Celebrated film critic David Thomson, author of The New Biographical Dictionary of Film, has edited the ultimate fan guide to Breaking Bad, Breaking Bad: The Official Book. The paperback covers the evolution of Breaking Bad from the pilot to the final episode and beyond. Adapted and expanded from Breaking Bad Alchemy, the interactive e-book for the iPad, it highlights the unique elements that made the series so magnetic.
Thomson shares an extensive interview with Vince Gilligan and provides an insightful introduction, arguing that Breaking Bad is not only a great show, but one of the most significant works of fiction in the new century. In addition to exploring how this epic series came to be, Thomson sets Breaking Bad in the context of both crime literature and long-form television. (Jon Brooks noted that The Atlantic called Thomson “the greatest living film critic and historian,” and the writer of “the most fun and enthralling prose about the movies since Pauline Kael.”)
The book includes insider secrets about the making of the show and the meanings behind its iconography, a complete Breaking Bad timeline, and in-depth looks at the series’ groundbreaking cinematography, music, and special effects, as well as the show’s influences, such as Brian De Palma’s Scarface.
According to Daniel Bubbeo in Newsday, the book summarizes all five seasons of the show and includes trivia like the Bad Chemistry Quiz (“How many bodies have we seen dissolved in acid on screen?”), and more.