BREAKING BAD vs MAD MEN

also i was pretty appalled that MM felt the need to explain the title of the show w/ a little caption at the beginning of the first episode. the whole thing kind of feels spoonfed in that way, more of a wikipedia entry come to life than great storytelling.

― this. right here. is my. new LMBO (some dude), Thursday, July 22, 2010 3:26 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark

That was one of the few moments in season 1 that I liked at all.

I checked out on Mad Men when we got like episode 3 of the plotline with the Jewish department store owner.

Breaking Bad runs laps around Mad Men.

I love Mad Men, but the only enduring novelty is the advertising setting--the thematic territory, characterization and plotting quickly became terribly familiar and fairly predictable; it's still top-tier television, but it adds very little to the canon. I have no doubt the show is going to jump the shark before its final season and the period fetishization will border on intolerable.

Whereas there's a consistent unpredictability and feeling of newness to Breaking Bad; I never feel like it is a television show I have watched before. Also, it's the best show on television and everything about the show is a cut above anything presently airing--especially the cinematography.

admittedly there's no shots of Christina Hendricks' ass on BB though.

there's a consistent unpredictability and feeling of newness to Breaking Bad; I never feel like it is a television show I have watched before.

and

lets see breaking bad is fucking awesome and i hate mad men so this is kind of easy

so

Breaking Bad by miles. Agree with litel's summation.

I do wonder if some of the voting for Breaking Bad is because it doesn't have many female characters.

Skyler might be only one character but without her S2 doesn't have a reason for existing.

By the way I just want to say that Mel Caramel's reappearance here was A+ material.

Thanks again.

GAH

i think they should - when they are out of ideas - make two new shows called breaking mad and bad men

thoughts?

making bread

bread man

There are not enough shows about the art and science of bread.

"bread man" would be the show and "making bread" would be behind the scenes clips and b-roll, obviously

actually i think a better title would be baking bad

"waking brad" - the travails of an overeducated 20-something who's moved back in with his parents

would watch

i think the twitter account litcrithulk put it most succinctly:

TRANSITIONING FROM BREAKING BAD TO MAD MEN KINDA LIKE GOING FROM EPIC 19TH CENTURY RUSSIAN NOVEL TO BORING NEW YORKER SHORT STORY

last 5 words kinda redundant but yeah. whatever, it's summer, let's dip into the quiddities and agonies of the ruling class

This thread has turned me against giving Breaking Bad a try.

no do give it a try

i've been watching breaking bad almost nightly for two weeks and am almost done with season 2, it's great but I need to take a break from it (haha), it is unrelentingly grim. I mean it has funny parts but it's a bit much to watch all at once.

I got through the first two seasons in a week and was pretty burned out after that. Actually quite thankful that I had to wait 6 months for the third season.

yeah gf refuses to watch it after watching one and half seasons over my shoulder and getting bummed out

i am such a dick about shows i have seen 10 seconds max of

the lovely Emma B refused to watch BB but kept asking me what had happened.

I've seen all three season of Breaking Bad and only the first 1 and half of Mad Men. Breaking Bad is totally great, no question, but I already prefer Mad Men.

Everyone totally OTM regarding BB bumming you out watching it in quick succession. I've felt this way with MM too.

curious to see Hung anyway now... What suburb is it set in, exactly?

Ha, turns out it was the suburb I grew up in -- Just finally watched the pilot (pretty bad, but held my attention, guess I'll stick with it for now) last night, sent by Netflix, and it was pretty obvious as soon as they said the high school was called "West Lakefield," but this pretty much confirms it:

http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles/2009/7-1-09/WB-support-HBO-Hung.asp

yeah ca 1916 otm - BB (and maybe mad men) provoke this compulsion to watch the next ep immediately but it's totally draining that way.

Poor Breaking Bad. It's a fantastic show but Mad Men is the best drama on television.

Guys I miss Breaking Bad so much. ='''''''(

Yep. The new season of Mad Men is excellent so far though, so that's some consolation.

It's OK, I haven't seen the latest episode yet. I miss Heisenberg

BREAKING MEN vs. MAD BAD

just watched up to the second (i think?) episode of Season 2 with Tuco's dad and the bell. which is probably the best one ive seen so far. however for me theres some stuff on BB that stretches credibility a bit. yeah i know someone says its 'fantasy' but the bit where he blows up Tuco's building was a bit stupid and McGyver. i really like breaking bad all the same although i wouldnt rate it above mad men. ive seen a few old episodes of mad men now and its always worth watching a second time. to me its a show about people having to face up to their own bullshit.

I agree that the Walt Solves Problems With Science stuff in the first season could get a bit much, but all that is pretty speedily phased out. Watch till the end of S2 and get back to us, seriously.

That's Tuco's uncle, BTW.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

This is correct.

didnt expect this!

People taken in by 'OH SHIT' moments over a slow and consistent burn.

both great obv, and no grudges

going by first 3 seasons, this could be correct. but s4 of mad men's been sooo good so far...

why make these shows fight each other when they are both getting trounced in cable ratings by RERUNS of NCIS?
they need to combine forces somehow. like go on tour together.

these shows need to strive to be more like One Tree Hill.

if that's the show with the guy getting a liver transplant and the nurse drops the liver and it's eaten by a dog, and the camera zooms in for a closeup for his crestfallen face, i'm afraid it wins in terms of 'OH SHIT' moments, but still, getting beaten by NCIS?

i cannot believe breaking bad won.

I cannot believe only six people voted for neither.

totally forgot all the weird dreamlike dark-lit long-haired-cranston ~flashbacks~ in season 1 of breaking bad

ilx getting it wrong again

Shouldn't have been this close

prefer 'oh shit' to slow burn tbh - at least when it comes to multiple-season serial dramas.