First Reviews Of The Breaking Bad Final Season Premiere Are In

The very first reviews for the upcoming season premiere of Breaking Bad, surely the most anticipated episode in recent TV history, are in, and they read like surrealist prose poetry. Sure, they say that it’s going to be good, but they are heavily embargoed and unable or unwilling to reveal anything that happens within the episode, which is titled “Blood Money.”

This is just how we like it. Showrunner Vince Gilligan and the team are playing this perfectly, building the tension until it will finally reach fever pitch on opening night.

The Wrap said:

“Is this what meth is like? Is meth this good? …We won’t know whether the series is the best ever made until it ends. But I do know, that personally, I’ve never felt as engaged by anything on TV…. But there were also telling details, some a little tragic, in the midst of this non-essential monologue. The more attention I paid, the more I like(d) it.”

ThinkProgress carried on in that same vein with:

“Given the bloody swath Heisenberg’s carved across Albequerque, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Hank to fear for his life… Walt may be able to measure out the ingredients of his trade with extreme precision, and to cook them in immaculately clean vessels. Hank has no such luxuries… attempting to predict Walt’s actions, given how startling it is that he is Heisenberg at all, seems like it will prove enormously, unnervingly hard.”

NY Daily News joined in with a four star review, stating:

“The biggest plot development, which we won’t reveal here, won’t surprise viewers. Its speed and ferocity might. …If this first episode foreshadows the other seven, much of the drama will be psychological. While Bryan Cranston’s Walter White tries to ignore the toll of his chosen course on those around him, the wreckage has begun piling up.” Variety went further with, “…while Gilligan and company have occasionally taken their time to meander on oddities, betraying the showrunner’s quirky sensibilities, this tautly paced episode suggests it’s going to be more of a sprint toward the finish line, with barely an ounce of fat on it.”

Moving beyond the first episode, AV Club speculated on Charlie Rose’s role in an upcoming episode entitled “Grantite State” which, apparently, caused Vince Gilligan to shout, “Spoiler alert!” They go further in possibly linking that title to season five opener “Live Free or Die,” which is just more  speculation.

What is certain is that come August 11th, if your face isn’t stuck to that television, you’ll probably regret it. Unless you’ve never seen the show, in which case, welcome to Breaking Bad. It’s a good show, in case you can’t tell.