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Breaking Bad - Season 4 - Sundays on AMC

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B

bathala

Banned
overcast said:
What the hell. One of the two main characters is going through a depression because he killed a person. Do you expect him to shrug it off? Also it's an interesting plot point. He'll get over the hurdle eventually, but obviously not right away.

Anyway, solid episode. Not necessarily great, but I certainly enjoyed it. Loved the shot of Walt pointing the gun at the camera, similar to the shot of Jesse pointing the gun at Gale. Walt needs to figure out something, because IDK where he can go now. The last shot of Jesse was pretty telling of where he is at as well.
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Like I said. I get it.

But some tv series handled this emotional depression better, and Jesse went to this experienced twice already.
 
O

overcast

Member
bathala said:
Like I said. I get it.

But some tv series handled this emotional depression better, and Jesse went to this experienced twice already.
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Jesse is still relatively inexperienced in life. The show seems to be showing that these 2 characters are really not used to the dangers of the drug game.

I like this because I know the emotional dips require convincing acting. We get to see Paul pull out a lot of emotion.
 
B

Buckethead

Banned
I didn't particularly like it to be honest.

I know it's setting the tone, but I don't really like what it's setting up.
More Skylar which is just... just terrible - and Jesse's annoying friends popping up again.

My guess would that (remember guess) that Jesse will be killed at the end of the season due to some heroic act. Walt just can't save him again or something like that.

Who knows.
 
O

overcast

Member
Cringe Humor, I hate to call you out. I am slowly starting to think you enjoy trolling. Been saying some things, and people haven't appreciated it in other threads. We all know what will come of calling Skylar a "cunt".
 
C

Cringe Humor

Banned
overcast said:
Cringe Humor, I hate to call you out. I am slowly starting to think you enjoy trolling. Been saying some things, and people haven't appreciated it in other threads. We all know what will come of calling Skylar a "cunt".
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I was born in the UK, notta big deal using the "c word". Just throw some shrimp on the barby.
 
J

Jexemad

Member
Mike is a boss.
Marie is obviously getting sick of Hank, and she's gonna jump the physician's bones.
The voice in the phone call was strange. I don't think it's either Gus or Mike.
 
M

Moofers

Member
UNGA BUNGA BUNGA, G!

Great episode. I feel bad for everybody now. I don't understand why Hank is so hostile toward Marie though. She's his biggest supporter and he is just shitting on her. Anyone care to explain some theories?

Also, I want to say that this show is a joy to watch not just for the story, but the way they shoot so many of the scenes. Its just so damn creative. The camera mounted on the roomba, the scenes of Jessie partying while looking dead inside, and then that final haunting image of him sitting down in front of that blasting speaker.....I mean wow. I just don't see a lot of that on television. This week's episode was a reminder of some of what makes that show stand out above so many other shows.
 
G

GavinGT

Banned
Moofers said:
UNGA BUNGA BUNGA, G!

Great episode. I feel bad for everybody now. I don't understand why Hank is so hostile toward Marie though. She's his biggest supporter and he is just shitting on her. Anyone care to explain some theories?
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Hank's big thing is that he can never show weakness to others. Marie has seen him at his weakest, and he resents it. He's also not very good at addressing his own emotions, so he aggressively resists her pleas to communicate.
 
M

Moofers

Member
GavinGT said:
Hank's big thing is that he can never show weakness to others. Marie has seen him at his weakest, and he resents it. He's also not very good at addressing his own emotions, so he aggressively resists her pleas to communicate.
Click to expand...

I guess I could see that, but if I had a wife like that who was behind me all the way and willing to give me handjobs in a hospital, I'd be one smiling motherfucker.
 
B

blahblah...blah

Member
I think we can all concede that that wasn't the greatest episode Breaking Bad has ever done (I would probably put it below anything season 3 offered up) but, as so many people have noted, the weaker Breaking Bad episodes are still very good television. I think some of the defensiveness in this thread is the result of dissent being expressed in exaggerated terms ("worst hour of television in a long while", etc.)

With that out of the way, I should say that I liked the episode overall, in particular the brief return of Heisenberg. Aaron Paul really is an incredible actor, and the final shot of him crying was heartbreaking. I read a comment on AVClub that interpreted the events of the episode slightly differently: this person reckoned that Jesse has accepted that he might not be long for this earth, and has decided to enjoy what little time he has left. Thoughts? I don't wholly buy it, as I think Jesse believes Gus has to keep them alive out of necessity, but there's probably an element of truth to it.

And now for the big thing that's worrying me: Marie and the therapist. They better not go there, as it's pretty clear from everything that's happened so far that Hank and Marie really love each other, and Hank's anger is as much about his inability to look after Marie as it is his weakened state in general. The chat with the therapist, I'm hoping, was just to highlight how desperate Marie is to have the happier, more determined Hank on a permanent basis, as opposed to just for the hour every week with the therapist.
 
U

U2NUMB

Member
blahblah...blah said:
And now for the big thing that's worrying me: Marie and the therapist. They better not go there, as it's pretty clear from everything that's happened so far that Hank and Marie really love each other, and Hank's anger is as much about his inability to look after Marie as it is his weakened state in general. The chat with the therapist, I'm hoping, was just to highlight how desperate Marie is to have the happier, more determined Hank on a permanent basis, as opposed to just for the hour every week with the therapist.
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Well It certainly is setting up for that to happen as I think Hank himself will push her in that direction. I can see it happening and pushing Hank to an even deeper place if he finds out or it almost happens and is just a side issue for one show or so.

Either way something will happen in that area.
 
W

Wanace

Member
I hate Marie far more than Skylar with her shoplifting and bitchy attitude, but she's starting to come around as a better character. Skylar going into the car wash with the offer was a bitchy move especially since Walt said he would take care of it, and now they have to come up with another way since that guy will be on his guard against them buying it.

As for Jesse, I think that he either wants to surround himself with people so he feels safe, or he's expecting that he's going to die soon and wants to live it up while he can. Maybe he just wants to party and get high to forget about what he's done. Either way his emotional state is fucked.

I like the appeal to Mike as well, I think we'll see something happen on that front for sure.
 
X

xandaca

Member
Here's my review and analysis of last night's episode - despite what a lot of people here seem to be saying, I thought it was fantastic. I particularly love how, after focusing so strongly on Walt for the past three years, this season seems to be opening the stakes up as a battle for power between all the key players. I also get the feeling that Jesse could turn into the world's least likely Hamlet analogue, which would be awesome, yo.

With regards to the Marie and Hank subplot, I think GavinGT essentially hit it on the head. Hank wants to prove to himself that he's strong enough to overcome his injuries, so Marie's constant desire to be involved is seen by him as her saying he needs help, an affront to his manhood.
 
C

ChoklitReign

Member
Great episode. I think BB's formula is like a Stephen King novel: a slow buildup with a satisfying climax. The acting is phenomenal. The opening scene reminded me of the Coen Brothers. Jesse and his friends were hilarious. For the first time I enjoyed the Hank and Maria scenes (after being shot).

I have some questions about Walter.
1. Who was he going to shoot, the new guy?
2. Why did Mike beat him up? Are they competing against each other?
 
S

sixteen-bit

Member
ChoklitReign said:
Great episode. I think BB's formula is like a Stephen King novel: a slow buildup with a satisfying climax. The acting is phenomenal. The opening scene reminded me of the Coen Brothers. Jesse and his friends were hilarious. For the first time I enjoyed the Hank and Maria scenes (after being shot).

I have some questions about Walter.
1. Who was he going to shoot, the new guy?
2. Why did Mike beat him up? Are they competing against each other?
Click to expand...
1. Gus
2. Because Mike knows better than to fuck with Gus
 
Z

Zeliard

Member
This may be me just reading into it too much but I also got the sense that Mike was almost trying to protect Walt by beating the shit out of him, basically as a deterrent. That it was a way to dissuade Walt from broaching the subject again, because he knows it would probably just get Walt killed like it could have the previous night.
 
R

RobotNinjaHornets

Banned
Oooh shit. Any Adventure Time fans here? 'cause I just found out that the crying mountain in Memories of Boom Boom Mountain is Badger.

And I thought it was a great episode. Things needed to calm down a bit after the intensity of last week.
 
T

TheClimaxan

Member
I dug last nights eppy. It was definitely a connector episode but it's setting up some serious stuff. I believe Mike is trying to do Walt a favor by kicking the shit out of him, scaring him off of a bad decision because he is obviously in over his head. But then again nobody gets in over their head like Walter White. I also get the sense that Sklyar is going to bury Eyebrows somehow. She's slowly becoming Walt herself, i.e becoming not the one to fuck with.

Oh, the closing scene with Jesse in front of the sub was excellent. Poor Jesse won't be able to take much more mental abuse.
 
M

metsallica

Member
Jexemad said:
Mike is a boss.
Marie is obviously getting sick of Hank, and she's gonna jump the physician's bones.
The voice in the phone call was strange. I don't think it's either Gus or Mike.
Click to expand...
It was Mike.
 
R

Revenant

Member
Slow ep but the last scene with Walter and then the one with Jesse was fantastic. Was a decent ep, obviously not action filled, but we all know these types of eps are needed to build the season.

definitely a lot more calming to watch then the season opener...
 
T

T.M. MacReady

NO ONE DENIES MEMBER
The Saul Goodman commercial was seriously like something out of the "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!"

I wonder if they had a hand in it, since they're obviously close with Odenkirk.
 
B

BigAT

Member
metsallica said:
It was Mike.
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Are you sure? I just watched this scene again and I'm pretty positive it isn't Mike, it doesn't sound like his voice at all. It's not Gus either, I imagine that it is supposed to be the new Victor.
 
J

JoJoShabadoo

Member
Hmm, I wasn't feeling the episode. Everything felt forced. The return of Heisenberg for example. There was no tension in that scene and I knew nothing was going to happen.
 
M

metsallica

Member
BigAT said:
Are you sure? I just watched this scene again and I'm pretty positive it isn't Mike, it doesn't sound like his voice at all. It's not Gus either, I imagine that it is supposed to be the new Victor.
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Yep, I'm sure. From AMC's official recap:
AMC said:
Late that night, Walt approaches Gus's house, gun in hand, but loses his nerve when Mike calls telling him to "Go home, Walter." His every move is being watched.
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http://www.amctv.com/shows/breaking-bad/episodes/season-4/thirty-eight-snub#episode-details-172852

Certainly sounded like Mike to me while watching, too...
 
S

sixteen-bit

Member
BigAT said:
Are you sure? I just watched this scene again and I'm pretty positive it isn't Mike, it doesn't sound like his voice at all. It's not Gus either, I imagine that it is supposed to be the new Victor.
Click to expand...
Hmm. Who was the guy that warned Hank in "one minute" again?
 
smokeymicpot

smokeymicpot

Beat EviLore at pool.
_dementia said:
Did you see how she had her baby in the passenger seat of her car? Who the hell does that? What a bitch! [/sarcasm]
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Forget about that did you see her trying to buy the car wash. She hates her family.
 
B

big ander

Member
See, I'm not getting this "Marie is about to cheat" vibe. Here's what I think is going on and what might happen:
Hank is pushing Marie away because, as others have said, he hates showing weakness and needing help. He's so ashamed of himself that he can't be with her right now.
I don't think Marie is feeling the need to break away from Hank. If anything, she's been trying so hard to stay loyal as he's pushing her away. Through his 2am mineral examinations and suggestions to literally go away, she's tried to support him in his recovery. Her wanting the therapist to stay was, to me, her wanting the fierce Hank back, not wanting the therapist romantically.
I think she'll convince the therapist to stay on or something because she wants Hank to return to normal, but Hank will think what all of you think: that Marie is cheating because he's weak.
 
Z

Zeliard

Member
Yeah I didn't really get a sense that anything romantic was developing between Marie and the therapist, but rather that she really cares about Hank and genuinely thinks that particular therapist is good for him. She seems on the verge of an emotional breakdown herself. She's trying her best to keep it together.
 
K

kehs

Banned
Zeliard said:
Yeah I didn't really get a sense that anything romantic was developing between Marie and the therapist, but rather that she really cares about Hank and genuinely thinks that particular therapist is good for him. She seems on the verge of an emotional breakdown herself. She's trying her best to keep it together.
Click to expand...

That's usually the setup for a quick fuck to relieve tension.*


*see skyler
*see real life
 
T

Thoraxes

Member
GavinGT said:
That's an interesting theory, but I don't think it will happen. To me, Hank's focus on the crystals is just his way of relieving some of his built up anxiety over being unable to snuff out the blue meth. I think it's also symbolic of his desire to return to the case, but being unable to and needing to find another outlet for his emotions. Also, if he's half as smart as he's being portrayed as, he would quickly realize that the supposed minerals don't have the correct crystal structures.

Who knows, though, maybe he gets so into examining crystal structure that he realizes he's looking at a huge chunk of meth. It would be a fun twist.
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I mean maybe he thinks he's on to something but won't tell everyone what it is, is why he's buying hundreds of dollars of mineral rocks. Or yeah, he's just ready to get back on the job and is examining them. Either way, I just want to see Hank back and kicking ass (hopefully not Walt's).

Copernicus said:
I hope they don't tie his crystal obsession directly to the meth case. It should serve as something to keep him sane and be separate from the blue meth.

I do however think they are gonna pull a bullshit card of "i'll ask walt about crystals" and then walt goes "oh no no, you're looking at the wrong thing" and he'll slip by for at least two episodes.
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Also I didn't think so much about it until they said the word "Blue" like 8-10 times in that scene. It was almost to the point of being overemphasized.
 
Z

Zeliard

Member
Copernicus said:
You'd be surprised.
Click to expand...

It'd be a possible development, certainly, but it isn't really the sense I got. Skyler was ready to sleep with Ted the minute she saw him. Marie seems completely fixated on Hank's recovery but she's also being naive about what he's going through, so her constant doting is wearing him out.

I think it's more likely to be what big ander said - that Hank will suspect her of cheating because he's growing increasingly frustrated with his helpless state, and he may think his circumstances and negative attitude are pushing Marie into the arms of another guy, even if that isn't the case.
 
T

Thoraxes

Member
Zeliard said:
It'd be a possible development, certainly, but it isn't really the sense I got. Skyler was ready to sleep with Ted the minute she saw him. Marie seems completely fixated on Hank's recovery but she's also being naive about what he's going through, so her constant doting is wearing him out.

I think it's more likely to be what big ander said - that Hank will suspect her of cheating because he's growing increasingly frustrated with his helpless state, and he may think his circumstances and negative attitude are pushing Marie into the arms of another guy, even if that isn't the case.
Click to expand...
I think it's going to be one of those things where, since her husband doesn't even talk to her anymore, she does something on impulse and will probably immediately regret it, kind of like the thing with Ted, except you know, she'll regret it right away.

Then together after their reconciliation becomes their story for a little while, they'll be strong together when something really bad happens later. If I had to guess anyways.

Marie is a character that hasn't really "Broken Bad" yet, minus the tiara anyways, and I think the physical therapist is the perfect character to start this with.
 
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