“Breaking Bad”AMC was once known for showing old movies. It was the channel your parents and grandparents would watch. But now (and for awhile) it’s been directed toward a younger audience, mainly in the 20-30ish range. They’ve been showing more movies from the ’80s and ’90s and calling them the “new classics,” even the not so great movies.
They also have started to show some original series. This can be a tricky move for a station that says they only show programming that falls under the “classic” rating. In some ways the station calling a TV show that they made a classic is a bit egotistical. But that doesn’t happen with the show Breaking Bad.

“Breaking Bad” is an AMC original series about a chemistry teacher and a drug dealer who team up to produce meth so the chemistry teacher can raise enough money to give to his family before he dies of cancer. The show stars Bryan Cranston who played Hal, the father in “Malcolm and the Middle,” the only good character in that show in my opinion.

“Breaking Bad” started airing last year and the second season started last week. I missed it on the usual Sunday 10 p.m. time slot, but thanks to the wonders of the Internet I was able to watch it on AMC.com. This is a great option because now I don’t have to worry about missing an episode or rush home, while dodging the police (not that I would do that).

I just watched the first episode of season two on AMC.com and it was awesome. Comparing it to last season not much has changed, it’s still “Breaking Bad,” but there have been steps to go forward with the characters and overall tone of the show. The first season was a bit dark because of its content, the making and selling and using of crystal meth. But now it’s even darker – literally.

One improvement they have made is that the lighting seems to be even more natural than the first season. The first season didn’t look like a sitcom but now it looks like a documentary. In one scene particularly Walter and Jesse are talking by a kitchen window and the only light source is the window.

The lighting is at its best here creating the tension and foreboding atmosphere that the characters are feeling at the time. It also looks realistic. It looks like how it would if you walked into your kitchen with the lights turned off and the sun coming through the window.

The handheld camera work seems to be more apparent but its not like The Shield where it looks like it takes place during an earthquake. Not every shot is handheld but just enough to give it that edgy real look. The cinematographer doesn’t restrict himself to just your standard wide, close up, or medium shots. They go for up high, down low and also from the perspective of some of the objects the characters may interact with.

When I watched the show online, not only was the episode good but the quality of the video was superb. AMC did a great job to provide this series online. You can’t watch season one online but they do provide recap episodes. No matter how you watch it, TV or online, Breaking Bad is a show that should not be missed.