Support NeoGAF

[joshcryer]

Walt can't not find out next season about why the planes crashed. He'll put two and two together pretty damn quickly. A google search or two. He'll find that he was responsible. The darkness will continue.

edit: and to all the naysayers about "coincidences." I think people might forget just how many darn "coincidences" are happy to occur in this show. Walt meeting Jesse comes to mind. I find no lack of suspenension of disbelief here, it's just how this show is, practically every episode relies on one coincidence or another. To some people the writers may have went slightly too far, but in the end it's nothing.

HEADLINE: Flight control man responsible for midair airline crash. Wow.

 

[mattiewheels]

Really, just change that one thing and I wouldn't feel at all manipulated.

they 'manupilated' us by foreshadowing death as a result of this guy's actions. i'm glad it wasn't a main character, and it doesn't lessen the impact because there's a sense of remove to it (especially for walt, since he won't even connect the dots about how he had something to do with it until later i suppose...) it was about dealing with his deeds on a karmic level, and i think that's a great way to tie it all up.

 

[GalacticAE]

Walt can't directly be blamed. But I guess he might feel he was responsible. I wonder what he'll do with it.

I felt sort of letdown by the ending only because it was built up the whole season. I was anticipating something different. But I guess it's cool that we're left with a mess of events that Walt has to deal with next season. All is not lost. I still feel this is an excellent show.

 

[Madrin]

Just finished watching. The ending was... aggravating. It was not by any means the sort of final scene that deserves an entire season of build-up.

Aside from the initial letdown, it also takes a serious suspension of belief to accept that Walt's foray into the drug scene snowballed into a plane crash through some flimsy connection. I understand the point the writers are trying to drive home about unintended consequences, but it's the type of cosmic coincidence BS that I would have considered to be below Breaking Bad's traditionally stark realism.

 

[maharg]

Walt has no way of *knowing* he was responsible at this point.

 

[Ventrue]

Very unhappy with this episode.

Edit: VERY.

Edit: I do not think I will want to watch a third season of this show.

I actually found myself hoping for a mega-cop-out surgery dream sequence once the debris starting coming down.

 

[Ashhong]

Walt has no way of *knowing* he was responsible at this point.

if he looks at any newspaper, it will surely say "Flight Controller causes accident after being distracted by the death of his daughter". im sure it wont be that detailed, but you know what i mean. surely he would be interviewed and say that he was distraught and that he had just returned from leave. walt could easily put 2 and 2 together.

 

[Dot50Cal]

Oh you guys suck. As if Season 1 ended any better?

 

[pitt_norton]

After reading Vince Gilligan's take on the final scene in the finale... well fuck, that's just plain awesome.

 

[Spotless Mind]

Just finished this very second. Uhhhh... not what i was expecting out of the foreshadowing at all. Contrived bullshit pay-off out of something we couldn't possibly care about. I would have been fine with it if they didn't continually show glimpses to it all season, building it to be something it wasn't. It is perfectly fitting with Gilligan's offbeat and unexpected writing, but blah... can't help but be disappointed. I thought this kind of thing was below this show.

Everything else was fantastic. Skylar confronting Walt with her connecting everything he did all season was amazing.

I have to ruminate on it more... disappointed in the plane crash, but completely satisfied by all the character scenes.

 

[Suburban Cowboy]

After reading Vince Gilligan's take on the final scene in the finale... well fuck, that's just plain awesome.

link?

 

[Spotless Mind]

link?

Vince Gilligan interview

Excerpt:

Seppinwall: I want to start with the ending, with the planes colliding over Walt's house. When I saw that the season premiere was called "Seven Thirty-Seven," my initial thought was, "Well, this must have something to do with an airliner." And then instead it turns out to be the amount he thinks he needs to leave behind for Skyler. But now we have an actual 737, or something like it, crashing in Walt's backyard. Was that intentional?

Gilligan: Yes it is. And you are the first person to make that connection. Not only that, but if you look at the names of all the episodes, in particular the episodes that have the strange black and white teaser, they spell out a hidden message.

What's that?

Seven Thirty-Seven Down Over ABQ.

Wow. That's cool.

We came up with the number $737,000 dollars, then we reverse-engineered the math. And then the next episode where you have the same black and white teaser, it was called "Down."

When I saw "Over," I just assumed the title referred to Walt assuming his career as a drug dealer was over.

We worked very hard to give them proper dual meanings. So "Over" was over, and in "Down," Jesse was down and out, that's the one where he fell through the blue stuff in the toilet. "ABQ," I don't know what (else) that means, but you go with it.

So what's the point of the ending, in your mind? Why is judgment falling from the sky onto Walt?

In simple terms, we just wanted a giant moment of showmanship to end the season. And what better way than to have a rain of fire coming down around our protagnoist's ears, sort of like the judgment of God? It seemed like a big showmanship moment, and to visualize, in one fell swoop, all the terrible grief that Walt has wrought upon his loved ones, and the community at large.

And it could seem like a deus ex machina moment, but of course Walt has created that moment by letting Jane die and sending her father over the edge.

In that moment, at the end of season two, he doesn't realize it, but he's responsible for the whole world figuratively coming to an end around him. It's not deus ex machina, there's another term we were talking about, Lucifer ex machina, "Devil from the machine" -- it's the opposite. It almost could feel kind of random, but it's not. It's a butterfly effect. All these gears have been turning, this particular outcome was stuff Walt put into motion a long time ago by choosing to cook crystal meth.

It puts it into perspective more, but it's still a crushing disappointment for me. The character drama was superb, so it's not a huge loss, but i think it could have been executed in a more subtle fashion. Walt going into the drug den was much more powerful and shared similar themes. He saw at a personal level what his work was doing to people.

 

[Mohonky]

Oh you guys suck. As if Season 1 ended any better?

Thats the odd thing about this series, it doesn't exactly have a finale, at least not the first two series. The first one ended with a basic lead in to the next series like it was any other episode the week following. I figured maybe they only filmed so many and then were waiting to see how successful it would be. Then with a full go ahead for season 2 I expected more of a 'finale' but again it was just a fairly typical episode (which is brilliant) but it doesn't go above and beyond like other series do.

I'm curious as to whats going to happen between Skyler and Walt. Will he? Won't he?

Will Gus work with Walt again after realising his brother is in the DEA? I lol'd when he walked in, it didn't shock me in the least.

 

[Suburban Cowboy]

Will Gus work with Walt again after realising his brother is in the DEA? I lol'd when he walked in, it didn't shock me in the least.

Again, why are people simply wondering if Walt and Mr. Pollo's business relationship is in trouble? To me, having Pollo know Walt is related to DEA puts Walt's life in immediate danger. The is the man known for being extremely cautious. I don't see how he will just trust Walt not to destroy him.

 

[vazel]

Well that was cheap. The teasing led us to believe it was going to be something actually relating to Walt. Walt finding out he was indirectly responsible for it next season will give that incident legitimacy in the series but the teasing still sucked.

 

[Spotless Mind]

Thats the odd thing about this series, it doesn't exactly have a finale, at least not the first two series. The first one ended with a basic lead in to the next series like it was any other episode the week following.

I was under the impression that the shortened season and relatively low-key 'finale' was due to the writers strike.

 

[AlternativeUlster]

I actually thought it was a great episode and I laughed once I found out that Jane's dad was an air traffic controller which is supposedly the most stressful job in the world and right then you knew he was the one going to break. I thought it was a satisfying end for a season so that we can take a rest from this while perfectly building up Season 3. Season Three then will be:
-Jesse getting clean
-his new relationship with his distro which might be on the rocks since he has a brother in law in the DEA
-His exposure on network TV since people know what he looks like
-The crashing of the airplane which he will might somehow feel responsible for
-Patching things with Sklyer and perhaps edging her to the truth.
-Hank finding out about Walt (more than likely the Season 3 ender)

 

[Ashhong]

Oh you guys suck. As if Season 1 ended any better?

:lol worst comparison, EVER. did S1 have a huge build up from the beginning episode of 1? did S1 have the benefit of a full season and knowing when it will end? It ended prematurely at only 7 episodes because of the strike, no comparison.

Ulster: in the interview with Vince, he implies, and pretty much states, that Gus knows all about Walt. he talks about how thats the type of character Gus is, and theres no way he didn't know everything there is to know about Walt before getting into business with him

 

[Dot50Cal]

:lol worst comparison, EVER. did S1 have a huge build up from the beginning episode of 1? did S1 have the benefit of a full season and knowing when it will end? It ended prematurely at only 7 episodes because of the strike, no comparison.

You really expected them to kill off principal characters in the series? Wheres the precedent? You set yourself up for failure by thinking it was anything. IIRC the creators even said that the "visions" could possibly be one outcome of the season. With that knowledge, I didn't even bother trying to figure them out. I just relaxed and went along for the ride.

This show has yet to have a season ender that's insane. Like I said, it hasn't set that precedent yet, so why assume it should have?

 

[Vlad]

Thats the odd thing about this series, it doesn't exactly have a finale, at least not the first two series. The first one ended with a basic lead in to the next series like it was any other episode the week following. I figured maybe they only filmed so many and then were waiting to see how successful it would be. Then with a full go ahead for season 2 I expected more of a 'finale' but again it was just a fairly typical episode (which is brilliant) but it doesn't go above and beyond like other series do.

That's pretty much exactly what I've been thinking. We've become used to season finales being rather large events, where lots of stuff happens, but this episode really felt like just another episode of Breaking Bad. However, we should also keep in mind that this is a show where quite a bit happens. Think back to what's happened so far since the pilot. Now realize that the show has been on for fewer episodes (20) than a single season of a standard network show (22). There's always so much going on in BB that a season finale where some huge event happens is almost unnecessary.

However, I will admit to being a bit disappointed by the plane crash reveal. If you're going to tease scenes of death and destruction around the main character's house for most of the season and then have it be something strictly symbolic. Sure, two planes colliding is a huge disaster in and of itself, but it's so removed from the main characters that we just don't care, especially since having all those scenes with the pink teddy bear made it seem like it would be something far more important than what it was.

Of course, we don't know where this is going to go yet, so maybe it'll spin off into something larger after all.

 

[BigAT]

I was under the impression that the shortened season and relatively low-key 'finale' was due to the writers strike.

You're correct. The final episode of season 1 was never meant to be a season finale, it was just the last one they were able to produce due to the strike.

Again, why are people simply wondering if Walt and Mr. Pollo's business relationship is in trouble? To me, having Pollo know Walt is related to DEA puts Walt's life in immediate danger. The is the man known for being extremely cautious. I don't see how he will just trust Walt not to destroy him.

I was thinking the same thing while watching the episode. However, reading that interview with Vince Gilligan, he implies that this is not new information to Mr. Pollo. From http://sepinwall.blogspot.com/2009/05/breaking-bad-vince-gilligan-post.html:

Q: And in the finale, we see him finding out a whole lot about Walt during his visit to Hank's office.

A: The way we see it, in the writer's room, is that was not a surprise. Gus is, in our minds, like Bobby Fishcer. He's a master chess player, always thinking 12 or 20 moves ahead. He would never have gotten into business with Walt in the first place without doing due diligence: "Oh, he's a high school chemistry teacher, he has a brother-in-law in the DEA," etc. In my mind, Gus would be less than he is if he was to be surprised by that. It was interesting for us, putting those two worlds together.

Regardless of whether or not this puts a strain on their business relationship, I hope Mr. Pollo has a big role in the upcoming season. He's been one of my favorite characters despite his very limited action. His calm, calculating nature is fantastically executed. He's kind of like Walt without the ego or emotional problems and better business sense.

 

[AlternativeUlster]

Ulster: in the interview with Vince, he implies, and pretty much states, that Gus knows all about Walt. he talks about how thats the type of character Gus is, and theres no way he didn't know everything there is to know about Walt before getting into business with him

Oh yeah, that makes sense. I wonder why Pollo asked him if Walt was an agent then. I guess he could lie about it, knowing that he is a chemistry teacher and that is indeed his brother but he also seemed surprised that Walt had cancer.

 

[D4Danger]

just watched it. Great episode but yeah, the crash was a little odd.

Gus appearing again was a shock. I thought his story was done but he knows all about Walt now. I'm sure that will be a big part of S3.

can't wait.

 

[dave is ok]

I thought the ending was fine.

I was actually relieved that the damage done to the White house wasn't directly caused by Walt or his bad decisions.

I think the plane crash stands on its own, no need to have Walt find out that he may have caused it. It was more symbolic than anything.

 

[Sloane]

Very unhappy with this episode.

Edit: VERY

Me too, way too many coincidences. The crash really wasn't worth the season long teasing. Sky confronting Walt with his lies was a great moment though.

 

[Cornballer]

A few more reviews:
- Ken Tucker at EW.com
- LA Times
- James Poniewozik @ Time.com

 

[Spectral Glider]

IMO

That point was better served when Walt went to get Jesse. That scene was crushing.

Yeah, exactly. That, as well as the scene of the family on the sofa with Walt Jr. talking about how great his dad is at always doing the right thing. And then finally with Skylar laying it all out for Walt at the end. With those scenes, I don't think you needed a plane crash.

 

[Fatalah]

Ya, that plane crash was super lame. It's hard to feel anything but betrayed as a loyal viewer. It's just so tacky to build suspense and intrigue for so long like that just to turn into something completely inconsequential. This show hasnt pissed me off like this since the Jessie's brother reveal.


You think Walt's biggest problem is financial? An overly cautious drug lord now knows someone who knows his face and occupation is related to the man hunting him down. I can't imagine he will just hope Walt doesn't talk

Ah yes, I started thinking about that after I posted. I could imagine a showdown between Walt and Mr. Pollo in season 3. Without his wife around, Walt could be thrust into the most powerful druglord in the southeast US!

 

[Particle Physicist]

Very unhappy with this episode.

Edit: VERY.

Edit: I do not think I will want to watch a third season of this show.

I actually found myself hoping for a mega-cop-out surgery dream sequence once the debris starting coming down.

don't you think you are taking this a bit too far.. ignoring the very final scene of this episode, everything else was great.. no reason to stop watching a show..

 

[Blader]

I just finished watching it.

What a fucking bullshit cop-out ending. I am fucking astounded that the same writers who could deliver such a high-quality drama for 12 episodes (and most of a 13th) could drop the ball in such a way. The actual plane crash is a really contrived way to get their point across, but the fact that they had been teasing to it all season makes it even worse.

Really disappointing. Breaking Bad is one of the best shows on TV, period, right now and seeing an otherwise excellent season end this way is disheartening.

 

[dave is ok]

don't you think you are taking this a bit too far.. ignoring the very final scene of this episode, everything else was great.. no reason to stop watching a show..

Seriously. Everything else in the episode/season was perfect. If they did the plane crash without the four teasers, it'd have worked fine too.

One coincidence bugs me - like Walt/Donald in the bar, but when it's more than one coincidence coming together for something big and thematic, I appreciate it. The plane crash made the season better. It was a nice visual metaphor for Walts world falling apart.

And if you realize that in the teasers, Skylars car was gone - you could still use them to guess at what happens later in the season

 

[Particle Physicist]

question...

the website donations.. thats just walt's money being funneled to him, right?

 

[gdt]

Arg, I see some people are disappointed with the ending . I hope I'm not when I see it.

Ergh, hurry up internet!

 

[Blader]

question...

the website donations.. thats just walt's money being funneled to him, right?

I think so, but I could have sworn Walt told Saul not to do that?

 

[Spotless Mind]

I'm not a fan of the ending, but i think it was a great episode overall and a truly excellent season.

We still don't know how Walt's glasses end up in that line of items by the pool. Someone elsewhere offered up the thought that Walt might fake his death and go underground. Considering how improbable the events of this episode were, plus his profile being raised due to Flynn's site, i wouldn't say it is completely out of the question.

I'm really excited for next season despite my issues. I'm intrigued to see how they deal with the aftermath.

 

[Straightballin]

Why does everyone think he is going to continue on cooking? He doesn't need anymore money, I'm sure his first concern would be able to get his family back together. Also the drug lord who found out about him having a brother in-law in the DEA is probably pissed and is going to come after him. I figure next season will be about him getting his life back together and watching out for that los tocco or w.e. guy. Only way else I see him continuing cooking is if he gets in some other predicament or him and Skyler are completed done and he has nothing else to do.

 

[Cornballer]

- Tim Goodman posted his writeup

 

[gdt]

Saw the episode today...I don't really know what to think about the final scene/scene buildup to the final scene.

 

[Servbot #42]

Saw the episode today...I don't really know what to think about the final scene/scene buildup to the final scene.

Saw the episode yesterday, honestly i am kinda pissed about the ending. The first time they showed bodies in bodybags i was expecting known characters to die in an unexpected way, i got nothing like that. I feel kinda cheated since the bodies weren't from no one i know so therefore i don't really care. I think i am gonna rewatch the episode which is something i never do, most of the time i just watch a TV show's episode once and that's it. I actually watched episodes 2x11 and 2x12 before watching the finale, i probably shouldn't hyped myself so much.

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Why does everyone think he is going to continue on cooking

its his newfound passion. cooking and making money.

granted i'm sure he'll be in no rush. but he'll be back at it soon.

 

[dead souls]

Totally loved the finale. Admittedly the fact that it was a plane crash was a bit out of left field--didn't catch on to the whole "737 Down Over ABQ" episode title hint (which is awesome by the way)--but I'm not nearly as bothered by it as some of the posters are in here.

Overall what an amazing season. I can't wait for the next one.

 

[Fatalah]

After reading the interview with the Breaking Bad creator, I got to thinking about Walt's "transformation".

Midway through Season 1 Walt shaves his head, and keeps it. By end of Season 2, we see Walt unveil his new goatee. I bet by the end of Season 3, Walt will have taken on yet another new characteristic.

That new goatee really adds something.

 

[Spectral Glider]

After reading the interview with the Breaking Bad creator, I got to thinking about Walt's "transformation".

Midway through Season 1 Walt shaves his head, and keeps it. By end of Season 2, we see Walt unveil his new goatee. I bet by the end of Season 3, Walt will have taken on yet another new characteristic.

That new goatee really adds something.

Yeah, the visual changes are fitting as Walt looks nothing like the old Walt, inside and out. It's funny how used to him I am with the shaved head though. Those pictures of him from early season 1 seem so weird looking now.

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

not to mention how cranston looks in malcom in the middle. jesus

 

[Fatalah]

not to mention how cranston looks in malcom in the middle. jesus

I see them as two different actors now. I'm an avid MiTM fan, and it never crosses my mind that I'm watching Walt. Cranston is tops.

 

[mattiewheels]

i'm wondering what you guys mad about the ending really wanted...

and HOW is it a cop-out? it's an plausible chain of events and a great metaphor for the season. this whole cop-out thing is getting boring, it's almost like you guys wanted to see his family die or something :lol

 

[demon]

I see them as two different actors now. I'm an avid MiTM fan, and it never crosses my mind that I'm watching Walt. Cranston is tops.

Agreed.

Cranston is one of the very best tv actors out there. Just superb.

 

[hateradio]

I thought it was a great season ending, I never really read too much into the whole body bag thing so it was actually really surprising to see what happened.

I think you guys have to focus on the fact that Skyler knows something's up and pretty much

Spoiler

asked him to GTFO

, that's the part I was most intrigued by. I knew she had problems with him but I guess she had enough.

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

either she's going to get boned by bernanke or she'll find out about walt's other life and be a part of it in some manner.

i wonder if she'll find out and be like "fuck it, okay. make that money"

 

[Spotless Mind]

i'm wondering what you guys mad about the ending really wanted...

and HOW is it a cop-out? it's an plausible chain of events and a great metaphor for the season. this whole cop-out thing is getting boring, it's almost like you guys wanted to see his family die or something :lol

I thought it was a rather heavy handed metaphor for the season and the fact that they built the ending up to be something it wasn't, instead culminating in a rather improbable final twist, is pretty damn cheap trick to play on the audience. Walt seeing the effects of his product on the people in the drug den gives exactly the same message without resorting to a series of contrivances for a supposed big "wow" moment.

Doesn't effect my view that this season was fantastic regardless. I just don't think it's hard to understand why people would react negatively.