Penny Thoughts ‘14—Breaking Bad, season 5, part 2 (2013) ****

TV-14, 6 45-min. episodes, 2 60-min. episodes

Creator: Vince Gilligan

Directors: Bryan Cranston, Michelle MacLaren, Michael Slovis, Sam Catlin, Rian Johnson, Peter Gould, Vince Gilligan

Writers: Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Thomas Schnauz, Gennifer Hutchison, Sam Catlin, George Mastras, Moira Walley-Beckett,

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ MItte, Bob Odenkirk, Laura Fraser, Jesse Plemons

Guest starring: Matt Jones, Charles Baker, Lavell Crawford, Steven Michael Quezada, Bill Burr, Louis Ferreira, Michael Bowen, Kevin Rankin, Emily Rios, Ian Posada, Adam Godley, Jessica Hecht, Carmen Serano, Robert Forster

So in the end, “Breaking Bad” is simply one big cautionary tale. I promise that I will never turn to the manufacturing and distribution of drugs as a solution to my family’s financial problems. No, I don’t want to end up like Walter White, no matter how good I am at being a ruthless cold-hearted drug kingpin. It isn’t worth it once the dust settles. There really is no way to make it all good.

The only other television experience I can think of that reached the monumental investment level of “Breaking Bad” is possibly “M*A*S*H”. While “M*A*S*H” certainly didn’t inspire the diehard devotion to every episode that this series did, it’s the only television series that grabbed the universal attention that this one did. “Breaking Bad” was a truly great show. I can’t see any other matching it any time soon. Now, go back and watch ‘em all again.