Be warned, if you haven’t caught up to season 8 of Breaking Bad, there may be some spoilers below.
The final eight episodes of Breaking Bad are here. In its fifth and final season on AMC, the show has attracted an avid fan base (the first episode of the final eight was the highest rated in cable for the week) and critical praise for Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul’s spectacular performances as a meth cooking team. Creator and showrunner Vince Gilligan has been raised into the pantheon of great showrunners like The Sopranos’ executive producer, David Chase, but kudos need to be given to director Michelle MacLaren, who has come into her own directing Breaking Bad episodes.
MacLaren has directed the most episodes of Breaking Bad and is responsible for some of the best scenes in television history, “Salud” -Walt’s poolside takedown of a Mexican drug cartel is just as good as any scene in The Godfather; “One Minute” – a pair of unstoppable “Chigurh-like” Mexican assassins hunt Walt, and “Gliding Over All” -Walt’s horrific and callous business reorganization plans unfold.
MacLaren also executive produced numerous episodes including the infamous “Face Off” where the character Gus Fring goes out with a bang. This past Sunday, MacLaren directed her last episode for Breaking Bad, “Buried.” It is a great example of how versatile she is as a director, showcasing strategic character reveals with as much riveting tension as seen in any previous episode.
I hope that like another Breaking Bad director Rian Johnson, who most recently directed Looper, Michelle MacLaren will get the recognition she deserves as she moves on to making her mark directing episodes of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
Catch up on all episodes of Breaking Bad on Netflix or Amazon Prime and watch the final 8 episodes on AMC at 9pm on Sundays.
-M.A ST JOHN (@theReelScoop)
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