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Texas Tech experts think the popular award-winning AMC series, “Breaking Bad,” accurately portrays drug use, drug trade and the drug culture.
“Breaking Bad” debuted in 2008 and ended its run on Sept. 30, 2013. The show was about high school chemistry teacher Walter White (played by Emmy-award winner Bryan Cranston) whose life is turned upside down when he is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. In order to support his family and deal with impending medical bills, he teams up with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul, also an Emmy-award winner) to manufacture and sell methamphetamine.
When the show aired, it was met with instant critical acclaim and became a fan favorite of television audiences, especially here at Tech.
Jimmie L. Reeves, Ph.D., associate professor of electronic media and communications, said he thinks part of the show’s appeal with audiences at Tech had to with the fact that the show’s setting wasn’t too far away.
“I think,” Reeves said, “part of it is because the show takes place in New Mexico and the landscape doesn’t look all that different from some places in West Texas.”
Reeves: The series is essentially a fish out of water tale.
Reeves said he was a late watcher to the show.
“I learned about it basically from my students writing about it and talking about it in the Analyzing Television and Scriptwriting courses.”
George Comiskey, associate director of Community Programs at the Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery, said he is familiar with the show but hasn’t seen it.
Comiskey said from his observation, the series isn’t a good show to watch for a recovering addict.
“So,” Comiskey said, “I’ve talked to a number of students about it, and the consensus from the students I’ve spoken with seems to be that it’s not a good show for somebody who’s definitely been a meth user or had any kind of shooting up because the show is so graphic that it triggers people that are in recovery.”
Despite Comiskey never watching “Breaking Bad,” he said he thinks the show probably does accurately portray the topic of drug use and the drug trade.
“I think it’s a dramatic piece,” Comiskey said, “so it’s showing it in a dramatic form and it may overdramatize some elements of it but, I think it’s giving an accurate portrayal of what people are living that lifestyle who are trafficking, using, getting addicted to, experience at some level.”
Comiskey said he thinks every situation is different.
Reeves said he doesn’t think “Breaking Bad” glorifies drug use.
“I certainly don’t think it glorifies the meth business,” Reeves said, “and certainly everyone who gets involved in it pays a price whether it’s people who are hooked on it or the people who sell it, live a very dangerous, short, violent life.”
When the topic of character Jesse Pinkman, a meth user not showing the typical effects of meth addiction, was brought up, Comiskey said that not all drug users exhibit the signs.
“Some people,” Comiskey said, “can use for long periods of time and not have that what we think of is a traditional meth look: the rotted-out teeth and the gaunt look. Some people don’t get that.”
Comiskey said many people who use meth are in professions that require them to be awake and alert for long periods of time. But, it doesn’t last forever.
“Now,” Comiskey said, “you’ll crash at some point and that’s always the place that people will fear. It’s what people have to manage as part of their addiction is how hard is the crash. Does the crash totally keep them from working, do they lose their jobs, do they lose family, do they lose a lot of things in the crash.”
Reeves said the premise of “Breaking Bad” is essentially a fish out of water tale.
“Special circumstances,” Reeves said, “as well as his special knowledge of chemistry, took this middle-class chemistry teacher — he became a fish out of water in this whole different culture. And so we kind of learn about that culture through his eyes, and it’s through his eyes we meet Jesse Pinkman and all the other people on the other side of the law.”
About Halima Fasasi
