It's a rare and wonderful privilege to be able to witness the progression of a show like Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad. Despite an entire four complete seasons under its belt, the show has yet to lose an ounce of its momentum–quite the impressive feat for a serialized drama, as they tend to peak pretty early on.
What's amazing about Breaking Bad, apart from its brilliant writing, superb acting, and (insert countless other praises here), is how carefully calculated it is. Every event, every character that has been presented to us thus far, has been so for a reason. And while we may not know every detail of where this show will eventually take us (isn't that the fun of it, though?), we have every confidence that Gilligan and company know exactly what it is they are doing, and not only that, but that they relish it–they're prepared to tease us every minute it takes to reach the finish line.
Take last night's episode. The show's fifth and final season premiered to a record 2.9 million anxious viewers with a beautiful tease: a now hairy, 52-year-old Walter White (Bryan Cranston), assuming a false identity, carefully rearranges his free Denny's bacon before exchanging an envelope of cash for a set of keys in the men's restroom. We follow him outside to the parking lot, watching first as he slips his waitress a $100 tip. We're still with him as he pops open the trunk of a New Hampshire vehicle, the camera briefly lingering on the plate, the state's motto "Live Free or Die" a wink at the episode's title (and perhaps a theme of the season?). Following him next across the parking lot to a new car, we watch as Walt opens a second trunk. We watch from the inside as he peers in, a not unfamiliar yet still entirely tension- filled shot. The camera then cuts to reveal a gun, a weapon Walt, for some reason or another, is entirely in need of, and before we're left to wonder for too long, the title sequence rolls. (I know, I know, I missed it too.)
While it's never again directly referenced in the remainder of the episode, the vague teaser never quite leaves us–not that we have much time to dwell on it; before the opening credits start, we're taken back to the present, picking up right where season four left off. Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) is dead, and Walt has finally won. But before he can revel in that, he must rid himself of any incriminating evidence. Traces of his homemade bomb (did anyone else notice the music?), his potted lily of the valley, all must be discarded, and in the second "inside the trunk shot" of the night, we watch as Walt rids himself of the objects before Skyler (Anna Gunn), Walt Jr. (RJ Mitte), and baby Holly arrive home.
For Walt, all seems temporarily well, save for Skyler, of course. Knowing her husband is responsible for the drug dealer's death, she officially admits something we may have suspected for some time now– she's afraid of him. And then to top it all off, Walt suddenly realizes he's failed to account for one crucial bit of evidence.
To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/breaking-bad-5-1-live-free-or-die/
What's amazing about Breaking Bad, apart from its brilliant writing, superb acting, and (insert countless other praises here), is how carefully calculated it is. Every event, every character that has been presented to us thus far, has been so for a reason. And while we may not know every detail of where this show will eventually take us (isn't that the fun of it, though?), we have every confidence that Gilligan and company know exactly what it is they are doing, and not only that, but that they relish it–they're prepared to tease us every minute it takes to reach the finish line.
Take last night's episode. The show's fifth and final season premiered to a record 2.9 million anxious viewers with a beautiful tease: a now hairy, 52-year-old Walter White (Bryan Cranston), assuming a false identity, carefully rearranges his free Denny's bacon before exchanging an envelope of cash for a set of keys in the men's restroom. We follow him outside to the parking lot, watching first as he slips his waitress a $100 tip. We're still with him as he pops open the trunk of a New Hampshire vehicle, the camera briefly lingering on the plate, the state's motto "Live Free or Die" a wink at the episode's title (and perhaps a theme of the season?). Following him next across the parking lot to a new car, we watch as Walt opens a second trunk. We watch from the inside as he peers in, a not unfamiliar yet still entirely tension- filled shot. The camera then cuts to reveal a gun, a weapon Walt, for some reason or another, is entirely in need of, and before we're left to wonder for too long, the title sequence rolls. (I know, I know, I missed it too.)
While it's never again directly referenced in the remainder of the episode, the vague teaser never quite leaves us–not that we have much time to dwell on it; before the opening credits start, we're taken back to the present, picking up right where season four left off. Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) is dead, and Walt has finally won. But before he can revel in that, he must rid himself of any incriminating evidence. Traces of his homemade bomb (did anyone else notice the music?), his potted lily of the valley, all must be discarded, and in the second "inside the trunk shot" of the night, we watch as Walt rids himself of the objects before Skyler (Anna Gunn), Walt Jr. (RJ Mitte), and baby Holly arrive home.
For Walt, all seems temporarily well, save for Skyler, of course. Knowing her husband is responsible for the drug dealer's death, she officially admits something we may have suspected for some time now– she's afraid of him. And then to top it all off, Walt suddenly realizes he's failed to account for one crucial bit of evidence.
To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/breaking-bad-5-1-live-free-or-die/