Breaking Bad

[greggbray]

Though technically not a comic book show, I find this to be one of the most engaging programs in recent television history.

Anyone else watch this program?  Is it cool if we discuss it here? 

[Paul (ral)]

Discuss away.

I keep hearing about Breaking Bad being so good but I haven't seen any yet. Same goes for The Wire.

I'm not a big watcher of TV shows in general unless it's something my wife wants to watch too. We're currently getting through 30 Rock - which I love.

[The Dark Knight]

Breaking Bad is a very good show.

I'm looking forward to Dexter's return as well.

[BatmAngelus]

Tried to start discussion about it here, but no one had seen it yet, haha: http://www.batman-online.com/forum/index.php?topic=1800.0

Anyways, love the show and I'm looking forward to the finale.

What'd you think of the last episode, Gregg?

[greggbray]

Oh I absolutely love the show.  Season 4, in particular, though all seasons are remarkably strong.  It's consistently suspenseful--my heart jumps into my throat and then has follow-up attack, three times per chapter.

I was a bit bummed by the ending of the previous episode. I like WW's transformation throughout the season, but some of the changes are a bit too abrupt for me.  Also I'm not sure I buy that the entire 5 season stretch is to have taken place within a year.  That's asking a lot, me thinks.

Despite these minor hesitations I have, I still think it is just about the best drama on television right now.

Two episodes ago (for the sake of being spoiler-lite, I'll just say 'tarantula in a jar') had me up for hours after viewing it. 

[BatmAngelus]

I think it's interesting how the episode was bookended.  Walt's on top of his game and in full Heisenberg mode in the opening.  Contrast this with the ending where he's let his emotions get the better of him.  He's completely driven by anger and, after Mike's car drives off, fear. 

The cold calculating crime lord from the beginning is shown, in the end, to be someone whose ego is so big that he just can't take criticism and he makes rash, cruel, and unnecessary actions to preserve that ego. 

This time, Walt did not kill someone out of fear for his life.  Mike posed no actual threat to him.  And while there's the excuse that he wanted the nine names, I honestly think that Walt pulled the trigger because he just couldn't take Mike standing up to him anymore.

[BatmAngelus]

So last night was the finale and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Honestly, I felt like it was two episodes combined into one.

It seemed really abrupt for Walt to decide to quit in the final quarter of the episode, especially considering the entire season (including this episode with Todd's uncle) has been turning him into a top crime lord and reveling in the power.  I don't believe that the scene with Skyler in the warehouse would've been enough to push him out of the business.  There's been speculation that the doctor's office visit indicates that the cancer was back and it would've been a wonderful reversal, in my opinion, if the return of the cancer motivated him to get out, but if that's the case, then it was weirdly executed and, in my opinion, should've been explored more in a full episode rather than one ambiguous scene.

And while the ending was shocking, I have to ask if we ever saw Gale give the Leaves of Grass book to Walt back in Season 3.  It's already pushing it to have it on the toilet seat for Hank to find.  But to introduce it this season when it was never planted with Gale in the first place is stretching it, I'm afraid.  I hope it was shown in Season 3.

[greggbray]

You raise two very interesting points.

The first is that the book is awfully convenient.  This program does not usually do things out of narrative convenience so I'm a bit surprised.  Yes,  I also hope this was given to him in Season 3, if not then it was a bit of a sloppy execution--though I like the punchline.  Family reunited, all is normal...oops...blew it on an easy one.

The second point you bring up, the Doctor's Office, actually added enough mystery for me that I'm hoping for some kind of pay off next year.  While the pile of money and Skylar's (Schylars?) firm plea for a return to their family life might be compelling evidence for him to drop this and return to his pre-cancer/drug lord life, I'm not sure if it's quite enough to make him retire the black hat and glasses.  Cancer being back in the mix?  Yes, I buy it.  Why spend the end of his life running around killing people and making crystal, when he can enjoy it with his family knowing they well be financially secure? 

Over all, it's still the best drama on television, no question about it.  Still, this episode did wrap things up a bit too tight (I guess this was done so that the final few moments of the show could pack some punch).  Though, in a strange way, had this been the series finale I would have been fine with it.  It would have been enough...

....if...the book is actually in Season 3. 

[The Joker]

Pretty spectacular episode! Talk about hitting the ground running! The 'confrontation' at the end was kinda surprising in that it came so early on, but now having that established is just making it even more apparent that were headed to some sort of high-octane, meth-fueled Armageddon. The day of judgement is indeed, nigh.

Oh, enjoyed "Talking Bad" as well. 

[BatmAngelus]

They've been building up to the Hank-Walt confrontation since the beginning and man, did they deliver.  Can't wait to see what these two do next now that Hank knows.

EDIT: I got to thinking about the random Star Trek conversation in the episode.  While I may be looking too much into things, there's no way that the Breaking Bad writers would've spent that much time writing Badger's Star Trek spec idea unless it had some significance to the show.

So perhaps the story is foreshadowing in the fact that it's about how one man (Chekov/Walt) tries to cheat and win his way to the top (in a blueberry pie eating contest/in the blue crystal meth making business), but gets his comeuppance due to the actions of his partner-in-crime (Scotty/Jesse).