Breaking Bad

[Northwestcoug]

It was good. Maybe not as good as BB at its best but still worthwhile television in an era where there isn’t much of that.

It was a little distracting to see how fat Todd has gotten since the show ended.

LOL, I thought the same thing. Todd must have done a lot of meth the last few weeks of his life to have dropped that weight.

I liked it too, didn’t love it. I would have liked to see some of the flashback scenes cut, and flesh out Jesse’s new start a bit more.

[CardiacCoug]

Anyone else watch El Camino yet? Wasn’t really what I expected (not sure what I expected, tbh), but I enjoyed it. I wish I had watched the last season of BB again before watching it. It’s been a while since I watched it, so felt a little lost in a couple spots. Not too bad though.

Yep my 18-year old son who just binge-watched Breaking Bad a few months ago appreciated El Camino more than I did I think. For example I knew fat Jesse Plemons’ tarantula had appeared earlier but had no idea the context of why Jesse would be feeding it. My son was all over that and other details.

[Green Monstah]

El Camino was like a solid, extended BB episode.

Random Mormon reference. Ever since I BCS season 1, where I suspected the family who stole the city’s money was likely intended to be a Mormon family (although I was lambasted here, the actress playing the crook says that she based her character in Anne Romney), I’ve suspected there’s a exmo amongst the staff. There have been several references to the church throughout the series.

[jay santos]

I had never watched more than a couple episodes of this series before this week. But this week, with my wife out of town on business, I binged 4.5 seasons. It is a fantastic show. But I will say that I do not like Walter White very much. I find him detestable in most ways. He is petty and mean spirited, an apparent sociopath, not to mention a cold-blooded killer. And even putting aside the deaths depicted in the show, this guy has supplied literally tons of meth to thousands of people which, I think we can safely assume, did not improve many of their lives.

That said, I am eager to see the second half of the last season, but will likely not get to it until my wife's next trip which is, I think, next week.

I have been binge re-watching this past weekend. I liked WW the first time through. I remember arguing a bit with others here over his likability factor. This time, I find myself like you creek, being detested by him. His weakness in choosing the easy wrong over the hard right time and time again is intolerable to me. I don't know if it's more life experience for me. Or it's rewatching knowing the ending in mind. But either way, it's a great show.

[Green Monstah]

I have been binge re-watching this past weekend. I liked WW the first time through. I remember arguing a bit with others here over his likability factor. This time, I find myself like you creek, being detested by him. His weakness in choosing the easy wrong over the hard right time and time again is intolerable to me. I don't know if it's more life experience for me. Or it's rewatching knowing the ending in mind. But either way, it's a great show.

There's a scene in El Camino that addresses Walt's motivation. I guess it probably doesn't need to be said, but it was sort of nice to hear him say it.

[myboynoah]

El Camino was like a solid, extended BB episode.

Random Mormon reference. Ever since I BCS season 1, where I suspected the family who stole the city’s money was likely intended to be a Mormon family (although I was lambasted here, the actress playing the crook says that she based her character in Anne Romney), I’ve suspected there’s a exmo amongst the staff. There have been several references to the church throughout the series.

She did a pretty shitty job of that.

[Sullyute]

I liked the movie a lot , but like Cardiac, thought all the flash backs to all the BB characters over done.

[CJF]

My unpopular view is that this was kind of a waste of time. Sure, I liked it but what was the point? I thought the ending of BB was about as close to perfect as you could get. I figured Jesse headed straight to the vacuum salesman and got out of town. Sure, we get to see more details and just how tortured Jesse had been by Todd and the gang, but that was pretty well implied in the series. If you’re going to do a movie do something that carries the story forward. All this did was cheapen the finale by adding on a couple new episodes.

[Commando]

I loved it. Just a fun ride and one more visit to that world. I loved that flashback w Jesse & Walt, the gunslinger duel, and Robert Forster's last film/tv appearance ever as the 'disappearer.' Would it have killed Jesse Plemons to hit the Joaquin Phoenix diet for a couple months to reprise Todd? Oh well. Despite that, he was great and Aaron Paul was great.

I binged BB over the last couple weeks leading up to El Camino, and I have to say-- Walt runs the gamut all the way to being fully irredeemable, (him shooting Mike was impulsive and he is clearly freaked out by his own actions, but when he orders the hit on Jesse... you know he's just done) and that's where he stays until he picks up the phone in that bar in New Hampshire after learning his family- the only thing he cares for- has fully and finally rejected him. That's his rock-bottom, and he gives up. That is, until he is jarred into one last hurrah by his former partners publicly lamenting how inconsequential Walter White was. His final attempt at redemption wasn't enough to save himself or his relationship with his family, but he did secure his kids' future and rescue Jesse. Kind of an Anakin Skywalker redemption, but a redemption nonetheless.

[UVACoug]

I enjoyed it. It was fun. Jesse Plemons and Aaron Paul were both terrific (as was Robert Forster ... RIP). I don't think it was necessary though and was definitely a bit more fan servicey than I would have preferred with all the flash backs. My only serious problem with it is the decision to delay Better Call Saul to make this.

I think a movie about Jesse in Alaska would have been more interesting.

[Surfah]

Loved it. It was another trip through one of my favorite universes ever created.

[Walter Sobchak]

Waiting to hear if MG's dad thinks MG should watch it before I decide to commit.

[dabrockster]

I am rewatching BB before I watch El Camino. On S2 now.

“TIGHT! TIGHT! TIGHT!!!


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[Donuthole]

Question for those familiar with Albe-Quirky, aka the BB Universe. I'm going back to watch season 5 (which is actually two seasons) before I watch El Camino.

Spoiler for Mike Ehrmantraut:

Season 5 opens coming off of Walter having blown up Gus Fring at the hospital. In S5E2, Jesse and Walter meet up with Saul Goodman, who is helping them find a new place to cook. At the meeting with Saul, they tell him they want to bring Mike Ehrmantraut in on the deal because he has distribution already in place. Saul warns them against inviting anymore people into the loop, but they insist.

Pause right here. From what we know about Saul/Jimmy from BCS, Saul already knows Mike well. Now, I get that the BCS story was written after the fact, and, as a result, there are going to be some anachronisms. But, at this point, are we supposed to believe that Saul was trying to dissuade them from bringing Mike into the mix because he knew how Mike would muddy the waters financially (remember, after their first cook, Mike basically takes over half of it for "Hazard Pay" to keep paying off the people who need to keep quiet)? Or is Saul secretly fine with Mike getting involved, but he's just using his "due diligence" efforts as some reverse psychology? Neither?

Just a thought I had as I was watching last night.

[Commando]

Question for those familiar with Albe-Quirky, aka the BB Universe. I'm going back to watch season 5 (which is actually two seasons) before I watch El Camino.

Spoiler for Mike Ehrmantraut:

Season 5 opens coming off of Walter having blown up Gus Fring at the hospital. In S5E2, Jesse and Walter meet up with Saul Goodman, who is helping them find a new place to cook. At the meeting with Saul, they tell him they want to bring Mike Ehrmantraut in on the deal because he has distribution already in place. Saul warns them against inviting anymore people into the loop, but they insist.

Pause right here. From what we know about Saul/Jimmy from BCS, Saul already knows Mike well. Now, I get that the BCS story was written after the fact, and, as a result, there are going to be some anachronisms. But, at this point, are we supposed to believe that Saul was trying to dissuade them from bringing Mike into the mix because he knew how Mike would muddy the waters financially (remember, after their first cook, Mike basically takes over half of it for "Hazard Pay" to keep paying off the people who need to keep quiet)? Or is Saul secretly fine with Mike getting involved, but he's just using his "due diligence" efforts as some reverse psychology? Neither?

Just a thought I had as I was watching last night.

Spoiler for Mike:

I think at that point, it's in Saul's interest to not have Walt and Jesse mix with Mike and company for the reasons that played out. If Walt had never gotten embroiled in having to silence like 11 people, he never would have gone from drug manufacture/trafficking to actual murder, gotten entangled with the Nazis, etc... Saul had a nice little cut of whatever Walt was doing and adding all that extra baggage via Mike/Gus' leftover crew put that in danger. You could argue that, at least.