Breaking Bad - analysis thru mid season 5

[Riccardo]

The Good: First three seasons were spectacular. The Face Off season 4 finale probably the best series season ender ever.

Now the Bad - Walt jumps the shark epi 11, season 4 with the ridiculous laughing in the crawl space. Season 5 Walt's character has become absurd - why wouldn't he just take the 5 mill and end it right there? How could he possibly think his family would be safe if he continued? And his first meeting with Declan was laughable.

Well plowing thru to the end via netflix...

[rothdawg]

That "say my name" scene in the desert was the worst scene in Breaking Bad.

[Riccardo]

Yeah I get the feeling that Cranston was dying to ratchet up the ham

And season 5 he goes for it

[Birdwatcher]

Actually....

The Good: First three seasons were spectacular. The Face Off season 4 finale probably the best series season ender ever.

Now the Bad - Walt jumps the shark epi 11, season 4 with the ridiculous laughing in the crawl space. Season 5 Walt's character has become absurd - why wouldn't he just take the 5 mill and end it right there? How could he possibly think his family would be safe if he continued? And his first meeting with Declan was laughable.

Well plowing thru to the end via netflix...

Face off was his 'Michael Corleone' moment, where he went completely to the dark side, his own Hubris preventing him from stopping for any reason. It was written as a Greek tragedy and the last 16 episodes play out to show how he is bound to fail. The reason he didn't just take the five M, that will be revealed at the very end. Don't judge until you see how it all plays out...

[SCREAMIN EAGLE]

That "say my name" scene in the desert was the worst scene in Breaking Bad.

The "Fly" Episode was pretty weak.

[Riccardo]

I know how it ends

Face off was his 'Michael Corleone' moment, where he went completely to the dark side, his own Hubris preventing him from stopping for any reason. It was written as a Greek tragedy and the last 16 episodes play out to show how he is bound to fail. The reason he didn't just take the five M, that will be revealed at the very end. Don't judge until you see how it all plays out...

And obviously if he takes the money and ends it the show is over. Just saying it could have been better finessed rather than going so far over the top

[The Duck]

By the time you get to the end

...you really want the show to be over. Like a looping roller coaster that's gone two minutes too long.

Still, overall, it's the tightest writing I've ever seen on television.

[The Duck]

Took me three times to get through "Fly"

The "Fly" Episode was pretty weak.

The first two times I was distracted. The third time, they had my undivided attention, and I loved it.

[rothdawg]

...you really want the show to be over. Like a looping roller coaster that's gone two minutes too long.

Still, overall, it's the tightest writing I've ever seen on television.

Agreed and at the same time I loved the last season (except the finale is overrated). But the show hasn't stuck with me the way The Wire did, or even the Sopranos. I haven't thought about it and I have no desire to rewatch it. Maybe in a couple years that will change.

[Susquehanna Birder]

The Wire was all about characters that you could relate with (and ultimately also the Sopranos). Breaking Bad had some of that, but it was more about being fun and outlandish. Think good graphic novel versus actual literature.

[The Duck]

I loved the whole thing

Agreed and at the same time I loved the last season (except the finale is overrated). But the show hasn't stuck with me the way The Wire did, or even the Sopranos. I haven't thought about it and I have no desire to rewatch it. Maybe in a couple years that will change.

I loved that they didn't leave me wanting more. The show overstayed its welcome just long enough to make me uncomfortable, and then it was gone. I thought that was brilliant.

Totally different experience than The Sopranos (The Wire is next for me). I can pick up any episode of Sopranos (except the last two seasons) at any point and just start watching. I don't think I'll ever be able to do that with BB. If I'm going to watch it again, I'm starting from the beginning and doing it all. And I know it'll be years before I'm able to do that.

[The Duck]

Hey Ric

And obviously if he takes the money and ends it the show is over. Just saying it could have been better finessed rather than going so far over the top

Do you have access to the rest of the last season, or did you max out on Season 5, Ep 8 on Netflix?

[capitaleagle]

The tight writing and the very "final" finale

Agreed and at the same time I loved the last season (except the finale is overrated). But the show hasn't stuck with me the way The Wire did, or even the Sopranos. I haven't thought about it and I have no desire to rewatch it. Maybe in a couple years that will change.

probably have something to do with that. I still think about Breaking Bad sometimes, but it's just not nearly as vague and open to interpretation as something like the Sopranos.

FWIW, I thought the last Breaking Bad season was awesome. Just ask any number of self-destructive people why they don't just stop doing what they're doing. I think Cranston showed what it's like to be consumed by irrational self-destruction perfectly.

[Riccardo]

I just realized it stops there.

Do you have access to the rest of the last season, or did you max out on Season 5, Ep 8 on Netflix?

That's the last episode I just watched. Yet a week or two ago they were all there. What gives??

[The Duck]

I don't think it was ever all there

We were going to wait until Sundance channel got caught up, but that would have taken forever. We watched the rest on couchtuner.eu.