Breaking Bad: The Complete Series

Just finished up the entire series...and I loved every second of it. No spoilers. But the show has high entertainment, and replay, value. I spent $119 on this (Amazon Deal of the Day), and I feel it was money well spent. At the current price of $136, it's still a good value.The picture quality was amazing, but it should be noted: from Season 4 on, the discs would sometimes refuse to load or take a long time loading. This has never happened with my BluRay player before, or with anything else since. Maybe every 1 out of 4 times loading, the disc would go THOK-A-THOCK-A-THOCK in the player & do nothing. Maybe that silly warning about using a current BluRay player comes into effect here? Anyway. Course of action: I ejected the disc (which took 45 seconds) and simply had it take the disc in again. Fixed it every time, and playback from that point on was flawless.The quality of the barrel & subsequent packing is simply fantastic. It is not only functional, but also a work of art. It's hard to describe the clear disks of plastic that are pictured surrounding the barrel, but here goes: They're multiple disks that hold the BluRays in each season. They all have bits & pieces of artwork on there that form a random, and yet meaningful, image from that season. Sometimes it's a theme; sometimes it's a side note. But it's really cool & it shows how much thought & care they put into the packaging. All the plastic discs that house the BluRays are held together by three small magnets on the edges...you know, I'm just going to have to upload a few pictures later. It's very, very well done.Especially with "special edition", "collector's edition" complete series sets, the quality tends to be....lackluster. For example, look at Dexter. The wooden box set is the higher rated of the two, but people constantly comment that it looks & feels "cheap", that when it arrived discs were all scattered around & out of order. And don't even get me started on the mannequin bust; that one was rated even worse, and with good reason. But as poorly as those are constructed, this one stands out in stark contrast. Whoever designed this appealing, functional, and solid packaging deserves a big, fat raise.If I must post criticisms, I'll post two: One, I could see the plastic hinges on the side opening of the barrel as a potential weak point. However, they did the best with the medium they were working with, and if I remember correctly the barrel was all nice & taped shut for shipping. It was packed so very well. Just keep it away from kids, who will inevitably destroy it. Two, those anti-piracy ads....seriously. I paid $119 to have advertised to my face, (every time you boot it up & go into a new episode) "This material is copyright protected by feduhral lawz, sooper seerious. Big, big fines, and we'll put you in JAIL. Don't steal this or we'll punish you." I don't care about your protection laws, and neither do thieves. They edit that cute little warning out when they steal. The only people being punished are paying customers who have their time wasted looking at warnings that don't apply to them! Knock. It. Off.Again, no spoilers, but the ending was prodigal. It very tastefully brought the series to an end, in a way that I'm sure satisfied most Breaking Bad fans. It's so wonderful to see such a talented crew treat their work with respect, end it with dignity, and exit the stage before they are asked, begged, to leave. The alternate ending, while funny, would have been a copout & I'm glad it was just that. An alternate.In summary, great series, very well done in both production & packing, no real complaints besides nitpicking...pictures of the barrel & its contents to come later. Seriously. With so many Breaking Bad fanatics I am shocked no one has done it sooner.

This collector's set is a MUST for every Breaking Bad fan! If you've seen the show and plan on re-watching, you should invest in this product. I've seen a lot of complaints about the price; I get it, $200 is a bit pricey, BUT considering what you get it is well worth it. First of all, most other retailers are selling the Blu-Ray collection for $300 but (as of 11/26/13) Amazon is knocking off a $100, and with next-day delivery I only paid about $208. Considering other Complete Series box sets such as LOST, The Sopranos, etc. $200 is the standard price, not that bad for what you get.If you're not a huge fan of the series but still enjoyed it, this is probably not for you. Re-watching the series via Netflix or individual DVD seasons - which you can get for around $20 each - is probably better. This is the type of product only avid fans can appreciate. For die-hard fans, this box set is more about the extra collectors items and the unique packaging than just owning the complete series; like I said before the individual seasons are much more cost efficient. If you just want the episodes and aren't too into extras then just stick with Netflix.The box set includes all 5 seasons (6 depending on how you count the last 8 episodes), along with a whole bunch of special features and behind-the-scenes awesomeness. Every season of the series has commentary, along with season-specific bonus features as well as a dedicated disc packed with more extras including interviews with the cast, writers, and directors, a 2 hour documentary about the making of the final 8 episodes that includes Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul reading the script to the finale, Felina, for the very first time, and an alternate ending (I want spoil it here but if you have the internet and don't live under a rock then you've probably already seen it).The packaging itself is pretty cool; the series comes in a money barrel replica similar to the barrels Walter used to stash his money in season 5B. The top comes off just like a normal barrel and there you will find the Special Features disc, a memorabilia token the has the infamous Heisenberg sketch on one side and the Breaking Bad logo on the other with the words "Yo Soy el Peligro" (I Am the Danger) lining the outer edge, and a Los Pollos Hermanos apron. Since the apron had to be condensed into a tiny disc-shape to be put in the packaging it comes out extremely wrinkled - nothing a little ironing can't take care of, though.Then in the main casing, the lower part of the barrel opens up to reveal the season discs. Each season is stored in plastic transparent casings sporting icons from each season. Inside the door to the main case you will find an episode booklet outlining each season's episodes with brief synopses and a list of the season's bonus features. There is a note from series creator Vince Gilligan at the very beginning of the booklet thanking you for your support of his bank account.I hope this review helps in your decision. This collector's set is specifically for the collector, as Vince Gilligan explains in his letter. If you're a Breaking Bad addict, then this set is a must have - even if you've already bought the previous seasons individually. It is a great addition to your collection and will look great next to your Heisenberg bobble-head. Or if you're Holiday shopping and have a fan on your list, this is THE gift for them. Die-hard fan? What are you waiting for? BUY IT! Casual fan? Save your money, stick with Netflix and save yourself the buyer's remorse.