Of all the ways you should handle a mid-life crisis, building a meth lab has to be pretty low on the list.  But Walter White, recipient of a recent terminal cancer diagnosis, and caretaker of a painfully mundane existence, has clearly stopped giving a shit.  With his expertise as a high school chem teacher, Walter (played by Bryan Cranston aka the dad from Malcolm in the Middle) enlists a former student/dealer to begin his life of crime.  So goes the story of Breaking Bad, AMC’s ballsy follow-up to the critical darling Mad Men, which premiered last Sunday at 10.

Despite a highly promising premiere (it did amazing numbers in the key adult demos), the show may have trouble maintaining intensity as the season progresses.  Diminished interest in both Dexter and The Shield have shown us that the ‘guy doing bad for good reasons’ arc is a tough one to maintain, and can leave writers and viewers frustrated by the constant need to up the ante.  That said, the writing seems exceptionally sharp, and the show is visually fantastic.  If they can wring real drama out of the promising premise, Breaking Bad could have quite a future.

And, check out its amazing viral campaign.