breaking bad is a pretty good show. i don't know a clear way to categorize shows like this as compared to shows like lost or true blood which alot of people like and get pretty good press but which are still totally bogus. it's in the same gang as the wire or the sopranos, anyway. it's got some stuff going on, it's got some stuff to say which isn't bullshit, and it's really entertaining most of the time.

i won't waste anyone's time explaining the show or anything, and i'm gonna talk about plot developments with abandon so if you're watching it and don't wanna know:

scoot off.

get to scoot.

go scoot yourself.





I just watched the most recent episode, 3x12, 'half measures'. it was pretty good I GUESS but i am getting a little tired of the WHOAH WHAT JUST HAPPENED WAS SO F****** B***** MAN. HE JUST FLIPPED OUT AND BOOM AND WHOAH. they do alot of that on breaking bad, and not that it doesn't get you riled up - i mean like i said it is entertaining as heck when it gets like this. i dunno if i'd really call that good though, you know? i mean there's enjoyment to be had there but what am i supposed to be flipping out over someone getting shot on the head and people making sudden rash decisions? i don't WATCH action movies, i don't care about the shooting and the blood. the thing that makes you go nuts over it is the sudden upheavel of the equilibrium, or at least the illusion of that. now that walt has killed those two guys him and gus are probably through and next week is gonna be all tense stand off trigger finger stuff.

and i don't know. i am kind of bored of it. i remember when hank got shot, i mean it was brutal and shocking and i was feeling the adrenaline rush but i don't know. it's so...something. so......

I think I am bored of seeing a bunch of men act tough at each other. Even if they act tough really well, or in very surprising ways. I've seen this stuff done now, and I guess I am kind of over it now? Maybe, anyway. Hey - buddy - look - we're doing a fuckin crime saga here, understand? Things get real. They get rough. They get a little crazy. Strap in.

The women fade into the background, everything fades into the background except two dicks slapping each other in the wind. I think I'm being unfair.

The show is interesting because it's mostly about Walter's belief that the way to take control of your life is by exerting your masculinity, and that's basically what every bad decision he has made has been motivated by and the show does frame his entire life now as a big mess caused by his bad decisions, or more to the point his dumbass, pathetic motivation to demand respect through control and force. He's not even very good at claiming it, he fucks it up all the time. I'm interested in watching a show about a guy like that, and where his failures leave him in the end. Because that's a good thing to be exploring, a good message to carry - if you indulge the hard-on you get out of being the boss, you're going to fuck up everyone's life and people will hate you, and you better be good at it otherwise you'll fuck your own life up, too.

I mean, are we all pumping our fist to see walt kill gus and take over his operation and BE heisenberg now? I am trying not to, cos it's a gross reason to be into the show. It's like when people would watch the wire and get antsy over how long it had been since omar robbed the baddest bad guy in town. People really go nuts over the power plays, you know? I guess it makes for tension in the show but it seems like it's exploiting the kind of mindset these shows are trying to show the danger and downsides of because it makes for exciting tv.

Like, despite all this I DO want to see what walter's next move is after this. does he have a plan? can he pull it off? I don't think I should want him to pull it off. I mean it's all just put together to get my heart rate up, and if I've got reservations about the method of making tv then what am I excited about? There doesn't seem to be any great story behind these latest twists. It's just well plotted and entertaining.

I guess it doesn't make it a bad show but I guess what I am trying to say is that breaking bad isn't really anything new. Actually it's pretty much all been done before, and possibly better because this show makes alot of mistakes in the details of the drug business (not that i know obviously, but i know from what i've seen in other shows and what people say) so you can't really think you're watching anything justified because it's just showing how it is.

I mean those twins earlier in the season with their slow-mo silence and boots? Come on, that was boring as hell. Hank got shot out of it and that drove me nuts, probably everybody, while it was happening but it was all pretty contrived just to get exactly THERE at that point and drive you nuts and that was the whole point of that storyline. Plus, remember that scene? You got a close up view of the guy's brains literally flying out of the guy's head and it actually splashed onto the camera lens. Don't tell me they aren't pushing for you to love people getting shot.

I'm not totally sure about any of that besides what you said about it being nothing new. it's not really old, but it's almost all stuff that has been explored elsewhere before. that's pretty much every drama show that ever existed. there's still other bad stuff besides that and there's still a lot of stuff to appreciate too

I kind of agree about the way they use action, which I think in recent seasons has become less justified and more just excuses to have action sequences and keep true blood and lost fans entertained. 2x13 was garbage. I liked 3x12, which I think was more about Walt stepping in against Jesse's inevitable actions than a power play. I don't think Walt's ever been interested in status. the only times he has made power plays it's been more about walt TAKING CHARGE of a situation and BEING A MAN. the former you're supposed to link to having an unpredictable and uncontrollable disease like cancer and the latter just fuels that or is a symptom of it and is what gets him into all of his problems.

it does seem like a show that would kind of run its course like 24. Like I think 24 could've gotten away with 2 seasons because like whoa I didn't think they'd really have to stop a nukular bomb these writers are craaazy plus 9/11 happened but you kind of spend your nickel with the nuclear bomb plot and there's not really anywhere to go from there like whoa 5 nuclear bombs then some EMP shit that even nerds don't get shocked by the devastation that would cause. But yeah I'm wondering hasn't the show spent their nickel/dime/quarter with the whole terminal cancer thing/oh no the meth lab is going to blow up because if there is a meth lab in a show it /will/ blow up (plus I saw it in the previews) + tension between what's his face and what's his face #2 dad from malcolm in middle

isn't this on a normal cable station like AMC or something weird? Because it's the one like ACCLAIMED show I had the chance to watch and we don't have cable anymore

Edit: Do they use Crystal Method songs in the show's soundtrack to be ironic

I got bored of this show about half way through season 1. I think the main guy was at some old friend's birthday party in the ep that I decided I didn't give a fuck? Maybe I'll give it another try.

i'm downloading season 1 right now.

it does seem like a show that would kind of run its course like 24. Like I think 24 could've gotten away with 2 seasons because like whoa I didn't think they'd really have to stop a nukular bomb these writers are craaazy plus 9/11 happened but you kind of spend your nickel with the nuclear bomb plot and there's not really anywhere to go from there like whoa 5 nuclear bombs then some EMP shit that even nerds don't get shocked by the devastation that would cause. But yeah I'm wondering hasn't the show spent their nickel/dime/quarter with the whole terminal cancer thing/oh no the meth lab is going to blow up because if there is a meth lab in a show it /will/ blow up (plus I saw it in the previews) + tension between what's his face and what's his face #2 dad from malcolm in middle

isn't this on a normal cable station like AMC or something weird? Because it's the one like ACCLAIMED show I had the chance to watch and we don't have cable anymore

Edit: Do they use Crystal Method songs in the show's soundtrack to be ironic

yeah it's on amc. it's becoming a little stretched but for the most part they're keeping it interesting without going over the top or anything. season 2 was the most stretched and we're approaching the end of season 3 right now. I've said before I'm not really sure how they could keep it going through season 4 especially if the contract walt and jesse have right now comes to an end. I think that at the end of every season tho, and they manage to keep it going without turning it into something like Lost or I guess 24.

i think you are being pretty unfair. honestly the show is about drug dealers do you not expect a little violence along the way? i have not seen season two but as far as season three goes all the spurts of violence have worked within the story.

you aren't giving the writers enough credit. i think they have built a strong story arch with convincing, well rounded characters

i just read ragnar's post WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE LIKE

can't you just enjoy the ride a little bit

jamie admitted he was being unfair and ragnar hasn't seen it. we're just breaking blab!

i just read ragnar's post WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE LIKE

I haven't seen it I just was saying I don't see it working into the american tv series framework of 'show gets successful let's drag it out for 12 more seasons instead of ending it while it's still fresh and interesting' the entire concept of the show seems like it would wear thin but if it doesn't ok I guess with him going into remission that is a new idea to explore but isn't a lot of the tension of the show like how much shit can a guy get into I don't know how you can continue to have a guy get into deeper shit and write it such a way it works

and I think 24 has influenced tv a lot besides being a show I'm familiar with like it seems like a bunch of these TV shows are coming out that make more sense as miniseries or something Prison Break for example so the show ends when he manages to break out of prison??? oh wait It's like people are jaded with the usual weekly detective show with a new case every week and want a plot that moves toward a resolution but then have a brain fart/cognitive dissonance and well I wanted them to get off the island but I guess I can wait 27 more seasons to see it

I'm waiting for World War II the series they're nearing the end of the war but then at the end of the season like it turns out someone casted Life2 on Hitler and every season Hitler keeps reviving and each season is about killing Hitler again (and breaking out of some new prison in south america)

yeah we'll see i guess\

season 4 starts in 3 weeks or so. let's do this.



hey how about that walter white.

thinking back, there's a lot of stupid dialogue and bad writing but it's probably a good show. the overarching theme might be suburban americans: doomed to fail

well there is more to it than that which we both know.

i said in my original post last year - that motherfucker walter white, do we wan't him to lose or win? it's an ugly show. it's got a lot to say. by the way i have always thought the first season was kind shaky, it only gets REALLY good around the time jane shows up and saul and gus and mike and SPOILER ALERT the highlight of the show so far has been walter standing watching jane die on her own vomit i mean holy fucking shit. well that's what i think, anyway, along with all i have already said.

the music, the everything in that scene. it did the deed, and season 3 never tried to touch how sad that was. you are watching a young woman die along with the hopes that an older man will ever be good again and walter cries for her but those tears just don't mean anything except his own guilt at being who he is. season 4 is gonna be good but i want more of that sadness rather than the tough guy act.

I haven't seen it I just was saying I don't see it working into the american tv series framework of 'show gets successful let's drag it out for 12 more seasons instead of ending it while it's still fresh and interesting'

I kind of like this though! or maybe not since my only real knowledge of it is from stumbling on decontextualised references without having to sit through years of the awful things, but i am constantly amazed and excited by the fact that General Hospital had a long-running storyarc about an insane billionaire who used a gigantic diamond called the "Ice Princess" to build a weather machine (people would look up and remark hrm how strange that its.. snowing in july.. and this happened for an entire yearrrr)(also watched the conclusion on youtube and it was about a bunch of 80s hair actors in tuxedos swilling champagne while holding assault rifles in a kind of military base while south american guerillas ran past in the background and hence felt like a kind of bizarre perfect distillation of the reagan era or something). also there was an alien character. or the season of 'roseanne' where roseanne wins the lottery and becomes a famous celeb except it was all a book written by the character in the show or something. i think DALLAS did this too. (see also: every marvel comic book ever)
 
idk i like the idea that any kind of boring stuff will eventually mutate into something this bizarre. still waiting for the simpsons to finally hit this point and start having extended plotlines about a fourth simpsons babby which has a robotic arm and comes from the future.
 
I'm sorry, this is a terrible post I watched the first season of Breaking Bad and remember enjoying it but none of it really resonating with me or anything. Like I would think it was Good Stuff and then would not be able to remember anything that happened or why I thought that at all. I should probably watch mpre of it though based on Jamies post and also that Saul Goodman site being pretty funny.
 

During the final scene of "Box Cutter", when Walter walks back to his condominum, the Alex Ebert song "Truth" plays in the background.[1][5] ... Walter and Jesse purchase matching T-shirts with country music singer Kenny Rogers on them.[8][13] ... Walter and Jesse eat at Denny's, a coffee shop and family restaurant chain ... a clock in Gale's apartment reads 10:13. This is a deliberate reference to the number 1013, which frequently appeared in The X-Files, where Vince Gilligan worked as a writer and producer. It refers to the October 13 birthday of X-Files creator Chris Carter.[5]

what do you think. this one was more lynchian at parts than I remember the rest of the series being

I didn't expect Walter to be as pathetic as he was in this episode. All his stupid yammering. His descent doesn't seem to really be heading in the direction of success at being a ruthless druglord guy, it seems more like this is about Walter slowly becoming more of a little slimeball asshole you can't really respect anything about, because he is still deluding himself into thinking that anything he is doing now is reasonable or what he signed up for etc. I read something about this season being about the pupil becoming the teacher, most likely re: walter/jesse's dynamic, and I didn't really like the sound of that when I read it a couple of months ago but after seeing Box Cutter it seems like a much more interesting idea. Jesse's always been too eager to embrace the idea he is bad, so he can avoid feeling anything (and he fails, because he isn't a shell like Walter increasingly is), while Walter is holding onto how he used to see himself and he doesn't even really seem to have an inkling, at least outwardly, that he can't be that anymore and he needs to be something else entirely.

It doesn't really matter what he chooses to do from here in, it just has to be honest and unreserved either in the direction of full on moral pit man or in the direction of redeeming himself (which isn't what this show is about, so that won't happen obviously). I don't know if the show is going to allow us to have any respect for Walter though, which is frustrating in terms of getting the adrenaline pumping (having Walter go from that ice-cold guy who could mock Mike because he just tricked him last episode to the gibbering fool he is in this episode is dramatic blue-balls), but overall it is probably a better message for the show to be carrying. The whole show is always in danger of just being a power fantasy, and if it legitimizes Walter's decisions by making him admirable or actually intimidating then the whole show could be seen as ethically weak. That doesn't mean I don't want to see that happen or explored - I'm dumb, too - but I mean in the final picture of the whole show when it ends next year. I actually did expect Walter to still be playing with a steady hand in this episode, so I was surprised and kind of interested in that he starts off so defiant - although petty - and as the episode goes along he sinks lower and lower until he is cowering at Gus's glare and throwing up cos he just can't handle this.

Although once he gets out of the lab, and maybe this is just the kenny rogers outfit, but he seems humbled and sad again and I also wasn't expecting that. Especially when Skyler asks him if he's all right he and says, 'Yep...Right as rain.' and Bryan Cranston/Walter just looks like hell, and very old. Then he slouches down the drive, trying to stop his trousers from falling down. I didn't exactly feel sorry for him or anything, but I felt something. The song helped.

That was pretty jumbled but those are some of my thoughts, just about Walter. Jesse was very good in this episode, also. The scene with Walt and Jesse in Denny's near the end was played just right so you know that Jesse is probably more impervious to harm from the outside now, but at the same time he's going absolutely bonkers inside. Some people on the internet were saying that's it, Jesse is lost now, and it definitely feels like he is in for a rougher ride this season, but I still think Jesse could have a reasonably happy ending despite all the stuff he's done. I only hold him partially to blame, which might not be right. Maybe he'll just scoot off into the desert and far away once Walter inevitably gets himself shot in a final defeat juuuust before the cancer would have killed him anyway. Or maybe he'll go to prison and be at peace with that outcome.

What else. Skyler, Marie and Hank. Cool. I don't mind em, I am okay to just hang about with Skyler for a while as she gets up to whatever she's getting up to, but the show still really hasn't found an interesting way to use either of it's main female characters. Skyler is getting there, she's had a glint in her eye for a while now, but they haven't kicked any good plots for her into gear yet. Marie, well the only thing I have to say about her is that she is funny sometimes. Hank was very good last season and will probably be good again before the season is over.

I didn't really see walt as pathetic. I like how is old life still rears up at times (he often forces it). the show doesn't pretend that this guy, who spent 40-some years being a normal person, isn't suddenly some hardened killer druglord after a year or two in the drug trade: at the core, he's still some old white suburbanite making excuses to himself. some dumb dead guy once said if you want to see a person's true colors, torture them. walt was presented with the prospect of being tortured and killed, conveyed so intimidatingly by Gus, and his hardened mask began to chip away.

I like what they're doing with Jesse too. jesse's the best character. Walt's set as a human being, but Jesse's still young. he's absorbing all this, and he's trying/struggling to accept everything that's happening as part of his world. I agree, he's convinced himself he's more of a bad guy than he is, and I think that's largely because he's responding to the world of murder and gore that Walt introduced him to.

the end was good too. he looked so old and tired. now that he's not climbing higher and higher, dying from cancer or lying to skylar, he's getting worn down. he didn't expect he'd have to do all of this, back when he was pretending he was trying to secure his family's financial future and expected to die in several months

it says a lot about what he used to think of people like Jesse that Walt was willing to bring him into a destructive world which he fully expected to check out of before it could come back to haunt him. he's going to end up regretting what he has made Jesse become.