Vince Gilligan gives details why Breaking Bad ended after five seasons
Breaking Bad is perhaps the pinnacle show of TV’s golden age, but why did it end after only five seasons? Show creator Vince Gilligan reveals why.
And it’s a pretty simple reason. According to Cinema Blend, Gilligan didn’t want to be the last guy at the party like he was with the X-Files.
"“I was very anxious about the idea of folks suddenly moving on, and saying, ‘Is that show still on the air? I used to watch it. It used to be good.’ I’d wanted folks rather to say, ‘Don’t end it now!’ That’s what I wanted, and that’s what we got, thank goodness. So it was me as much as anybody who said, ‘I want to leave the stage at a high point, and not go past the high point.'”"
And what Gilligan said to the press, this decision was in a bit of contrast to what the execs at Sony were hoping for:
"“There was a little bit of pressure from the studios [Sony], saying… not pressure, but the hope expressed by them: ‘Can you go a little longer? We’re only now starting to make money on this thing.’ So they were very understanding, actually. I have to give them great credit.“Some other companies probably would have said, ‘If you don’t do this, someone else will. We’re going to keep this thing going.’ But they were wonderful to work with.”"
Was it the right time to cut bait on Breaking Bad?
Breaking Bad was one of those shows that flew under the radar for a few seasons before catching fire. When its popularity did ignite though, it blew up like Jesse & Walter’s RV. I binge watched the first few seasons on Netflix in a span of two weeks (two glorious weeks I’ll add) and got hooked on the Heisenberg blue.
My thoughts? Gilligan knew that this was the time to cut out and he was spot-on in his decision. In that Digital Spy article above, Gilligan says he thinks Breaking Bad “could have gone a few more seasons,” but that may just be lip-service to the fans. Even though Walter White himself wasn’t healthy, his story was, but it certainly reached its finish line.
Walter White achieved the title of the show. He “broke bad.” He destroyed his marriage, severed friendships, murdered several drug kingpins and poisoned kids. I’d say that someone who has done all that, be him fictional or real, is not long for this world. Yes, season five was the perfect time for Walter White to say goodbye.
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The story carries on with Better Call Saul (particularly in those Cinnabon scenes we’re seldom graced with) and honestly, that’s how it should be. Think of what would have come from an extended Breaking Bad.
We most likely would have gotten more Saul and more Mike. Even doing that may have severed the suspension of disbelief since everything was coming to a head for everybody.
A Jesse Pinkman follow-up series would rock though.