"Breaking Bad" recap -- Magnetic attraction

Spoilers for the season premiere of "Breaking Bad" below. Don't click through if you don't want to know.

"Breaking Bad" heads into first half of its final run

It is even worth reviewing "Breaking Bad" at this point? I mean, the series -- which begins the first half of its final run tonight at 10 on AMC --has pretty much cemented its reputation as one of the best shows on TV at this point. You don't really need me to tell you that it's good, right? But, if you love TV, it's not possible to stay silent about "Breaking Bad," because this is a show that's so weird and crazy and unlike any other show on TV.
After all, this is a series where the previous season's finale included a horrific shot of its chief antagonist with half of his face blown off, and revealed that meth-making antihero Walter White (Bryan Cranston) poisoned a child to manipulate his partner Jesse (Aaron Paul). But "Breaking Bad" isn't just about shock value.

In fact, the shocks are doled out so gradually that they never feel gratuitous. They almost seem incidental to the show's real mission, which is to painstakingly detail a seemingly normal man's transformation into a monstrous criminal mastermind. Showrunner Vince Gilligan and his team seldom miss a step in painting Walter's journey. Each bit of the process is show in loving detail, from the precise way Walt and Jesse make their meth to the methodical way Walt plotted his nemesis Gus's assassination to the hilariously long and detailed sequences of people getting dressed, opening bottles of wine or setting up completed pieces of equipment.

Take this season's premiere, which spends a good 10 minutes or so following Walt, Jesse, and reluctant cohort Mike (Jonathan Banks) as they calibrate a magnet. The magnet will eventually be used in a much more exciting scene (which I won't spoil here), Gilligan and co. wouldn't dare skip over this important step in the process.

There are plenty of shows about crime and antiheroes, but most of these "skip to the good parts," so to speak. They don't show a ton of process or buildup. Even the luxuriously paced "Boardwalk Empire" wouldn't spend 10 minutes on a magnet. Yet "Breaking Bad" is rarely boring and is often insanely thrilling.

The two episodes I've seen so far this season aren't among the show's more exciting episodes, but they do a good job of rebuilding the narrative after Gus's death and Walt's assumption of the role of crime lord. There's a lot of talk about what will happen next, and strong hints that, even with Gus gone, Walt will still have people to answer to. There's not a shocking moment akin to the finale of last season's premiere, "Box Cutter," but there's still plenty of good stuff.

Cranston and Paul remain arguably the best acting team on TV, playing off of each other's intense styles well (Note: At some point, the Emmys really should give a lifetime achievement award to the vein in Paul's forehead, which just might be the hardest-working body part in the TV business). Banks, whose role seems to have expanded this season (though, with this show, who knows) is also fantastic, and the second episode gives him a brilliant showcase. On a show full of complicated characters, Mike might be the hardest to pin down. He was loyal to Gus, seems loyal to Jesse and can't stand Walt, which all makes for an interesting cocktail. It will be fun to see where Mike is heading as the show nears its finish.

And yes, the end is coming soon. The series will air eight episodes this summer, and then air the final eight next summer. It will be sad to see this excellent series finish, but I'm looking forward to watching (and talking about) every minute of it.

10 best of 2011... in 2012

Yeah, yeah, I know -- 2011 is over. You don't want to read about the 10 best shows of the old year. You're ready for the New Year. You're amped about the return of "Justified," "30 Rock," and the prospect of seeing Sucre from "Prison Break" in a dress on ABC. I hear you. But can you please bear with me for a wee bit? 2011 really did offer some mighty fine TV and I'd like to celebrate some of its offerings before we move on.
And I promise, next week we'll talk about the likes of "Shameless," "House of Lies," and how Albie's closeted boyfriend from "Big Love" looks in a pair of pumps.
But, until then, here's my list of the best TV of 2011 (Note: Some big spoilers below, so you might want to skip around the shows you haven't seen).

"Breaking Bad" season premiere recap: The Proustian box cutter

Spoilers for the season premiere of "Breaking Bad" below. Don't click through if you don't want to know.

"Breaking Bad" returns for fourth season: Thank the freaking Lord

Rejoice, fans of dark, disturbing television: the amazing "Breaking Bad" final returns at 10 Sunday night for a fourth season after a seemingly interminable hiatus.

The 10 Best Shows of 2010

When it comes to TV, 2010 was really a mixed bag, wasn't it? Yes, it was the year that gave us "The Glades," "Bridalplasty" and scads of fairly worthless freshmen series on the broadcast networks. It was a year when one of the few promising network series, "LoneStar," died a quick death, and when one of the more promising cable series, "Terriers," died a slightly longer death.
It was year when some dear old friends left us, including "Lost" and "24," creating a bit of a gap in the TV landscape.
Yet this was also the year that gave us the best season yet of AMC's "Breaking Bad." It was the year that gave us perhaps the best "Mad Men" episode to date, "The Suitcase." It was a year in which we were introduced to some fine new cable shows, including the nifty "Justified" and the elegant "Boardwalk Empire."
It was, as I said, a mixed bag. But there was plenty to be happy about. Below is my list of the 10 best shows of 2010. Some are what you would expect. Some aren't (I'm as surprised by my number 10 choice as you are). But all represent some of my best TV watching experiences of the year.

The Best TV Lines of 2010

We all know the end of the year is a prime time of "Best of" lists. And yes, I am prepping a "Best Shows of 2010" list (hopefully coming next week -- stay tuned).
But this year, I thought I'd mix it up and do a best quotes of 2010 list. I asked for suggestions and got almost nothing from you people. So, I was left to my own devices to come up with a list of the verbal highlights of 2010. I tried my best, but I know there are many things I forgot (my failure to come up with a single memorable line from either "The League" or "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" shames me to no end).
Still, here is my sure-to-be-imperfect-but-complete-to-the-best-of-my-abilities list of the best quotes of 2010.

My Emmy picks

I think we can all agree that this year's Emmy nominations, while overlooking a lot of great shows and performers, were a bit better than normal. After all, the academy finally gave nods to eternally snubbed "Friday Night Lights" leads Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler, and gave lots of love to some promising newbies, like "Glee" and "Modern Family."
But, no matter what they say, it's the win that matters. When the awards are handed out on Aug. 29, who will win? Here are my predictions on who will win in the major categories -- and my thoughts on who SHOULD win in the major categories.

"Breaking Bad" season finale recap: "Full Measure"

A spoiler-laden recap of the bleakly brilliant (or is that brilliantly bleak?) finale of AMC "Breaking Bad" below, so don't click through if you don't want to know.

"Breaking Bad" recap: O...M...F...G!!!!!!!

A recap of last night's flippin' INSANE "Breaking Bad" is below. It contains spoilers, so don't click through if you don't want to know.

Kiss the cooks: Reviewing "Breaking Bad's" third season

Since it debuted two seasons ago on AMC, critics have been lauding the drama "Breaking Bad" as one of the most gripping, provocative and well-acted shows on TV. No less than Stephen King has called the best show on television. But there's one element of the show -- which returns for its third season at 10 p.m. today -- these reviews seldom mention.
Sure, the series -- about a New Mexico chemistry teacher who becomes a crystal meth manufacturer -- is powerful and intelligent. And yes, Bryan Cranston, who plays nerd-turned-drug-dealing-badass Walter White, is doing some of the best acting on TV (as evidenced by his back-to-back Emmies).
Yet let's not forget one major thing about "Breaking Bad" -- it's friggin' weird. I mean, it's weird in a good way, not in a fourth season of "Big Love" way. But it's still weird. This is a show that, in the three episodes sent for review, features a pair of identical, nearly mute assassins, as well as a bell-ringing invalid, a glass eye, and a barbecue grill filled with flaming cash.
But "Breaking Bad's" strangeness is one of its many charms. When the new season starts, Walter and his partner in methdom, Jesse (the equally excellent Aaron Paul) are both complete messes. Walt is plagued with grief and guilt, after the departure of wife Skylar (Anna Gunn), who was starting to figure out his double life. He's also pretty torn up about the plane crash that deposited debris and body parts in the family pool. It's a plane crash, don't forget, that Walt was responsible for, as it was caused by the grief-stricken dad of Jesse's junkie girlfriend, whom Walter allowed to choke to death. Walt is obviously wrestling with his role in the crash and there's a devastating moment in the first new episode in which he tries to explain to his students that the tragedy wasn't as bad as it could have been. It's awkward and hard to watch but Cranston, as always, makes it riveting.
Jesse, meanwhile, is still unaware of Walt's role in his girlfriend's death, so he feels responsible for the crash. Of  course, he's also heart-broken and, in a touching scene, repeatedly calls his dead lover's voicemail repeatedly so he can hear her voice. On the bright side, Jesse has cleaned up his act after his time in rehab. Both he and Walt are reluctant to return to the meth game, but it's clear that they won't be able to stay out of it for long.
Just like the last two seasons, this one starts a little slow. As always, I often have a desire to skip over the scenes between Walt and estranged wife Skylar. Gunn is admittedly excellent, but on the Wife of a Complicated Protagonist scale, Skylar is closer to Rita Morgan than Carmela Soprano. I feel for Skylar's plight as she continues to learn unsavory things about her hubby, yet she always feels like a nag and a hypocrite to me. She's just too humorless and angry to be thoroughly sympathetic.
Yet there's so much about the show that I do like, I'm willing tolerate the stuff I'm not crazy about. The third season brings back some of the great supporting characters introduced last season, including sleazy but brilliant attorney Saul (a hilarious Bob Odenkirk) and chicken restauranteur/drug load Gus (Giancarlo Esposito). And, with its breathtaking shots of New Mexico sunsets and desolate deserts, "Breaking Bad" is one of the most beautifully photographed shows on television. Even Cranston's wrinkles have a certain poetry and beauty to them.
All this, and a scene of Cranston belting out America's "Horse With No Name"? Who could ask for anything more.

The third season of "Breaking Bad" starts today at 10 p.m. on AMC.

IScreen's Top 10 Shows of 2009

Putting together a list of this year's top 10 shows proved harder than I anticipated. While last year was a relatively spotty year for TV (with the exception of excellent final seasons for "The Shield" and "The Wire"), 2009 offered a lot of reasons to love the boob tube. Several returning shows had particularly strong seasons and there were some truly smart and imaginative new offerings.
To accommodate all the year's notable programming, I present not only the traditional top 10 list, but also an honorable mention and a list of runners up. Do you have a problem with that?
I didn't think so. On to the list.
1. "Breaking Bad," AMC: After a strong, but uneven, first season, AMC's wrenching drama "Breaking Bad" blossomed into a devastating, much-watch series in its sophomore outing. With the initial exposition out of the way, the tale of drug-dealing chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston, whose brilliance goes without saying at this point) and his slightly more seasoned sidekick Jesse (Aaron Paul) went into overdrive. The guys got deeper and deeper into the drug biz. They built up a crew, acquired a lawyer (the excellent Bob Odenkirk) and unleashed a whole lot of hell. At its best, "Breaking Bad" is smart, darkly funny and deeply unsettling. It's the year's best show and, along with "Mad Men," cements AMC's reputation as the new home for great drama.

2. "Lost," ABC: Yes, I know the new conventional wisdom is that cable is king and broadcast is yesterday's news. But this year, the networks offered a lot of top-notch programming, including the best season yet of ABC's fascinating sci-fi drama "Lost." This was the show's penultimate season, and it was a doozy. We had time travel, the surprisingly touching romance of Juliet and Sawyer and perhaps the year's most shocking finale. What if, it proposed, everything we'd been watching these five seasons could be undone? The show's final season will, presumably, provide the answer. I can't wait. In the meantime, check out one of the season's funniest moments here.
3. "Big Love," HBO: How does "Big Love" do it? How does it manage to make a drama about a polygamist family seem like just another family drama (albeit an incredibly well-acted and well-written one)? Three seasons in and I'm more hooked than ever on the story of Bill Hendrickson (Bill Paxton) and his three wives, played wonderfully by Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin. This season, everyone shone but Sevigny was a particular highlight as her increasingly unstable Nikki Grant battled her daddy issues, her insecurities and a host of secrets.
4. "Mad Men," AMC: Granted, this season of the period drama "Mad Men" was a little slow. There were too many episodes focusing on adman Don Draper's (Jon Hamm) home life, particularly his increasingly dreary wife Betty (January Jones). But the season's best episodes were so phenomenal, they made up for any lags. How can you deny the brilliance of "My Old Kentucky Home," which includes the now-classic line "My name is Peggy Olson, and I want to smoke some marijuana?" Or the visceral shock of the lawn mower scene from "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency?" Or the devastating genius of this scene, in which Don finally reveals the truth about his past?
It all led up to the unforgettable, game-changing finale, "Shut the Door, Have a Seat," in which the "Mad Men" world we knew unraveled, and morphed into something new and exciting. Truth is, I'm willing to put up with this show's slow spots, because it delivers the goods more often than not. And when it delivers the goods, few shows are better.
5. "Friday Night Lights," NBC/DirecTV 101 network: Sadly, many people still haven't seen any of the fourth season of the wonderful drama "Friday Night Lights." That's because you can only watch it on DirecTV's 101 channel. The season won't air on the show's other home, NBC, until the summer. That's a shame, because this is possibly the show's best season since its first. The series reinvigorated itself with a brilliant story about Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) being forced to helm the football team at East Dillon High, a hardscrabble school far less well-off than his former home, Dillon High. The show has also successfully introduced new characters and started to close out stories for some of its returning characters. These include tortured good guy Matt (Zach Gilford), whose character has been through the ringer this season. It's disappointing that this series has to fight to be noticed (to even be seen, in fact), because it's easily one of the most moving, intelligent shows on TV.
6."The Good Wife," CBS: 2009 presented a bunch of promising candidates for best new show, but CBS's "The Good Wife" gets my vote. "ER" vet Julianna Margulies plays a familiar type -- the betrayed wife of a scandalized politician. Left behind to raise her family after a dalliance with a prostitute lands hubby in jail, Margulies's Alicia Florrick returns to her legal career -- as a junior associate. Turns out, she's pretty good at her job. The show manages to be both procedural and compelling character drama, with Margulies giving a brave, powerful performance. Bonus: the husband, played by Chris Noth, is portrayed not as a complete jerk, but as a flawed guy who still loves his angry wife. Good, adult entertainment.
7. "Nurse Jackie," Showtime: The next best new show of the season, "Nurse Jackie" stars Edie Falco as the title character, an excellent nurse who is also a philanderer, drug addict and general rule-breaker. But you kind of love her anyway, thanks to Falco's spot-on performance. Bonus: Merritt Wever's performance as newbie nurse Zoe, maybe the year's funniest new character.
8. "True Blood," HBO: A surprise hit in its first season, HBO's vampire soap "True Blood" got even better in its second season, thanks to some truly insane plotlines, the deepening of several characters and LOTS of sex. Yes, the storyline involving Michelle Forbes's quasi-demoness Maryann was uneven, but it was never boring. And all the show's supporting characters were in top form this season, especially Alexander Skarsgard's Eric, Ryan Kwanten's Jason and Chris Bauer's hilarious Andy Bellefleur (I chuckle every time I think of Bauer's reading of the word "pizazz"). With so many elements clicking, there's only one thing I can say: bloody good show!
9. "Modern Family," ABC: Imagine if the Bluth family of "Arrested Development" was made entirely of well-meaning, decent people instead of self-centered brats. It sounds awful, doesn't it? Well, ABC's new sitcom "Modern Family" isn't awful. Not even a little bit. The show has the dry wit, wacky characters and mockumentary format of "Arrested," but has something else, too: a heart. This family isn't stabbing each other in the back. They love each other. And you know what? Loving families can be funny, too. Especially if the family members are played by deft performers like Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet. Don't believe me? Take a look at this.
10. "Dollhouse," Fox: Yes, I know that Geek Nation is up in arms because Fox didn't renew its challenging sci-fi series "Dollhouse" for a third season. But come on! It's a show that deals with heady topics such as personal identity, exploitation and our culture's growing dependence on technology. We should be happy it even got two seasons. Particularly since the show's second season has been nothing short of excellent. The show centers on a company that imprints mind-wiped humans, or "dolls," with new identities to meet the needs of clients. This season, doll Echo (Eliza Dushku), has developed a personality and free will. Other characters have deepened as well, including Dollhouse tech Topher (Fran Kranz) who has gone from a smarmy geek to a truly complex, compelling part of the show. So yeah, I'm sad this is the last season. But I'm glad we got to see "Dollhouse" at all.
Honorable Mention -- ESPN's "30 for 30": Technically, this isn't a TV series but a series of occasional specials ESPN is running to celebrate the network's 30th year on the air. But it's too good not to mention. Each special focuses on a different story or personality in sports history. Each is helmed by a different director (Peter Berg and Barry Levinson are among the contributors). And each provides a truly fascinating look at the world of sports. Well-worth watching.
Runners up:
1. "Dexter," Showtime: For John Lithgow's awesome performance as the season's chief villain, Arthur Mitchell.
2. "White Collar," USA: For being one of TV's most entertaining new shows, and providing a star-making role for the charming Matthew Bomer.
3. "The Closer," TNT: For being one of the few procedural dramas with a sense of humor that goes beyond darkly comic puns about body parts.
4. "30 Rock," NBC: For Alec Baldwin's continually great performance as Jack Donaghy
5. "Glee," Fox: For proving that a scripted series with musical numbers can work (take that, "Cop Rock!"). Also for Jane Lynch.

I Screen's totally unscientific, most likely incorrect Emmy predictions!

Sunday night at 8, CBS will host the latest installment of the Primetime Emmy Awards. Though there are some glaring omissions among this year's nominees (OK, one last time: No major nominations for "The Shield"? GRRRRR!!!!), I still plan to watch, and I've still picked my favorites. Of course, my favorites almost never win, but I dare to dream.
Below is my list of the nominees for all the major categories, along with my picks for who should win, and who likely will win. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Christian Clemenson, "Boston Legal"
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
William Hurt, "Damages"
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"
William Shatner, "Boston Legal"
John Slattery, "Mad Men"
Should win: Though this is a very strong category, it's a bit compromised by the fact the year's best supporting male dramatic performance, by Walton Goggins on "The Shield," wasn't nominated. Having said that, there are some great performances here, and it's tough to pick my favorite. I'd probably just barely go with Michael Emerson's always-perfect turn as Ben on "Lost" over Aaron Paul's wrenching work as a lonely drug dealer on "Breaking Bad." But it's hard to bet against Emerson, whose creepy stares and deadpan delivery are the best thing about many a "Lost" episode.
Will win: Unless the want to give William Shatner a winning sendoff following the final season of "Boston Legal," I'm guessing Emmy voters will back me up, finally rewarding Emerson.
Best Supporting Actress, Drama
Rose Byrne, "Damages"
Hope Davis, "In Treatment"
Cherry Jones, "24"
Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"
Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment"
Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"
Should win: This is a hard category for me for a totally different reason -- I don't watch "In Treatment" or "Grey's Anatomy." So I'm going with Cherry Jones who, as "24's" first female president, actually managed to make the show's ridiculous dialogue sound less ridiculous.
Will win: A toughie, but Chandra Wilson is a favorite with critics and fans and her show is still popular, so I'm guessing Emmy voters will bless her with a statue.
Best Supporting Actor Comedy
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"
Neil Patrick Harris "How I Met Your Mother"
Jack McBrayer, "30 Rock"
Tracy Morgan "30 Rock"
Rainn Wilson, "The Office"
Should win: Though he's often overshadowed by co-stars Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan is an essential part of the "30 Rock" equation as lunatic comic Tracy Jordan. He's coming off of an especially strong season, and it's first nomination, so I'd love to see him win.
Will win: However, I'm pretty sure the Emmy will go to Neil Patrick Harris who, incidentally, is hosting the freakin' Emmys! He's a critic's darling, an industry darling, and he's funny. Sigh. Better luck next year, Tracy.
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy:
Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Elizabeth Perkins, "Weeds"
Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live"
Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live"
Should and Will Win: Though all her competitors are great, Amy Poehler is my bet for the win, as Emmy will likely want to reward what was more or less her "SNL" swan song. Also, the new mom performed on the show almost right until she went into labor. So I think an Emmy is the least we can do.
Best Actress, Drama
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
Should Win: A toughie. I think it's inexcusable that Kyra Sedgwick has never won an Emmy for her stellar work as Deputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson on "Mad Men," but I also love Elisabeth Moss's quiet, understated work as the talented, career-minded Peggy on "Mad Men." I guess, when you get down to it, I'm rooting for Sedgwick, but just by a hair.
Will Win: Again, the category is wide open, but voters rewarded Glenn Close last year for "Damages," and I expect they'll do it again. She's a film actress, which always catches voters' eyes. She plays a flashy character, and she's a gracious winner. All things Emmy likes. Sorry, Kyra, Elisabeth and company: I think Glenn's got this one.
Best Drama, Actor:
Simon Baker, "The Mentalist"
Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
Should win: Look, I love Jon Hamm and Michael C. Hall, but Bryan Cranston is just The Man. His performance in "Breaking Bad's" second season was even better than his Emmy-winning work in season one. This is a career defining performance, and I'd love to see him collect another statuette...
Will Win: ... but I think voters are going to go with Jon Hamm. He's glamorous and his show has burst into pop culture in a way "Breaking Bad" hasn't. Hamm is a star and Emmy likes stars, regardless of their decision to reward Cranston last year. I think he takes it home.
Best Actress, Comedy:
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"
Sarah Silverman, "The Sarah Silverman Program"
Should win: Can I just say that it's so nice to see the female-centered categories so full of quality nominees this year? It's a strong contrast to the Oscars, which often struggle to find enough actresses to fill the categories. Anyway, I'm going with Tina Fey who, even in an uneven season, was always a pleasure to watch as dippy but lovable Liz Lemon.
Will Win: The only thing I can say definitively here is that quirky category newcomer Sarah Silverman won't win for her work on her own Comedy Central sitcom (unless, of course, she does win. Emmy can surprise us, after all). Other than her, I think all the other nominees have a strong shot. But I think Emmy will go glamorous and pick Toni Collette, a former Oscar nominee who plays multiple roles on Showtime's "United States of Tara."
Best Actor, Comedy:
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Jemaine Clement, "Flight of the Conchords"
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"
Should Win: I love Jemaine Clement, but it's hard to top Alec Baldwin's oily, hilarious work as money-loving Jack Donaghy. He had another strong season, and I'd love to see him take it home.
Will Win: Everyone's gone gaga over category newcomer Jim Parsons, and Emmy does like to reward dark horses on occasion (case in point -- giving a statuette to Zeljko Ivanek over Ted Danson last year). But I think Baldwin will still win. Jack Donaghy is pretty hard to resist.
Best Comedy Series:
"30 Rock"
"Entourage"
"Family Guy"
"Flight of the Conchords"
"How I Met Your Mother"
"The Office"
"Weeds"
Should Win: Can I tell you which show I really, really, really DON'T want to win? "Entourage." This show is pleasantly amusing at best, and certainly not one of the five best comedies on TV. Other than that, it's hard, but I'm going to pick "30 Rock." Yes, the season was a little shaky at times, but there were so many great moments (Oprah! Kidney Now! "I want to go to there"!) that it can't be overlooked.
Will Win: "30 Rock," unless Stewie from "Family Guy" blackmails the Emmy voters into giving that series a statue.
Best Drama Series:
"Big Love"
"Breaking Bad"
"Damages"
"Dexter"
"House"
"Lost"
"Mad Men"
Should and Will Win: Again, the category is compromised by the omission of "The Shield." That said, it's hard to see "Mad Men" losing this one, despite the presence of the excellent "Big Love" and "Breaking Bad." And you know what? I'd be fine with a "Mad Men" win.

"Weeds," "Breaking Bad," and gender on TV

This weekend, I was watching some preview episodes from the fifth season of "Weeds," which begins at 10 p.m. today on Showtime.
The series focuses on suburban mom Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker) who turns to pot dealing after the death of her husband. Over the course of the past several seasons, Nancy's greed and ambition has driven her deeper and deeper into the drug biz. At the end of last season, she just narrowly escaped getting murdered by her Mexican drug lord boyfriend. The new season finds her still in hot water with the Mexican mafia, while also juggling her two sons and array of wacky associates. The episodes are typical "Weeds," -- solid and entertaining, but occasionally too far over the top and a little too condescending to the supporting characters.
However, throughout the episodes, my mind kept drifting to another series about drug dealing, AMC's drama "Breaking Bad," which just concluded its amazing second season. Like Nancy, "Bad" protagonist Walter White is a suburbanite who tells himself that the drug trade is the only way to support his family (he has terminal cancer). Walter manufactures crystal meth, a drug far less justifiable than pot. He's also gotten increasingly sucked into the drug world in the show's short life.
But there are some distinct differences between the two characters. Most of those have to do with the fact that "Weeds" is a comedy and "Breaking Bad" is a drama (Nancy makes more jokes, for one thing). But I think the core differences between them have to do with the fact that Walt is a man and Nancy is a woman.
The show gives them entirely different sets of strengths that are obviously gender-related. Walt, the man, is a brilliant former chemist who manages to survive in the drug trade, despite his inexperience, due mainly to his intelligence and resourcefulness. His skill at manufacturing drugs has saved his life more than once, as has his ability to think fast in a crisis.
Nancy, the woman, is a former housewife who manages to survive in the drug trade, despite her inexperience, due mainly to her charm and sexuality -- what used to be called "feminine wiles." The whole reason the Mexican mafia hasn't killed her is that she's pregnant by the drug lord, who believes she might be able to deliver him a son. Clearly, this isn't a tactic Walt can use.
I'm not going to make some knee-jerk claim of sexism, accusing "Weeds" of making Nancy dumb (or, at least, non-intellectual) because she's a woman. First off, "Weeds" and "Breaking Bad" were created completely independently of each other at different times. I don't think the two shows were meant to be a commentary on each other at all. Secondly, "Weeds" was created by a woman, Jenji Kohan. Plus, Nancy has a lot of positive attributes that Walt doesn't have. We've never seen her let an innocent person die, for example. In fact, she got in trouble with the Mexican mafia because she couldn't stomach their human trafficking business. Nancy is also much more family-minded. Yes, she's engaged in a trade that endangers her two young sons, but she's always aware of that, and is constantly making arrangements for them in case of her death (the start of this season has her packing off her young son to go live with her sister, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh).
But the contrast between the two characters provides an interesting picture of our different ideas of men and women, particularly men and women in business (whatever that business might be). Nancy isn't the only TV business woman who plays up her sexuality. The female investigators on the "CSI" series, for example, are almost always in low-cut tops and high heels -- clothing that few real investigators would consider practical. And, on these same shows, the men are often wonky intellectuals (or, in the case of David Caruso's character on "CSI: Miami," seem capable of solving a crime by simply whipping off their sunglasses and staring directly into the camera).
Why does this dichotomy exist? Why can't we have a brilliant female cop or drug dealer (or doctor or lawyer or fill-in-the-blank) who wears slacks and turtle necks and can start an RV engine with spare change? Some such characters do exist, including Brenda Leigh Johnson on "The Closer," but they're still too rare. We live in a world where real women can succeed in business without wearing mini-dresses and batting their eyes. TV needs to catch up.

"Breaking Bad" season finale recap: "ABQ"

The second season of AMC's "Breaking Bad" wrapped up last night and, I must say, this show is evolving into one of TV's great dramas. When it debuted last year amid the writers' strike, it showed a lot of promise, but ended its first season before its ideas were really given a chance to flourish.
But this season, the saga of chemistry teacher turned drug dealer Walter White (the brilliant Bryan Cranston) and his junkie sidekick Jesse Pinkman (an equally amazing Aaron Paul) came full flower. Last season we saw Walt, diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, become a crystal meth manufacturer to help provide money for his family after his death. This season, Walt became more and more invested in his new "career" -- and increasingly ruthless. His relationship with the loyal but dense Jesse also became increasingly charged, leading up to the moment in last week's episode when Walt let Jesse's troublesome junkie girlfriend Jane (Krysten Ritter) die of an overdose. The moment has drawn a lot of comparisons to Tony Soprano's murder of his nephew Christopher in the famous "Kennedy and Heidi" episode of "The Sopranos" (though Walt's is mainly a murder of inaction). However, the episode -- and the Walt/Jesse dynamic -- reminded me in a way of another dark, departed drama, "The Shield." The relationship between Jesse and Walt is a lot like that between Vic Mackey and Shane Vendrell. Walt, like Vic, is convinced that what he is doing is for the best, and finds creative ways to keep his criminal activity hidden -- particularly from his wife. Jesse, like Shane, is more of loose cannon. Just as Shane told his wife Mara everything about his business, Jesse spills all his drug-dealing secrets to Jane. These are two men who, as Shane put it in his suicide note, "made each other into something worse than our individual selves."
At any rate, not only has "Breaking Bad" become a program that bears comparison to "The Sopranos," and "The Shield," it's also become a strong, must-see offering in its own right. Last night's finale episode, "ABQ," showed several turning points for its characters. Skylar finally bucked up and left Walt, after his "which cell phone?" slip lead her to investigate a bit deeper into her husband's activities. Jesse is finally getting clean (for now). Walt's cancer is officially on the run (though not gone for good). And, of course, we learned exactly what caused that charred teddy bear to be floating in Walt's swimming pool: a plane crash inadvertently caused by Jane's heart-broken air traffic controller dad.
Here are a few more of my thoughts on "ABQ."
* Let's start with the revelation about the source of the Great White Swimming Pool Massacre. I just don't know how I feel about it. On the one hand, I get that it's something of a sign; that this crash is evidence that Walt's drug-dealing business is costing the lives of more and more innocent people. I know that, without Walt and Jesse, Jane wouldn't have died and her dad wouldn't have been distracted and grief-stricken enough to let the plane crash happen. On the other hand, it just seems a little too poetic and coincidental to me. I mean, really: of all the places the planes could have collided, they crash over Walt's yard? It's a little much. And I felt a little ripped off that this was the payoff we'd been leading to all season. I expected something more directly related to Walt's business. I mean, I get what they were trying to do here. I'm just not sure how I feel about it. Thoughts?
* That said, the rest of the episode was full of spectacular moments. The scene with Walt venturing into the junkie flophouse to find Jesse was probably the most powerful one of the whole episode, if not the whole season. It's also the first time in a long time we've seen Walt behave somewhat admirably. Saul's fixer offers to go in for him, but Walt insists on doing it himself. He knows that he's the reason Jesse's in the flophouse, and he feels a responsibility to get him out. The horror, sadness and revulsion on Walt's face as he walks among the house's many junkies is just perfect. And the moment when he finds his partner is simply devastating. Cranston has been (deservedly) praised up and down for his genius work as Walter, but this scene proved yet again that Paul is more than a match for him. He plays so many notes, here -- guilt, shame, pain, drug-induced disorientation -- and doesn't miss a beat.
* By the way, the fixer who takes Walt to the flophouse (and covers up Walt and Jesse's involvement in Jane's overdose) was played by the great Jonathan Banks, who, to me, will always be the surly yet lovable Frank McPike from the classic crime drama "Wiseguy." I'm sure he'll be another great addition to the show's ever-expanding gallery of supporting characters.
* Speaking of which, how priceless was it that Gus the drug distributor was one of the local businessmen participating in the DEA fun run? I'm hoping we see more of Gus (and of Giancarlo Esposito's marvelous, restrained performance) next season. I'm dying to know what he thinks of the fact that Walt is the brother-in-law of a DEA agent.
* As previously mentioned, Cranston has been lauded so much for his work as Walt that there doesn't seem to be much more to say on the subject. But I have to mention his performance during the scene when Walt Jr./Flynn praises him effusively to the TV journalist reporting on the web site donations. Despite his praise, Walt knows he doesn't deserve to be commended as "decent" and a "good guy." He looks guilty, pained and miserable. Nice touch: a chipper Marie in the background, feverishly urging Walt to smile for the camera.
* The departure of Skylar and the family officially sets Walt up as a man with nothing to lose. The death of Jane essentially does the same for Jesse. So what are they going to do now?