Its premise: "A chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future."
But there was some comedy relief, such as Season 5, episode 9, as shown in this scene between the banter of characters Badger and Skinny Pete.
While one of main characters, Jesse, is having a breakdown, Badger pitches his ideas for a Star Trek script over pizza.
Robert Graves wrote his historical novel, I, Claudius (1934) as an autobiographical memoir of the Roman Emperor Claudius (reign 41-54 A.D.)
The memoir spanned the time of Augustus Caesar, Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius' succession to emperor after Caligula's assassination.
The novel is filled with political machinations, lust, and murders. Ironically when the Petronian Guard chooses Claudius as the new emperor, he doesn't want it. Yet, he soldiers on for 13 years until he's allegedly poisoned so Nero could succeed him.
In 1937, Robert Graves' book was to be made into an epic movie, I, Claudius, starringCharles Laughtonas the title role. But the serious injuries of one the irreplaceable actresses aborted the completion of the epic movie.
Some of the archives of this shelved film were recovered in the 1965 documentary, The Epic that Neve Was.
One of the greatest scenes:
I, Claudius vs The Senate
Charles Laughton gives this moving performance as he's presented to the Senate to succeed the murdered Caligula.
