Breaking Bad

[Non Sequitur]

Example: I hated Natural Born Killers because I realize I was orphaned from the beginning, so to speak, with no protagonist or remotely sympathetic character to latch onto. I was watching an abusive horror show from afar with no way(protagonist/intermediary) to digest whatever that thing was intended to convey.

I didn't like Natural Born Killers either, but not because there were no sympathetic characters. It was because there were no interesting characters. I remember the movie Kalifornia. Not a great movie but Brad Pitt was fantastic in it. He was a vile character that wasn't the least bit sympathetic, but he was fascinating. Kind of like the shark in jaws. Not the least bit sympathetic, but you can't help but admire how bad-ass it is.

[ERCougar]

I didn't like Natural Born Killers either, but not because there were no sympathetic characters. It was because there were no interesting characters. I remember the movie Kalifornia. Not a great movie but Brad Pitt was fantastic in it. He was a vile character that wasn't the least bit sympathetic, but he was fascinating. Kind of like the shark in jaws. Not the least bit sympathetic, but you can't help but admire how bad-ass it is.

Yes, but Walt isn't that kind of character. He's clumsy. He's ruthless but only accidentally. Gus was a much better 'bad ass'. Mike was too. Even Saul knows the game better than Walt.


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[jay santos]

Yes, but Walt isn't that kind of character. He's clumsy. He's ruthless but only accidentally. Gus was a much better 'bad ass'. Mike was too. Even Saul knows the game better than Walt.


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

A couple scenes that show clumsy vs bad ass and what I love about Walt

1. In the "say my name" scene, Walt has it all planned out. He's thought through everything five moves in advance like a chess match, and he's got it all covered. It goes exactly the way he wants. He starts out bluffing a little, he's never been in this situation, and he thinks he's covered all the angles but he doesn't know for sure till it happens, but as things unfold and he realizes he's nailed it, he starts to get a little cocky and improvises with the "say my name". You take that journey with Walt from the uneasiness to the payoff. Nothing about it is necessarily good or virtuous, but the writing and acting is so compelling that you just have to celebrate with Walt when he nails it.

2. In the scene where he sends Mike to Belize. He goes in with a plan and it goes bad. Mike doesn't respond how he wants him to. Walt doesn't know what to do. He panics. He gets angry. He kills Mike, but the whole thing is done clumsily and unprofessional. As a viewer, you're relating to him and sympathizing with him, but you're saying "no oh no don't do this no Walt", but it's real and when it's done you're thinking "oh shit that sucked ok bounce back now what do we do?" He's totally not the bad ass Godfather type in this scene. So human and so sympathetic.

[MarkGrace]

Just thought of another option. Jesse is just about to strike his lighter to torch Walt's home and he hears something and then discovers that Flynn is home tending his baby sister. Given that he is angry with Walt for poisoning a child, he realizes that he almost did something worse in burning a baby and an innocent young man. He also realizes that he just blew his chance to leave town with a new identity and that Walt is sure to track him down and kill him. On top of all the guilt he is already carrying, this is the last straw and he puts Saul's gun to his head and pulls the trigger. This would certainly be true to character for Jesse and would explain how the house doesn't burn up after being doused. Would also keep some integrity to the storyline.

That's it. I am changing my prediction.

But what about saul's spinoff?!

[ERCougar]

But what about saul's spinoff?!

I think he's saying his OWN head.
I could see that ending. One more accidental killing for Walt.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I think he's saying his OWN head.
I could see that ending. One more accidental killing for Walt.

Yes. His own head.

Note that the episode title is "Rabid Dog". That certainly implies an episode devoted to putting down Jesse. Then again, last week was "Confessions" and we expected Jesse to spill his guts but ended up being Walt's clever video. Perhaps the real rabid dog in this case will be Hank.

Geez... I can't wait!

[MarkGrace]

I think he's saying his OWN head.
I could see that ending. One more accidental killing for Walt.

You're right. Wasn't paying enough attention as I read on the bus.

[jay santos]

Jesse doesn't burn the house down, but does he start a fire at all? The house becomes a crime scene at some point. Is this the event that triggers that?

[falafel]

Yes. His own head.

Note that the episode title is "Rabid Dog". That certainly implies an episode devoted to putting down Jesse. Then again, last week was "Confessions" and we expected Jesse to spill his guts but ended up being Walt's clever video. Perhaps the real rabid dog in this case will be Hank.

Geez... I can't wait!

I can see Hank coming unglued after that video. He's already got nothing left to live for (professionally). He was holding on to being the guy that caught Heisenberg. If he thinks even that is gone, he might just go crazy and flip the whole thing on its head.

[clackamascoug]

Perhaps Jessie and Hank resolve each other. Hank walks in and sees Jesse with the gas, and shoots him before the fire. The Feds see it as a continuation pattern of the beating Hank gave Jesse earlier, and his career is ruined not by Walt, but by Jesse, and Hank is fired or worse, does time, while Walt struts free.

[Flystripper]

Perhaps Jessie and Hank resolve each other. Hank walks in and sees Jesse with the gas, and shoots him before the fire. The Feds see it as a continuation pattern of the beating Hank gave Jesse earlier, and his career is ruined not by Walt, but by Jesse, and Hank is fired or worse, does time, while Walt struts free.

I can see that

[SCcoug]

Walt Jr still needs to find out about his parents.

Maybe Hank left the office to pick up the surveillance of Saul's office and decides to follow Jesse when he storms out. As he is confronting Jesse, Walt gets there to join into a Mexican standoff of sorts. The standoff is broken when Walt Jr. gets home from school. One of the three (out of Jesse, Hank and Jr.) is killed in the mayhem.

[Non Sequitur]

Yes. His own head.

Note that the episode title is "Rabid Dog". That certainly implies an episode devoted to putting down Jesse. Then again, last week was "Confessions" and we expected Jesse to spill his guts but ended up being Walt's clever video. Perhaps the real rabid dog in this case will be Hank.

Geez... I can't wait!

I can easily see that happening. I'm also convinced that Marie is going to play a big part as events unfold. I think the dots will be connected back to her klepto past and we will see her dark side.

[ERCougar]

Effect of last episode on how much I like* everyone (I know you're all interested ):
1) Walt - Less. Not a fan of the video. It's too calculated, too weasel-y, too pansy-ish. I also can't stand when he shifts into that manipulative "lookin out for ya" tone with Jesse--I said this to my wife just as he started it.
2) Jesse - More. So glad he called Walt on his manipulation. For those of you who claim to have liked him from the beginning--bullshit. The role reversal, where the initially amoral appearing Jesse ends up being the one who really struggles with what he's done is a fascinating aspect of the show and maybe an intended commentary on society--a "last shall be first" theme. Those who appear to be the most upstanding members of society are really just those who have learned to play the game, or at least meet everyone else's expectations. This constant strive to satisfy others leads to a sort of moral bankruptcy when they no longer have to.
3) Skyler - More. She's developing a backbone, and not just as a nagging drag to Walt. You can see her not being completely on board with the video. She'll play along for a little bit, but she's going to play a big role.
4) Hank - a little less, although I loved his "Don't you throw 'what's right' at me" line--totally called Walt on his weak BS. He's on a downward trajectory though and I've lost a ton of respect for him. He was already flawed, as I've mentioned earlier--he didn't need to be any more. I like the flawed hero. Now he's just becoming a flawed villain. Boring.
5) Marie - a little more. Ironic how she has become one of the moral centers of the show.
6) Saul - a little less, but only because I liked him so much before. He's become a little more boring. I liked the clown relief to all the darkness. It's needed more now that Hank is brooding.

*Like - is not meant to condone or support any character's actions. I'm not really sure what it means. Maybe "find interesting"?


EDIT: I think I like Lebowski's suicide end to Jesse the best. It preserves Jesse's moral integrity, a reversal of expectation that I think needs to endure through the season, while adding one more unintentional (and thus possible for our most rationalizing minds to excuse) kill to Walt's list. The unintended carnage continues.

[Pheidippides]

What do we know at this point? That Jesse has broadly figure stuff out and is at Walt's house with a clear liquid. That Saul made a call to somebody. That Walt was in an all-fired hurry to get his ice gun but not so much as to tell Skylar anything. That Hank and Marie shit themselves, figuratively in a way that may or may not have involved Miley Cyrus.

I am not going to assume that Walt is going for a Jesse showdown right now. I am not going to assume that Saul survives for his spinoff. I am going to assume that the liquid poured by Jesse is flammable. And it's likely that Saul called Walt, but you never know.

I am still stuck on the relevance of Creepy Todd and the Skinheads (great name for a band) at the beginning.