Breaking Bad S2 (2009) Review

Breaking Bad S2 (2009)

Season 2 of Breaking Bad follows Walter and Jesse, who look to expand their growing empire, as Walt awaits the birth of his daughter and Jesse looks to leave the meth business with his girlfriend Jane.

Breaking Bad Season 2 is a pretty pivotal season in the show, even if on the surface, there’s not a whole lot happening, as this season builds on the groundwork of the first to further flesh out our characters into complex beings with complex motivations that will shape them heavily, while introducing some very key players who will become mainstays for the series moving forward. Off the bat, Walt’s marriage problems continue to boil under the surface, with his lies and deceit becoming harder to cover for, and in a move that becomes indicative of his quest for power, he missed the birth of his daughter to complete him and Jesse’s biggest deal yet. What started out as a selfless act to leave money for his family, has now become much more, as the Heisenberg persona increasingly invading Walt’s personality, even with his cancer in remission. 

A looming thread throughout this season as well focuses on the plane crash over Albuquerque, and while initially posed as a tragedy at the White residence, has a much more sinister revelation: that Walt, through letting Jane die, is directly responsible for the crash. And though the crash is merely a drop in the bucket, Jane’s death represents a continued loss of innocence in Jesse that marks a major shift in him, which will undoubtedly push him further into the manipulations of Walter. 

We get another stellar cast, starring Christopher Cousins, Jonathon Banks, Giancarlo Esposito, Krysten Ritter, RJ Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Dean Norris, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, and Bryan Cranston. Cranston really begins to implement a ruthless tenacity to Walter in this season that adds so many layers to his character and makes you really question his motivations as he falls deeper into the meth trade and his relationship with Jesse complicates. 

Breaking Bad S2, directed by Vince Gilligan, is another riveting season, that, while bogged down with the back & forth in Walter’s marriage, lays down all the pieces for Heisenberg to truly emerge next season, with a fractured Jesse in tow. 

8.8/10