I hated it in my first view. But now I appreciate it. People went too far calling it 'jumping the shark'.
Breaking Bad - Season 5, Part 1 - Sundays on AMC
- Thread starter Cornballer
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I hated it in my first view. But now I appreciate it. People went too far calling it 'jumping the shark'.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
werrrd. There has always been a semi cartoonish element to the things happening in this show, and the portrayal of certain characters like early jesse, Saul, Heisenberg.
were you thinking "holy shit he's still ali-REVENGE" right.
Soon you will understand.
Something that I've been wondering:
Is this shit even possible? lol. I mean, getting half your face completely blown and still be fully conscious for 15-20 seconds after that.
I think people said adrenaline shock....I mean I don't see it being that strong for someone to walk and do all that perfectly....but adrenaline shock is possible.
blainethemono
Member
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phineas_Gage
This dude took a railroad spike to the face/through the top of the skull and lived another 12 years. It messed up his personality and gave him other mental issues, but physically he was healthy for the most part. Plus you hear about people surviving being shot in the head on rare occasions. The whole Gus thing definitely seemed over the top and seemingly completely impossible though, given the size of the hole in his head
But I am caught up now, lol
Mikey Jr.
Member
Theres a video of some dude falling down on a concrete corner and literally splitting HIS FUCKING FACE OPEN. Like, right down the middle. I have no idea what became of him, but he wasn't dead. He was like walking around, chilling and shit.
But yeah, I wouldn't doubt that a human could survive for a few seconds.
But yeah, I wouldn't doubt that a human could survive for a few seconds.
Nameless
Member
As was everyone who ever speculated anything about this show.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Solo, in the TV thread, after you watched the first two seasons, you made this statement:
Now that you've caught up, has your opinion changed at all? Has the show ascended to the Deadwood/Mad Men tier in your mind, or does it remain as "just" amazing entertainment?
For me, the show is absolutely one of the best on TV (top two or three), but I think it falls a bit short from the greatness of Mad Men. At least in the writing area. Acting wise Cranston and Paul are up there with the best.
Now that you've caught up, has your opinion changed at all? Has the show ascended to the Deadwood/Mad Men tier in your mind, or does it remain as "just" amazing entertainment?
For me, the show is absolutely one of the best on TV (top two or three), but I think it falls a bit short from the greatness of Mad Men. At least in the writing area. Acting wise Cranston and Paul are up there with the best.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Pretty much all the critics have already said they're willing to place this show in the pantheon of the best shows of all time and honestly I agree that it belongs there. The acting, the story, the unpredictability, the uniqueness, the darkness, etc....it's all shit you've never seen done this way before. Ever. And it's being nailed. That alone cements its placement in the pantheon.
It also provides so many funny moments it's unbelievable.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
yeah the dark humour is awesome, especially in earlier seasons.
But yeah, people often forget that this show is something you've never seen attempted like this on television before. And the way it's not only being tried for the first time but absolutely nailed by everyone involved. Just insane. It's also a show where arguably every season is better than the last, which is rarely done.
Viewership even goes up every season!
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
It does on Dexter too though! ;o
Trent Strong
Banned
Sapronos, Mad Men, The Wire, are head and shoulders above Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad's style of humor is unique and awesome though.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Well the majority disagree.
Majority rules. *drops hammer*.
Majority rules. *drops hammer*.
I don't think that's true. I think viewership on Dexter peaked in S2 and has fallen or been flat since then.
BB has substantial increases every season.
Cornballer
Member
- AMC Q&A: RJ Mitte (Walter White, Jr.)
That makes me wonder what next half season's promo poster will be, since they'll be selling two DVDs and will need two designs.
PastorOfMuppets
Banned
I think The Wire is the clear number one of this bunch. I don't even compare TV shows to the Wire. It should just be assumed that the Wire was a very special TV show that is probably the best thing to ever be put to film.
Mad Men and Breaking Bad are neck and neck for number two in my opinion.
I think the Sopranos is a clear number 3.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
this I agree with, and I LOVE the sopranos. I differ on the part about the Wire, but at the same time see where people like you are coming from. Just wasn't 100% my thing, despite enjoying it a lot.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Nah, the ratings for Dexter have increased each year, and I believe season 6 was the highest rated season so far.
Wiki says S2 was averaging 2.4 mil per episode. season 6 wasn't anywhere close. None of the episodes individually even reached records.
It could be the S2 numbers are different because they're factoring in DVR (but I can't tell if the later seasons are or not, I'm assuming they are). At any rate, the improvements are pretty incremental even if you discount that s2 number. Breaking Bad was bumping up half a million viewers a season until 5, where it bumped up by a million. That's significant change.
BobTheFork
Member
That shit was awesome! No way Vince was going to end another season with people questioning a deeath. So, we get face off XD
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Wiki only counts the Nielsen ratings. Showtime counts viewers in other ways, such as through their online platform Showtime Anytime, as well as repeats across their channels, etc. like HBO. According to this press release Showtime released, Dexter's 6th season averaged 5.5 million weekly viewers.
sleeprockss
Banned
They could have had a scene with a nurse rushing in and finding Gus dead. Gus' spidey sense and face off scene completely took me out of the show and it's really disappointing because everything else in that finale was great.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Um, okay...
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Solo...
Solo...
Now kill Jesse!
Solo...
Now kill Jesse!
Even in the beginning, BB didn't strike me as a particularly realistic show, especially when it came to its portrayal of organized crime.
As such, I appreciated a lot of the crazy elements done over the course of the series. This is a show more about the characters than hard boiled realism.
As such, I appreciated a lot of the crazy elements done over the course of the series. This is a show more about the characters than hard boiled realism.
BobTheFork
Member
I'll disagree. I didn't take spidey sense to figure out something was wrong. Tio finally looks at him and rings that bell like mad. You could even hear a click from the crappy detonator. I had never seen something like that on television and I thought it made for a great, horrible end for Gus.
sleeprockss
Banned
The spidey sense scene I was talking about was when Gus enters the hospital parking lot and "knows" something is wrong with his car. All of that stuff with Tio was great,it's just the scene with Gus walking out and adjusting his tie I didn't like.
Something that I've been wondering:
Is this shit even possible? lol. I mean, getting half your face completely blown and still be fully conscious for 15-20 seconds after that.
I remember when that first aired. Anyone who said it was dumb was crucified in this thread. GAF is funny sometimes.
Buckethead
Banned
Suspension of disbelief is an important concept.
Nameless
Member
Something that I've been wondering:
Is this shit even possible? lol. I mean, getting half your face completely blown and still be fully conscious for 15-20 seconds after that.
This jolted by suspension of disbelief the first time I saw it(and still does, I guess) but the scene was shot to perfection and the events leading up to it accounted for some of the best television ever. Didn't seem fair to dwell too hard on one tiny blip of complete absurdity.
I was actually sorta buying it until he adjusted his tie.
I would say so.
Cuban Legend
Member
Yep. I have these saved here, thought I'd share:
So I wanted a 3ft x5ft print of this.... made my own with the free Rasterbator program and printed it out on portrait styled 5x6 sheets of paper....
It's 5ft x 7ft now up on my wall... will take a pic ASAP and post back with final results.
blahblah...blah
Member
If I could be bothered to check the season 4 thread, I'd find my post after the finale which criticised that scene, and I remember there being many other posters who agreed at the time. For what it's worth, I actually found that scene more objectionable than the plane crash, which might mean my opinion is not to be trusted!
Something that I've been wondering:
Is this shit even possible? lol. I mean, getting half your face completely blown and still be fully conscious for 15-20 seconds after that.
S4 is my favorite season, but this was the worst scene in the series. Yes, worse than the airplane crash.
The human body is pretty resilient, much more than most people think. Assuming his brain is still pretty much intact he'd be deep in shock before he actually died. So it might be possible but it's definitely a huge stretch, and the sort of thing that doesn't work in fiction even if people would Oooh and Aaah at hearing that it happened in real life.
That said it baffles me so much when people treat breaking bad as realist in any way. From the time Walt pretended a volatile explosive was crystal meth the show's gone for the big, dramatic, unlikely moments. Crazy shit has always happened in this show.
Dude, I did the same thing to catch up to season 4. Well done. I'll tell you this though, the withdrawal will be brutal.
What do you think of the side characters like Saul, Mike...Skylar? Etc. I love hearing your opinions on stuff as your views are similar to my own AND you know what's up with that disappointment called LOST. Ah, and yes, your feelings on Fly please. Kinda wish you had blogged about the episodes as you watched, it's always fun to watch someone new get into Breaking Bad.
I think I'm gonna do a rewatch. Should be a nice contrast to Arrested Development
I spoke about some of these characters in the "TV Shows you've watched recently" thread, but I don;t mind doing it again.
- Walt started out as an honest man trying to provide for his family before his death in a dishonest way. But somewhere along the line (quite early on, I'd say), he began enjoying what he was doing. He enjoyed the power, the control, the success. So much so that he pushed away the very thing he originally set out to take care of. He has compromised every single thing for which he once stood for and is now a lying, manipulative, bloodthirsty, power-hungry, control freak shell of a pathetic man. All that of course is negative, but there is the "Don Draper" effect with Walt - despite the fact that he is an unrepentant asshole, he's still a badass who you can't help but like.
- Jesse is the "good guy" of the show in my eyes, and the emotional core. Like Walt, he's seen and done unimaginably awful shit, but unlike Walt, Jesse is still a human being and wants to do the right thing. He has a conscious, feels guilt and has morals. He has been manipulated so much by so many people over the course of the show, none more than Walt.
- Saul Goodman is aces. Brings a smile to my face every time he's on screen. Odenkirk plays the scumbag-lawyer-with-a-heart-of-gold to absolute perfection.
- Skylar is hard to like. I realize that she should be the most sympathetic character on the show given that she is married to an absolute sociopath monster, but she goes so far out of her way to hurt Walt that I find her hard to really get behind.
- Gus was an amazing character and performance by Esposito, and I wonder if maybe they killed him off too early....S5 is lacking a big bad, although I guess the intent is that Walt has become the big bad. Anyways I loved how Gus was so professional and warm 99% of the time, but that he had that 1% where he became terrifying.
We've been waiting for you...
That pizza is going on the fucking roof!
I stand by that - the show is there from an acting and creativity standpoint, but its not there from a writing standpoint. Its in the tier directly below "all time greats" though.
Airplane crash is definitely much much worse than Gus walking like that. Considering stuff that happened in the series it's not that far out, and I'd wager it's not even the most unrealistic Gus moment (COME AT ME BRO!). It's not like people always drop dead the instant they suffer a lethal explosion. It was seconds after the explosion, it definitely is in the realm of possibility.
Gus walking into open fire and leaving unscathed, or having his spidey senses tingle isn't.
Gus walking into open fire and leaving unscathed, or having his spidey senses tingle isn't.
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