Thoughts on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul

Thoughts on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul

Contains spoilers for both shows

I believe that Breaking Bad is one of the most significant pieces of media in the 2010s. I believe part of what made Breaking Bad so compelling is its relevance to the times. Breaking Bad speaks to the cynicism and the loss of faith in authority and meta-narratives, both heavily a part of 2010s culture. Breaking Bad discusses the breakdown of society, the dehumanizing nature of capitalism, toxic masculinity, the cynicism towards official authorities and for maintaining one’s moral standards; ultimately, it discusses the deconstruction of metanarratives.

In the 2010s, people are painfully aware of society’s moral shortcomings.  We are cogently aware of the injustices of the world, not just external injustices, but internal injustices within the society we live in. We know that our brands for things such as clothing and food manufacture such products through unethical means and that managing a lifestyle that is truly 100% ethical is impossible. We are painfully aware of how we are destroying the Earth. The presidency of Donald Trump and cases of police brutality also make it clear that our societies are flawed. But the average person can do nothing. The metanarrative that we have a functioning, healthy, and ethical society is broken for the majority of people, who are disillusioned and adrift. This breakdown of ethics is a big part of Breaking Bad. All the characters or almost all the characters are not ethical or moral people because of the decisions they make. Breaking Bad’s big focus on subjective morality heightens its ability to comment on the society-wide disillusionment with traditional ideas of morality. Breaking Bad was a great narrative that delivered on both spectacle and emotional engagement. But I believe it was also viewed positively because of its honesty. Like A Series of Unfortunate Events, it spoke a truth…that the world can be shit.

Mike’s role in Breaking Bad is an essential role. He demonstrates the societal breakdown of values that is ultimately fundamental to Breaking Bad. His perspective is significant because he is more of an average Joe character than people like Gus Fring or Walter. His belief is that authority is corrupt and that criminals and authority are no different; the cops are merely one gang of many. This idea is directly stated in his first speech to Peach Cobbler guy in the car. It’s somewhat of an anarchistic view of the world where there is no main society, but gangs with varying degrees of power interacting with each other. He demonstrates how it’s dangerous (in more ways than one) for authority to not have a moral monopoly. In addition to the direct damage (authorities unethically committing crimes such as police brutality, theft, and cover-ups), people become disillusioned and begin functioning only for their own ends. This is also seen in Walt, who begins his criminal life by rejecting societal values for what he perceives as his own preservation (though in reality, it’s for his validation and not his preservation). Mike is a tragedy. For all his badassery and morals, he is too weak to resist the power and money being a criminal gives him. And he knows it. He knows exactly the kind of person he is.

I love this quote: “Mike is weary. Like he’s lost a part of his soul a long time ago. And he knows it.” Mike believes he is fated to continue on the path that he is at. He’s resigned himself to corruption, which is ultimately a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s true only because he thinks it’s true.

This path mirrors how Saul has resigned himself to being a con artist. In Saul’s case, this resignation came from not feeling loved or trusted by his brother, with the two people in his life that he had positive relationships with (Marco and Kim) enabling and encouraging his negative behaviours, leading him to the conclusion that he could only get such affection through those negative behaviours. Saul has tried to fight against the temptation to be a criminal before, but has long since given up. In the episode “Bagman”, Mike and Saul are trapped in the desert. Mike says to Saul that criminals like them are trapped on the road of being against the law and that they cannot possibly escape it. On a different note, he believes and treats the criminal profession as just another job. This is in contrast to how Walter and the Salamancas use it to power trip.

I feel both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul show a descent into hell. Curiously, the decline that Walt and Saul go down is mirrored by the decline that drug addicts go down. This is another way in which they are connected to the drug ecosystem and the topic of addiction despite not being drug addicts themselves. In terms of addiction, at times they try to escape their dangerous and unhealthy lifestyle, but are again consumed by their temptation and get deeper and deeper into it. After enough of what should be wake-up calls, they finally run out-of-luck. They are thrown out of their throne of power. Another metaphorical connection someone on YouTube made is that “as the series goes on, Walter becomes more and more like a cancer to the people around him.