Breaking Bad

[Jeremy Blackman]

Yeah. And you get the feeling it's building to something extraordinary.

I loved that final sequence with Hank. The way he goes into the building and does his whole reveal. Masterfully done. I love Hank's character.

Also, I wanted to mention that we should really watch ourselves when we complain about things moving too slowly. The show has always been that way. Have we forgotten how little story is actually covered in Season 1, for example? The last 2-3 episodes of S3 were quickly paced, which is actually incredibly rare in the context of the show. I think that may have created some inaccurate expectations. Personally I almost forgot how much I love the slow, careful, almost excruciating pace, and the way it constructs the story. (That's largely what made Lost great, too.)

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

*spoils*

Breaking Bad is on its way to losing its character and become some kind of bland, straight drama.

First of all, this season has lost the touch of each episode beginning with the end and then working its way towards that cryptic opening.  Breaking Bad seasons 1 through 3 all had that mystery where it begins in chaos and then after the credits it builds up to a point where you can understand the chaos.  That whole approach reinforced the situation of the characters, where there were really no bad guys or good guys even, just people struggling to figure each other out. To be in on what was going on, but the truth being so simple it was complex.  Everyone had valid reasons and that is so rare for television.  There is usually a foil, some awful person who is the catalyst when something bad needs to happen and no protagonists are to blame.

Key example, the beginning of "Problem Dog" is Jesse playing a video game.  Not just any game.  Product placement for a new game in real life.  He's killing zombies and having flashbacks of killing Gale.  This develops nothing of Jesse.  We know he's fucked in the head about it, why do they need to do another scene of him falling apart about it? Wasn't it enough to watch him drive around in a go-kart, another bland scene that establishes nothing?

Breaking Bad is losing its backbone.  It's going into simpler, more boring territory.  Even in the first episode of the fourth season, Skylar with the crying baby begging the locksmith to get her into the house.  Such a stupid scene, really.  It says nothing about her character other than directly: She is a nag and a liar.  Breaking Bad has expertly crafted scenes for the first three seasons where people act in behavior that doesn't make sense immediately, but comes to a point over the arc of episodes, it all comes together.  Now the instant gratification comes in.  So much so that Gus is connected to Gale by FINGERPRINTS? What the fuck is this, CSI?  That's so banal.  Fingerprints.  Of all the ways to connect someone in a show that proves it thinks on a level like chess where it's always moves ahead of its audience, it couldn't find a more creative way for Hank to notice an abstract link between Gale and Gus?  The show is grinding into lazy plot devices.  Characters just announce how they feel, it's become some melodrama.

Watch the pilot then watch an episode from this season.  In fact, the second and third still hold up.  I've been rewatching them to make sure I'm not crazy.  There are a few moments that break from the Breaking Bad language that it works hard to maintain, but this new season has no regard for its established aesthetic.  And it's not a matter of branching out.  It's just stupid discussions of zombies for LEFT 4 DEAD THE VIDEO GAME and MODERN WARFARE ZOMBIES THE VIDEO GAME and everybody drinks COCA-COLA.

I still watch because overall the show maintains a quality above most other programs and like a train wreck in slow motion, I want to see the debris and amount of survivors and all that.  But the show is losing its balls.  It is not what it was, it's the bastard child.

More than ever now, too, Walt's a crotchety dick and Skylar's a whiny bitch.  "I WANNA BUY A LUXURIOUS CAR FOR OUR SON" "YOU'RE GOING TO FOIL OUR RUSE, TAKE IT BACK"  These are not concerns of this couple, they are bland exaggerations.  Of course Walt wants better things for his family, but he's not retarded.  Skylar needs to play along better, she's complaining Walt makes too much money.  Stuff it in the fucking wall, who cares what you do with all the loose thousands of dollars? Do you plan on telling the IRS about it? It's all drug money.  The banter they have is forced and don't they have a baby?  Why has the only scene the baby has played a part in was the first episode of the fourth season?  Shouldn't the presence of an infant have a bigger impact on a meth dealing husband/wife duo?  

Not to mention, I read this thread and hear discussions of coworkers and Breaking Bad continues to be eaten up, moreso than when it was first on and breaking new ground for televised drama.  People now are shitting themselves over how brilliant the show is a season too late.  For the sake of the quality of the ending of the show, I wished it was ending this season and not stretching into a fifth, hopefully final season.  Honestly, the show should've ended on the third season with Jesse killing Gale.  That says enough.  It wraps it all up in a Breaking Bad way, too.  It captures Jesse being forced into being dehumanized, losing his identity by being thrust into a situation beyond his control, but a situation he put himself into.

The time-lapse shot was pretty epic, all things considered.

[Jeremy Blackman]

What?

[Jeremy Blackman]

First of all, this season has lost the touch of each episode beginning with the end and then working its way towards that cryptic opening.  Breaking Bad seasons 1 through 3 all had that mystery where it begins in chaos and then after the credits it builds up to a point where you can understand the chaos.

I looked through a bunch of episode recaps, and I think you're completely wrong. Many of the season 2 teasers focused on the bear/pool motif, which were obviously not addressed in the episodes that followed. The season 3 teasers mostly followed the cousins. Those that didn't were often only marginally connected, and some of them were just not very good. (Example: the teaser for The Fly.) The season 4 teasers have been just as mysterious, chaotic, connected, and meaningful, and probably moreso...

Box Cutter - The scene with Gale unpacking things establishes the box cutter and gives us some fascinating/crucial backstory. Probably one of the best teasers the show has ever had.

Thirty-Eight Snub - Walt buys a gun. Builds tension because we know Walt is going to use it or try to use it. Just as the box cutter was established in the E1 teaser, the gun is established in the E2 teaser. I wasn't a fan of the dealer's dialogue, but overall this was a very effective and necessary teaser.

Open House - Cameras follow Walt in the lab; he confronts one and gives it the finger. It was funny and cleverly established the new relationship between Walt and his employer... and Walt's current state of childish disgruntlement and general turmoil. The concision and efficiency of this teaser is brilliant, actually. Another character-focused teaser.

Bullet Points - Mike in the refrigerated truck. Again, one of the show's best teasers ever. It's there mostly to reinforce Mike's cold, hard skills and his commitment to his employer, which puts a lot of weight behind the trip he takes with Jesse at the end... it's make all the more foreboding. It also contrasts Mike's professionalism with Walt's professionalism (or lack thereof). Yet another character-focused teaser.

Shotgun - Here's the "chaos" you were talking about. Walter drives around wildly, making arrangements with Saul and his wife as if it could all end. Again, probably one of the best teasers in the show's history (that makes 3 so far). Perhaps the most effective thing it does is describe Walt's dedication to his partner (Jesse) with the manic/heroic determination only to CRUSH it when Walt finally gets to speak to a tragically indifferent Jesse. Brilliant.

Cornered - The cartel has figured out Gus's operation and how to plunder his trucks. This scene describes how cold-blooded they are (eating the driver's lunch while the people die inside the truck), and it establishes the mystery which is answered later in the episode (why they only took one bucket, and what its significance is). It also establishes the titular theme of the episode (Gus is obviously being "cornered" here, and Walter is elsewhere in the episode). It also establishes the character who meets with Gus in the next episode.

Problem Dog - Having Gale's image pop into the video game was very disturbing, and it did a great job of putting me in Jesse's head. This reminds us that Jesse is still dealing with it (especially because he plays it again), but more importantly it sets up the wonderful "problem dog" scene, where we learn that Jesse is not only still dealing with the event itself, but he's dealing with how to deal with it.

Everyone had valid reasons and that is so rare for television.

And they still do. Whose motives are you confused about?

Even in the first episode of the fourth season, Skylar with the crying baby begging the locksmith to get her into the house.  Such a stupid scene, really.  It says nothing about her character other than directly: She is a nag and a liar.

I think you just don't like Skyler.

That scene was completely necessary (and subtle enough). It answered questions that we really needed answered... Does Skyler still care about Walt? Is she morally flexible enough to carry out the deception that is now required? Yes and yes.

So much so that Gus is connected to Gale by FINGERPRINTS? What the fuck is this, CSI?  That's so banal.  Fingerprints.

You didn't think that was clever? The way Hank got the fingerprints from Gus? The fact that Gus was arrogant enough to meet with Gale in his apartment without taking precautions? No, this isn't CSI. CSI would have tried to concoct something overcomplicated, using technology and instruments that don't even exist (they do that). Fingerprints are elegant. I thought it was fantastic.

I want to see the debris and amount of survivors and all that.

What do you mean?

Honestly, the show should've ended on the third season with Jesse killing Gale.  That says enough.

I hope you're not serious. That would be the most ridiculous place to end the show that I could possibly imagine. All kinds of crucial cliffhangers were introduced. How much will Skyler cooperate, and what's the status of their relationship? Will they buy the car wash? Is Gale in fact dead (some people were unclear)? How will Gus react? What will happen to Walt? What will happen to Jesse?

Not to mention the fact that the show's arc was always meant to be about Walt's journey, Jesse's being a sort of bonus. Ending the series focused on Jesse and pretty much discarding Walter White's arc would be absurd.

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

I don't want it to seem that I'm leaving your points unaddressed.  I am going to rewatch the first episodes of this season so far, but these problems all came to mind for me immediately when watching this new season.  I love the show, so I'll give it the benefit of a doubt before I respond, but I appreciate you going through my points.

[squints]

I looked through a bunch of episode recaps, and I think you're completely wrong. Many of the season 2 teasers focused on the bear/pool motif, which were obviously not addressed in the episodes that followed. The season 3 teasers mostly followed the cousins. Those that didn't were often only marginally connected, and some of them were just not very good. (Example: the teaser for The Fly.) The season 4 teasers have been just as mysterious, chaotic, connected, and meaningful, and probably moreso...

Box Cutter - The scene with Gale unpacking things establishes the box cutter and gives us some fascinating/crucial backstory. Probably one of the best teasers the show has ever had.

Thirty-Eight Snub - Walt buys a gun. Builds tension because we know Walt is going to use it or try to use it. Just as the box cutter was established in the E1 teaser, the gun is established in the E2 teaser. I wasn't a fan of the dealer's dialogue, but overall this was a very effective and necessary teaser.

you mean something like "cold opening" right? Cause everytime i read teaser i kept thinking it was a "Next time on Breaking Bad" teaser...

[Jeremy Blackman]

I looked through a bunch of episode recaps, and I think you're completely wrong. Many of the season 2 teasers focused on the bear/pool motif, which were obviously not addressed in the episodes that followed. The season 3 teasers mostly followed the cousins. Those that didn't were often only marginally connected, and some of them were just not very good. (Example: the teaser for The Fly.) The season 4 teasers have been just as mysterious, chaotic, connected, and meaningful, and probably moreso...

Box Cutter - The scene with Gale unpacking things establishes the box cutter and gives us some fascinating/crucial backstory. Probably one of the best teasers the show has ever had.

Thirty-Eight Snub - Walt buys a gun. Builds tension because we know Walt is going to use it or try to use it. Just as the box cutter was established in the E1 teaser, the gun is established in the E2 teaser. I wasn't a fan of the dealer's dialogue, but overall this was a very effective and necessary teaser.

you mean something like "cold opening" right? Cause everytime i read teaser i kept thinking it was a "Next time on Breaking Bad" teaser...

Thanks to cbrad, I've been listening to the Breaking Bad Insider podcast. They call them "teasers" so that's what they are to me now.

[Stefen]

I think this season kind of sucks so far.

[Jeremy Blackman]

I disagree; the season has a clear direction and a nice sense of foreboding, and pretty much all its characters are as interesting as they've ever been. I think there's been maybe 1 weak episode this season. Season 3 had at least 2-3 weak or bad episodes.

[©brad]

Walt wants to kill Gus! The cartel wants to kill Gus! Hank is onto Gus! I cannot wait to see how all these threads collide.

A few random thoughts:

- How awesome was that opening car scene!
- I think the cold open would have been stronger if they hadn't included shots of Gale in the video game footage, which was a little heavy-handed. All we needed to see was Jesse's face to drive that point home.
- Will Jesse turn on Walt? Honestly at this point I wouldn't blame him. I can't believe Walt is asking him to kill someone again.
- Walt has been a petulant idiot for most of the season. And I love it. 
- Do we want Gus to die? I have to say after all he's done I'm still kind of rooting for him as much as I am Walt. Knocking him out means saying goodbye to one of the most badass villains ever. I have to assume he's got a plan for all of this. 

I think this season kind of sucks so far.

You will be eating your words come end of season. Hell, maybe even by next episode.

[Jeremy Blackman]

I don't think Jesse will turn on Walt. As abrasive as Walt has been, it's been made obvious to us that Jesse agrees with his analysis of the situation, i.e. that Gus's interest in him is suspect and it's probably meant to drive a wedge between them. Remember that Jesse's "street smarts" as they say has always been a core part of his character.

Walt has been a petulant idiot for most of the season. And I love it.

Yeah. I think his character is in this sort of interesting transition period, heading toward full Heisenberg. It's funny, because he has probably technically been full Heisenberg since the end of S3, but he's been on this leash, and it's frustrating him to no end. I assume he will be unleashed by the end of this season. If he's not, I will be disappointed.

[Jeremy Blackman]

Also, funny story. I saw my sister last week. She said she had to tell me about this show she was watching because it was amazing and I would probably like it. Yes... Breaking Bad. She's 18 and heard about it from her friend... apparently the kids are into it.

[©brad]

Also, funny story. I saw my sister last week. She said she had to tell me about this show she was watching because it was amazing and I would probably like it. Yes... Breaking Bad. She's 18 and heard about it from her friend... apparently the kids are into it.

Haha that's funny. You know who else likes this show - republicans! I read an article earlier in the summer that said it plays very well in the red states.

[Jeremy Blackman]

Hmm I figured they'd be turned off by the whole "man turns to meth cooking to pay for his cancer treatment because our health care system is horrible" plot.

[squints]

Did no one watch that last episode? that flashback was crazy.

God i've been waiting all day for xixax to come back up so i could talk to some people about this.