Already? We’re at the end of a month that was filled with shows that men went absolutely insane over. Granted, the whole world seemed to be obsessed with Breaking Bad — it was still a show I can recall seeing guys on the bus talk about with such emotion, you’d think it was their lover and not just a show on AMC. So with that, it had to cap off this month.
Name of Episode: “Felina”
Premiere Date: January 20, 2008
Finale Date: September 29, 2013
Site: Breaking Bad
Impact on Pop Culture
We’d been a society all about that binge before Breaking Bad, but it seems like this show took it to a new level. People slow to find this award winning series were suddenly taken under its spell. Binging aside, what’s interesting is that this show made people excited to watch TV in real time again. When the finale was about to air, there were people flipping out over already having plans that night because they were terrified of spoilers. Breaking Bad‘s addictive qualities had a grand effect on binge culture while also giving us a throwback to when TV was watched live. Not to mention what it did for the drug industry. Meth isn’t good at all, but the popularity of the show went on to inspire real life drug dealers to use the blue in their own creations.
Facts & Stats
- Aaron Paul has never taken any acting classes. Hey, when you got it – you got it.
- RJ Mitte really has cerebral palsy, but can walk without crutches, unlike his character on the show.
- Originally the show was to be set in Riverside, CA. That idea went out the window due to taxes.
- Could you even imagine John Cusack or Matthew Broderick as Walter White? Well, they were both offered the role. You know what? Cusack, no; Broderick — for some reason, yes. Alas, Bryan Cranston is the only one who could ever have been though, right?
- Something tells us that Showtime, TNT, Fox, and HBO were all pretty upset with themselves after turning Breaking Bad down.
What I Knew Before Watching the End
I often like to revert to a test taken in a classroom for this section and I think with this show, I’d only known the basics: a couple main characters’ names, the setting, and the fact that Walter White had cancer and turned to making meth to make some money and, well, then took a turn.
Final(e) Thoughts
This has to be one of the most popular shows I never cared to watch. I felt like it was done and over with and didn’t want to engage. Now I see it’s only five seasons, 62 episodes and perhaps I could go back and watch but I’m still deep into a Frasier run, so who knows. Anyways, this is the second time I’d taken in this finale. Like Sons of Anarchy, I enjoyed it way more this time around. Maybe because my boyfriend was sitting next to me with “The More You Know” facts here and there. So that made what was going on a little more interesting, unlike the first time.
If you knew nothing of this show, this finale would make very little sense at the beginning. All you know is that this older looking man has a lot of money in his possession and has just stolen a car. Over the course of the episode you can sort of start to piece the puzzle together but as far as his relationships with some of the people he comes across, you’re forever lost. The couple he gave the money to for his kids appear as just a well-off couple that must owe him something, but what? Who were the guys with the laser pointers who could easily be bought? What about the girl and young man in the restaurant? The only thing really understood was his last encounter with his wife. Again, that’s watching from the perspective that you knew absolutely nothing before pressing play.
Knowing the premise of the show, though, you watched this as a man’s final ride. A man tying up loose ends all over the place because like Jax in Sons of Anarchy, he knew very well what was going to come of him at the end of the day. I would’ve liked him to have a moment with his son but, alas, it was made clear that his kid was not happy with him and that likely would’ve just been an awkward scene. Perhaps the creator thought it more heartfelt to watch a father just watch his son from afar. Anyways, Walter’s last day was actually much like Jax’s.
He made sure money was given to the right people, got rid of any harm that may come later after he was gone, and even made things right with the one person who seemed to be his only friend in all of this. Whatever happened between them before that, I’m unaware of, but they often say you have to forgive and whatnot before you leave this Earth to go in peace. Saving Jesse from being a, um, meth slave — that was the last good thing Walter did on Earth and maybe that’s what made him be okay with finally meeting his maker.
The first time around I was not a fan of this finale. I wouldn’t have placed it towards the bottom of the list, but watching it a second time and taking more things into consideration, it went up more than a few notches. While this show appeared to have a cast of colorful characters, I think at the end of the day this was Walter White’s journey and he was the one fans needed to some sort of closure from, and that’s just what happened with a very fitting song being played as he took his final breath and the cops barged in.
