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Breaking Bad for the newbs (spoilers)
Posted on 8/25/16 at 2:41 pm
Posted on 8/25/16 at 2:41 pm
I just binged it on Netflix. I have to say that I was never interested in a show about a guy who becomes a meth dealer, regardless of his reasoning. However, the show certainly doesn't leave the viewer thinking that doing so is a great idea, so that part won me over. Also, because of Mythbusters, I already knew how the show ended, but seeing how it got there was still fun.
Like a lot of others, I preferred S1-S4 Walt to whatever he became in season 5. I know people who quit watching at this point because they just didn't like the turn that his character and the show took. I thought it was cheesier than anything else. I guess he was supposed to have gone to the dark side, but he seemed to come off more as a tough acting wimpy guy than anything else.
I've seen all of the "Skyler sucks" threads and I guess I can understand how people feel. I felt the same way at one point, but honestly, after a while, I began to sympathize with her. Her husband was habitually lying to her and had become a fricking meth dealer, putting their whole family at risk. I think she handled it well, all things considered. I was, however, rooting for her sister to die. She obviously didn't, but at least the show killed Hank, the smartest dumb guy in the history of the world.
Gus was the most permissive, forgiving drug lord in TV/Movie history. IRL, I think he would have killed Walt and Jesse several times over, and he certainly would have threatened Walt's family from day one, IMO.
Jesse annoyed the shite out of me. I know he was an addict and had been through a lot, but his neurotic, irrational bullshite always got on my nerves. Still, he more than paid for it in the end and I'm glad that he survived.
Is the actress who played Gretchen (I'm not even going to look it up) born to play the ex-girlfriend who married up and is now doing better than you - in every single thing she's in? The show didn't have to create the Charlie Rose TV interview (in which she and Schwartz disavow Walt's accomplishments) as a reason for Walt to get revenge on the couple. I always want to slap the shite out of that actress whenever I see her in anything. This goes all the way back to when she played the smug, lesbian lover of Ross' ex in Friends.
All in all, I thought it was a great show. It really made me binge it late into the evenings because I wanted to know what happens next. I guess that's the marque of a good show.
Like a lot of others, I preferred S1-S4 Walt to whatever he became in season 5. I know people who quit watching at this point because they just didn't like the turn that his character and the show took. I thought it was cheesier than anything else. I guess he was supposed to have gone to the dark side, but he seemed to come off more as a tough acting wimpy guy than anything else.
I've seen all of the "Skyler sucks" threads and I guess I can understand how people feel. I felt the same way at one point, but honestly, after a while, I began to sympathize with her. Her husband was habitually lying to her and had become a fricking meth dealer, putting their whole family at risk. I think she handled it well, all things considered. I was, however, rooting for her sister to die. She obviously didn't, but at least the show killed Hank, the smartest dumb guy in the history of the world.
Gus was the most permissive, forgiving drug lord in TV/Movie history. IRL, I think he would have killed Walt and Jesse several times over, and he certainly would have threatened Walt's family from day one, IMO.
Jesse annoyed the shite out of me. I know he was an addict and had been through a lot, but his neurotic, irrational bullshite always got on my nerves. Still, he more than paid for it in the end and I'm glad that he survived.
Is the actress who played Gretchen (I'm not even going to look it up) born to play the ex-girlfriend who married up and is now doing better than you - in every single thing she's in? The show didn't have to create the Charlie Rose TV interview (in which she and Schwartz disavow Walt's accomplishments) as a reason for Walt to get revenge on the couple. I always want to slap the shite out of that actress whenever I see her in anything. This goes all the way back to when she played the smug, lesbian lover of Ross' ex in Friends.
All in all, I thought it was a great show. It really made me binge it late into the evenings because I wanted to know what happens next. I guess that's the marque of a good show.
11
Posted on 8/25/16 at 2:46 pm to blueboy
quote:iswydt
at least the show killed Hank, the smartest dumb guy in the history of the world.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 3:00 pm to blueboy
quote:
I guess he was supposed to have gone to the dark side, but he seemed to come off more as a tough acting wimpy guy than anything else.
Kind of the point - Walt created Heisenberg out of his own imagination - the gangster he thought he was. And, every now and then, he would at least partially realize that, i.e. Fring, the hit on the guys in prison, and the finale with the M-60.
But, for the most part it was puffery - this contrast between, "I am the one that knocks" and "Tread lightly" image he projected, and the cowering, fearful, cancer patient that was the reality of Walter White is kind of the killer app of the entire show. Walt was a problem solver - he just got so focused in his own ego - his own goals, he forgot or ignored the grave human fallout on those around him. After Hank was killed and the knife fight with Skyler - he realized exactly what he'd done.
He wasn't going to Jack's to rescue Jesse - but ultimately doing that redeemed Walt as a person, not just as a "father providing for his family" - as Heisenberg had done.
quote:
The show didn't have to create the Charlie Rose TV interview (in which she and Schwartz disavow Walt's accomplishments) as a reason for Walt to get revenge on the couple.
You missed that point completely. That wasn't a trigger for revenge - that was a trigger for him to get the money to Walt, Jr. They were tools to him. He wanted revenge on Jack - and not for what Jack did to Walt, but for what Jack did to Hank.
In the end, the "good guy" Walter White re-emerged and finished off Heisenberg before going off to his reward.
The show is flat out literature, period. A Greek tragedy set in New Mexico.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 3:00 pm to blueboy
I binged the first 3 seasons to catch up and watched the last two on tv. IMO the show is even better when watched live. Some of the episodes are complex and it gives you time to think about everything that just happened and where it will go. I also like watching Talking Bad which came on right after the show to catch stuff I may have missed. I agree with you about S5 Walt. I didn't like how he was portrayed that season.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 3:02 pm to bctiger6
quote:
I binged the first 3 seasons to catch up and watched the last two on tv.
I was a hybrid watcher as well - IIRC about the same as you - watched 3 seasons, but maybe I caught up in the middle of season 3? Not 100% sure. I'm glad I did, because the added tension of Season 5, the split made the show better, I think.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 3:09 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:I disagree. I think the show wanted the audience to form a negative opinion of the Schwartz' and thereby justify Walt's treatment of them. Before that, they acknowledged Walt's contributions and generously wanted to help him, so the audience needed to be turned against them in some small way.
You missed that point completely. That wasn't a trigger for revenge
Posted on 8/25/16 at 3:15 pm to blueboy
Right behind Band of Brothers as the greatest television I ever watched.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 3:42 pm to blueboy
quote:
I think the show wanted the audience to form a negative opinion of the Schwartz'
Kind of, but only from Walt's misplaced jealousy and regret. He sold out, remember? That was his whole drive in building a drug empire to rival Grey Matters (which he should have been at least 1/3 partner in a billion dollar business - and he still would have died of cancer, that's the impotent rage Walt was feeling through the entire series).
quote:
so the audience needed to be turned against them in some small way.
Meh. It was understandable covering of their asses when the Heisenberg story broke nationally. Ole girl even reinforced this notion of Heisenberg as a phantom or separate person from Walt, which was a running motif of the show, the 2 as separate characters (sort of).
Posted on 8/25/16 at 3:56 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:Yeah, I know, but up to that point, they were positive characters. They weren't guilty of anything and had no reason to disavow him, even considering that he's become a drug dealer. They could have said that he was once a promising scientist who lost his way, but instead, they completely discredited him. Walt's fate with the business was obviously his own fault, and the Schwartz' were good people, so his actions had to be somewhat justified - at least for the audience's benefit.
Kind of, but only from Walt's misplaced jealousy and regret.
BTW, one of the best laughs I got was when we find out that Skinny Pete is actually a great concert pianist.
Also, Mythbusters did confirm that it is 100% possible to rig up an M-60 in the trunk of a Cadillac, shooting through the car, the wall and get multiple hits on people in the building - all while sparing anyone who's laying on the floor, Walt's fate notwithstanding.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 3:57 pm to blueboy
quote:
I preferred S1-S4 Walt to whatever he became in season 5. I know people who quit watching at this point because they just didn't like the turn that his character and the show took.
Wait... People actually did this???
Posted on 8/25/16 at 3:59 pm to blueboy
quote:
Gus was the most permissive, forgiving drug lord in TV/Movie history. IRL, I think he would have killed Walt and Jesse several times over, and he certainly would have threatened Walt's family from day one, IMO.
Well when there's only 2 people that can cook the meth he wanted, it's kinda hard to just kill em off. And he had planned to kill them with the whole Gail storyline
Posted on 8/25/16 at 4:01 pm to blueboy
quote:
Like a lot of others, I preferred S1-S4 Walt to whatever he became in season
I was a watcher day 1 and I find some misguided pride in that fact
The show was supposed to run 4 seasons then the popularity of streaming made a 5th season inevitable.
I consider season 5 just lagniappe.
This post was edited on 8/25/16 at 4:02 pm
Posted on 8/25/16 at 4:02 pm to blueboy
quote:
Walt's fate notwithstanding.
I've always interpreted that as a ricochet.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 4:05 pm to blueboy
quote:
Also, Mythbusters did confirm that it is 100% possible to rig up an M-60 in the trunk of a Cadillac, shooting through the car, the wall and get multiple hits on people in the building - all while sparing anyone who's laying on the floor, Walt's fate notwithstanding.
Glad they went out on a high note.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 4:10 pm to blueboy
quote:
I've seen all of the "Skyler sucks" threads and I guess I can understand how people feel. I felt the same way at one point, but honestly, after a while, I began to sympathize with her. Her husband was habitually lying to her and had become a fricking meth dealer, putting their whole family at risk. I think she handled it well, all things considered.
I think she handled it okay, but she definitely played both sides when it benefited her. I felt for her at times, but for the most part I couldn't stand her.
Here were my thoughts about her after I had first finished the series:
quote:
What are you trying to say by that? I'm by no means being basic with my thoughts about Skyler. I don't like her character at all. I don't like how she plays both sides of the fence all the time...one minute she's crafting some outrageous lie to protect the family, and the next she's trying to be moral...one minute she's wanting Walt to kill someone and the next minute she's hating him for actually killing someone else. One minute she's giving away Walt's money to her former lover, and the next she's mad at Walt for continuing to cook because he needs to replace the money that she gave away.
Sure, it was Walt's fault that she was involved in the first place, but he always tried to keep his family separate from his business, and she got herself more and more involved, even to the point of being greedy at times.
And let's not forget that Walt granted her what she wanted...she wanted out and he signed the divorce papers, and then she didn't file them. He gave her the chance to separate from him and keep her kids safer, and she chose not to.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 4:13 pm to blueboy
quote:
I've seen all of the "Skyler sucks" threads and I guess I can understand how people feel. I felt the same way at one point, but honestly, after a while, I began to sympathize with her.
Agree. Sure she's annoying but she acted pretty darn realistic to how many wives would IRL.
quote:
at least the show killed Hank,
dafuq? How could you not like Hank?
quote:
Gus was the most permissive, forgiving drug lord in TV/Movie history.
box cutter bruh.
The reason Gus was a dominant kingpin in the industry is because of his smarts and demeanor. He could have taken out people's kneecaps every week and drove a bentley if he wanted but that's not Gus's style. Gus takes a LONG time to vet people, long enough that he's already made a decision on you before you even meet him the first time. Tuco was the opposite and his career path didn't turn out quite as well.
quote:
I'm glad that he survived.
so the meth smoking, drug dealing, murdering punk lives and you're happy, but the good family man doing his job chasing criminals dies and you're glad?
Posted on 8/25/16 at 4:21 pm to Spock's Eyebrow
quote:I don't think that was the last episode. It was one that dealt entirely with BB material. I watched the final MB, and the cast discussion show that followed. You could tell that everyone hated Jamie. I always knew he and Adam didn't get along off screen, but apparently, the entire cast were rubbed the wrong way by Jamie.
Glad they went out on a high note.
I forgot to mention Lydia. I've had the hots for Laura Fraser since A Knight's Tale, but I was really glad Walt was able to deal with her the way he did. Allowing Jesse to kill blank-faced sociopath Todd was also very satisfying.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 4:46 pm to WG_Dawg
quote:He should have been doing that every episode. As for the argument that he was forced to put up with Walt and Jesse, I think the bikers resolved that issue pretty effectively.
box cutter bruh.
quote:Pretty much. I only ended up wanting Jesse to live because he definitely atoned for his annoying bullshite.
so the meth smoking, drug dealing, murdering punk lives and you're happy, but the good family man doing his job chasing criminals dies and you're glad?
At one point, I wanted everyone to die.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 4:52 pm to blueboy
quote:
He should have been doing that every episode.
kill someone once a week and see how long you stay on top.
quote:
I only ended up wanting Jesse to live because he definitely atoned for his annoying bull shite
used to be bad, now good = glad he lived
never been bad, always good = glad he's dead
Just doesn't make sense. It's your opinion so I'm not saying you're wrong, you can feel however you want, it's just your reasoning doesnt' make sense to me. If you had said you think Hank is annoying and didn't like his character so you wanted him dead, that's one thing. But it just doesn't really jive with your happiness for jesse's story.
Or maybe i"m just too bored right now.
Posted on 8/25/16 at 5:04 pm to WG_Dawg
quote:What I mean is that Walt and Jesse did numerous things that would have gotten them killed in a more realistic situation. The cartels have posted videos of people being beaten to death and decapitated for doing less shite than what Walt and Jesse got away with.
kill someone once a week and see how long you stay on top.
Jesse's addiction didn't bother me. He's only human, and he had to kill Gail out of self-preservation.
Yes, I thought Hank was annoying and wanted him to be killed off. It's just TV, so I can do that.
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