Books too Culture amongst Laura

How is a Drug Dealer Not Like a Police Detective?  

Thoughts on Breaking Bad, Foyle's War, together with the Shortfalls of Consequentialism

by Laura Scanlon

I receive got viii episodes of Breaking Bad left to watch, together with I can’t expect to larn them over with. Seriously, I take away to larn on alongside my life, together with I can’t until I complete the show. It’s simply that good.

My hubby together with I tried to retrieve of what other shows tin dismiss concur a candle to Breaking Bad, together with the solely i nosotros could retrieve of is Foyle’s War. Admittedly, we’re non avid tv set watchers, but I retrieve the 2 shows are interesting to compare.

In Breaking Bad, Walter White’s downward spiral illustrates the mistakenness of letting ends justify means. He begins his life of law-breaking inwards a sincere, if wrongheaded, effort to furnish for his family. In the end, though, his criminal corporation becomes a request for money, power, together with revenge. Instead of protecting his family, he endangers them.

Walt’s expert intentions cannot forestall his evil deeds from turning him into an evil person. What’s more, inwards effort to furnish for his household unit of measurement materially, he denies them what they actually needed from him inwards the starting fourth dimension place: his love, his presence, himself.

(A lilliputian aside here: I actually produce hope that an insurance companionship ran commercials during this exhibit when it was airing. What a marketing opportunity! If always at that spot were a dramatic illustration of the importance of life insurance, this is it.)

And together with thus nosotros receive got Foyle. H5N1 police pull detective even gear upwardly inwards England during World War II, Foyle’s War is non quite the equal of Breaking Bad inwards price of acting, script, together with plot. But Foyle equally a grapheme is. . . expect for it . . . the perfect foil for Walter White (groan . . . distressing . . . but I’m inwards expert companionship here).

In episode subsequently episode, Foyle faces temptations allow ends justify means. For instance, to a greater extent than than i time Foyle faces pressure level to plough a blind oculus to law-breaking when the perpetrator is to a greater extent than valuable to the nation of war effort than the victim. In every case, Foyle pursues judge together with defends the dignity of his swain man, regardless of the cost, fifty-fifty when his ain career is at stake. In doing thus he is preserving the civilization his province was fighting for.

Walter White chooses the incorrect path for what seems to last the correct reason. In the end, his pride together with greed swallow away at his inmost self. Foyle, meanwhile, chooses to produce the correct matter fifty-fifty when it compromises a seemingly to a greater extent than of import end. In his ain way he fights against forces similar greed together with pride that would swallow away at his province from within, fifty-fifty equally other forces gear upwardly on from without.

Come to retrieve of it, a novel flavor of Foyle’s War is airing now. Let’s hope it doesn’t larn to Netflix earlier the novel year, because I receive got a lot to produce earlier Christmas.


Laura is a Catholic Christian, a mother, a part-time lawyer, together with a recovering overthinker. She writes monthly hither at on books together with culture, together with blogs regularly at This Felicitous Life. 

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