Breaking Bad Jumps the Shark

I love Breaking Bad. Coming to it relatively late, I have consumed the whole thing on Netflix in recent months, sometimes watching several episodes a night and driving my wife potty. I think it is a work of TV genius, though, by association, one should pay tribute to the also-brilliant Weeds whose fundamental premise is near identical and would, one have thought, been of significant influence.

That said, permit me to fly in the face of overwhelming acclaim and say that Breaking Bad has jumped its shark. For me, the new "second half" of Season 5 (why was it never just Season 6?) has royally disappointed. The essence of the show, surely, was Walter White's double life? The moment he was outed it was game over. To limp the series on through shootouts and excessive carnage, and to suddenly elevate to major status Todd and his clan, feels dramatically unsatisfying.

The golden moment was at the conclusion of Season 5a — Hank having his epiphany while sitting on the toilet. That was the perfect ending. They should have wrapped it there.