I had recorded the first few episodes of Breaking Bad on AMC, but just got around to watching it yesterday. The show is about a high school chemistry teacher (Bryan Cranston - the dad from Malcolm in the Middle) who finds out he has terminal cancer. Having a wife, handicapped kid, and another baby on the way, he realizes he needs to take some steps to make some money to secure his family's future. He puts his chemistry knowledge to good use. He hooks up with an ex-student to start making crystal meth and antics ensue.

A few of the eps are available online if you're interested.

SMan, you rock for making a post about this show! I absolutely positively LOVE "Breaking Bad". I was hyped for it from the first time I saw a commercial during "Mad Men" many months ago. Bryan Cranston as the teacher is incredible. I had no idea what a fantastic actor he could be. The life decisions he's having to make are heartbreaking. Also I think Anna Gunn, who plays his wife, is wonderful (I still think of her as Mrs. Bullock in "Deadwood"). And the portrayal of family life with a disabled teenager seems natural and real to me. This is a wonderful series so far and I can't wait to see what new direction it's going to take, now that the immediate problem with the two hardcore drug dealers has been taken care of (and I can think of few execution scenes that were more difficult to watch than when Walt killed the guy in the basement). I like the way some occasional dark humor is injected into the plot, and the way that the characters aren't drawn in black and white; even Walt's meth-smoking partner has my sympathies at various points in the story so far.

When the first season of "Mad Men" concluded, I was sure that its quality had to be a fluke. Now that this second AMC original series has proven (at least so far) to be so compelling, I think we may have the makings of a new HBO on our hands, as far as original programming is concerned... I couldn't be happier!

Why do they film it with all the swearing when they end up bleeping it out? Are they looking down the road to the uncensored DVD box sets or something? It just seems like a waste to write in the profanity, then bleep it out.

yeah, i know, it's a little odd...maybe for authenticity, instead of making the characters use words like "freaking" and "darn", which would be freaking unrealistic... i would assume an uncensored DVD box set at some point. i read somewhere that the first-run episodes on sunday nights might have stuff in them that later reruns during the week may not have. (example: the scene from the pilot with the husband and wife together in bed, she "servicing" him manually while watching her eBay auction on her laptop; i heard it wasn't aired in subsequent showings)

Sman, have you ever watched "Big Love"? Walt's old student and current business partner is played by a guy who portrayed a straight-laced ex-Mormon who is dating Bill's oldest daughter on the HBO show. Totally different character, and interesting to me to see him in such an opposite role here ...

I caught most of it the other night.

Already added it to my "Automatic Record" list thingie on the DVD.

Looks like a winner so far.

Jelsey, keep an eye out for re-airings of the pilot and the second episode. The pilot was EXCELLENT. Bryan Cranston just blew me away.

The first 2 or 3 eps are available online at the AMC site, if the don't run them again soon.

augh! My TiVo didn't record this past week's episode, "cancer man", because it didn't automatically switch to the right channel. now, according to the tivo schedule listed, there aren't any upcoming reairings. what did i miss? did anyone see? was it any good?