Breaking Bad: The Complete Third Season

All of this is presented in an artful brew of black humor and frequently violent drama, with excellent acting, dialogue, and storytelling (the 10th episode, "The Fly," takes place entirely in Walt and Jesse's fancy new meth lab), and innovative film techniques (the opening scenes in episode one, and several thereafter, are shot with a beautiful, almost sepia-toned look). But it's Walt, portrayed so memorably by Cranston, who remains the main draw, as this brilliant but self-destructive, angry man, prone to making calamitous decisions, gradually realizes that he is truly becoming Heisenberg, his criminal alter ego, and is in way over his head--and may very well be losing his mind in the process. One can only wonder how much lower creator Vince Gilligan and his team will take him in season four.

The bonus features are many and varied, with numerous offerings on all four discs. Audio commentary, available on the nine episodes, is provided by Gilligan, Cranston, Paul, and other actors and members of the team. Elsewhere, a variety of short but entertaining featurettes focus on behind-the-scenes details of individual shots (Walt deftly tossing a pizza on to the roof of his house), scenes (Walt impetuously torching a huge pile of cash, then trying to douse the blaze in his swimming pool), props (Walt’s custom-painted Pontiac Aztek), characters (an interview with the real-life brothers who portray the two murderous Mexican cousins), or the show’s music. Other offerings include pod casts, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and a series of promotional pieces produced for AMC (which airs the show) under the banner of “Inside Breaking Bad,” in which members of the cast and crew discuss specific aspects of each episode (viewer beware, as these bits contain some spoilers). --Sam Graham