as White's releases a typical man from the daily concerns and constraints of normal society, and follows his transformation from mild family man to a kingpin of the drug trade.

[edit] Characters

Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston) is a 50-year old high school chemistry teacher who has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. The diagnosis causes a change in Walter's mild-mannered nature. He decides that in order to provide for his family after his death, he will use his extensive knowledge of chemistry to manufacture and distribute meth. He has a wife named Skyler and a son named Walter, Jr.
Skyler White (played by Anna Gunn) is a stay-at-home mom who sells items on eBay. She and Walter have one son (Walter Jr). She is pregnant with the couple's daughter, Holly. She cares for Walter very much, almost to the point that she is making all the decisions in his life for him.
Jesse Pinkman (played by Aaron Paul) is Walter White's partner in his meth business under the nickname "Captain Cook." Walter taught his high school chemistry class, which he failed. He comes from an upper class family but was kicked out of his home presumably because of his drug use. Jesse lives in his late aunt's house that he inherited. He has a much younger overachieving brother named Jake whom he gets along with, despite their age difference and Jesse's reputation in the family.
Walter White, Jr. (played by RJ Mitte) is Walter and Skyler's teen-aged son. He was born with cerebral palsy, which causes him some speech difficulties. Crutches help him walk. He looks up to his uncle, Hank, a bit more than his father.
Hank Schrader (played by Dean Norris) is a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent. He is also Walter's boisterous brother-in-law, and Marie Schrader's husband. He is very good at his job and is currently investigating a possible new meth "kingpin" in the area, unaware that it is Walter. Although loutish and lewd, he seems to genuinely care about Walter and Walter Jr.
Marie Schrader (played by Betsy Brandt) is Skyler's sister, Hank's wife, and Walter's sister-in-law. She doesn't hesitate to offer advice to others, but she often fails to practice what she preaches. She shoplifts and may be a kleptomaniac.
Gretchen Schwartz (played by Jessica Hecht) is Walter's old college chemistry assistant and now co-owner of Gray Matter, a successful drug company. Apparently a former romantic interest of Walt's, she is currently married to Elliott Schwartz.
Elliott Schwartz (played by Adam Godley) is Walter's old college science partner and co-owner of Gray Matter, a successful drug company co-founded by Walter. He is married to Gretchen Schwartz.
Tuco (played by Raymond Cruz) is a sociopathic drug kingpin who becomes Walter and Jesse's meth distributor towards the end of season one. He is unpredictable and prone to violent outbursts, but surprisingly respects Walter because of his superior product, business style and guts.

[edit] Episode listing

Main article: List of Breaking Bad episodes

[edit] Season one

The first season consisted of nine episodes, but due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike only seven episodes were filmed. The first season premiered on January 20, 2008, and concluded on March 9, 2008.

[edit] Season two

AMC announced on May 16, 2008 that Breaking Bad will be renewed for a second season.

"From critical praise to strong ratings and devoted audience, Breaking Bad further reinforced AMC as a top producer of high-quality, distinctive television", said Charlie Collier, Executive Vice President and General Manager of AMC. "Breaking Bad is a powerful, intelligent thought-provoking series that clearly resonates with viewers and critics alike. We're excited for a second season of Breaking Bad with a new provocative storyline that will delve deeper into the next chapter of the life of Walter White". The second season, unlike the first which ran a brief seven episodes due to the writer's strike, will consist of thirteen episodes.

[edit] Reception

The show has been generally well received by critics, receiving a 74 rating on Metacritic.^[6] Linda Stasi of the New York Post gave the show a positive review stating that "the acting is as good as you'll see on TV."

USA Today called it "The best thing to happen to television since the first season of The Sopranos". Time magazine said the series "has the elements of success."^[7]