Breaking Bad

TV review by Anne Louise Bannon, Common Sense Media
Breaking Bad Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

Morally ambiguous show is all about crime, iffy choices.

AMC Drama 2008
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 65 reviews

Kids say

age 14+

Based on 196 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Breaking Bad isn't intended for kids; its intense, morally ambiguous characters and storylines are a much better fit for mature audiences. The main character starts out as an essentially good person who's driven to extreme negative behavior (manufacturing methamphetamines and more) by depression and desperation; over the course of the show, his good side becomes less and less evident. There's a good bit of swearing (though "f--k" is muted on the network airing, but not on the DVD or streaming versions), frequent violence (sometimes extremely graphic), and some sexual content (a woman is shown topless, but her breasts are blurred on the network version, though not on the DVD or streaming versions).

Community Reviews

M-Glouberman
M-Glouberman Adult
April 24, 2022
age 14+

For Mature Teenagers and Up

First off let me start by saying this show is one of the best series to ever air. It is truly a masterpiece and large step forward in television. It proved shows could feel as realistic and quality as television and was able to engage audiences and build a world of it's one using this technique. But it's true that the show is very dark. It deals with dark issues, drug dealing, drug addiction, murder, and more. But you have to admit with all this, the message isn't lost. Anybody can be evil. The shows portal of drugs and violence doesn't necessarily hold back. The violence can be strong at times, but isn't on the level of brutality such as other shows like Game of Thrones and The Wire. The drug content is pervasive, though the use of drugs isn't as frequent as you'd think. The entire show still revolves around drugs but as long as your kid knows drugs are not to be messed with, this should be fine as consequences of drug use are present. The sex and nudity is also very tame compared to other TV-MA shows. There is basically no nudity in the entire series and sexual content is rarely shown, it's mostly implied. The language is however frequent, but children start to hear pervasive coarse language in their daily lives as they grow older either way. Overall it is a fantastic show, and though it deals with dark issues and strong violence, it holds a strong (still dark) message about humanity that if your child can understand, they must watch this show.
1 person found this helpful.
Ethan R.
Ethan R. Adult
July 6, 2022
age 18+

Good show, but also not so good

Breaking Bad is very well written and super addictive to watch. You're limited on how much you can love it though, because there are only a few good guys in the show. Most characters, including Walter, and not guys to be routing for. The biggest concern for the show is the thematic elements. There are violent bloody scenes throughout, not all the time, but when they do come they get bloody. There is also a lot of swearing. The show is captivating but you need to be thinking about what is happening, and seeing how the characters are making bad choices. The show displays the consequences of bad and destructive choices. The show is about Walter cooking meth, they don't make this look like the good side though, they show the destruction that Walter's decision bring. You may want to watch how much of these ideas though you are putting in your mind. The show isn't all bad, but it can only get so good.

This title has:

Educational value
Too much violence
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 65 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Walt White (Bryan Cranston) is a high school chemistry teacher working a second job to support his family: his pregnant wife, Skylar (Anna Gunn), and his teenage son, Walt Jr. (R.J. Mitte), who has cerebral palsy. Desperately hard up for money and constantly put down by those around him, Walt reaches the breaking point when he's diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He connects with former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) to start making and selling methamphetamines in order to raise money for his struggling family.

Is It Any Good?

All of the characters in BREAKING BAD are flawed (many very deeply), and they all make mistakes and, sometimes, baffling choices. The line between good and bad isn't clear; in fact, nobody comes off looking particularly good here, including Walt's DEA agent brother-in-law, Hank (Dean Norris), who's brusque and often insensitive. Some episodes move a bit slowly, while others have more momentum -- sort of like Walt himself, as he tries to cope with the mess his life is becoming.

Cranston's phenomenal performance is the best thing about the show. Forget the spacey, clueless dad of Malcolm in the Middle. Walt may be tired and beaten down, but Cranston manages to bring enough dignity to the man that it's possible to believe him when he's acting like an idiot and being socially responsible at the same time (such as when he narrowly escapes the bad guys, then tells his drug dealing partner, "We have to clean this up").

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why it's interesting to explore what happens when good people go bad. Is Walt's behavior justified? How do you think you'd react in a similar situation?

  • Do you think the media is the right forum to explore this kind of negative behavior? Why or why not?

  • What's the impact of these anti-heroes on the greater culture? Do kids who don't watch the show know who these guys are?

TV Details

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