Breaking Bad

Excellent episode. I'm more intrigued by the whole opening sequence with a non-bald Walt undercover at a Denny's where he then buys an M60 machine gun. No doubt like the second season with opening flash forwards of the debris in the pool. With the opening teaser scenes, we'll be building towards something big I'm sure, maybe the series finale.

As for the magnet caper, it didn't bother me. Just go watch Prometheus if you really want to strain your suspension of disbelief and tear your hair out.

The magnet was another example of Walt, and now Jesse, as master criminals using science to gain the upper hand. We've seen that kind of thing in the past, and this was a fun way to build on that. Especially by having Jesse come up with the magnet idea to show how he has changed to a more clear thinker since the beginning of the series.

If we are going to complain about the magnet, we might as well complain about Ted being alive. It would have been easier to just have him be dead and let the writers focus on the remaining problems that still linger after Gus Fring was taken out. Thing is it makes for interesting drama, allowed them to have the scene where Walt finds out about the whole IRS money problem with Ted and Skyler, and then Walt thinking he can exploit it to show mercy to his wife and get her to think he is not a brutal criminal. Also, this show has always found ways to weave in irony and dark humor and other little twists. Ted could have just paid off his taxes and gotten on with things, but went down a different path where he buys a BMW (or was it a Benz?), and ends up in the hospital.

Same with the magnet caper. It makes for a more unique way to have Walt, Jesse, and Mike destroy the evidence. It is like Inception. What could have been a routine heist/caper film, becomes something different by combining the idea of dream sharing with a caper plot. Maybe it wasn't realistic, but it was interesting and unique and more memorable than say Contraband or a bunch of other heist films that have come out since.

I think this magnet plot in this episode of Breaking Bad works on a similar level.
 
Nektonic said:
Same with the magnet caper. It makes for a more unique way to have Walt, Jesse, and Mike destroy the evidence...Maybe it wasn't realistic, but it was interesting and unique and more memorable than say Contraband or a bunch of other heist films that have come out since.
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Fair enough, and I totally acknowledge that I am being a fanboy stickler here with the Wile-E-Coyote magnet stunt. They set the bar high with procedural and technical elements on this show, so lets hope the come correct the rest of the season.
 
Breaking Bad has turned Bad for me. The first two seasons were great, but the last season was painful to watch. The characters have become two dimensional and illogical within the story.
 
Tonight's episode was pretty great. I was on the edge of my seat during that whole heist. And that ending was brutal, even though it was easy to guess from the opening scene...I guess Dodd isn't working for the feds as some have speculated!
 
Batutta said:
Tonight's episode was pretty great. I was on the edge of my seat during that whole heist. And that ending was brutal, even though it was easy to guess from the opening scene...I guess Dodd isn't working for the feds as some have speculated!
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Great episode.

I'm hoping Walt puts the poison in one of Skyler's cigarettes ASAP. She's really killing me.

Other than that, I friggen love this show!
 
Michael Anthony Horrigan said:
I'm hoping Walt puts the poison in one of Skyler's cigarettes ASAP. She's really killing me.
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...When Walt's conscience has been completely burned away and the Heisenberg persona has permanently taken over, then maybe this might actually happen.

I wonder if I will even care about Walt/Heisenberg when the transition to "monster" is fully actualized, as there will be nothing left to redeem him as a person, so his eventual death might be seen as a good thing. ( I wonder where this will leave Jessie at the end when Heisenberg is dead )
 
TheDingo said:
...When Walt's conscience has been completely burned away and the Heisenberg persona has permanently taken over, then maybe this might actually happen.

I wonder if I will even care about Walt/Heisenberg when the transition to "monster" is fully actualized, as there will be nothing left to redeem him as a person, so his eventual death might be seen as a good thing. ( I wonder where this will leave Jessie at the end when Heisenberg is dead )
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I'm willing to bet that Jessie is responsible for Walt's demise. They are showing him as a very crafty fellow lately. He came up with the last two plans while Mike and Walt were bickering at one another and he has come full circle.

Once just a meager drug addicted dealer, to a criminal mastermind with a conscience. He has fully replaced Walt as the protagonist of the show in my eyes.
 
Michael Anthony Horrigan said:
Great episode.

I'm hoping Walt puts the poison in one of Skyler's cigarettes ASAP. She's really killing me.
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I never understood the hate for Skyler...She's acting in a pretty rational manner all things considered. If my wife found out I was a drug dealing murderer I don't think she'd handle it nearly as well, and certainly not offer to launder my money for me. She's a normal woman in an extreme situation. It's Walt who's the abnormal one.
 
Batutta said:
I never understood the hate for Skyler...She's acting in a pretty rational manner all things considered. If my wife found out I was a drug dealing murderer I don't think she'd handle it nearly as well, and certainly not offer to launder my money for me. She's a normal woman in an extreme situation. It's Walt who's the abnormal one.
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She's COMPLETELY justified in her actions, no argument there. Her character just annoys the hell out of me.

And really, she should just kill herself or turn Walt in. She would get full immunity from her DEA brother in-law and the kids would be safe. Game over.
How long does she really expect her Sister to take care of the kids anyway? It's stupid.

She needs to piss or get off the pot.

BTW, she was happy to take all of Walt's money after her affair to make her own legal issues go away. She's a hypocrite and a completely unlikeable character at this stage.

Walt is at least fun to watch. Skyler? Nah.
 
^^^ +1 She needs to go...Like Mike said," ...there are robbers that get away with it....and there are witnesses"

(too bad for the little kid, wrong place, wrong time.)
 
Michael Anthony Horrigan said:
BTW, she was happy to take all of Walt's money after her affair to make her own legal issues go away. She's a hypocrite and a completely unlikeable character at this stage.
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I don't think she's a hypocrite. She could justify the drug dealing somehow...but murder has tipped her perception of Walt over the edge...The scenes between her and Walt are some of the best writing and acting on the show. I don't see what the problem is. It's great drama...I hear this complaint from a lot of guys but it usually comes from a place of entitled male posturing. ''Walt should get to do what he wants...screw that annoying *****!' is the underlying sentiment. Same with Lori on The Walking Dead. There is no attempt to empathize with the female perspective of either character. It puzzles and disturbs me somewhat.
 
Batutta said:
I don't think she's a hypocrite. She could justify the drug dealing somehow...but murder has tipped her perception of Walt over the edge...The scenes between her and Walt are some of the best writing and acting on the show. I don't see what the problem is. It's great drama...I hear this complaint from a lot of guys but it usually comes from a place of entitled male posturing. ''Walt should get to do what he wants...screw that annoying *****!' is the underlying sentiment. Same with Lori on The Walking Dead. There is no attempt to empathize with the female perspective of either character. It puzzles and disturbs me somewhat.
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LOL! This is why I don't post here as often anymore.

Sorry to disturb you.

She actually barely says one word during every scene. And when she does speak, it's the same thing over and over again. A strong female character would have turned him in already to truly protect her children. Hank makes that an EASY fix.

Maybe the writer is disturbed for making her so weak minded and one dimensional.

PS - Lori is the worst mother in a crisis that I've ever seen on TV. Watch your kid already! :)
 
Michael Anthony Horrigan said:
LOL! This is why I don't post here as often anymore.

Sorry to disturb you.

She actually barely says one word during every scene. And when she does speak, it's the same thing over and over again. A strong female character would have turned him in already to truly protect her children. Hank makes that an EASY fix.

Maybe the writer is disturbed for making her so weak minded and one dimensional.

PS - Lori is the worst mother in a crisis that I've ever seen on TV. Watch your kid already! :)
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You weren't disturbing me, just other people whose opinion of Skyler isn't even as nuanced as yours. It feels like hatred that is purely chauvinistic. Like she should just shut up and be happy with the situation because her man is providing...Why does she have to be a strong character? I think it more important that she's believable on a human level. She feels trapped and in a lot of ways she is. There is NO good option for her at this point, just some that are less bad than others, so she feels paralyzed. I don't find her one dimensional AT ALL....As for Lori, I was referring specifically to her reaction at the end of last season. Pissed off a lot of guys who felt she basically asked for Shane to be killed, then freaked out when she found out he was killed. They seemed to miss the fact that she just found out her child was the one that killed Shane, and it was that information she was freaked out by. But no, she's just a ***** because she didn't kneel down and suck Rick off on the spot for killing his best friend and her ex-lover....I just don't understand the idea that every character should always make good choices in a story. People make bad choices all the time, and so should realistic characters. I don't need to like every character in a story, I just need to find them believable. But there's a level of hatred for Skyler and Lori that I think says more about the people doing the hating than the characters themselves.
 
For what it's worth, my wife is sick of Skyler as well.

I find Skyler pretty one dimensional. Especially as of late.
I'm not enjoying her character in the least and would be happy to see her go.

Again, her fictional character. I don't think you can read too much into what people think of characters on TV.
I used to like Skyler, I did. Even when she was screwing around on Walt and fixing her boss' books. But lately, the whole depression thing, while realistic, sucks to watch.
 
I'd be bothered if it wasn't good drama, but scenes like the one where Skyler was trying to match wits with Walt and he pulled a Heisenberg on her were just riveting to watch. While stuff like the heist is fun and thrilling, the show to me is equally powerful in the small human moments. That's what makes it so great. The Skyler/Walt relationship has always been at the center of the show so she isn't going anywhere until the show is over, and I can't wait to see how it resolves itself.
 
That scene was great! But scenes like that involving Skyler are far too infrequent.
She spends most of the time smoking or looking depressed.

I get it already. Anyway, that's just my opinion. I'm sick of her.
 
In the first 10 minutes of the official Breaking Bad Insider Podcast Episode 504, you have both the creator of the show, Vince Gilligan, and the actor who plays Skyler, Anna Gunn, talking about the motivations of the Skyler character, and why Skyler is behaving the way she does in this new season. They also briefly touch on about how many people on the web have a big hate-on for the Skyler character. ( they are well aware that a lot of people do not like the Skyler character ) If you are interested in the writing / direction / and character motivation behind Breaking Bad, you should definitely give the official podcast a whirl...

Breaking Bad PodCast
 
TheDingo said:
...When Walt's conscience has been completely burned away and the Heisenberg persona has permanently taken over, then maybe this might actually happen.

I wonder if I will even care about Walt/Heisenberg when the transition to "monster" is fully actualized, as there will be nothing left to redeem him as a person, so his eventual death might be seen as a good thing. ( I wonder where this will leave Jessie at the end when Heisenberg is dead )
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I find Walt very interesting to watch, but at the same time, I know that I will cheer once Hank finally busts him.
 
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