How is it that Bryan Cranston is currently the lead character in one of the best shows on television?

After “Malcolm in the Middle” – also known as the show you turn off between episodes of “The Simpsons” every night – Cranston, who played Hal on “Malcolm,” has landed a great gig.

In AMC’s new series, “Breaking Bad,” Cranston’s character learns he has a terminal illness and becomes a methamphetamine cooker and distributor to help his financially struggling family. His unique qualification for this career is that his other job happens to be teaching chemistry to high school students. The premise is somewhat similar to the increasingly disappointing Showtime series, “Weeds.”

For example, Mary-Louise Parker of “Weeds” is a great actress, but it’s a stretch to picture her as a drug dealer. Many episodes focus on her doing things normal housewives wouldn’t do, things that make her character even more unbelievable. Yet Cranston’s portrayal of Walter White is spot-on as a man who is losing everything and takes matters into his own hands.

“Breaking Bad” even has some good humor, unlike the feeble attempts by “Weeds” to crack a pot joke once or twice an episode. The dark subject matter and racy jokes make “Breaking Bad” watchable and rewarding.

The supporting cast also doesn’t disappoint — different from the pangs of rage I get when any of the “Weeds” kids appear.

The comparison between “Weeds” and “Breaking Bad” is inevitable; they both focus on people at the end of their ropes turning to drugs to solve their money problems.

However, from what the first two episodes have shown, “Breaking Bad” is thought-out, well-written and an overall better TV show.