Although it’s been seven years since Breaking Bad aired their dramatic finale, the sequel movie
El Camino that came out in 2019 brought back the infamous Walter White in a nostalgic flashback.
In a recent interview with Hollywood Reporter, Bryan Cranston describes how he doesn’t “recall seeing the ending of a show that was so well-constructed, satisfying, and legitimate. Everything just seemed to fall into place so extraordinarily well." In addition, the prequel television series Better Call Saul has found significant critical acclaim. With the massive success that
Breaking Bad has found over its five seasons, it’s time to revisit what made the show such a massive success.
One lesser-known fact is that almost no one wanted Aaron Paul to play the character of Jesse Pinkman. However, ShowBiz
Cheat Sheet explains how Paul was at a low point in his life when he auditioned for the role. He kept messing up his lines and making numerous slip-ups. On the other hand, the series creator, Vince Gilligan thankfully saw his untapped potential. To add to this,
Gala Bingo describes how the show’s director was surprised by the on-screen chemistry between Jesse and Walt, which led him to rewrite the first season’s plot to avoid killing Jesse’s character off. His incredible acting makes him an arguably key part of the
Breaking Bad cast, with his unique mixture of humor and heart in the face of catastrophe. Along with the incredible acting from the rest of the cast, it can be argued that his dedication to his role is one of the major factors contributing to the show’s widespread popularity.
An underrated aspect of the show is its wide range of visual effects. In a previous article, FotoKem colorist Tom Sartori discusses how
fine-tuning the film with color can create a whole new atmosphere. He describes how he has altered the footage so that it takes on a “sodium vapor” look for the audience, giving it a slightly yellow tint. This highlights the dramatic angles and high-contrast look of the show.
Furthermore, he describes how it obtains its trademark feel from the “old school” qualities film evokes. Similarly, the Entity FX visual effects team have done great work, such as
digitally removing the legs of a professional assassin whose mission went wrong.
In addition, they animated the infamous fly that threatened to contaminate Walt’s latest batch in his laboratory. Using CGI, they animated the fly so that it resembled a tiny dot onscreen as well as a monster taking up almost the whole frame. With the addition of these hyper-realistic visuals, it’s no wonder the show was a huge hit.
Finally, the show’s suspenseful soundscapes round out its well-executed elements. Nick Forshager, the supervising sound editor of the show mentions how they had to create sounds for intimate scenes between two actors, which can be a difficult task. Some notable sounds include Tio Salamanca’s bell and Walt Jr.’s dinging computer. These re-emerge in various episodes and are used in a fantastic way. They highlight the claustrophobic movement created by the characters as their actions increase the sense of urgency throughout the show. Along with the on-point visuals and flawless acting, this factor has contributed to Breaking Bad’s meteoric rise to success.