It is hard to imagine a television landscape without Walter White, the iconic antihero played by Bryan Cranston in ‘Breaking Bad.’ But not many people know that this legendary drama nearly slipped through the cracks. In its early days, the show was considered a masterful creation stuck in a narrow niche and lacking the huge mainstream audience typical of major television hits.
Although the show’s genius was evident since the pilot episode, that alone did not guarantee success. Ultimately, it was a massive industry shift toward streaming, and creator Vince Gilligan‘s ability to capitalize on Netflix that cemented the show as one of the greatest television series of all time.
Netflix Helped Turn ‘Breaking Bad’ Into A Cultural Phenomenon
At present, there is a consensus that ‘Breaking Bad’ is one of the greatest television series of all time. However, it did not come out of nowhere and took quite a few years to reach the popularity it now enjoys.
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Speaking recently with Benny Blanco and Lil Dicky on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul revealed that relatively few people watched their show during its early seasons. It remained relatively unknown to general viewers throughout its first three seasons.
This was surprising because the critics highly appreciated the show’s writing, acting, and storyline. Fortunately, things changed for good when Netflix acquired the show’s rights in 2010. The streaming industry was developing aggressively back then, and the platform increased access to this masterpiece.
Rather than waiting for a new episode each week, viewers who discovered the show on the streaming giant could binge-watch multiple episodes at once. The increased accessibility proved crucial, encouraging people who hadn’t watched it earlier to give it a chance.
By the time new seasons appeared on AMC, the audience of ‘Breaking Bad’ had significantly increased. As the actors themselves stated, Netflix played an essential role in transforming the show from a niche drama to one of the best television series in recent decades.
Bryan Cranston’s Family Approved The Show’s Pilot
While Netflix provided ‘Breaking Bad’ with an incredible boost, Cranston claims that its greatness had always been evident. Later in the same podcast with Blanco and Dicky, the actor revealed that he immediately noticed how unique the script was.
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However, agreeing to the role of Walter White would have required him to stay away from home because of the show’s long shooting schedule in New Mexico. So before making his decision, Bryan asked his wife, Robin Dearden, to read the script and share her thoughts.
Cranston recalled that his wife immediately became hooked after going through it. She understood why the actor was so enthusiastic about the project and encouraged him to take part, even if it meant Cranston would be away from home.
Moreover, Paul noted that many people echoed similar sentiments and found the pilot episode unique due to its drama, humor, suspense, and well-written characters. It took a few years for the series to find its massive audience, but the delayed success ultimately redefined television history.
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