Breaking Bad 101: The Complete Critical Companion

by Alan Sepinwall, Damon Lindelof, Max Dalton (Illustrator)

AMC’s Breaking Bad is among the most beloved, critically acclaimed American television series of our time. Created by Vince Gilligan, the series charts the transformation of high school science teacher Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston) into a cold, calculating meth kingpin. Breaking Bad 101 collects esteemed critic Alan Sepinwall’s ( Uproxx ) popular Breaking Bad recaps in book form, featuring new, exclusive essays and completely revised and updated commentary—as well as insights from and interviews with the creative masterminds behind Breaking Bad . The ultimate critical companion for one of the greatest television dramas of all time, Breaking Bad 101 offers fans Sepinwall’s smart, funny, and incisive analysis of the psychology and filmmaking craft behind each episode and celebrates the series’ unique place in pop-culture history.

Genres: Nonfiction, Tv, Essays, Pop Culture, Cultural Studies, Film, Criticism

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2017

About the author

Alan Sepinwall has been writing about television since the 1990s, first as an online reviewer of "NYPD Blue," then as a TV critic for The Star-Ledger (Tony Soprano's hometown paper), then running the popular blog What's Alan Watching? on HitFix.com and Uproxx.com, now as chief TV critic for Rolling Stone and RollingStone.com. Sepinwall's episode-by-episode approach to reviewing his favorite TV shows "changed the nature of television criticism," according to Slate, which called him "the acknowledged king of the form." He is the author of many books about television, including "The Revolution Was Televised," "TV (THE BOOK)," "Breaking Bad 101," "The Sopranos Sessions," and "Welcome to The O.C.: The Oral History."

Reviews

[Paul Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished a marathon headbanging re-watching of Breaking Bad and this is the perfect readalong book, lots of lovely comments on each & every episode, occasional articles on such essential questions as Exactly What Happened with the Damned Ricin Cigarette? (I'm still not sure I understand) and gems of background info such as the actor who went for an audition but couldn't drive so his uncle drove him there and the uncle who wasn't an actor got a job and the actual actor didn't (that's showbiz). (It was Bogdan the car wash owner).

Nothing is perfect and there are ungreat moments in Breaking Bad, some of them major - the death of Gus Fring is like something out of I Saw the Devil (South Korea, 2010) and completely inappropriate; and the machine gun in the boot in the last ep is quite ridiculous and a dismal end; but the real ending was the penultimate episode which is brilliant.


This is the darkest, most miserable show ever. That's a recommendation, if you haven't seen it.

Nomination for the most tortured character in all of fiction : Jesse Pinkman.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while I re-watched the series. The book is really fun. It’s mostly pretty light, giving a couple page recap on each episode, pointing out the highlights and adding some fun tidbits. But Sepinwall also adds interesting analysis. He really enhanced my enjoyment of rewatching the series.

A few things that stuck out to me about the book and the show. Lookout, spoilers abound.

Aaron Paul is really, really good. Sepinwall likes to point out great acting performances, and he is a big fan of Aaron Paul. I don’t understand why he isn’t a bigger deal!

I really enjoyed Sepinwall’s discussions of the Walter White character, showing how he wasn’t just someone put in a bad situation, but someone whose character flaws led to the predicaments he finds himself in, where he makes choices to go down a path that will lead to the people he cares about getting hurt. On re-watching, I found him quite loathsome, which I think is the point.

The show was also really funny at times. My favorite comedic scene: Badger talking about his Star Trek script.

The one place Sepinwall was critical of the show was a few places in the final season, where the show took some shortcuts, adding some stuff for dramatic effect that didn’t fit with the characters, or sometimes even make logical sense. I think he was accurate here, and in fact let them off too lightly. There were a few things about the final season that bothered me. Easily killing 10 people in prison without leaving any loose ends? It also bothered me that Hank refused to report his findings to the police/DEA, even though he had enough on Walter to start a serious investigation that would have eventually led to his downfall, because he didn’t have enough “proof” right then and there. It seemed artificial to me. Although, there were also some incredible moments in Season 5, having some of the show’s best episodes.

And the ending was brilliant (at least after I forgot to get annoyed about Hank not going to the police). Sepinwall’s discussion of the last few episodes, where each could be thought of as a different ending for Walter White, was particularly interesting.

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
So, I'm pretty sure I don't need to explain what Breaking Bad is, do I? One of the greatest TV dramas of all time, Mr. Chips turns into Scarface, et cetera, et cetera. This book is a collection of brief essays about each episode, a critical companion, fan resource, and all around handy book.

Most of these chapters started out as episode recaps on Alan Sepinwall's blog generally posted a day or two after the original airing -- a couple were written just for this book because he didn't recap each episode in season 1 and a later episode deserved a better recap (for reasons Sepinwall explains) -- although the original version is included as well. He does take out some of he speculation and whatnot from the original posts to provide a nice, clean look at each episode. It's more than just an episode recap, he looks at the arcs, the acting, writing, cinematography; in just a few pages he gets to the heart of the episode and helps you see all things that Gilligan et. al. were doing. The real gems are the footnotes and sidebar pieces that dive in a little further to the nitty-gritty details -- why was this decision made, where'd actor X come from, and so on. Seriously, fantastic footnotes.

This is a quick and wonderful read if you do it start to finish -- or you can just thumb through, stopping at random points to read up on an episode. The book works both ways. I imagine the best way to read it is with a remote in one hand, a DVD/Blu-Ray disc in your player and the book in the other hand. Watch an episode, read the chapter -- skipping around in the episode to re-examine shots/sequences, etc. I haven't done that, but man, I'm tempted to.

A few other things worthy of note: Damon Lindelof wrote a very amusing foreword; Max Dalton provided 12 black and white illustrations that are just perfect; the dust-jacket design is great; but more than that, the actual cover is even better; and lastly, the whole book is so well-designed and pleasing to the eye, it's nice just to look at without reading. I don't mention those kind of things enough, and need to get better about it.

Now, I've been a fan of Sepinwall's recaps/writing since the days he posted about NYPD Blue on Usenet. I also read all these posts from Season 2 on within a few hours of their original posting (I didn't start watching until after the season 1 finale -- so I read all of those in a couple of days, still pretty fresh). So I was pretty predisposed to enjoy this book, but I'm pretty sure I would have anyway.

Sepinwall is a fan of Breaking Bad, most of the stories, most of the performances, etc. But he's a thoughtful fan, not a mindless one -- he is critical of some things, this isn't just someone being a fanboy. I heartily encourage fans of the show to pick this up -- or people who've been meaning to watch it, but haven't (this book would be a much better companion than your friends who will be patronizing about you finally getting around to watching it).

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking back, I wish I could say I was on board with Breaking Bad from the beginning.

Lured by the potential of a former X-Files writer, I tuned into the first installment and let the first season stack up on my DVR – only to delete it when the DVR got full.

I didn’t quite connect with what Vince Gilligan and company were trying to do in season one. But with seasons two and three generating such a huge buzz, I decided to give the show another try. Like the product at the center of this show, I was hooked, binging all of season three in the weekend leading up to the debut of season four and then breathlessly waiting each new installment as they aired.

Part of the Breaking Bad experience wasn’t just watching the episodes, but reading Alan Sepinwall’s critical analysis of each installment. In fact, I’d argue that watching Breaking Bad without Sepinwall’s analysis, insight and thoughts wouldn’t have been as rich an experience.

And while the original reviews of each installment are easily found using Google, you can read all of Sepinwall’s thoughts on this pivotal television series in his new book, Breaking Bad 101.
In his forward, Sepinwall notes that he edited some, rewrote others and kept some pretty much close to as written at the time of the original episode’s airing. Re-reading these reviews reminded me of the high points and the points in between for Breaking Bad. The show built to huge moments by giving us those “in between” moments that many crime shows or movies would gloss over. What it left us with is a show that could wring tension out of Walt and Jesse trapped in an RV with Hank closing it while it also showed us the slow descent of a mousy guy into a self-deluded master criminal.

The great part about Breaking Bad 101 (besides having the reviews collected in one central location) is that Sepinwall doesn’t spoil future installments, seasons or developments. The book can be used if you’re coming to the show for the first time (though you may be tempted to peek ahead. Let me implore you not to. Breaking Bad is best enjoyed a chapter at a time without knowing where it’s all going to play out) or if you’re looking back on the show again. Sepinwall includes some interviews with the creative forces behind the show, looking at pivotal episodes and developments in the story of Walter White, but the real meat is the analysis. Each chapter reminded me of just why I grew to love this show and why it proved to be so incredibly addictive. In fact, the book made me want to go back and re-watch not only pivotal episodes and moments again, but the entire 62 episode run.

Breaking Bad is one of the best television shows ever made. And this companion to the show only makes it better. It reads like a lost extra from the DVD or Blu-Ray box set.

[Mike Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read whenever you go back to re-watch the show.

[Andy Reeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book while my wife and I re-watched the series, giving it the true companion treatment. Being one of my favorite TV series of all time, it was fun to read this along as I watched it. The recaps of each episode help to enhance the enjoyment of the series as Sepinwall was obviously very connected to the series' producers and actors. The insights that he shares from his viewpoint as well as the behind the scenes access he had and shares is very interesting. It helped me to better appreciate the genius that was brought to this series by the writers and actors and made for an ever better overall viewing experience.

[Mary Lins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sat down intending to just read the Foreword of "Breaking Bad 101", Alan Sepinwall's exegesis of the Best Television Show Ever, and I looked up two hours later ready to watch all 62 episodes for a third time!

The Foreword is by Damon Lindelof who was one of the creators of "The Leftovers" which was another genre-defying, ground-breaking, and addictive series. In it I was reminded of all that made "Breaking Bad" my favorite TV experience for over six years of my life; from there I had to keep reading Sepinwall's analyses and thoughtful reviews of each episode. I started with my favorite episodes - but each was so good (they are a page or two each) that I read them all.

I was an "early adopter" of Vince Gilligan's masterpiece watching from the very first episode. By season three I had everyone in my office hooked as well and looked forward to Monday mornings so we could talk about the Sunday night AMC episode - a perfect way to end the weekend and to start the week. (I also got them hooked on "Downtown Abby" so we're nothing if not eclectic in our TV tastes!)

Watching BB "real time" was an experience that seemed to happen to you. The weekly wait between episodes - often with cliff hangers dangling - was excruciating, and the months and YEARS between seasons were interminable. We real-time watchers love to tease "binge fans" that we had the authentic experience. After the series ended (perfectly, IMO) I re-watched all 62 episodes along with a friend who was watching it for the first time. "Breaking Bad 101" would have been the perfect companion for that! Watching the second time was less about the show "happening to you" and more of an illumination of how brilliantly Gilligan crafted this "Mr. Chips to Scarface" sensation. (BTW, if you haven't seen "Goodbye to Mr. Chips", please do so! It's a wonderful old-fashioned tear-jerker.)

Sepinwall, clearly a fan, writes beautifully about the show, and reading these loving criticisms took me right back into the episodes and recalled the feelings I had at the time. I don't think any other show has made me GASP OUT LOUD as BB has - even re-watching!

This book is a wonderful gift idea for the BB fans in your life. It should come with a warning, though; the book may only take a few hours to READ, but it will ready you for another deep-dive into 62 hours of The Greatest TV Show EVER!

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up about halfway through my second viewing of the series so I only read about half of it.

The book is arranged, after a brief introduction, so that every episode of Breaking Bad has its own little write-up/review. These come from Sepinwall’s original reviews when the show aired. On top of that, there are occasional little essays that flesh out the larger themes, discourse, and reception of the show since it ended. All in all, Sepinwall is a great writer with a very keen eye toward how television works and what it is supposed to be doing. He spots minute details that inform the viewer (or could, at least) on the entirety of an episode’s story.

One thing, above all, that this book helps do is connect threads between episodes and sometimes seasons that might otherwise be forgotten or missed. He reminds you of Chekhov’s ricin (as he calls it) repeatedly, even when it’s not necessarily in the episode. Likewise, Sepinwall’s analysis is always astute. I didn’t always agree with every point he made — specifically, I might disagree with when he made a point, not the point itself — but his reviews are always well-sourced to the episode.

Each review is some combination of criticism (how well does the episode work and why), analysis (what happened), and commentary (mostly behind the scenes sorts of comments like the fact that Mike’s character’s existence on the show was the result of a scheduling conflict with Bob Odenkirk). I might have preferred more criticism over analysis, but some episodes are fairly straightforward and only justify a quick summary.

I’d say that this is probably better for people who’ve seen the show, though there are only a few instances where future events might be spoiled by reading.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sort of companion that tells me I’m watching tv shows wrong. That because I did not have all the same reactions to major plot points, I did not understand the true vision.

Maybe that’s true. Television isn’t as open for interpretation the way art is. But I got a little tired of the author telling me I should feel this or I should feel that, and if I didn’t love Skyler then that meant I was a sexist. No—I just thought Skyler was a terrible wife long before the actual Heisenberg thing happened, and even after everything happened to her, it still did not endear me to her. I felt pity for her, yes, but I still did not like her.

With that being said, this book did a great job of reminding me of all the little things that pack such a hard punch throughout the series. It’s been a few years since I watched the show and it reminded me all at once of just how epic it was with storytelling and acting. It’s absolutely the type of show that only works because it has such a stellar cast. This author knows it and continuously extols their virtues as actors, and I wholeheartedly agree.

[Dhiraj Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written as a compendium of sorts to arguably the best TV show ever made i.e Breaking Bad.

I read this after having finished watching all the seasons of Breaking Bad on Netflix along with the movie El Camino which is sort of a sequel to the series.

The episode wise thoughts share by the author do provide a feeling of déjà vu (if you have already watched the show) and there are definitely some snippets of information as to why a particular event took place in the series, what was the reason or motivation behind such a such instance and how the dexterous storywriters could spin a yarn which has truly enthralled the audience of the show.

However no book can do justice to the the gradual transformation of lead characters Walter White and Jesse Pinkman respectively from high school chemistry teacher and drug addict to the leaders of the moolah raking but dangerous meth making empire. You got to watch the show to understand it.

Nevertheless you can definitely give this book a shot if you were impressed by Vince Gilligan’s vision of Breaking Bad, I was !!!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling overview of one of the true masterworks of the medium of television, what's so good it - perhaps contrary to what one might expect - finally convinced me to sit down and start The Sopranos.

As Lindelof's intro promises, Sepinwall is a truly remarkable chronicler of the ways in which long-form serial narratives unfurl, and has a ridiculously acute facility for breaking down the beat-for-beat moments of a show that lead up to such memorable sequences as the Lily of the Valley reveal. And it's now impossible for me not to think of the the last four episodes of the series as anything other than four sort of "choose your own adventure" conclusions to the saga of Jesse Pinkman and Walter White - in a good way.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bad thing about binging a series long after it’s over is that you miss all the water cooler chatter the next day. Rather than hearing passionate predictions about the next episode, you’ll hear diluted sweeping observations from people who’ve binged six other series since. Enter Breaking Bad 101: The Complete Critical Companion! TV critic, Alan Sepinwall, recaps each episode and shares extraordinary behind-the-scenes tidbits and analysis. While I prefer my entertainment to be non-violent and drug-free, Breaking Bad is teeming with extraordinary actors like Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul who make it some of the best TV you’ll ever watch. The critical companion takes it to a whole other level.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been ahead of a trend exactly twice in my life. I saw Reservoir Dogs in early 1993 so when Tarantino went mainstream, I was an early adopter. Go me. The other instance is Breaking Bad, which I started watching as a mild curiosity in 2008. Since I experienced it contemporaneously, I went from thinking it was interesting to amazing through the end. Last year, I went through the whole thing again and my opinion was refreshingly upheld. So, reading this was fun since the show was fresh in my mind. If you’re a hardcore fan but haven’t seen it in a while, this might be a tricky read because there are no recaps. If you have never seen the show, this would be a great guide to jump to after each episode as there are no spoilers. Sepinwall does call out a few flaws here and there, which was nice. His closing argument that Breaking Bad is the greatest drama on TV with and his comparisons to other shows that challenge that had me pumping my fist in agreement. The added treat here was this was a breezy read after the slew of books so far this year that we’re good but not page turners. I guess now I have to wait for Sepinwall’s Better Call Saul book.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were two reasons that I suspected that I'd like this book:
1. I'd read and really liked Sepinwall's "The Revolution Was Televised..."
2. Breaking Bad remains my all-time favorite TV viewing experience.
Suffice it to say that I was not disappointed. Reading the author's insight and opinions on each of the series' episodes was a great trip down memory lane. I'd highly recommend this to any Breaking Bad fan!

[Mike Maroon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's no secret I think Breaking Bad is the greatest television series ever made. Well, of the ones I've seen, and I've seen all the critical darlings like The Wire, The Sopranos and Mad Men (all great, but none of them are Breaking Bad). I'd not heard of this book before it was given to me as a Christmas present, but I read it quickly, as fast as I've read any book. A concise summary of every episode, in order, the author offers opinion and insight in depth enough to satisfy and enlighten anyone, including BB nerds like me. I thought I knew all about the series, having watched it all the way through as it aired on AMC and again on Netflix. Sepinwall, however, managed to teach me a few things about Walter White and company. I'll include no spoilers here and, if you are not finished with the series I'd advise reading no farther in this book than you've watched. Suffice it to say this book is well written and entertainingly so. Breaking Bad the series is artful and moral TV in its highest form that manages to be wild and woolly at the same time, layered with meaning while being relentless and unapologetic in it's point of view. Alan Sepingall succeeds in adding more layers in a way that might make the reader quote the great thespian, Keanu Reeves, who famously said, "Whoa!". If you love BB you'll love this companion book. If you've never seen the show and pick up this book, it might just entice you to turn on Netflix and not move for the next 62 hours.

[Josh Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Sepinwall’s writing. But man, following the book on The Wire, I wanted more from this. Wanted more behind the scenes on the creation and less recaps. Which isn’t fair for my grade because that’s not what this is. Blame my review on timing I guess.

Still enjoyed it. Was fun following again during my rewatch. 8.5/10

[Leew49 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I missed the original run of the critically acclaimed and very popular TV series "Breaking Bad," because my work schedule never seemed to match up well with its airtime. But recently I was able to binge watch it, and found it every bit as entertaining and artistically crafted as I had been told. In fact, the viewing experience was so first rate that I decided to prolong it in a sense by reading about it.

BREAKING BAD 101 is written by Alan Sepinwall, a TV critic and episode blogger with a wealth of credentials. Foremost among these is the fact that he wrote his analysis of the episode "Ozymandias" from a hospital bed while recovering from an emergency appendectomy. That kind of dedication deserves an audience. The book proceeds episode by episode through the entire run of the series, providing analysis, background and commentary; and is augmented by footnotes* and sidebars that provide more detailed information about the characters, actors, plot elements, and almost anything one might think to ask about this remarkable television series.

Sepinwall not only viewed the show religiously and with great care; he also interviewed Vince Gilligan, the show's creator, as well as various writers, directors, and actors. Writing, direction, acting and cinematography all get their share of insightful analysis, along with background and thoughtful interpretation. In these pages we learn, to take a few examples, that: Jonathan Banks was supposed to be in only one episode, his character being made necessary by the temporary unavailability of Bob Odenkirk; that the baby asking for "Mama" in "Ozymandias" was a fortuitous event which Bryan Cranston was alert enough to capitalize on; that the writers kicked themselves more than once for opening the final season with a shot of Walt putting a machine gun in the trunk of his car; and that some critics have theorized that the final episode was actually a hallucination in the mind of Walt while in fact he was freezing to death in the Northeast.

I was intrigued by the discussion of misogyny in the series and on the part of some of its fans, and by the tendency of many fans, as pointed out by Emily Nussbaum writing for THE NEW YORKER, to excuse Walt for all his failings and misdeeds and put the blame on difficult circumstances and other characters in the series, even after Walt admitted in the final episode that he enjoyed being Heisenberg, that he kept doing what he did because he liked it. There seems to be a parallel in modern politics when we see a blind loyalty to people who no longer deserve it, or perhaps never did.**

If I had known about this excellent book, I would have had it with me while I watched the TV series and referred to Sepinwall's analysis after viewing each episode. It is a perfect companion volume.

*useful and informative footnotes, not the annoying mini-essays on minutiae that plague so many academic endeavors
**"A fool can always find a greater fool to admire him," is the way Sherlock Holmes put it in "A Study in Scarlet."

[Josh Fisher]

Second time around with Breaking Bad, first time since it aired. Look, BB is not a show that really invites extensive commentary. I say this despite the fact that I would sit in the back of my 8am college algebra class every Monday and read just about every recap I could find. But it's not like it's a show with any real thematic depth—any numbskull could pick up its core ideas without much effort. And it's pretty meticulous in how it guides viewers from point A to point B (aside from a few narrative shortcuts circa S4 and S5 that are all the more glaring given its normally intense dedication to process). There's that old writing advice about aiming for a sixth grade comprehension level—it feels like Gilligan and Co. are the only ones to ever take that seriously. The show literally holds your hand through each new plot development, laying out each piece of the puzzle in excruciating detail. So what is a commentary like this for? And why did I read all those pieces in undergrad? I truly cannot say. Sepinwal doesn't really add much to the conversation other then to gush about the writing and acting and directing, which I generally agree with him on, but nonetheless found irritating due to the fanboyish tone of it all. And even when he does go deeper, I find his analysis a bit one-note. For example, I think he leans a little too heavily into the "duality" of Walt as both family man and ruthless cartel boss, missing instances where Walt is clearly play-acting the former in order to manipulate those around him. Now, to be utterly transparent, I may harbor a slight grudge against Sepinwal for panning Twin Peaks S3, but that may be a different problem. Anyway, I think there's a lot more to take away by simply watching the show and leaving all this commentary aside.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

What initially inspired me to read this was diving into Matt Zoller Seitz’s brilliant collection of reviews of every episode of MAD MEN. Knowing that he and Sepinwall wrote a book together, I expected to get the same level of analysis and insight. Perhaps because BREAKING BAD takes place in the present and MAD MEN is in the ‘60s, there just wasn’t that same level of detail I felt Seitz had in his book. I acknowledge that BREAKING BAD doesn’t lend itself to that kind of depth. However, I didn’t feel that Sepinwall added a lot of insight to the behind-the-scenes narrative either, at least not much beyond what the insider podcast and special features on the box sets have to offer.

Ultimately, Sepinwall’s analysis is equally insightful and it makes for a great companion with which to revisit the series. I took a break after my second watch of the first three seasons and then began again in earnest after hearing the announcement of the follow-up film EL CAMINO. While BREAKING BAD doesn’t need a sequel or anything of the sort, I am excited to see what series creator had left to say about Jesse Pinkman after the finale. I have to believe that he wasn’t just looking for an excuse to get more money as he recently inked an 8-figure multi-year development deal with Sony.

[Ben Horne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a massive fan of Sepinwall’s television recaps and criticism, Breaking Bad 101 was a no brainer. What I wasn’t expecting when I picked this “bingeable” book was to the complete desire to rewatch the show in conjunction. Sepinwall’s perspective and crisp writing made me think about the story in a different lens.

Breaking Bad will always be 1b (to the Wire’s 1a) in terms of television drama, but geez is it one phenomenal story. I remember watching the pilot back on AMC (it’s been 10 years!?!) and was befuddled a bit watching what I thought was a niche show. The world building was top notch and sucked me subsequently. The finale(s) - you choose which of the 4 choices you like best - were amazing back in 2013. Spending more time more time reading, watching, and thinking about the show lately confirmed my intuition that no show has been better since it ended.

Thanks to Sepinwall for being an erstwhile guide through Breaking Bad and trials and tribulations of Walter White. This book is a must read for fans of the show.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midway through reading this book I wondered where I was up to in my Breaking Bad rewatch. At that moment I wasn't in the middle of a rewatch (I'm still not, it was only a couple of days ago), but this book evoked the show so well that I thought I was. Alan Sepinwall was one of the first television critics to write episodic recaps, and this book takes and updates the recaps he wrote while the show was originally airing (with the exception of the famous "Ozymandias" review, which he wrote within 24 hours of having his appendix removed - it's in the book, just in an appendix). His insights are valuable for fans of the show and people who want to learn more about how television works. Despite my issues with how the show ended, this book reminds me why I loved Breaking Bad so much in the first place. And a rewatch is probably a good idea.

[Mike Mikulski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sepinwall, a former columnist for the Newark Star Ledger and Uproxx blogger, pieced together this book from his blog posts written as Breaking Bad first aired. The book recaps each episode, provides Sepinwall's critical insight and tells the behind the scenes story of the writing, production and direction. Sepinwall is not shy with his love for Breaking Bad. He declares it the best drama ever to appear on television.

I enjoyed the book. It allowed me to relive Breaking Bad in a read much shorter than another 62 hour binge on Netflix. One interesting insight was how some of the episodes and story line were shaped by outside elements, such as production budgets, the Writer's Guild strike and actor's contracts.

It may be a while until I watch all of Breaking Bad start to finish again, but after reading this book I want to revisit some of the best episodes.

[Ollie Hodgkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Sepinwall and MZS’s The Sopranos Sessions and MZS’s Mad Men Carousel but this one didn’t hit the same spot. I feel that Sepinwall just didn’t go as deep as he did in The Sopranos Sessions, you could argue that Breaking Bad isn’t as rich as The Sopranos, but there’s plenty of character work by all the cast to analyse and it’s still one of the greatest TV shows of all time. I felt some of the episode recaps to be quite bare and short, and simply recapping the episode without bringing any new insight to the episode. I think it got better as you get into season five, there’s lots to talk about there, but I never really came away reading a recap thinking “huh, I never thought of that.” Or “oh shit how did I miss that?”.

Maybe Sepinwall just hit his stride with the later Sopranos book? It’s still a nice ritual to watch an episode and read a review though.

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a collection of Breaking Bad episode reviews with some behind-the-scenes info. Not as complete a collection as The Sopranos Sessions, but I think that show had more to dig into, anyway. Rarely truly critical. Breaking Bad is excellent, but it's so excellent that I sometimes bounce off of discussing it because the praise is so uniform. It's not that it's undeserved, but it almost makes discussion boring? Would you rather discuss a perfect thing, or a messy kind of gem? Not to get all ontological in my Breaking Bad critical companion review, but I think there's something compelling about imperfection.

Anyway, this is smooth reading -- Sepinwall basically pioneered the weekly recap in a more popular sense, and it's easy to see why. Not unenjoyable at all, but comes away feeling a bit light.

[Patrick O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having seen this brilliant work of cinematic television 3 times over, I decided to dip back in with Sepinwall’s episode-by-episode recap/analysis collection, “Breaking Bad 101.”

As a seasoned veteran of this show, I never expected to gain anything more from a rewatch than further enjoyment. However, I found the journey back through the series accompanied by Sepinwall to be extremely rewarding and resulted in me having a deeper understanding of the characters, themes, and story of Breaking Bad.

This is a great companion piece to an all-time great series that everyone should treat themselves to. Watch an episode, then let Sepinwall explain what you just saw and what it means for our characters. Maybe you’ll come out the other side having had a richer experience too.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received Breaking Bad 101 as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

An episode-by-episode critical look at one of the greatest modern TV dramas of all time by Rolling Stone chief television critic Alan Sepinwall.

I watched Breaking Bad during its original run, and while you could call me a fan in that I faithfully tuned in every week, neither did I break down episodes and their symbolism and foreshadowing on online forums the way many diehards did. As such, Sepinwall's analysis was a gateway into the show's dense network of interwoven characters and plotlines. For a casual fan just looking to be entertained, this is probably a bit on the heavy side, but for those looking to take a deeper dive, it's a really worthy volume.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Alan Sepinwall since I found his reviews for Sons of Anarchy on Hitfix (we both gave up on that show around the same time).

Ever since I've been following his take on television religiously. *Especially* for one of my favorite shows, Breaking Bad. Starting sometime in S2, week by week marveling at each episode and every performance by Cranston, Paul, etc.

This book is a culmination of all his reviews (updated and added on to with fresher perspective), in an episodic format. Similar to the untouchable "Mad Men Carousel", this is an excellent book to have by your side next time you do a re-watch (or first watch).

When I saw Sepinwall was writing this book my first instinct was to yell, "Yeah bitch!". And rightfully so. An amazing experience. 5/5

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ideally you'd read this as a companion to watching the series: watch an episode, read the recap, and on to the next. Read that way, binge-watch style, the series is displayed in all its glory and is intensely immersive. In this sense Sepinwall delivers the full package, meshing fandom and criticism. You can also read this independently, which I've also done, but that only works if you've seen the series because Sepinwall discusses so many discrete details that only fully register in concert with the visual of the episodes. So although not designed as a standalone theoretical discussion, it is laced with powerful insights and points of argumentation that also make this a book to reference when engaging in a critical analysis of the series.

[Ash Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Except for Vince Gilligan himself, I can think of no one more qualified to write a companion book for one of the greatest television shows of all time than Alan Sepinwall. In addition to his thoughtful and insightful criticism and analysis, he is also a gifted writer in his own right. His ability to think like a storyteller is what puts him above the rest. Having this collection of excellent recaps on hand as I journeyed through yet another binge-watch of Breaking Bad made my viewing experience so much richer. Reading this book helped me understand some mystifying plot points and made me a better, more thoughtful viewer.

Every Breaking Bad fan should have this book, and I hope you all will join me in my prayer circle for a Better Call Saul critical companion.

[Gil Hamel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gift from my brother (along with the sequel about Better Call Saul), and I enjoyed it quite a bit! The episode recaps are short and not super analytical, but still fun and interesting with some neat things to say (particularly in Sepinwall’s critiques of a few episodes in the last couple seasons). The real gift, though, was the little tidbits of behind-the-scenes knowledge and quotes from interviews with the principal creatives. Did you know the plot line where Jesse’s parents sell his house out from under him happened because the actual house’s actual owners sold it, and the new owners wanted to renovate before allowing production back in? Crazy stuff. Just the kind of minute minutiae I love.