Breaking bad: critical essays on the contexts, politics, style, and reception of the television series

234 Pages·2014·12.578 MB·English

by  Pierson, David

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad
Critical Essays on the Contexts, Poli-
tics, Style, and Reception of the Televi-
sion
Series
Edited by David P. Pierson
LEXINGTONBOOKS
Lanham•Boulder•NewYork•Toronto•Plymouth,UK
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Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedinanyformorbyany
electronicormechanicalmeans,includinginformationstorageandretrievalsystems,
withoutwrittenpermissionfromthepublisher,exceptbyareviewerwhomayquote
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BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationInformationAvailable
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Breakingbad:criticalessaysonthecontexts,politics,style,andreceptionofthetelevisionseries/
editedbyDavidP.Pierson.
pagescm
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-7391-7924-6(cloth)--ISBN978-0-7391-7925-3(electronic)
1.Breakingbad(Televisionprogram:2008-)I.Pierson,David,1958-
PN1992.77.B74B7392012
791.45'72--dc23
2013030625
TMThepaperusedinthispublicationmeetstheminimumrequirementsofAmerican
NationalStandardforInformationSciencesPermanenceofPaperforPrintedLibrary
Materials,ANSI/NISOZ39.48-1992.
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
Contents
Acknowledgements vii
Introduction 1
I:TheContextsofBreakingBad
1 BreakingNeoliberal?ContemporaryNeoliberalDiscourses
andPoliciesinAMC’sBreakingBad 15
DavidP.Pierson
2 TheEconomyofTimeandMultipleExistencesinBreaking
Bad 33
DustinFreeley
3 Heisenberg:EpistemologicalImplicationsofaCriminal
Pseudonym 53
AlbertoBrodesco
II:ThePoliticsofBreakingBad
4 TakingControl:MaleAngstandtheRe-Emergenceof
HegemonicMasculinityinBreakingBad 73
BrianFaucette
5 NotYourAverageMexican:BreakingBadandthe
DestructionofLatinoStereotypes 87
AndrewHowe
6 ALifeNotWorthLiving 103
JamiL.Anderson
III:TheStyleandReceptionofBreakingBad
7 BreakingtheWaves 121
PierreBarretteandYvesPicard
8 UncertainBeginnings:BreakingBad’sEpisodicOpenings 139
RossendSánchez-Baró
9 BuyingtheHouse:PlaceinBreakingBad 155
EnsleyF.Guffey
10 MediatingFictionalCrimes:Music,Morality,andLiquid
IdentificationinBreakingBad 173
CarloNardi
v
vi Contents
11 FeelingBad:EmotionsandNarrativityinBreakingBad 191
E.DeidrePribram
BreakingBad:MainCast,ProductionHistory,andEpisodeGuide 209
AbouttheContributors 217
Index 221
Acknowledgements
Because researching and writing an edited collection of scholarly essays
is always a collaborative effort, I would like to take this opportunity to
thankanumberofpeoplewho providedassistance,advice,andencour-
agement in the publication of this book. Special thanks goes to Lindsey
Porambo at Lexington Books for her steady support, assistance, and
guidancethroughthemanuscriptrevisionandpublicationprocess.Lind-
sey was always patient, friendly, and responsive in addressing my nu-
merous inquiries. I would also like to thank the manuscript reviewers
who provided invaluable input on revisions and all the editorial and
marketing staff at Lexington Books for their due diligence and profes-
sionalism.Mygratitudefurthergoesouttomyunwaveringchaptercon-
tributorswhose workliesattheheartofthiscollection.Itprobablygoes
withoutsaying(butIwillstillsayit)thatthetruemeasureofascholarly
editedcollectionresideswiththequalityofworkofitscontributors.The
book’s persuasive diversity of perspectives and creative scholarship to
BreakingBadasacomplextelevisionseriesclearlyspeaksforitself.
Closer to home, I would like to thank my colleagues in the Depart-
mentofCommunicationandMediaStudiesattheUniversityofSouthern
Mainefortheirsupportofmyresearchandscholarshipefforts.Finally,I
wouldliketothankmywife,Carol,whoprovidedextraordinarysupport
andencouragementthroughoutthebook’soriginalconceptiontoitsfinal
stage. She served as my first editor reading through copious abstract
submissions, then providing editorial comments and advice on the sub-
mitted chapter manuscripts. This book collection would not be possible
withouthersteadfastloveandsupport.
DavidP.Pierson
UniversityofSouthernMaine,June2013
vii