Breaking Bad

[ono]

Notice how Walt has turned into Gus in a way.  His mannerisms when attending to Lydia at the car wash were EXACTLY like Gus's.

[Jim Steele]

I mentioned it in the shoutbox, but what about that Star Trek monologue, how amazing was that scene. I wonder if that story will thematically connect to the future story somehow, or if it was just a great little throw away gag.

Either way, I can't prove it but I'm pretty sure that story was probably from a real Spec script that one of the writers wrote once in their life, or something.

[Jeremy Blackman]

What an amazing episode. Those impossible scenes... how do you even go about executing them? And doing it so perfectly? That confrontation in the garage was literally an impossible scene, but it was flawless and exhilarating. Hank's fiery eyes, his quivering lips... I'm speechless right now.

Jesse's angst was handled well as always. Each iteration is slightly different; each time he numbs himself in a different way. And the paperboy scene was classic.

I also enjoyed Walter literally trying to hypnotize Jesse. "I need you to believe this. I need you to believe me."

Notice how Walt has turned into Gus in a way.  His mannerisms when attending to Lydia at the car wash were EXACTLY like Gus's.

Yep, and it's not even subtle. I assume everyone noticed Walt folding the towel in front of the toilet.

[Fernando]

never thought that scene between Hank and Walt would happen this early, what a great scene, of course Walt's way of trying to convince him to not prosecute him had to end with a threat.

my predictions:
Walt might take the ricin to off himself.
Jesse will end up in jail.

[Brando]

I've been jogging lately. It's annoying to keep in the earbuds so I don't listen to any music or anything. I spend a lot of time thinking about random shit including how breaking bad will end. While running, I thought I had some sort of break through: "What if soon in the season Walt realizes Hank is on to him?"  It would make a great season of a cat and mouse between Hank and Walt. Hank believes he's on to Walt while Walt knows but still trying to hide his guilt. EVEN WHEN I THINK I MADE SOME SORT OF GREAT PREDICTION THE WRITERS ARE STILL A STEP A HEAD. That scene between Walt and Hank was so great. Hank was so intimidated he couldn't look him in the eyes. I thought someone or something would bring back Heisenberg but didn't consider Hank would be it. 

Such a great episode. You had to expect that the Ricen would play a role in the ending since it's been such a red herring for so long.

I do remember someone on this board mentioning they thought Walt's cancer has returned. I don't feel like going back through the post to see who it was. I do remember replying to that post that I didn't think Walt's cancer was back cause it turn him back to a sympathetic character. Whoever you were you were right, I was wrong but looking to how they handle it cause they can't make Walt a sympathetic character.

[Pubrick]

the star trek monologue was too much of a sore thumb not to have some foreshadowing potential.
- there's a lot of permutations between which of the BB characters correspond to which ST characters. one thing that stuck out to me, with the theory that Walt takes something from every rival he defeats, the idea to me is that he dies a little and is born anew each time. this corresponds most directly with Badger's theory that people die in teleportation. but in true teleportation fashion, The Fly style, each copy is not perfect, which explains the mutations that Walt has experienced during his rebirths/progression to full Heisenberg.

People always talk about Walt and Heisenberg as a duality, which makes sense since he has fully transitioned to the latter, but who is Heisenberg really? how has his character being constructed? it's easy to see the progression, from self realisation "say my name" to other kinds of defining moments. the important part to me is that he is like an entirely separate character to walt, which is obvious, but it's still a figure that was born of walt. when we see HEISENBERG written on the wall of the house, it is a heavy handed metaphor (which this episode was FULL of, eg. broken mirror, money on the couch between jesse and walt, etc.) that heisenberg had grown to embody not just walt's physical body but his home, his environment,. and what was left is just an empty shell, like the empty pool, just hollowness.

Walt doesn't have to experience a literal death for this show to have a satisfying ending, but heisenberg has to be purged, painfully, and with some dire consequences -- like chekov's insides into space. he goes back to the house to retrieve this one remaining insidious relic from Heisenberg's past, inside the hollow shell of what heisenberg built (presumed dead? hence carol's reaction?) there is a tiny bit of death still left to be distributed.

finally, what i admired most about this episode was the way the writers stay true to their motto of always writing themselves into a corner. it was a literal corner this time, a closed garage at the end of a cul-de-sac. i have NO idea how they're going to get out of that garage. how the fuck can that scene continue? just incredible.

[modage]

I wrote some stuff here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/review-breaking-bad-season-premiere-promises-all-bad-things-must-come-to-an-end-20130808

[diggler]

I love that the show still makes time for Badger and Skinny Pete. Things could easily be dour from here on out, but they still include some great comedic scenes. That Star Trek monologue was so perfect, I was worried they were going to cut away before it was over.

[Fernando]

is there a podcast for the last episode?

I listen them at the amc insider podcast page but right now it doesnt show anything from season 5, not even last year's first half....

[Brando]

when we see HEISENBERG written on the wall of the house, it is a heavy handed metaphor (which this episode was FULL of, eg. broken mirror, money on the couch between jesse and walt, etc.)

You also had Hank seeing Walt through the curtain then like lifting the veil pulls away the curtain to see Walt right at the time Marie calls him the devil. Jessie is sitting on a blanket covered in skulls while Walt is trying to give back the blood money.

I never put together how similar Lydia and Walt are to one another. Both are seemingly straight individuals you'd never expect to be in the meth business. They have double lives. Walt has his glasses and hat and Lydia has her bug eyed sunglasses. Lydia went Heisenberg before Walt and tried to have Mike and his men killed. She told Walt he was putting her in a box. We know what happens when you put her in a box.

is there a podcast for the last episode?

I listen them at the amc insider podcast page but right now it doesnt show anything from season 5, not even last year's first half....

I had forgot about the podcast. This is from Kelley Dixon's Twitter: AMCTV tells me they are having techical probs with podcast player!! They are ON IT and it'll be working SOON!!! TREAD LIGHTLY my friends!


EDIT: Lydia shows up at the carwash and tries to talk to Walt. Walt acts just like Gus did whenever Walt showed up at the restaurant. I'm familiar with Walt taking on the traits of people he's killed but haven't seen anyone mention that Lydia shares some of the traits of Walt and Heisenberg. Some super perceptive fans noticed that Walt puts down a towel when he is vomiting which is what Gus did in Mexico.

[Jeremy Blackman]

Some super perceptive fans noticed that Walt puts down a towel when he is vomiting which is what Gus did in Mexico.

Hey, I mentioned that above! It actually seemed a bit on the heavy-handed side to me, I mean the camera even panned down to look at it. Maybe I just cherished that detail from "Salud." I think I missed most of the metaphors, though.

This episode, perhaps more than any of the first eight, seems quite worthy of a rewatch. I wanted to rewatch it immediately.

I just can't get over Dean Norris's performance in the garage scene. He needs to win all the awards for that. I also appreciated how the shot of Walt was wider so we could really focus on Hank.

I'm dying to hear that podcast.

[Reel]

I just can't get over Dean Norris's performance in the garage scene.

That can't be his real facial hair, right? It looked like they glued pubes to his face.

[Jeremy Blackman]

Yeah, it was weird. He has a 5:00 shadow and seems to have scraggly beard growth over that. Let's try to forget about it...

[polkablues]

Look, not all of us grow facial hair evenly, okay?

No, I'm not taking this personally.

[Brando]

Some super perceptive fans noticed that Walt puts down a towel when he is vomiting which is what Gus did in Mexico.

Hey, I mentioned that above!

After Breaking Bad, I started to drink while I watched Dexter and the Newsroom. I must have been drunker than I thought cause I know I read everyone's post but clearly don't remember any of it cause I just reposted a lot of everyone's comments.

I can't grow a full beard either but Dean Norris' beard did make me feel a lot better about my own. According to BB logic, a goatee means you're a badass and a beard means you're an emotional wreck.