“But what happens to Saul in Nebraska?” Photo courtesy of AMC
In a blatant display of what might be termed good traditional storytelling, the finale for the TV series ‘Breaking Bad’ has frustrated fans who were hoping to be frustrated by an ending that lacked resolution.
“I was just hoping for more ambiguity, one that critics would spend years trying to make sense of, maybe a smash cut to black . . . just something that would have left me feeling somewhat disappointed and given me less closure,” said one disgruntled fan of the show. “Instead, I felt like some level of completion and fulfillment was accomplished, like there was artistry in what seemed to be conventional… and that kind of makes me want to puke.”
Without an open-ended finale that leaves viewers on their own to construct meaning and with uncertainty to make sense out of, some fear television aesthetes will have a distinct lack of internet arguments over possible meanings, interpretations, or possibilities regarding ‘what happens next,’ or more provocatively, exactly ‘what happened.’
“How dare they write an ending like this in the post-modern age. I mean, I do admit it felt strangely nice to not be left with a tangled mess of utterly unanswerable questions, made possible by a coherent storyline that never missed a beat,” said the irked fan. “But still, I also don’t support taking the predictable path of ‘wrapping up a story’ and completing the series as a masterful narrative. That’s just too easy and expected.”
With too few open-ended questions to discuss, figure out, fret over, etc., it’s expected that peeved viewers of the popular AMC series will simply have to learn to make nice with the lack of loose ends, and with Vince Gilligan himself.
Hahaha! Touche.
While the show’s strength is in how meticulously scripted it is (its ‘masterful storytelling’)…it just feels so damn scripted all the time now doesn’t it! While watching Breaking Bad I would often think, “Oh, how clever those writers are” instead of, “Oh, how clever those characters are”. This reveals the main weakness of the show for me, it is chaos within a conveniently closed system, revolving around one hero (not actual chaos). While Breaking Bad is certainly one of the most entertaining and well produced shows ever, I still do feel like it is a lot of action and popcorn entertainment (single hero, lots of action, the show lives and dies by way of the hero getting his way, etc.). And, as that is what the show set out to be and do as a TV show, it is a very successful one.
But, popcorn can only tide me over, not serve as a full meal. So, I guess I do prefer the kind of complexity, messiness, and unpredictability that other shows offer in their illustrations of societies, subcultures, corruption, morality/immorality, real consequences of one’s action, etc.; thus provoking more thoughtful interaction, discussion, and reflection. Having said all that, there is certainly room for both kinds of art and entertainment. Your article cracked me up.
p.s.
(SPOILER ALERT)
For the most part I was satisfied with the ending in terms of everything being resolved within the internal logic of the BB world. But, my main complaint is that Walt makes out far too easily. He gets everything he wants, on his terms, his way, as planned. This doesn’t seem to fit the show’s insistence on characters receiving justice for all their actions, especially with Walt being the main instigator of all the conflicts and heinous acts in the show…