Is AMC ruining the final season of Breaking Bad?

What did you think of the eight episode arch of the final season of Breaking Bad?

I initially missed the boat on Breaking Bad.

I started watching it last year and burned through three seasons. I love a good TV show binge.

The writers of Breaking Bad are meticulous. But they don’t stick to a rigid narrative. Vince Gilligan has gone on record stating that they have a vague storyline for each season. But they also allow the story to develop organically.

And thank goodness for that!

Aaron Paul was meant to die in the first season. But they kept him around because he was just that good. I can’t imagine Breaking Bad without Jesse.

That’s one of the problems I’ve had with this mini-season. Older characters have been under utilized. All for Walter’s grand scheme of building his empire as speedy as a good bender on blue crystal meth might feel.

I miss the slow burn of watching the story unravel. Remember how chaotic things were in season one?  Walter’s decision to kill Krazy-8 didn’t come easy. He even made the guy sandwiches and chatted over lunch.

Those scenes are still important now because we see how Walter has changed. The prospect of taking a life in season one threw Walter into a state of turmoil.

The new Walter White has no problem with murder if people stand in the way of building his empire. Killing Fring was no easy task. There were so many ways where the plan could go wrong. That’s what made those scenes rewarding. We were on the edge of our seats anticipating disaster.

Everything has been easier in Season five. ‘Gliding over all’ is the perfect title for the mid-point of season eight. Walter has glided over potential disasters like the train robbery. Episode eight glided over the international expansion of Walt’s empire to Czechoslovakia.

There were so many potential stories in those musical montages of meth production and delivery. Maybe we should trust Vince Gilligan. His vision hasn’t disappointed us too much thus far. The series may end with a satisfying bang. Securing Breaking Bad’s spot of one of the best shows in television’s history.

But I can’t help but worry that AMC’s decision to cut money from Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead is damaging. The network favours Mad Men and that empire always gets the funding.

The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad are still hugely successful. AMC has gained tremendous exposure and viewership because of these shows.

But look at the last season of The Walking Dead. It really was dead with the crew stuck on the farm all season.

Splitting 16 episodes of Breaking Bad into two parts is a money grab by AMC. This move may weaken the show and tarnish the show overall.

Maybe AMC and Vince Gilligan needed the same intervention that Skylar gave Walter. Why continue adding to that mountain of cash when it ruins the end result?

Did Vince Gilligan glide over potentially brilliant story lines?

How does episode eight of season five of Breaking Bad hold up as an episode AND as a season finale? It definitely feels like the end of a season since we have to wait a WHOLE year for the rest of the story!

We needed more Jesse! Or at least learn more about Todd. His character is one dimensional at this point. Just another convenient tool to advance the plot.

I’ll admit. I enjoyed the final scene.  Hank skims through Walter’s copy of Leaves of Grass, left in in the bathroom. A note from Gale to Walter on the inside cover is addressed to W.W. Hank connects this to the initials from Gale’s lab notebook, finally piecing together Heisenberg’s true identity.

Maybe my critique will be proved wrong next year. But one fact is undeniable. It’s going to be a long wait until next Summer!

xo

Bella Bellini