Breaking Bad is the unique story of a struggling high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) who has been diagnosed with an inoperable form of lung cancer at the very beginning of season one. Financing medical treatment, and life in general becomes increasingly difficult so he turns to a life of crime, cooking and dealing chrystal meth with the aid of a former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). Walter aims to secure his family’s financial future prior to his inevitable death from the curse of cancer.
The series premiered in January 2008 on cable network AMC and is produced by Sony Pictures Television. Part 2 of the fifth and final season will begin on August 11, 2013. The eight final episodes are sure to provide more of the addictive appeal that has made Breaking Bad one of the world’s most popular recent TV series.
Breaking Bad has won four ‘Golden Globes’ and seven ‘Primetime Emmy Awards‘ including three ‘Best Actor’ wins for Bryan Cranston and two ‘Best Supporting Actor’ wins for Aaron Paul.
The end now approaches for Walter and Jessie as the last of the final eight episodes will air on September 29th, 2013. The end of part one of the final season left us with a cliffhanger conclusion and we are promised “massive changes for all our beloved characters” in the remaining episodes. Walter finally agrees to quit producing Meth and brother-in-law DEA agent Hank discovers the book Gale gave to Walt with the hand-written line “to my other favourite W.W” on the first page. The sudden look of realization on Hank’s face is an indicator of things to come.
Very little has been leaked about what remains for viewers but one thing is certain, more shock and awe tactics are a certainty. Bryan Cranston has said that writer, producer and creator of Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan feels that the show has enough storyline left to go beyond the final eight episodes but this will not happen. For the time being the odds of further extension are remote but a year or two down the track things may be different.
There have been suggestions of making the final episode a movie length feature to air in cinemas. Again, this unlikely but sure evidence that enough material remains to extend the plot into future seasons. AMC and Sony have expressed interest in a potential spin-off series that would see the ethically challenged lawyer Soul Goodman the focus.
Until August 11 your guess is as good as mine as to what to expect. What are your thoughts about taking Breaking Bad into a sixth season? Do you think there is more gas in the tank? We would be interested to hear your take on the decision to end the show now.