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Breaking Bad - Season 5, Part 1 - Sundays on AMC
- Thread starter Cornballer
- Start date
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Hell yeah. I don't think his parenting skills are up for question.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
-Pyromaniac-
Member
one of the best. Walt Jr. is livin it up.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
I think we're reaching if we're thinking that now Walt doesn't care about Junior.
OH BUT IF HE CARED HE'D STOP MAKING MEFFFF AMIRITE.
Puh-lease.
OH BUT IF HE CARED HE'D STOP MAKING MEFFFF AMIRITE.
Puh-lease.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
He is just arrogant as hell, best believe if his kids were actually in danger, he'd go back into full out panic freaking out mode. He definitely still cares plenty about Junior and Holly.
Well at this point, lets just say Walt doesn't actually give a fuck about any of his family members as people, just what they mean to his ego in the fantasy world he cooked up.
Yup, basically since Season 2.
Yup, basically since Season 2.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
DISAGREE. If something happened to one of his kids he'd meltdown. He wuvwuvwuvs them.
He's a caring and doting father, most of the time.
he started doing all of this shit for his family in the first place. Yes, he gets an ego boost and a high from cooking meth now, but he does care about his family, as misplaced as his feelings are.
Couldn't he have gotten that same high if he was fulfilling his life's dream of becoming an award winning chemist?
Johnny Cage In The Shower
Member
This is very true, the show will become stale very quick if we're not introduced to a higher evil/power that is a threat to Walt & Co. (Jesse,Mike or his family) in the next episode.
Right now it just feels like a shitty soap operatic drama brewing up between a married couple and their criminal past.
Like I said before Jesse is a no show four episodes in this season, only relevant part with the dude is when he cried when he realized he almost killed Walt on false pretenses.
Zee German's better step up their game and come to town to raise some shit on Walt's pesticide ventures.
Skylar really isn't a "main villain"...stop your trolling Puddles.
If Walt cared about his family he would be happy for them when they did things like make a website to raise money to save his life. Instead he's pissed off and feels threatened by his own son. Why? Because Jr. is doing things Walt didn't intend him to do. Walt cares about having a family -- the perfect family, in his head -- but that doesn't mean he cares about the people in it as people. He cares about them as aspects of his own ego.
Yeah, of course he would, because a threat to his family is a threat to his internal world. But that's not really the question. The question is, imagine Jr. coming up to Walt and saying he WANTS to go to boarding school. What would Walt do? I don't think he'd send him off with a pat on the back. He'd do whatever he could to stop him leaving, because Jr's happiness is not relevant so much as Jr's presence in Walt's life, doing what Walt expects of him.
Air Zombie Meat
Member
How many times in the past have we had people saying the show is becoming stale and not enough is happening early in the season. It's all about that buildup, slowly piling up a precarious tower of cards before smashing them down in spectacular fashion. I have enough faith in the writers to think it will be no different this time.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
I disagree. If Junior wanted to go, Walt would let him.
dave is ok
aztek is ok
This season doesn't even really have that, 5.04 was the first "slow" episode and it still set up a bunch of different things. I think part of it is how much of an audience this show builds in the off-season. People are just used to marathon-ing seasons
Mr. Saturn
Member
Why does every show need to have a villain? Besides, it seems like only a few people within Madrigal were involved in Gus' operation in that they were providing materials (Lydia, with the methylmine) or they were getting paid to look the other way (maybe, I'll admit that's speculation on my part).
So it's hard to imagine the Germans raising hell on Walt, although not impossible, and I'm sure if the show were to go in that direction and it were handled correctly it would be good.
At the moment though, there are several characters I could easily see becoming Walt's antagonists in the future.
1. There's Mike, Mike has made no secret that he doesn't like Walt, hell he doesn't even respect the guy, considering his Jesse James line in Hazard Pay.
2. Hank is a smart guy, and it seems obvious that eventually Hank is going to learn the truth about Walt.
3. Lydia will obviously be trouble, considering she tried to have Mike killed and planted the GPS on the methylmine to scare them away.
and of course there's always the possibility there are people within Madrigal besides Lydia and the guy who killed himself who were actively involved in Gus' operation and will want Walt dead.
Air Zombie Meat
Member
Yeah I was going to say that as well, the pace has been much quicker this time compared to past seasons. There are multiple things set up already that have the potential to backfire horribly and no doubt will in one way or the other. Thats what I'm finding gripping at the moment.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Tom Scharpling totally eviscerated that mindset on the Best Show this week. People watch TV shows in long sessions now and it totally blows their enjoyment of them.
Johnny Cage In The Shower
Member
But does the "stale" statement hold true to previous seasons? I mean I just glimpsed over the Pilot and Season 2 ep 1 and they are interesting enough to be their own self-contained movies.
I just don't remember watching four episodes of any other season of this show, where there was no threat on Walter's vulnerable and desperate life by some crazy drug dealer, or a cop or something. Four episodes in, he just wants to start cooking meth in the most ridiculous way (pesticide houses) without any good reason or motivation, except his "ego".
Some (outside threat) better step it up soon! Because Hank and Co. are not really a "threat" nor do they come off as "bad guys". They are just cops that are always one step behind Walt. But that's nothing new, it has been the case since the first season, and it was never enough to make the show the edgy, tense show it's known to be to its fans.
Cornballer
Member
Yeah, I was going to mention that a lot of people marathoned through the first few seasons, and one's expectations are a little different if you're watching on a weekly basis versus tearing through 5-10 episodes in a sitting.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
The weirdest thing about rewatching the early episodes is watching Jesse. He was like a junior thug wannabe, lol. He has matured so much.
I've noticed this too. He just sits around drinking beer and acting basically like a kid thug, it's really cool to see how he grew up throughout a year.
Alright, I'm caught up now! This show is so amazing. I'd file away the last episode of Season 2 and the beginning of Season 3 as the weak link in the show, and it's still good stuff, but every other moment has been fantastic. I'd probably rate the seasons S4>S1>S2>S3, but I dunno. This show is quite possibly the best I've ever seen at building up tension - now that I'm going to have to wait for each episode, that tension's going to be even more palpable. The tail end of Season 3 and Season 4 were just something else.
Heh, I thought that's actually a genius idea. It'll be less efficient than the superlab, but there's not as much chance for it being discovered.
Also, Hank is definitely a threat to Walt. He doesn't need to have a huge villain to face off against like before; he's becoming the villain, though I think Lydia will play a role as an antagonist this season as well. Walt's main enemy this season will likely be Hank, though.
Speaking of "face off", I love the title puns in a lot of the episodes. Genius stuff.
Heh, I thought that's actually a genius idea. It'll be less efficient than the superlab, but there's not as much chance for it being discovered.
Also, Hank is definitely a threat to Walt. He doesn't need to have a huge villain to face off against like before; he's becoming the villain, though I think Lydia will play a role as an antagonist this season as well. Walt's main enemy this season will likely be Hank, though.
Speaking of "face off", I love the title puns in a lot of the episodes. Genius stuff.
Air Zombie Meat
Member
This time around the antagonist is Walt and the people around him. He's making risky decisions that can come back to bite him. Mike, Skyler and Jesse have all ended up in a situation where they can become the enemy. Lydia is also a threat with her erratic behaviour. And I'd say the cops are closer to Walt than they've ever been right now. I do get your point though, it is different but I'm not finding it any less tense. Theres just no-one left that you want to see Walt beat. So far anyway
Yeah, most of the people I know that love Breaking Bad are saving up all the episodes to watch them in a marathon. I don't understand how they can do it and it's really annoying because I can't discuss the show at all when they're around.
out0v0rder
Member
I think the reason Walt didn't want Elliots charity is because he is the product of getting friendzoned by Gretchen a long time ago. Elliot scooped up Gretchen after Walt took to long to make a move on her. Walt got frustrated (longassfriendzonecomic.jpg) and moved on.
Listen to how he hooked up with Skyler. He stalked her while she was working at a cafe, he only went to eat there when she was working. He didn't even like crossword puzzles and only started to do them because she was doing them. Only creeper friendzonees do stuff like that. Skyler eventually noticed him sitting there everyday and found out he was a smart and nice guy and they hit it off luckily.
Now look how Walt is rubbing up on SkySky while she is obviously terrified. He doesn't even know that his behavior is in creepster territory. Next week he will probably prepare a crown of sonnets.
Listen to how he hooked up with Skyler. He stalked her while she was working at a cafe, he only went to eat there when she was working. He didn't even like crossword puzzles and only started to do them because she was doing them. Only creeper friendzonees do stuff like that. Skyler eventually noticed him sitting there everyday and found out he was a smart and nice guy and they hit it off luckily.
Now look how Walt is rubbing up on SkySky while she is obviously terrified. He doesn't even know that his behavior is in creepster territory. Next week he will probably prepare a crown of sonnets.
Gretchen said he left her.
vatstep
This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
This has to be one of the worst series to marathon through. I just feel like the experience would be so much less rewarding. I actually WANT a week to contemplate the episodes.
There was a good AV Club article about this a while back:
http://www.avclub.com/articles/in-defense-of-slow-tv,68187/
Depends on the type of show. I tend to agree more with David Simon - that super-analysis of every individual episode within a season doesn't allow as much for a proper long view (something you see in GAF BB threads constantly, with complaints about the "pacing" in early episodes). Marathoning is useful in that you get a better sense of how the story flows without the artificial breaks between episodes and the often-unnecessary extended focus on single episodes during those breaks.
dave is ok
aztek is ok
I really hate how few people realize that.
Walt left Gretchen when he found out her family was rich. This was not only stated in the show, but by Vince Gilligan in a Sepinwall interview.
EDIT: Correction - it was Jessica Hecht with AMC
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Different kind of show. Simon writes to the "novel" format. Breaking Bad leaves you gaping at every 'mersh break, like LOST in olden times.
dave is ok
aztek is ok
You're better than this BB. Apply yourself.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
With Lost you lose (hyuk hyuk) something since it's basically a mystery show which relies almost entirely on the slow build, but I don't think there's that much of an effect with a show like Breaking Bad.
dave is ok
aztek is ok
Breaking Bad and Lost both had act structures. Breaking Bad has 4 acts and a teaser per episode, Lost had something insane like 6 acts per episode. They were both crafted around the 'mersh breaks and usually had a good end of act moment set up for them.
There wasn't a big act structure at all for The Wire, an episode was an episode.
There wasn't a big act structure at all for The Wire, an episode was an episode.
Pai Pai Master
Banned
Yep, precisely why I think the whole situation with Gretchen and her husband's company pushed Walt further than anything else to the egomaniac he is now. Not only could he not accept their generosity because of his outrageous sense of pride, he had to become the best at his own solution to the problem to prove that he didn't need them.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
To be fair, it's what's on the screen that counts. I just don't believe anything Walt has ever said. Lying comes extremely naturally to him.
And you lose nothing by skipping through the commercial breaks entirely. I'm sure there are many people out there who watch the DVR'd episodes later, fly through the commercials, and don't particularly feel like that negatively affects anything, let alone the pacing.
Commercials are a reality of ad-based television that we don't really have to deal with anymore unless watching the episode live. And you won't lose much by watching episodes of Breaking Bad consecutively except a lot of inane, repetitive discussion in the week breaks.
I think even if you're not discussing things online (and thus are avoiding the inane week-long discussions), your perception of events is still coloured differently by seeing them back to back. Reflection happens with or without discussion.
Commercial breaks on the other hand do nothing but give you a chance to piss.
Commercial breaks on the other hand do nothing but give you a chance to piss.
dave is ok
aztek is ok
Huh? I'm not advocating that people watch commercials. I just mean that television shows on basic cable, Breaking Bad included, put the "big" moments of an episode (like Skylar in the pool, and Walt and Skylar's fight this week) right before a break whereas a show on HBO doesn't have to worry about doing that
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Yeah, exactly. It's just the dramatic act structure that clearly goes into the writing of an episode.
We'll have to ask someone who's been marathoning BB because I've been going through it week-to-week like the rest of you shlubs. :>
The big difference with Lost to me is that most of the fun with that show was specifically the discussion and the crazy theorizing from people as the show progressed, and most people who watch it now or sped through it later in its run miss out on that.
Breaking Bad is a strong, self-contained enough show that those kinds of outside factors don't mean much to it, and with the pacing often being slower throughout the first several episodes of a season, people who go through episodes consecutively can potentially have a better grasp of the narrative flow by the end of the season.
I'm not saying that marathoning Breaking Bad is specifically the way to go, but that I don't think those who do are missing much. They'll just become hooked to it like it's crystal meth in television form and gather great enjoyment from it.
The big difference with Lost to me is that most of the fun with that show was specifically the discussion and the crazy theorizing from people as the show progressed, and most people who watch it now or sped through it later in its run miss out on that.
Breaking Bad is a strong, self-contained enough show that those kinds of outside factors don't mean much to it, and with the pacing often being slower throughout the first several episodes of a season, people who go through episodes consecutively can potentially have a better grasp of the narrative flow by the end of the season.
I'm not saying that marathoning Breaking Bad is specifically the way to go, but that I don't think those who do are missing much. They'll just become hooked to it like it's crystal meth in television form and gather great enjoyment from it.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Think about it this way. Think about seeing Walt scurry up to Skylar in bed, saying it's for the family, cut to black.
When do you think that image will have more impact. When it's followed by three remote clicks and the following episode or by you just sitting there for a while and looking at your cat.
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