TV show: Breaking Bad

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Are there any moral problems with watching this show? I’ve been watching this and find the show very well made and entertaining. The show does has many characters which make poor moral choices. In fact, the show doesn’t seem to have a true hero (except perhaps the brother-in-law who is a DEA agent). So, is this show okay to watch or is watching it some kind of inherent sin?

Thanks.

houston1
 
PoliSciProf said:
Breaking Bad is perhaps the best tv show ever. I don’t see how it can be a problem in so far as the bad decisions have devastating consequences. It actually seems to be an old fashioned morality play. See the article below from the NY Times Magazine.

nytimes.com/2011/07/17/arts/television/breaking-bad-returns-and-walter-whites-descent-continues.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=breaking bad&st=cse&scp=5
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Thanks. I read your article. The show is certainly thought provoking. I suppose Walter White will eventually reap what has sown.
 
Magister102 said:
I enjoy this show, but I could not tell you if it is moral or not to watch it. I know that the characters themselves don’t appear to be, but I see nothing wrong with it.

This guy makes a lot of good points in his article:

tvcatholic.blogspot.com/2011/08/is-breaking-bad-moral-show.html
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I agree with his point here:

"It is easy to look at the show, see the fall of Walter White into the shadows of greed and corruption, and write both his character and the show off. It is easy to say that this is filth, that this is trash, that this is a further example of the degradation of society, a contributor to the culture of death. "

Disgusting show…and there are people who consider it comedy? :confused: I disagree with this author on the merits of the show. Keep putting garbage into your soul, and you’ll get garbage out. It’s little more than a graphic presentation of immoral acts for entertainment purposes.

If these are such good writers and actors, then why can’t that produce something a lot less poisonous?

Joe B
 
I think you are missing the point of his article. He was saying that you can’t just look at these aspects of Breaking Bad or of Walter White and just stop there. In fact, it is dangerous to take exerpts out of context like you have done.

The article is arguing for one of the theological virtues, namely hope, and applying it to a situation. Yes, Walter is an immoral man, but we should want the salvation of everyone, and we should want people to see the error of his ways.

If you recognize sin, it is possible to find intellectual fulfillment and enrichment in a story about corruption and abuse.
 
Magister102 said:
I think you are missing the point of his article.
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I didn’t miss the “point” of his article. I disagree with his “point,” but agree with the part concentrated on the Quote I addressed.

As a movie format, I could agree with most of what you said. But as a series, it dwells on the immoral details overdone to make the “point.” And that is tremendously overdone detail to make that point. (I got it in the first episode…) This production is a waste of their talents. I may even dare say possibly even an abuse of their talents as actors, writers, etc…

Joe B
 
It seems foolish to say that if this were a movie you would have an easier time of buying into the premise or even watching this. What is the difference?

You allow for certain thematic elements to populate the silver screen, but not the small screen. It seems like you are falling into the trap of dismissing it because it is television, rather than dismissing it because it is actually morally problematic.
 
Magister102 said:
It seems foolish to say that if this were a movie you would have an easier time of buying into the premise or even watching this. What is the difference?
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Establishing the premise in a movie does not allow for weeks on end of concentrating on and detailing the immoral activities that a weekly TV show can do.
You allow for certain thematic elements to populate the silver screen, but not the small screen. It seems like you are falling into the trap of dismissing it because it is television, rather than dismissing it because it is actually morally problematic.
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I’m not falling into any trap. I’ve already stated my views. I am merely attempting to give you a possible ground to justify the writer’s point. I’ve already stated that as a TV show it is more than morally problematic by persisting in immoral portrayals over a long time. In the context of a TV show, the immoral portrayals can easily overshadow the so called beneficial intent. It surprises me that you can’t see the difference.

Joe B
 
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