Breaking Bad: The Final Season

Breaking Bad has been called the best American TV show of its time, and these final eight episodes end the series with the same intelligence, depth of character, and unflinching drama that defined this landmark show throughout. Walt (Bryan Cranston), the one-time high school chemistry teacher who evolved from desperate cancer victim to superstar meth cook to ruthless godfather of his domain, is out of the meth business at this point. Or so he thinks: his DEA agent brother-in-law finally figures out that Walt was the mystery drug kingpin he's been chasing all this time and the investigation stirs the violence back up with a vengeance. Of course, it all comes back to family and friends, and once again no one remains untouched by Walt's actions (a major theme of the series). Cranston won the Best Actor Emmy three times and while the acclaim is well-deserved, it's not just because he created the most quietly intimidating character on TV. The rationalizations that have accompanied every step of his transformation over the five seasons stem from an underlying arrogance and cruelty that has been there from the start—albeit buried under self-pity and bitterness—and these attributes drive his final quest for revenge and one last stab at redemption. Finally earning the elusive Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, this 2013 second half of the fifth season boasts extras including audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, an alternate ending, deleted scenes, and a gag reel. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)