Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

• Cast and Crew Commentaries on 2 episodes; "Breaking Bad" + "Crazy Handful of Nothin"
• Deleted/Extended Scenes
• Making of Breaking Bad (11:02)
• AMC Shootout - Interview with Vince Gilligan and Bryan Cranston (16:34)
• Screen Tests (Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt - 8:17 in total)
• Inside Breaking Bad (14 featurettes - totalling 31:42)
• Vince Gilligan's Photo Gallery (25 photos)

BD-LIVE

Second Season

• Cast and Crew Commentaries
• Deleted Scenes

The Writer's Lab - An Interactive Guide to the Elements of "ABQ"
• Inside Breaking Bad - 13 Featurettes About The Making of Each Episode (14:41)
• Season 1 Recap

• 10 Behind the Scenes pieces
• Walt's Warning Featurette (2:45)
• "Negro y Azul" Music Video (3:25)
• "Better Call Saul" Commercial (:50)
• 11 Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes
• Cop Talk with Dean Norris (4 bits running 10:24)
• Gag Reel (3:52)
• 6 Breaking Bad Original Webisodes
• Season 3 Sneak Peek (2:20)
• Vince Gilligan's Photo Gallery

• Previews
BD-LIVE

Transparent Window sticker of title inside the disc case

Bitrate:

 

Description: Breaking Bad follows protagonist Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a chemistry teacher who lives in New Mexico with his wife (Anna Gunn) and teenage son (RJ Mitte) who has cerebral palsy. White is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of two years left to live. With a new sense of fearlessness based on his medical prognosis, and a desire to secure his family's financial security, White chooses to enter a dangerous world of drugs and crime and ascends to power in this world. The series explores how a fatal diagnosis such as White's releases a typical man from the daily concerns and constraints of normal society and follows his transformation from mild family man to a kingpin of the drug trade.

Emmy Award winner Bryan Cranston stars as Walter White, a down-on-his-luck chemistry teacher struggling to make ends meet for his wife (Anna Gunn) and physically challenged son (RJ Mitte). Everything changes when Walter receives a startling diagnosis: terminal lung cancer. With only a few years to live and nothing to lose, Walter uses his training as a chemist to cook and sell crystal meth with one of his former students (Aaron Paul). As his status grows, so do his lies, but Walt will stop at nothing to make sure his family is taken care of after he's gone, even if it means putting all their lives on the line. Executive produced by Vince Gilligan and Mark Johnson.

 

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

Season 2

Extras :

More supplements than you can shake an Erlenmeyer Flask at with episode specific cast and crew commentaries, many deleted/extended scenes, a 'Making of...' and a 16.5-minute AMC Shootout - Interview with Vince Gilligan and Bryan Cranston, some screen tests, a featurette 'Inside Breaking Bad' and a 25-image "Vince Gilligan's Photo Gallery" - and this is only season one (all featurettes etc. on the 2nd disc). Season two adds 13 individual Featurettes About The Making of Each Episode, a helpful Season episode Recaps for those who don't gobble it all up in a few nights (as I did). I liked the humorous "Better Call Saul" Commercial, Cop Talk with Dean Norris and Gag Reel (heaven knows we needed some laughs). There is a Season 3 Sneak Peek. Very well done and complete - more than enough to sate the voracious fan.

BOTTOM LINE:
I entered this series blind - hearing positives but nothing detailed. I watched the entire first 2 seasons over 4 nights. This is probably not the best way to be exposed but such is the life of a reviewer without cable TV. I liked it quite a lot - especially, as I felt about The Sopranos, tackling the issues of morality. Breaking Bad harkens directly back to Film Noir - an everyday protagonist burdened under limited financial means - seizes his, illegal, opportunity to get ahead. In classic noir a femme fatale (ironically Krysten Ritter playing Jane Margolis is a perfect, if unintended, fit) can often be the motivation, but often love and money tragically collide. Here, a more noble - it seems, to stem from self-respect and love of family. What a perfect premise. It moves to some very harsh and dark areas - but this is hard drugs and more power to the screenwriters not to go soft on the topic. WARNING: these directions are not always pleasant.

The Blu-ray is the best way to see, and hear, it - but this show may be less about the presentation appearance and more about the content. It is as addictive (no pun) as any series I've seen so far and I can't wait for Season Three. This show is absolutely recommended - ditto for these two packages - just buy them together - you wont regret it!