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Or maybe it is because Kevin Spacey is a fantastic actor and it has an excellent screenplay? Is the USA a meth addicted society because Breaking Bad has been on

Or maybe it is because Kevin Spacey is a fantastic actor and it has an excellent screenplay? Is the USA a meth addicted society because Breaking Bad has been one of the most celebrated cable tv shows as of late? Trying to pin the success of a well written show on Netflix to America's total hopelessness because Obama hasn't changed the world is a stretch.

saryant 13y ago
I think you've got the right explanation. There have been a few TV shows about the presidency since The West Wing and none of them caught on—they were all terrible shows! The West Wing and House of Cards are popular for the same reason: exceptional writing, production and acting.
- __david__ 13y ago
  I agree, and that's the reason it kind of rubs me the wrong way when people attribute House of Cards to Netflix's statistics on what people want to watch—which always seems neglect the fact that the show is very well written, very well directed and very well acted. To make an analogy to start-up land: having the great idea is only the first part—actually executing the great idea is actually the more important (and difficult) part.
Homunculiheaded 13y ago
One of the leading villains of Breaking Bad is most definitely the US healthcare system. There is no doubt that in either show stellar acting and writing are what make the show, but part of stellar writing is touching on the anxieties of your audience.
- eigenvector 13y ago
  I disagree. Walter White is offered money for his treatment at the outset of the show. The fact that he refuses it and proceeds with his life of crime makes the crux of the show his pride, not the US health-care system.
  - robryan 13y ago
    So the health care system puts people in a position of helplessness where they would require a handout to have any hope. Also Hank wouldn't have been able to walk again without the treatment paid for with drug money. I wouldn't say it is the central theme of the show but it is certainly there.
    - mseebach 13y ago
      No, its repeated again and again and again that Walter is doing it for pride, to the extent that it gets a little annoying once or twice. Walter has several opportunities to work away with several millions and no loose ends, even after the cancer is in remission, but goes to great trouble to stay in the game. Also, both Walter and Hank's successful healing hinges on them getting the absolute top end of treatment. These don't magically become available under universal coverage. Hank is a career federal employee and must be assumed to have good insurance, but the plot explicitly places his needs outside its capabilities. Universal health care makes sure that you don't get ruined by health expenses and that you can get patched up pretty good in the vast majority of cases. This is a good thing. But it's not a panacea that makes the top-end care that Walter and Hank receives available to the masses.

saryant 13y ago

I think you've got the right explanation. There have been a few TV shows about the presidency since The West Wing and none of them caught on—they were all terrible shows! The West Wing and House of Cards are popular for the same reason: exceptional writing, production and acting.

__david__ 13y ago
I agree, and that's the reason it kind of rubs me the wrong way when people attribute House of Cards to Netflix's statistics on what people want to watch—which always seems neglect the fact that the show is very well written, very well directed and very well acted. To make an analogy to start-up land: having the great idea is only the first part—actually executing the great idea is actually the more important (and difficult) part.

Homunculiheaded 13y ago

One of the leading villains of Breaking Bad is most definitely the US healthcare system. There is no doubt that in either show stellar acting and writing are what make the show, but part of stellar writing is touching on the anxieties of your audience.

eigenvector 13y ago
I disagree. Walter White is offered money for his treatment at the outset of the show. The fact that he refuses it and proceeds with his life of crime makes the crux of the show his pride, not the US health-care system.
- robryan 13y ago
  So the health care system puts people in a position of helplessness where they would require a handout to have any hope. Also Hank wouldn't have been able to walk again without the treatment paid for with drug money. I wouldn't say it is the central theme of the show but it is certainly there.
  - mseebach 13y ago
    No, its repeated again and again and again that Walter is doing it for pride, to the extent that it gets a little annoying once or twice. Walter has several opportunities to work away with several millions and no loose ends, even after the cancer is in remission, but goes to great trouble to stay in the game. Also, both Walter and Hank's successful healing hinges on them getting the absolute top end of treatment. These don't magically become available under universal coverage. Hank is a career federal employee and must be assumed to have good insurance, but the plot explicitly places his needs outside its capabilities. Universal health care makes sure that you don't get ruined by health expenses and that you can get patched up pretty good in the vast majority of cases. This is a good thing. But it's not a panacea that makes the top-end care that Walter and Hank receives available to the masses.