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Bryan Cranston Doubles Up on Season 2 of Breaking Bad
by Reg Seeton
 There are a few major reasons why year-after-year we see so many similar concepts, characters and shows on mainstream television. To start, following a successful formula usually turns a profit. Second, it's safe. Third, an insular world exists where the herd mentality rules under the slogan, "You can't do that. It will never work." And finally, the word "risk" often translates to "you'll never work in this town again." Enter AMC's Breaking Bad on cable, created by Vince Gilligan, starring Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, a show that would strike fear in the hearts of most mainstream television executives.
The Breaking Bad pitch would go something like this: "It's about a middle aged cash-strapped high school chemistry teacher caught in a broken mid-life crisis who gets lung cancer and turns to cooking and dealing crystal-meth with one of his former students to ensure his pregnant wife and son with cerebral palsy are financially taken care after his death. And the twist? His brother-in-law is a DEA agent." Although Breaking Bad is one of the most well-written, gritty, original and compelling dramas on TV, you can see why the pitch would be a tough sell for primetime as the lead-in or follow-up to any number of popular teen talent competitions or tween soaps.
 Thankfully, in a TV age when cable networks aren't afraid to take risks and boldly go where most mainstream television executives have rarely gone before, AMC showed confidence in Breaking Bad to push viewers and advertisers out of their comfort zones. The most surprising issue surrounding AMC's Breaking Bad during its first season is that a lot more critical attention was focused on Mad Men while more viewers tuned in to see the downward spiral drama of Bryan Cranston's Walter White on a weekly basis. So when the Emmy Awards rolled around last year and many people thought Mad Men actor John Hamm would walk away with the honor of Best Actor, it was a surprise when Bryan Cranston's name was called to accept the award for his role in Breaking Bad. But if you followed the entire first season of Breaking Bad, Crantson's win was a justified surprise when the Emmy dust settled.
The first season of Breaking Bad revealed a severely broken Walt White who has lived his life bound by the choices of others but finally gets the opportunity to choose to live his way when diagnosed with cancer. Caught in a life that represents a glimmer of hope for the future with his pregnant wife Skyler, Walt chooses to enter the dangerous world of drug dealing in an attempt to make some fast cash for his family before he dies. Despite the dangers, it's Walt's decision and the only way he sees as taking control of the remainder of his life. As we dive into the second season of Breaking Bad, it soon becomes clear that Walt's descent into the drug world has consequences.
 The second season premiere, "Seven Thirty-Seven," airing Sunday at 10pm on AMC, picks up where the season one finale left off, with Walt and Jesse making a sale to hopped up drug dealer Tuco in the salvage yard, horrified by the bloody beating Tuco inflicted on one of his henchmen. Immediately following the drug deal, Walt and Jesse find themselves fully entangled and ensnared in Tuco's world. There's no turning back and Walt and Jesse find themselves gripped by both fear and paranoia as they realize a dangerous chain of events is unfolding that they can't control. The premiere reveals the bold and creative intellect of Vince Gilligan and the Breaking Bad writing team as the control that Walt sought in season one is in direct conflict with a drug world that he doesn't know, which has dangerous consequences.
As the premiere also reveals, it's a world that has severe implications on his family when Skyler begins to "break" herself from her husband's mysterious disappearances and the toll of their hardships while we see a few hidden surprises with Hank and Marie. At the same time, in what we already know is coming, a chain of events is also unfolding between Walt and Hank that's unbeknown to both of them. The season 2 premiere of Breaking Bad sees Walt venture deeper into the dark underbelly of the drug trade while his journey begins to take a larger toll on his family. When it's all said and done, both Walt and Jesse are in even deeper over their heads than they could possibly imagine.
The second season of Breaking Bad looks to be even more gripping and compelling than the first.
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