Hey, I make joke in my headline! Seriously, I can't imagine anyone reading yet one more raving review of this series and suddenly being convinced that it's worth the time, but I will say it emphatically... absolutely, one of the (if not THE) best TV series ever produced. I came to the show late (only a few months back) as I have such a disdain for so much TV. Only a relative handful of programs win my respect, and I think perhaps none more so than "Breaking Bad".
The premise is simple- so much so that it's the reason I wasn't interested sooner. How could a series built on a chemistry teacher turned drug maker/dealer sustain or rise above anything but some silly, stereotypical, profanity-laced, overly-violent drudge that is so much a part of our entertainment media.
What I learned by about the 3rd or 4th episode is that it is written by people fully aware of the pitfalls and predictability of modern television; they have, instead created characters with such depth, and plot twists so complex, that I had become sucked in like some drug addict, suffering the joys and anguish and yet demanding more. Characters are multifaceted, and you are expected to hate them and root for them at the same time. This is such an amazing achievement in writing and acting... the acting, of course, is first rate.
TV is really reaching a magnificent period. Of course, network and cable are being dragged down by those bored enough to obsess over "reality" television and obnoxious crime stories. Beautiful actors and actresses under 35 adorn most of the roles (being beautiful, smart, and fearless is also "reality" in the TV world of crime), all of which make shows like "Breaking Bad", "Mad Men" and a smattering of HBO shows, exceptional.
Again, among the best, "Breaking Bad" rises to the top.