re: Breaking Bad: A Shot Review

i think it's more to reinforce the red blooded american macho conservative guy rather than trying to make him unlikable

and that character trait will be important in the last half of season 5. Major ethical dilemma

Idk.

I think Walt has gone too far to be able to redeem himself, but it would be nice.

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and don't get me started on having Marie be a klepto for one single arbitrary plot point in Season 4.

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She was a klepto in the earlier seasons as well. It's her cry for help. Hank never pays attention to her so she does shite that will make him pay attention to her.

However, I agree that this seems forced and is really one of the worst missteps in the show's history. I think it's a terrible flaw to have and apparently so did the writers because it hardly ever surfaces.

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Hank is a DEA agent, a hero.

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Hank is not a hero. He is real. He has detestable characteristics. He's somewhat racist, despite his best friend and partner being Hispanic. Then again, who can blame him? He's a DEA agent in New Mexico. The majority of the scumbags he's busting are Hispanic. He was damn near killed by Hispanics.

Ironically, he also suffers from the same character flaw that many Hispanics suffer from in stereotypes: overblown machismo. Again, this all fits well within his character and if there is one issue with the show it's that the flaws often overshadow the better aspects of each character's personalities. For instance, despite Hank's belittlement of Marie, he is a truly devoted family man, which is further highlighted in Season 5.

For me, despite his flaws, Hank remains a likable guy, particularly after Season 5a.

Meanwhile, Walt continues to walk the road of the villain, becoming more and more difficult to cheer for/like (which is the point).

I disagree with you on Hank. I think Hank is the most compelling character on the show, and I do root for him. I think his racism and sexism are self-defense mechanisms -- much like his bravado, which has been demonstrated to be an act. He cares for and loves Walt Jr and he loves Marie, though he's bad at showing it.

I think the show tries to make him look ridiculous in the sense that it doesn't want us to root for Hank, but I think the performance has been too strong to let him be the stock character. I think the scene where he gives Walt Jr the book Killing Pablo summed him up -- no one cares about the good guys, particularly this show.

I've got not inherent problem with anitheroes, but I think TV is overdosing on them. It's like 90s "Extreme!" advertising run amok. But antiheroes have to have motivation that makes sense. Most people don't think of themselves as villains. To use Snake as the example, he turns out to be the most moral character in the movie and his hatred of the government is fully justified. He's an antihero, but he's not devoid of positive traits. Walt is getting close to that point, and he's been given innumerable number of outs. He wasn't forced into it, he chose it. And it made him somewhat less compelling to me.

He chose to be a monster. This isn't tragic. I've said this a lot about There Will Be Blood versus the Godfather, but when Mike is left with the ruins of his actions -- it wounds him because it was what was left of his humanity. Walt and Plainsview do not feel this wound because, ultimately, they do not care about their family. They never have, and to suddenly write a finale in which Walt is left alone and feels bad about it (not saying that will happen) would be an epic cheat.

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do you think Walt has to die?

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I don't know what I think about it, but his situation seems similar to Dexter's and everyone on this board seems to believe that Dexter must end with him being killed.

With all the bad things Walt has done, and there have been many, I just don't see how he can end the show either on the lam or in jail or having a "come to Jesus" moment. I dont' have any idea yet how I WANT the series to end, but it seems likely that Walt will have to at least face some consequences for all his actions, which seems to lead to him being killed.

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baloo do you think Walt has to die?

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I don't think any story HAS to end any particular way. But I do know that Bryan Cranston has repeatedly insisted in interviews that Walt is going to die. I do think a sudden conversion to "break good" would be a horrible cheat and wholly unsatisfying. But I'll wait to the end before I decide what I think of the end. The how is more important than the what.

I think it would likely be a futile gesture that nowhere near would tip the scales in his favor. But, again, I will wait until the end happens before I say what I think about it.

I think that with the show being an examination into the mind of a man who repressed so much hate/anger/jealousy for so many years, it would be cheap to have him "redeemed" either before death or before going to jail.

just my opinion, but I think he has to die and it has to be in the process of him attemping to do something selfish/foolish

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I disagree with you on Hank. I think Hank is the most compelling character on the show, and I do root for him. I think his racism and sexism are self-defense mechanisms -- much like his bravado, which has been demonstrated to be an act. He cares for and loves Walt Jr and he loves Marie, though he's bad at showing it.

I think the show tries to make him look ridiculous in the sense that it doesn't want us to root for Hank, but I think the performance has been too strong to let him be the stock character. I think the scene where he gives Walt Jr the book Killing Pablo summed him up -- no one cares about the good guys, particularly this show.

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Good points all around.

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I've got not inherent problem with anitheroes, but I think TV is overdosing on them. It's like 90s "Extreme!" advertising run amok. But antiheroes have to have motivation that makes sense. Most people don't think of themselves as villains. To use Snake as the example, he turns out to be the most moral character in the movie and his hatred of the government is fully justified. He's an antihero, but he's not devoid of positive traits. Walt is getting close to that point, and he's been given innumerable number of outs. He wasn't forced into it, he chose it. And it made him somewhat less compelling to me.

He chose to be a monster. This isn't tragic. I've said this a lot about There Will Be Blood versus the Godfather, but when Mike is left with the ruins of his actions -- it wounds him because it was what was left of his humanity. Walt and Plainsview do not feel this wound because, ultimately, they do not care about their family. They never have, and to suddenly write a finale in which Walt is left alone and feels bad about it (not saying that will happen) would be an epic cheat.

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And here.