Breaking Bad and Gone Girl

Monday, August 20, 2012

 
Everyone and their brother has already read and reviewed Gone Girl at this point. So instead of rehashing the plot I want to do something a bit different. Breaking Bad is one of my favorite shows on TV. There were elements of Gone Girl that reminded me a lot of the show so I thought I’d do a bit of a comparison.
 
**I will spoil nothing from Breaking Bad, but don’t read on if you haven’t already read Gone Girl. Instead, go read one of these great reviews and then go read the book!**
 
Now in its fifth season Breaking Bad continues to get better and better. It’s brilliantly written and it never fails to surprise me. The character development, the moral dilemmas, the gray areas that quickly become black and white, it’s just so well done!
 
One interesting aspect of the show is the marital relationship between Walter and Skyler White. Walter is a mild-mannered former high school chemistry professor who abandons his job when he’s diagnosed with cancer in the pilot. He decides to use his scientific knowledge to cook meth instead so he can leave his family enough money to survive when he dies. Skyler is his strong-willed wife who is unaware of his new career choices.
 
Throughout the course of the show their relationship vastly changes. Just like the married couple in Gone Girl, we start peeling back the layers and seeing a very different dynamic at the core. Both couples seem to be playing a perpetual game of chess. One will make a decision and the other carefully contemplates their strategy before making their own move.
 
Like Nick and Amy in Gone Girl, there are always secrets and the pair are never quite sure where they stand with each other. Also like our young Gone Girl couple, they seem so perfect and happy from the outside.
 
When TV or books are done right characters are multi-layered. Their motivations aren’t cut and dry. There’s growth and change and in both Breaking Bad and Gone Girl we see this happen.
 
BOTTOM LINE: The book is really good, go read it and enjoy. Breaking Bad is incredible, rent the first season and thank me later. 
 
Image form here

8 comments:

Sandy Nawrot said...

I like your approach, and happy to hear you liked the book. I'm not a TV watcher at all, but my son has watched everything he can on Netflix with Breaking Bad. He is absolutely addicted to it and is grieving that he has to wait for more. He loves the moral questions and consideration of the grey areas. He keeps telling me I need to watch it, but good Lord when? No time, no time.

Jenners said...

Love how you did this!! I've been hearing about Breaking Bad forever but you've actually convinced me I do need to watch it.

And I haven't written my Gone Girl review yet … so there is at least one more person (and their brother) who haven't reviewed it.

Anonymous said...

I've only recently joined the legions of Breaking Bad fans. I bought he first season on iTunes after a friend told me it was "based on Milton." I thought, "No one must know this, because it's way too popular..."

A reading friend at the office just read Gone Girl. Not sure I'll try that one yet.

-Jay

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Sandy - It is so surprising to me that you aren't a TV watcher. Not that you have the time, but you love movies so much!

Jenners - Ha, it's hard for me to write reviews of books that are everywhere. I get tired of seeing the same review over and over, so I don't want to add to that list.

bibliophilica - Based on Milton, I hadn't heard that before! It is brilliant though. It's one of the best written and acted shows I've ever seen.

LindyLouMac said...

No not everyone, so I was interested to read your review. I had not even heard of the book or the TV series, as we do not get it on Italian television.

Bybee said...

Just this summer, I became a fan of both Gone Girl and Breaking Bad.

Care said...

I haven't watched Breaking Bad but have been attracted to the premise.

and thanks for the link? even though my entire post was links to the other two! :P

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

LindyLouMac - Sorry! I really enjoyed Gone Girl. It's a crazy, intense ride. It's one of the only books I've read where I don't like the characters but I still really liked the book.

Bybee - It's been a good summer for you!

Care - It's a strange premise, but that definitely make it work!