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There’s no doubt thatBreaking Badwas one of the biggest hits and most-watched shows out there. Even now, a lot of people consider it the best of all time. But there’s still one question that’s up in the air: why was meth the drug of choice? Reasons are given within the story, but how did they land on that for the series? Why not pick another drug to focus on?
Vince Gilligan, the creator of the show, tackled that question in an interview a while back, along with a bunch of other details aboutBreaking Bad. It turns out the whole idea came from real curiosity on his part and that of Thomas Schnauz, one of the writers and producers.
How Methamphetamine Became The Chosen Drug For The Plot OfBreaking Bad?
This is definitely one of those questions fans might have wondered about at some point. In the series, a bunch of factors, like money and market demand, push Walter White to team up with Jesse to produce meth. But how did they decide that this would be the drug to focus on for the show?
In an exclusive interview withVultureback in 2013, creatorVince Gilliganwas asked about this, especially since meth isn’t exactly the most popular or glamorous drug out there. He mentioned that the story actually has roots in a pretty distant past, along with his partner Thomas Schnauz.
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Both of them had just worked together onThe X-Filesin 1993 and had come across an article about a meth lab that was making a bunch of neighborhood kids sick. Around that same time, with writing gigs hard to come by, they found themselves brainstorming what to do next. They even joked about the idea of cooking meth in the back of an RV.
So, from that joke, the idea forBreaking Badwas born. On top of that, he added:
And meth makes perfect sense, story-wise, for Breaking Bad. Unlike marijuana or cocaine, it’s a completely synthesized drug that needs a chemist and not a farmer to make. I liked the idea of Walt being good at chemistry and having a unique set of skills that would allow him to cook the best meth available. And it’s also just a nasty, terrible drug that destroys people and whole communities.
With that in mind, it’s pretty interesting to see that methamphetamine was actually the first element in the story, coming up even before cancer, which is the main reason Walter kicked off his lab.
Vince Gilligan Reveals The Real Reason Behind The Ending OfBreaking Bad
Since the series was such a massive hit, some fans think it should’ve gone on a bit longer. Even Sony asked Gilligan about it, but he had solid reasons for knowing exactly how farBreaking Badshould stretch.
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In 2018, the creator shared that season five was the final one because ofThe X-Files. Talking about the 1993 series, where he worked as a writer, he mentioned that there came a point when he realized things had gone off track due to the viewers’ expectations: (viaDigital Spy)
I had worked on The X-Files for years before that, which was a wonderful job. I loved it. I was such a fan of the show when I got involved, and I had such a good time being a writer on it. For seven years, I was on it. Then suddenly, I looked up one day, and realised that everybody else was watching something else entirely. I learned at that point: you don’t want to leave the party too late. You want to leave folks wanting more.
The X-Filesran for eleven seasons, and Gilligan noticed that, at a certain point, people were surprised the show was still on the air. He wasn’t a fan of that:
I’d wanted folks rather to say, ‘Don’t end it now!’
This mindset shaped the direction ofBreaking Bad, as they wanted to avoid those surprised reactions about the show still being on the air. It’s all about knowing when to call it quits to leave a positive impression in the fans’ memories.
Breaking Badis available for streaming on Netflix.
Catherine Delgado
Articles Published :141
A geek enthusiast of fantasy and sci-fi, Catherine is also a screenwriter, completely obsessed with pop culture. Graduated in Audiovisual Production, she creates characters and writes about fictional universes when not writing articles, binge-watching shows, or reading sagas.
