Breaking Bad and Hype

With the show in its final season and the aforementioned "hype" being greater than ever, I figured I'd address the current "gap" in my television viewing experience that is Breaking Bad (cue gasp and riot, no stones please).  So here it goes.

My resistance to the show started with reasonable intentions and no hard feelings towards it at all.  It began like this: I simply know what types of shows are my favorites, what genres I gravitate to.  I mostly like comedies, or the hour long dramedies filled with quirk and witty banter and ridiculously likable characters. To give some examples, my current favorites are things like Psych, White Collar, Eureka, and Warehouse 13.  These shows have a lot of fun, don't take themselves too seriously, but still give audiences some nice and deep emotional moments usually reserved for finales.  Hard drama has never been my thing, no matter how well done it is.  I knew that out there in the world, Breaking Bad was doing quality work and making a name for itself.  It just wasn't for me, and I thought that was okay.

But then it started: I'd mention my passion for television in conversation with someone, and their eyes would light up and say, "So you've seen Breaking Bad right?"  And I'd shake my head a little, tell them it wasn't quite for me, and try to move on by asking if they'd seen one of my shows.  Oh, the outrage!  How could I call myself a television fan without watching the best thing on television?  Or, what do you mean it's not for you, it's for everyone!  Or, but it is funny, Jesse is hilarious!  Or, sure Walter becomes a murderous soulless monster, but he did it for his family, and who needs likable characters anyway?

And I'd almost be convinced, honestly.  For a show that's got everything going for it, well, rabidly passionate fans are definitely on the top of that list.  And so I told them what I still say to this day:  Maybe I'll try it sometime.

That statement isn't a lie or meant to placate -- I truly believe that maybe I will watch the show eventually.  I love television, and though I do have favorite genres, I'm open-minded.  I've found some interest in drama with stuff like House of Cards, after all, and that certainly doesn't have likable characters.  I also don't avoid things just to break conformity or something, though my resistance has grown because of all the hype.  How could I not be a little jaded when I'm told my favorite, fun but not necessarily "quality" shows aren't worth my time in comparison to the God of all shows? How could I not roll my eyes just a little when my Facebook feed has nothing but reactions and spoilers for the latest episode and OMG, BREAKING BAD, OMG.

Can you blame me, really?  (Most of you will still say yes.)

But still.  Maybe I will.  When I've thought about starting the show in the past, it's always been with a few reservations.  What if it doesn't live up to all the hype people have made of it?  Or worse, what if it does?  What if I become just another rabid fan telling everyone regardless of genre preference that they MUST watch this show or they haven't truly lived?  Some of you might say I'm exaggerating but...it's damn near close to the truth.

The reason I'm bringing this up now is because of a recent conversation I had with one of my friends, Ethan.  Out of the many people that have tried to convince me to watch the show, he was the most effective because he didn't try.  He didn't sell it to me, he just said he really got into it, it's so good, and he found himself laughing so much at the funny parts.  He didn't say it was the greatest; in fact, he mentioned it just briefly, just to recap on the shows he's binged on from Netflix recently.  He talked about Breaking Bad and White Collar in the same five minutes, put them right up together with the same sort of enthusiasm and interest.  It was this conversation that has me thinking about starting the show more seriously than ever before, though by now I'm sure I'll wait until after the finale and the dust settles.

I just figure if Ethan can get past the hype and see it as just another good show in a long list of currently good shows on the air (or Netflix), maybe I can too.