What Do We Do When Dexter & Breaking Bad End?
With two colossal landmark TV series ending in the next few weeks, we are forced to envision our lives without a weekly dose of Dexter Morgan and Walter White. Moving forward with our lives without the ability to root for our favorite drug kingpin and psychopath killer doesn’t seem possible. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the way TV looks without these two irreplaceable “anti-heroes.”
Regardless of how both Breaking Bad and Dexter end, most of us will not be satisfied with the endings, not because the writers will leave us hanging, or because the conclusions leave us with more questions than answers; but because no matter how both end, we do not want to say goodbye.
Personally speaking, I have never become so obsessed with a TV show that it has actually impacted my life. Yes, at the end of the day Dexter and Breaking Bad are “just entertainment.” But, for some of us it is more than simple entertainment. These shows have provided a Sunday night ritual for us; much like how Dexter prepares a kill room, or how Walt methodically cooks the blue stuff. These Sundays nights have become sacred experiences that we are not ready to let go of.
The memories and feelings these shows have created for us are a once in a lifetime experience when it comes to television. Remembering the feeling of utter shock at the Season 4 end of Dexter, and the feeling when Walter White proclaims, “I am the one who knocks” are things that cannot be recreated with future replacement TV experiences.
To have these weekly rituals taken away from us is going to be tough to deal with, and no I’m not over exaggerating.
So when it ends, what the heck do we do? There are a few options…
Cry and move on to another less fulfilling show. This is my least favorable option. Sure, there will be a new lineup of shows to try to replace, or spin off from Breaking Bad or Dexter, but you know it won’t be the same. So if you decide on this option, prepare to be disappointed.
Go back and re-watch the entire series with the DVD commentary on. This is a much better option than the first one above. If you have never experienced your favorite show with commentary from the actors, writers, and producers you are in for a treat. What could be better than to hear Michael C. Hall describe step by step how he prepared for a big kill? NOTHING is better.
Dig deeper. For a show like Dexter, there are comics and novels written that can propel you back into the South Beach killing environment. Reading about our favorite ginger-haired killer can be just the distraction you need to keep you from remembering the series is over. For Breaking Bad, well you’re pretty much screwed, but there will be a Saul Goodman spin-off.
The bottom line, this article was written to help you realize two things:
There are options for you after your favorite show ends, but more importantly realize how special these series endings are going to be and truly embrace them, because we’ll never get them again… Unless Dexter doesn’t die and there is a future plan for a movie (the best option).