Breaking Bad

[BoylenOver]

I just finished S3. I can't wait for July 17th. "4 Days Out" is definitely my favorite episode of the series. The pilot, "IFT", and "ABQ" are also tremendous.

Spoiler for discusses show:

Season 2 is the best season. Yes, I can understand the frustration with the ominous flashbacks turning out to be an airplane crash, but I suppose I don't share them. The ending is stronger when Walt reveals in "Fly" (directed by the same guy that directed "Brick", and another episode I really enjoyed) the connection he established with 'Q' the night of Jane's death. It's where this life, this path, went from being a short-term "I'm doing this for my family" to "this is who I am, and these are the consequences". Skylar's conversation with the lawyer sums this up: "I didn't marry a criminal"; "You're married to one now." It went from temporary self-preservation (killing Crazy Eight, "betraying" Tuco) to a chain reaction of destruction for long-term goals (watching Jane die leads indirectly causes the plane crash; the sequence of events that destroys his relationship with Skylar and Walt Jr; the events that lead to Hank breaking down into a vulnerable cripple).

But season 3 was really awesome. That final sequence in "Half Measure" is devastating; the conversation between Skylar and Walt with the duffel bag full of money lying on the floor, followed by Skylar's revelation that "I fucked Ted" in "IFT"; Skylar's tale to Marie of how Walt acquired the money ("I learned from the best"); Holly reaching up and grabbing Walt's glasses in "Full Measure".

This is really a masterpiece. MG keeps referencing "The Wire" in this thread, and I'm giddy to bust out those DVD's (I bought the entire series a few months ago).

Another thing I love about BB is how it treats seemingly minor details. Marie's fork in the hospital; the rickety table; the repeatedly cracked windshield; subtle body language; clever camera angles; repeated perspectives that show two different scenes; the cinematography (as MG eluded to earlier in the thread).

[wuapinmon]

I just finished S3. I can't wait for July 17th. "4 Days Out" is definitely my favorite episode of the series. The pilot, "IFT", and "ABQ" are also tremendous.

Spoiler for discusses show:

Season 2 is the best season. Yes, I can understand the frustration with the ominous flashbacks turning out to be an airplane crash, but I suppose I don't share them. The ending is stronger when Walt reveals in "Fly" (directed by the same guy that directed "Brick", and another episode I really enjoyed) the connection he established with 'Q' the night of Jane's death. It's where this life, this path, went from being a short-term "I'm doing this for my family" to "this is who I am, and these are the consequences". Skylar's conversation with the lawyer sums this up: "I didn't marry a criminal"; "You're married to one now." It went from temporary self-preservation (killing Crazy Eight, "betraying" Tuco) to a chain reaction of destruction for long-term goals (watching Jane die leads indirectly causes the plane crash; the sequence of events that destroys his relationship with Skylar and Walt Jr; the events that lead to Hank breaking down into a vulnerable cripple).

But season 3 was really awesome. That final sequence in "Half Measure" is devastating; the conversation between Skylar and Walt with the duffel bag full of money lying on the floor, followed by Skylar's revelation that "I fucked Ted" in "IFT"; Skylar's tale to Marie of how Walt acquired the money ("I learned from the best"); Holly reaching up and grabbing Walt's glasses in "Full Measure".

This is really a masterpiece. MG keeps referencing "The Wire" in this thread, and I'm giddy to bust out those DVD's (I bought the entire series a few months ago).

Another thing I love about BB is how it treats seemingly minor details. Marie's fork in the hospital; the rickety table; the repeatedly cracked windshield; subtle body language; clever camera angles; repeated perspectives that show two different scenes; the cinematography (as MG eluded to earlier in the thread).

I agree all around. As to The Wire. Best show ever.

[woot]

I just finished S3. I can't wait for July 17th. "4 Days Out" is definitely my favorite episode of the series. The pilot, "IFT", and "ABQ" are also tremendous.

Spoiler for discusses show:

Season 2 is the best season. Yes, I can understand the frustration with the ominous flashbacks turning out to be an airplane crash, but I suppose I don't share them. The ending is stronger when Walt reveals in "Fly" (directed by the same guy that directed "Brick", and another episode I really enjoyed) the connection he established with 'Q' the night of Jane's death. It's where this life, this path, went from being a short-term "I'm doing this for my family" to "this is who I am, and these are the consequences". Skylar's conversation with the lawyer sums this up: "I didn't marry a criminal"; "You're married to one now." It went from temporary self-preservation (killing Crazy Eight, "betraying" Tuco) to a chain reaction of destruction for long-term goals (watching Jane die leads indirectly causes the plane crash; the sequence of events that destroys his relationship with Skylar and Walt Jr; the events that lead to Hank breaking down into a vulnerable cripple).

But season 3 was really awesome. That final sequence in "Half Measure" is devastating; the conversation between Skylar and Walt with the duffel bag full of money lying on the floor, followed by Skylar's revelation that "I fucked Ted" in "IFT"; Skylar's tale to Marie of how Walt acquired the money ("I learned from the best"); Holly reaching up and grabbing Walt's glasses in "Full Measure".

This is really a masterpiece. MG keeps referencing "The Wire" in this thread, and I'm giddy to bust out those DVD's (I bought the entire series a few months ago).

Another thing I love about BB is how it treats seemingly minor details. Marie's fork in the hospital; the rickety table; the repeatedly cracked windshield; subtle body language; clever camera angles; repeated perspectives that show two different scenes; the cinematography (as MG eluded to earlier in the thread).

I love BB, but all those references are pretty vague for me now. Did they give an explanation for why the 4th season took so long? It's really destroyed the momentum of the show.

[MarkGrace]

I love BB, but all those references are pretty vague for me now. Did they give an explanation for why the 4th season took so long? It's really destroyed the momentum of the show.

It gets the worst ratings of any show on AMC so the network wanted to try airing it in the summer to see if it gets more viewers during a time of year when there's less competition..

[wuapinmon]

Season Finale/Premiere questions:

Spoiler for Spoilers:

1. Do you think that Pinkman actually killed Gale? I do.

2. Will Gus hire Walter and Jesse back? I'm not sure.

.

[MarkGrace]

Season Finale/Premiere questions:

Spoiler for Spoilers:

1. Do you think that Pinkman actually killed Gale? I do.

2. Will Gus hire Walter and Jesse back? I'm not sure.

.

Spoiler for Jesse:

With the Jesse think it's tough to tell. At the time there were all these arguments about whether or not he even had the gun pointed directly at him, but I read an article with Vince Gilligan and he said they weren't trying to be ambiguous there. It was just the way they moved the camera.

[Art Vandelay]

Klosterman is one of the best essayists of our generation, in my opinion. A very interesting article about Breaking Bad being the best of the BB, Wire, Sopranos quartet.

[old_gregg]

Klosterman is one of the best essayists of our generation, in my opinion. A very interesting article about Breaking Bad being the best of the BB, Wire, Sopranos quartet.

that is a fantastic piece. i might have to steal that and put it on facebook.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Klosterman is one of the best essayists of our generation, in my opinion. A very interesting article about Breaking Bad being the best of the BB, Wire, Sopranos quartet.

If Game of Thrones had more than one season under its belt, it would also be in the discussion of best show. With that said, it is entirely possible that the emerging fantasy elements of that show (mostly subdued in the first season) may overshadow its sheer awesomeness in the upcoming season.

I would also add that Justified's second season was very, very good.

[MarkGrace]

Klosterman is one of the best essayists of our generation, in my opinion. A very interesting article about Breaking Bad being the best of the BB, Wire, Sopranos quartet.

I haven't really followed this Grantland site (mostly because so many of the articles are too long for me to want to read on a computer screen), but it seems like everything coming out is stuff they've already discussed in podcasts.

ANYWAY, interesting article. Breaking Bad is great, but it's no The Wire.

[Art Vandelay]

I haven't really followed this Grantland site (mostly because so many of the articles are too long for me to want to read on a computer screen), but it seems like everything coming out is stuff they've already discussed in podcasts.

ANYWAY, interesting article. Breaking Bad is great, but it's no The Wire.

Simmons recycles a lot of his stuff between his columns and podcast. Most of the other writers seem to be presenting new, and interesting, stuff on Grantland. I enjoy the longer, less snarky, more in depth content of the new site over most anything out there. It seems to aspire to be more New Yorker/Esquire/Vanity Fair and less espn.com or deadspin- that's a good thing in my opinion.

[Marvin Hardtospell]

Simmons recycles a lot of his stuff between his columns and podcast. Most of the other writers seem to be presenting new, and interesting, stuff on Grantland. I enjoy the longer, less snarky, more in depth content of the new site over most anything out there. It seems to aspire to be more New Yorker/Esquire/Vanity Fair and less espn.com or deadspin- that's a good thing in my opinion.

Agreed. The series on Federer during Wimbledon was excellent. I really enjoyed Brian Phillips' style of writing and loved the Shakespeare references.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Nice article in USA Today about Season 4. Walter is going completely off the reservation. Can't wait.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2011-07-12-breaking-bad-season-4_n.htm

[UtahDan]

Just started watching this series. Really like it so far.

[LA Ute]

Interesting review here:

http://pajamasmedia.com/lifestyle/2011/07/16/breaking-bad/