Breaking Bad

[Coroner]

I´m usually not wasting my time on television shows with a few classic exceptions. The last show I followed dates back to the 1990ies. A lot of people would agree if I say that the USA produced mainly garbage throughout the last decade, meaning the 2000s. But Breaking Bad doesn´t fit into the category of all the CSI and Desperate Housewives crap. Has anyone seen this show? I saw a few episodes on the German-French channel ARTE and I think it´s being aired on AMC in the US and Canada.

[gmercer]

I´m usually not wasting my time on television shows with a few classic exceptions. The last show I followed dates back to the 1990ies. A lot of people would agree if I say that the USA produced mainly garbage throughout the last decade, meaning the 2000s. But Breaking Bad doesn´t fit into the category of all the CSI and Desperate Housewives crap. Has anyone seen this show? I saw a few episodes on the German-French channel ARTE and I think it´s being aired on AMC in the US and Canada.

Actually, oustide of the crap you'll find on the major networks, this last decade was considered by many to be the golden age of television. Most of the great stuff was on cable since it didn't have to be watered down to appeal to the masses, and the writers were free to take more risks. I'd have to say that the stuff AMC is doing like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, the Walking Dead, even the last half season of Rubicon has been very exciting. HBO had some quality stuff like the Wire, the Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, Carnivale, Rome, that new show Boardwalk Empire has been decent, and True Blood is pretty good. They also had some great comedies like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Flight of the Conchords, and Extras, and some great mini-series like Band of Brothers and John Adams. Showtime has started to become competitive with HBO in terms of quality with stuff like Dexter, Weeds (the first 3 seasons), and Nurse Jackie. Starz has recently gotten in the game, but the only show I really like on there is Party Down, which wasn't renewed after the second season. FX had the Sheild and now Sons oF Anarchy which are both excellent shows. So there is plenty of good stuff out there, you just have to search for it.

[lisaparadise]

I´m usually not wasting my time on television shows with a few classic exceptions. The last show I followed dates back to the 1990ies. A lot of people would agree if I say that the USA produced mainly garbage throughout the last decade, meaning the 2000s. But Breaking Bad doesn´t fit into the category of all the CSI and Desperate Housewives crap. Has anyone seen this show? I saw a few episodes on the German-French channel ARTE and I think it´s being aired on AMC in the US and Canada.

really csi ,csi miami,csi new york law and order svu,the good wife,no ordinary family,house,ncis,hawaii 5 0,ncis las angelas 24,criminal minds,the event,glee,the mentalist,lie to me,30 rock and hockey night in canada coaches corner with don cherry.im pretty sure television in the past decade is better then you think.

[Coroner]

Actually, oustide of the crap you'll find on the major networks, this last decade was considered by many to be the golden age of television. Most of the great stuff was on cable since it didn't have to be watered down to appeal to the masses, and the writers were free to take more risks. I'd have to say that the stuff AMC is doing like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, the Walking Dead, even the last half season of Rubicon has been very exciting. HBO had some quality stuff like the Wire, the Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, Carnivale, Rome, that new show Boardwalk Empire has been decent, and True Blood is pretty good. They also had some great comedies like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Flight of the Conchords, and Extras, and some great mini-series like Band of Brothers and John Adams. Showtime has started to become competitive with HBO in terms of quality with stuff like Dexter, Weeds (the first 3 seasons), and Nurse Jackie. Starz has recently gotten in the game, but the only show I really like on there is Party Down, which wasn't renewed after the second season. FX had the Sheild and now Sons oF Anarchy which are both excellent shows. So there is plenty of good stuff out there, you just have to search for it.

Some of the shows you mentioned run on European channels, too. It´s mostly crime, medical drama but and some mystery that´s being shown here.

[gmercer]

Some of the shows you mentioned run on European channels, too. It´s mostly crime, medical drama but and some mystery that´s being shown here.

Yeah, I can't stand those cookie cutter procedural shows. You'll notice that the only cop shows I listed were about crooked cops, a serial killer forensic scientist, and one that shows all points of view of the drug game. Not your usual good guy/bad guy, everything is tied up in a nice little bow at the end of every episode type crap that's all over the major networks.

Network TV has to appeal to a large group of people because they make money primarily on ad revenue. So they have to gear their shows to the greatest common denominator, make them easy to follow, and wrap up most of the plot each episode instead of letting things build for an entire season or series. They try to put on serials like Lost and 24, which were quite good for a while, but for every one of those that succeed in finding an audience, you end up with a half dozen that fail in the first couple of seasons. So you end up with a 4th or 5th reiteration of Law & Order, or another CSI, or another variation of reality shows like Survivor, American Idol, and the Bachelor, because the networks consider them safe bets.

Anyway, I think network TV as we've known it is going extinct. The ratings numbers compared to 20 years ago when there were fewer choices is just sad, and can't continue much longer at this pace and still remain profitable for their corporate owners.

[Instrumental]

Breaking Bad is one of the best shows I've ever seen. Sucks that it won't be until July that the new season starts. =(

[scubaman]

Breaking Bad is one of the best shows I've ever seen. Sucks that it won't be until July that the new season starts. =(

You can always do On Demand or get them from Netflix.

[kukm4]

Have you seen The Wire yet?

[elvis_p]

Breaking Bad is one of the best shows I've ever seen. Sucks that it won't be until July that the new season starts. =(

Agreed. JULY?!?! CRAP. Recently watched the third season again. I enjoyed Dexter, Boardwalk Empire and The Walking Dead this year, but for me, Breaking Bad is consistently the best in its storylines and character development.

[hippifried]

Love that show. I'm pretty much burned out on cop & lawyer shows.