Breaking Down Breaking Bad

I think television shows have grown increasingly intelligent over the years. Not all, mind you. But when I watch some shows, they make me think. And not just about the characters or the situations those characters get into. I think about other things… like the opening sequence for Breaking Bad.

Why? Well, because there are two elements highlighted within the title. Any two elements? I wonder. Or were they chosen for a reason?

The first element is Br, or Bromine.

Br: Bromine is the only liquid nonmetallic element. It is a member of the halogen group. It is a heavy, volatile, mobile, dangerous reddish-brown liquid. The red vapour has a strong unpleasant odour and the vapour irritates the eyes and throat. It’s bleaching and when spilled on the skin it produces painful sores. It is a serious health hazard, and maximum safety precautions should be taken when handling it.

Now this is very interesting. Notice that cooking meth and bromine are both volatile. Notice, also, that Walt’s lab is mobile and bromine is described as mobile. Bromine produces a strong odor and the vapor irritates the eyes and throat. Hmmmm, sounds similar to the production of meth if the show is doing its homework and presenting the process as factually as possible.

Coincidence? Perhaps. But what about Ba? That stands for Barium. There weren’t a lot of choices in a three-letter word, but they could have used B: Boron. I like it because it rhymes with moron. But I digress. There isn’t an element for A or Ad, so Ba was the best choice. And it fits well.

Ba: Barium is a metallic element, soft, and when pure is silvery white like lead. The metal oxidises very easily and it reacts with water or alcohol. Barium is one of the alkaline-earth metals. Small amounts of barium compounds are used in paints and glasses.

I especially like the part about reacting with alcohol. But Barium was probably chosen because of its use in glass. If you recall, meth is often referred to as glass.

So did the creators put this much thought into it? Or am I just expressing too much feminerdity?