Breaking Bad

[MarkGrace]

As I remember it, Walt learned from the Nazis that that Todd was having problems in general with the recipe, but he did not specifically learn that the color was part of the problem. So the fact that the meth was still described as blue by Charlie Rose doesn't necessarily indicate that Walt should have known Jesse was cooking. For all he knew, the meth Todd was cooking was blue but just wasn't pure enough.

Yeah true. Once Walt was out the game, I don't think there was any reason for him to know the product stopped being blue.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Interview with Gilligan:

Q: You’ve said that Breaking Bad became a sociological experiment. Are you ready to share the results? – sonyaraskolnikov

A: I think the results are to be determined by the viewer. The individual fan needs to ask themselves if they rooted for Walt the whole time, or did they lose sympathy the whole way, and how do they feel about him now that it’s over. And there is no right answer. What interested me is that I assumed that people would lose sympathy and lose patience with Walt along the way, the more greedy and selfish he became. But lo and behold, it seemed to be the opposite was in fact that case. It seemed to be that people who were fans of the show were sympathetic to Walt no matter what he did, which is I think very interesting. So that to me, was at least part of the sociological experiment; how viewers interacted with Walt and how they felt about him after six years.

http://blogs.amctv.com/breaking-bad/2013/10/breaking-bad-creator-vince-gilligan-answers-fan-questions-part-i/?utm_campaign=BB&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=MarketTraq&utm_content=10.4.13&utm_term=282858

[Jeff Lebowski]

I don't think I have much original to say about it; I basically agree with guys likes Douthat about the show. Although I had also read in something (I don't think others have but maybe I missed it) about the problems of the intellectual class (and their ability to justify evil) and I thought it was fitting irony that White was brought down by the elements that almost represented the anti-intellectuals: Hank and the Nazis (but the finale totally undermines that). My reading was clearing wrong; the finale is interesting because it strips away my readings. In a way, I think a brave finale will do that. I just don't like what's left.


Yes it was entirely too redemptive and victorous and undermined some of the richness and ambiguity of the back story (e.g., the scene with the Schwartz couple).

Come on, man. The Nazis can't win. They just can't.

[MarkGrace]

Interview with Gilligan:



http://blogs.amctv.com/breaking-bad/...tm_term=282858

For me the sympathetic cards were so stacked in his favor to start the series that it was hard to overcome, despite his subsequent behavior. And even when he really broke bad there in seasons 3 and 4 and my thoughts on him started to change, they whipped a lot of those cards back out in the second half of season 5 and I started feeling sympathetic again. I mean, they even brought back the Gray Matter thing in the finale!

[SoCalCoug]

I think you need to include: I was alive.

"If you don't know who I am, then maybe your best course is to tread lightly."

My favorite is "Gatorade me, bitch."

I listened to an interview with Aaron Paul, and he said he hears that a lot from people on the street.

My next favorite is at the hospital when he says, "So wheel me farther, bitch."

You guys are all right. Those should have been in my list.

Just underscores the brilliance of the writing - too many iconic lines.

[falafel]

Wonder what the significance of the yellow lambo and kid playing in the front of Hanks house will be.

As it turns out, nothing I guess.

[Donuthole]

As it turns out, nothing I guess.

All the anticipated (and contrived) symbolism in BB reminds me of an experience on my mission. It was our zone's temple day, and we were sitting in the Celestial Room after the endowment session. I noticed one district of Elders was gathered together and excitedly chattering. From across the room it appeared like they were pointing randomly in the air, but as I got closer, I realized they were counting.

When I asked them what they were counting and why, the district leader responded that when he first went through the temple back at home, the temple president told him that everything in the temple is symbolic of something spiritual and to spend his life seeking out the temple's spiritual connections to the temporal world. Just as he was explaining this to me, his greenie comp whispered excitedly that each wall sconce had three prongs, possibly symbolic of the godhead. The district leader affirmed the observation, and then turned and began counting the hundreds of crystals on the chandelier directly above us.

So yeah, Breaking Bad is kinda like the temple.

[pelagius]

Come on, man. The Nazis can't win. They just can't.

Which is why they should have won.

[lambdacoug]

Come on, man. The Nazis can't win. They just can't.

Who do you root for in a battle between a drug kingpin and nazis? Tough call...

[jay santos]

Who do you root for in a battle between a drug kingpin and nazis? Tough call...

But dammit Walt needs to be punished!

[lambdacoug]

But dammit Walt needs to be punished!

I gotta admit, I was pulling for Walt. I did think the machine apparatus was ridiculous. Seriously, that gerry-rigged device is supposed to magically manage the recoil of that badass gun? LOL

[BigPiney]

[MarkGrace]

Was thinking last night how much I already miss the show.

[clackamascoug]

I watched Filena again tonight. It seems pretty clear looking back that Walt was gunning for Jesse, and had a change of heart at the last minute when he saw his POW status. Those bloody finger prints sliding down the stainless steel container, with the words singing "the special love I had for you.... my baby blue" and Walt dying and floating to the ceiling was a perfect ending.

[Commando]

I gotta admit, I was pulling for Walt. I did think the machine apparatus was ridiculous. Seriously, that gerry-rigged device is supposed to magically manage the recoil of that badass gun? LOL

C'mon that wasn't jehri-rigged-- that was Heisenberg'd!!!