Really, that a finale feels satisfying in the end is the most important thing. So it sucks for people who feel let down by the conclusion to Breaking Bad even if their disappointment comes from expectations that I would argue are misplaced. Still, the vast majority of reactions I’ve come across, especially in face-to-face interactions with people, is that it was a fitting end. Many of the people involved in the show insisted in the weeks leading up to the final episode that it was “a very Breaking Bad finish,” and that it stayed true to Vince Gilligan’s vision. I maintain that it’s a tough case to make that this finale, whether it was the denouement to the series climax that occurred in “Ozymandias” or an ending all unto itself, was not consistent with the sensibilities of Gilligan and company for the entire run of the series, right up to the final moments backed by Badfinger’s “Baby Blue.”
It’d be easy to lament the current state of cultural discourse, where no one can seem to agree on anything, and where consensus is impossible, at least compared to days past when everyone seemed to agree on what movies were good and what cultural artifacts were important. But maybe this is tinged by nostalgia, and the false impression that the good old days were even all that good. Maybe people feel more open to interpreting things for themselves now, and have a platform through which they can communicate their interpretations. This makes for a conversation that seems more hostile and disjointed, but the number of ideas floating around on a particular episode of television or movie or music album must be at a higher volume than ever before. Rather than moaning about the new reality, it seems more practical to try to adapt, and that means developing a better filter for good opinions and useful information. It can make the greater number of views expressed a blessing rather than a curse.
I’m open to the perspectives that “Felina” is a betrayal of everything that was good about Breaking Bad or an episode that brought it all to fruition. The most important thing seems to be that the conversation continues to press on, and that the team behind the series inspired such passionate and thoughtful dialogue surrounding their work is perhaps the highest compliment of all.
