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[water_wendi]

The show has had its share of contrived nonsense but this wasnt one of those times.

 

[bodyofanamerican]

I look at it as Walt getting sloppy.

Tie it back to Hank's statement about Mike where he says "even the most professional criminal slips up and we just have to be ready to act whe he does." (paraphrasing obviously)

 

[Stet]

I look at it as Walt getting sloppy.

This book would have been from before Gus was killed and before Gale was killed. He'd have been sloppy back in season 3.

 

[Willkiller]

With Hank opening Gus's laptop and seeing Walt walk in on the recorded footage. Same epiphany, less awkward and boring.

It's going to be so much more interesting how they've done it now. If that's how it happened that's 100% proof right there.

As it is we'll have to see how Hank approaches it, will he be in denial? Will he be back on the hunt for more evidence before he finally confronts him? There's much more opportunities for interesting character development now.

 

[Saty]

It's not deus ex machina. Hank finding the book tells us something about Walt, and how at the end of the day, Walt himself was the last loose end.

Yes, a cheap way.

It isn't anywhere close to deus ex machina. I really hate when people use this phrase so loosely. A coincidence is not the god in the machine. Coincidences are almost essential to creating a story that doesn't come off as overly contrived, especially in stories that focus on criminals and cops.

A deus ex machinas would have been if a brand new character popped into Hank's life and said after meeting Walt once "hey, that brilliant chemist brother in law of yours sure is kinda shifty isn't he? What if HE'S MAKING METH?!?!" Hank having all the pieces and a mistake on Walt's part forcing him to put them all together? That's completely reasonable and not at all a 'great sin of storytelling'.

There is only one piece: Gale's notebook with a similar dedication. And Walt knows that and yet he keeps that smoking gun of an evidence despite his recently exhibited evidence-wiping behavior. Lazy writing. It's not as if being 'only' a coincidence makes it better. A major aspect of the show decided by blind luck,coincidence and a spotty character?

There was nothing about that book being in the bathroom of Walt's house that can be considered an unexpected direction.

Only the book being there and become the sole reason Hank would divert the attention to Walt. How convenient.

When you naysayers thought Hank was gonna find out about Walt, how did you exactly imagine it?

Hank was already on the verge of catching Walt in that RV moment before getting the fake call about Mary. I don't recall having any issues with that.

If Hank is going to find out then let it be a product of actual police work and not gifts being landed at him. Jesse could find out about Walt killing Mike and in return prod Hank to the right direction. And the way people describe Walt here i'm sure he could have made many mistakes that would have re-opened the case and reheat the trail rather than dropping it into Hank's hands wholesale.

 

[bodyofanamerican]

I look at it as Walt getting sloppy.

I thiught of it tieing Walt back to Hank's statement about Mike where Hank says "even the most professional criminal slips up and we just have to be ready to act whe he does." (paraphrasing obviously)

 

[Stet]

It's going to be so much more interesting how they've done it now. If that's how it happened that's 100% proof right there.

As it is we'll have to see how Hank approaches it, will he be in denial? Will he be back on the hunt for more evidence before he finally confronts him? There's much more opportunities for interesting character development now.

I disagree. Hank knows, undeniably, regardless. If he had seen the footage on the screen he'd have to figure out whether or not he'd do something about it in that very moment. The drama would be less protracted and more exciting.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

I look at it as Walt getting sloppy.

people have it painted in their minds that

a) walt is a horrible monster and anything even slightly positive can be attributed to something super negative because grr grr walt is horrible and. When he's actually pretty complex more often than not.

b) walt is some mastermind criminal that couldn't possibly ever make a mistake even though he spends like 4 seasons out 5 being a fumbling and bumbling guy who is making it on the seat of his pants.

The book doesn't cross any line. The guy has had it forever, he has been through so much shit. The book is the last thing on his mind after 3 months of straight up work grind and whatnot. And then his decision to be out was actually pretty sudden. The book is just what it is. Something he didn't think of. End of story. Walt is capable of fucking up folks, and imo it isn't even a big fuck up (leaving a book in your washroom). He just got screwed bad on it.

 

[GavinGT]

When you naysayers thought Hank was gonna find out about Walt, how did you exactly imagine it?

I expected it to be something we could have pieced together ourselves. Like a good detective story. I've gone back and re-watched all the Gale scenes and he never gave Walt that book on-screen.

 

[BocoDragon]

Hank finding out about Walt while on the job, just investigating criminal evidence, is so much less personal and less interesting than finding out while living family life at Walt's home.

I expected it to be something we could have pieced together ourselves. Like a good detective story. I've gone back and re-watched all the Gale scenes and he never gave Walt that book on-screen.

Yeah that part is a little unfortunate.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

I disagree. Hank knows, undeniably, regardless. If he had seen the footage on the screen he'd have to figure out whether or not he'd do something about it in that very moment. The drama would be less protracted and more exciting.

And in this way, it's more tense and suspenseful and heartwrenching, i.e., the sort of drama the show does best. Hank knows, but he has no direct proof, no case. A video would be instant grounds for a surprise arrest, some initials in a poetry book are not.

 

[RevDM]

Hank and Walt, who's going to kill who?

 

[Deleted member 81567]

Gus' laptop will not make sense though. That's even more of a coincidence than this. Walt made sure to get rid of everything, and forgets about the damn laptop?

While the book shows his hubris (as repeated countless of times), and how proud he was keeping it there. It was a symbol of admiration by a reputable chemist. It only made sense if it was that or the watch, and the book even makes more sense since there was a link with the episode in season 4.

Y'all should stop being so nitpicky.

 

[rekameohs]

I expected it to be something we could have pieced together ourselves. Like a good detective story. I've gone back and re-watched all the Gale scenes and he never gave Walt that book on-screen.

Well, Hank never saw Gale give him the book either, so in a way, he is piecing it together as we are.

Gale loved Walt Whitman, with multiple quotations of him. Walt notices a Walt Whitman book and smiles at it (i.e. he isn't the one who bought it).

 

[EdibleExplosives]

Hank and Walt, who's going to kill who?

Walt will kill Hank, Skyler will walk in on him, he'll panic and kill Skyler, then fuck Lydia, grow his hair back and run away. Then he'll come back and kill Lydia with the big fuck off machine gun, just because.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

people have it painted in their minds that

a) walt is a horrible monster and anything even slightly positive can be attributed to something super negative because grr grr walt is horrible and. When he's actually pretty complex more often than not.

b) walt is some mastermind criminal that couldn't possibly ever make a mistake even though he spends like 4 seasons out 5 being a fumbling and bumbling guy who is making it on the seat of his pants.

The book doesn't cross any line. The guy has had it forever, he has been through so much shit. The book is the last thing on his mind after 3 months of straight up work grind and whatnot. And then his decision to be out was actually pretty sudden. The book is just what it is. Something he didn't think of. End of story. Walt is capable of fucking up folks, and imo it isn't even a big fuck up (leaving a book in your washroom). He just got screwed bad on it.

Seriously, people are acting like Walt (Walter "let's join up with a psychopathic murderer for our business deal and then when I have to explain my disappearance, walk naked into a convenience store" White) is Batman and Doctor Doom put together.

This is the guy who tried to put on a big facade of being a careful mastermind when he first met Gus Fring, then had it torn off in an instant when Gus pointed out that Walt is just a nobody who relies on an irresponsible junkie for important business deals.

 

[Stet]

Gus' laptop will not make sense though. That's even more of a coincidence than this. Walt made sure to get rid of everything, and forgets about the damn laptop?

While the book shows his hubris (as repeated countless of times), and how proud he was keeping it there. It was a symbol of admiration by a reputable chemist. It only made sense if it was that or the watch, and the book even makes more sense since there was a link with the episode in season 4.

Y'all should stop being so nitpicky.

This isn't hubris, this is coincidence. Don't confuse the two. Hubris isn't accidentally leaving a book around. I think people need to decide if 1) Walt was leaving the book around because it gave him a boner to have a dumb expositional inscription from a guy he had killed or 2) he just forgot about it/never read the inscription.

Neither of them seem to jive with his character.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Start of next season will be Hank having a heart attack trying to sqeeze the last poo out.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

This isn't hubris, this is coincidence. Don't confuse the two. Hubris isn't accidentally leaving a book around. I think people need to decide if 1) Walt was leaving the book around because it gave him a boner to have a dumb expositional inscription from a guy he had killed or 2) he just forgot about it/never read the inscription.

Neither of them seem to jive with his character.

The first one. The first one that is hubris and is 100% Walter White.

Also I like how a standard "I liked working with you, here's a gift" written in a gift is a "dumb expositional inscription."

 

[Willkiller]

I disagree. Hank knows, undeniably, regardless. If he had seen the footage on the screen he'd have to figure out whether or not he'd do something about it in that very moment. The drama would be less protracted and more exciting.

I agree but he has very important decisions to make now. If they had gone the laptop route I would assume, otherwise people would be saying how reckless it would have been of gus, that the files implicating Walt would have been protected. That to me means that Hank wouldn't be the first to get the information about Walt, it would be some DEA worker who specialised in hacking or something to extract the files. Then Hank has no control over what happens next, they'd be gunning for Walt and that's that.

Now, Walt has been out the game for 3 months, he's previously helped Hank with his medical bills, ensured his and Marie's saftey. Will Hank tear the family apart by contacting the DEA or will he let it sit for a while. As far as the DEA is concerned the Heisenburg case is dead, Hank doesn't have to gun for Walt straight away (although we all know he will).

I dunno, I just think there's so much more interesting avenues they can take this down for the first couple of episodes at least. Breaking Bad for me has always been about the character development and now they've given themselves a fantastic opportunity to explore Hank and Walts confrontation rather than the DEA busting down doors in episode 9!

 

[beastmode]

Gus' laptop will not make sense though. That's even more of a coincidence than this. Walt made sure to get rid of everything, and forgets about the damn laptop?

While the book shows his hubris (as repeated countless of times), and how proud he was keeping it there. It was a symbol of admiration by a reputable chemist. It only made sense if it was that or the watch, and the book even makes more sense since there was a link with the episode in season 4.

Y'all should stop being so nitpicky.

No one has said that this one incident is anything other than a small event in an large ongoing problem.

 

[Stet]

And let's be perfectly clear, I'm not saying I find this method unbelievable. I just find it uninteresting. Part of writing a serial is knowing what's going on after the scene ends. Hank sees Walt on Gus's laptop and the scene ends? Oh shit, something big is going down.

Hank sees the book while sitting on the shitter? Hmm, better finish crapping...maybe act a little awkward and find a way to leave afterwards...

 

[rekameohs]

1) Walt was leaving the book around because it gave him a boner to have a dumb expositional inscription from a guy he had killed
Neither of them seem to jive with his character.

How is this not Walter White?

Did you not see the post heavily discussed in this very thread where people went over all of the mannerisms/objects he had taken from his murder victims?

 

[beastmode]

Start of next season will be Hank having a heart attack trying to sqeeze the last poo out.

It would be about as ridiculous as this coincidence, as we know that he's had problems with PTSD in the past.

 

[Deleted member 81567]

This isn't hubris, this is coincidence. Don't confuse the two. Hubris isn't accidentally leaving a book around. I think people need to decide if 1) Walt was leaving the book around because it gave him a boner to have a dumb expositional inscription from a guy he had killed or 2) he just forgot about it/never read the inscription.

Neither of them seem to jive with his character.

How does the first not comply with the character? We already know Walt keeps mementos of people's death he's responsible for, and this specific book reminded him of how great he is. He also admired Whitman's poem back in season 3. Of course he's gonna keep the book and eventually leave it around It's a combination of both reasonings.

 

[Stet]

Also I like how a standard "I liked working with you, here's a gift" written in a gift is a "dumb expositional inscription."

"I like working with you, here's a gift" is not "ha ha to my OTHER W.W. get it? like in the note that's in my personal notebook?"

 

[AlexSmash]

did the book appear before?

 

[Saty]

You don't need to have be a mastermind to get rid off anything that might get you in a bad spot, as was shown in the first episode.

The guy has had it forever, he has been through so much shit. The book is the last thing on his mind after 3 months of straight up work grind and whatnot

Why didn't he stash\got rid of the book once he got it MONTHS ago (in S3)?

A major development in narrative being unfolded by luck and coincidence isn't nitpicking. It's fundamental.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

"I like working with you, here's a gift" is not "ha ha to my OTHER W.W. get it? like in the note that's in my personal notebook?"

Yeah, it's not like he was referring to the actual book written by Walt Whitman that he was giving Walter, he was clearly writing a joke based on a note in a notebook that Walter had no reason to know about when Gale gave him the book.

 

[GavinGT]

did the book appear before?

Multiple times, I think. Most notably, Walt put it on his nightstand when he was unpacking earlier this season (after moving back in). But we never knew about the note.

 

[ari]

Dude left the damn book under some mags in the bathroom, after three months of having it sit on his toilet (shower scene at the beginning of the ep.). Not sure why people is up in arms on this one. The note in the beginning of the book is so easily overlooked, no one would have ever thought about it. Not even Walt. Seems very reasonable to me. Damn guys, chill.

 

[bonesquad]

I expected it to be something we could have pieced together ourselves. Like a good detective story. I've gone back and re-watched all the Gale scenes and he never gave Walt that book on-screen.

But the implication even back then was that it was a gift from Gale. Gale recited his love for Walt Whitman, then soon after you see Walt reading a book by Whitman. Surely it was a gift to Walt from the oddball Gale. Whether Walt saw the note is a different question, but I'm not sure it matters.

When Walt looked at the book while unpacking he was smiling at remembering it was his prize gift from the man he had killed on his way to the top. Someone asked me what it was and I said then even it was a gift from Gale.

I too had hoped it was a little subtler, like finding Walt's fancy watch and make connections from there, but this was ok. A bit boring for playing it safe and a little too obvious. Still subtle enough there's no instant showdown.

 

[Nemo]

The ending coincidence I am not happy with

But if you think about it, coincidence is the only way Hank should've found out - the way they did it tho, nope not a fan of it

 

[Davedough]

You don't need to have be a mastermind to get rid off anything that might get you in a bad spot, as was shown in the first episode.


Why didn't he stash\got rid of the book once he got it MONTHS ago (in S3)?

A major development in narrative being unfolded by luck and coincidence isn't nitpicking. It's fundamental.

Its not fundamental, its being a human. How many times have you gone to the kitchen and forgotten why you were going in there? Or got yelled at by your significant other because you just didn't think about something.

A Walt Whitman book signed by someone G.B. is so innocuous that it wouldn't be at the forefront of really anyone's mind, especially after so much time had passed since he got it. When he received it, he had no idea Gail would ever be known by anyone outside of the organization and from his death onward, Walter has been pretty preoccupied.

 

[Deleted member 81567]

Why didn't he stash\got rid of the book once he got it MONTHS ago (in S3)?

He didn't have to. He completely forgot about it, and when he did acknowledge it, it was a reminder that he was loved and admired by such a great chemist.

 

[BocoDragon]

And let's be perfectly clear, I'm not saying I find this method unbelievable. I just find it uninteresting. Part of writing a serial is knowing what's going on after the scene ends. Hank sees Walt on Gus's laptop and the scene ends? Oh shit, something big is going down.

Hank sees the book while sitting on the shitter? Hmm, better finish crapping...maybe act a little awkward and find a way to leave afterwards...

If we went with your laptop idea, or any kind of hard police evidence, it's Hank and the DEA gunning for Walt's ass for the rest of the series. They know it's him: the rest turns into an action show. Less suspense.

With a book, there's doubt. We're gonna have scenes where Hank and Walt are talking, acting like everything is normal, while Hank is fishing for evidence of guilt, while Walt slowly realizes that he might be under suspicion....

 

[Stet]

Yeah, it's not like he was referring to the actual book written by Walt Whitman that he was giving Walter, he was clearly writing a joke based on a note in a notebook that Walter had no reason to know about when Gale gave him the book.

The point isn't that it's possible, the point is that it's implausible. The only reason that first part of the inscription was there was to make sure Hank had no doubt when he saw it. That's why we never saw the inscription either, because we would have figured it out. It's the easiest, dumbest way possible.

 

[AlexSmash]

the book was at a place walt could control/felt safe about it.
makes sense to me

 

[beastmode]

If we went with your laptop idea, or any kind of hard police evidence, it's Hank and the DEA gunning for Walt's ass for the rest of the series. They know it's him: the rest turns into an action show. Less suspense.

With a book, there's doubt. We're gonna have scenes where Hank and Walt are talking, acting like everything is normal, while Hank is fishing for evidence of guilt, while Walt slowly realizes that he might be under suspicion....

Could he not have found the book under any other circumstance than on the toilet during the mid-season finale?

 

[Deleted member 81567]

Could he not have found the book under any other circumstance than on the toilet during the mid-season finale?

No, because this perfectly sets up something different for the final half. Walt is out, and now the cat and mouse game begins. Starting it anytime sooner, would interfere with Walt's rise to power.

 

[Willkiller]

Could he not have found the book under any other circumstance than on the toilet during the mid-season finale?

Of course, but why would any other scenario be more plausible? The point is he finds the book, does it matter if he's on the toilet or flicking through Walt's book case?

 

[YoungHav]

why do you monkeys think it's ok to drop RDR spoilers? Some of us haven't played that game. Same thing with you z0mg Landry spoiler folks, stfu.

 

[Mr. Saturn]

You know for anyone whose complained about deus ex machinas or coincidences, what about the fact, and this is something Emceegramr (sp?) pointed out earlier, that Walt just happening to run into one of his old high school students was a coincidence? Why is that okay, but Hank finding out the truth about Walt in this way not>

 

[EmCeeGramr]

The point isn't that it's possible, the point is that it's implausible. The only reason that first part of the inscription was there was to make sure Hank had no doubt when he saw it. That's why we never saw the inscription either, because we would have figured it out. It's the easiest, dumbest way possible.

The first part of the inscription is there because Gale is an eccentric lovable dude who made a little joke giving a present to the other "WW" he admires.

Also, no, Hank figuring it out by seeing a video of Walt on a computer he found would have been the easiest dumbest way possible.

 

[Wiggum2007]

You guys suck him being on the toilet when finding it was the best part

I wish Walt would grab his crotch he hasn't done that in awhile

 

[Deleted member 81567]

I think the toilet aspect just contributes to the fact that Breaking Bad can also be viewed as a black comedy.

Hank is just sitting there, taking a shit, while finding out Walt is the one he's been desperately looking for. Just typical Breaking Bad fashion, and I'm surprised that's what bothered some people.

 

[BocoDragon]

Could he not have found the book under any other circumstance than on the toilet during the mid-season finale?

Being on the toilet is the most unsuspecting moment of revelation.

Yes, he could have found it earlier.... But what better time than just after Walt quits?

 

[Davedough]

Everyone's talking about it happening randomly and as a gift.

The DEA shut down his case and for lack of better words, told Hank that if he pursued, he wasn't the head of ABQ anymore.

All of his leads in the jail were dead.

Hank had exactly zero to go on anymore, leaving his insane lust to catch Heisenburg unrequited.

How else would Hank find out, if not by random?

 

[GavinGT]

why do you monkeys think it's ok to drop RDR spoilers? Some of us haven't played that game. Same thing with you z0mg Landry spoiler folks, stfu.

That's shit's like 2 1/2 years old. Guess what? Vader is Luke's father.

 

[rekameohs]

I actually would consider the plane crash in season 2 somewhat close to a "deus ex machina moment" and it's for that reason that that's my least favorite segment of the series.

This revelation flowed just fine.