Fingernail on 26/2/2011 at 12:28
SPOILERS FOR ALL SEASONS
Just watched all this over the past couple of weeks. Just great. The first season had some great dark comedy moments as the characters grappled with the absurdly extreme situations they were getting in. Just the first few episodes with Crazy 8 and the acid in the bath was an amazing start. That aspect seemed to decline a bit as things normalised (as the distance between Walt's conventional life and his secret one reduced, naturally after the revelation to Skyler), but the tension that was built up in the second and third seasons was much more effective. I know the first season was shortened by the writer's strike so that might be why it seems a bit more abrupt, but it's still a great introduction.
The compelling relationship between Walt and Jesse has so many angles, as does Walt's character particularly. The sense that Walt needed Jesse to replace Gale not just to keep him out of trouble cooking on his own (although this is how he rationalises it), but because he needs a subordinate, someone he can teach, lecture and belittle too, Gale being too close to an equal (which is of course the real threat later on). Of course, he also owes him over Jane - I wonder when/if that shit's gonna hit the fan. It's a non-friendship in many ways, they have really no rapport or common ground other than their shared experience, but it's still such a powerful bond (ho ho chemistry joke). The way Jesse still calls Walt "Mr White", needs him for leadership and direction, yet constantly rebels against it.
The Fly episode, although it did scream "bottle episode", was good for bringing them back together in a more extended way in season 3, somewhat reminiscent of the battery failing episode in season 2 (I think).
Anyway, bit rambling but basically amazing show, looking forward to S4.
Renzatic on 12/8/2013 at 05:35
Can someone here explain to me why I had to resurrect a 2 year old thread to talk about the heartwrenching, horrible, and flat out riveting episode I just watched? Why is this thread languishing when there are nerd discussions to be had?
SubJeff on 12/8/2013 at 09:05
We were mostly talking about it in another thread I think, hence this one not being active. I think it was the What Are You Watching thread.
I haven't seen the new episode. My gf has to catch up with season 4 and 5 part 1 first.
Scots Taffer on 20/8/2013 at 03:54
The face-off between Hank and Walt in the garage was spine-tinglingly good.
I must admit, I feel like I've seen Jesse's depression spiral a couple of times before though.
It'll be interesting to see how all to hell things go in the next episode or two... Getting ep 2 as soon as I can!
henke on 21/8/2013 at 07:55
I was set to start watching Season 5 the evening before last, but decided to go back and re-watch Season 1, Episode 1 first. Just as a refreshment kinda. Ended up watching the first 5 episodes and loving them just as much as first time around. Damn, now I'll have to rewatch the entirety of seasons 1-4 before I get to 5.
Scots Taffer on 29/8/2013 at 01:03
The fact that this show will be over soon breaks my goddamn heart.
My predictions, worthless though they are likely to be given this show never goes the path you expect, is that:
- Skylar is going to flip on Walt and take the kids away. I think there's a chance this will happen in the next episode.
- Jesse is going to die, probably not before episode 6 or 7, but he will be killed - the question is how?
- Well, I think the whole Madrigal/Czech/Chile/White-power bill storylines all have to converge in the next episode or so.
- In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they go for another audacious episode where the central characters are all but excised in favour of exploring this storyline in isolation - they've done this before (Gus) and the rate of knots at which they are accelerating through the key plot points with the main characters tells me that they've got an ace up their sleeve...
- To me this also makes perfect sense because there's no other reason (beyond showing how crime is an sprawling weed in society) that Meth Damon and Co are back on the scene if not to create an all-out drug war, the reason that makes sense is...
- My feeling is that Walt is not "out" at all but very much keeping his hand in the game via Todd's new enterprise, this ensures that Walt's role as "Heisenberg" remains present (and not just a artifact of his past drug empire) but also that he needs some heavy duty firepower to resolve what's coming...
- I think that Jesse will be caught in the middle of the escalating drug war and be killed by Walt's/Todd's people, in this we will see the last connection that Walt possibly has die (as his wife and kids are gone at this stage)
- I think Todd and Co lose the drug war which prompts Walt to use Saul's guy to "disappear"
- But he can't live with what's happened... so he comes back with M60 and a vial of ricin to ingest so that either way, he's dead.
Edit: Haha, I can't delete one of the attachments but I love that it's there twice anyway
Renzatic on 29/8/2013 at 02:40
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
The fact that this show will be over soon breaks my goddamn heart.
I'm in total agreement with you here. On one hand, I can't wait for it to be over. I want to see how it ends. On the other, watching it end is gonna be a hard thing to do. No matter how it ends. Wonderfully. Terribly. It doesn't change the fact that we'll no longer have any Breaking Bad to look forward to.
...though the potential Saul Goodman spin-off might help ease the pain a little bit.
As for my predictions, there's so many variables in play, it's almost impossible to make a prediction. So much could happen, and chances are better than good that none of it will go the way we're expecting it to. But...
I believe this next episode is Jesse's last. I'm not basing this on reasons contained within the show, but rather the name of the next episode itself: Rabid Dog. We have yet to see that one gut-punch twist that kicks Walt's end off in earnest, and I believe killing Jesse off would provide just that. After all, there's really only one thing you can do with a rabid dog...
...though with Breaking Bad being what it is, rabid dog could be referring to Hank rather than Jesse. Something terrible is gonna happen this Sunday, regardless. Whether someone dies, or some dark secret gets exposed, I have a feeling this next episode is gonna be the tipping point for that final downhill slide,
SubJeff on 29/8/2013 at 22:44
So I've finally caught up. Good God, it's happening fast.
It's sad it's ending but there is so much that's sad in the show now. I wanted Walt and Jessie to be a team forever.
Mr.Duck on 30/8/2013 at 06:13
Well, after BB I'll head over and watch The Wire, w00t w00t!
I will miss WW and the crew when it's all done....bleh.
Thirith on 30/8/2013 at 06:47
They're two very different series, though; while I love The Wire (and even think it's fun to watch), it doesn't give you the kind of joy you get from watching the Rube Goldberg machinations of Breaking Bad's pieces falling into place. Walter White is a tragic villain that mainly exists in fiction - The Wire will make you despair at reality and how screwed up it is... so you may want to get a side order of something less depressing to go with The Wire. I would.
