Why Breaking Bad is Television's Magnum Opus (Video Essay)

[@_neon-xeon_3966]

I'll never get tired of Breaking Bad analysis and retrospective videos.

[@chadd990]

It's a great show to talk about. I love the videos too. As great as the show is, I'm the only person in my circle of friends or family who even watches the show, so I'm glad there's an online community.

[@tassymccormick]

Same

[@hansolo9868]

I’ll never get tired of Breaking Bad period

[@dehartb.2221]

Theres so many lol, I'll watch everyone if it comes up no matter how small the youtube channel lol

[@diandriasmith889]

This one was really good though!

[@maybefaith23]

There is no moment where Walt becomes Heisenberg. He was always Heisenberg. Like Vince said, all that happened was that who he truly was showed itself more and more.

[@wamyam]

i disagree there's obviously a sequence of events that causes incremental change. his behavioral readiness to react to those events were present beforehand but he also had the readiness to become other versions of himself totally different from heisenberg if other sequences of events occurred. and even if you argue that the world is deterministic and it was fate that those attributes would be triggered that still implies that walt's transformation would not be spontaneous without those triggers which makes it a process of becoming by definition.

[@hanakikoi]

​@wamyam I personally agree with the reading of Walt that's in line with C S Lewis' Mere Christianity. I'm paraphrasing, but he likens man to rats in a dark room. If you want to see the most rats, the best way is to rush in, to surprise them. You could sneak into the room quietly, not turn on the light, but surprising them didn't swawn them. When man is caught off guard, they act most like their true self, and we see that with Walt. The cancer caught him off guard, remission caught him off guard, the situation leading up to Brock's poisoning caught him off guard. Walt as a man was held back only by his circumstance, and being caught off guard showed him that. This isn't to say that Walt is completely evil. Just the divide he made was always superficial. Walt is the same man at the beginning of the show that he is at the end in my opinion. And every morally repprensible thing he did desensitized himself to his own true self. I say this because even though I am demonstrably a good person, I know I would be corrupted by own human urges. And that's what happened to Walt. As he put here, Heisenburg was Walt's pride. And Walt was always a deeply prideful man.

[@trashteamracing8262]

When Gretchen expects an explanation for the lie, we truly see Heisenberg for the first time. He could have just accepted the money and gotten his job back at Grey Matter and he would have been fine. His pride wouldn't allow that, and he lashed out.

[@kylemundy8871]

He wasn't always Heisenburg. He needs a catalyst, something to get him past his fears and into action.

[@excalibro8365]

Walt became Heisenberg the moment when he didn't stop synthetizing meth after getting $737,000. Because he was no longer doing it to secure his family's future anymore, but purely for his own satisfaction and ego.

[@Belle_Excentrique]

im glad you gave particular appreciation towards fly, it always went over me how often people consider it just a low worth filler episode

[@skimaskwithnomask]

everyone gives appreciation to fly. actually I’ve seen more people thanking people for appreciating it rather than seeing people berate it.

[@saulgoodmanactionfigure]

im glad you gave particular appreciation towards ozymandias, it always went over me how often people consider it just a low worth filler episode

[@AbrasiousProductions]

the fly is actually my favorite episode, It saddens me to know how many people dislike it.

[@AshtonRogers-se1zj]

They do!? I loved that episode! I'm the type to automatically care less for self contained episodes in an otherwise serialized television show,but that one was SO good. There really is no accounting for taste,is there!?

[@AbrasiousProductions]

@@AshtonRogers-se1zj precisely, I absolutely loved that episode, all those who dislike it clearly aren't real breaking bad fans.

[@deadgiveaway-z3i]

There was no moment Walt became heisenberg, it is a trick question, he always had the potential within him, he was no more monster than he was loving family man, they just switched places.

[@zioptis40]

Yeah but "This is the moment Walter and Heisenberg switched places" doesn't quite roll off the tongue that well, though I do get what you're saying and kind of agree with it

[@kheops8498]

huh?? How can you assume he always ahd the potential of beeing a drug lord ill cunning murderer, from what is shown in the show ? lol it's CLEAR there is a moment he switched, and it most likely has to do with a life of missed opportunities, broken family, 50 years crisis, social situation, and the cherry on top : cancer. From WHAT scenes do you assume there always was a Heisenberg prior to the commitment of partnering with jesse ?

[@deadgiveaway-z3i]

@@kheops8498 i see you're one of the countless people that believes an anybody is incapable of terrible things.

[@kheops8498]

@@deadgiveaway-z3i once again... HOW do you assume that ? you really are a person who ASSUMES a lot, how can you even THINK that ANYBODY can think that 'an anybody is incapable of terrible things' ? Your defense mechanism wasn't even giving me arguments or exemples of scenes in BB, instead you just projected your initial thoughts with an assumption just because I'm not agreeing with you, step up your game, kid

[@deadgiveaway-z3i]

@@kheops8498 I'm just being general, it's how people talk, oh sorry, MOST people talk, not all. I'm using the argument that desperate people will do desperate things, crowds crushing people to death to escape certain danger, someone going on a drastic last ditch effort under the affect of an end-of-life crisis to ensure the stability of their family, not this kind of event mind you with the drug manufacturing overlord with an ego complex, but many other examples of this sort of thing have happened IRL with people under similar pressures, it's the nature of us as animals. Most people simply still won't assume it though because they have a moral compass that urges them to do what they deem ''right'', and most people must deem similar things ''right'' in order for society to exist.

[@CHRB-nn6qp]

Walter probably has one of the greatest character arcs I've ever seen. Mainly because it isn't an arc, but self discovery. It reminds me of the original Jekyll and Hyde, where Hyde wasn't an alternate personality, but Jekyll's deepest darkest desires made human. Heisenberg was Walter's Hyde, and like Jekyll, he used Chemistry to unleash it.

[@absentlewy6800]

By far the best introduction on the entirety of KZbin, gave me chills. You managed to capture the essence of the entire show in under 3 minutes & was able to draw out so many emotions. Truly amazing.

[@natan1173]

I loved the connection to crime and punishment. So many of these video essays lack the connection to other clasical arts that they are based on.

[@daevidpp445]

The very hungry caterpillar>>>crime and punishMID

[@Ap7-b4k]

​@@daevidpp445If your little brain couldn't comprehend crime and punishment that doesn't mean it's mid That means you're mid

[@daevidpp445]

@@Ap7-b4k if your microscopic brain failed to understand the intricacies and life lessons within the very hungry caterpillar...I don't know what to tell you little buddy...

[@Ap7-b4k]

@@daevidpp445 imagine call one of the best pieces of fiction created as mid

[@h.r.hewson6573]

thank you so much for the section about Skylar. she is absolutely a realistic supporting character, and it's very telling when people complain that she sucks and is annoying, etc. I will forever point out that even when Skylar was making bad decisions, her decisions mirrored Walt's, if anything. I don't blame her for panicking, for trying to protect her kids, or even leaning into the lifestyle by investing in the carwash. This is a woman who gets backed into countless corners and is just trying to survive being around her husband.

[@They.LOVE.Kris10]

My name is Skylar white yo 🤓

[@WallyLaLa]

Skylar led walt to spiral back into his meth business. He wanted to change, he wanted to stop, he had enough money to support his family when he was gone. He wanted to finally be honest. She just wanted to fuck her boss, even before finding out everything. Then after he made an effort to bond with his family again, after telling her the truth, she slept with him and told him she slept with her boss. That was when he realized the only time hes ever been truly appreciated for efforts was when he was making meth. That was when he stopped doing it for his family. I will forever hate skylar. But i do pity her in the last season. But she isnt innocent in the slightest. Im sure if she hadnt done it, if she saw his point of view, if she had supported him, not with his business, but with his situation, respected his decision on why he did it, and not go and decide to sleep with her boss, it wouldve been a different story.

[@zacyquack]

Yeah I do blame her for what she does after actively helping Walt. She was never required to do that, just keep quiet about it and don’t tell the police, and nothing would be taken away. Then after that her helping Walt makes her act poorly towards other people, as if she didn’t decide to do it.

[@whoevencares123]

I once made an argument about Skyler hate being unjustified and one of the answers I got was "so if a character is a woman we should just forgive her because a woman does it?" which just makes no sense? For a clarity, this post wasn't talking about Skyler explicitly, it was talking about "worst person" in the show with the other three options being Walt, Todd, and Gus. The worst thing Skyler had done in the whole show was probably her smoking while being pregnant, and that's STILL nothing compared to being a n@z1, poisoning a child, or being a literal drug kingpin

[@h.r.hewson6573]

@@whoevencares123 exactly my point! when people call Skylar the "worst" character, it makes me think they cannot analyze things critically I'm supposed to believe it's *her* fault that Walt decides to become the biggest meth producer and dealer in the southwest? a weak argument at best, sexist at worst

[@alexman378]

10 freaking years since it ended and we still excitedly analyze it. Without exaggeration, the best show ever made. Not my favorite, but objectively the best.

[@Tarkovian2]

My favorite show is the terror season 1, but breaking bad is the best series ive seen

[@kylemundy8871]

Better call Saul is pretty darn good too. Gotta hand it to the writers and producers, they know how to create masterpieces

[@robertharrington703]

Dark remains in the weird position of the best show I've ever watched, but also something I'd never rewatch. Breaking bad was and is still my favourite.

[@rr9674]

Objectively? Cough cough Sopranos cough cough. Not even in the same league

[@alexman378]

@@rr9674 Yes it is, Sopranos did have some misses in some episodes.

[@azzikko2688]

This is the only analysis of the Fly episode I've ever heard that makes any damn sense. 10/10

[@rizaadon]

Was thinking the same thing!

[@erikataylor744]

Even on my first watch through of BB, I quickly understood this is a narcissist living out their ultimate power fantasy. They dilute themselves at every opportunity to avoid personal accountability, and this is the story of how that personality type destroys itself. He's like a Boogie2988 becoming a drug kingpin if you will, sounds silly, but he has the same personality type.

[@BradsGonnaPlay]

Same, I didn’t watch this show for the first time until 2021 and I was blown away by how the show, and specifically Jesse and Walt, differed from what I had heard.

[@johnhein2539]

Imagining boogie leaning back in his computer chair swirling a bowl of Doritos around, looking at his old viral vids and saying, "I'm in the empire business," is pretty funny.

[@necrosadotor]

but walt is BADASS, there's the big difference

[@johnnyperez6390]

Not the only "BIG" difference​@@necrosadotor

[@Chicken_Wing91]

@@johnhein2539then on his next video he says “I’m the one who streams”

[@rainingwhenidie]

When i first watched Breaking Bad (around 2021), i understood Skylar at first. Then pretty quickly on, i started rooting for her. She didnt do anything wrong except for smoking while pregnant

[@iiseve]

**and singing happy birthday to Ted 😂

[@belle8732]

honestly, my mom watched the show before me and always said she hated skyler. when i watched it i was so confused, because i really liked her, even when the show makes her seem a little annoying at times. i empathized with her so much.

[@JosephMichael23]

And having sex while in a marriage.

[@ChannelURL777]

And paying off her affairs massive debt

[@Seinsmelled]

bro was rooting for the least interesting character

[@lizziesaxon5132]

This felt like a very impactful documentary to watch and immediately made me come back to the brba universe that I missed so much.

[@dodonpa-1]

you typed all of that but you cant type Breaking Bad?

[@secondratefilms635]

That intro hooked me. With that level of editing, I knew I was in for a fantastic breakdown.

[@JasonThomasLionHeart]

Same. Top tier edit

[@drakothysnaco]

I was looking for this comment. What a great way to capture a viewer immediately

[@adrianesparza2684]

Amazing story telling. I learned a few things I didn’t catch even after watching the series 5 times

[@TheRealPrecaseptica]

Great essay. I'd just like to give an alternative explanation of when Walter White becomes Heisenberg. Could it be that the question should be flipped on its head? ie: When did Heisenberg become Walter White? Because the Walter we see celebrating his 50th birthday with turkey bacon and the saddest handjob I've ever seen is quite far from the Heisenberg that is the one who knocks we are led to the, i suspect intended, misinterpretation that Walter precedes Heisenberg. I think, however, that the Walter we see in flashbacks, confidently teaching Gretchen in an inspired way or boastfully home shopping with the pregnant Skylar, isn't actually the Walter we meet in the pilot episode. That is Heisenberg. Pre-crime Heisenberg, but the actual personality that used to reside in the shell of a person we meet first on his depressing 50th birthday. Breaking Bad is about Walter becoming what he always was. It is Walter choosing to fall in love with his fated end. This was always within him. Ever since he saw the shell of his father he knew, that he was predisposed to take radical measures to escape that fate. And yet he was well en route to becoming exactly that when he was awaked by a mustard stain with a side-order of a cancer diagnosis. Breaking bad, or, if you will, breaking out. Escaping the mundane slow suicide the dethroned and scorned Heisenberg was taught by civility to endure. Nietzsche would, I think, agree that Walter always had the capacity for Heisenberg within him, and I'm just taking it one step further by suggesting that perhaps there never was a Walter as we thought we knew him from the beginning of the show. We meet a man dying slowly, who comes to realise he may be dying a lot faster than he wasn't considering, and in that realisation it dawns on him that he is exactly the type of person who has always wanted, since he was a child, to design the stage more deliberately before curtain call. And, indeed, the show closes with Walter getting the only death that would fit the son of his father.

[@blowedup3207]

A great observations. Indeed, we are capable of dimming our own lights out and reigniting them just as much as the world, if not the more.

[@bringthesalsa5310]

🔥

[@WesMoast]

When are we getting the deep dive of Mr. Krabs selling SpongeBobs soul for 62 cents?

[@azuraslegs]

62nd like what do I win

[@WesMoast]

@@azuraslegs You want a Los Pollos Hermanos coupon? I hear it's succulent.

[@WesleyWyndam-Pryce]

The Kurgan, you mean.

[@stephenrobinson8244]

​@@WesMoast the vegan menu is a delight, it'll blow your mind.

[@TheMrLeoniasty]

The first 2 minutes of this video have one of the best editing I have seen in any KZbin video! This is some top level storytelling After finishing the video I have to congratulate the creator. The editing throughout this whole video essay is top notch! I cant even imagine how much time it took to find all of these specific shots and sentences. Some of the visual similarities from shot to shot that you managed to find are just si beautyfull! The one where Jessie looks at Walter one last time fluidly jump cutting into young Jessie speaking to a younger Walt. Perfection! Keep it up man! This type of content is what KZbin is made for I hope you get millions of views and get the recognition you deserve!

[@jamierush1167]

100% agree!

[@tiburcio43]

I love the way Walter smoothly and believably transitions from the nice guy school teacher to the bad ass drug lord.

[@Chaotic_evil_duck]

As Vince Gilligan put it they turned Mr Chips into Scarface

[@SoldierforGod]

I learned this from another great Breaking Bad breakdown: The final episode’s title - Felina - is 2 things: 1. Felina is an anagram of the word Finale. 2. If you break down the word Felina in elements - Fe, Li, Na - you get Iron, Lithium, and Salt or Blood, Meth, and Tears…..

[@iamcasihart]

Beautiful, magnificent tribute to the greatest television series of all time. I’m actually crying tender, bittersweet tears. This show means so much to so many of us. You did a brilliant job. Thank you!

[@josealexandre]

Everything can be Magnus Opus if presented with a Interstellar theme. But it is indeed

[@snaxnuggetz9690]

What a beautiful video! The sound design is very impressive. It made me immersed in this world of you speaking about the show.

[@figfate]

Really well done video essay. It was a fun watch! Breaking Bad (and Better Call Saul) are the up there with the greatest TV shows in history.

[@AbrasiousProductions]

well Fraggle Rock is television's Magnus Opus but Breaking Bad is a very close second.

[@gypsydanger1013]

My mother would be extremely pleased to hear someone else believes this lmao

[@jonbourgoin182]

38:10 you forgot to mention how proud Walt felt of Jesse, because all the gauges on the equipment and everything was set up exactly as Walt would have wanted. Jesse finally passed one of Mr White's test with flying colors.

[@MrRickstopher]

Walt became Heisenberg the moment he built a robot that shoots bees…

[@ChristopherJames1993]

To be fair, the difference between a genius and a psychopath is one bad day and 2,000,000 dollars.

[@morigahn]

"But Heisenberg threw the pizza" got me 😂😂

[@gabeF40]

Cannot put into words how fucking insane this is! Keep it up bro!

[@keilabustamante2903]

breaking bad is so good, that nearly 20 years later after its release, people are still analyzing it and talking about it

[@FupaDoncic]

There’s a fear and anxiety about things when we’re alive that we often just settle for the easiest path that also protects our egos. With him seeing death coming, he had nothing to hold back. It’s kind of like a xanny head, lying, stealing , cheating, getting over on people, and extremely moody. Fearing no repercussions do it the anti anxiety effects.

[@originalSiiiN]

this is my new favorite BB video essay, thank you!!

[@annabananalover4229]

Omg the scene where Walt talks about his father passing is so hard to hear. The way he described his breathing as an empty spray paint can. If you've ever seen anybody pass away, especially from lung cancer that is horrifyingly accurate.

[@Nik-ei9st]

21:43 in house md there’s a scene where Wilson (a cancer doctor) says, a lot of death bed people aren’t thrilled when they receive a remission diagnosis. They had made their identity into being the terminal cancer patient. And when that label is taken from them, they feel lost or even angry. So the only way I would say he became Heisenberg in this scene is because when he lost his cancer patient identity , he needed a new label to replace it. He can’t choose to be something average again, he needs something special. Something that makes him stand out from other people. Terminal cancer patient is on one side of this scale, supreme drug lord is on the other. But bald science teacher with a normal wife and kids? That label isn’t on this scale at all.

[@bananasinfrench]

This video is an absolute masterpiece. The quality of the writing is excellent, with some points and details I've never seen anyone else point out before! But also THE EDITING MY GOD!! That opening mv was beautiful and so well-crafted, but then the exact same craftsmanship carried on throughout the video! I had to liveblog to my friend as I was watching cuz there were so many little editing moments that had me losing my mind. It's like you enhanced the emotions that were already in those scenes, or bolstered what they wanted to communicate by intercutting them with different scenes. You have a great skill for this, amazing work!

[@BhrisomSarma]

Ozymandias still scares me to this day. I know it might sound silly but that episode left a hole inside me. And the final episode also. I know walt was a bad person, but if you look through his eyes, imagine doing all this for your family and seeing your son shoving you off and getting scared of you. Walt broke exactly at that point. And this feeling scares the shit out of me

[@icecoldnut5152]

Walt started becoming heisenberg the day he was born. He was already an egomaniac frame 1, harboring resentment towards his former colleagues and boss. He doesn't just do things for the family, but their praise. He latched onto that appreciation once he got into business. He liked feeling powerful and in control.

[@YoungSinai]

This editing is amazing

[@SlamBolts]

Ever since Better Call Saul ended, the stream of Breaking Bad analysis content had slowed down considerably. Glad to see new vids still talking about it ❤️

[@MrCount987]

Really a unique relationship between 2 characters, dont think that we ever seen anything similar in cinema history. Also small detail - from start to finish Jesse constantly calling Walter ''Mr White" that just shows that weird respect and admiration that he has for him...

[@dappercrab4243]

This is without a doubt the best Breaking Bad video I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of them. Good fucking work man!

[@mariotuber2866]

I never actually considered the possibility of Walter's final moments looking at his reflection being a parallel to the mirror scene from Season 2, that's pretty neat if it was intentional. Great job with the video overall, I wouldn't call BB my favorite show but I do think it's a pretty great one and you had some really good takes on it here. Bravo, Joe!

[@cr0077_]

Only 2 min in, but have to say - fantastic intro compilation, probably the best I've seen on KZbin (and I've seen a lot lol)

[@epic_andra]

Thank you for also talking about Bryan Cranston. Sometimes people forget that behind Walter White we have a real person who brought this amazing character to life. He was so good in this role, he melted completely into it, that people forget to separate the actor from the character

[@TyPier]

this is the most beautiful essay i have seen on this show, I love all the interconnected stuff you found

[@the.ex.terminator]

He really dropped the hardest breaking bad edit, and apparently not a lot of people noticed

[@Chineseisntalanguageapparently]

I like how he implies Mr krabs is the biggest monster of tv history

[@alexisbrooke2768]

First video I’ve seen of yours, and I’ve seen a lot of these BB analyses/essays. The intro montage got me hooked and the intro gave me chills. Excited to hear the rest, thanks for this great piece ❤

[@blowedup3207]

Damn. You really gathered EVERYTHING this had to offer on the scene of what this was about and how it was delivering it all, even jokes, damn. What a gathering of everyone's thoughts and so beautifully composed into a single magnum opus, great job.

[@gustavmarkovic31]

Great inclusion of the snippet of Walt Whitman, and connecting that to the final shot. Yet another brilliant hidden detail I had not realised was there. Great documentary!! Truly the best show ever made.

[@bufotoxinbufo]

Honestly the best breakdown I've ever seen, my man. Auto subbed

[@Oneandonlyagust]

22:20 This is the moment Waltuh became the one who knocks

[@astronomical9336]

The quality of this video is insane considering how small a KZbinr this guy is. Props!!!! Keep it up.

[@deeplydownside]

I have watched a lot of Breaking Bad video essays in my time, and this is one of the best. Well done! Subscribed and looking forward to more from you.

[@MrIdioxx]

The way this video made me hooked from the begining to the end, keep it up man🔥

[@CallofFreaky]

“Every life comes with a death sentence” is cold 🥶

[@katwalkerhextall]

Beautifully put together, a worthy tribute to my favourite show. Thank you so much for this.

[@aleklucero7576]

This is phenomenal. Gave me goosebumps several times. Thank you

[@RobbieLugos]

12:26 Good essay, but the plane collision killed 167 people. Not hundreds plural.

[@ellaphx]

My facebook banner in the leadup to the finale was a picture of Jesse with the text: IF JESSE DIES, WE RIOT 😂

[@ethancombe536]

What a fantastic video essay! this needs to blow tf up

[@sananselmospacescienceodys7308]

Steve Jobs once said that television was the most corrosive of all technologies. But then he added that at its best TV could be magnificent.

[@Litepaw]

What a great video. Maybe the best video I've ever seen about breaking bad, or any show or movie for that matter

[@jamierush1167]

This video is the magnum opus of youtube essays. Holy crap, this is so good. Even weaving in that Crime and Punsihment quote? My goodness this is 🔥🔥🔥

[@lici779]

I cried. The work put into this video. omfg

[@Gothicgirlscout]

i just finished the series a few months ago. a friend of mine who get this was also dying of lung cancer recommended it to me. i also saw el camino and getting ready for better call saul

[@cmonman3639]

Did your friend get into meth manufacturing?

[@einfach_lost]

You really made the best video essay I have seen about breaking bad. Thank you for talking about the Episodes nobody talks about

[@maximusolivia9982]

16:20 I think you missed a key point to the go kart scene (in addition to what you said). I think It also represents the very real physical suppression of joy that a meth addict experiences . When high, you are amped up and everything becomes exciting. (At least in the beginning). Pretty soon it robs of you that very thing. When he screams while driving around the track, he’s trying to “feel” again… to trigger something exciting again…. Because again the drug robbed him of that and left him flat, unmotivated and morose.

[@Dylanthestudent]

It strikes me that Vince Gillian says in his opinion when referring to Walt’s character. I love that.

[@epicmaster46]

This isn’t a video essay, this is a clip show of Breaking Bad’s greatest scenes with narrative bridges throughout. And I’m here for it.

[@jonbourgoin182]

How would a video essay be presented differently then?

[@kylmon4759]

man this wus PHENOMENAL u have to do better call saul in this format be there day one

[@marionhills8031]

the “i am the danger” blooper killed me….perfect editing there

[@Faye_Thinks]

Wow this is the content I aspire to make. good job, loved this review. xx

[@simonhartling6011]

This is a great and very well made video and the hope your channel grows bigger and bigger

[@Connor-fj5rc]

Walter White may not be the most psychologically complex character on television, characters like Tony Soprano or Jimmy McGill have a little more nuance; but Walt is still the best character on television because you don’t just understand his turn to the dark side in on an intellectual level, you can feel it. Breaking Bad is often criticized for being a power fantasy, but that’s precisely the point. Walt is living out his power fantasy in the form of Heisenberg and even when he is doing the most reprehensible things there is a tiny part of us that is still rooting for him. There is a tiny part of us that feels the same gratification Walt feels when he embraces the Heisenberg persona. That’s because there is a tiny Heisenberg inside all of us and the whole point of the show is to warn us that if we let it out, though it may feel good, we could lose everything that truly matters to us.

[@Dash-lb8cd]

Imo Walt is just as nuanced and complex as Tony Soprano and a little more than Jimmy. If we analyze his motives and psychology, we see how incredibly layered and conflicting he is. He's basically both narcissistic and altruistic at the same time, his development makes him appear as if he's a completely changed man yet never changes to his core, his incredibly deep and complex dynamic with Jesse and his motives are arguably the most complex of all time. We see the nuanced detail as well of how the memory of his father impacted his psychology and ultimately add more depth to him as a whole, and it adds even more layers, giving us further introspection into why Walt thinks the way he does and goes deeper into his flawed mindset, which gives his tragedy even more depth. I think people don't see Walt as complex as characters like Tony, Jimmy, etc because they have a very surface level understanding of his character and think he's a simple character that just goes from "good" to "bad" which is a massive oversimplification of his character. But I do agree with you on the emotional aspects on Walt's character, which is one of the things that hooks you in. He has everything, both the complexity/depth and the emotional/tragic aspect which is what makes him the goat protagonist for me.

[@bohdanvakulenko4266]

Sopranos is objectively fucking boring. Outside of the ending and grape episode nothing made me go “oh shit” like Breaking Bad. Gustavo,Mike,Hank are secondary characters you can base a show on alone. That’s why we had Better Call Saul. Compare that with Many saints of Newark and Vince is straight up more talented than Chase.

[@gregorysgarrison]

I always thought it was a mistake for people to think Walt changed into Heisenberg. If you look at the beginning and the flashbacks to the past, there really isn't any evidence that he was ever some great guy with a winning personality. It is even revealed that his initial hooking up with Skyler was a sort of manipulation more than an organic love affair. Of course it was. He is a mad genius. Every relationship he has is a manipulation. People with extremely high IQs can't relate to regular people. They are either alone or users.

[@TsukiNoInu93]

Yup

[@ChimeraVI-j3r]

that edit at the start is perfect the music the scenes the emotion behind all of it the message the video after it 😩im glazing a little bit

[@phoenyx555]

"I'm in the Empire business". Quits the "Empire" few weeks later.

[@LocaltheStream]

Great quality video! I can feel the amount of time you put into it. Great Great work!!

[@Jai6yn]

Sick ass intro dude, very well put together!

[@morrieispanicking5337]

This is the best video I've watched in a long time. Your insight and intelligence as well as eye for artistic detail are evident. Keep creating.

[@DanzelGlovington]

Best show, and a real special time to be watching along while it was airing. Some prefer better call saul which I also love but this takes the top spot just slightly for me.

[@raymondsims7042]

Yeah breaking bad is hands down one of the ten best shows ever made in my opinion

[@calvinreid6322]

You’re intro for this video might be the best one I’ve ever seen

[@John_Doe556]

That had to be one of the best intros to a video I’ve ever seen. Editing was awesome and really drew me in. Keep it up!

[@Hotslicer]

Incredible video man, glad to see you back on KZbin!

[@DeutschFuerEuch]

Kudos to you for making the connection between Crime and Punishment and Breaking Bad - pleasantly surprised to see this take, it's rare and I don't find much agreement for it. But what on earth compelled you to call a novel that spans anywhere from 500 to 800 pages depending on version and sits somewhere between Realism and Symbolism a "magical little fairytale"? lol

[@gallbladder54]

holy moly the intro for this video was so good

[@gregorylamsfuss4764]

Amazing Video Thank you so much for your work

[@lagomorphine]

September 7, 1958 is the exact moment Walt Whitmam became Hindenburg

[@scottieman2]

Every episode is great.

[@catalystzerova]

YO that opening edit was so fucking good I don’t even know if I wanna watch the video essay

[@andreschaves715]

this was incredibly well done. had me tearing up more than the show itself.

[@TubbleStarcraft]

Really well put together, loved the edits.

[@blakenokomis1573]

The premise alone was just too potent for the show to fail.

[@themann70]

Great video man, watched almost every analysis video is this may be my favorite

[@roloherrera2002]

Greatly crafted video, the intro was amazing

[@rajatchopra1411]

3:58 That transition, man oh man, was 99.6% pure!

[@dierlos]

Great essay, and great format too!

[@SkyRunner21]

I've been to prison, tortured, solitary confinement and all that shit broke me... when Walter offered 10 thousand dollars for 2 hours of having company made me so sad that I couldn't cry... You feel others pain only when you have first hand experience... I want to be alone 90% of the time and day and night, I dont like people, but being completely alone is much worse than death...

[@Hellomarsh]

This introduction alone is amazing. Cant wait for the rest this shift