Breaking Bad

[Jeff Lebowski]

Interesting episode tonight. It seems like in the past when we are allowed to see what they're watching on tv it has been foreshadowing. Lots of machine guns tonight, from the 3 stooges to Scarface. Also the quote from Walt while watching Scarface "everybody dies in this movie." This show seems destined to end in a serious bloodbath.

Good catch. Recall the opening scene to the season where Walt has a machine gun in his trunk. Will this shootout be at the end of the mini season (after 8 episodes) or at the end of the series?

I also liked how Skyler finally told her sister what we have all wanted to tell her right from the first season.

Speaking of Skyler, I just don't see her taking things over as many of you predict. In fact, I think it is more likely that she tries to turn him in or escape or something.

I also predict that Jessie will learn some unpleasant truths about Walt before the series is over.

[jay santos]

I loved how Walt threw his wife under the bus. "she was having an affair". Every episode he takes another step in his path to moral bankruptcy. Love it.

[wuapinmon]

Good catch. Recall the opening scene to the season where Walt has a machine gun in his trunk. Will this shootout be at the end of the mini season (after 8 episodes) or at the end of the series?

I also liked how Skyler finally told her sister what we have all wanted to tell her right from the first season.

Speaking of Skyler, I just don't see her taking things over as many of you predict. In fact, I think it is more likely that she tries to turn him in or escape or something.

I also predict that Jessie will learn some unpleasant truths about Walt before the series is over.

Yes, seeing Marie speechless was appreciated.

[Art Vandelay]

Luv me some Mike

Just because you shot Jesse James, doesn't make you Jesse James

I was really hoping Gilligan would leave a little bit of Mr White in Walt, I really liked him. That doesn't seem to be the case. Walt has become a coldhearted bastard, and likely has a ways to go on his final descent.

[clackamascoug]

Luv me some Mike


I was really hoping Gilligan would leave a little bit of Mr White in Walt, I really liked him. That doesn't seem to be the case. Walt has become a coldhearted bastard, and likely has a ways to go on his final descent.

They're trying to tether Walt to Mr. White, by holding the baby, and saying "come sit and have some popcorn," but it just gets creepier and creepier. Cranston is really doing a great job walking the high wire as he gets deeper and deeper into evil. I guess killing someone.. a couple of someones, kind of does that to you. Walt did have a moment on the couch where he sat next to the boy he almost killed, shook it off, and got back to his bad self. Interesting how they pull these things off.

[Art Vandelay]

Walt and Mike were tussling for control, and Jessi stepped in and made Walt look weak and petty when Walt was sending a message to Mike. The message to Jessi was to not overstep his bounds, and stay out of "his" end of the business, or the green box cutter could come back into play.

I will have to rewatch the scene. My interpretation was Walt was comparing Mike to Victor; hinting to Jessie that Mike is making decisions about my our money, that he shouldn't be.

Aaron Paul is no Cranston, but he really is doing a great job this season. He is seeing glimpses of what his mentor Mr. White has become. As the dude said, he will likely come to learn much, much more as the season progresses.

They did answer the smaller question, which leads to the bigger question. WW's 51st birthday is fast approaching. We know the Dennys and machine gun scene, with a hirsute Walter, takes place on his 52 birthday. The question is when will that flash forward take place. My guess is episode 14 (after the 8 episode halftime).

Sometimes Gilligan seems to hit the viewer over the head with his sybolism or foreshadowing. The climatic scene from Scarface, was certainly one of those time.s

[MarkGrace]

They did answer the smaller question, which leads to the bigger question. WW's 51st birthday is fast approaching. We know the Dennys and machine gun scene, with a hirsute Walter, takes place on his 52 birthday. The question is when will that flash forward take place. My guess is episode 14 (after the 8 episode halftime).

Yeah, it's going to have to be toward the end of the season, and the way the show usually operates, the shit goes down in either the second to last or third to last episode of a season. I think we can probably expect that. What's weird is that the first +4 seasons have taken place over one year, and the remainder of this season is also going to take place over a year. I guess for the first time we're going to see the show make some significant jumps ahead in time (probably during the break in the season) instead of picking up immediately after whatever preceded it.

[Tim]

I could imagine Skyler taking her own life. She won't want to turn Walt in because she knows it'll implicate her -- her attorney told her as much. She won't leave because she doesn't want to be "the bitch mom" again. Also she may fear that if she tells Walt, Jr. about his dad and takes Walt, Jr. away, that perhaps Walt is evil enough to come after her.

[MarkGrace]

I could imagine Skyler taking her own life. She won't want to turn Walt in because she knows it'll implicate her -- her attorney told her as much. She won't leave because she doesn't want to be "the bitch mom" again. Also she may fear that if she tells Walt, Jr. about his dad and takes Walt, Jr. away, that perhaps Walt is evil enough to come after her.

I'm not really buying the extent of Skyler's fear. It feels like too much too soon.

[wuapinmon]

I'm not really buying the extent of Skyler's fear. It feels like too much too soon.

Agreed. If she hadn't broke bad on Ted, I might buy it after learning that Walt killed Gus. But, after that scene, it looked like she was becoming Mrs. Soprano.

[Scorcho]

I just watched the first 3 episodes of season 5 and this probably isn't spolier material, but I'll block it just in case.

Spoiler for 52nd Birthday:

I'm not sure what to make of the opening scene of season 5. Walt in a diner (I assume in New Mexico) celebrating his 52nd birthday. The fake ID from Hew Hampshire and the firearm in the trunk. Was that a fast-foward glimpse?

Any insight?

[MarkGrace]

I just watched the first 3 episodes of season 5 and this probably isn't spolier material, but I'll block it just in case.

Spoiler for 52nd Birthday:

I'm not sure what to make of the opening scene of season 5. Walt in a diner (I assume in New Mexico) celebrating his 52nd birthday. The fake ID from Hew Hampshire and the firearm in the trunk. Was that a fast-foward glimpse?

Any insight?

Yes.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I just watched the first 3 episodes of season 5 and this probably isn't spolier material, but I'll block it just in case.

Any insight?

Go back a page or two in this thread. We discussed it quite a bit.

[Art Vandelay]

I forgot a couple other random things I liked about this episode:
* Skinny Pete being a classically trained piano virtuoso, while Badger plays guitar like a 14 year old with his first amp.
* Saul's bodyguard sleeping while standing
* Landry Clarke, murderer, field goal kicker extraordinaire, and Christian rockstar (he should have been with Pete and Badger, picking up the roadie gear). I can't wait for him to interrupt Walt, with his plan, like he use to with Coach Taylor.

I finally read Sepinwall's review of Hazard Pay, he and I both had the same feeling as to what the final segment was about:

First, because Walt and Jesse were being isolated in the superlab away from much of the action during the events of "Box Cutter," I don't think they have a full picture of Victor's murder, which was as much about removing a link between Gus and Gale's murder (Victor was seen by witnesses; Jesse was not), if not more, as it was about sending a message to Walt and Jesse. So whatever interpretation of that event Walt makes is going to be heavy speculation. But he's furious at Mike at this point, who has just taken hundreds of thousands of dollars away from Walt — some of it for expenses Walt expected, some of it not — and, even worse from Walt's perspective, has left him feeling emasculated again, in the way that Skyler did at the start of the series and Gus did during much of the superlab era. He boasts earlier in the episode that he'll be able to handle Mike, but he's beginning to realize how difficult it is to handle a man like this. Walt and Jesse and Mike are all allegedly bosses of this venture, but in Walter White's mind, there's only the one boss: himself. So he's trying to plant seeds with Jesse that Mike is taking too many liberties, and overstepping his role by taking the hazard pay on top of the money for the exterminators, Jesse, Saul, etc. As happened last season, there's a definite battle for the soul of Jesse Pinkman going on, and at the moment I think Walt is winning. But we'll see going forward

[Scorcho]

Congratulations Vince, you are finally accomplishing what you want - making me start to dislike Walt (sad that making him a meth-making murderer wasn't enough). It is hard to even remember Mr. White, anymore. Cranston is an amazing actor. Also A great job last night by both Jesse and Skyler.

I'm really liking having more Mike (Mr. Ehrmantraut) this season. Of course he wears Everlast sweatpants.

I think we can begin to see where season 5 is ultimately headed. Here's my guess:

Spoiler for Season 5:

Walt has manipulated everything to get his family back, to work with Jesse, and to begin to cook again. However, the tension between Walt and Mike and Walt and Skylar will continue to escalate. At some point (probably the cliff hanger for the summer), Jesse will discover that Walt has lied to him, poisoned the boy and failed to save his girlfriend from choking to death (possibly because of a post-meth cook drunken slip of the tongue by Walt).

Based on the episode #3 and the “look at the people closest to you" comment by the retiring cop, Hank will begin to suspect and investigate Walt. I predict Walt will need to kill Hank. Skylar and Jesse will die in later epsiodes (don't know how), and there will be some sort of final showdown between Mike and Walt. I think the standoff will end in Walt’s death and Mike will end up as the lone survivor. I've noticed they have begun to build up some empathy for Mike, while eroding the moral character of Walt.

I'm not sure what happens to Saul?

just a guess