Breaking Bad Review

3D image of Walter White and Hank made with GPT

I binge-watched Breaking Bad, and it was so good that I completely lost track of time.
It was actually my second time watching it—the first was a few years ago. But this time, I saw everything from a completely different perspective.

What stood out the most were my thoughts on Walter White and Hank Schrader.

Walter White's True Intentions

• Was Walter evil from the beginning? Or was his rage triggered by his repressed life and the news of his cancer?
• The first time I watched it, I believed he chose this path for his family. Even when he told Skyler, "I did it for me," I thought he was just trying to spare her feelings.
• But this time around, I saw that Walter’s actions were driven by his own inferiority complex and desire for achievement.
• The scene where he poisons the son of Jesse Pinkman’s girlfriend with Lily of the Valley to manipulate Jesse and eliminate Gus—he was nothing short of a demon there.

Hank

• Hank is portrayed as a righteous and family-oriented DEA agent.
• During my first watch, I didn’t think much of him. He just felt like an annoying obstacle for the main character.
• But now I see him as a much more layered character.
• In Season 1, at Walter’s 50th birthday party, Hank actually outshines the protagonist. His charisma and sociability are on full display.
• As the series progresses, Hank keeps saying things like, “I never knew Walt had it in him.” It’s clear he always saw Walt as timid and ordinary.
• Though righteous, Hank is also willing to bend the rules to serve justice—something he has in common with Walt.

Conclusion

Watching it a second time made me realize that almost everyone around Walt ends up suffering. 😂
While I can understand why he made some of his initial choices, in the end, he became a true villain.

Hank is definitely one of Walt’s victims.
Imagine how he must have felt when he found out his rehab was paid for with drug money.
Near the end, the scene where Walt records a fake confession video blaming Hank—it made my head spin.

I could write much more about Breaking Bad, but I’ll stop here for Part 1.