One of the reasons why the television series Breaking bad (2008-2013) and Prison break (2005-2009) were able to attain much popularity with the viewing audiences, is that the themes and motifs, contained in them, do resonate with what happened to be the realities of living in contemporary America. In my paper, I will explore the validity of this statement at length, while elaborating on what can be deemed the discursive significance of the settings, seen in both TV shows. I will also define the qualitative specifics of how some of the featured characters use language to interact.
Even though that the theme of crime equally affects the plot-developments in Breaking bad and Prison break, it is namely the former, in which the sociological implications of this theme appear to be particularly apparent. The reason for this is that the show’s plot (concerned with the process of the main character Walter White undergoing a transformation from a chemistry teacher into a drug-dealer) cannot be discussed outside of what are the classic conventions of the so-called ‘American dream’.
That is, Walter’s metamorphosis, in this respect, appears having been reflective of his willingness to attain a social prominence through money – the actual indication of one’s true worth, as seen by the majority of Americans. One of the reasons for this is that, as it can be seen in the series, their creators made a deliberate point in ensuring that the featured settings are being consistent with the status-related anxieties, experienced by viewers.
For example, throughout the Season 1, Walter and his family are shown living in the clearly lower middle-class suburbia, with their house (especially kitchen) clearly lacking space for all to be comfortably accommodated. Nevertheless, as Walter continues to make and sell methamphetamine, the living conditions of his family gradually improve. For example, in the Episode 1 (Season 4), Walter’s wife Skylar is seen talking on the phone in the house, which has been completely renovated from the inside and outside. This, of course, invokes the images of what the notion of the upper middle-class stand for. In part, this explains why ever since it began to be aired, Breaking bad never ceased sparking a certain controversy – one of the messages that it conveys, is that it matters very little, as to how one goes about becoming a financially secure individual. All that it matters, in this respect, is whether the concerned individual succeeds in this undertaking or not.
The settings, seen in Prison break, are meant to serve a somewhat different purpose. Specifically, they are there to prompt viewers to realize that there is indeed much discrepancy between America’s claim to be the most democratic/humane nation in the world, on one hand, and the fact that the inmates in American jails suffer from the lack of even basic necessities, while being constantly brutalized. In its turn, this explains why in the Episode 1 (Season 1), the director deliberately juxtaposed the settings of a large office (associated with the yuppie – lifestyle) with the settings of the Fox River State Penitentiary, where one of the show’s main characters Michael Scofield is being sentenced to do time, in the aftermath of having staged a bank robbery.
For example, whereas, the mentioned office has a number of large windows, which allow one to enjoy a panoramic view of the city, the cramped prison-cells at Fox River do not have any windows, whatsoever. It is understood, of course, that this directorial move was meant to produce a powerful dramatic effect – while exposed to ‘another world’ behind the barbed wire, viewers inevitably end up experiencing the sensation of a cognitive dissonance. Consequently, this prompts them to contemplate the fact that the functioning of the country’s legal system is far from being considered thoroughly adequate.
The manner, in which the characters in both serials communicate, also has number of socio-economic implications. To exemplify the validity of this suggestion, we can refer to the fact that there are clearly defined neurotic overtones to how Walter (in Breaking bad, Season 1, Episode 1) goes about trying to explain students the basics of chemistry. This, of course, predisposes viewers to conclude that, while addressing his professional duties as a teacher, Walter never ceased being deeply troubled by some kind of a personal issue. Yet, it was not the character’s diagnosis of cancer that appears to have troubled him the most, but the fact that his family used to experience the lack of money.
There is a memorable scene at the beginning of this Episode, where Walter’s son Flynn complains about having been served ‘veggie bacon’ for breakfast – only to be told by his father about the sheer beneficence of this food-item being low on cholesterol. It is understood, of course, that this remark, on Walter’s part, exposed him as an individual, who was bound to experience the anxiety of inferiority, throughout the series’ entirety. Moreover, the same anxiety appears to affect the communicative patterns of the rest of the featured characters, as well. Partially, this explains why many dialogues in Breaking bad reflect the concerned characters’ tendency to indulge in double-talk.
When compared against each other, the episodes of Breaking bad will appear being much more realistic than those of Prison break. Probably the main reason for this is that the directors of the former strived to spare their series of the moralistic clichés, which happened to be abundant in the latter. The directors’ move, in this respect, does make much sense, especially given the fact that the show’s main character (Walter White) has been conceptualized to act as the antagonist and protagonist at the same time. In its turn, this ensures the psychological plausibility of the themes and motifs, contained in Breaking bad – just as it happened to be the case with people in real life, many of the series’ characters are being cable of acting in the essentially unpredictable manner. The character of Walter White exemplifies the validity of this suggestion perfectly well. Partially, this explains why despite Walter’s decision to begin ‘cooking’ and selling methamphetamine, viewers cannot help regarding him in terms of a misunderstood hero.
In this respect, Prison break is much different. After all, throughout the show’s entirety, its main characters act rather formulaically. For example, the main character Michael Scofield appears to be nothing short of the embodiment of virtuousness – regardless of how he reacts to every particular challenge in the series, viewers are left with no doubt as to the fact that, while addressing it, Michael is being driven by the solely noble considerations, on his part. Essentially the same can be said about the character of Lincoln Burrows (Michael’s brother), who is being presented as a Christ-like figure – a wrongly accused and undeservingly suffering ‘man of substance’.
The only realistic character in Prison break is the mafia boss John Abruzzi, whose act never ceases to remain circumstantially justified. In its turn, this helps to explain the main specific of how the series’ characters use language, while interacting socially – most of them are being preoccupied with striving to emphasize the emotional undertones of what they try to convey to others. This is the reason why the element of gesticulation plays an important part in dialogues between the featured characters – it helps to compensate for the lack of eloquence in the verbally exchanged messages.
The race-related motifs are presented in both of the mentioned TV shows. In Prison break they are especially notable, as the very realities of how this country’s penal system operates, naturally predisposes the population of inmates in American jails to pay close attention to the issue of race. At the same time, however, it would be inappropriate to suggest that this particular issue exerts a strong influence on the developments of the plot in Breaking bad and Prison break. Quite on the contrary – in the aftermath of having been exposed to either (or both) of the mentioned serials, one would be likely to conclude that a particular person’s racial affiliation does not really matter.
I believe that the earlier deployed line of argumentation, in regards to the discussed subject matter, is fully consistent with the paper’s initial thesis. Apparently, there is indeed nothing incidental about the fact that both of the discussed TV shows turned out a great commercial success. The undeniably social sounding of both serials predetermined such an eventual development.