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Breaking Bad 101: The Complete Critical Companion by Max Dalton, Alan Sepinwall, Damon Lindelof
ratvibes's review against another edition
I don’t know why I read that. Some decent trivia though, like how the baby playing holly improvised the mama line in ozymandias
mollyjobe_'s review against another edition
4.0
This overall review of ‘Breaking Bad’ doesn’t feel too biased which seems strange considering it is someone’s thoughts on the show. Chapters were short for each episode and gave an oversight and many different ways of thinking about the small details that made the show what it is today.
Really enjoyed reading this and i love that it wasn’t unnecessary info dumping and just a different perspective.
Really enjoyed reading this and i love that it wasn’t unnecessary info dumping and just a different perspective.
kishka's review against another edition
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Solid companion to the fest series of our time.
jsisco's review against another edition
4.0
I was hoping for more overarching analysis rather than a glorified recap of each individual episode. There was a pretty glaring typo that threw me into a funk near the end, as well, but overall, this is a thrilling review of one of the best shows of all time. Would be a great gift for any fan of the show itself.
sonofatreus's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up about halfway through my second viewing of the series so I only read about half of it.
The book is arranged, after a brief introduction, so that every episode of Breaking Bad has its own little write-up/review. These come from Sepinwall’s original reviews when the show aired. On top of that, there are occasional little essays that flesh out the larger themes, discourse, and reception of the show since it ended. All in all, Sepinwall is a great writer with a very keen eye toward how television works and what it is supposed to be doing. He spots minute details that inform the viewer (or could, at least) on the entirety of an episode’s story.
One thing, above all, that this book helps do is connect threads between episodes and sometimes seasons that might otherwise be forgotten or missed. He reminds you of Chekhov’s ricin (as he calls it) repeatedly, even when it’s not necessarily in the episode. Likewise, Sepinwall’s analysis is always astute. I didn’t always agree with every point he made — specifically, I might disagree with when he made a point, not the point itself — but his reviews are always well-sourced to the episode.
Each review is some combination of criticism (how well does the episode work and why), analysis (what happened), and commentary (mostly behind the scenes sorts of comments like the fact that Mike’s character’s existence on the show was the result of a scheduling conflict with Bob Odenkirk). I might have preferred more criticism over analysis, but some episodes are fairly straightforward and only justify a quick summary.
I’d say that this is probably better for people who’ve seen the show, though there are only a few instances where future events might be spoiled by reading.
The book is arranged, after a brief introduction, so that every episode of Breaking Bad has its own little write-up/review. These come from Sepinwall’s original reviews when the show aired. On top of that, there are occasional little essays that flesh out the larger themes, discourse, and reception of the show since it ended. All in all, Sepinwall is a great writer with a very keen eye toward how television works and what it is supposed to be doing. He spots minute details that inform the viewer (or could, at least) on the entirety of an episode’s story.
One thing, above all, that this book helps do is connect threads between episodes and sometimes seasons that might otherwise be forgotten or missed. He reminds you of Chekhov’s ricin (as he calls it) repeatedly, even when it’s not necessarily in the episode. Likewise, Sepinwall’s analysis is always astute. I didn’t always agree with every point he made — specifically, I might disagree with when he made a point, not the point itself — but his reviews are always well-sourced to the episode.
Each review is some combination of criticism (how well does the episode work and why), analysis (what happened), and commentary (mostly behind the scenes sorts of comments like the fact that Mike’s character’s existence on the show was the result of a scheduling conflict with Bob Odenkirk). I might have preferred more criticism over analysis, but some episodes are fairly straightforward and only justify a quick summary.
I’d say that this is probably better for people who’ve seen the show, though there are only a few instances where future events might be spoiled by reading.
justinj42's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
4.5
Some of the best long-form film criticism I've read. Sepinwall doesn't just zhuzh up some old recaps, he fully contextualizes each episode of Breaking Bad, so a viewer can understand not just his take on what happened on screen, but the atmosphere the show debuted in. One of Breaking Bad's greatest talents is fully understanding its context—both within the larger story it's telling and how the viewer is receiving it—so unless you were watching the show as it was premiering, something like this is the only way to fully grasp what Vince Gilligan & co were doing.
When Skyler transitions from this satire of privileged white women to Walter White's conscience, it is meant to play as a confrontation to a specific type of viewer. When Walter poisons Brock, it's meant to play as confirmation that this man is as bad as all the people who pin Jane's death on him say he is. And then the last season in particular is basically fully in conversation with its audience, which just wouldn't land the same way if you're unable to get the broader context.
Sepinwall's book isn't just a great bit of criticism (though it has plenty of that), it's a vital piece of understanding what made Breaking Bad the most acclaimed show of the Peak TV era. Now please do a Better Call Saul book!!!
When Skyler transitions from this satire of privileged white women to Walter White's conscience, it is meant to play as a confrontation to a specific type of viewer. When Walter poisons Brock, it's meant to play as confirmation that this man is as bad as all the people who pin Jane's death on him say he is. And then the last season in particular is basically fully in conversation with its audience, which just wouldn't land the same way if you're unable to get the broader context.
Sepinwall's book isn't just a great bit of criticism (though it has plenty of that), it's a vital piece of understanding what made Breaking Bad the most acclaimed show of the Peak TV era. Now please do a Better Call Saul book!!!