We tend to take for granted how absurdly groundbreaking Breaking Bad was when it first debuted. Even though Breaking Bad wasn't the show that incepted the modern television Golden age, like The Sopranos, nor was it the first show to deal with a suburban parent selling drugs, like Weeds, the series possessed a strange power that kept viewers hooked like – -well, meth.
You can attribute Breaking Bad's success to the career-defining performances of Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Giancarlo Esposito, Jonathan Banks, and, basically, everyone on the cast, but the show's primary strength emanated from its writer's room. Before Breaking Bad, only a handful of television shows could consistently escalate their narrative tension without relying on gimmicks. Moreover, since Breaking Bad, even fewer shows have been able to stick the proverbial landing. To celebrate Breaking Bad's 15-year anniversary, you can check out the video linked above of series creator Vince Gilligan explaining the process of pitching the show.
