7 Things I learnt from Breaking Bad.

Heisenberg’s journey is over. The show that so thoroughly engaged us is now over. Mourn over it, if you must, for you may not get to witness such a profound show in the history of television, ever again.

A 50 year old sheepish, hesitant man gets cancer which turns him into a cold blooded meth king. While the premise of the whole show may seem too farfetched, it is in fact so wonderfully tailored with layers of details and gripping plotlines, it will absorb you without making it seem fictitious.

Every show/film teaches us a thing or two. Here’s what Breaking Bad taught me—

7. No one can say ‘Bitch’ better than Jesse Pinkman.

"Bitch!"

Over the years, we have witnessed many actors immortalising themselves with particular catchphrases or dialogues. Marlon Brando with “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse” and Bruce Willis with “Yippie-kai-yey Motherf**ker!” are just a couple of examples. Aaron Paul has done the same with Jesse Pinkman. Never have I heard a word so phonetically liberating as ‘Bitch!’ by Jesse Pinkman.

6. We are all just Grey.

The show is about Walter White and his infamous deeds, or misdeeds. Generally in any form of cinema, you’ll find that there is a protagonist, and an antagonist. We all love the protagonist, the central figure of the plot, and we support them wholeheartedly. Such is the might of the protagonist, that we even find ourselves patronising a dark, cold, blood thirsty serial killer like Dexter. 

However, Breaking Bad breaks these norms. While you may grow to admire Walter White or be irked by Pinkman, you’ll see how their characters change as the show develops. Both of them fuck up bad, and with consequences; and both of them do enough good to make you like them back. That’s how life is. Everyone is both good and bad; everyone is a hero, and everyone is a villain.

5. Extreme circumstances call for extreme measures.

Mr. White finds himself diagnosed with lung cancer. A man, who had done no bad in his life, not smoked cigarettes aplenty, or cheated on his wife, or harmed anything beyond his own ego now saw himself living an undeserved crisis. The injustice was tumultuous. Life had fucked Mr. White, and for good.

So Mr. White decided to defy the circumstance. The man had but few moments to stamp his significance over the ungodly world, and he did so in style, even if it was a tad too extreme. This is how he redeemed himself.

Similarly, we all find ourselves facing such extreme circumstances embodied by unfairness and pain. We all feel the tempting need to break those cultured shackles and beat the injustice. However, we don’t always do that, we can’t always do that. Only a few great people can. C'est la vie.

4. Men in Albuquerque are mostly bald, and the Women, ugly.

Image Courtesy - Democratic Underground.

One unsettling thing about Breaking Bad is that almost every man in it is quite bald.

The women, though quite well equipped with hair, are plain ugly. Marie’s face is a buzz kill, Skyler has jaws that would put the manliest of men to shame, and Wendy the prostitute could give some competition to the aliens in Alien. Even Jesse’s girlfriends are quite okay, and Lydia, well, only Todd would fancy her.

3. Music and Cinematography play a significant role in providing a wholesome experience.

Image Courtesy - www.icgmagazine.com

Breaking Bad’s cinematography is based on a 35 mm film, instead of its digital counterpart. The cinematographer Michael Slovis has given importance to the contrasts in colour, the lighting, the usage of the ‘tobacco filter’ and other such technical aspects. The end product is a brilliant visual experience in an age of bland and bright television cinematography.

The usage of music is particularly great too and reminds you of Quentin Tarantino’s films, wherein each song is hand-picked to fit the frame. Vince Gilligan and the men behind Breaking Bad have done the same, and with such good measure! 

The background music too, is prepossessing and adds plenty to the scene.

While a normal viewer might not gauge parameters like photography and music, these details unwittingly add a lot of charm to the whole setting.

2. Good quality is never out of demand.

Thanks to his unparalleled chemical cognizance, Heisenberg produced the highest quality blue coloured crystal meth in town, and such quality paid dividends.  The druggies went gaga over his product and he soon became the talk of the undertown.

Image Courtesy - www.heisenbergschemistry.com

This just goes to show that while the manufacturers fidget over scores of factors like marketing, branding and whatnot, there is no substitute for unbesmirched quality. The long and short of it is that you give a quality product, and you will definitely be rewarded. Alas, if only people realised that.

1. “La familia es todo”.

Walter White does everything for his family. At the end of his life, he breaks bad so that he can deliver to his family, what he could not deliver for all these years – money and security. Yes, he does admit towards the end that he did it all for himself, but while there may be a hint of truth to it, he was actually just being a bigger man.

A scene from Breaking Bad. Worth every frame.

Well, what he did to make the ends meet was obviously very disagreeable, and ultimately his family did not stand by him, but then again, the man did what the man did.

So often do we see men and women going or having to go beyond the accepted spectrum in order to provide for their family, and this sentiment in itself is quite overwhelming. While friendships may not last forever in this superficial world, family quite often does. The family is what often provides you with unconditional love when all things fail. The family is all.

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Review - The Broadway Funnies!

It isn't everyday that you're invited to a musical. So, it was a rather normal evening and I was at the Comedy Store at Phoenix Mills, Mumbai to see Delna Mody along with her companions perform Broadway songs - a show called The Broadway Funnies!!!. Not a connoisseur when it comes to musicals, I was fascinated by the prospect nonetheless.

Now Comedy Store with its incredible ambience always assures a good evening. The comfortable seating, the compact auditorium and the neat lighting means that you are at the right place.

It was at around 5:30 pm that Delna Mody stepped on the stage along with her crew. The cosy stage was equipped with a Piano and some props strewn neatly across the floor. I could feel the subtle excitement as I grabbed a seat. In came Delna, looking ravishing in a red dress and wearing a merry smile on her face. The piano was taken over by a lovely Nadine Jo Crasto. Also on stage was Winston Travasso, supporting Delna with the songs

Delna Mody

Theatre and musical fanatics will surely identify Delna Mody. The talented singer, actor and dancer has worked in Canada as well as Mumbai in productions like Raell Padamsee's Sound of Music, Stop-Gaps in Widening the Street and Good Morning Miss Kathya, to name a few.

Delna elegantly introduced us to the concept of the show-a collection of 16 songs from famous Broadway musicals, which were sure to tickle your funny bone.

The artistes started off with the song Paris Makes me Horny. It was a snazzy song with a titillating tune, sharp rhymes and witty lyrics. All that coming from a blonde character in Paris. As if the first number wasn't joyous enough, what followed was a treat to the senses. We were entertained by amusing songs like 100 ways to lose a man, National Brotherhood Week, Good thing he can't read my mind among several others. The idiosyncrasies, the puns and the impeccable satire all served on a sumptuous plate made my evening.

The beauty of the songs aside, what struck me most was the vigour with which Delna and her crew performed. Delna with her charming voice and nuances will keep your eyes firmly rooted to the stage, while the ears are given a sweet treatment. Winston was majestic as well; with a booming voice and a magnificent presence, the man sure possesses a great gift. There is no song without music, and Nadine on the Piano could not have done a better job.

But like all good things, the musical had to end. End it did, but not without a bagful of hearty laughters, and rib tickling humour. A sweet showing indeed.

So, musical lovers will surely be there. But for the others, go for this, go for a change. Experience music and acting live on the stage in stead of white screens.

It isn't everyday that you're invited to a musical. But it sure is an indication that you will go for many more...