Breaking Bad

[Reed John]

Breaking Bad

It's not the scenes that were too slow. Just sometimes I'm anxious to see a certain plot set-up payoff. The first few episodes meander a bit, but after that the plot moves along fast enough to watch it in binges. If I were watching it a week at a time over years, I think I'd lose track of some of the subplots.

Its greatness is in the character development. There's no big attitude shifts or leaps for the sake of drama Every step he takes toward perdition is subtle and believable under the circumstances.

The guy who plays the air traffic controller was Q on STTNG.

But I thought it was slightly implausible that the media would learn his identity so soon after the crash. I'd think the FAA would be able to keep that secret.

Now up to ep 5 of season 3.

[Cal Alamein]

Breaking Bad

I hear what you are saying re losing track of subplots. As we're dependent on Netflix streams we pretty much rewatched season 4 as there was a lag until season 5.

Yes, amazing character development as well as a superb script for every episode.

You are flying through those episodes - you will be caught up with me soon!

[jason voorhees]

Breaking Bad

Have they explained why Walter got pushed out of the business by that Eliot guy and/or why he left industry to go into high school teaching? He clearly isn't happy about that.

To this day, it has not been explained. The only miniscule spoiler is that Walt got $5,000 for his share of the company when he walked away, and it is now a $2 Billion company. Obviously it will be tied up by the end of the show, and what his ex-gf meant by "you can't see it that way."

The Plane Crash was based on 1978's PSA 182 crash in San Diego, of which 2 planes collided over a residential suburban area. Originally it was found to be the air traffic controller's fault, until they investigated the tapes. It's literally one of the most stunning crashes ever, as one phoneme of one suffix (ed, ing) led to the worst crash in San Diego history.

The ACI episode.

[Reed John]

Breaking Bad

I'm currently watching the one about the fly. Would work as a standalone play.

[Freestyling buck wilding Stijn Stijnen]

Breaking Bad

***Potential spoilers for those not up to date with the episodes***

I noticed something in the latest episode of breaking bad, namely Walter neatly folding and placing a towel on the floor underneath his knees after vomiting. And it was the way WW did it, the mannerism...it reminded me of the scene in 'Salud' where Gus does the same thing prior to vomiting.
It immediately reminded me of the episode where WW is seen cutting the crusts off of his sandwich, which aped what Crazy 8 did in season 1.

Fast forward to today, and I was talking about Breaking Bad with a friend in work, and he mentioned Walt arranging the bacon in the first episode of season five, something we saw Skyler do way back in the first season...so we then speculated on whether WW adopts a trait from those he has bumped off, and if so, could this mean that Skyler gets it? Well, we aren't the only ones thinking this it would seem. http://breakingbad.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:8285

[jason voorhees]

Breaking Bad

Yes, reed, Fly was directed by Rian Johnson, who directed the astonishingly brilliant American High School Film Noir Brick and the almost brilliant Looper. I loved the acting in it. For me, it was important as it showed Walt learned the one-thing-leads-to-another laws of the BB universe. It showed he kind of knows he will fall at some point, and not get what he wants.

Tactictoe - Saw that. Definitely noticed when he cut the crusts off, but didn't see the Volvo. He's aped a whole bunch of Gus's mannerisms this season (my favorite the smile and handshake "Have an A1 Day" GTFO with Lydia at the car wash.)

Again, it's not always what happens with this show, it's how.

(I have to wonder if the Bacon 52 bit is a nod to the binge watchers who caught up with the show. For years, they've had to put up with the "I Won" posts and other moments, such as reed seeing posts I'm making that walk both sides of the spoiler line, and have watched how it happened. I really wonder if VG put everyone in the same boat with that.)

[Reed John]

Breaking Bad

Why did Gus kill that dude with a box cutter?

Hank is such a dick.

[wingco]

Breaking Bad

Victor blundered onto the crime scene after Gale's murder. He had to go.

[Freestyling buck wilding Stijn Stijnen]

Breaking Bad

So there's around 12 hours before I'll be able to watch the latest episode (I'm definitely staying up this evening to watch it, it's usually available around 3am English time), and I have a similar feeling to the one I used to get on Christmas eve, as in I'm sat here second guessing what might happen (what presents I may/may not receive), and I'm currently going through the Breaking bad wiki like a right fanboy (looking through the argos catalogue, casting longing glances at what I hope to receive).

I fucking love BB, man!

[jason voorhees]

Breaking Bad

Wingco had the main theory. However, there's another theory I've come to believe that may or may not become apparent later in the season.

It deals with the ripples of the past crashing against the present, and taking the initiative with major drug lords.

During that scene, Giancarlo Esposito insisted on it being done with the least amount of takes as possible, and all in one day, because he was afraid "it would destroy his soul."

[garcia]

Breaking Bad

how do you mean there JV?

[jason voorhees]

Breaking Bad

I whited this one out for Reed re: Victor's Murder, but regarding the new developments...

As the season went on, I took it 49% for Victor being seen at the crime, and 51% for overstepping his boundaries as Gus had done with Don Eladio. With a slight percentage of having to have a head roll for fucking up his plan very badly, and it not being Mike.

A common theme in the show is how the past affects and effects the present, and how the actions of enemies change you. In other words, because Gus was loyal to and had a great idea that would help Don Eladio, and because Don Eladio took that as an insult and killed his partner in cold blood to prove a point, then Gus had to be in a situation where a loyal underling would be helping him, and he would take it as an insult. Leading to a murder that would prove a point.

Not only did the Don Eladio flashbacks serve to give a cause to Gus's future (killing the Cartel,) but it served to give a cause to Victor's murder.

[jason voorhees]

Breaking Bad

Ep 10 - Buried

Walter Whited

Really, really tense, maybe the most I've been twisted up in all of these years. Not that enjoyable per se, but this one went all out in its Sergio Leoneidness (the garage clicker being the best kiss to the SpaghettiMeister.)

Loved Todd's gentlemanly conduct (boy has he developed into quite a character,) and the A-Team doing the Scrooge McDuck nap (PLEASE tell me they'll be featured in the PLEASE-LET-IT-BE-TRUE Saul Spinoff.) The opening scene was also incredibly scary. The show has done one of the best jobs making stacks of money look like the most dangerous poison since A Simple Plan.

What's interesting is how Walt's story-telling and lying has now poisoned his family completely. No one knows fully what the other is doing:

Hank thinks Skyler is a victim who doesn't know a thing, Marie thinks Walt shot Hank, Walt thinks Skyler snitched on him, which leads to the repercussions:

Walt's buried the money and offers to come clean for his family when Skyler learns the cancer is back, Skyler tells Walt they have to keep lying, Marie tells Hank he has to come clean to everyone or it will look like he was covering up, Hank has to keep biding time at the risk of looking like a criminal, and Pinkman is still stuck on the merry-go-round.

[Reed John]

Breaking Bad

I've made it to season 5. It's taking over my life.

[Freestyling buck wilding Stijn Stijnen]

Breaking Bad

Reed John wrote: I've made it to season 5. It's taking over my life.

Yeah, it's easily done! Season five isn't any different. I now feel like i'm having withdrawals, having to wait another week for ep. 511. Preferred it when I could immerse myself in BB binge watching sessions.

[Reed John]

Breaking Bad

I don't have cable at the moment so I don't know when I'll be able to see the current season.

[diabloinglés]

Breaking Bad

Reed, you could torrent or stream it.

[Ginger Yellow]

Breaking Bad

Yeah, it's on Netflix a few hours after it airs.

I now feel like i'm having withdrawals, having to wait another week for ep. 511. Preferred it when I could immerse myself in BB binge watching sessions.

The Netflix situation makes this even worse, as it's showing all the remaining episodes in the list, and Netflix's in-house productions have trained me to think that if they've got new shows, they're going to be available to binge instantly.

[Reed John]

Breaking Bad

Really? So if I just keep watching on Netflix, I'll catch up?

I'll get cable again soon.

[Ginger Yellow]

Breaking Bad

Yep. They used to be a season behind, but since the start of this half-season they've had the epsiodes near-as-live.

[Reed John]

Breaking Bad

Not here it isn't. I watched to the end of the list last night and it only goes to the end of the last half-season. Not these more recent ones from the last few weeks. I'm up to the point where Hank finds Walter's copy of Leaves of Grass while sitting on the John.

[Freestyling buck wilding Stijn Stijnen]

Breaking Bad

PM for Reed.

[Slightly Brown]

Breaking Bad

*************Spoilers****************

I've been, not underwhelmed, but not quite feeling the new episodes. I dunno, I feel like Walt quitting previously has knocked the show off its stride. Like we've taken too many steps back. It feel a bit repetitious, like we're re-watching the same episodes/dilemmas as when Gus was first on the scene. That could be just a feeling the hiatus has subconsciously instilled in me, mind. I've wondered for so long what might happen, that the reality is disappointing in some way. Childish, bu there you go.

That said - and as Jason as adroitly highlighted - there have been many wonderful scenes. The change in dynamic between Hank and Walt has been beautifully handled, including Walt dropping into sociopath mode at the drop of a black-rimmed hat. The way he dead-eye intoned: "If that's true, if you don't know who I am, then maybe your best course would be to tread lightly" was chilling. Made better by his bumbling with the phone/haphazard driving not ten seconds later.

The little detail about putting the GPS coordinates where the money is buried was genius on a few levels. Oh, and fact-fans/nerds: the coordinates won't take you to the heart of the desert and the moolah, rather they're for Albuquerque Studios, where the show is filmed.

[jason voorhees]

Breaking Bad

To paraphrase what Robert McKee said to Nicholas Cage in that Charlie Kaufman Orchid Movie, "at this point, it's all about the ending."

The Sopranos had what I would say their worst storyline and worst half-season ever, but the last 3 episodes is all anyone remembers. Make that the last scene is all anyone remembers.

What I do like about the once-a-week series is seeing what reverberates throughout the week. Anna Gunn's "I don't remember the last time I was happy" was as sensual, sultry, bluesy and loving a line as anything delivered. It was as loving to her man as "I.F.T" was sexy and sultry and hateful. I'd like to see those scenes side by side.

[jason voorhees]

Breaking Bad

McKee
Tell you a secret. The last act makes
the film. You can have an uninvolving, tedious movie, but wow them at the end, and you've got a hit. Find an ending. Use what you've learned this weekend. Give them that and you'll be fine.