Breaking Bad - Season 1 (Blu-ray + UV Copy) [Region Free]

This has bleak, black humour and represents the depth to which our post-modern world has descended. But why do i love it ? How ordinary ? Mr White ? We all had teachers called Mr White and even Jesse continues to call him that throughout their fraught and lethal relationship. Well its either that or 'bitch'. Characterisation is everything and this series really does develop each of the main contenders. But Walter is the star. We admire his intellect and sympathise with his plight as an underachieving chemistry teacher at odds with his financial failure, while his contempories make it rich. The effort to make extra income from the car wash and the humiliating embarrassment that this brings serves to remind us of our own failures and shortcomings. But we don't turn to crime and attempt to lessen the impact on our consciences by lieing to all our loved ones as well as ourselves. This is what Walter does and it gets deeper and deeper, darker and darker until you begin to realise that his position at any given time in the series is unpredictable as well as the velocity or pace at which he moves. Heisenberg is a brilliant alias for Walter. Part of you wants Walter to succeed, because of his at first, apparent motives for doing so. He is dieing of cancer and wants (not needs) to leave his family with financial security, given that his son has cerebral palsy and his wife Skyler is expecting a child and him just turned fifty. His disarming, calm and slightly diffident manner along with his well known illness make him perfect for getting under the radar of DEA and police. The spiral of decline into drug crime, drags everyone he loves along with him until all are tainted directly or indirectly with the sad immorality of human weakness - desire, greed, hate, envy, lust and total lack of any consideration for others. Being responsible for the consequences of your actions is a huge part of the philosophy of utilitarianism that underlies much of American values and in this series the writers have provided us with a brilliant ambivilance to this as represented in the hero/villain Walter. The knock on effect of his actions are interwoven so well - the flight control officer, whose daughter Walter watches choke to death on her own vomit, is so affected by this trajedy that he ends up being responsible for a mid air collision, killing hundreds. Then we see Walter reluctantly addressing the whole school about the issue as part of a group therapy where everyone in Albuquerque has been seen in need of counselling. Walter tells everyone that there is still a positive side to this trajedy - 'it is only the 53rd worse air crash in history' ! It is really bleak at times - but it is also very funny. The hitman for the drug boss is seen returning his lovely grandchildren back to their mummy in their beautiful middle class home where they are encouraged to say bye bye to 'pop pop' - not grandpa or grandpappy. The very next scene we see him shooting three Mexican drug adversaries - 'pop' 'pop' 'pop' ! Just like that. It is excellent acting by the cast, the New Mexico desert and townscapes provide room for escape, the study in evil, the tragi-comic script, tension and audience participation where you feel you can make the decisions, good or bad, on behalf of Walter. I read somewhere where it was called a 'dramedy', a new genre of Tv movie. It is great entertainment - and you will not regret entering the quantum world of Walter White.

There are only seven episodes in this first series of Breaking Bad but I was so hooked I watched them back to back - it has been a very long time since I have felt that enthralled by any series.The synopsis below does not give anything away beyond the first episode.The first episode opens with Walt (played by Bryan Cranston) walking away from a burning RV, gun in hand minus his trousers and with police sirens blaring in the distance. The scene looks bizarre and surreal as Walt couldn't look anything less like a criminal if he tried. The story then switches back to the present day and begins to fill in the gaps as to how he came to be in that position. This is a technique used frequently in both series one and two.Walt, a middle class, law abiding chemistry teacher discovers that at the age of 50 he has terminal lung cancer. He is working two jobs to keep the family finances afloat. His oldest son, Walt Junior has cerebral palsy and his wife, Skylar finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at the age of 40. Walt is at a loss as to how he is going to provide financial security for his family after his demise and in the short term how he is going to fund his medical care. He needs to get his hands on a vast sum of money - and he needs it quickly.Walt seeks out one of his former students, Jesse (Dean Norris) - a time wasting, good-for-nothing layabout and small time drug dealer. Much as it pains Walt to have anything to do with Jesse, he needs him for the one skill set he does have - cooking and selling methamphetamine. Together, the pair come up with a scheme to make the best meth on the market and to get rich very quickly. Suffice to say, things don't always go smoothly for them in their new business venture.The series is full of black humour - some of the things that happen are so awful that they are absolutely hilarious. The subject matter won't suit everyone's taste, some might even find it offensive, but I have to admit that I laughed until I cried on many occasions.Bryan Cranston plays Walt perfectly. He is completely believable in his role and it is impossible not to side with him and want him to be successful even though at the back of your mind you have that nagging reminder that he is now producing Class A drugs.The series doesn't make use of cliff-hangers or other tension inducing stunts commonly used in series such as 24, Prison Break, Oz etc - it simply doesn't need to bother with that type of ploy. Instead it relies on an imaginative plot, well written script and well rounded characters. When one episode ends all you will want to do is watch the next one; I would be surprised if anyone could stretch this series out over a long time period.The only negative is that there were just seven episodes - I wanted more as will anyone else who watches this series. Suffice to say I immediately bought series two and am currently watching those pretty much back-to-back.Overall, a brilliant drama series. If you missed it first time around on TV then grab a copy now, you won't regret it.

I hadn't heard of it, nor seen it! Breaking Bad has a great deal of violence throughout, which I found difficult to deal with initially. Whilst the violence isn't always present is well spaced out, there is distasteful episodic heady violence, of an indescribably nature. Not the worst, but affecting and unpleasant; I would say B.B. is so good, you forgive it this.The fact remains that this series would not be quite the same without the violence, as it is a fundamental part of the culture in which the storyline is drawn. The flip side of all this is, that the family values, trials and tribulations are also played out with fabulous deftness and precision. Breaking Bad, must rank as one of the all time greats, in serialised entertainment! Even the movie, El Camino, is only a grammatical punctuation of the movie; the end of the trail, not the beginning of anything. Breaking Bad is the beginning, middle, end and beginning all over again, in one hit series!Watching it when it premiered must have been a joy and an unrivalled suspense, waiting for each episode; such is the quality of the acting and story building. Watching it so long after it came out is no less challenging, because you just want to see the next episode and never wait - a sure binge-watch!Captivating, exciting and inspirational, in a strange sort of way. B.B is addictive! (Funny that!)