What’s a 50 year-old high school teacher to do when he is diagnosed with cancer and needs to leave money behind for his family in case he dies? Well obviously he starts to cook meth. This insane idea is the driving force behind one of television’s greatest shows, Breaking Bad.

Breaking Bad chronicles the life of Walter White, played by Brian Cranston, after his 50^th birthday, when he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Walter is worried about how his wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) and his son Walter Jr. (RJ Mitte) will manage after his death. Then, one day Walter decides to tag along with his DEA brother-in-law Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) on a meth lab bust. While at this bust, Walter notices a former student of his named Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) escaping the meth lab. Walter realizes that he can make enough money for his family to live comfortably after his death if he becomes a manufacturer of crystal meth. Walter contacts Jesse to enter the business and the story of Walter White takes off from there.

The writing and story of Breaking Bad is absolutely brilliant. The twists and turns that the writers create are one of things that make the show so appealing. Breaking Bad is one of the few shows where the viewer truly does not know what will happen next. This uncertainty leaves the viewer at the edge of his/her seat and keeps him/her coming back for more. Furthermore, the development of the major characters throughout the series also adds to its quality. As Walter White transforms from mild-mannered chemistry teacher Walter White to a ruthless drug kingpin, the audience finds itself in a dilemma as to whom to root for and why. Does the viewer hope that Walter gets caught and punished or that he escapes and is redeemed? These moral dilemmas that the viewers face further add to the allure of the show.

Breaking Bad has arguably the greatest acting on television today, with several actors on the show being nominated for and winning Emmy awards. Prior to Breaking Bad, Brian Cranston was not really known for doing serious roles. His most prominent acting job was Hal in the comedy series Malcolm in the Middle. Nevertheless, Cranston does a tremendous job of not only portraying the main character, Walter White, but also making the character his own. For example, Cranston wrote the much of the backstory for Walter White while creator Vince Gilligan left most of Walt’s history unexplained while Breaking Bad was in development. He also constantly collaborated with the writers to best decide how Walt would act under certain circumstances. The results of Cranston’s efforts are clearly visible when watching the show. Walter White’s reactions seem genuine and are in tune with the Walt’s personality. Cranston’s acting makes the audience both sympathize with and loathe Walter White at the same time, further adding to the moral dilemma the audience faces. However, Bryan Cranston is not the only amazing actor on the cast of Breaking Bad. Almost every other actor does his/her job impeccably and everyone truly becomes his/her respective role. Another important character in the show is Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul. Jesse is a young man who has gotten caught up in the drug world. Although he’s in a hard and unforgiving business, Jesse is still very young (in his early 20’s) and is still heavily affected by the dark and cruel life of a drug kingpin. Aaron Paul does an amazing job in capturing the emotions and thoughts of Jesse Pinkman. In fact, Vince Gilligan had originally intended to kill of Jesse Pinkman at the end of season 1 to further the development of Walter White. However, he decided against it solely due to the strength of Aaron Paul’s performance; another testament to the brilliance acting of the cast.

Breaking Bad also does an exceptional job using its technical elements to enhance the story. Few shows can use silence better than Breaking Bad and they definitely have a point. While most shows play some kind of music to help the audience gauge the mood of the scene, Breaking Bad often has complete silence. In my opinion, this can be a much more effective than playing music. The silence allows the audience to think about what has just happened in the scene and make their own judgments about the scene without being influenced by music. Breaking Bad also uses music very creatively. For example, during several serious moments, such as a meth cooking session, upbeat and happy music will be played. This makes the scene seem less serious than it actually is and provides relief for the very dark moments that may weigh on the viewer.

The show explores several themes, such as devotion to family and the validity of Machiavellian thinking. These two themes go hand in hand in Breaking Bad because Walt’s devotion to family leads him to commit heinous crimes. Walter argues with his wife throughout the show that whatever he may have done, he has done for the family. This leads to a conflict within the viewer, causing them to wonder whether or not the ends do indeed justify the means. This moral struggle is one of the reasons many people are enamored with the show.

Breaking Bad has been an extremely successful show, winning 10 Emmy Awards, being nominated for several Golden Globe awards, and receiving many other accolades. Breaking Bad is different from most shows in that the characters are so dynamic and undergo great change as the series progresses. The descent of Walter White from good to evil has captured the minds of viewers and critics alike, forcing many to think about many moral issues. But Breaking Bad is so much more than a artistic representation of morality. It has many comedic moments and several purely awesome moments. Although many will loathe what Walter White has become, we cannot help but be enthralled by his amazing transformation into a hardened criminal and the many epic moments that make us feel sick and excited at the same time.