Breaking Bad parents' guide: Why you shouldn't let your kids watch the AMC crime drama, explained

Breaking Bad remains one of the most acclaimed shows of all time, even after its final season aired in 2013. The show is a dark character study of Walter White, a middle school chemistry teacher who starts selling illegal drugs after a cancer diagnosis. Furthermore, the subject matter of illegal substances makes the AMC series unsuitable for children.

While the show had little s*xual content, it had extensive scenes of characters drinking, smoking, and using drugs. Breaking Bad never glorified drug use; instead, it portrayed it in the darkest light imaginable. In fact, h*roin overdose was responsible for Jane Margolis's death in season 2.

Breaking Bad parents' guide: Why the AMC series is not for children?

The Breaking Bad parents' guide on IMDb page lists that the profanity and s*x & nudity are moderate in the series. But scenes of violence and substance use are intense.

Apart from dark storylines, the AMC series has one of the most toxic fan bases ever. Walter's wife, Skyler, was the target of fans' misogynistic ire when the show was airing on TV. Creator Vince Gilligan addressed this issue in a 2022 Variety interview:

“Back when the show first aired, Skyler was roundly disliked. I think that always troubled Anna Gunn. And I can tell you it always troubled me, because Skyler, the character, did nothing to deserve that. And Anna certainly did nothing to deserve that. She played the part beautifully. I realize in hindsight that the show was rigged, in the sense that the storytelling was solely through Walt’s eyes, even in scenes he wasn’t present for. Even Gus [Giancarlo Esposito], his archenemy, didn’t suffer the animosity Skyler received. It’s a weird thing. I’m still thinking about it all these years later.”

While some have realized that Skyler was right to be skeptical of Walt's drug business. Gilligan himself admitted that Walter White doesn't look good ten years after the series' conclusion:

“After a certain number of years, the spell wears off. Like, wait a minute, why was this guy so great? He was really sanctimonious, and he was really full of himself. He had an ego the size of California. And he always saw himself as a victim. He was constantly griping about how the world shortchanged him, how his brilliance was never given its due. When you take all of that into consideration, you wind up saying, ‘Why was I rooting for this guy?'”

What is Breaking Bad about?

Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is the protagonist of the AMC series, which premiered in 2008. Walt is a high-school chemistry teacher whose life takes a dark turn after a cancer diagnosis. He decides to use his chemistry knowledge to create and sell drugs to secure his family's future.

"Breaking Bad follows protagonist Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a chemistry teacher who lives in New Mexico with his wife (Anna Gunn) and teenage son (RJ Mitte) who has cerebral palsy. White is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of two years left to live. With a new sense of fearlessness based on his medical prognosis, and a desire to secure his family's financial security, White chooses to enter a dangerous world of drugs and crime and ascends to power in the world. The series explores how a fatal diagnosis such as White's releases a typical man from the daily concerns and constraints of normal society and follows his transformation from mild family man to a kingpin of the drug trade."

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The entire series is available on DVD and streaming platforms.

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