Theatre / Faking Bad

♫ Is he good or is he bad?
That deadbeat loser dad
If he's good... would he turn bad
If it got him what he shoulda had? ♫

— "The Ballad of Walter White"

Faking Bad: The Unauthorized 'Breaking Bad' Parody Methsical (formerly Known as "Say My Name!") is a musical parody written by Rob Gathercole and based on the television series Breaking Bad. It opened in London on October 14, 2018.

Following the same plot points of the original show, this musical focuses on a hapless chemistry teacher, Walter White, who receives a cancer diagnosis set to kill him in 2 years. Desperate to provide money for his family, he enlists the help of Jesse Pinkman, a drug dealer, to cook methamphetamine and break bad with him. The "chemistry" between the two works all too well, changing their lives as they bumble their way up the drug hierarchy. And the only thing standing between them and the top is a hyperactive drug lord, another drug lord that's oddly suspicious and an increasingly visible chorus.

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Faking Bad contains examples of:

• Anti-Climax: "Should I Kill Them?" builds up the moral dilemma of Walt having to kill Mike's ten men, since the song is a reprise of "I Could Kill Him/Walter's Idea" and "Should I Help Her?". But after one line is sung, he simply utters "Yeah" and the song ends.
• Bait-and-Switch Comment: When Hank finds out that Walt is Heisenberg, Walt seemingly confirms this in song, only to switch to denial immediately.
  Hank: He's Heisenberg.
  Walt: ♫ YOU'RE GODDAMN... ♫ wrong, Hank...
• Bittersweet Ending: Just like the series, Walt orders Elliott and Gretchen to secretly give Teenie Weenie his remaining money, admit his pride to Skyler, kill the Neo Nazis with a rigged machine gun and rescue Jesse. However, he dies from a stray shot, encouraging the audience to be more like him by embracing any change in life, even the bad ones.
• Cluster F-Bomb: The second part of "Sorry Gretchen" consists of Walt and Gretchen hurling these due to the former's lies about his cancer treatment.
• Dare to Be Badass: At the end of the play, Walt's last words are singing to the audience about accepting any unexpected events in life, because they could end up like him.
• Do Wrong, Right: In "I Think My Husband's Been Dealing...", Skyler accuses Walt of dealing marijuana. Walt calls her out on this accusation, correcting her by saying he's been cooking methamphetamine.
• Overly Long Gag: When Tuco is shot, many seconds are dedicated to his groans and comments about being shot for the first time. It only ends when Hank kills him.
• Pre-Mortem One-Liner: Walt gives one to Jack right before his rigged machine gun activates, thanks to Walt's guitar.
  Jack: Yeah, the guys are right, Walt. That was quite something. That is not just any guitar. But I'm sorry. You know how this has got to end. (Cocks gun)
  Walt: Well, Jack, you're right about one thing. This isn't just any guitar!
• Psychic Link: During the final confrontation between Walt and the Neo Nazis, Walt is suddenly able to communicate with Jesse without speaking, thanks to the "chemistry" that exists between the two. He immediately tells Jesse to duck on his command, thanks to his rigged machine gun that's set to fire at the Neo Nazis.
• Reprise Medley: "Final Sequence" reprises "Danger" and "Honesty" as Walt returns to Albuquerque.
• Suspiciously Specific Denial: Walt claims that he had a little too much to drink because he was happy about the car wash and not because his very soul is quaking in fear at the prospect of being taken out by his sadistic cold-blooded boss (Gus).
• Rule of Three:
  • The first two times Hank tries to sing his mineral song, everybody stops him. When it gets to the third time, he's only able to get a few words in before Jack shoots him dead.
  • In "I Could Kill Him/Walter's Idea" and "Should I Help Her?", Walt pondered whether he needed to kill Krazy-8 and Let Jane Die, respectively. But in "Should I Kill Them", Walt ends the song abruptly by accepting that he needs to murder Mike's men.
• That Man Is Dead: In "The Ballad of Walter White (Reprise 2)", Walt angrily tells the chorus this trope after they falsely sing about his demise.
  "Walter White is dead. It's time for HEISENBERG!"

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♫ Can you judge (Who can say)
If he was wrong or right
Are we good (Or are we bad)
Or are we all just Walter... White? ♫