Has anyone else's teen been allowed to watch Breaking Bad?

[myotherusernameisbetter]

My son's would like to watch it (age 13 and 14). I haven't seen it. My OH has watched it and says it is one of the best series he has ever watched.

He says there is not much swearing or sex, it's rated 18 because of the drugs and violence.

He says it doesn't glamorise drugs and the violence is probably similar to video games we've already let them play and they they are still quiet, well behaved boys who get brilliant reports from school.

They say all their friends watch it (I know they all say that!) but I just wanted to gauge how many actually have.

OH is currently negotiating a deal involving haircuts for episodes.

I have never taken any drugs, I've never even tried smoking as it didn't appeal to me at all but when watching BB I could absolutely understand the appeal .

Also, one of the issues is 'why work as a teacher for hardly any money when you can work in the criminal world '

I agree it doesn't give impressionable teens a suitable view of drugs. It shows how easy it is to make money dealing and I am not sure the teen brain really then concludes ( as I did ) that drugs ruined their lives. I didn't like the fact that Jessie was using, was in a mess, went to a lovely rehab spa then was fine. I also thought the show didn't really show enough of the misery of the end user, and the moral side of making drugs.
However we watched it with our DC's. DD is 15 and wouldn't touch drugs, DS is 16 and does. I don't think the programme would make any difference and tbh I rather they watched it with us as it opened up some dialogue as a family.
But they are older than the OP 's and those years make quite a difference. I wouldn't say they need to be 18 but 13 is a bit young.
It's a rare series that parents can watch with older teens and all enjoy together. Fab entertainment.

Breaking Bad is the best TV series ever!

There's only sex in the first season, between Walt and his wife, as I recall you don't see anything except Walts ass - which features a lot throughout the seasons!

I don't think it glamorises the drug world at all, in fact quite the opposite (I am thinking of the couple with the kid in a later season). It is extremely violent though and may appear to promote a crime pays attitude to some minds.....

We watched it with DD1-15. She loved it as much as we did. She is smart and sensible and developed a crush on Jesse straight off (it took me a bit longer). We have loads of inside jokes about it now.

We had a discussion about BB recently.
DS2 is 16.5 and has watched all of BB on his computer bad mother.
DS1 (18) and I were looking for something to watch together and asked DS2 if it was suitable, meaning were there embarrassing sex scenes which you don't wan to watch with your mother.
Yeh it's fine was his reply.
Cue episode one followed by episode two . Oh I forgot says DS2.

Now those were just sex, albeit a little too graphic.
Series 2 starts off with the main character raping his pregnant wife.

Absolutely no way I would let a 13 year old watch it.

I watched it earlier this year with 15yo DS. No way was the 13yo watching it!

The violence is quite bloody and chilling and so are the rape scenes and the drug deaths, and the other deaths, and the revenge violence....

Great drama though!

Ooh yes and teenagers hate watching sex scenes with their parents, I think the worst one for DS was Skyler giving Walt a handjob under the covers. That's why he isn't pushing to watch GOT - he wants to watch it but he knows I'll watch it with him! According to DS2, GOT is sex, violence, sexy violence and violent sex

Georgethesecond Exactly that is why DS1 watches GOT alone.

We watched it as a family with ds2 (15). It was one of the best conversation starters we have ever had and the most shared enjoyment from viewing. Discussing the moral dilemmas brought up is a fantastic way of having tough discussions with your teen. I'd recommend it. Far better to watch it together and discuss together than run the risk your ds watches alone and decides to start a drug empire

I strongly disagree that it glamorises drugs because there is ultimately a come-uppance for every drug-related activity. Yes, the characters initially make more money than they know what to do with, but this by no means brings them happiness. At the risk of giving spoilers I can tell you that as a result of drugs most characters don't end up, rich, successful or happy or alive