I know we had a thread for the end of season three, but it's been quiet on the BB front here. After watching last night's sode, "Salud", I figured I'd start up a thread to discuss the season up until now and the ending that's only three weeks away.
First off, if you don't already watch this show, START NOW! I don't get excited for TV serial dramas and this one has me spinning. Go grab season's 1-3 off NetFlix (or Flixster), rent off Amazon or buy them straight up. Amazing freaking show. There's a reason why Bryan Cranston won the best lead actor Emmy three years in a row (and Aaron Paul nabbed the supporting Emmy last season).
Ok, so....from here on out, there will be spoilers. So stop reading if you're new or haven't watched "Salud".
I mean it, stop reading.
1. At the end of the episode, it appeared Mike was going to shoot Jesse before he got shot. I'm thinking it was either two reason why they shot the scene that way (and it was intentional). 1. The director was teasing the shot but really had Mike swinging around to shoot the last Cartel guy or 2. Mike wants to kill Jesse because he see Jesse as the new Mike in Gus' eyes.
2. Awesome scene with Jesse telling the Cartel's cook to shove it. He really became "Heisenberg" in this episode. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, but Jesse isn't that little son-like character that Walt is always trying to protect.
3. Walt looks beaten, in more ways than one. The criminal life is really starting to drag him too close to the sun. I question if he's going to stay on the Breaking Bad path. I might see him trying to clean himself...or at least set his relationship with Jesse back to zero.
4. Did we ever confirm if Walt was 100% cancer free from his last appointment? He mentioned he was clean at a dinner party but that seemed like a cover-up to me. And you know, the series started with that plot twist, I doubt it stays in remission. It's the reason he started and it will be used as a reason to keep him going.
5. Skylar and Benneke.....something bad is going to happen there and Walt will find out. Sex and/or the money....and Walt will explode all over everyone.
6. Good to know we have 16 sodes left after this season. Bad news though, they're going to split it into an extended season. So, 8-10 sodes, a long break and then come back for the last. I suppose it could be 2013 until we see the finish. Although, I'm glad they're ending it at 5 seasons. As much as I'd like to see it keep going, they need to wrap the story arc before it becomes tired and played out.
Any help with my questions/comments or other random thoughts out there?
Unfortunately I could not read your thread as I haven't watched Sunday nights episode yet and didn't want to spoil it but just wanted to also say the show is fantastic. I think they just released the first 3 seasons on Netflix Instant Stream over the past week or so.
Sunday night's episode was easily up there in the top 5 best episodes of the whole series. So far, that is. There should be some more blockbuster moments and even bigger ones in the next and final season.
I can't say enough how much I love this show. I tell myself that I'm crazy, that this can't be my favorite show of all time. That it can't be better than LOST or The Sopranos.
But I think it really is. BB's my favorite show (drama, that is) of all time.
Of course I STILL haven't seen The Wire, which I hear is fantastic.
Folks, if you've never see it. Do so. Find it on demand or DVD or online or however you would watch it . . . So good.
Bullet point one: No way I thought it looked like Mike was going to do that. I'm 99.9% positive he wasn't. Mike and Gus are ALL about Jesse.
# four? I was thinking about this, myself. I haven't ruled out the cancer being completely gone. Of course now that we've thought of it, I hope it doesn't happen. I don't want to sniff out any twists . . .
Speaking of which, my wife TOTALLY called what was going to happen poolside. As soon as she saw what the gift was, she called it and said "that's why Gus took that pill." I was ticked she blurted it out, cause then I had no clue if I would have called it myself. Even after Gus said Jesse shouldn't be drinking . . .
I totally thought Gus was going to take a leak in the pool . . .
Bullet point one: No way I thought it looked like Mike was going to do that. I'm 99.9% positive he wasn't. Mike and Gus are ALL about Jesse.
I thought the same thing until I saw this gif http://i51.tinypic.com/fvx46.gif. Mike's head is turned right at Jesse when the bullet hits him. I don't want to believe it either since Jesse is my favorite character and Mike is my favorite bad guy. They seemed like they would be a good team.
And agreed on Gus being a bad ass. Any guy that folds his clothes before slashing someones throat is a definite bad ass.
And I loved that before he regurgitated the posion he took the time to fold his jacket and put a towel on the floor to keep his knees from getting dirty with the clock ticking on his life.
I'm not sure if Gus smokes but here is a perfect chance for Jesse to slip him that "lucky cigarette" with a very good chance of not being suspected.
Quote: Bullet point one: No way I thought it looked like Mike was going to do that. I'm 99.9% positive he wasn't. Mike and Gus are ALL about Jesse.
If you have the sode still taped, go watch in slo-mo. The scene is right there....Jesse walking away from MIke, Mike raising his gun while looking at his back and then Mike gets shot from a different direction that he's looking.
Again, I'm on the fence with what the director was trying to show. Was it just a moment we were to think Jesse was going to get shot but Mike was trying to swing around to shot the last Cartel member OR was Mike trying to kill Jesse because he sees him as a threat...getting too close with Gus and Mike isn't needed anymore.
I don't know.....but that scene, camera angle or whatever was used for a reason to show something. We'll see.
And yes, GUS is DA MAN! I wanted Gus dead early in the season but man, I don't want to see him go. Total badass!
I found it on IMDB (probably not much better), I didn't even notice that Mike looked in Jesse's direction until I was reading the million threads posted there regarding the subject. I laughed off most of it at first, but then someone posted that gif and it changed my view.
I have to echo what Brownoholic said, that was a great episode. It was one of those when it ended I was like "really an hour just went by?"
What a cliffhanger, Sunday can't get here soon enough
Man if someone hadn't posted that gif i would have said ur on crack...that does look awful lot like he is about to shoot Jesse...But i think your reasoning might be flawed...It doesn't make sense to kill Jesse, since they can kill walt and keep Jesse as a loyal guy who knows how to make their product. To me at the end of the episode i was more worried about what's going to happen to walt now? Gus the boss Mike the muscle and Jesse the cook Walt seems extra baggage now?
I remember a few episodes ago MIke saying to Gus something to the effect of "the kid thinks he's a hero, you got what you wanted." I don't know what that meant but maybe Mike is feeling threatened as punch suggested.
Walt still does make the purest, which might keep him as a valuable asset. Jesse's only came out to 96%. Remember that's about the number Gale could do and Walt topped it with 99%.
Well, IF the theory of Mike being jealous plays out...it would make sense that Mike would try to off Jesse then. He had just asked Gus if he was ok and noticed he was unconscious.
Ultimately, I think it was more a camera trick to tease us. There's probably nothing more behind it other than to make us think. Deliberate for sure, but nothing of substance.
I was talking with the wife about the show and wondered aloud what the show is about....Walt and Jesse's relationship. That's #1. Walt being the typical dad; expecting growth, being too hard on the kid and willing to throw his life down to protect him. Jesse bing the typical kid; rebellious, no direction and thinking he knows it all. What if Jesse spurns Walt and joins Gus' side? That would crush Walt more than anything. Heck, he called his own son Jesse while drugged up in the last sode.
I had predicted Walt taking over the whole operation from the top at the beginning of Season 4.....but I don't see that now. I'm not really sure where this is going. And I like it.
Ultimately, I think it was more a camera trick to tease us. There's probably nothing more behind it other than to make us think. Deliberate for sure, but nothing of substance.
That's what I'm hoping for. I like Mike and Gus about as much as anybody else. Which is odd since i despised their characters until the last 2 seasons.
I'm kind of hoping for it to be one big happy team. But we all know that's not going to happen.
Wow, talk about turning the entire BB universe upside down.
- Walt can't cook - Walt can't earn - Walt is broke - Hank has a hit out on him - Gus knows a tip was called into the DEA - Gus threatened the White family (and you know he wasn't kidding) - Walt knows Skyler gave most of the money to Beneke - Beneke is dead - When is Mike coming back? - Walt must act fast or people within in family will die!
Walt has two plays the way I see it.....Kill Jesse (or make it appear that he killed him) OR kill Gus. Again, if he doesn't act Gus will kill him and the whole family. Something HUGE has to happen in the next two weeks to calm that problem down.
Quote: Is Ted dead? We never quite found out for sure but I wouldn't doubt it. His hand did move a little bit.
They implied it pretty heavily. I'm sure we'll get the confirmation Sunday night. Saul and his cronies were going to tell Skyler it was an "Act of God". Funny, Ted was a weasel anyway.
Skyler calling out a hit on Ted would have been more "Breaking Bad" but probably too dark for her at this point.
I would hate to see Saul's B-Team in action. If Ted aint dead, color me shocked. And it's crazy that his check is in the mail . . .
This season is coming to a close with a ton of bangs. The ending of the last one just had my wife and I by the throat . . .
I'm not even going to speculate on how the rest of this season or series as a whole is going to play out. I envision Walt and Hank versus Gus and Mike w/ Jesse caught in the middle, but who knows what the mad geniuses behind have in store for us.
Wow, just saw last week's episode and it was fantastic! I never expected them to all of a sudden treat Walt like that, especially that taser bit by the silent black guy( I hate that guy). I wonder if Gustavo really cares about Mike or not? Will Walt call the vacuum guy's number? Did he already? I'm so excited, this leading up to a great conclusion!
I was able to watch ALL of Sopranos on DVD. Straight through. My wife and I would always ask each other, "how did people wait for new seasons???" I think one hiatus was extra long because of contract negotiations too.
Can't wait to start The Wire on DVD. That show is supposed to be awesome too.
Last year when my wife and I watched 'Half Measures' it felt like 7 years instead of 7 days before we could see what happened after Walt said "RUN!". <insert chills here>
So yes, waiting the extended time before Season 4 was awful. And I'm not looking forward to waiting for Season 5 and then also know there will be an extended break in the middle too. Ugh. Oh well, something to look forward to.
Quote: Wow, just saw last week's episode and it was fantastic! I never expected them to all of a sudden treat Walt like that, especially that taser bit by the silent black guy( I hate that guy). I wonder if Gustavo really cares about Mike or not? Will Walt call the vacuum guy's number? Did he already? I'm so excited, this leading up to a great conclusion!
I think Mike will eventually be ok...but he might be mad at Gus for how his life was an afterthought. And maybe he won't be happy about being stuck in Mexico. I would bet we see Mike in this weeks sode.
Walt can't call the vacuum guy without the $500,000 in cash needed. Saul warned him to have it all ready because the process starts within minutes and there can't be any delays.
Yup, it was good and bad. I was hoping to see Walt's homemade explosion go off, even if Gus wasn't killed.
Sooooo...Gus thinks his car was rigged to blow up, he has to figure it was Walt and he has to think Jesse was in on it too. That would mean he'll be trying to take them both out. I don't see that waiting for season 5. Maybe...who knows.
The bigger question is......IF Brock was poisioned with the Ricin, who did it? You want to believe it was Gus, it would be a calculated move to get Jesse to kill Walt BUT.....Walt could have done it knowing Jesse would assume it was him and he'd be able to flip him by using the "Gus has used violence towards kids before and he knew this would be the final straw to get you to sign off on killing me" comment. Vince Gilligan said we'd all learn to dispise Walt by the end of Season 4....so maybe.
Good episode, I hope it's setting up a fantastic season finale. I want to see something major happen.
I think the kid just stole the cig n smoked up....and jesse just wasn't careful. that or guss did it...remember earlier in the episode he said "proper actions will be taken" or something like that.
- Walt is the man at the top (manufacturing, distribution, laundering, fighting the DEA, essentially he has become Tony Montana) - Hank gets closer and closer to Walt's secret - Skyler gets more involved with the side business...and enjoys it - Walt Jr gets some - Jesse finds out about the poisoning - Hank vs Jesse vs Walt in a titanic ending where Walt dies
Holy wow wow. Just watched the last 2 episodes back to back!
INSANE!
***spoilers *** you've been warned *****
My wife hated our last view of Gus. Said the show was totally believable up to that point. Whatever, as a horror / sci-fi geek, I totally accepted it . . . Reminded me that they shouldn't have let Two-Face die at the end of Dark Knight, too . . .
Did anyone else immediately know it was Walt as soon as the poisonous plant was brought up? In the very beginning where he's twirling pistol on the patio table it pointed toward the potted plant on the 3rd spin and they kept the camera on him looking in that direction for just a second too long. Long enough for me to think something was up. Kind of like when whatshisname tripped on that rug . . . foreshadowing . . .
So now Jesse doesn't know that Walt poisoned the kid AND that he let his girlfriend choke to death a few seasons back. Talk about an ANTI-hero . . . Sending the old lady neigbor in the house to see if any potential killers were waiting for him???
How on EARTH can this show only have one season left now??? If they're taking Walt where I think they are, then they could have 2, maybe 3 left!
You know, the Gus face-off scene was over the top and a little unbelievable, but it fit his character and heck, it's a tv show. I was able to enjoy it.
It you rewatch the scene over, someone's leg falls from the ceiling as Gus drops. Funny.
It's odd, there are tons of people saying Gus might still be alive and Walt wasn't the source of the poison despite Vince Gilligan confirming all points. I guess there were a lot of people that didn't think Jesse shot Gayle until they saw the crime scene at the opening of S4.
Q.Given that Walt and Jesse know even less about Gus, and don’t know why he was so important that the cartel could not kill him, could their assassination of him come back to haunt them?
A.That’s a good question. We will be getting into that when the writers’ room reopens in November. But I can think of one gentleman who may have a problem with it, who’s a bit closer to home, who is Mike, played by Jonathan Banks. [laughs heartily] Mike may have a problem with what transpired, and I wouldn’t want Mike mad at me, I can tell you that.
Q.I don’t think I’d want Jonathan Banks mad at me, either.
A.No. And I’ve had Jonathan mad at me, and it’s not pleasant.
Q.Was it particularly difficult to say goodbye to a character as compelling as Gus, and to Giancarlo Esposito, who’s been so dominant in his portrayal of him?
A.It was very hard. We talked for not just hours. We talked for days on end, questioning ourselves and re-questioning ourselves as to, were we doing the right thing? But it just felt like it was time. I was being facetious before when I spoke of “Highlander,” but it really is true. If Gustavo Fring is in Walt’s world, they can never be partners. They are similar personalities in the sense that one of them has to be on top, and at the end of the day, the show is about Walter White and his journey from Mr. Chips to Scarface. In that regard, he has to, with every season, get a little further down that path. He really was under the thumb of this character for the entire season – more than a season now. And while I think the audience will miss Gus greatly, I think also there is a satisfaction to be gleaned from Walt persevering and succeeding.
Q.Did the effects crew from “The Walking Dead” help out with the scene where Gus meets his demise?
A.Indeed we did have great help from the prosthetic effects folks at “The Walking Dead,” and I want to give a shout-out to Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger, and KNB EFX, those two gentlemen and their company, because their shop did that effect. And then that was augmented by the visual effects work of a guy named Bill Pulaski and his crew, who digitally married a three-dimensional sculpture that KNB EFX created with the reality of the film scene. So you can actually see into and through Gus’s head in that final reveal. It’s a combination of great makeup and great visual effects. And it took months to do.
Q.Months?
A.Really, months. That one shot where the explosion happens, and then you dolly in on Gus, is actually two shots: the explosion happened in one take, and then the shot revealing Gus – it took me 19 takes to get it right. But we did use Take 19. That was no fault of the actors. That was me being a little persnickety as a director. The big, bravura part of the effect is obviously Gus’s face, what’s left of it, but to me it’s just as amazing how the visual effects guys married the two shots together so that there’s literally no seam between. There’s smoke, but you don’t see the cut in between. It’s just amazing what they’re capable of doing these days.
Q.What about the closing shot of the episode, the poisonous plant growing ominously in Walt’s backyard. Is it meant to suggest the possibility that he might have poisoned Brock, or is it meant to say he definitely did it?
A.To me it is fairly definitive. But there’s the old Billy Wilder quote, which I am going to misquote, that if you give the audience 2 plus 2 and let them add it up to 4 themselves, they’ll love you forever. I abide by that. The audience is plenty smart, and I like giving them as little as possible, and letting them do the math themselves. It’s such a shocking moment, that you find out the full badness, if you will, of Walter White, and you learn, truly, what he’s capable of: these monstrous acts, up to and including poisoning a child to further his and his family’s survival. To me, a moment like that is best told delicately. It’s best to not hit the audience over the head with it but to let them do the math themselves.
Q.I have to say that this season finale almost felt like a series finale, with all of the story lines that it appears to wrap up. Was that by design?
A.That is on purpose. We weren’t sure that we would have a fifth season when we were plotting out the end of Season 4. So we wanted to make the end of Season 4 as satisfying and as complete as possible, not knowing what the future would hold. Having said that, there are a couple of big, outstanding questions still in play. But I agree with you, if the show had not gone on past the end of Season 4 – although I’m very happy to say that it indeed will – but if it weren’t to go forward, I think I could be satisfied on some level, by that episode.
Q.Does that suggest that in at least one reality, there could have been a happy ending for Walt?
A.Yes. Well, now that you’ve put that way – happy for Walt, unhappy for pretty much everyone else around him. [laughs] That’s what he does, that’s the effect he has on people, come to think of it.
Q.Back in March, we learned that AMC’s negotiations to renew “Mad Men” had grown contentious, and when they were resolved, its show runner, Matthew Weiner, said he would be ending the series. Then a few months later, we find out there’s a difficult negotiation to extend “Breaking Bad,” after which you said you’re ending your series. Is there a pattern emerging here? Are these negotiations so frustrating that you’d rather wrap up your shows than have to keep going back to the table?
A.Not really. I can’t speak to the “Mad Men” situation, although their timeline is a lot longer than ours – they’re going to end the show in three more seasons. I can only speak for myself, and AMC and Sony have been great to work with. Nobody else in town would have done this show, and I will be forever grateful to both companies for letting me put it on the air. But really, “Breaking Bad” was intended to be a finite story from the get-go. It was designed to be closed-ended and not have even the possibility of going on indefinitely. It’s really incumbent upon us to bring it to as satisfying a conclusion as possible. And the only way we’ll have a chance at doing that is to know exactly when it is we’re going to end, and also have that ending not be too far off in the future. Our studio, I think, in their heart of hearts, would have liked the show to go on longer than it will go on. Because this is a business, first and foremost, and the television business is intended to make money. And you only really start to make money with more episodes under your belt. But at the end of the day, this was nothing other than me wanting to end the show with as much quality as we began with. And that’s truly why we have 16 more, and out.
Q.Does that imply you didn’t get as many episodes as you wanted to wrap up the series?
A.No, honestly, no. I would have been happy, for instance, with 13, one more full season. I think 16’s great – 16’s probably even better than 13. We get one more full season and three extra, which is cherries on top. There are certain things that need to be wrapped up, so that we can conclude the show the right way. I was one of loudest voices saying, “I don’t have that much more story left in me here.” I should add to that by saying I don’t want this show to end. For me, this is the most creatively satisfying job that I have ever had, or that I will likely ever have, and I will probably be in a fetal position on the day that it all ends. I will miss it intensely. I also don’t want to tread water for seasons on end and have people begin to say, “God, ‘Breaking Bad,’ that used to be a really good show – is that thing still on the air?” That would kill me. I would much rather go out a little bit early and miss it fondly for the rest of my life.
Q.Were you really being squeezed by AMC on the number of new episodes it was willing to order? I think that’s what left so many people dumbfounded, that here’s this critically acclaimed, brand-defining show, and it sounds like the network wants to rush it off the air.
A.Listen, the thing I’ve learned since I’ve started working in this business. You don’t really want to see how the sausage is made. That’s just in every negotiation, not just the ones I’ve been dealing with but every one I’ve been a party to. In the movie business or the TV business, there’s a certain amount of gamesmanship and horse trading, and it’s part of the way the job is done. I’d prefer to not even know about it most of the time. I was basically cutting the last few episodes of Season 4 of “Breaking Bad,” and I would hear occasionally from my agents, telling me where things stood, and half the time when the call came through, I’d be like: Oh, God, do I have to hear about this now? [laughs] You guys know I want to wrap it up within about another season, you know the parameters that I’m hoping for. Just wake me when it’s over.
Q.I know it’s foolish to ask how you’re going to end the series, but do you have a game plan yet for how it’s going to end?
A.I’d love to say I did. I depend so much on my six writers, and we’re going to get together again in mid-November and open up a writers’ room, and I’m looking forward to that. I should be thinking about it right now. I should be daydreaming about it or playing with a few puzzle pieces, trying to lock ‘em into place here. But I really find my brain works best when I have the six of my writers with me and we can hash it out together as a group. I guess the best way to put it is, I have hopes and dreams for these characters. But I don’t have anything plot-wise. I don’t have anything hard and fast figured out. I know there are certain big, outstanding questions or issues to deal with before we put on our last episode. But other than that, where it all is going to head, I look forward to seeing it, same as the audience does.
Q.Does that mean you could have a flash of inspiration between now and November that could completely alter how “Breaking Bad” will wrap up?
A.Absolutely. I don’t want to sound too loosey-goosey about it, because I think the more time you have to plot out your story, the better off you’ll be. But we try to combine the best of both possibilities, which is to say we have enough lead time to question every possible permutation of story and reason out all the different ways we could tell the story and go with the best one. But also, with that kind of scenario, we have the possibility to suddenly get some 11th-hour inspiration and take things in a different direction. Television is not usually an arena in which you get the time to really ponder things. And that’s a big reason why this show has been such a blessing and such a source of enjoyment for me, it’s because I get to do just that.
It you rewatch the scene over, someone's leg falls from the ceiling as Gus drops. Funny.
Ha ha, good eye. Just watched again, I didn't noticed that the first time around.
At the final scene with Jesse and Walt at the parking garage. It panned to a camera view from inside the garage. Was that supposed to be someone watching them? Or am I reading something into nothing?
I think that was Gus' parked car from the previous sode. I think they were at the hospital and parked on the highest level. So when he drove down, he passed the car he tried blowing up previously.
Welp, Season 5 starts July 15th. Anyone else excited?
I just rewatched seasons 1 through 4 in the past 10 days (AMC is re-airing 3-4 per night very late - I DVR'd the whole thing).
I've heard that Season 5 is going to get very dark and violent. Can't wait.
Predictions for season 5?
- I think Walt goes full Scarface. He'll attempt to be the new Gus (mean, ruthless, powerfull drug lord on the inside and appear to be a calm, squeaky clean guy on the outside). - Jesse finds out about the Lilly of the Valley storyline at some point, maybe during Season 5B (next year). - Hank gets back into the DEA because they find out he was right about Gus...and he and Walt go toe-2-toe for most of the season. - Walt ends up using the super lab in Mexico. I don't see him building a lab underneath his own car wash. Too obvious. - Ted Benneke becomes a zombie - Walt ends up in the witness protection program as Hal in Malcom in the Middle.
Quote: Weird. This is in the 'Lot', not 'Everything Else.'
I added on to the Season 4 thread from last year. I'll ask someone to rename and move this thread. I don't really want to lose all the Season 4 talk.
Spoiler Alert!
In watching every episode again recently, I wanted to list my top 10 moments/storylines: 1. "Run" …still the most shocked I've ever been while watching TV 2. "6353 Juan Tabo, Apartment 6...Yeah.", the look on Mike's face, & then Jesse's action before the screen goes black...#amazing 3. Jesse's speech in "Problem Dog"…still gives me the chills 4. "I am the danger" & "I am the one who knocks"…Come on, that's Scarface 101 5. The whole "Lilly of the Valley" storyline. Walt manipulates every angle to pull off the craziest trap ever. I could probably break this out into 7 separate favorites - though I didn't really care for the gratuitous way they showed Gus at the end. I suppose they were trying to make an iconic finish to one of the greatest TV villains of all time, plus BB has had a history of pushing the graphic violence line, but I think the moment would have been more with less. Oh well, I’m being picky. 6. Gus poisoning the Cartel and himself...and then taking the time to fold his jacket and pad his knees before giving back to the toilet. #BaddestManOnThePlanet (oh Gus, how I'll miss you). 7. The opening scene in Season 1. Talk about hooking the viewer right away. An underwear’d Walt, next to a busted up RV and pointing a gun with sirens coming. 8. Hank versus the Cartel twins in the parking lot. (I was quite nervous...I was SURE Hank was done). And a side note, great work by Gus to work both sides to hurt Hank, the twins and the whole Cartel. 9. Box Cutter. The great Stan Lee said it best, “Nuff said” 10. "Yeah Science"
Honorable mention – Any scene with Saul Goodman. I would bet he wasn’t going to last long on the show but his delivery and chemistry made him a full cast member.
Just watched all 4 seasons the past couple weeks. Awesome show.
Prediction: We find out Gus wasn't 'the guy', but whoever runs the "German conglomerate" really is, and Walt and Jesse will have to deal with them.
Mike is on board with Walt and Jesse.
Side note: I hope they don't go forward with the Walt poisoning Brock story line. I hope they leave it be, just like they did with Walt watching what's her face die
Also, I think either Hank will be on to Walt eventually OR, he'll remain oblivious that Walt is Heisenburg but Walt USES him to bust someone else. Frame job . . .
I would say....Walt has to die by the end. He starts off as a sympathetic character and will eventually become someone we all want dead. Come on, look at the three things he does during the "Lilly of the Valley" storyline alone:
Spoilers
- He poisons a kid....who could have died - He calls his neighbor to check his house KNOWING it could be booby trapped (or next worse, the two gunmen kill the neighbor by accident) - He rigs a bomb in a nursing home. That could have killed more than just the three bad guys.
(not to mention shooting two of Gus' henchmen at the lab)
I think he'll eventually push away or destroy every relationship he has to "keep his turf". He's had multiple opportunities to lay low and let this all go away but he couldn't help himself.
Yeah can't wait, only downfall is they're taking the dreaded midseason break from September 2nd until sometime in 2013. Presumably and hopefully January.
Wow, all 4 are on there? I'll have to tell my friends who I'm STILL trying to get to watch . . .
If you're watching for the first time, Frenchy, I'm truly envious. I got to watch Sopranos all the way through and could never imagine what it was like waiting for a new season to show up . . .
I even Queued season 5 whenever it comes available.
I've kinda stayed away from reading this thread, I have no clue what this series is even about. After I finish Breaking Bad, I will be looking for recomendations for other series.
Oh by the way, since I'm just starting it might take a few days an episode. Hit 10 minutes on the eliptical and was done. Kinda out of shape, gonna take a feww weeks to get up to speed.
Prediction: We find out Gus wasn't 'the guy', but whoever runs the "German conglomerate" really is, and Walt and Jesse will have to deal with them.
Living in Albq, we here a few stray rumors about the content of the show. I heard a really good one about this subject. Since its a rumor....I'm very shy to say something about it publicly. PM me if your curious. I trust the source. Just dont want to look like a fool if I'm wrong
Just wanted to bounce out there a few questions for the last season I want to see what happens with. Duh spoilers if your not caught up!
In season 4 when we go back in time and see Gus's "partner" at the time get shot, and they stand over Gus and tell him "The only reason your not dead is because of who you are and where you come from." What does that mean?
When Hank interviews Gus about Gales murder, was I the only one who thought the higher ups in APD and the DEA kinda looked at each other, and dismissed Gus a little quick? Are they on Gus's payroll?
The obvious question is what happens to Walt and Jesse. Who lives and who dies.
Vince Gilligan has spun this story with a million ways to go and make it interesting. Anything is possible. Can't wait
Quote: In season 4 when we go back in time and see Gus's "partner" at the time get shot, and they stand over Gus and tell him "The only reason your not dead is because of who you are and where you come from." What does that mean?
In the season finale podcast Vince and his crew hinted on a bunch of this. He was telling the story about how he told Giancarlo that Gus was going to die, that it was really hard. But he said something like, "don't worry, we'll have you back a few times in season 5. We're not done with you."
In the same podcast, one of Vince's cronies paused and said "partner" in an odd way. I would be willing to bet anything they were "life partners".
As for where Gus came from, oh hellz yes we'll find out more about his evil, deadly past. Even the DEA were saying that it was odd this guy came out of nowhere. I bet someone from Gus's past will be popping up (maybe too obvious, but we'll see).
Quote: When Hank interviews Gus about Gales murder, was I the only one who thought the higher ups in APD and the DEA kinda looked at each other, and dismissed Gus a little quick? Are they on Gus's payroll?
I thought the same thing. They were all so quick to turn Hank down. I would bet Walt gets a call for a meeting with one of the DEA guys once he starts cooking again (and he will). The DEA will want a cut of Walt's action.
And oh yeah, the Cartel won't give up. I know, all the Cartel is dead.....but there will be a new family that replaces Don Julio (right?)
Quote: The obvious question is what happens to Walt and Jesse. Who lives and who dies.
I think one stays alive, and it ain't Walt. I think he has to die. Cancer? In a drug deal? By Jesse's hand? By Skyler's hand? By Hank's hand?
Remember, Vince said many times, "Walt is going from Mr's Chips to Scarface in the series." Al Pacino died one of the most memorable deaths in cinema history....and I don't doubt Vince will try to make his own history with Walt's death too.
Questions answered right off the bat! Amazing episode. Hit the ground running.
We subtly learned a lot about the future. The Cancer is back, Walt is set for Armageddon. Who's he afraid of? I'm telling ya, there is a mystery man on the horizon. Los Pollos Hermanos means the Chicken BROTHERS. I don't think his dead partner was his brother. And with the Police probably now tracking those Caimen Bank Accounts, somebodies gonna be looking for that money.
Quote: We subtly learned a lot about the future. The Cancer is back, Walt is set for Armageddon. Who's he afraid of? I'm telling ya, there is a mystery man on the horizon.
I love flash forwards.
Also looks like his family is either dead or have separated themselves entirely from him. He was having a pity celebration for himself for his 52nd birthday, something he wouldn't do unless his family was out of the picture.
Quote: thanks, what kind of site is this, I've been in trouble with my internet provider for downloading stuff before.
Swith to Netflix instant stream for a month, all 4 seasons are on instant stream.
Switched to the stream last night, I've watched 7 episodes from season 2, gonna get through the rest of season 2 and season 3 today and late into the night.
Well I just finished streaming seasons 1 - 4, gonna watch the first 2 episodes of season 5 tonight.
As for series what would you recommend as the next TV show to catch up on? I've already seen all the episodes of Justified, Oz, Lost, Sons of Anarchy, Shield, Physch, Monk, Suits, Necesarry Roughness.
I was kinda thinking about Rescue Me, Sopranos, Arrested Development, or Weeds.
Lydia works for Madrigal Electromotive GmbH which is the parent company of the franchises Los Pollos Hermanos. Gus owned many of those franchises. This company is based in Germany and is also able to create and ship the big air filtration systems needed to successfully make meth in heavily populated areas. This stuff all came out when Hank was investigating the operation and nobody would listen.
I'm glad Mike is on board!!!! Looking forward to next week already.
Quote: Well I just finished streaming seasons 1 - 4, gonna watch the first 2 episodes of season 5 tonight.
As for series what would you recommend as the next TV show to catch up on? I've already seen all the episodes of Justified, Oz, Lost, Sons of Anarchy, Shield, Physch, Monk, Suits, Necesarry Roughness.
I was kinda thinking about Rescue Me, Sopranos, Arrested Development, or Weeds.
Dexter, Boardwalk Empire, American Horror Story, The League, Game of Thrones, and Shameless.
Weeds was great the first 3 seasons, and just about everyone liked the sopranos.
Quote: Well I just finished streaming seasons 1 - 4, gonna watch the first 2 episodes of season 5 tonight.
As for series what would you recommend as the next TV show to catch up on? I've already seen all the episodes of Justified, Oz, Lost, Sons of Anarchy, Shield, Physch, Monk, Suits, Necesarry Roughness.
I was kinda thinking about Rescue Me, Sopranos, Arrested Development, or Weeds.
Dexter, Boardwalk Empire, American Horror Story, The League, Game of Thrones, and Shameless.
Weeds was great the first 3 seasons, and just about everyone liked the sopranos.
Man, I haven't watched a single episode of any of the shows mentioned in these 2 posts.
Quote: I have to admit I fist pumped when Mike called Walt to reconsider his offer.
Yup, me too.
I kinda saw it coming once the DEA brought Mike in...they were going to find his money and then he'd be forced back in to help his family.
Odd thing I noticed last night, there is a commerical right after the opening theme. I guess AMC took 2-3 minutes of each episode away from us. Booooo!
I like how they wrapped a bow around the ricin storyline, though I don't know if I'd buy the cig being in the robot if I was Jesse. But I guess he did.
Quote: I like how they wrapped a bow around the ricin storyline, though I don't know if I'd buy the cig being in the robot if I was Jesse. But I guess he did.
Yeah I thought the same thing, it just seemed hard to believe that the cigarette wasn't broken and still intact after being picked up by the roomba ( I want one of those btw) But Jesse is in about as good of a mental state as Skylar is right now.
Why did Walt keep the rican though?
New DEA boss on the way in.....bad news for Walt?
The opening scene was great. German's have the most efficient and painless way of killing themselves. Also French dressing and Ranch can be mixed to create a formula called Franch. Mnnnn tater tots.
Quote: Lydia works for Madrigal Electromotive GmbH which is the parent company of the franchises Los Pollos Hermanos. Gus owned many of those franchises. This company is based in Germany and is also able to create and ship the big air filtration systems needed to successfully make meth in heavily populated areas. This stuff all came out when Hank was investigating the operation and nobody would listen.
Lydia was sitting right there at the pow-wow between the Madrigal suits and Hank & Co. At the end of the table.
I must be in the minority as this season is kicking off. I see Walt as nothing but a monster now. I see him through Skylar and Mike's eyes and really hope Jesse and Hank find out the entire truth about him.
No sense in wasting perfectly good poison. He knows that he might need to use it on somebody. Tune in!
I don't view Walt as a monster. He had a taste of power and money and he developed an ego in the process. I think he's still a good guy but I know I will be wrong as he becomes more evil.
I'm just glad Mike is on board. What a great character. Hopefully some awards will be coming his way.
Mike only left Lydia alive because she has the Methlamean (sp) hook up. While I think she may be someone very important, like Gus's niece or something, I think he puts two in her skull if she doesn't have the chemicals he needs.
I keep thinking Vince Gilligan has turned Walt into Anakin Skywalker of sorts. The pensive belief he is doing a greater good for himself and his family, while crossing over more lines of morality and deeper into the "dark side." Jesse has oddly enough turned into his good and sensibility through a blind, undeserved loyalty. Since Saul is the only one who knows the truth behind the Riacin cigarette, at some point he would have to betray Walt and tell that to Jesse. Worlds WILL be reversed when that happens. Walt has reached a point where his only salvation will be through his own death. At this point I don't see him being alive after the final episode in 2013.
And my spider senses say we still have one giant character who has not yet made an appearance. Lydia is NOT the only connection from Madrigal. And I can't see the stooges Madrigal sent to answer questions being anything more than cardboard figures who know nothing, and could therefore say nothing.
Quote: I don't view Walt as a monster. He had a taste of power and money and he developed an ego in the process. I think he's still a good guy but I know I will be wrong as he becomes more evil.
I'm just glad Mike is on board. What a great character. Hopefully some awards will be coming his way.
Walt beat cancer and did what was necessary to provide for his family. He says he is broke, but throughout this ordeal, he & Skylar bought a carwash.
NOW, after beating a powerful drug lord and being lucky to be alive, he is proceeding with making more meth and is quickly turning into a power-hungry, won't take no for an answer type guy.
I feel for everybody on the show but him. Even Saul.
Walt's turning more and more into a MONSTER. Anti-hero, whatever you want to call him . . .
I'm rooting for a good story....but I can't really root for Walt anymore. Come on, he poisoned a kid to save his own life (and the kid could have died). And then he risked his neighbors life in the next episode. AND we all remember him letting Jane die because it was interfering with his relationship with Jesse.
He's a creep, punk and jerk. But that doesn't mean I'm turning the channel.
We all watched Scarface to the last second. Tony Montana was just as bad too (though, Tony wouldn't kill a woman or children.....Walt would).
I'm just saying that right now as a fan of the show, everyone is rooting for Walt's new Meth business to succeed. That feeling might change as the season goes on but we are rooting for Walt right now. (Unless you are hoping he just gives up the Meth and just runs a clean car wash business and becomes a really good dad - that would make for great TV!)
Quote: I'm just saying that right now as a fan of the show, everyone is rooting for Walt's new Meth business to succeed. That feeling might change as the season goes on but we are rooting for Walt right now. (Unless you are hoping he just gives up the Meth and just runs a clean car wash business and becomes a really good dad - that would make for great TV!)
I would tend to agree, I would think if I was disgusted by Walt I probably wouldn't even bother turning on the show.
15 minutes to go.... Like the Walking Dead this is one show I can't wait to watch.
At the end when Walt brings up the box cutter episode, is he telling Jesse he is planning on killing Mike? I would hate to see Mike go but I would keep watching.
Quote: At the end when Walt brings up the box cutter episode, is he telling Jesse he is planning on killing Mike? I would hate to see Mike go but I would keep watching.
That's a good question. I think so. Walt's not dumb at this point either, he can't do what Mike is doing. He doesn't have the connections or knowledge of that side, so he can't just off him and expect the business side to run itself.
Victor was just hired muscle who tried to be more (and made a mistake by showing his face at the Gale crime scene). Mike is way more, he's a 1/3 partner.
I liked the new "roving cook lab" idea. I was wondering how they were going start cooking again.
I don't like Skyler right now. I think she was portrayed as a stronger character in previous seasons....and now she's crumbling away in a weak manner. Although, it was nice that she told off Marie FINALLY.
Quote: Chinchilla7222- At the end when Walt brings up the box cutter episode, is he telling Jesse he is planning on killing Mike? I would hate to see Mike go but I would keep watching.
It looked like Jesse was on to it judging from the look he had in his eyes at the end of the episode. I have a feeling he relays the message to Mike.
Quote: Punchsmack - I liked the new "roving cook lab" idea. I was wondering how they were going start cooking again.
Loved that scene also, it really had a season 1 or 2 feel when they were cooking to that music. Was digging that track whatever it was.
Quote: Punchsmack - I don't like Skyler right now. I think she was portrayed as a stronger character in previous seasons....and now she's crumbling away in a weak manner. Although, it was nice that she told off Marie FINALLY.
I have never liked her, and the chips were already stacked against her since I found her Deadwood character to be incredibly annoying also.
So maybe it's the actress, but the whole thing with Ted just made me write her off.
Wonder what happens over the next year - the bacon "51" last night and the "52" being shown on the first episode foreshadow.
Does Skyler get killed, along with the kids? After last night, I think she is going to take the kids and run - or at least try and Walt ends up killing her. She is terrified of Walt right now. Walt has truly become a bad person - the scene where Skyler was telling him what she was going to do and him countering her every idea was intense!
Maybe Mike ends up killing his family? If Walt tries to kill him?
Quote: Wonder what happens over the next year - the bacon "51" last night and the "52" being shown on the first episode foreshadow.
Does Skyler get killed, along with the kids? After last night, I think she is going to take the kids and run - or at least try and Walt ends up killing her. She is terrified of Walt right now. Walt has truly become a bad person - the scene where Skyler was telling him what she was going to do and him countering her every idea was intense!
Yeah it appeared the family is definitely not around for birthday #52.
As much as I detest Skyler she is right about the family not being safe. It's how she goes about getting her message across. The pool stunt was incredibly annoying.
Mike was probably right about killing "banjo eyes". She will be their demise, once the DEA starts questioning her she'll crumble.
The wife and I took a mid-mid-season review last night. We re-watched the foreshadowing of Walt's 52nd b-day...
- He's using Skyler's maiden name - He's not wearing a wedding ring (which he has always worn) - He was hiding out in New Hampshire .... not sure what that means yet - The mega gun, an obvious homage to Scarface and backed up in Sode 3, is for someone in ABQ (not Houston, where "banjo eyes" lives). - I would guess the cancer is back from his cough and pill taking...which Skyler hints she's hoping for in Sode 4. - Something HUGE and probably odd had to have happened for him to go on the lam. Think about it, most situations that have come up for Walt, he's attacked with fierce aggression to protect himself, his family and his cooking. So what would have happened to make him go into hiding? Crazy.
It's odd when you think that it took all of Season 1, 2, 3, 4 and 25% of 5 to tell 12 months in the Breaking Bad universe and in the next 12 we might jump 12 months (though I would imagine most of the next 12 will be only a month from now).
As much as I dislike Skyler right now, I have to really thank Anna Gunn for her performance. It's truly a compliment to her that so many people can feel anger towards Skyler's character, who really hasn't been on the screen much lately.
I would like to see more of Jesse....but maybe Season 3 and 4 were his.
Oh well...4 more weeks and then another whole year of waiting. Ugh. Not fair.
Wish I wouldn't have deleted the first episode from the dvr, thanks of the observations from the re-watch.
Quote: Something HUGE and probably odd had to have happened for him to go on the lam. Think about it, most situations that have come up for Walt, he's attacked with fierce aggression to protect himself, his family and his cooking. So what would have happened to make him go into hiding? Crazy.
Yeah, can't wait to see it whatever it is. Hopefully it is within these last 4 episodes. But I doubt it, they will probably cliffhanger us at the end of the season on this event.
Quote: As much as I dislike Skyler right now, I have to really thank Anna Gunn for her performance. It's truly a compliment to her that so many people can feel anger towards Skyler's character, who really hasn't been on the screen much lately.
Quote: Oh well...4 more weeks and then another whole year of waiting. Ugh. Not fair.
Definitely, AMC writes it off as a 16 episode 5th season but really it feels like two 8 episode seasons.
You guys are weirding me out w/ the Skyler hate and unconditional pulling for Walt.
The protagonist has become the bad guy. Are you going to cheer when Jesse, Mike, Hank, Skyler, or one of the White kids gets killed because Walt can't stop?
Skylar gets way too much hate. Maybe the family plot isn't as 'exciting' as business side of things, it's not something that you can possibly ignore in the final season, and it's in fact extremely important that we're going down this road. If I had to guess, much of the Skylar plot will be resolved in this half-season and we'll spend 2013 watching the repercussions of that as well as probably more emphasis on the drug business and how that all shakes out.
All that said, I think the Skylar stuff has been fascinating this season. The scene last episode between Walter and Skylar in the bedroom was absolute perfection from both Cranston and Gunn.
Cheating is bad, but I think it smacks of misogyny that so many people hate Skyler for infidelity. Her husband is a lying, egomaniacal, seemingly sociopathic meth kingpin -- she's not any sort of derogatory word for women you want to throw out there simply because she was continually deeply betrayed by her husband and sought emotional and physical intimacy in a place where she could actually feel safe about it.
Skyler's quietly one of the best characters on television. She's having a real, believable reaction to the sudden understanding that she is married to a man who has been stripped of his humanity and devolved into pure evil. She is trapped. There is no way to be "strong" or "have balls" in this scenario, she's doing everything she can to ACTUALLY take care of her family -- the opposite of what Walt is accomplishing, despite your readiness to proclaim him "strong" and "powerful."
Quote: Skyler's quietly one of the best characters on television. She's having a real, believable reaction to the sudden understanding that she is married to a man who has been stripped of his humanity and devolved into pure evil. She is trapped. There is no way to be "strong" or "have balls" in this scenario, she's doing everything she can to ACTUALLY take care of her family -- the opposite of what Walt is accomplishing, despite your readiness to proclaim him "strong" and "powerful."
This.
While I do dislike Skyler for some of her past actions and just her characters personality in general. The woman playing the character and the writing of her character has been phenomenal in her reaction to what her life has become. As mentioned above, it is a real, believable reaction to what is happening to her life.
Quote: You guys are weirding me out w/ the Skyler hate and unconditional pulling for Walt.
The protagonist has become the bad guy. Are you going to cheer when Jesse, Mike, Hank, Skyler, or one of the White kids gets killed because Walt can't stop?
I typically enjoy the darker or more shocking ending rather than the typical Hollywood storybook ending so often I do end up rooting for the bad guy.
Walt turning darker each episodes fascinates me, I'm watching each week to see how much further he will go to get what he wants.
I am all about dark characters, anti-heroes, & whatnot. And I like Walt.
But I just can't hate on Skylar for the way she's acting. She's stuck w/ Walt because she's so involved at this point and she's doing whatever she thinks is necessary to make her kids safe. And Walt is wrong to think that they ARE safe.
That reminded me of the episode when Combo got shot with it starting off following some random kid riding around on a bike, and you're wondering what in the heck does he have to do with anything.
Loved the look on Skyler's face when Walt told her he was going to rob a train, I think she believed him. Great episode.
Walt has completely lost sight of what he originally got into the business for. If somone had offered him $5 mil at the start of the show he would've taken it and walked away, but now he's gotten too greedy.
Agree totally, we're watching the events that lead up to the eventual breakdown he has on birthday #52 and after.
Jesse having dinner with Skyler and Walt was quite the awkward moment, great acting there. I felt incredibly uncomfortable during that scene, and I'm sure that's what they were going for.
I thought this episode was a bit unrealistic. I know White's got a huge ego at this point, but one thing he has never been is dumb. $5 million is more than enough money to take care of his family. He would be able to bring his kids back and try and salvage something with his wife. He would also still own the car wash. That is nothing to sneeze at. His kids would also be "safe" because he would be out of the business (I think the real threat to Walt is not the dudes from Phoenix or Mike or any other character we have been introduced to, but the "Gus Fring's" people from Chile).
While I thought the episode was a bit unrealistic, I still enjoyed it. I don't think any human being with Walt's smarts would pass up the deal he was offered, but maybe he's not as smart as we all thought or he really does think he can establish an empire. But even he did establish an empire, what is he going to do? He is going to die from cancer. He can't live a lavish lifestyle because all he owns is a car wash. What would he do, move out of the country?
The scene where they were taking apart the bike was kinda powerful, and so was the dinner. Other than that I thought this episode was kinda dull. It did progress the story along so I guess it was OK.
That's funny...when we were watching it last night I told my wife "This Todd guy looks like a messed up version of Matt Damon. They even talk the same and have the same manerisms when talking"
Quote: I thought this episode was a bit unrealistic. I know White's got a huge ego at this point, but one thing he has never been is dumb. $5 million is more than enough money to take care of his family. He would be able to bring his kids back and try and salvage something with his wife. He would also still own the car wash. That is nothing to sneeze at. His kids would also be "safe" because he would be out of the business (I think the real threat to Walt is not the dudes from Phoenix or Mike or any other character we have been introduced to, but the "Gus Fring's" people from Chile).
Once Skyler left the dinner table Walt broke his motivation down for Jessie and the audience. His wife is long gone, never to return. His kids are gone, most likely never to return (as long as Skyler is alive). He's living on borrowed time, the cancer will probably return (as we saw a peak on his 52nd birthday). The ONLY thing he has right now is the blue meth. Even if he got $5 million tomorrow, that doesn't repair the damage to the family*. So his only chance at happiness or leaving a legacy is this business, that's it.
And remember the detail he provided about Grey Matter being worth billions and all he got was $5k....NO WAY he's walking away from a $300+ million for $5 million (and that's only this one batch....he could really build a Gus-like empire given enough time).
We may not see the people from Chile.....think about it, there are only 10 sodes left. That might not be enough to bring in a whole new enemy (assuming this new drug kingpin from Phoenix is going to be around for a while too).
And man, that opening last night....chilling. They were taking apart the bike in such a systematic nature....removing all the items and piecing them out into the bins. I think they were showing that to illustrate what they were going to have to do with the boy, but obviously couldn't and wouldn't show it.
Walt has become worse than Tony Montana.
*I can't stress enough, Skyler is gone. She'll NEVER accept Walt back as a husband and father. She knows he killed three people in the explosion, two dudes at the lab and Walt even admitted he "was the one who knocks" when talking about Gale getting shot in the face. Plus he's a drug manufacturer and dealer. He's lied to her countless times. Plus, she resents Walt for making her "break bad" too....because of him she lied to Bagda about the car wash, laundered money, stole money from Walt to pay of Ted's tax bill & while the intent wasn't there, is responsible for Ted's injures. AND then the obvious, if someone comes to get Walt or her for their crimes....the kids are going to get hurt.
The more I think about it....the more I think Walt is going to poison Skyler with the hidden ricin. But it won't be that clean, it never is with this show....Marie and Skyler will both drink from the bottle of wine he put it in and then all hell will break loose.
Walt used gus' tactic of showing jesse his family situation to try to get him back on his side. Except it wasn't gus showing walt how he's a good family man, it was walt showing jesse how pathetic his life is. Thought that was a pretty cool reference to past episodes
I kind of have a nagging feeling that the Phoenix guys are undercover Feds. The way they wanted all the blue meth gone, asking Walt point blank if he's "Heisenberg" next week. Just kind of sets off an internal alarm that everything isn't right (besides the fact that they're dangerous, armed drug traffickers of course).
Finally watched it. Things are heating up even more.
Opening scene was indeed brutal and about as dark as you could get. You could feel Jesse cocking his arm back to swing before you even saw him.
And yes, that dinner scene was about as uncomfortable as it gets. Poor Jesse . . .
I keep wondering if Walt can't continue making his "awesome" product but just change it from blue to a different color.
I got a major Clockwork Orange vibe when Jesse heard Walt whistling from outside the plastic barrier. Wouldn't be surprised to find out it was a little shout-out.
Yup, those 9 legacy guys aren't long for this world.
Something huge has to happen at the end of next week. Predictions?
Spoiler - just my own ideas
- Walt is going to poison Skyler - Walt will think Jesse is going to rat and starts viewing him as a threat - Todd might start backstabbing Walt....since he'll know the formula soon - Walt Jr. eats breakfast
Spoiler alert. Great episode! I think 5 million isn't enough for Walt because he wants to make more money than he would have with his old company. (2 billion +). I miss Mike already. Argh
That kill for Walt was different than all the other kills he has done. It was a murder for passion, Mike defied him by attack his ego and pride. It was a gut reaction to that which is why it wasn't a cool science kill. Walt even said that he could've gotten the names from Lydia and Walt was pretty broke up about killing Mike. I don't think it was fake either, he has no reason to fake it to a man that is about to die. Walt had no intention in killing Mike until he attacked his ego.
And the show is partly based on character flaws, Walt is his Ego, Gus was his hatred for the Cartels, and Mike's was underestimating Walt. He has constantly done it throughout the show. He even said to Walt earlier in the episode, "you surprised me Walter." After dealing with the Phoenix folk. You can say he takes, "half measures" with Walt.
Yep, exactly what I was thinking. Todd was over there studying his notes and Walt looked like he admired that.
Kid could be working for a competitor/rival of Walt's or, in spite of capping an innocent bystander kid, be some form of law inforcement deep under cover. On THIS show? No way I'd rule that scenario out . . .
I'll also add that, in addition to those 9 guys in prison, Lydia is going to be of no use to Walt soon. Just sayin' . . .
And I find her cute in a stiff, uptight business woman sort of way.
Quote: Todd was over there studying his notes and Walt looked like he admired that.
Kid could be working for a competitor/rival of Walt's or, in spite of capping an innocent bystander kid, be some form of law inforcement deep under cover. On THIS show? No way I'd rule that scenario out . . .
I'll go ahead and rule that out for you. So you're thinking that despite the bad guys not wanting to kill a kid, the deep undercover cop went ahead and wasted him? I could see a deep undercover killing somebody innocent if it meant preserving their undercover - this was not like that. Also, Walt's group found Todd not the other way around. Also, who do you think assigned Todd as undercover, local law officials? The DEA? Maybe they just didn't show Hank putting Todd undercover.
Todd will come into play as the guy that orchestrates the killing of Mike's nine in prison. Knowing Todd, he won't know when to stop and he'll go after Jessie as well. I think this show wants us to really hate Walt eventually and the best way to do that would be to kill another one of our favorite characters (Jessie).
I can also see Walt Jr. somehow hooked on the blue stuff. Wouldn't that be something if all of a sudden we find out that Walt Jr is using the very stuff that dad created? Skylar feared danger to her family and children and this would be an unexpected danger that entered their lives.
Quote: ...Knowing Todd, he won't know when to stop and he'll go after Jessie as well. I think this show wants us to really hate Walt eventually and the best way to do that would be to kill another one of our favorite characters (Jessie).
Quote: I think this show wants us to really hate Walt eventually and the best way to do that would be to kill another one of our favorite characters (Jessie).
Oh yes....and like someone said above, maybe Todd goes a bit too far to tie up loose ends and whacks Jesse too (and payback for the punch Jesse landed).
But maybe that's too clean of a way to whack Jesse....but something tells me Jesse is a goner. But I so want him to live and be a good person. It still gives me chills to hear his Problem Dog speech from season 4. I think Jesse truly does want to be good...maybe because he's done so much wrong, so he doesn't really get full credit for his "goodness" at that point. But whatever.
Heck, maybe Walt kills Jesse in cold blood because he protected him so many times and really thought of him as a son....and Jesse is pulling away from him and it obviously hurts Walt more than it does Jesse (AND Walt sees this as an Empire more and more every day...so loose ends like Jesse could be a problem in his whacked out mind).
I'm pulling for Walt....but not because I like him. He's a bad, bad man. I would rather have Tony Montana as an Uncle than Walt. But Walt is a tragic figure....he had such good motives for this business at the beginning (aside from it being illegal and morally questionable) and truly tried to help Jesse. He got lost, like many people do, when money, power, greed and ego get in the way.
But as for the full arch of the story....he HAS to die or be utterly beaten at the end. This can't end good for him. He's destroyed so many lives by his own hands or through collateral damage (the planes crashing and all of the drug usage). I wanted Tony Soprano dead at the end but Daivd Chase chickened out......I don't think Vince will do us like that.
...sorry for jumping around so much. This show really gets to me. I don't watch a lot of drama's. I think I'll take my friends and this board advice and get into The Wire next.
Quote: I think I'll take my friends and this board advice and get into The Wire next.
I just finished season 3, great show so far, one of those I cant believe I missed. (although I was in college when it started so I guess I can believe I missed it)
Quote: I think I'll take my friends and this board advice and get into The Wire next.
I just finished season 3, great show so far, one of those I cant believe I missed. (although I was in college when it started so I guess I can believe I missed it)
I'll say this now. The wire is kind of slow like breaking bad but it is worth it. Something small and irrelevant can turn into something massive even if it's just symbolism of something said.
Absolutely it will be Todd that uses his prison connections to get all of the guys in prison. Todd might kill Lydia too. I agree it will be Walt that kills Jessie. There is no way that Jessie lives through this season. There is nowhere else for his character to go at this point. He will not join Walt again. We can argue how and by whom Jessie dies, but he will die.
I still want to see the blue meth end up in Walt Jrs book bag and Walt has to come down to the police station to deal with his son's new problem. I can just imagine the look on Skylar's face. Maybe Skylar tries to kill Walt then and he kills her in self defense? At this point, I wouldn't really miss her as a character.
Just another thought, didn't Hank suspect Jessie as part of the new Meth group at one point? He was under questioning before. Hector was under questioning about Jessie but refused because he would never help the DEA. I wonder why Hank never decided to follow Jessie.
Quote: I thought the end of the Sopranos was perfect. (you never see the one that gets you)
...but what happened? Did Tony get shot, did he live, did he get arrested, did he eat fries with his sandwich at the diner? Nobody knows. David Chase refused to give us an ending because that was "the ending". We got to choose our own ending (which makes no sense. Why should I bother watching a show if I have to provide the ending?).
Oh well, most Soprano's fans were upset...some weren't. Anyway, enough about that show, this isn't a Soprano's thread.
Quote: Just another thought, didn't Hank suspect Jessie as part of the new Meth group at one point? He was under questioning before. Hector was under questioning about Jessie but refused because he would never help the DEA. I wonder why Hank never decided to follow Jessie.
Well, Hank had to keep away from Jessie after the attack. I thought Saul filled a restraining order and everything. I guess it could be a bit of a plot hole, you'd think the DEA would be following Jesse as hard as Mike...but I don't know. Maybe they figure Jesse is too small time.
I wouldn't mind another Hank v Jesse encounter.....maybe that's what pushing Walt over the edge. Who knows.
I would say one thing, Hank has to be involved in exposing Walt. Hank's been chasing Heisenberg for practically the entire series, there has to be a payoff on that plot line, right? Heck, not only has he been chasing him but he's also been right about everything, except seeing Walt as a suspect. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the big reveal on Sunday...that Hank finally figures it out and the 2nd half of season 5 is Walt fighting Hank, Jessie and Skyler in the mix and then the Phoenix people pressuring Walt for deliveries.
Quote: I would say one thing, Hank has to be involved in exposing Walt. Hank's been chasing Heisenberg for practically the entire series, there has to be a payoff on that plot line, right? Heck, not only has he been chasing him but he's also been right about everything, except seeing Walt as a suspect.
Quote: he protagonist has become the bad guy. Are you going to cheer when Jesse, Mike, Hank, Skyler, or one of the White kids gets killed because Walt can't stop?
I had to quote this again because this is spot on.
Ugh can't stand Walt anymore and wont mind seeing him get whatever it is he has coming.
I'm almost over the loss, not quite though. RIP Mike
Do I get any credit for having my Tuesday post from above being spot on (the last paragraph)? And pay no attention to my other 21 predictions that didn't come true.
Definitely more than intrigued by the ending, but what happened to Walt's brain in that episode?
Really? Skylar's visual aid in the storage unit is what gave him the perspective he needed to quit? He didn't know how much money he'd made? Maybe she could have saved time and just printed up a colorful, USA-Today-like graph.
And REALLY? A book on the crapper? I can't remember clearly, but I HOPE they will reveal that he didn't know that was written in there. Especially after Hank read him the same exact passage . . .
Mike made it a LOT longer in the ill-gotten-gains biz w/out slipping up, Walter . . .
Oh well, to err is human and the wait for the 2nd half, NEXT YEAR, will be a long one . . .
He went for the magazines first but I believe they were more woman's geared magazines, like good housekeeping or whatever, something that obviously wasn't interesting to him.
It's funny, my nephew just started watching BB a few weeks back. While we were over his house last night, him and I threw in season 3 (his goal is to catch up before I delete S5 off my DVR).
I got to watch the episode where Gale recites the Walt Whitman poem in the lab and where Hank calls Walt toast for help on catching Jesse (and Heisenberg). On the call, Walt is reading the book. Maybe it was planned to have the book in that scene...Hank getting close and needing Walt to help....fast forward to the toilet scene, it's there.
I thought it was a neat way for Hank to figure it out.
I think they are thinking (lots of thinking) that they want to go out on top. Season 5 has been my favorite so far, even though seasons 1-4 were outstanding as well.
Just a FYI, if anybody needs to catch up on the first half of season 5, Netflix uploaded the episodes this last weekend. I'm trying to rush through before Sunday.
Quote: I think they are thinking (lots of thinking) that they want to go out on top. Season 5 has been my favorite so far, even though seasons 1-4 were outstanding as well.
SPOILERS if you haven't caught up yet!
I don't think anything can top the 2nd half of season 3. That was just pure genius in my opinion. The RV trap in the dump, to "One Minute", to Walt's admission about the night Jane died (not all the way, but how he would have been okay if his life ended that night), Jesse meets Andrea, the meeting with Gus and his dealers, Mike's "Half Measures" speech, the look on Walt's face when he hears Tomas got killed and sprints out to save Jesse, to "Run", to the meeting in the Laser Tag building with Saul and then to how Walt played Mike to let him call Jesse and then shoot Gale (and the look on Jesse's face....that won in the Emmy).
So ya, Season 3 is my favorite.
S4 and S5 is really great too. From S4, box cutter, "the "Problem Dog" speech, and the whole Lilly of the valley ending (last 4 sodes). From S5, I had nightmares after the train sode. Jesse's reaction was amazing.
Quote: How can they have only 8 more episodes after Hank catches on??? They should have a whole season and a half of he & Walt playing cat & mouse.
Yeah, they should've cut the walking dead back to 12 episodes by getting rid of some of the filler episodes they had that meant nothing and left breaking bad's budget alone.
Somehow / someway I previously missed this thread over the last 2 years. Not sure if it is a blessing or not.
A few months back I was talking to someone about how good Walking Dead was and he mentioned he wasn't a fan, but that he loved Breaking Bad. I had no clue as to what BB was. A few weeks later the GF and I were looking for something new and NetFlix, bless its little heart, recommended BB for me. I thought sure. Someone said it was good. UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR! The show is downright filthy awesome, IMHO. So I have went through all the seasons and have enjoyed the ride. I'm going to miss this show when it is over.
Back to my original statement about being a blessing that I missed seeing this thread. Not seeing it has allowed me to not have to wait between seasons in agony to see what will happen next. I love being able to blow through this thing and now get to wait only once for the finale. But I did miss out on the whole thread which would have been fun too.
I have not seen any teasers / trailers or anything for the final season and to be honest I'm not sure how they can top the entire Gus story line.
Here is my thoughts on how this can go:
*** Previous Episodes Spoiler Alert *****
I believe Walt dies. I think the writers gave him the death sentence when the boy got shot during the train heist. Walt is now well deserving of the same fate as Gus when this happens. That kid's blood is on his hands and you just can't have a kid killer make it. Now does Hank get him? Hmmm. I say the cancer comes back and Walt gets the death sentence by the doctors. Rather than continuing to fight it out with Hank, Walt will give up to Hank and Hank becomes "a hero" to the DEA, OR Walt plays cat and mouse with Hank until the end and commits suicide by cop with Hank since he is dying anyway again making Hank the "Hero" for the DEA. Somewhere someone's gotta pay for that kid. Jesse's moral compass has been turned towards the better for awhile now while Walt's turned the other way. When he said he was in the empire business and has shown no remorse for the death of that child, that "Gus-ified" him.
The writers only wanted one final season and only wrote a final season. AMC broke it into two seasons. They didn't have control over how many episodes would be written.
Breaking Bad and Walking Dead are my top two shows. AMC really kills it.
I do have one issue with Breaking Bad though that I think the writers kind of dropped the ball on.
Early on in the Gus/Walt/Jesse marriage, Gus wanted absolutely nothing to do with Jesse because he's a loose cannon. He saw that Walt was very much like himself - a methodical, extremely smart guy - and tried to build that relationship. But what I don't get is how quickly Gus turned on Walt and moved onto Jesse. I know there were certain events that caused this, but Jesse never stopped being a loose cannon. That's who he is. It just didn't make any sense to me. The only logical explanation I can come up with is Gus was unraveling a little bit and allowing his emotions and dislike of Walt to cloud his judgment. Ultimately, that was his undoing.
But a careful guy like Gus to choose Jesse over Walt ... it just didn't ring true to me.
I never really understood why Gus had a problem with Walt in the first place.
My understanding was he didn't trust Walt because he worked with Jesse and possibly sensed he was a loose cannon. So he reluctantly hired Walt with the intention of killing him as soon as Gale could cook. It never seemed to make a lot of sense to me. Especially killing Vincent seemed odd.
I hope we learn some more about Gus' history in Chile.
Quote: Breaking Bad and Walking Dead are my top two shows. AMC really kills it.
I do have one issue with Breaking Bad though that I think the writers kind of dropped the ball on.
Early on in the Gus/Walt/Jesse marriage, Gus wanted absolutely nothing to do with Jesse because he's a loose cannon. He saw that Walt was very much like himself - a methodical, extremely smart guy - and tried to build that relationship. But what I don't get is how quickly Gus turned on Walt and moved onto Jesse. I know there were certain events that caused this, but Jesse never stopped being a loose cannon. That's who he is. It just didn't make any sense to me. The only logical explanation I can come up with is Gus was unraveling a little bit and allowing his emotions and dislike of Walt to cloud his judgment. Ultimately, that was his undoing.
But a careful guy like Gus to choose Jesse over Walt ... it just didn't ring true to me.
I just re-watched the opener of season 4 and noticed something that might answer your question. Immediately following the box-cutting, Gus looks at Walt and sees he's cowering in fear and choking back vomit then looks at Jesse, the camera holds a bit, Jesse goes from sulking and staring at the floor to meeting Gus's eyes while sitting straight up. My guess, the director and writers did this to show how Jesse can stand up to Gus, which he already did in the past, and Gus likes it.
From there on out, Gus sees that Jesse can take over the lab and if he can turn him against Walt, Gus can kill Walt, who is truly the brain of the team. And it's funny, Gus was so far ahead of Walk in S3 that we were just watching in awe, but in S4, Walt can see everything Gus is doing 10 steps ahead (well, after the box-cutting).
Gus had to align with one of them because he needs a cook.
I got to re-watch the scene where Hank asks about the "W.W." in Gale's booklet and it was a different version, only slightly. The re-filmed it to make Hank look a little more accusatory in my opinion.
I've noticed a few other things here and there. I really liked seeing the painting that Walt starred at in his hospital room after his fugue state and then remembering it one the one he was starring at again in the hotel room when he was meeting those dudes to coordinate the 12-man prison hit. The painting was a man in a boat rowing out to sea while his wife and two kids waved. Walt's actions are pulling him away from his family.
I wonder to what extent these subconscious trends or foreshadowings affect us. I can't claim to consciously notice any of it. But I wonder if I am picking up on some level.
A few examples I've had pointed out to me. The purple stuffed bear from the plane crash foreshadows Gus' death (faces burnt, eye missing). And when Gus is in the elevator on his way to see tuco's uncle, the dings of the elevator are the same of his bell.
I will be neat to see the show taken apart in the coming years to point out all the stuff I missed.
Here is a behind the scenes clip you guys might enjoy
Ha, that pizza scene is funny. I live in Arizona and I have actually had that pizza plenty of times. The Venezia's party pizza, it's every bit as big as it looks in that scene.
Walt is a wimp and a hardass at the same time. But he's a thinking hardass. He has to plot it all out. Hank could have snatched the life right out of him there at the end. That was badass how he shut the garage door.
I don't think Hank is going to take too kind to being threatened. Something tells me though that Hank isn't going to make it til episode 8.
Something else just occured to me. Even the hardest criminals seem to have some type of code they live by. Walt has none. He's empty. Now that Gus is gone, Walt is completely unlikable.
Yup, Jesse is lost and he KNOWS Walt is lying to him. And if Walt finds out, he has to kill Jesse and Walt doesn't want to be that guy anymore (though he still is IMO).
I liked the opening a lot. Something didn't just go down between Hank and the DEA. For the house to be boarded up, covered and filled with graffiti and that the neighbor didn't just react as if she saw an alleged drug dealer, but the most horrible person on the planet that filled their streets with poison, murdered people and did who knows what else is coming. Something BAD happens to the White family in the media for it to get like that.
As for the final scene, wow. Walt doesn't admit to anything but fires a fierce warning shot right at Hank. Man, 7 more to go.
My guess is that Walt goes into the Witness Protection Program somehow in order to bring down the larger cartel. It saves him, his family and Hank still gets to look like a hero.
His neighbor must have thought he was dead. He came back for the ricin....but why?
He looked like hell that opening scene. Almost as if the cancer had REALLY taken a toll on him or maybe he tried his own product?
Quote: Yeah, something tells me Lydia will have no problem giving Walt up if a problem arises during her distribution.
I don't think she's rat on Walt. Lydia and Declen will probably threaten Walt and his family. And anyway, with Hank and Walk fully aware of each other, nobody can threaten Walt with going to the DEA. Well, maybe, if Hank doesn't act on it right away.
The wife thinks Hank will be trapped and won't act because Marie won't allow him (plus Walt's health issues). I'm not buying it.
I was watching some of the marathon this weekend and one particular scene (can't remember which episode but it was season 5), Hank was talking to Walt about his college job of walking in the woods and marking trees with paint. Those trees would then be cut down. He talked about it with a bit of disdain at first....mosquitoes, sweat, sunburn, etc.....but then he said he would rather be doing that than chasing the "monsters" everyday in his current gig. He's burnt out.
AWESOME episode. I've never felt so on edge in anticipation of how a show is going to play out and ultimately end. So many good characters.
Can Walt actually be talking quicker than he can think w/ that "tread lightly" line? Hank doesn't have ALL the proof he needs to pinpoint Walt as the real Heisenberg. Walt already kind of had an upper hand by discovering the bug on his car and confronting Hank about it. Walt had time in advance to come up w/ cover stories for anything Hank through his way. And then to strengthen Walt's upper hand, Hank feels backed into a corner and flips out & punches Walt.
If I'm Walt, I remind Hank that the dirty money already paid for his medical needs. Then I offer to help Hank out by handing him Lydia and company . . .
Of course, the flash forwards (which are fascinating) tell me something major goes down that doesn't involve Hank & Walt ever compromising.
If Hank bites it, I sure hope it's his heart that does it & not Walt. I already hate what Walt has become. Seeing anyone else die because of him will be harder to take than seeing Mike go out the way he did. Hell, I'd be bummed even to see Sal get taken out, much less Jesse, Skyler, the White kids, Hank & Marie.
Phenomenal show. So sad to see it end, but also so HAPPY to think of watching over again, all at once . . .
I don't think Hank would care if his rehab money came from drug deals. He's out to "catch monsters". It might matter to the DEA though (if they think he's been covering for Walt all this time).
I thought about Walt giving up Lydia and Declan, but I think Walt was telling the truth last night. He's dead in 6 months no matter what he does. What's the point? He isn't trying to correct all of his wrongs from the past like Jesse is, he's just trying to live out his life in a normal way (manage a pretend car wash, play nice with the wife, and watch his kids grow for what little time he has left). If pushed, Walt will fight back and take people out. That's been his #1 transformation. He lived so much of his life as a mild-mannered do-nothing of a man and now he's capable of anything.
I still root for Walt. I can find that likable guy filled with bad luck behind the Heisenberg persona. It's getting harder each sode.
I do hope Jesse has more to do than just be depressed this season.
I am rooting for Walt to go on some sort of rampage. I only feel like he is a bad guy when he is lying to Jesse. Not sure why, I may be crazy. Aside from Brock he hasnt really damaged many innocent people imo. Except his fat adulterous wife
I watched Breaking Bad and Dexter back to back. It is funny to me comparing final seasons in progress, breaking bad was waaaaaaay better. Odd to me how much better it is than other shows.
Quote: I still root for Walt. I can find that likable guy filled with bad luck behind the Heisenberg persona. It's getting harder each sode.
There is nothing likeable about Walt. He has no redeeming qualities. He's a liar, a murderer, a manipulator. The 'tough on his luck' guy was gone a long time ago. There isn't one good thing left about him. There is only one thing left for him to do ... die ... and not by natural causes.
But something tells me he'll go out on his own terms.
As a warning to fans here. There are apparently some spoilers floating around, youtube comments, and comments from the actors themselves that can spoil the remaining episodes. I only stumbled into a few minor ones, but apparently there are some biggies out there.
Be careful about googling or watching clips/interviews if you want to avoid spoilers.
Quote: I still root for Walt. I can find that likable guy filled with bad luck behind the Heisenberg persona. It's getting harder each sode.
There is nothing likeable about Walt. He has no redeeming qualities. He's a liar, a murderer, a manipulator. The 'tough on his luck' guy was gone a long time ago. There isn't one good thing left about him. There is only one thing left for him to do ... die ... and not by natural causes.
But something tells me he'll go out on his own terms.
Vince Gilligan has said for a long time that his intent was to take a very sympathetic and likeable character and turn him into a complete monster without any redeeming qualities.
He felt that too often when shows or films attempted something along those lines, they kind of cop out in that regard.
Also, Bryan Cranston is a really fine actor and one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. The show works largely due to his performances.
I agree. I yelled out to my wife, "WHAT? It's over already?!'
Oh the power of this show. Nothing else has come close to making me feel the way I do while watching BB. Just nervous & tense the entire time. Like I'm somehow involved and need to be looking over my shoulder.
Wow, I don't know why it took watching Walt's recorded "confession" to fully realize he'll do anything to get away clean. I was waiting for poor Hank to have a stroke.
I'm kind of having a hard time buying Jesse figuring out what he did there at the end w/ the pack of smokes & all. I felt like the writers (who have all been extraordinary) were spinning their wheels on what to do w/ him.
Now watch him miraculously figure out what really happened to his girlfriend....
Huell switched his weed for a pack of cigs and jesse remembered that his ricin cig was stolen from him in s4 so he just put the puzzle pieces together.
I'm not saying I didn't GET it. Just saying I don't BUY it.
** Spoiler Alert for those who are just now watching the series on Netflix
Not very often in this show does the character leave character to chase the plot. This show has been GGGGreat with the plot following the characters. This one was close to borderline. But, I do buy it since Jesse initially DID have this figured out. It took Walt doing a mastermind job manipulating Jesse's butt after poisoning Brock. Jesse knows all the manipulation of Walter now, so when he got his pocket picked for the second time, it was fool me once shame on you, full me twice and I am pouring gasoline in your living room. I'm still wondering if Jesse will ever find out about Jane. Something tells me that Walt will tell him himself at a show down. There is nothing left that Walt can sell that Jesse will buy. Might be bye bye Jesse here very shortly.
My $0.02....I'm starting to think Walt will not go out on his own terms and the person to kill him won't be an easy guess so I say it is going to be.....Skyler. She's been hard to like in this whole show and it would be fitting for her to be the one when Hank and Walt come to a final face-off and Hank is on the wrong end of a barrel. Jess is just the too obvious choice as he raises from Hell and Walt descends into it. Just my conjecture subject to changing in about 30 seconds.
I'm not saying I didn't GET it. Just saying I don't BUY it.
If you go back and re-watch S4 or remember the details, Jesse had figured it out, sorta. He was in Walt's house and accused Walt of planning the whole thing. He was wrong about poisoning Brock with the ricin but he had Walt, Saul and Huell working together. "Admit it, you had Huell take the ricin out of my pocket when I went to Saul's, right, I had to go over there for some fake emergency, that's when he lifted it from me, that was the plan?"
So Jesse knew how it went down but Walt, the master manipulator, pulled him away from it and filled his head with how Gus was always one step ahead of both of them. Add into that Walt coming over to Jesse’s house to conveniently find the ricin cig in the automated vacuum. So to me, Jesse just re-remembered, if that makes sense. When Jesse realized Huell did lift his pot last night, it brought him right back to the scene in Walt's house. Like he picked up his anger and rage when he had a gun pointed at Walt, and all it took was confirming that Huell was a gifted pickpocket artist.
Also, the scene in the desert from last night kinda points to that too. He called Walt out for always working him, never being straight to Jesse. And I think that realization plus the 2nd Huell incident triggered a theory/memory, Walt has been the puppet master this whole time and Jesse will never go back to trusting Walt. In fact, he won’t stop until Walt is dead or caught. I think we’ll start seeing Jesse manipulate Walt and Hank.
So in summary, I don't think it's a leap for Jesse to go from missing his pot to knowing Walt was behind poisoning Brock. He knew it all along, he just needed something to knock the dust off the memories and re-arrange them a bit.
Quote: Just my conjecture subject to changing in about 30 seconds.
Exactly, I'm in the "Jesse is going to kill/catch Walt" ending now but give me a minute or two and I'll think it's Skyler, Walt Jr. (who he's working now too), Hank, Marie, Saul, Todd, Lydia, the two white supremist's, OR the cancer.
And after that "confession", boy Hank is screwed. And is Walt a dirty SOB. Brilliant, but dirty.
Wow. I guess I'm in the minority here. I liked the ending of last night's show, but the confession thing was completely hokey and totally unbelievable. There is no way anyone would believe that confession. There is zero evidence to even support it. Last night was the first episode I thought the writers really reached. The beauty of the show is that you can actually see this happening. The confession completely ruined that for me. They are really reaching on this whole Hank being afraid to tell the DEA stuff. This is the first time this show has really fallen into normal TV mode where they have to manufacture drama while stretching the bounds of reality. Color me disappointed.
The video did far less to shut hank up than the 177k in medical bills would. His rehab was paid with drug money and Walt would be able to get Hank ruined in court over a mixup like that (assuming Hank has no better evidence...)
Wow. I guess I'm in the minority here. I liked the ending of last night's show, but the confession thing was completely hokey and totally unbelievable. There is no way anyone would believe that confession. There is zero evidence to even support it.
There's no evidence to support Hank's accusation, either.
As someone else said...the bombshell there was the medical bills. The rest doesn't really matter. Hank's medical bills were paid for with drug money. There's hard evidence to prove it.
Just caught myself up on the last season. If I had never seen the show, and someone told me about the magnet plot, I may have never watched.
The show is obviously out there a great deal of the time, but the two things I've never been able to shake is the magnet plot and the parking lot shootout with Hank. Both were so wildly over the top and completely unbelievable that I couldn't focus.
I should have taken the time to say that I consider myself lucky to never question the plotlines
Some things like the plane crash were ridiculous. But I really enjoyed the way Walt explained in the auditorium, I've long felt that way about "national tragedies"
That scene is almost "Office"-like in terms of cringe factor.
I dunno, I never really questioned the plane crash. I mean, if you want to talk about it as a plot device or storyline, I have some issues with it, but as far as believability goes...guy at the FAA distraught over his daughter's death screws up and planes crash?
I'd imagine that the FAA probably has some more rungs to protect from that sort of thing, but I bought the premise without much struggle.
One of the hardest for me was "I've got a gun pointed at a guy who just killed my brother and shot me several times. There are several firearms scattered around. But, y'know, what? I'm feeling frisky, so I'll just turn my back on the guy and go get my ax."
Quentin Tarantino watches that scene and says "Eh, too much."
Quote: As someone else said...the bombshell there was the medical bills. The rest doesn't really matter. Hank's medical bills were paid for with drug money. There's hard evidence to prove it.
Eh, that's made for TV drama. It's manufactured. The beauty of the show, IMO, is it is MOSTLY believable. This to me is not. I think in real life, you take that tape down to the DEA and you get in front of it with the truth. The truth is you didn't know.
Quote: The show is obviously out there a great deal of the time, but the two things I've never been able to shake is the magnet plot and the parking lot shootout with Hank. Both were so wildly over the top and completely unbelievable that I couldn't focus.
Neither of those bothered me although the magnet one was way over the top. Why did the shootout bother you?
The thing that bothered me, and I've probably mentioned before in this thread somewhere else, is how quickly Gus turned on Walt and aligned himself with Jesse. Just didn't make any sense at all. Gus, a smart, careful, methodical man aligning himself with a loose cannon. Just can't get there. That whole Gus vs. Walt thing was rushed and forced, IMO. I think that needed more development. Gus had a deep respect for Walt and his style when they first got that lab going because in many ways they were similar.
But I'm nitpicking. It's a great show. One of my all-time favorites.
It's funny, I don't think Walt said anything wrong there. The planes weren't full and it was only the 50th worst plane disaster ever. His point, most in that gym don't remember any of the top 50, people moved before and they'll move on after this one too. It might not be what the crowd was expecting to hear, but it was logical I suppose.
As for the other scene's being mentioned, I think there is a certain amount of believablilty in all of them. I don't know for certain if the magnet thing could or couldn't happen. I listened to the after show podcast with Vince and he said they brought it a few science and electrical experts to work out the kinks. Maybe they Hollywood'd it up a bit, but there is a element of truth to it. I accepted it. What we need is the Mythbusters to test it.
The "too easy" axe scene, well, they went to great lengths to show how ruthless and violent the men were. How many times did we see them kill people in horrific ways? While not very smart, he wanted to punish Hank for chopping his brothers legs off. Typical bad guy over confidence. At least they didn't have the shot brother fly 20 feet in the air with the force of the bullet and land on the car behind him (which is very typical in movies).
I'm usually a pretty picky guy when it comes to this kind of stuff, I haven't really been too upset about much of anything in BB. The only thing I didn't like was having Gus walk out with half his face off and straighten his tie. That would work in a campy B-move horror movie, not when the other two people in the room were blown to bits. But I accept they wanted to send one of the best TV villians out in a very memorable way, even through it would have been more practical to just see his torso on the ground with his arm trying to fix his tie for a split second. Meh, it's TV entertainment.
Walt always takes on characteristics of people that he kills. He started taking the crusts off his sandwiches after he killed Crazy 8, took his drinks on the rocks after he killed Mike, neatly lays down a towel to puke after Gus, etc., etc.
Now in the flash forwards, he's wearing a green army jacket and giving away money.
Quote: I don't remember Walt giving away money in any flash forwards. When does that happen?
Perhaps 'giving away' is the wrong term, but he leaves $100 for his Denny's waitress.
That was probably his lowest denomination of bill!
I've read some of the easter egg blogs. Yes, it is true how Walt takes on little bits of those he "offs". Before reading those blogs I picked it up when Walt changed his ice habits in his drinks. Then I started looking for them after reading blogs. Gus traits are pretty obvious. He shows more Mike when he becomes the cleaner and "cleans" the 10 guys in prison. The future 52 bacon (Skyler) and the jacket (Jesse) are interesting and possible teasers. I think I would only buy the jacket one. Jess has to have a showdown with Walt. I just can't see Walt doing anything to harm Skyler since it is his family that is the sole reason for him to allow himself to get into this mess.
Just throwing some of this end game out there.
Putting myself in the writers place.. If Walt has to be killed in the writer's eyes, I don't see how Hank can be the one to kill Walt. Its the obvious choice and an easy way out. It needs to be someone else with some sort of moral reason (ie Skyler finds out about Drew Sharp coupled with Walt having Hank on the wrong end of a gun or Jesse finds out about Jane or...???) or just a plain casualty of the business (Lydia / Todd).
We know that in the future he has an M60 or similar and gets the Ricin. He is ready for a good fight. The neighbor is shocked by his existence. Maybe someone hit it on the head earlier and he is in witness protection or has been part of a ruse to make it look like he is dead. Maybe he and Hank come to terms after the confession or something brings them together (Lydia / Todd does something to the family or kills Hanks only witness in Jesse...or Walt makes it look that way!!). He helps Hank go after the "new owners" of Heisenburg's business by concocting a story line completely around them being the kingpins all along that covers everyone (including Hank) involved.
I think Jesse goes deep six in this show in some way just as he gets out from his personal Hell.
Quote: I think Jesse goes deep six in this show in some way just as he gets out from his personal Hell.
I've come to love that kid, and the most fitting thing would be for him to be his own moral agent. It's weird to say this, but I hope he kills himself.
Also - and this sounds crazy, but bear with me - every single major character on this show has 'broken bad' with the exception of one.
Quote:
I just hope it doesn't end with a Soprano ending.
I loved The Sopranos ending, but I don't see anything like that happening here.
I have no problem being the uncool guy and saying I still like Dexter.
It's fallen off in recent seasons but I still like it.
But being the big fan boy I do have to admit, Dexter stalking the brain surgeon right outside of the diner window in a bright blue shirt was pretty pathetic.
Quote: I have no problem being the uncool guy and saying I still like Dexter.
It's fallen off in recent seasons but I still like it.
But being the big fan boy I do have to admit, Dexter stalking the brain surgeon right outside of the diner window in a bright blue shirt was pretty pathetic.
Now back to your regularly scheduled thread....
I don't think there's anything wrong with liking it.
Personally, I think the quality dropped immensely a long time ago, and now it's more of an exercise in laughably cheesy B-Television than gripping drama, but, hey...I still watch, don't I?
I'm usually quick to walk away from shows when the time has come, but for some reason I'm riding Dexter out.
Quote: I was out on Dexter after the Julia Stiles season. That show is straight up crap.
It's been laughably bad since the start of Season 5. Though I think that 4 is a bit overrated, writing-wise. I enjoyed it a lot, and while very gripping, if you remove a masterful performance from John Lithgow, and a great twist, there's a lot of useless poorly written crap in there. The reporter didn't even need to exist, and Quinn cannot act to save his life. He's like a New Kids on the Block reject.
Since then, Dexter has always believed that bombshell cliffhangers can make up for their lazy crap. It's actually really effective from a business standpoint.
My new favorite is whenever Dexter says 'I can't, I've got my kid tonight' like it's a weekly chore. I wonder what he pays Legs to raise his kid for roughly 100 hours a week?
And I don't know how they made me dislike Batista, but they did. "Your friend has been brutally murdered. Why don't you come in and take a look at the body?"
And I don't know how they made me dislike Batista, but they did. "Your friend has been brutally murdered. Why don't you come in and take a look at the body?"
***Youh fwiend has been bwutally muhduhed"
I still watch dexter but pretty reluctantly. I got the receptionist downstairs into it a few days ago and she is already on season 4. Didn't have the heart to make it clear how bad the seasons beyond 1-2-4 are
Quote: My new favorite is whenever Dexter says 'I can't, I've got my kid tonight' like it's a weekly chore. I wonder what he pays Legs to raise his kid for roughly 100 hours a week?
I still watch the show as well, although not lately, TWC and ShowTime are having a standoff. I'm still entertained by Dexter enough to spend an hour of my time to watch. At this point, I feel I am too far vested into the show to quit watching.
Having said that, I have the same thoughts as you on the nanny. How does he afford her pay? Along with the $80K- $100K boat? Also, the apartment overlooking the water? Small space, but well appointed. Did he inherit a sum of money when Harry or his mom passed?
I suppose I'm better off just trying to enjoy the show for what it is, as opposed to overanalyzing the "details."
As far as Breaking Bad, I just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Walt's unwavering affection for Jesse might be coming back to haunt him.
I always felt Walt viewed Jesse in some ways as the son he could have had...due to Walt Jr's handicap.
On a side note, I think it was PDR or cfr that brought up Walt taking on the personality of those he kills. Really perceptive. Started discussing that at work with some others that watch the show and brought up the flash forward of the bacon at age 52...maybe as a sign that he had killed Skyler. Someone reminded me that Walt had made the 51 himself halfway through the series. Just a twist in the whole taking on the personality thing. Don't know waht any of it means or where this is going.
He also did the Gus knee thing again this episode.
It was an episode where A LOT happened without much action.
Kinda creepy and fun to hear Skyler put a hit on Jesse (very Mother Soprano of her - since Jesse is kind of the son Walt doesn't have, as Rishuz just said). Her comment felt like an early S1/S2 Walt comment/action. She's lied and laundered money, but never wanted violence. She deserves to go down now. I don't want a happy ending for her.
Well, I don't really want a happy ending for anyone. I know some want Jesse to make it out okay, but he deserves to die or rot in prison. He murdered Gale, witnessed the Drew Sharpe murder, robbed a train, manufactured and sold tons of meth and is now a rat. I still like him as a character, but he should pay for all of that. And who knows what else is coming from him. I have a feeling he's going to attack Walt's family to get back at him.
And the Hank storyline, Gomez just shows up and all that "Hank can't go to the DEA because his career will be over" is all gone. Kind of rushed and unexplained, but whatever. I would have liked to see and hear the conversation between Hank and Gomez.
What's really scary, there's only 4 sodes left and we still have to deal with everything after the flash forward. Maybe the last or 2nd to last episode picks up at the flash forward, that would mean all hell breaks loose in the next 2-3 sundays. IMO, the flash forward will be the last two sodes.
As for predictions, wow, I don't know what to even say or if I want to say it. Don't read if you don't like this sorta stuff.
Prediction Spoiler Warning: I'm wondering if Walt fakes his own death to avoid Jesse, Hank and the DEA but is forced to come out of hiding to save Jesse because Todd's uncle captures him and forces him to cook because Todd can't handle the operation. I don't have a theory on Skyler and the family but maybe they die or run after Jesse puts his own plan in motion. I don't know, just shooting ideas out. I think most will die or be in very bad shape (prison or forced into hiding).
Aside from poisoning Brock (non-fatally) I don't see what he has done that was so bad. Everyone he has harmed was knowingly in the meth business in some capacity. Aside from his fat adulterous wife and kids who had some emotional backlash...arguably less had they ended up paupers as he died from cancer.
Quote: Well, I don't really want a happy ending for anyone. I know some want Jesse to make it out okay, but he deserves to die or rot in prison. He murdered Gale, witnessed the Drew Sharpe murder, robbed a train, manufactured and sold tons of meth and is now a rat. I still like him as a character, but he should pay for all of that. And who knows what else is coming from him. I have a feeling he's going to attack Walt's family to get back at him.
Mentally, he's already paid (and continues to).
I kind of want Jesse to take his own life. He can never be happy, and I'd like to see him be his own moral agent.
I don't think he would hurt Walt's family. He said he's going to hit him where he lives. If Jesse understands Walt, and I think he does better than anyone, then he knows what's most important to Walt is his ego and his reputation, not his family.
Quote: Aside from poisoning Brock (non-fatally) I don't see what he has done that was so bad. Everyone he has harmed was knowingly in the meth business in some capacity.
He did watch a young girl die. And was an accessory to the murder of a child.
And innocent people died when he blew up the laundromat, IIRC. Hank threw it in his face.
I'll have to go back and check, but I could swear that when Hank and Walt have their show down in the garage, Hank talks about the innocents killed in the explosion.
Could be wrong, though.
EDIT: Went through that scene, and didn't see it, actually. Guess I was wrong. Must've invented it in my head.
#1 - She was pregnant for most of the beginning of the series #2 - She had just had a baby and dealing with the stress of having a cancer-strikened meth cook for a husband, forgive her for not finding time for a treadmill #3 - She looks amazing now (and in this season). Check out this image from Comic Con 2013.
Walt's destructive ways have mostly been targeted to people in the industry, you're right, but that doesn't mean murdering people involved in the industry is okay.
Walt has blood on his hands from:
Emilio - Poisoned by phosphine gas Krazy 8 - Strangled to death Jane - Asphyxiated on her own vomit (while not a killing, he lost his soul there) Gus's dealers - Run over with a van and then shot once in the head Gale - "forced" Jesse to kill Gale Gus and Tyrus - Pipe bomb. Not sure if you can include Tio, that was more of a suicide Two lab guards - Shot with gun Drew Sharp - While Todd pulled the trigger, he did dispose of the body Mike - Shot in a jealous rage Mike 10 guys - Order and paid for their hits
They have Walt list as having 7 deaths and 16 second-hand deaths.
Not to mention, poisoning a little kid that could have died AND asking his nice neighbor, not Carol, to check if the stove was on when he KNEW Gus's guys were waiting in the house to kill him (which could have ended up badly). And planned to blackmail Hank calling him the mastermind of the meth empire. AND cooking tons of meth that has poisoned and ruined countless familes and lives.
So yeah, he's a bad dude.
And yet, I still kinda want the guy to win...but he can't. He has to die in my opinion (or end up alone and very sick).
I dont see Walt leaving his family unless he dies, or they do. I could see him calling the guy and giving them a fresh start leaving him to cleanup his mess, or take the fall. I hate to try to make predictions though. This show seems to always find a way to surprise me. Im going to miss them when they are gone. I havent felt this invested in a show and its characters since the Sopranos.
Quote: Well, I don't really want a happy ending for anyone. I know some want Jesse to make it out okay, but he deserves to die or rot in prison. He murdered Gale, witnessed the Drew Sharpe murder, robbed a train, manufactured and sold tons of meth and is now a rat. I still like him as a character, but he should pay for all of that. And who knows what else is coming from him. I have a feeling he's going to attack Walt's family to get back at him.
What's making Jesse unlikeable for me is the constant crying all the time. I understand he's feeling a lot of guilt, but it's becoming cringe worthy when it's happening in almost every scene he's in.
As for the end...they've been pretty heavy-handed with the Ozymandias references. In that regard, I think a fitting end to the show would be a shot of the desert, wind whistling, sand blowing, and we see the tip of a black barrel.
I don't really care about drug production...someone is going to do it. And like Walt said, his stuff is pure and safe.
And to my knowledge besides Brock he hasn't harmed anyone working outside the industry. Aside from some emotional damage to his kids, and quite a bit to his wife. Drew Sharp to some extent but that was entirely on Todd in my mind. I view it as an amoral sphere of society.
He hasn't done enough for me to think he deserves punishment...the writers talk about how people think Walt needs to pay for his crimes and I never see it that way.
I hope he gets away and kills anyone who tries to stop him.
Quote: Drew Sharp to some extent but that was entirely on Todd in my mind.
...except for the part where Walt dissolved the kid in acid.
Which occurred as a result of a multimillion dollar robbery, orchestrated by Walt.
Well, to be fair, it was Jesse's idea. One of his best. LINK
Lydia offered the initial idea of robbing the train but Jesse came up with the special plan to avoid killing the train conductors. Oddly enough, the plan ended with a death anyway (which might be the 2nd most stunned I've been within this series. I had nightmares all evening).
Poisoning Brock by itself is enough for me to want Walt dead. He deserves it for that. Don't get me wrong, I'm a card-carrying member of #TeamWalt, but that act was truly awful.
Quote: He lets Jesse's girlfriend dies right in front of him.
Just my opinion, but that heroin junkie was going to get Jesse killed and ruin his life.
For whatever reason I am compelled to see Walt's actions as reasonable in every case except poisoning Brock. I didn't see the strategic advantage in that. Maybe the fact that it is a tv show has me not caring about right and wrong
Quote: He lets Jesse's girlfriend dies right in front of him.
Just my opinion, but that heroin junkie was going to get Jesse killed and ruin his life.
For whatever reason I am compelled to see Walt's actions as reasonable in every case except poisoning Brock. I didn't see the strategic advantage in that. Maybe the fact that it is a tv show has me not caring about right and wrong
Because dealing meth and killing people aren't going to ruin his life and get him killed
Quote: For whatever reason I am compelled to see Walt's actions as reasonable in every case except poisoning Brock. I didn't see the strategic advantage in that. Maybe the fact that it is a tv show has me not caring about right and wrong
IMHO, I would disagree. The poisoning of Brock was possibly the most ingenious thing Walt has done when it comes to manipulating Jesse. Jesse was done with Walt and was now on team Gus/Mike. Walt was toast and to manipulate Jesse into thinking that Gus was behind the Brock poisoning at the time was huge. Again, just my $0.02.
*spoilers.... What are you doing on dawgtalk? get on netflix...**
I suppose my trouble with the poisoning is why did Walt use lily of the valley instead of the ricin? Let me think for a bit.
Okay. So at first he wanted to make it look like Gus poisoned the kid with the ricin and was pinning it on him. But then later he tricks Jesse into thinking it was swept up into the roomba. And used lily of the valley to make it look like Brock just ate some berries for no reason. Side note: I read there is evidence in the show that Saul and Huel did the actual poisoning of Brock. In one episode of you look closely the receptionist is shredding elementary school schedules.
But so if Jesse is now lead to believe that he lost the ricin, and brock accidentally poisoned himself... Why didn't he go back with Gus and Mike? They didn't do anything wrong in his mind. I guess he felt bad for pointing a gun at Walt for "no reason".
Frankly I never really understood why Gus wanted to get rid of Walt in the first place. Unless that was his plan all along, and it wasn't a personal thing...maybe I need to rewatch that season, but it didn't make sense to me. Seemed like they were raking in the cash with little problem aside from Hank snooping around.
Four episodes left.. I suspect they will all be action packed and crazy from this point onward
I agree, it was pure genius. Ruthless and evil, but pure genius. Jesse lured Gus to the hospital, but the plan fell apart, and then Jesse gave Saul the info about Tio. Neither of those two would have happened had Walt not manipulated Jesse back onto his side.
Quote: *spoilers.... What are you doing on dawgtalk? get on netflix...**
I suppose my trouble with the poisoning is why did Walt use lily of the valley instead of the ricin? Let me think for a bit.
Okay. So at first he wanted to make it look like Gus poisoned the kid with the ricin and was pinning it on him. But then later he tricks Jesse into thinking it was swept up into the roomba. And used lily of the valley to make it look like Brock just ate some berries for no reason. Side note: I read there is evidence in the show that Saul and Huel did the actual poisoning of Brock. In one episode of you look closely the receptionist is shredding elementary school schedules.
But so if Jesse is now lead to believe that he lost the ricin, and brock accidentally poisoned himself... Why didn't he go back with Gus and Mike? They didn't do anything wrong in his mind. I guess he felt bad for pointing a gun at Walt for "no reason".
Frankly I never really understood why Gus wanted to get rid of Walt in the first place. Unless that was his plan all along, and it wasn't a personal thing...maybe I need to rewatch that season, but it didn't make sense to me. Seemed like they were raking in the cash with little problem aside from Hank snooping around.
Four episodes left.. I suspect they will all be action packed and crazy from this point onward
#1 - Walt used the LotV because the ricin would definelty have killed the kid. The LofV could have killed him too, but the odds were less than the ricin (which would have been 100%). So that's why it was so awful for Walt to poison Brock, there was a decent chance that Brock could have died. He was in the ICU for a while.
#2 - Not just the odds of death, but he couldn't use the ricin because he needed Jesse to find it later. Jesse originally suspected the whole plan when he came to kill Walt. He figured Huell lifted the ricin cig when he visited Saul's office but Walt quickly explained that Gus was always ahead of Walt and he stole the ricin cig to poison Brock to get Jesse against Walt. And this is how Jesse re-figured out Walt was behind the poisoning when Saul had Huell lift the pot from Jesse's coat before the vacuum guy picked him up. Jesse had the suspicion but never really spent enough time to confirm it.
#3 - Right, they were shredding the school schedules to show that Saul or one of his cronies poisoned Brock. I seem to remember Vince Gilligan saying they probably tainted his juice box in a locker or something.
#4 - Walt was a loose end to Gus and a dangerous loose end at that. Gus knew how smart Walt was. With Jesse able to cook a 96% pure meth, he didn't need Walt anymore. Jesse was fully on the Mike/Gus bandwagon and wanted Walt gone too (not dead, but gone). And let's remember, after the Gale killing, Gus was going to kill Walt and/or Jesse as soon as he could. Victor for a sneak peek at Gus's anger with the box cutter. But with Jesse under the Gus mind-control, he didn't need to kill him, just Walt. But really, he gave Walt a chance to run and save his family. He warned him that he was going to kill Hank and if he tipped the DEA, he would then have no choice but to kill Walt AND his family.
#5 - "But so if Jesse is now lead to believe that he lost the ricin, and brock accidentally poisoned himself... Why didn't he go back with Gus and Mike?" - Gus was already dead. :-) Walt and Jesse talked about this a bit on the roof of the hospital. "He had to go right?", Jesse said. "Yup, he had to go", Walt then followed.
I hope I got all that right and made sense explaining it too.
Its going to be a long week waiting to see what happens. Its kinda silly to think he could survive in that car with all the bullets flying through there.
When Hank was standing out there on the phone with Marie out in the open I expected his head to get blown off. You knew those guys were showing up any way. Didn't expect a show down. Now we have to wait a week to find out. I love discovering shows on Netflix after the series ends. No waiting!
Great episode last night. Best one of the last four.
You could tell Hank was on cloud-9 after finally getting Walt in cuffs. Got to talk to Marie and share his joy. Yeah, he's a gonner. It's a way for the writers to let Hank "win" his game while still allowing he final showdown between Walt and Jesse.
Reminds me of the scene in "Hot Shots" where the character Dead Meat walked under a ladder, ran across a black cat's path and had a loving moment with his family before boarding a plane. Gonner too.
Any word if the series finale is a 2-hour episode? Seems like there is still much to be wrapped up.
I was actually hoping Hank would have been sniped near the end of the call with Marie. I thought it would have played better (assuming he dies early next sode. But who knows, maybe they have something even better planned for him).
From my point of view, Hank's character arch is done. He set out to catch Heisenberg and did. He won. There's nothing else left to do. And come on, the way they framed that comments with Marie, "I won't be coming home for a while", he's done for.
Like most everyone, I was waiting for the cliche bullet through the head for Hank during or right after the call to Marie. But when it didn't, I knew the showdown was coming, but what then? I think Vince has yet another twist in this for us next week. What it is, I have no clue. We know Walt gets out of this and is incognito. “Mr. White — he’s the devil. He is smarter than you, he is luckier than you. Whatever you think is supposed to happen, I’m telling you, the exact, reverse opposite of that is going to happen.” -Jess Pinkman (BTW, pink in this show has come to symbolyze death...so Jesse has that going for him)
I am going to have to watch this whole series over again just for the easter eggs. From things I have read, everyone's fate has told to the viewer using various devices such as color (huge is this show), speeches, props. I've heard that this is playing out like Hamlet (which I don't remember from my school days) to Reservoir Dogs. What I do know is that Walt told us exactly how the series was going to go in the very first episode. He told his chemistry class:
"Chemistry is, well technically chemistry is the study of matter, but I prefer to see it as the study of change. Just think about this. Electrons, they change their energy levels. Molecules change their bonds. Elements, they combine and change into compounds. Well, that's all of life, right? It's the constant. It's the cycle. It's solution, dissolution just over, and over, and over. It is growth, then decay, then transformation. It is fascinating, really."
I love this show and I am looking forward to "wasting" another how-ever-many-hours of my life it was, watching it again once it is all done. I might just by the blu-rays and get it over with.
Amazing moment last night when Walt gave up. He called off the dogs to save Jesse and Hank. He's never lost sight of the fact that he DOES care for the people around him, namely his family (including Hank) and Jesse. Even though he wanted Jesse to be whacked, he wanted it done quickly and painlessly....but that was only because Jesse threatened him.
The twisted morality in this show is unreal.
Only 3 episodes left. At least I have something to look forward to on Sundays this month!
Quote: Amazing moment last night when Walt gave up. He called off the dogs to save Jesse and Hank. He's never lost sight of the fact that he DOES care for the people around him, namely his family (including Hank) and Jesse. Even though he wanted Jesse to be whacked, he wanted it done quickly and painlessly....but that was only because Jesse threatened him.
The twisted morality in this show is unreal.
Only 3 episodes left. At least I have something to look forward to on Sundays this month!
I don't think Jesse was under any consideration of sparing. Walt did call Todd's gang to tell him that Jesse had two others to help him and he needed them stat. It was Hank's presence that ended his hit. For Walt to get out of this, I guess Todd's Uncle has to be the one who frees him. Who else is going to do it? No reason for Jesse to save Walt from his own hit squad. No reason for Hank to free Walt for same reason. What happens to the other players? Does Hank escape, get whacked or even more unlikely win this battle? Again it is too easy for Hank to get taken out right now, so what will be the twist or are we out of them because we are no doubt running out of time? Unless... Maybe...just maybe...Hank gets shot up but not killed, Walt gets freed and turns on the gang to save Hank. Would make some sense in why he is ready for some future battle / rematch. I don't remember, but was Jesse wearing the green jacket in the episode? If so, then we know where Walt will get it.
The show is too well-written for me to buy that Hank sees his demise after a 'We did it, baby, I love you' phone call.
I would be disappointed if that were the case.
And, again, let's all remember the title of next week's episode...
Quote: Ozymandias
I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed: And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away
Quote: The central theme of "Ozymandias" is the inevitable decline of all leaders, and of the empires they build, however mighty in their own time
But we know Walt doesn't die. Hank got his moment -- he finally caught Heisenberg. He then said goodbye to his wife. He is toast.
I'm not saying it's not possible (or even likely). It would just be a turn for the writing staff to go from really intricate to lazy predictability.
And Walt doesn't need to die to lose everything. My read on his character is that his empire, ego and reputation are far more important to him than his family. He's proven that time and time again.
He completely lost the upper hand once the first bullet was fired. If he lives, he's back to being an indebted underling, like he was with Fring.
If he lives, he works for the Aryans now. Unless he goes to war with them.
Quote: Why are you saying "if"? We know for a fact that he lives.
We do.
He doesn't.
My phrasing was more from a processing standpoint. Walt is a complex schemer. When the dust settles, these are things that will be going through his mind.
I personally think they're toast. Hank, Jesse, and Gomez. Of the three I think Jesse has the best chance of living. I think Hank caught Hesinburg, said goodbye and that's his end, which considering where this character started is one hell of an end. Gomez is a semi-core character but he's dying.
I think this is what makes Walt use Saul's ID guy that Jesse refused. That's why Skylar and his son are nowhere and their home is abandoned in the future version. Skylar and her sister probably reconnect over Hank's death.
If Jesse doesn't die at the gunfight I have no idea where he goes. I concede it would pretty drastic to lose Hank and Jesse at the same time.
Quote:
If he lives, he works for the Aryans now. Unless he goes to war with them.
As a brief aside...The shootout was kind of silly. You think an Aryan aiming at Hank for that long at that range with a rifle would miss? I'm not sure how to redesign the scene, but the idea that everyone missed isn't very realistic. They weren't tweaked out and bullet riddled like Tuco. They should have dropped Hank and Gomez in 2 seconds at that range.
In my mind Hank and Gomez are clearly going to die. Jesse might not if they talk to Walt first.
I don't really understand why Walt needs a machine gun. They aren't very easy to wield and aren't that effective as a solitary weapon. Unless he is in some sort of scarface defending the palace scenario. I can see a lot more potential uses for the ricin.
How they are going to fit everything into the last 3 episodes is beyond me.
My suspicion is he get hired back by the Aryans and somehow Skyler either dies or is vanished by Saul's guy.
One thing I just thought of. Will the Aryans find that this is where Walt's money is buried?
Quote: As a brief aside...The shootout was kind of silly. You think an Aryan aiming at Hank for that long at that range with a rifle would miss? I'm not sure how to redesign the scene, but the idea that everyone missed isn't very realistic. They weren't tweaked out and bullet riddled like Tuco. They should have dropped Hank and Gomez in 2 seconds at that range.
Quote: As a brief aside...The shootout was kind of silly. You think an Aryan aiming at Hank for that long at that range with a rifle would miss? I'm not sure how to redesign the scene, but the idea that everyone missed isn't very realistic. They weren't tweaked out and bullet riddled like Tuco. They should have dropped Hank and Gomez in 2 seconds at that range.
I'm holding out judgement until Sunday.
At first, I thought the same as you but then I rewatched the scene last night. Hank was mostly behind the car already, from the Aryan POV, and Gomez seemed to be inching towards it. Depending upon who they shot at first, if they're good shots, and the amount of jump cutting the editor did, I can maybe give it a pass. Again, I need to wait until Sunday though.
Hank and Gomez may have been hit a few times already. We don't really know.
Sooooooooo....thoughts on Ozymandias and Granite State?
Ozymandias might be the greatest one hour of television ever, in my humble opinion at least. Wow! I watched and re-watched the whole show 3 times. I really liked the chess board setup near the end. The White King is cornered and is two moves from checkmate, very fitting.
As for Granite State, very good setup for the finale.
Anybody doing anything special for this Sunday? I'm inviting a few other BB diehard fans over, ordering pizza and serving good beer to celebrate. I have a feeling we'll all be very happy/sad with the ending.
I love Todd. He's such a polite little sociopath it cracks me up.
I've been wondering for a few episodes how they are going to fit everything into the last few episodes. Now one episode is left and I really have no idea.
I don't really understand the need for the machine gun yet. One man with a machine gun isn't any more effective than an AR15. And really there are only like 5-6 of those Aryans. He could just ricin their water supply.
Monday's (for me in thailand..Sunday for normal folk) are amazing. Football followed by Breaking Bad. And no more Dexter to suffer through. I also like the seth macfarlane stuff
I'm in the process of catching up/getting started!
I started Saturday watching episodes from the beginning, I'm up to season 3...Walter just signed off on the divorce and hasn't yet accepted Gus's offer...DAMN this show is amazing!
I should've made the splash sooner. When it started I still wasn't over 24 leaving me...I wasn't ready for a new commitment.
Quote: I'm in the process of catching up/getting started!
I started Saturday watching episodes from the beginning, I'm up to season 3...Walter just signed off on the divorce and hasn't yet accepted Gus's offer...DAMN this show is amazing!
I should've made the splash sooner. When it started I still wasn't over 24 leaving me...I wasn't ready for a new commitment.
Are you watching the BB marathon on AMC right now?
Quote: Anybody doing anything special for this Sunday? I'm inviting a few other BB diehard fans over, ordering pizza and serving good beer to celebrate. I have a feeling we'll all be very happy/sad with the ending.
I'm moving Sunday but made sure the cable was hooked up prior to moving day just for this show.
What a ride this season's been, they really saved the best for last. I have to bump it up over Game of Thrones as my favorite, for the time being.
There's no doubt in my mind he goes after Grey Matter, there was just too much anger in his eyes when he watched that interview. He didn't even finish his drink.
I think Walt has reached the brink of insanity living in isolation for the past year in New Hampshire. He just flat out doesn't care anymore and is out for revenge. He has nothing else left as far as family. His money is no good either at this point as he has no way to get it to them, and they probably wouldn't accept it anyway.
Even the Lydia thing, they didn't just leave us assuming she drank it and maybe she died. She's sick and we get to hear Walt warn her about her impending doom. Awesome.
From the Gretchen/Elliot scene, seeing Badger and Skinny Pete again, Marie gets closure on Hank's body, Skyler hears Walt admit he did it all for himself, Walt see's Holly one last time, Jack doesn't get to bargin for his life, Jesse gets Todd, and the standoff with Jesse and Walt, that's about how I figure those two would end it. Walt telling Jesse to do something and Jesse refusing because he's not following his orders anymore.
As for the final scene, it felt a little like the Cheers ending (not a bad thing). Walt was with his chemistry, the tools that he used to build his empire that ultimately got his family the money.
And really, the ending fits the video he made for his family in the pilot. Skyler knows how he felt about her and Walt Jr. found out all the bad things he did, but why he did it.
I don't know if I can say it was perfect, only because I had such high expectations and was preparing for an amazing shocking moment, but that was such a fitting ending to that series. As of this moment, it's my favorite series in TV history.
The only loose end could possibly be...Huell. Is he still in that hotel room?
I had hoped they'd show after the credits surrounded by pizza boxes still in the room. Kind of like how a lot of recent movies add a funny scene after the credits.
I thought the machine gun thing was a little too convenient. A little too far fetched.
Everything else I liked. Glad to see Lydia and Todd get theirs. On a show so big into foreshadowing it should have been easy to predict the stevia would play a role somehow.
Loved what they did with Gretchen and Elliot. It would have made no sense to kill them.
Overall, probably the best series of all time. Sad to see it go. I'll probably go back and watch the whole series one more time.
Quote: I thought the machine gun thing was a little too convenient. A little too far fetched.
As it was happening, I agree. But I went back to check, Walt was at the compound before. He knew where the clubhouse was and Jack's son pointed it out in the moment too. So maybe it was a bit of a stretch, but I can accept it. It was very "Walt".
I was thinking more of the contraption itself and how it went off without any hitches. And how so many things had to be lined up to pull it off...everyone in the clubhouse, everone within range, etc.
The beauty of the show to me is the uniqueness and the attempts to make it as realistic as possible. That wasn't very realistic to me.
Quote: I was thinking more of the contraption itself and how it went off without any hitches. And how so many things had to be lined up to pull it off...everyone in the clubhouse, everone within range, etc.
The beauty of the show to me is the uniqueness and the attempts to make it as realistic as possible. That wasn't very realistic to me.
I wasn't overly enthused by this either. I didn't think about this until this morning, but Walt committed inadvertent suicide taking a bullet from his own contraption. Everything he ever did hurt him in the end and this was no exception.
I felt like I was binge watching. AMC gave us probably 2-3 episodes in the span of one. But, all the "t"s were crossed and the "i"s were dotted so I won't cry all that much about it.
I had hoped they'd show after the credits surrounded by pizza boxes still in the room. Kind of like how a lot of recent movies add a funny scene after the credits.
Huell was the first thing I thought of when the credits rolled. The pizza idea would have been an all-time spectacular ending.
Anyone else looking forward to the Saul Goodman spinoff? I heard its a Prequel to BB. It couldn't be anything but a comedy, right?
The beauty of the show to me is the uniqueness and the attempts to make it as realistic as possible. That wasn't very realistic to me.
Neither was the magnet stunt, or a guy with half his body blown off adjusting his tie, or the fact that Walt could cook 96%+ meth using a method that has a yield ceiling of about 50%, etc., etc.
I love the show, and will miss it dearly, but realistic is was not.
Mythbusters did a special on BB last year, which was on last night. THey did the bathtub scene and the fulminated mercury myths. Both were busted quite easily. But hey, it's called "artistic license".
As for the trunk, I could see them skipping it. Walt isn't just randomly stopping by, he's coming by with a business offer that they plan to turn down and then kill him. They outnumber him 6-to-1, they took a peek in the back seat, searched his body for a gun and wire...why would they expect an automated M60 robot in the trunk?
I think I'm probably confusing realistic with the uniqueness of the show and what I feel was great character development compared to other shows.
In my opinion, what made the show so good was the uniqueness of the story and the character development and evolution. Those last two to me were top notch. I thought the character development was realistic. Up until they tried to cram two season's worth of stuff into these last eight episodes I liked the fact that the characters evolved slowly over time and the writers weren't afraid to slow down and reset the story when appropriate. To me, this was the most realistic show in terms of character development.
I agree the magnet thing was really hokey. I don't know what was worse - that or the machine gun in the end. To me both brought the show down a few notches. Still probably my favorite show of all time...or at least top 3.
As for the meth, I would have no idea as I'm not a user.
Has anyone else re-visited Vince Gilligan's pre-'Breaking Bad' work since the finale?
As a TV writer myself...man, that cat churned out some really great work.
Simple, yet deep and character driven.
'Pusher'? My God, I wish I could write that.
And a little bit of trivia - AMC did NOT want Cranston as Walter White. They fought it. Gilligan convinced them based on Cranston's role in the X-Files episode 'Drive'.
You'd all be very surprised at the uphill, often losing battles one has to fight in order to make networks do what seems blatantly obvious in hindsight.
What all has he written? I knew he worked on X-Files, but that's it. What is 'Pusher' ?
Pretty sure I once read that John Cusack was offered the role of Walter White. Curious as to who else might have played him. The Cranston casting was obviously a home run hit . . .
I read that both John Cusak and Matthew Broderick turned down the role...
Those would both be ew. Cusak would've been better as hes done some dramatic roles before like in Identity and the Raven...but he doesn't show emotion well, I don't think that would've suited Walter. Cranston was perfect
I think Cusack would have been really good as Walter White.
If Cusack would have taken the role everyone would be saying how awesome he was and how they couldn't see that Malcolm in the Middle guy pulling off the role.
Quote: I think Cusack would have been really good as Walter White.
If Cusack would have taken the role everyone would be saying how awesome he was and how they couldn't see that Malcolm in the Middle guy pulling off the role.
Quote: "Pusher" is the title of an episode of X-Files he wrote.
One of my favorite X-Files episodes! I still say "cerulean blue" in my head every time I see a semi on the road of that color
I'm a bit of a Cusack fan and I think Cusack could have worked in that role, but I also think that Cranston brought things to that role that Cusack has never shown, like the really dark, gritty side. There were moments with Cranston where the dude was just evil-incarnate, and I don't think that is something that Cusack would do as well.... of course, I may be tainted by the fact that I grew up with Cusack in all those 80's flicks. To me, he is always the guy in "Better Off Dead" and his dark side doesn't extend much past "Grosse Pointe Blank".
Great freakin' show. I will probably even watch the whole series again in a few months time, and I'm not one to do that normally. It was THAT good.
Good God, did that show ever get dark. I mean REALLY dark. Walt became a devil. Loved the shaved head & goatee, or what I like to refer to as the "Anton LaVey look" he sported the last season to further that devilish feeling.
I never expected them to all of a sudden treat Walt like that, especially that taser bit by the silent black guy( I hate that guy). I wonder if Gustavo really cares about Mike or not? Will Walt call the vacuum guy's number? Did he already? I'm so excited, this leading up to a great conclusion!
Good first episode!
I could see a deep undercover killing somebody innocent if it meant preserving their undercover - this was not like that. Also, Walt's group found Todd not the other way around. Also, who do you think assigned Todd as undercover, local law officials? The DEA? Maybe they just didn't show Hank putting Todd undercover. 
