Why this question. Two of my top five all time favourite TV series I got hooked on to and binge watched were both about ambitious men who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. Got majorly addicted to House of Cards and Breaking Bad. Then as usual underwent withdrawal syndromes once all seasons got over. Both stories ring of ambition - House of Cards has the poker faced Kevin Spacey as the ruthless politician who will stop at nothing to achieve his dreams which is nothing less than becoming the most powerful man in the world - the President of the United States so to speak. His statement "I have no respect for people who choose money over power" pretty much sums him up. Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston as a brilliant high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with lung cancer and doesn't have long to live. He breaks bad by taking up methamphetamine production or more commonly known as meth among the rookie crowd (poor man's coke) to make a quick buck to leave for his kids before he dies. The series starts off with season 1 tracing his humble beginnings making meth in an RV to soon becoming the drug kingpin by season 3. The whole plot is about how he keeps dodging the police and maintaining the front of a soft spoken family man who wouldn't harm a bird. Both the protagonists(HOC and BB) are ruthless and have a zero tolerance towards people who come in their paths. What however is different is the fact that Kevin Spacey's character has negative undertones and you do feel angry with him when he kiils the good-hearted good looking politician Peter or Zoe Barnes, the ambitious but good at heart reporter. However, Bryan Cranston kills people by the score and yet you completely empathize with him. One of the most brilliant performances I ve ever seen and a very well deserved Emmy. His transition from being the pushover to the assertive "You are done when I say you are done" is amazing and totally plausible. Got me thinking, why does it feel so nice to see normal people like us breaking bad. Whats so appealing about a 50 year old high school chemistry teacher who breaks bad at an age when most people are planning their retirement. Its the man's desperate passion and determination to provide for his wife and kids even at the cost of being ultimately hated and despised by them and still continuing to do what he was doing till his last breadth. Something that the average family man can relate to. A sad ending to an otherwise absorbing tale. The message "Crime never pays" has been edged in surreptitiously without the story turning too preachy. No wonder the series bagged all the major emmy's this year. So I guess this is what men want, money and power, may be not necessarily in that order. Me for sure would sure love to see more of the trio, Walter, Skyler and Jesse.
