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)
nywift
Related Posts
NYWIFT at DOC NYC: In Conversation with Luchina Fisher
NYWIFT member Luchina Fisher’s powerful new film The Dads features fathers tackling tough, complex issues of parenthood, masculinity, and more – learning to love and support their children the best they can. On a fishing trip with Matthew Shepard's father, five disparate dads discuss their love, hopes and fears for their trans kids in this short documentary. The film is screening now at DOC NYC, where is was named to the festival’s influential awards short list. We spoke to director and producer Luchina Fisher about her personal connection to the dads, her exciting Netflix opportunity, and the film’s superstar supporter.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Eunice Levis
Welcome to NYWIFT, Eunice Levis! Writer and director Eunice Levis is a first-generation Dominican American from the Bronx, New York. Eunice's work focuses on genre-bending stories that combine her love of horror, sci-fi, thriller, and fantasy, often through a diasporic lens. She seeks to disrupt and challenge dominant narratives around technology, race, gender, history, and diaspora identity by altering the stories we tell about them. Eunice spoke to us about her early inspirations, her latest work, and how genre stories offer a unique opportunity to challenge the status quo.
READ MOREFOUND: Highlights from an interview with the Director Amanda Lipitz and Producer Anita Gou (Part 2)
Found is a compassionately told story of the girls finding one another, finding their homeland, and finding themselves. Director Amanda Lipitz and Producer Anita Gou spoke with NYWIFT Board Member Christina Kiely about the experience of making the film and the powerful and often unexpected stories that emerged in the process. This is part two of their conversation.
READ MOREFOUND: Highlights from an interview with the Director Amanda Lipitz and Producer Anita Gou (Part 1)
Found is a compassionately told story of the girls finding one another, finding their homeland, and finding themselves. Director Amanda Lipitz and Producer Anita Gou spoke with NYWIFT Board Member Christina Kiely about the experience of making the film and the powerful and often unexpected stories that emerged in the process. This is part one of their conversation.
READ MORE
