'Breaking Bad' secret to success? HDTVs and Netflix

(Credit: Screenshot by CNET)

The "Breaking Bad" finale might have come and gone, but the mania surrounding the event was only possible because of technology, the show's cinematographer Michael Slovis told Forbes recently in a wide-ranging interview.

One of the first steps to success was HD programming, Slovis said. With HD technology, more could be delivered to "Breaking Bad" fans, providing more freedom for the story's creator Vince Gilligan.

"It just so happened that during the last seven years, widescreen televisions became affordable," Slovis said. "And HD became the norm. Now people could see what we were doing and we didn't have to tell stories in the old style of closeup [then another] closeup."

"Another hardware development that helped us tremendously is that all of a sudden you could DVR and Netflix the show," he told Forbes. "I don't know the numbers, but there was a period of time where Netflix was proud of the fact that more people had seen 'Breaking Bad' on Netflix than on AMC. We build an audience because they're able to binge view and catch up."

"Breaking Bad" celebrated its finale last night. The show started out as a lesser-known favorite among certain viewers, but quickly became a hit after its appearance on Netflix. That the show also benefited greatly from HDTVs, however, was unknown to this point.

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