‘It’s like how much more black could this be? And the answer is none, none more black.’
© Nigel Tufnel, This Is Spinal Tap
Nigel Tufnel could have unwittingly been describing Breaking Bad, a new comedy drama series created by The X Files co-producer Vince Gilligan that’s coming to FX in September.
Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White (played by former Malcolm in the Middle star Bryan Cranston), a struggling high school chemistry teacher in New Mexico who works extra hours in a car wash to help support his wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) and teenage son Walter Jr (RJ Mitte), who has cerebral palsy.
When the already tense White is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, he breaks down and turns to a life of crime, setting up a laboratory to ‘cook’ crystal meth with petty criminal Jesse (Aaron Paul) in order to make enough money to support his family.
Having seen the first three episodes, I can vouch that there is little respite from the grim reality that Walter finds himself in, but Breaking Bad can – just about – call itself a comedy.
While nobody could claim that the show is laugh-out-loud funny, there are situations and set-ups that conspire to wring a wry smile from the meanest of mouths: Jesse being an ex-student of his; Walter’s brother-in-law being a Drug Enforcement Administration agent; Skyler selling things on eBay for a few dollars while Walter’s cooking up meth with a street value of thousands; Walter being caught in the desert with a gun but no trousers.
Think Weeds meets Dexter and you’re in the right ballpark. To see for yourself if Breaking Bad is for you, and for an explanation of the show’s title, check out this trailer…
I really think Monk is fantastic ! Could you tell me when he is on in the UK again. I miss him making me laugh?
Madeleine, no sign of the new series of Monk appearing in the UK anytime soon, but it just started in the US a few weeks ago, so it shouldn’t be tooooo long a wait. Fingers crossed (but not several times in an obsessive compulsive way…)