It’s been 3.5 years since the Breaking Bad finale – do you miss it? I do. Which isn’t the same thing as not wanting a show to end. I think it ended at the right time, as good shows tend to do. But I still wonder if Walt was actually dead and where exactly Jesse went.
I’ve been keeping tabs on Aaron since then – his work, his talk show appearances, his wins and his fleeting moments of desperation.
As I’ve noted, his post Breaking Bad life hasn’t reaped franchises or blockbusters or superheroes – he’s not cracking Chris (Pratt/Evans) or Channing territory. He tried with Need For Speed and Exodus: Gods and Kings. Remember those?
I think the trajectory kind of went sideways because Aaron was trying to establish himself as a “leading man” when his energy is much more suited to be a character actor. Luckily, those missteps didn’t bury him. So he recalibrated, doing voicework on the highly acclaimed BoJack Horseman, taking a supporting role in a comedy (Central Intelligence) and going back to TV to work on The Path, which is in its second season.
For me, The Path is not a compelling show – it’s stilted and boring, considering it’s about a cult. Like season one, the season two reviews are mixed. But Aaron’s career isn’t hanging on its renewal; he’s diversified enough that when one project drops off, another picks up. He’s working enough that we remember him, but not so much that we are tired of him.
There seems to be a public balance to his life. He is married, he travels with often, his social media is a bit political, a bit nostalgic, a bit promotional. Next step? According to Lauren, babies. And I think they’ve taken up Buddhism.
This has been your quarterly Aaron Paul roundup. Let’s check back in 3 months.
