O Malcolm, Where Art Thou?
Breaking Bad - Season 1 (2008)
rating: 2 out of 5 cravats
on DVD from Netflix
Trailers for The Blind Side suggest a film that reinforces white hegemony in America, and while I'm certain that Vince Gilligan - the creator of Breaking Bad - would argue that his show is more profound than the usual cultural sticky wicket, he'd be wrong. My new criteria is to give TV series at least two seasons before lowering the axe; Breaking Bad's "sin of pride" theme might take me somewhere, but otherwise, the show is only good if you compare it to the average prime-time drama - like, I don't know, House or something. Why so cruel? Because these are the kinds of revelations that Gilligan wins Emmy nominations with:
(1) Americans can be hypocritical about their positions on drugs.
(2) Our society is unfair to minorities, drug addicts, and poor people.
(3) Rich people get better cancer treatment because they can afford it.
(4) Even cops that look like Herc from The Wire can have a sensitive side.
(5) Life is unfair.
Amazing, no? And don't get me started on how badly the show presents sex, unless (6) women like sex best when their husbands use it to take out their aggressions on someone. I do like the Albuquerque setting, but I don't roll my eyes as much looking at photographs I took while I lived there.
rating: 2 out of 5 cravats
on DVD from Netflix
Trailers for The Blind Side suggest a film that reinforces white hegemony in America, and while I'm certain that Vince Gilligan - the creator of Breaking Bad - would argue that his show is more profound than the usual cultural sticky wicket, he'd be wrong. My new criteria is to give TV series at least two seasons before lowering the axe; Breaking Bad's "sin of pride" theme might take me somewhere, but otherwise, the show is only good if you compare it to the average prime-time drama - like, I don't know, House or something. Why so cruel? Because these are the kinds of revelations that Gilligan wins Emmy nominations with:
(1) Americans can be hypocritical about their positions on drugs.
(2) Our society is unfair to minorities, drug addicts, and poor people.
(3) Rich people get better cancer treatment because they can afford it.
(4) Even cops that look like Herc from The Wire can have a sensitive side.
(5) Life is unfair.
Amazing, no? And don't get me started on how badly the show presents sex, unless (6) women like sex best when their husbands use it to take out their aggressions on someone. I do like the Albuquerque setting, but I don't roll my eyes as much looking at photographs I took while I lived there.
posted by NPK at 9:28 AM
<< Home