Celestial Echoes of Yesteryears

Note that this article is full of spoilers, proceed with caution. Since it involves series that often have 5 or 6 seasons, it will be relatively long. The American dramas involved are "House of Cards" and "Breaking Bad."

House of Cards#

Character Analysis#

Frank Underwood#

As the core character of the entire series, it can be said that this character has no blind spots in his career and is full of personal charm. However, Frank never truly had friends or lovers throughout his life, which is his greatest flaw. An almost perfect political machine is also a tragedy of being human.

Frank's life goal: to live for politics and die for politics, as he and Claire ended up having no children and no inheritance (it feels a bit like the Night's Watch from Game of Thrones), if you count it, American Works might be considered one.

Whether it's murdering Zoe Barnes, confusing Raymond Tusk after the Education Bill to design a trap for Garrett Walker to resign, deceiving Jackie Sharp, coercing the murder of Peter Russo, or using the public's fear of ICO to create rumors to buy time for the election, one could say there are infinite conspiracies... but overall, it was the entire system that chose Frank; there is no right or wrong, and we don't need to blame the player for the game's mistakes.

Here's a speech from the House of Commons as a character summary:

Will Conway's defeat was simply due to his early military actions having blemishes (of course, he wasn't strong enough/heartless inside), leading to his character collapse -> Will still has good intentions, but your opponent Frank is a monster!

PS: Unfortunately, in the fifth season, due to the actor's sexual harassment scandal, the character was forcibly removed, leading to a strange ending.

Claire Underwood#

The marriage of the Underwoods is very utilitarian (aimed at political achievement, and the two are more of a cooperative relationship, but it is actually Frank who leads the cooperation), and it is clear that Claire saw the potential in Francis (PLUS: the trope of a poor boy using a rich girl to rise is very common).

Thus, in the earlier seasons, Claire's sacrifices (or rather, exchanges for a higher position) included giving up her privacy (being sexually assaulted in college) and the love that she could occasionally relax in. Returning to their marriage, as Christians, these are very sensitive topics, but they can also be very useful flags.

As for Tom Yates, this associated character can be said to be purely a tool (dedicated to his work), and his fate is much worse than Adam Galloway, who only suffered reputational damage. But Tom Yates also falls into the category of "knowing too much," which refers not to real information but to his understanding of the Underwood couple's thoughts.

Among them, the storylines involving the Russian Jordan Valley incident and Petrov are also very interesting; as an ambassador, he performed excellently and cleverly resolved many crises. His support for gay rights, however, led to the collapse of the US-Russia agreement, which can be seen as one of the few moments of humanity shining through (at least more than Frank), though this is a controversial choice.

Claire's rebellion and rise reflect feminist thought. But in my personal view, this show still reflects an America that has not escaped the patriarchal framework.

Edward Meechum#

If Douglas represents conditional loyalty, Meechum can be said to embody absolute loyalty. Of course, Meechum's relationship with the Underwood couple is far more complex than a mere employment relationship (I can't remember which episode hinted at a threesome). A picture representing Meechum might be:

Zoe Barnes, Lucas Goodwin, Janine Skorsky, Tom Hammerschmidt#

These four actually form a timeline.

Zoe Barnes, as a journalist who exchanges her body to gain information from Frank, was killed purely because she "knew too much." The same goes for Lucas Goodwin, who basically fell into a state of madness in the later stages (which also triggered the assassination attempt on Frank). Janine Skorsky (who looks Eastern European) and Tom Hammerschmidt (with a name that doesn't require much thought to be German) are more rational media figures, ultimately reporting and exposing most of the Underwood couple's crimes. Tom Hammerschmidt lived the longest but could not escape the fate of being killed.

There's really not much to say; these few are the conscience of America.

Doug Stamper#

A perfect tool. But it is evident that he is quite lacking in love, which leads him to make some critical mistakes. Doug's loyalty is admirable (including risking himself to threaten a doctor to get Frank a liver source, but he could have lived well in any opposing camp with his resume), but he is not without means (for example, the White House table's listening device to counter Claire and trying to confuse the enemy camp when Heather Dunbar participated in the 2016 election).

Of course, the most puzzling aspect of the entire series is that in the last season, Doug is killed by Claire herself; the absurdity peaks as Doug lies on the ground. That night, seeing this ending made me feel incredibly empty and angry. (Compared to the ending of Breaking Bad, I felt immensely fulfilled.)

Sorry, I posted the wrong picture.

Peter Russo#

A classic story of a wayward son returning (reminds me of Robert Downey Jr.), but in political struggles, he is far less ruthless than Frank, as he has fallen apart due to alcoholism and other issues far more than Doug, leading to his failure and death. Additionally, it is regrettable that after Peter's death, Catherine's storyline has not progressed much. I am not sure how the original work goes, but it feels like Peter is a character written to die.

"Jackie" Sharp, Remy Danton#

These are two relatively tragic characters; Remy, as a tool for various main characters, is repeatedly used but ultimately confirms that he cannot enter the core circle and bravely exits (which is also true). Jackie is deceived and used by Underwood and then threatened, ultimately ending her hard-won marriage for various reasons (probably because she has never had a serious romantic relationship).

One can only say that those from military backgrounds are somewhat straightforward and cannot compete with the seasoned players. (Will's campaign partner, General Ted Brockhart, is also one of them.)

Freddy Hayes#

As a skilled rib cook, Freddy understands his position (and can only be considered a relatively familiar stranger to Frank), which is also because Frank himself has no normal friendships (only relationships of conquest or being conquered, even with Claire). This can be seen in his conversation with his grandson, "it's OK to dream as long as they aren't fantasies." One can only say that this person has his own pride (including when Tom Hammerschmidt sought clues from him and ended up getting beaten).

Perhaps the most leisurely time in the entire series is mowing the lawn in the White House garden and chatting with Frank from time to time.

Overall, this character is very interesting.

Conclusion#

House of Cards fully reflects the strengths and weaknesses of American society.

Of course, which system doesn't have people who will go to any lengths to achieve their goals using the rules? But the key question is, "What is the cost?"

The conclusion is already very clear. To end with a quote from another American drama, "Chernobyl":

"What is the cost of lies? It's not that we'll mistake them for the truth. The real danger is that if we hear enough lies, then we no longer recognize the truth at all."

Critique: If it weren't for the melodramatic ending, it would be a good show. But actually, even until the last season, there was still room for redemption; it is evident that the crew simply didn't want to continue filming and hastily wrapped it up, which is regrettable. The lead actor Kevin Spacey has a great performance on YouTube that highlights his personal acting skills (very compelling). This 5-minute video has already surpassed the entire sixth season.

Breaking Bad#

Excluding some documentaries, responsibly speaking, this is already the highest-rated series on IMDb. Breaking Bad tells the story of a middle-aged man gradually reaching his peak.

Character Analysis#

Walter White#

As the protagonist of this series, Walter's transformation is something the audience observes bit by bit; it is not unfounded. From the initially unsuccessful high school teacher (of course, it was mentioned at the beginning that he had participated in a Nobel Prize) to getting involved in meth cooking due to unforeseen circumstances.

Walter certainly had opportunities to retreat. But each time he chose to continue, fighting against the world with his ego. Walter's ego (which can be said to be his pride) is the reason he often cannot turn back, and it is also the reason he reaches his peak.

One of the most important moments is when he refuses the medical fund from the Gretchen couple after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

This directly leads to Walter being forced to expand his business and inevitably getting closer to Gus Fring. Of course, whether it's murdering Gus Fring, Gale, or the early drug dealer Tuco, Pinkman plays a role, but Walter's courage and ambition are also growing... and he becomes increasingly skilled at killing. (The creation of the wheelchair bomb and the poison in the cigar is already a sign of reaching his peak.)

However, the last season still has points of retreat; spending the rest of his life in a snow house or escaping to another country when the smoke clears is also a good choice... until he sees the interview with the Gretchen couple on TV, and all sorts of unwillingness and resentment surge.

Revenge...

But he can never go back, never return to that peaceful night with Mr. White and his newborn daughter, his unsuspecting wife, and the brotherly relationship with his son... After the illusion shatters, only Walter and his laboratory remain.

Jesse Pinkman#

The absurdity of this series is that the craziest Pinkman ends up surviving, which is of course related to Walter's unconditional willingness to save him (whether from Tuco, Gus Fring, or even the last gang led by Jack).

Of course, saving him also involves some cruel choices, such as watching Jane die to awaken Jesse's desire to quit drugs. (She was really beautiful!)

For this character, there isn't much loyalty or patience (perhaps this is what is meant by "not being able to achieve great things?"), but Pinkman has his own bottom line.

I would consider Pinkman a normal person, neither an angel nor a devil. Whether it's "no more children" or every choice at gunpoint, Pinkman has not changed; this is his admirable quality, but also his tragic flaw.

What kind of life will Pinkman have after going through all this? Perhaps at least better than the child he saved in the second season; he has a normal childhood and a brother who is always willing to help him and a friend across generations.

Skyler White#

Perhaps the most controversial character in this series. If anyone can correct Walter from going further down the wrong path, it can only be Skyler. Skyler embodies the normal person's fear of the devil, but still cannot escape greed and betrayal (the most betrayal, of course, is towards Walter).

Setting aside issues like smoking during pregnancy, the most unforgivable act is her affair with Ted Beneke, which leads her to become involved in Ted's tax issues due to her false sense of justice, using half of the money Walter earned for family building to pay Ted's debts, and ultimately blaming Walter when Ted gets hurt.

Of course, the most foolish act should be breaking her son's beautiful imagination of his father, directly leading to the collapse of the lies Walter painstakingly maintained... this sentenced Walter, who was already lost, to death.

As for the issue of plastic sisterhood, I believe it is not within the scope of discussion; Marie Schrader, as a kleptomaniac, has many of her own problems, such as vanity, etc.

Mike Ehrmantraut#

A very capable and professional hitman, a tough guy.

In many ways, this character is superior to Walter; at least Mike seems to be a hitman for his family (even his granddaughter cannot receive any of his income, which is regrettable), while much of what Walter does is merely to satisfy his pride or his self-important sense of "good."

“Shut the fuck up Walter, let me die in peace.”

Hank Schrader#

The clever arrangement by the writers makes Hank and Walter's cases and actions always inadvertently intertwined, but after all, they are in a small town; who can avoid it?

Hank Schrader is one of the few good people in the series, whether it is taking risks to seek promotion opportunities to satisfy his wife's small Washington dream or trying to mediate family conflicts on both sides. But often, excessive pursuit leads to overexertion (such as punching Pinkman), which is also reflected in his anger and rupture upon discovering that Walter White is the Heisenberg he has been pursuing day and night. The once beautiful family relationship instantly collapses.

Supplement: The battle against Salamanca's two nephews can be said to be the most exciting fight scene in the entire series (blood warning).

Conclusion: Hank is a typical example of "absolute justice." He, who hates evil like the plague, could never bow to the drug dealer he has fought against his entire life. R.I.P.

Conclusion#

Breaking Bad is an excellent anti-drug propaganda film. Whether it is the crazy Pinkman, Walter who rises to the peak and then falls into destruction, or the innocent children (Drew Sharp, who was killed after witnessing a theft, and Tomás, who was used as a gunman and then abandoned), the chaos of drug addicts...

But I believe the best aspect of this show is that it maintains the normal trajectory of the characters, without mechanical deification, no deliberately inserted plots or characters; everything seems to happen naturally and is interconnected.

Anger, joy, rage, calmness, tragedy, trust, betrayal, revenge... this is the story of humanity.

Happiness can be very simple, and it can also be very complex.