The “Rains of Castamere” episode of Game of Thrones saw perhaps the largest outpouring of grief we have ever seen in a TV moment, an unexpected (for non-readers) turn of events in a series committed to reminding its audience that no character is safe and all men (and sometimes women and unborn infants) must die. But one thing the show taught us, and it did so even more specifically through the liberties taken in its adaptations from the novel, is that these moments are far more affecting when they are preceded by stories and characters in which we have become deeply invested. The depth of investment is crucial. It’s only with these levels of depth that “oh shit” moments can reach their proper heights.
It’s the way Breaking Bad sets up its big moments that gives them their enormous punch. For a while, it revolves around our investment in Walt; we’re rooting for him. As he becomes more villainous, Jesse becomes the center of our investment, although Walt still carries sentimental value without question. So when Walt first throws down the fulminated mercury at Tuco and Co., we’re relieved and excited that he has not only escaped a tight spot, but asserted himself as a player to be reckoned with. We’re relieved when he saves Jesse from certain death in his car, and shocked when he shoots the perpetrators in the head before he tells Jesse, “Run.” And then we feel for Jesse as he points his gun at Gale, to save Walt’s life and, to him, his own. We’re more familiar with Walt and so his victory over Gus feels sweet, although we should question how sound this moral logic is.
The point is, the setup of these moments comes from terrific dramatization but also tremendous characterization, and the way it pulls off these moments is unparalleled. And what other show can say that during one of its biggest “oh shit” moments, a character is actually taking a shit?
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