Continuing Justified - I am beginning to believe that if Raylan Givens can shoot his way out of a nuclear holocaust and walk out with a blonde in hand
Finished 'Breaking Bad' last week. I liked the performances of both Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul with the support cast doing a good job as well. I also like how the series has unfolded over the seasons. If it can be likened to a movie, it goes from Dark comedy that eases you in, builds up in the mid section and goes for an all out assault during the finale. I also much preferred how the writers handled Walter White. He transforms from this person whom we feel sympathetic about to someone we wish to see dead. That short opening piece of music, those opening clips which show little of something to trigger our interest - sometimes a non-linear sequence from the past - was interesting. Can't wait till July to see how this ends.
I have also started watching X-Files (currently on Season 2). Considering it's a nine season marathon, not sure if and when I will finish it.
More subjective opinions follow....
Is "Breaking Bad" better than "The Wire", which is often regarded as the best series ever made? This was the question that pushed me towards watching BB. I would say that it is highly subjective and I can only state my opinion - which is BB is the more interesting one (and perhaps the more popular as it can easily appeal to a wider array of people), whereas I personally would still give a slight nod to "The Wire". Apart from drug from being a common theme, both shows have very different approaches - one takes the traditional character based story telling point of view and the other from a larger social angle. While McNulty can be considered the star of 'Wire', he is hardly the center of the universe like Walter White. One show appeals to the heart, is stylish, twisted, entertaining and involving, while the other makes less or no compromises (barring some elements in Season 5) in it's realistic manner of story telling and remains thought provoking after you finish watching it. The Wire gives you a sense that you can land in Baltimore and would not be shocked to come across some of the people, whereas BB is still fictional. It also took me only a few episodes to get into 'The Wire' and think it was awesome, whereas with BB, it's the last two seasons which pushed it from being one among the bunch of series I like to something that pulled above that 'bunch'. That said, I think one should not miss either series. One can like both (as in my case), or hate one of them (like many who can't get into 'The Wire') or both, but they are still worth a shot.
Now on to the other thing - X-Files vs Fringe. It's hard for any Sci-Fi series
not to be inspired by X-Files. X-Files is centered around aliens and Fringe is centered around universes and distorted time lines. However, even within the short span of 30 episodes, X-Files has covered a wide variety of subjects - everything that falls within the realm of paranormal which is fodder for Sci-Fi fantasies and horror genre - Vampires, Werewolf, Alien abduction, shape-shifting killers, monsters created by science - you name it, you are likely to find an X-files episode dealing with it. But, Fringe does go the story arc way much earlier. Until Season 2, X-Files was a case a week show which had less about the lead characters and more about enthusiasm covering every nook and corner of the weird and the impossible. I would say I like X-Files better at this stage, though I don't know if I'd feel the same after finishing all 9 seasons and related movies.
While there are plenty of interesting / shady / odd ball characters in X-Files, no one (yet) approaches the level of Walter Bishop - that is something Fringe may have got right. With changing times, comes changes in how female leads do things - Scully, while intelligent, always appears a bit vulnerable and comes across someone reluctant to hold a gun, whereas Olivia is a much stronger character.
Here's an interesting blog post about X-Files and Fringe (which makes me want to watch Twilight Zone next):
FRINGE vs THE X-FILES | My Mind. My Words.
Right noe continuing Mentalist in season 3 and Homeland in season 1. Mentalist is as good as ever, they have managed to keep up the standard between seasons like Lost. But Homeland is a bit slow to me..
