Breaking Bad

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:18 pm

I've been rewatching some episodes from the last season over the past week or two. Man, that's a great show. Quite the contrast in writing and acting to The Walking Dead, the only other show I watch.

I watched the season-ender last night. Watching it again, I caught that in the very first scene, Walt is in the shower and when he grabs his towel, the camera is centered on the Walt Whitman book on the toilet. Nice framing, but there's no way you'd get that the first time through.

I can't wait for the final episodes.

kranepool · Post by **kranepool** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:23 pm

Wife and I just started watching about a two weeks ago through Netflix.

We're in the middle of season 3 already. Cranston is outstanding, and Odenkirk is just perfect in his role. (Jesse just bought his aunt's house for half the asking price)

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:24 pm

I still haven't seen the 1st half of season 5 but I'm guessing that AMC will replay them before they start the second half in August.

kranepool · Post by **kranepool** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:24 pm

Oh, and

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:37 pm

Jerloma wrote:I still haven't seen the 1st half of season 5 but I'm guessing that AMC will replay them before they start the second half in August.

Yeah, they played them all fairly recently. That's why I watched them. My DVR picked them up. I'm sure they'll do it again though.

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:39 pm

kranepool wrote:Oh, and

You know, I wondered about that scene. Do you think they really meant for that pizza to go up there? I'm guessing that was a happy accident that they went ahead and wrote into the script. I loved that they kept it up there for a while.

And man, is Cranston awesome as Walt. I can't think of another actor dominating his role any better.

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:40 pm

Definitely just luck. Especially for it to land so perfectly flat and unharmed like that.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:56 pm

I saw the first few back when it debuted, and never got back to it. Until last month, I ran through all of them. I love the show. Between Odenkirk, Buggin' Out and Tio Salamanca, just loads of fun. And the sister-in-law, Marie, cracks me the fuck up.

I would prefer a bit more personal growth of Jessie, but overall I've never liked a character so much who was so annoying. Hank is pitch-perfect. So easy to mess up that character, and they never did.

I love when Walter gets flummoxed about something, and a mannerism or reaction that is pure Malcolm's dad Hal comes out. Just the right amount of occasional goofiness, even as he becomes a harder and harder ass.

Final shot of last episode was stupendous. Did not see it coming at all.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:59 pm

howard wrote:I saw the first few back when it debuted, and never got back to it. Until last month, I ran through all of them. I love the show. Between Odenkirk, Buggin' Out and Tio Salamanca, just loads of fun. And the sister-in-law, Marie, cracks me the fuck up.

I would prefer a bit more personal growth of Jessie, but overall I've never liked a character so much who was so annoying. Hank is pitch-perfect. So easy to mess up that character, and they never did.

I love when Walter gets flummoxed about something, and a mannerism or reaction that is pure Malcolm's dad Hal comes out. Just the right amount of occasional goofiness, even as he becomes a harder and harder ass.

Final shot of last episode was stupendous. Did not see it coming at all.

RE: Jessie's personal growth. A lot of people are just kinda, you know, fuckups. I think that's been played perfectly to be honest. One of the more real parts to me is that he knows he shouldn't but he does it anyway because it's all he has.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:04 pm

Part of the reason I am cool with Jessie is the impressive string of getting his ass kicked in every episode (a la Jim Rockford).

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:24 pm

Well, but Jessie has kind of grown. He's not the complete fuckup he was at the beginning. He even has the sense to not only quit, but fend off Walt's manipulations and stay quit. For now.

Speaking of Walt's bad-assedness - the scene in the last episode when he stares down and intimidates the three prison dudes who are currently planning the murder of ten inmates was fucking awesome. It's amazing that Cranston can pull that off while also being goofy, as Doc mentioned.

Say my name.

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:27 pm

Yeah Jessie while still being kind of a fuck-up almost becomes the rational one.

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:34 pm

Skyler, meet Heisenberg.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:45 pm

Jessie has grown. No doubt. I would prefer he had grown a bit more.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:52 pm

Wait, wait, wait.

The last episode isn't when Buggin Out gets his face blown off?

There is a whole nother season I haven't seen yet?

Damn you Netflix! Hello Time Warner Cable On Demand!

I'm ecstatic. Half a season of reruns just waiting for me. When is the next off-day for the Jints?

ETA: Maybe Jessie will grow enough for my tastes in the next eight episodes.

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:02 pm

howard wrote:Wait, wait, wait.

The last episode isn't when Buggin Out gets his face blown off?

There is a whole nother season I haven't seen yet?

Damn you Netflix! Hello Time Warner Cable On Demand!

I'm ecstatic. Half a season of reruns just waiting for me. When is the next off-day for the Jints?

ETA: Maybe Jessie will grow enough for my tastes in the next eight episodes.

Dude. You're in for a ride.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:09 pm

But it looks like I gotta buy the ticket.

Time Warner--nothing.

Amazon on demand: $2 an episode. No way I can hold out until summer, when AMC/TW will likely run them. No way I hold out past this weekend.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:15 pm

Shirley wrote:
howard wrote:Wait, wait, wait.

The last episode isn't when Buggin Out gets his face blown off?

There is a whole nother season I haven't seen yet?

Damn you Netflix! Hello Time Warner Cable On Demand!

I'm ecstatic. Half a season of reruns just waiting for me. When is the next off-day for the Jints?

ETA: Maybe Jessie will grow enough for my tastes in the next eight episodes.
Dude. You're in for a ride.

Damn, I'm in the same boat. Better duck out of this thread.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:56 pm

Howard, don't you share a Dropbox with me? I'll upload them for you. The final season is split 8 episodes each. I have the first 8. The final 8 will start showing in August.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:01 pm

Awesome, dude. Thanks.

howard · Post by **howard** » Mon May 20, 2013 5:16 pm

Ok, caught up. Wow, that is some good television.

Jessie is all growed up, acting like an adult, solving problems ("what about a magnet? what if they don't know they've been robbed?")

I could do without Lydia, but I hope in the home stretch she does more than be annoying. The last aired episode was an indication she might redeem her annoyingness.

And Walter White. The transformation to full-on gangster is complete. Next stop--off the fucking rails. When Jessie is trying to tell you to wise up, you're in trouble. When your wife has to give you such a dramatic visual aid, and you don't even budge, you're headed into the turn way too fast.

His speech to Jessie to try to convince him to stay ("Be the best in the world at what you do") was just disgusting. By that I mean, well written, well acted, well placed in the story, fucking marvelous. But for Walter White, the respectable human being, after all the shit you've been through, that is all you got to justify your path? Please--you just a gangster now. Period. No artist, no chemist, no 'best in the world'. Just a gangster.

Hank is the fucking best. What a great character, pitch-perfect tone. And now he gets to really shine. Can hardly wait. And Saul has to 1) die; 2) do it in a hilarious fashion.

Post by **brian** » Mon May 20, 2013 5:19 pm

No way....Saul is the best. I'm really hoping he gets the rumored spinoff show.

howard · Post by **howard** » Mon May 20, 2013 5:41 pm

brian wrote:....rumored spinoff show.

I take it all back!

Post by **Shirley** » Mon May 20, 2013 6:53 pm

To me, the question is does Walt have to die? Is there any other way? Is Hank going to have to do it? I'm not sure he has it in him.

travzilla · Post by **travzilla** » Mon May 20, 2013 7:30 pm

Shirley wrote:To me, the question is does Walt have to die? Is there any other way? Is Hank going to have to do it? I'm not sure he has it in him.

Don't think he has to die, but I do think he has to lose everything (which doesn't necessarily mean getting caught by police, either). Someone major is going to die though, I think. And does it take place before the diner scene from the season premier, or after?

howard · Post by **howard** » Mon May 20, 2013 8:26 pm

Shirley wrote:To me, the question is does Walt have to die?

That is the question. I say yes.

kranepool · Post by **kranepool** » Tue May 21, 2013 9:39 am

I'm caught up as of last night.

Can't wait for August.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue May 21, 2013 9:49 am

Hank breaks bad by letting walter skate, thereby having everyone on the show break bad at some point. Maybe even walt JR does, but I actually expect that he will be the character that gets the axe in some way or another, thereby remaining innocent. Although it could be argued that his revolt against his parents is the teenage equivalent of breaking bad and so that means only Hank is yet to fall.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Tue May 21, 2013 1:21 pm

AB_skin_test wrote:Hank breaks bad by letting walter skate, thereby having everyone on the show break bad at some point. Maybe even walt JR does, but I actually expect that he will be the character that gets the axe in some way or another, thereby remaining innocent. Although it could be argued that his revolt against his parents is the teenage equivalent of breaking bad and so that means only Hank is yet to fall.

Yeah, the scene from earlier last season when one of Hank's superiors gets let go because he missed the involvement of someone close to him suggests Hank will be in a very tough spot and have to decide between his job and his family. And Walter certainly has the cash to buy off Hank if he wants to just leave.

Of course, Hank's sense of pride may fuck with him.

Post by **Shirley** » Tue May 21, 2013 1:50 pm

I don't see how Hank lets him off. I don't think he's corruptable. Also, when he realizes that Walt has been playing him all of this time, he's got to be pissed.

That said, I'm not sure he can just arrest him either. That would be very hard, and as DSG said, could lead to Hank getting fired for not realizing his bro-in-law was a drug lord.

Maybe Hank tries to talk Walt into quitting and just walking away.

Or maybe Walt fakes his own death, with or without Hank's approval. This actually makes the most sense to me as the only way Walt can get away with this. His only other choice is going to be to kill Hank. We all know Walt's not walking away at this point.

But what's he going to do with that giant gun (a .50 cal?)? Shoot down an airplane?

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Tue May 21, 2013 3:29 pm

Shirley wrote: But what's he going to do with that giant gun (a .50 cal?)? Shoot down an airplane?

This is the real question. Why is he in New Hampshire/has a NH Drivers license and plate? What's with the gun?

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue May 21, 2013 3:37 pm

BSF21 wrote:
Shirley wrote: But what's he going to do with that giant gun (a .50 cal?)? Shoot down an airplane?

This is the real question. Why is he in New Hampshire/has a NH Drivers license and plate? What's with the gun?

I assumed that all that was just fakes.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Tue May 21, 2013 5:44 pm

Walter wasn't in New Hampshire. He was buying a gun and ammunition while in New Mexico (walks outside into the same arid scenery we are used to seeing in "Breaking Bad").

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Wed May 22, 2013 11:23 am

DSafetyGuy wrote:Walter wasn't in New Hampshire. He was buying a gun and ammunition while in New Mexico (walks outside into the same arid scenery we are used to seeing in "Breaking Bad").

Couldn't remember the scene. Thanks for that. Was trying to gather what the outside looked like.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 8:32 am

Caught up as of last night. Spent about an hour before falling asleep thinking about what must have been going through Hank's mind as he sat on the toilet.

He must be tormented beyond belief - there are at least a dozen things that Walt did that could have got Hank or his men killed.

The question is will Hank destroy the lives of his family to do what is right?

As for the question of whether Walt has to die, I think that the fact we saw Walt getting a body scan in the last episode indicates that his cancer will return. In my mind this will be the "break" that will allow Skyler and the kids to survive. Walt is probably going to die anyway...

I have a theory that Walt will end the series as close to being a decent man again as experience will allow. Maybe what we saw at the start of season 5's first episode is Walt's last meal as he goes to kill Lydia or someone else who is ready to take over the meth market.

But my God - what will happen to the storage locker full of money? And to Hank? Jessie?

This is the greatest television show that I have ever seen. The premise could have been handled in a cliched, predictable way, but instead it has unfolded in a dramatic, believable and unbelievably intense way. I never hope that summer speeds by, but I can't wait until August.

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 11:08 am

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 11:52 am

Jerloma wrote:

Love that Sam Jackson did these. I know you lose the context of the show, but I'll go on the limb and say Cranston did it better. The gravity of that scene and the menacing look he gives Skylar during the monologue just adds so much. It's the "Luke, I am your father" of the entire show.

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 12:04 pm

BSF21 wrote:but I'll go on the limb and say Cranston did it better.

It's not even up for debate. Cranston just owns this role.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 5:38 pm

Teaser poster:

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 12:30 pm

I've watched 34 episodes of this show since last Monday. The last episode I watched was Jessie and Walt's fight in Jessie's casa. I hate that this show is ever ending.