‘Breaking Bad’: Why does season 5 have to be the end?

Outside of the really awesome spoof video about “Breaking Bad” that we posted yesterday, there has not been much in the way of scoop to share in quite some time when it comes to the world of Water White and Jesse Pinkman. Why is that? The answer is simple: they haven’t been filming. However, the cast is getting set as we speak to reconvene in New Mexico to wrap up work on what has become one of AMC’s signature series.

The end of this show has come with plenty of nostalgia, but also a number of questions including one that we are hearing almost every day: why end it now? The ratings for season 5 are better than ever, and this was a show that for whatever reason really did not start getting attention away from the Emmys until its third and fourth seasons. Speaking to E! News on this very subject, Bryan Cranston gave an answer that reminds us a bit about “The Wire” in that you tell the story until it is complete, and don’t just drag it out thanks to a sudden surge in popularity:

“My feeling is that movies should be as long as it needs to be to tell the story. And it’s the same thing with a series … And I think we’re coming to natural end, so I don’t want it to extend past where we’re going. It is sad, though.”

Of course, “Breaking Bad” at least had the opportunity of finding some commercial success before it ended, whereas “The Wire” was really not so lucky in that sense. The final eight episodes are sure to be explosive, as we have the stage set for an epic Walt vs. Hank matchup that should show us just how justice can be defined for someone who has slowly and surely become a monster.