A hotly debated subject – the clash of the TV titans. The Sopranos vs. Breaking Bad. Everyone who knows them has an opinion, many of them quite strongly in one direction or the other. For me it is quite an easy choice – it doesn’t even come close. Breaking Bad is better.

There are a million little reasons why Breaking Bad comes out on top for me, but really it all comes down to the one BIG reason why Breaking Bad is much better: Walter White is a much better character than Tony Soprano. Don’t get me wrong – Tony is great, The Sopranos is great – but Walter and Breaking Bad is a lot better is virtually every way. Where Tony is (in my opinion) childish ignorant and irrational; Walt is intelligent, thoughtful and complex. I am not stupid, I do realise that the anger and irrationality is a part of Tony’s persona and makes his character more interesting but my main gripe is that he is not a fundamentally likable man. I do not care about Tony Soprano. When “Don’t Stop Believing” played, my first thought was “He deserved it” If and when Walt should ever die on screen, I know for a fact I will sad to see this great character pass. That’s what great writing and acting does. Cranston has me whole heartedly rooting for Walt, I know he is far from perfect and shares many of Tony’s less desirable traits. He certainly is flawed. However I care about Walt, because he is fundamentally a much more likable and essentially relatable man, which makes us as a viewer care and invest in him and his story.

I think my dislike of Tony Soprano started very early on, even at the beginning of season one. I met this stereotypical Italian-American mafia guy who has never really worked for anything in his life, but rather reaps his outrageous wealth through crime and exploitation. That is an interesting as hell character and context; however it left me thinking “this guy is a fucking asshole” – and that feeling only grew with each passing episode. You can basically flip this for Walt. I instantly warmed to this hard working, but hard done by upstanding gentleman. Of course his crimes are every bit as bad as Tony’s, but the difference is he is a likable man I can relate to.

I feel like Tony behaves like a petulant child the vast majority of the time. He treats everyone around him like shit. Yes he might be a deep, complex guy according to some (the ducks!!) that’s not enough for me. At his most fundamental level, Tony Soprano is a dick. But I will say this – James Galdofini plays that role amazingly. I mean absolutely world class. In fact he is one of those actors that play the part so well; you forget he is an actor playing a role. Tony Soprano always felt very real to me, and that is extraordinary.

Breaking bad is FAR from faultless – it has some issues. Skyler White is one of the most annoying women to be put on screen; in fact I’d struggle to choose the winner of “most annoying person” between her and Walt jnr. And that plane crash story line, I still have no idea why that story arc exists. It is not smart or philosophical; it was just jarring and strange. But I can oversee the low points for the high points. The set design, the music, the use of light filters, colour schemes and the absolutely spot on casting for Walt, Jesse and Saul. What a joy to see it on screen. There were certain scenes where I was literally on the edge of my seat, I was that engrossed in the story and that invested in these characters. The scene where Hank tried to get Walt and Jesse in the Rv at the impound lot is some of the best footage you will EVER see. Stellar. And I am no less enthralled now we are coming to the end – it has not lost any of its shine for me. How ever Breaking Bad ends, I have faith the writers will keep the integrity I expect from Breaking Bad now.

Many people will disagree, but that is my story and I am sticking to it.

For the record here’s my prediction:

Inb4 Todd will fuck up EVERYTHING. He will be the downfall of Walt. I think some stupid decision by Todd will start some horrendous chain of events, I see the whole White family being killed through this stupid decision. Maybe Walt along with them, or maybe after discovering their deaths Walt takes his own life. I think it would be a bitter irony to see that the very thing he risked everything to provide for his family ends up destroying everything he tried so hard to protect.