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Breaking Bad - The (Beautiful) Finale - Season 5 Part 2 - Sunday on AMC - OT3

RangerX

Banned
I just finished watching it tonight but to be honest i was underwhelmed. I thought the scene between walt and skylar was excellant but i really wanted a longer scene between walt and jesse. I thought the gun plan involved too much randomness aswell, too many things had to line up. It was decent but not on the level of the wire or the shields finale. Still remains one of the greatest shows of all time but i enjoyed ozymandias much more.
 

valeo

Member
Haven't read anyone elses review because I feel like it would only tanish what I felt after watching that episode - I thought it was perfect. As perfect as a finale to a show like this could be. Loved every moment and I felt something I wasn't expecting to feel at the end - happiness. Relief. Satisfaction. It was great.
 

Persona7

Banned
jack_dies_breaking_barxs62.gif
 

braves01

Banned
nussbaum is wearing thin in general

she has jaded air of someone who has to think something novel about TV too often for money

Her whole dream idea is horrible, but she points out many of the points where viewers' suspension of disbelief is stretched a little too thin in the finale, many of which have already been talked about in this very thread.
 

Mifune

Mehmber
That Nussbaum review

its terrible

its utterly terrible

I don't agree with everything in it, but she raises some good points about how earlier episodes introduced some thorny and painful issues, and the finale sanded them all off. Oh and the complete lack of subtlety about the ricin.

Not a terrible review at all.
 

valeo

Member
To the people saying that they enjoyed it until they read the reviews that started nit picking everything - why do you do that to yourself? Doesn't anyone remember a time where they simply watched a show, enjoyed it and didn't seek out the negative criticisms that destroy any enjoyment you got out of it? I don't understand.
 
You've never seen camo pants + timbs?

90's New York son. There was always 1 cat in Wu-Tang video's rock'n Tims and camo.

10 million views? Man, that's nothing. I read somewhere that the finale of mash got 83 million viewers. I guess a lot of people are busy watching the duck douchbags and pawn shop dipshits.
 

orioto

Good Art™
Watched it tonight. Well, it was pretty, i mean it was a well done episode. Except i kinda feel like .. it's a happy end right ? I mean everything went like Walt wanted. It wasn't the nightmare promised. He died like he wanted, after having all his little vengences like he wanted exactly, without any problem, even could have a proper adieu to his wife, then die assuming his life with satisfaction...

And when you think about it, while some of the past seasons made Walt look like a hatable piece of shit. I'm pretty certain those last episodes were there to make him the good guy in the end. I mean he wanted to save hank, to bring the money to his family, to save Jesse. The spectator had to be on his side.

So i don't know it's a little like the show didn't assume its direction in the end, of being build around someone horrible..

Or.. Did he died in his crappy cabin and everything else is fake ? I could almost believe that. After all he was in really poor condition one episode before.
 

Mononoke

Banned
I just finished watching it tonight but to be honest i was underwhelmed. I thought the scene between walt and skylar was excellant but i really wanted a longer scene between walt and jesse. I thought the gun plan involved too much randomness aswell, too many things had to line up. It was decent but not on the level of the wire or the shields finale. Still remains one of the greatest shows of all time but i enjoyed ozymandias much more.

I think it made sense. I mean, he knows that the clubhouse is where all the Nazis stay at (similar to a biker gangs chapter hangout). The size of the bullets, and the amount of bullets he had (also where the guns was aimed at) - meant there was absolutely no way you were going to survive that, unless you dropped to the floor. And no one had the time to really drop (save for Todd, who went after Walt to get him off of Jesse). And Walt making that mechanism to go left and right is hardly implausible, it's actually probably the most realistic thing he's done on the show to date.

With regards to Jesse and Walt, I just don't know what fans wanted. After all the shit Jesse had been through. After Walt had for months hated Jesse, and blamed him for Hank's death (irrationally I might add) - I just could not imagine the characters having a deep conversation. I wouldn't have believed that scene. I thought the exchanges they gave each other, said more than words could have ever said. It summed up their tragic relationship.

I also quite liked the gun scene between the two, and again - I feel that in itself summed it up.
 

Niraj

I shot people I like more for less.
90's New York son. There was always 1 cat in Wu-Tang video's rock'n Tims and camo.

10 million views? Man, that's nothing. I read somewhere that the finale of mash got 83 million viewers. I guess a lot of people are busy watching the duck douchbags and pawn shop dipshits.

Try over 125 million.

It's a stupid comparison though. Show that's been on the air 11 years, also on network TV, blah blah.
 

inm8num2

Member
To the people saying that they enjoyed it until they read the reviews that started nit picking everything - why do you do that to yourself? Doesn't anyone remember a time where they simply watched a show, enjoyed it and didn't seek out the negative criticisms that destroy any enjoyment you got out of it? I don't understand.

Self-loathing BB fans?

:p
 
90's New York son. There was always 1 cat in Wu-Tang video's rock'n Tims and camo.

10 million views? Man, that's nothing. I read somewhere that the finale of mash got 83 million viewers. I guess a lot of people are busy watching the duck douchbags and pawn shop dipshits.

MASH was on forever, in a completely different media climate where you got 3 channels and that's it.

Cable was still this weird thing that hadn't quite hit yet, partially due to availability, partially because paying for television was still sorta weird. Home Video hadn't really taken over, either.

Hell, you can look back as recent as the mid-to-late 90s and shows that were considered to have mediocre-to-terrible audience sizes were still pulling in estimated 6-12million people live.
 

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
Anyone have that "How's he doing?" Hal Skate dance .gif?
 

Niraj

I shot people I like more for less.
MASH was on forever, in a completely different media climate where you got 3 channels and that's it.

Cable was still this weird thing that hadn't quite hit yet, partially due to availability, partially because paying for television was still sorta weird. Home Video hadn't really taken over, either.

Hell, you can look back as recent as the mid-to-late 90s and shows that were considered to have mediocre-to-terrible audience sizes were still pulling in estimated 6-12million people live.

Exactly. People keep bringing Mash's viewership up, and it's really, really silly.
 
MASH was on forever, in a completely different media climate where you got 3 channels and that's it.

Cable was still this weird thing that hadn't quite hit yet, partially due to availability, partially because paying for television was still sorta weird. Home Video hadn't really taken over, either.

Hell, you can look back as recent as the mid-to-late 90s and shows that were considered to have mediocre-to-terrible audience sizes were still pulling in estimated 6-12million people live.

BobbyRobersts, you are wise.

Exactly. People keep bringing Mash's viewership up, and it's really, really silly.
I dont think its silly. What I'm trying to say is that I think its sad that something as fantastic as Breaking Bad doesn't reach more people. I would hope that such great Television could be enjoyed by so many more people. Just like Mash was.
 

Game-Biz

Member
So many emotions were going through Jesse. One, he has been enslaved by Nazi's and tortured for months, two he probably cannot believe what just happened. The Nazi's were blown to bits, he's free and he knows now that everything is over. It's an explosion of a mix of feelings.
 

Mononoke

Banned
Are you sure it wasn't more like "I'm free from being a prisoner to this gang of nazis"

Pretty sure it was a mixture of both. Jesse was both sad that Walt was going to die (because he still had some ounce of love for the man) - but he also hated his guts. That's what I saw in his eyes, when he said his final goodbye when nodding to him. And ultimately, I think Jesse was relieved that Walt was going to die. It was all over, and he could move on. There was a sense of finality to it, with Walt dying.

So yes, I think it was both him being glad the he escaped the hell of being a slave, but also because he knew that it was all over (which includes Walt dying).
 
Walter White was an addict. It may not have been to a drug, but he exhibited every behavior I've seen addicts exhibit. I think Breaking Bad was brilliant in that we all sort of went with Walter on that ride. His behavior started somewhat justifiable or at least understandable, but slowly it eroded every last good thing in his life.

Even in the last moment, he died an addict. Death was his rock bottom.
 

RangerX

Banned
I think it made sense. I mean, he knows that the clubhouse is where all the Nazis stay at (similar to a biker gangs chapter hangout). The size of the bullets, and the amount of bullets he had (also where the guns was aimed at) - meant there was absolutely no way you were going to survive that, unless you dropped to the floor. And no one had the time to really drop (save for Todd, who went after Walt to get him off of Jesse). And Walt making that mechanism to go left and right is hardly implausible, it's actually probably the most realistic thing he's done on the show to date.

With regards to Jesse and Walt, I just don't know what fans wanted. After all the shit Jesse had been through. After Walt had for months hated Jesse, and blamed him for Hank's death (irrationally I might add) - I just could not imagine the characters having a deep conversation. I wouldn't have believed that scene. I thought the exchanges they gave each other, said more than words could have ever said. It summed up their tragic relationship.

I also quite liked the gun scene between the two, and again - I feel that in itself summed it up.
Yeah good point about Jesse and Walt.When you put it like that it makes sense. i'll have to watch it again. I did really like the nod they gave each other at the end though.
 
90's New York son. There was always 1 cat in Wu-Tang video's rock'n Tims and camo.

10 million views? Man, that's nothing. I read somewhere that the finale of mash got 83 million viewers. I guess a lot of people are busy watching the duck douchbags and pawn shop dipshits.

TV in general has been declining in viewship for years. You can thank the internet and videogames for that. Most of the big viewed finales were pre-mid 90s. TV isn't as big as it used to be.
 

someday

Banned
I think the interesting thing about the finale is that #teamWalt and #teamEveryoneElse see it as a victory. I get the Walt fans seeing this as a win for him and he gets to die on his own terms. But as someone who wasn't pro-Walt, I saw him still getting the ending he deserved. His son HATES him and told him that he wishes he was dead, his daughter will never know her father as anything other than a meth dealer, his marriage ended horribly, his brother-in-law is dead thanks to him, and his legacy is that he made really strong meth. I mean, how is that a legacy to be proud of? In the end he had no one. I thought the final scene with him caressing his lab equipment was actually pathetic and fitting, even though he was happy. It just showed how far he had fallen where being the creator of blue meth was his highest achievement. I mean, does anyone in the world actually respect meth makers? No. His empire lasted for how long? Less than 6 months if I'm following the timeline properly. He was only really beginning to build it at the start of Season 5.

Anyway, I liked the finale. In the years since the Sopranos finale I have finally gotten to the point that I don't care how it ended but I wasn't impressed at the time. In fact I won't even spend the time to rewatch the last season because it just sucked. This ending worked and I'm looking forward to rewatching it at some time.
 

Mononoke

Banned
I wonder what the legacy of Breaking Bad will be now that it's over. I get this sense that, a lot of people really liked it. But there is almost this "muted" feeling about it too. Like yeah it was great, but it wasn't the perfect ending it could have been. Almost as if people feel the ending kind of capped the show off in a way that sums up the point of the show in a way that lessens its greatness. Of course, I'm just going off what I think people are saying. Who knows if what I'm reading and hearing is actually representative of a larger feeling.

It's just kind of funny to me. Because I remember when LOST ended, it was pretty clear a ton of people hated the ending. That for a lot of people, the last season and ending ruined the entire show, and also ruined its legacy (although some would argue it was bad before the ending). And here we have this Breaking Bad finale. And most agree that it was at the very least, a good episode. A good ending.

Yet, I get a similar feeling that some believe the shows legacy was knocked back a little because of the ending. Again, could be overreacting to what I'm hearing. But I'm just interested in how critics and people in general view this show later down the line. I remember critics saying around Season 4, Breaking Bad had surpassed the Wire and the Sopranos. Interesting to see those same critics kind of being meh about what the ending ultimately said about the show.
 

7he Talon

Member
I dont think its silly. What I'm trying to say is that I think its sad that something as fantastic as Breaking Bad doesn't reach more people. I would hope that such great Television could be enjoyed by so many more people. Just like Mash was.
Isn't that just rating in the U.S.? Take into account those who download it, watch it on other things like Netflix, watch it on T.V. in other countries when it airs.
It's much bigger then you think.
 
This was a great moment for me. No pretenses of doing it for love or money. Nope, this was straight old revenge, served ice cold.

I actually enjoyed Jesse's moment more. It is one thing to shot someone, but to strangle someone, like Jesse did. Man... that was beautiful revenge. So... fucken... sweet.
 

Solo

Member
I actually enjoyed Jesse's moment more. It is one thing to shot someone, but to strangle someone, like Jesse did. Man... that was beautiful revenge. So... fucken... sweet.

Yep. And Walt's rather indifferent look of "sure, I'll let this happen" was funny.
 

Speevy

Banned
They could have really made a lot of people feel better if the vacuum cleaner repair guy had been waiting for Jesse, but I suppose they didn't have enough time.

Breaking Bad is just so full of dread that you have to wonder how Jesse could have ever escaped.
 

maharg

idspispopd
TV in general has been declining in viewship for years. You can thank the internet and videogames for that. Most of the big viewed finales were pre-mid 90s. TV isn't as big as it used to be.

Well, there's also a lot more channels now, and a lot more shows. I'm not sure that overall viewership has declined as much as just looking at individual show highs would suggest.

The 2012 Superbowl had an estimated total audience of 167 million people, which is no slouch even accounting for the larger pool of people it's drawing from. When Glee was on after the superbowl it had 26 million people watching it.

They could have really made a lot of people feel better if the vacuum cleaner repair guy had been waiting for Jesse, but I suppose they didn't have enough time.

Breaking Bad is just so full of dread that you have to wonder how Jesse could have ever escaped.

Jesse has no money to hire the cleaner.
 

Sullichin

Member
They could have really made a lot of people feel better if the vacuum cleaner repair guy had been waiting for Jesse, but I suppose they didn't have enough time.

Breaking Bad is just so full of dread that you have to wonder how Jesse could have ever escaped.

But Jesse already missed his chance with that guy and Saul said like twenty times you only get one chance.
 
Are you sure it wasn't more like "I'm free from being a prisoner to this gang of nazis"

Jesse has sort of always just been treated like property throughout the series. He's always sort of being carted around by other influences (meth, Krazy 8, Walt, Jane, heroin, Gus, Mike, Hank, nazis, etc.) and in every sense of the word he was breaking free from them.
In a literal sense yes he's thrilled to be free from the nazis but I think it's that he finally has agency over his own path.
 

Niraj

I shot people I like more for less.
BobbyRobersts, you are wise.


I dont think its silly. What I'm trying to say is that I think its sad that something as fantastic as Breaking Bad doesn't reach more people. I would hope that such great Television could be enjoyed by so many more people. Just like Mash was.

Wasn't really directed at you my friend :) I understood what you were getting at, that it's depressing that people are watching dogshit instead of something great like this. Your post reminded me of a few others (here, and elsewhere) that were effectively like "10 million ain't shit, who cares" which is what's silly. No disrespect meant :)
 
I think the interesting thing about the finale is that #teamWalt and #teamEveryoneElse see it as a victory. I get the Walt fans seeing this as a win for him and he gets to die on his own terms. But as someone who wasn't pro-Walt, I saw him still getting the ending he deserved. His son HATES him and told him that he wishes he was dead, his daughter will never know her father as anything other than a meth dealer, his marriage ended horribly, his brother-in-law is dead thanks to him, and his legacy is that he made really strong meth. I mean, how is that a legacy to be proud of? In the end he had no one. I thought the final scene with him caressing his lab equipment was actually pathetic and fitting, even though he was happy. It just showed how far he had fallen where being the creator of blue meth was his highest achievement. I mean, does anyone in the world actually respect meth makers? No. His empire lasted for how long? Less than 6 months if I'm following the timeline properly. He was only really beginning to build it at the start of Season 5.

Anyway, I liked the finale. In the years since the Sopranos finale I have finally gotten to the point that I don't care how it ended but I wasn't impressed at the time. In fact I won't even spend the time to rewatch the last season because it just sucked. This ending worked and I'm looking forward to rewatching it at some time.

As a character, do you think Walt would give a shit how he looked to everyone else? Do you think he cared about his legacy?

He liked it. He told Skyler he enjoyed it and that he did it for himself. Walt won. He lost everything in the process, but he won. He did what he set out to do. To provide for his family after he died. He did what he set out to do.
 
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