Currently on season 2 and I had no idea there would be themes of alienation, nihilism, searching for meaning and belonging, and crumbling of the American dream, etc. I thought it was just a crime drama with some comedy involved. I'm pleasantly surprised and its making rediscover my gabagool side.
Duuuuude, tell me about it. I’ve heard how great it is for years, started my first watch during lockdown, I’m up to the end of season 5. I’d say the last couple of seasons I’ve watched aren’t quite up to the level of the first few, but god damn it’s an incredible show. Sometimes I just smile at how much I’m enjoying it - not because of comedy or anything, just genuine pleasure in watching something of such quality.
One thought that came to me while watching it was “why does Breaking Bad exist?”. I watched BB as it was airing, and enjoyed it a lot, but it literally doesn’t need to exist. This show did it all, ten years earlier, and did it better.
If anyone’s reading this and hasn’t watched it, I can’t recommend it enough, it totally lives up to the hype. Even if “crime shows” aren’t your thing, it’s so much more than that.
The arc of Walter White turning into Heisenberg is compelling and a thing unto itself that sets itself apart from Sopranos. Both great shows but not the same experience.
I get that, but there’s a huuuuge overlap in the middle of that Venn diagram. I still think BB was great, I just feel like Sopranos explores all the same themes and is a level above BB in writing, acting, etc. Although nobody beats BB (or BCS) for cinematography, some of the most beautifully shot shows.
For me, they're exploring the same things from polar opposite perspectives. Walter White hates himself, he lives the "American dream" nuclear suburban family, he's broke, disrespected and dying, and he seeks a way out into the world of crime and murder, and becomes a sociopath. Tony Soprano is a sociopoath, he also hates himself, he's rich and surrounded by sycophants, he is in that world of crime and murder, and imagines what his life would be like on the outside of the mob (although he doesn't have a realistic way out the way Walter White has a way in).
I hesitate to compare the two in quality because they're both transcendent experiences for me. Though they do explore the same themes to an extent, they're both pretty unique imo.
This is because the characterisation is so good. It doesn't really matter if a scene really has a purpose within the larger plot, as long as it illustrates how the different characters interact.
Even the 'lesser' seasons are still a joy because the characters are so great.
You’re so right, put it into words much better than I did!