After the confrontation with Tuco, a drug kingpin, Walter and Jesse are left in shock and shaken up. Walt continues the illicit business of cooking and selling methamphetamine order to secure a financially safe future for his pregnant wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) and his disabled son Walter Jr. (RJ Mitte). Walter’s brother in law Hank (Dean Norris) has been promoted and sent to El Paso on the lookout for the new kingpin supplying drugs to the town. Jesse becomes romantically involved with his landlord Jane (Krysten Ritter) who is still recovering from drug addiction and is going to play a big role in his life. A once normal decent and honest man converted into a drug maker/dealer looking to out for the future of his family, but when his wife begins to suspect, his relationship with Jesse begins to deteriorate, and his brother in law Hank is unknowingly after him, Walt’s life is about to take an unexpected (perhaps expected) turn of events.
The season really begins with a teddy bear floating eerily alone in the pool and without a real explanation of what happened and what context that fits in, but considering the way the show runs viewers soon find out the story behind it. We see the main characters following season one doing the same old thing, but what is the difference? They have now established themselves and made this drama one of the best I have the pleasure of watching. We see the good old mild manner chemistry professor and his moral decay, and Jesse the irresponsible in your face punk both reaching some new high and low levels. Believe me when I say, it’s just as tough watching it all and moving along with the show as the characters are going through each of their new predicaments. The show manages to immerse the viewer and introduce them to new levels of stress. This is perhaps one of the best shows out there considering what’s on TV right now.
Breaking Bad Season 2 manages to keep everything set by the first season while at the same time allowing a development of each of his characters and taking the series into a much darker theme. This season features some of the best, and at times moving, performances I have seen from the lead actors and the supporting cast as well. Not only the acting is on the positive note, but the directing has made this season a must see never losing sight of where the story is moving to. The script is top notch; I personally enjoyed how the series explores the mind of an honest moral man in the midst of self-destruction. I personally enjoyed every episode from this second season, the story is great, the acting is top notch, and this easily makes one of the best shows out there.
Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p MPEG4-AVC encode framed at 1.75:1. Now this second season has a much better improvement over the first season of the show, fine details have improved, but don’t be fooled they aren’t all perfect. The outside scenes display vast improvement with much more detailed objects. Colors are well reproduced all around, black levels appear more natural given the gritty look of the show. Skintones are warm, but they do feature a rosy tone. The are some white artifacts that seem to appear on screen from time to time that also appear on season one. Overall this is a much nicer presentation than the predecessor.
Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season arrives on Blu-ray with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. This is exactly what every show feature a top notch lossless track to do them justice. Time and time again do we find ourselves disappointed with our favorite TV shows and their lossy track. Dialogue comes clean and crisp, ambient effects often provide more immersible scenarios. The rears provide some piercing sound during the heavy shootouts and deliver the musical score without a single problem. This track is exceptional!
Lately TV shows don’t receive the treatment they should. Many of them just get thrown together without much careful planning, hardly any extras, and some even with low quality. However, Breaking Bad has received an excellent amount of extras to keep you going even after the show is over. Check below for the breakdown of the supplements.
The Writer’s Lab – An Interactive Guide to the Elements of “ABQ” – This features a look at the scriptwriting and helps explain the plots of the story.
Season 1 Recap
Inside Breaking Bad – This section is comprised of 13 featurettes each from its own respective episode. Some features audio commentary as well as deleted scenes. Here’s the breakdown:
- Seven Thirty-Seven
- Grilled
- Bit By a Dead Bee
- Down
- Breakage
- Peekaboo
- Negro y Azul
- Better Call Saul
- 4 Days Out
- Over
- Mandala
- Phoenix
- ABQ
Behind the Scenes – This is self explanatory, each featurette shows the viewer something different. Check below for a breakdown.
- Season 2- What’s in a Name?
- Making of “Negro y Azul” Music Video
- The Tortoise Scene
- A Look Ahead
- The Special Effects
- The Props
- The Sets
- Locked in the Trunk
- Inside the RV with Aaron Paul
- The Crew
“Negro y Azul” Music Video
“Better Call Saul” Commercial – Exactly as seen on the show
Cop Talk With Dean Norris -Features the actor talking to cops about, well cop stuff. This is also in 4 different sections.
- Chick Cops
- Donuts
- Stakeout
- Cop Stuff
Gag Reel
Walt’s Warning – Features the actor playing Walt talking about the series.
Breaking Bad Original Webisodes – These episodes were originally available online, but rest easy they are included in this release. Here’s the breakdown:
- The Break-in
- Good Cop/Bad Cop
- Wedding Day
- Twaughthammer
- “Fallacies” by Twaughthammer
- Marie’s Confession
Season 3 Sneak Peek
Vince Gilligan’s Photo Gallery
Previews – This release features trailers for the following: Breaking Bad, Michael Jackson’s This Is It, 2012, The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, Black Dynamite, Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Blu-ray Disc is High Definition.
Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season features an equally outstanding, compelling, breathtaking, and at the same time emotional roller coaster as the first season. The writers and directors have managed to get the best out of their cast and kept the story from going downhill. This season is perhaps the best out of the two and I am going to go out there to say that is perhaps the best show on TV right now. The Blu-ray features a great video and audio transfer plus an exceptional amount of supplements that should keep those wanting more after the show is over entertained. This perhaps one of my only exceptions when it comes to grading, but it’s well worth it. This is a must own Blu-ray enough said.
