In spite of not thinking the last 2 episodes have been up to par, I prefer BB overall to either Sopranos or The Wire. Although admittedly I'm not as crazy about either of the latter as most of 2+2 seems to be; they both had long stretches of episodes I wasn't that fond of, and neither would make my top 10 of all-time (whereas BB likely would). Also, Walt is a more relatable character than anybody in those other shows, which makes BB feel more intense and personal in a way. It's somewhat apples/oranges though.
I'm just frustrated with the arguments always reaching the same spot. Its like Godwin's law or something but instead of reaching "Hitler", it always seems to come back to "Yeah well the Wire is way better"
What are you gonna do? Wire devotees are insufferable (love Klosterman's piece on BB where he touches on that). Arguing with them is like arguing about religion.
Well it's not like people go into Dexter threads and say "The Wire is better tho", the reason people bring up The Wire and The Sopranos and Mad Men when discussing BB is because BB fans launched it into the discussion
For sure it is totally reasonable and natural to compare The Wire and BB, given that both shows focus heavily on drugs and are widely regarded as being among the best shows on TV. It's just that when you actually compare them you realize they are totally different animals, but some people insist on grading BB by the same metric they would use for The Wire because the latter is the be-all and end-all of TV.
Agree with Nath. The writers do a very good job at getting out of impossible situations without using any dei ex machina. Each individual scenario is at least plausible. It's only when you look at them all at the same time that it starts to feel ridiculous. I'm willing to let it slide since it makes for very compelling TV.
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Originally Posted by AKSpartan
Guys, this show is amazing, just enjoy it.
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Originally Posted by AKSpartan
And I personally have always found the show incredibly intense and suspenseful. Could just be the weed.
I get too loaded to give a ****. If I'm entertained, that's it.. that's all I care about. Breaking Bad rarely disappoints.
"Despite never enjoying large commercial success or winning major television awards, The Wire has been described by many critics as the greatest television series ever made and one of the most accomplished works of fiction of the 2000s." -Wiki
"Breaking Bad has received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its writing and cinematography as well as for Cranston's and Paul's performances. It has won six Emmy Awards—including three consecutive wins for Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Cranston—in addition to numerous other awards and nominations." -Wiki
Imo it's "easier" to compare BB to the Sopranos or 24 (not Mad Men or The Wire).
The Wire is more institution-driven, Breaking Bad is individual-driven
The main thrust of The Wire is the ways in which the institutions of Baltimore work to destroy the individual and steer him into a predetermined fate
The main thrust of Breaking Bad is how the actions of Walter White reveal his character and affect everyone around him
This makes them tough to compare on a meaningful level because they're doing such different things.
That's why I mentioned Sopranos (first, because the comparison of Tony Vs. Walt and Carmella Vs. Skyler can be attempted) and 24 (Jack Vs. Walter.. but meh).
All of these shows are crime and drama themed, but none of them are approaching their subject matter in the same way (as you described).
I watched The Wire when it first came out and then just stopped watching it (can't remember why though). I'll definitely get back into it. As far as 24 is concerned, I never really "got it". I doubt that will become a show I revisit (ever).
One bad episode and the haters storm of out their Wired and Mad Men ****holes.
Well, at least The Wire people have something, the ****ing Mad Men fanboys just make me laugh. Losers. Sopranos too. It's the Wire and Breaking Bad then you can debate tiers.
Wait, is 24 actually considered a good show? I watched until like beginning of S5 and was fed up with each season being the exactly ****ing same and just stopped watching assuming it was like a Prison Break that ran like 6 seasons too long instead of 2.
Also, do we know how near Jesse was to Gale exactly? I think even if Gale would have gotten the message Jesse would've still gotten him.
Anyway, it relying on something unlikely (Gale missing his call) is not really a problem since Walt's life equity was zero before he made that move and positive after he made that move, it was a +ev move for him and the only one I could see.
Also, The Wire has the best storyline there probably will ever be and I haven't seen a series that can come close, I agree with that, but that isn't the sole factor in rating a series.
And The Wire has some unrealistic parts too(wire spoilers next obv),
like how Omar stays alive for so long and doesn't get any serious jailtime or the whole Hamsterdam and Homeless killer plotlines. Doesn't make the wire any less good though imo.
I still think The Wire is the clear GOAT, but at least for me personally BB has a shot and I feel like a big part of the community feels the same way.
Don't compare The Wire to BB. The Wire had huge casts and aspirations. It was a big budget production, think Star Wars. BB is like an independent Sun Dance film. You just can't compare them fairly. The wire tried to examine an entire city and all its instruments. BB examines a handful of individuals.
One bad episode and the haters storm of out their Wired and Mad Men ****holes.
Well, at least The Wire people have something, the ****ing Mad Men fanboys just make me laugh. Losers. Sopranos too. It's the Wire and Breaking Bad then you can debate tiers.
In spite of not thinking the last 2 episodes have been up to par, I prefer BB overall to either Sopranos or The Wire. Although admittedly I'm not as crazy about either of the latter as most of 2+2 seems to be; they both had long stretches of episodes I wasn't that fond of, and neither would make my top 10 of all-time (whereas BB likely would). Also, Walt is a more relatable character than anybody in those other shows, which makes BB feel more intense and personal in a way. It's somewhat apples/oranges though.
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