Breaking Bad

[Daradon]

It was cool seeing Jr. break up the fight. Go Jr!

He doesn't really get to do much in the show. He's kinda more a character to show off others in the way they react to him. Finally he got to be part of the story.

[Oling_Roachinen]

When Todd goes to get Jesse from his cell thing, Jesse mentions something about the video (his confession video?) being in the house and only "him and his partner" know about it (Hank and Gomie.) So I'm wondering if the Nazis are going to try and get that video from Hank's house, the same time that Skylar and Flynn/Emo-McGee/Jr are there with Marie.

I suppose that's a possibility. I may have took that entire scene the wrong way, but did Marie not know about the confession? I thought she did with Jessie hiding out there. So I thought it meant that Jessie, despite being tortured, didn't give up Marie.

[Daradon]

Not to take too much away from an amazing episode, but the whole Nazis killing a member of White's family in front of him, stealing $70,000,000.00 from him and then leaving him with a good bye barrel?

These are guys who know how ruthless Heisenberg is, why leave that loose end? Especially when you just shot some DEA officers in front of him and don't really know much about what that was all about. I mean it wouldn't be terrible since they know their his muscle, but leaving him that much money allows him to buy some. Who cares how much Todd respects Mr. White, that seemed like poor thinking.

On the other hand, loved the opening with Walter rehearsing his story before calling Skyler foreshadowing his future scripted phonecall.

Was kinda thinking the same thing. On the other hand, I could see it. They don't have any ill will against him. And he has made them very rich.

But yeah, obviously a bad plan on their part. Course we have the benefit of knowing Walt even better than they do I suspect.

[trackercowe]

Lordy I think it's confirmed that Breaking Bad is the most entertaining show that has even been on. Something like The Wire could be called a "better" show I suppose, but in terms of sheer entertainment value Breaking Bad just kills it. I can't even think of a movie made in the last 20 years that is as enjoyable as Breaking Bad at its peak (like tonight).

Felt bad for Hank and Marie though; I hope they find his body. A real ####ty way for him to go out after taking down Heisenberg almost single handily.

Oh and does anyone know if that flashback was filmed years ago (sort of a deleted scene), or was it something they filmed this year. Cranston definitely looked like the same Walter White as he was in season one, but surely they filmed it for this season.

[djsFlames]

When Todd goes to get Jesse from his cell thing, Jesse mentions something about the video (his confession video?) being in the house and only "him and his partner" know about it (Hank and Gomie.) So I'm wondering if the Nazis are going to try and get that video from Hank's house, the same time that Skylar and Flynn/Emo-McGee/Jr are there with Marie.

Good thinking. Probably. And there goes their confessional proof of Lydia's involvement, which is what would trace back to them.

I have a feeling though that Walt will suffer another casualty before making his return, whether it be Skyler, Jr, Marie, Holly. Maybe not directly Nazi related, but maybe something that ties back to the meth business. Maybe something that further motivates him to want to cut the head off of his creation / get rid of it for good? (And take out Jesse in the process)

[Daradon]

Lordy I think it's confirmed that Breaking Bad is the most entertaining show that has even been on. Something like The Wire could be called a "better" show I suppose, but in terms of sheer entertainment value Breaking Bad just kills it. I can't even think of a movie made in the last 20 years that is as enjoyable as Breaking Bad at its peak (like tonight).

Felt bad for Hank and Marie though; I hope they find his body. A real ####ty way for him to go out after taking down Heisenberg almost single handily.

Oh and does anyone know if that flashback was filmed years ago (sort of a deleted scene), or was it something they filmed this year. Cranston definitely looked like the same Walter White as he was in season one, but surely they filmed it for this season.

I was wondering the same thing. I suspect it was filmed recently, but it could have been around from the beginning. I was analyzing all the details I could as it ran to see if I could figure it out. Couldn't see any differences, but it felt like something was not exactly the same.

I have no idea though. Neither would surprise me.

[djsFlames]

I was wondering the same thing. I suspect it was filmed recently, but it could have been around from the beginning. I was analyzing all the details I could as it ran to see if I could figure it out. Couldn't see any differences, but it felt like something was not exactly the same.

I have no idea though. Neither would surprise me.

Was wondering the same.

And I'm almost sure that Skyler had different/darker hair in the first season. On the phone call scene she definitely looked like her season 5 self (very blonde). I think that gave it away. I could be wrong, though..

[Caged Great]

Jesse's face is fatter now than before, so it was filmed recently.

[Caged Great]

I think that how this will end is that Walt goes on a redemption spree after Hank dies. In the scene in the diner from earlier in the season, he gave the waitress a 100 dollar tip (positive action that's a bit unusual from him). I think he finds out that his product is being sold so he infers that the Nazi's didn't kill jesse. He gets the ricin for himself, after he deals with the Nazi's, he confesses everything placing the blame on himself and dies shortly thereafter.

This is to try and leave everyone around him in as good of a position as possible under the circumstances. (Jesse alive and free, the family protected by Walt's confession etc.)

Basically the hero becoming the anti hero becoming the hero again.

[megatron]

Mind = Blown!

Just when you think the last episode couldn't be topped, they top it quite easily.

I'm still trying to process what happened. Walt's world has completely crumbled but is still trying to keep things together.

Now he's gone on the lamb and from what I remember in the first episode of season 5, comes back on his 52nd birthday to settle the score with the Nazis -- or I'm guessing at least.

Best. Show. Ever.

[Yasa]

Oh and does anyone know if that flashback was filmed years ago (sort of a deleted scene), or was it something they filmed this year. Cranston definitely looked like the same Walter White as he was in season one, but surely they filmed it for this season.

There was an interview with Aaron Paul where he mentions the last scene they filmed involved the RV, so Im thinking that this is the scene.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Apparently this RV scene was the last scene they filmed of the series.

[pylon]

I read nothing of this thread to not spoil anything, but I finally took the plunge, and banged through seasons 1 and 2 last week. It is not hyperbole claiming this show to be the best TV series of all time. Just an amazing show. I got my old man on board, and when my 72 year old, curmudgeony old man, spent 6 straight hours going through season one on Sunday, and is totally diggin it..... you know this show has to be awesome.

[moon]

Not to take too much away from an amazing episode, but the whole Nazis killing a member of White's family in front of him, stealing $70,000,000.00 from him and then leaving him with a good bye barrel?

These are guys who know how ruthless Heisenberg is, why leave that loose end? Especially when you just shot some DEA officers in front of him and don't really know much about what that was all about. I mean it wouldn't be terrible since they know their his muscle, but leaving him that much money allows him to buy some. Who cares how much Todd respects Mr. White, that seemed like poor thinking.

On the other hand, loved the opening with Walter rehearsing his story before calling Skyler foreshadowing his future scripted phonecall.

The Nazi's need Todd to cook for them so not all that weird that they want to keep him happy and really if they have 70 million what is the big deal about giving Walt 10? It's not like they will come close to spending that money anyways.

I am also not sure that they think that highly of Heisenberg at all. When Todd was telling them the story in the dinner they were interested in his cooking ability but didn't seem to care much about anything else and twice now they have "saved" him so probably see him as being not much without them.

[rayne008]

Amazing episode. I appreciate that the writers had a plan for the gun fight from last week, and having only the sounds of the gunfire gave a clear idea how brief of a shootout this was.

[Hemi-Cuda]

After all the death and emotion from the last episode, the scene that stuck with me the most was when the fire fighter discovered Holly in the truck. The kid just looked so terrified and alone, and it made you realize that not even an infant can escape the devastation left by Walt

[surferguy]

Could anybody make out what the note pinned to holly said?

[getbak]

Could anybody make out what the note pinned to holly said?
Their address was at the top of the note. I could make out the "308 Negra".

[Max Cow Disease]

Magnificent stuff. I've done what many have on here and have watched the entirety of the series in just the past few weeks. Once you get going, it's impossible to stop and the show still seems to be approaching its peak even at this late stage (the way it should be).

A lot of mixed emotions and reactions to what's happening lately. As another mentioned, you just can't get out of Walt's corner entirely. Strings of humanity continue to shine through in him and you end up still remembering him as the underachieving chemistry nerd who wanted to support his family amid a cancer diagnosis. I feel bad for Walt Jr...everything's been lopped onto his head at one time, and within hours of finding out that his dad (who is his hero) is a meth dealer, finds out he's a murderer, that Hank's dead, etc, he also ends up watching his mom and dad get into a physical confrontation.

Most of us figured Hank would bite it, and it affected me to finally see it happen. Whether misled or not at times, he was a moral dude and managed to keep his principles intact right until he took a bullet in the head (refusing to beg that the Nazis save him). The shots they took in that desert, for the first quarter/half of this episode were amazing, and really caught the desolation/direness of the situation.

[Bertuzzied]

I would have to agree. This is the first episode I ever watched and, knowing virtually nothing, I was drawn in. I can't imagine how intense it have been for people who know the characters well.

WHAT?? your first episode of breaking bad is the 3rd last in the entire series?
You're doing it wrong!

[Coys1882]

My prediction which probably doesn't differ much from other peoples:


Walt takes off into hiding til his 52nd birthday
disovers or hears of blue meth resurfacing on the streets
releazing the nazis never killed Jesse he comes back for revenge on killing Hank, not killing Jesse and stealing his money
gets Saul to look after his family money wise
takes the ricin and turns himself in.

[Bertuzzied]

That line by Hank right before he bit it was amazing.

"He made up his mind 10 minutes ago..."

BEST EFFING SHOW IN TV HISTORY!!!!


sniff sniff only 2 more...

[Ark2]

For some reason, I can't help but think that Lydia still has a part to play in the last 2 episodes. I think the Ricin is for her as Walt had the intention of poisoning her with it in the Season 5, Part I finale and this show loves to foreshadow things like that.

[Minnie]

WHAT?? your first episode of breaking bad is the 3rd last in the entire series?
You're doing it wrong!


Me too. But I ordered the first season from the library, and now I know what I'm watching the rest of the fall/early winter, during bad weather, lol.

[stazzy33]

Something I don't think anyone has touched on yet is the photo of Brock the Nazi's have. I don't know how he'll factor into the rest of the episodes, but I have a feeling this is a huge piece of leverage (if they actually needed any more) against Jesse

[surferguy]

Has anybody else noticed that Walt now puts padding under his knees when he vomits or scrubs down the floor like gus did when he threw up after hitting the Cartel.

[speede5]

I think Walt is still going to want his money back from the white power group. It's all that's left of his empire and his empire drives him. I think he comes back to get his money and avenge Hank, and then he and Jesse will have a final showdown.

[stazzy33]

Has anybody else noticed that Walt now puts padding under his knees when he vomits or scrubs down the floor like gus did when he threw up after hitting the Cartel.

It's been mentioned that Walt picks up a trait from everyone he directly/indirectly has a hand in killing.

[WilderPegasus]

The gun is almost surely for the nazis but I think the ricin might be for Jesse. Not to kill him but to frame him so that he spends the rest of his life in jail.

[blankall]

I wonder if Walt's cancer plays a major factor here. He's been living on his own. He finds out he has cancer and will be dead soon. He decides to go help Jesse. Meanwhile, Todd and his gang have gone full blown psycho and their handywork is all over the news.

Hank goes back kills everyone. He frees Jessie. He takes the money and gives it to Skylar and her sister. He then takes the Ricin as a way to mercy kill himself, instead of slowly dieing from cancer.

[trackercowe]

I wonder if Walt's cancer plays a major factor here. He's been living on his own. He finds out he has cancer and will be dead soon. He decides to go help Jesse. Meanwhile, Todd and his gang have gone full blown psycho and their handywork is all over the news.

Hank goes back kills everyone. He frees Jessie. He takes the money and gives it to Skylar and her sister. He then takes the Ricin as a way to mercy kill himself, instead of slowly dieing from cancer.
Zombie Hank? Is that another spin-off?

[Burninator]

I was 3 episodes behind and watched them last night and then read this thread this morning. Pretty interesting reading everyone's predictions....and how wrong everyone was (except for Hank dying after the shootout). Amazing how the writers keep surprising everyone and going a direction no one expects, just great to watch.

[getbak]

Zombie Hank? Is that another spin-off?

Zombie Hank goes to work at a New York advertising agency = The greatest AMC show ever! Walking Bad Men.

[corporatejay]

Something I don't think anyone has touched on yet is the photo of Brock the Nazi's have. I don't know how he'll factor into the rest of the episodes, but I have a feeling this is a huge piece of leverage (if they actually needed any more) against Jesse


You don't have to have a feeling, that's exactly what it is. He could try to escape, or kill himself, but they'll just kill the girl and the kid, he knows he's trapped there.

[Jbo]

It's been mentioned that Walt picks up a trait from everyone he directly/indirectly has a hand in killing.

This never made sense to me, as how would Walt have any idea about this trait? He was not down in Mexico when it occurred.

[surferguy]

^^ good call

[stazzy33]

This never made sense to me, as how would Walt have any idea about this trait? He was not down in Mexico when it occurred.

I am not sure either to be honest...

But here are a few other examples of traits he has picked up (found it on the internet, it's circulating in a few places):

"In Breaking Bad, Walt has a habit of taking on some little traits of the people he has killed.When Walt killed Crazy 8, he started cutting off the crusts of his sandwiches — just as Crazy 8 had done.

Gus drives a Volvo. After Walt kills Gus, at the beginning of Season 5 (at the Denny’s), Walt is driving a Volvo (w/ NH plates).

When Mike and Walt meet at a bar in an earlier season, Walt orders his drink neat while Mike has his on the rocks. After Mike is killed, and Hank offers Walt a drink in his office — he asks for it on the rocks."

[speede5]

Maybe it's not intentional that he picks up the traits as a character, but something the writers do in an easter egg sort of way. Just something for us to spot and talk about.'

[TurnedTheCorner]

Zombie Hank goes to work at a New York advertising agency = The greatest AMC show ever! Walking Bad Men.

He likes every ad pitch, but feel the need to ad the qualifier "More brains" every time.

[Coys1882]

I am not sure either to be honest...

But here are a few other examples of traits he has picked up (found it on the internet, it's circulating in a few places):

"In Breaking Bad, Walt has a habit of taking on some little traits of the people he has killed.When Walt killed Crazy 8, he started cutting off the crusts of his sandwiches — just as Crazy 8 had done.

Gus drives a Volvo. After Walt kills Gus, at the beginning of Season 5 (at the Denny’s), Walt is driving a Volvo (w/ NH plates).

When Mike and Walt meet at a bar in an earlier season, Walt orders his drink neat while Mike has his on the rocks. After Mike is killed, and Hank offers Walt a drink in his office — he asks for it on the rocks."
There's more apparantly:
- The jacket he's wearing in the flash forward with the M60 is the same one Todd wears
- Arranging the bacon in the form of his birthday age, and supposedly the fake name on the ID is Skylar's maiden name are both things of Skylar's

[AC]

http://i.imgur.com/O0wpabp.gif
Bryan Cranston deserves every possible award for this episode, let alone this season.

[stazzy33]

There's more apparantly:
- The jacket he's wearing in the flash forward with the M60 is the same one Todd wears
- Arranging the bacon in the form of his birthday age, and supposedly the fake name on the ID is Skylar's maiden name are both things of Skylar's

Apparently there is another one from last night too, might be a bit of a stretch but it's sort of funny.

"Finally, recall in season two's "Seven Thirty-Seven," a frustrated Hank watched a surveillance tape of Jesse and Walt stealing a barrel of methylamine. (Well, we knew it was Jesse and Walt. Hank at the time did not.) The two struggle to carry the heavy barrel, and Hank scoffs. "Try rolling it, morons! It's a barrel! It rolls!" Looks like Walt learned that lesson."

[calumniate]

Curious to see how the Todd & Jesse dynamic works out.

[nik-]

Am I alone in thinking that

Speculation:
Walt kills Todd to release Jesse (thus the jacket) and then goes to war with Todd's uncle? Yes he pointed him out from under the car, and had the Jane reveal, but to me, Jesse is all Walt has left now.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Am I alone in thinking that

Speculation:
Walt kills Todd to release Jesse (thus the jacket) and then goes to war with Todd's uncle? Yes he pointed him out from under the car, and had the Jane reveal, but to me, Jesse is all Walt has left now.

Jesse and Walt's relationship is way too far gone for them to ever work together again. Jesse helping Hank and causing Walt to lose absolutely everything he valued in life, Walt poisoning Brock and watching as the girl Jesse loved died. If those two are ever in the same room again, only one will be walking out

[PowerPlayoffs06]

I'm thinking Walt finds out that the original blue is back on the streets and puts two and two together, figuring out that Jesse is still alive and working for Todds Uncle, although not knowing that the circumstances are what they are. He goes back to raze their operation, in the process finds that Jesse has been kept prisoner all that time. I want to say that Walt frees Jesse then Jesse turns around and kills Walt.

[corporatejay]

There's more apparantly:
- The jacket he's wearing in the flash forward with the M60 is the same one Todd wears
- Arranging the bacon in the form of his birthday age, and supposedly the fake name on the ID is Skylar's maiden name are both things of Skylar's

Different coat. Spoiler for size only.


http://i.imgur.com/vB9VPMu.png

[rabenson000]

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/q75/1231486_1376251765943551_759825217_n.jpg

[getbak]

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/q75/1231486_1376251765943551_759825217_n.jpg
Odenkirk said that when they shot the desert scene from this year's first episode, it was near freezing out and they had blankets just off camera to throw on the actors every time they stopped rolling. They started shooting these final 8 episodes last December (and the first 8 of season 5 were shot starting in March 2012).

Albuquerque is sunny and dry, but that doesn't mean it's always hot. The average high in December is only 7.8°C.

[Acey]

Yeah in the occasional shot you can see their breath cause it's so cold. Doesn't make it look any less weird with the jackets and brilliant sunshine, though.

[kirant]

Why...

Why would you do that... :bang: I feel very bad for you.
I was at someone's house and he is an avid fan...he halted everything to watch the episode.

[Burninator]

So why did Walt tell Jessie about Jane? Just spiteful because Hank died?

[blankall]

So why did Walt tell Jessie about Jane? Just spiteful because Hank died?

Why did he turn Jesse over to a gang of psychopathic former cons to be tortured? Walt clearly blamed Jesse for everything at the time. Although, my guess is that Walt is coming to realize everything is his fault. Hence, the phone call to Sylar.

[stang]

WHy do you keep saying hank?

[Wormius]

WHy do you keep saying hank?

Hankity-hank-hank!

[Mike F]

It was cool seeing Jr. break up the fight. Go Jr!

He doesn't really get to do much in the show. He's kinda more a character to show off others in the way they react to him. Finally he got to be part of the story.
Was I the only one watching that scene, seeing the knife blade sticking up and Jr standing over them, and expecting Jr to be impaled on the knife?

[trackercowe]

Do we really need to keep predictions in spoilers? Isn't that going a little over the top. Most of these predictions will likely be wrong, with one or two things right.

My prediction is sort of different that others though. Walt is going to be gone from the "business" for a year now and is going to find time to think things over, and possibly finally begin to put the blame on himself. Then he'll find out Jesse is still working for Todd's clan, and he will go after Jesse. Also really what else does Walt have to live for? His family doesn't want him, he's a wanted man, and cooking meth cost him everything. Really this "new" life is all he has, and I doubt he can live with that. "Saving" Jesse from years more of torture could be the only true act of kindness he's shown Jesse all these years, and something that can give the end of his life meaning.

I think Walt will offer himself up in a trade for Jesse's release and say he will take over the cook from here on out. Of course prior to that Walt will have taken the ricin himself and will die before the Nazi's force him to take over. Maybe Walt uses the gun as an ultimatum and says either he will kill as many as he can in a final blaze of glory, or they can free Jesse in exchange for him. Jesse gets his freedom, and Walt dies from the same ricin poisoning he has used to threaten others all these years.

[MrMastodonFarm]

http://i.minus.com/ibpCnMCNVp9zBX.gif

[getbak]

Was I the only one watching that scene, seeing the knife blade sticking up and Jr standing over them, and expecting Jr to be impaled on the knife?
I was expecting someone to get stabbed. I thought Gilligan might be sadistic enough to have Holly get cut.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

http://i.minus.com/ibpCnMCNVp9zBX.gif

Betsy Brandt had a little Claire Danes cry face going on there.

[TurnedTheCorner]

b-W-POnnPuQ

[Ashasx]

Just when you think you have Walt figured out... such a dynamic character.

Taking the blame for all the mess during his call with Skyler. He was willing to give all his money to save Hank. If there's one consistent thing about Walt, he is loyal to his family.

You go through the entire series believing that Walt is one step ahead of everyone, that his actions are all intentional and calculated. It'll be very interesting to see how his relationship plays out with Jesse.

[polak]

That's what I've noticed as well. Walt has really lost his wit since Season 4. Especially in the last few episodes. He's done some real stupid stuff. I think it's his greed. When Jessie threatened the money Walt didn't even think twice.

[Fusebox]

So why did Walt tell Jessie about Jane? Just spiteful because Hank died?

That's what Vince Gilligan said on the BB insider podcast released today, but recorded months ago. He said that Walt blames Jesse for Hank's death.

[surferguy]

I think it is similar to Gus and the way he treated Hector. Enjoyed seeing him in mental anguish.

DING!

[Wormius]

I think it is similar to Gus and the way he treated Hector. Enjoyed seeing him in mental anguish.

DING!

I don't know if it is similar. Jesse didn't do anything to deserve Walt's rage (only at the very end after learning that Walt purposely poisoned Brock as an attempt to manipulate him into helping kill Gus). Jesse has been pretty much been Walt's subserviant - pardon the pun - bitch for the run of the series.

At least Gus had a reason to hate on Hector.

[MissAvery16]

They should of killed Walt Jr too.

[Yasa]

http://i.imgur.com/Z6f8um7.gif

[SHOGUN]

Did Walt Jr. seriously call 911 that Walt attacked Skylar when she was the one who attacked her first?

[red sky]

Seriously, Holly stole that episode. I don't know if it is because I have a daughter close to her age, but she did a great job! Heart wrenching. Can she win an emmy?

[Brannigans Law]

Did Walt Jr. seriously call 911 that Walt attacked Skylar when she was the one who attacked her first?

I guess when you just found out your Dad is a meth kingpin who killed your uncle and is in an altercation with your Mom you pick a side pretty quick.

I agree tho. But it created the best scene yet in this show, Walt losing his family. The zoom out of his wife with his blood on her and his son looking scared and defending his mom was pretty much years in the making. Amazing stuff.

Highlights for me:
-Walts "I tried to save him". Chilling. You could see the utter anguish in his face.
-Walts look of realization he's lost his family forever when he said "but were family". He knew that when he walked out that door it would never be the same.
-Hanks death. I didn't think they could top Mike's death but... well there you go.

2 shows to go. I think I'll feel genuinely sad when this shows over.

[ernie]

Wow. All I can say is wow. tremendous episode.

I don't really think it's Walt realizing it is all his fault so much as he is realizing that beyond Jesse for the first few season he has never truly had control of anyone or the situation..and that includes his family. To me it was that realization that he didn't have control over anyone including his family and it came crashing down on him.

It's not a love of family. That went out the window long ago IMO. He's made good moves but in the end he's never really been in control of the big picture situation since the first cook.

I know some don't like the sudden appearance of the new gang but to me it is just a further illustration of this. He made the move to kill off Gus but he simply isn't able to be the guy in true control. A vacuum was created and being unable to fill it, or not being criminally smart enough to fill that vacuum properly before trying to exit, someone else swooped in.

Now, perhaps this realization causes a change in him that he tries to make amends, however, i believe what will happen is that he will confess everything and take the ricin (as others have said). This won't be to truly atone or turn over a new leaf or for the love of family though he may wear that mask but rather because his final act puts him back in control. Walt is a narcissist.

Anyways fantastic series coming to what looks like a fantastic end.

[Yamer]

Did Walt Jr. seriously call 911 that Walt attacked Skylar when she was the one who attacked her first?

Jr. just found out his father is running a drug empire and has had a hand in his uncle's death (along with whatever else Marie and Skylar may have told him).

I have to admit I was a little surprised that Jr. flipped so quickly, but it makes sense that he would call the cops on Walt before he would Skylar.

[Bertuzzied]

George RR Martin comments on Breaking Bad...... Wow! Walter White more evil then inbred Joffrey??

“Amazing series. Amazing episode last night. Talk about a gut punch,” he said.
Breaking Bad appears to have inspired him to create a character as evil as Walt. “Walter White is a bigger monster than anyone in Westeros. (I need to do something about that),” he wrote.

http://www.hypable.com/2013/09/16/game-of-thrones-george-r-r-martin-breaking-bad-reaction/

[Ark2]

George RR Martin comments on Breaking Bad...... Wow! Walter White more evil then inbred Joffrey??

“Amazing series. Amazing episode last night. Talk about a gut punch,” he said.
Breaking Bad appears to have inspired him to create a character as evil as Walt. “Walter White is a bigger monster than anyone in Westeros. (I need to do something about that),” he wrote.

http://www.hypable.com/2013/09/16/game-of-thrones-george-r-r-martin-breaking-bad-reaction/

I have to disagree with Martin on this one. Joffrey, Roose Bolton, and Ramsay Snow are all considerably more evil than Walt. At least Walt has some redeemable qualities. Not like these guys...

[nfotiu]

Jr. just found out his father is running a drug empire and has had a hand in his uncle's death (along with whatever else Marie and Skylar may have told him).

I have to admit I was a little surprised that Jr. flipped so quickly, but it makes sense that he would call the cops on Walt before he would Skylar.

Did she really even attack first? My memory is she pulled out the knife, and told him to leave, and then lashed out at him when he came towards her.

[fredr123]

I meant to go back an listen to the scene again, but maybe someone here can clarify.

At home during the confrontation, Flynn says "Aunt Marie said you a drug dealer."

I thought I heard Walt reply something along the lines of "No! Well, kind of..." or something to that effect and then kept going with the confrontation.

Was I hearing things?

[MrMastodonFarm]

If we want to make comparisons between shows, that's cool but we should really leave out any potential Game of Thrones spoilers. Especially saying who is and who isn't an evil character... especially when one seems good.. and then isn't... if you know what I mean.. .come on guys.

[Tinordi]

I love how Walt's diatibe on Skylar was basically the summation of all the fan hate towards her too. Clearly by design.

[Matata]

I have to disagree with Martin on this one. Joffrey, Roose Bolton, and Ramsay Snow are all considerably more evil than Walt. At least Walt has some redeemable qualities. Not like these guys...

(TV stuff only)
While these characters are far more sadistic than Walt, none of them have gone through the "slow-burn" character development that Walt has. Jaime is the closest in terms of the "slow-burn", but he went from bad guy to good.

[Reaper]

They should of killed Walt Jr too.
Should *have* :rolleyes:

[Ark2]

(TV stuff only)
While these characters are far more sadistic than Walt, none of them have gone through the "slow-burn" character development that Walt has. Jaime is the closest in terms of the "slow-burn", but he went from bad guy to good.

I think it's fair to comment on the book as Martin said that there is no one in the Westeros universe that is as monstrous as Walt, so he was clearly talking about both the books and the show.

[King Hippo]

I'm probably in the minority again, but I'm rooting for the White Supremacists.

Not for what they stand as skinheads, but you have to marvel at the fact that they started out as just a group of thugs when they moved up the ladder with taking out Decland and taking over their Meth operations with Lydia. Then they took out two of the DEA's top cops. Now they have 70 million in cash!

Not only that but just the pure ownage of Jesse, who's been calling everyone a b*tch for years, is now realizing he's been made someone's b*tch.

Hope these guys reign supreme!
PS...still hoping Todd manages to bone Lydia somewhere in the last 2 episodes

[Acey]

Can she win an emmy?

A 10 year old was nominated for best actress at the Oscars this year, losing to Jennifer Lawrence. I think at some point, it'll be possible.

[blankall]

I'm probably in the minority again, but I'm rooting for the White Supremacists.

Not for what they stand as skinheads, but you have to marvel at the fact that they started out as just a group of thugs when they moved up the ladder with taking out Decland and taking over their Meth operations with Lydia. Then they took out two of the DEA's top cops. Now they have 70 million in cash!

Not only that but just the pure ownage of Jesse, who's been calling everyone a b*tch for years, is now realizing he's been made someone's b*tch.

Hope these guys reign supreme!
PS...still hoping Todd manages to bone Lydia somewhere in the last 2 episodes

Yup. You're definitely in the minority.

These guys, with the exception of Todd, are really just a bunch of opportunist thugs. After all the story telling, character development, plotting, mental chess, etc.. that's gone down in this show, it would be a kick in the nuts to see a bunch of guys who have recently been introduced to the show and who are barely literate come out on top.

They make a good final adversary, as whatever showdown occurs will have to involve brute force/action or intelligent plotting to avoid violence. However, having the white supremacists come out on top would be the worst ending to a TV show since ALF.

[Tinordi]

How is Todd an exception?

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Awesome article on Forbes about why Breaking Bad is the best show ever and why it matters. Great read.

CONTAINS SPoilers for Breaking Bad, Sopranos and The Wire.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/allenstjohn/2013/09/16/why-breaking-bad-is-the-best-show-ever-and-why-that-matters/2/

[ernie]

A 10 year old was nominated for best actress at the Oscars this year, losing to Jennifer Lawrence. I think at some point, it'll be possible.

not really the point of your post I know but....

Tatum O'Neal was 10 when she won for best supporting actress.

Anna Paquin was 11 when she won the same award.

There have been several other pre-teens nominated, but youngest so far is Justin Henry (8 years old, best actor nominee Kramer vs Kramer).

[cDnStealth]

How is Todd an exception?

Todd is a ###### and I hope Jesse kills him.

[Wormius]

I'm probably in the minority again, but I'm rooting for the White Supremacists.


My new tagline!

[TurnedTheCorner]

I was watching Kill Bill the other day and it blew my mind that Buck is Uncle Jack. Obvious in hindsight, but I didn't recognize him.

http://i1.wp.com/blogs.amctv.com/breaking-bad/BB-S5-Harry-Bowen-Interview-325.jpg?resize=325%2C200

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110508230548/killbill/images/3/39/PortalBuck.png

And of course he was an Other on Lost as well.

http://content7.flixster.com/question/46/08/96/4608965_std.jpg

[Ark2]

Not only that but just the pure ownage of Jesse, who's been calling everyone a b*tch for years, is now realizing he's been made someone's b*tch.


This made me laugh

[blankall]

How is Todd an exception?

Todd is a lot smarter, perceptive, and more manipulative than the rest. The rest are thugs, but Todd is a serial killer style psycopath. The rest of the gang and Walt wanted to off Jesse at the first change they got. Todd has the foresight to see that he could break Jesse down and use him as their cook.

Todd manages to turn himself from pest control employee to international drug kingpin pretty quickly. The rest of the gang is just a prison gang who gets shown opportunities by Todd.

[corporatejay]

Awesome article on Forbes about why Breaking Bad is the best show ever and why it matters. Great read.

CONTAINS SPoilers for Breaking Bad, Sopranos and The Wire.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/allenstjohn/2013/09/16/why-breaking-bad-is-the-best-show-ever-and-why-that-matters/2/


Klosterman wrote a similarly titled article two years ago.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6763000/bad-decisions

[Red]

Klosterman wrote a similarly titled article two years ago.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6763000/bad-decisions

BB has me hooked, can't wait for the next episode to see what happens. But there have been many that were a bit boring.

For me, Sopranos was a much more entertaining show. There was just so much more going on. Character development was outstanding and all these side plots kept you tuning in. Early on with the mother, then Janice, Christopher, Paulie, Silvio, Archie, Junior, Johnny Sack, Carmela and the kids...list goes on. All deep characters and great plots. BB has no plots other than Walt, Hank and Jessie. Everything else is so sporadic and there seems to be no continuation. What happened to Jessie's parents after the house deal? That had potential. Saul? Not much there really. He knows a guy that knows another guy. But what else is happening in his life?
Sopranos took a bad turn with that half season during strike and the end few episodes seemed to be disjoined, but overall the show was more complex and entertaining.

I guess we will have to wait to see how BB ends, if it's unique (six sense type of unique) then great, but for now it seems that all plots have died. Jessie is a dead man walking or a slave. Maybe he will be saved by Walt. But what's so exciting about that? Hank angle is done obviously and sadly cause that was a great plot, the family side is done. The Neos? Who cares, really, they just entered the show. Lydia? She made what, 5 appearances in the entire show?
Taking the baby? What was that about? The baby was never a significant character. Everyone loves babies obviously, but the relationship is not as strong as Junior/Hank was. Too bad that was not a bigger part (Hank the Hero trying to jail Junior's Hero, his dad). Or something like that.

Anyways, rambling on, I am ready to be amazed by the last two episodes.

[Red]

duplicate post.

[Displaced Flames fan]

The Shield is generally referred to as my favorite TV show of all time, at least by me. That show had fantastic writing and characters. Great acting as well, and a terrific and engaging story line. I rooted for Vic Mackey from start to finish of the series. Nothing he did in the show was bad enough to outweigh the bad ass cop that he was when push came to shove, the loyalty and brotherhood with the Strike Team. I love the show. I will watch it again in its entirety.

Breaking Bad has exceeded my expectations. At this moment, I despise Walter White. He is a cruel and evil egomaniac who, despite my instincts about him early in the series, has managed to do great harm to every single person that the writers and Cranston had made me believe he cared deeply about. Those relationships gave him a pass for all the dirty....until this last episode. And now I sit here anxiously waiting for next Sunday night....and the one after that.... to find out how else this show will blow me away before they put it to bed. And I'm sure Gilligan, Cranston and company will do just that.

Best show ever.

[sun]

Awesome article on Forbes about why Breaking Bad is the best show ever and why it matters. Great read.

CONTAINS SPoilers for Breaking Bad, Sopranos and The Wire.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/allenstjohn/2013/09/16/why-breaking-bad-is-the-best-show-ever-and-why-that-matters/2/

I like Klosterman's article better, but this one's not bad either. I disagree that BB is the best show ever though. I put both The Wire and The Sopranos above it (for now). The Sopranos went on too long and The Wire's final season wasn't as great as the previous, but both were amazing. Their best seasons are better than BB's best, IMO.

The fact that BB has five acts (including an ending) is probably the best part about it. I think we're gonna see some serious Shakespearean tragedy #### go down in the final two episodes. But the author of the article focuses too much on the ending when it hasn't even happened yet. In Vince we trust, yes but you can't judge a show till it's over. So many great stories #### the bed in the final act.

Basically, the fact that BB has a distinct ending doesn't make it the best ever (it certainly helps), it just makes it different (and hopefully game-changing). The fact that Walter changes doesn't make it the best show ever, but maybe it makes him the best TV character ever.

The author says "The water cooler conversation after the finale airs on September 29 will be dominated not by head- scratching analysis, but by slack-jawed awe.", but I don't view this as a positive necessarily. But I loved the final scene in the Sopranos, so what do I know.

I also like Louie a little more than Breaking Bad, so what do I know pt 2.

[cDnStealth]

I also wouldn't say that Breaking Bad is "the best show ever." Band of Brothers still tops that chart for me.

[Eastern Girl]

I don't know about best show either, but it's certainly up there and it is most certainly delivering before its curtain call.

[Bertuzzied]

I also wouldn't say that Breaking Bad is "the best show ever." Band of Brothers still tops that chart for me.
BoB is definitely top 3 for me but you kind of know where it's going. Well since it's history.

Breaking bad just goes to all these new places.

[Ashasx]

Disappointed that we didn't see which scene this would come from:

http://www.empowernetwork.com/4everyone24/files/2013/08/breaking-bad-season-5.jpg

I guess it was just a concept.

[Ark2]

BB has me hooked, can't wait for the next episode to see what happens. But there have been many that were a bit boring.

For me, Sopranos was a much more entertaining show. There was just so much more going on. Character development was outstanding and all these side plots kept you tuning in. Early on with the mother, then Janice, Christopher, Paulie, Silvio, Archie, Junior, Johnny Sack, Carmela and the kids...list goes on. All deep characters and great plots. BB has no plots other than Walt, Hank and Jessie. Everything else is so sporadic and there seems to be no continuation. What happened to Jessie's parents after the house deal? That had potential. Saul? Not much there really. He knows a guy that knows another guy. But what else is happening in his life?
Sopranos took a bad turn with that half season during strike and the end few episodes seemed to be disjoined, but overall the show was more complex and entertaining.

I guess we will have to wait to see how BB ends, if it's unique (six sense type of unique) then great, but for now it seems that all plots have died. Jessie is a dead man walking or a slave. Maybe he will be saved by Walt. But what's so exciting about that? Hank angle is done obviously and sadly cause that was a great plot, the family side is done. The Neos? Who cares, really, they just entered the show. Lydia? She made what, 5 appearances in the entire show?
Taking the baby? What was that about? The baby was never a significant character. Everyone loves babies obviously, but the relationship is not as strong as Junior/Hank was. Too bad that was not a bigger part (Hank the Hero trying to jail Junior's Hero, his dad). Or something like that.

Anyways, rambling on, I am ready to be amazed by the last two episodes.

I loved the Soprano's but they really just repeated the same plot line over and over again ever season. Someone in Tony's mob family is out of control and he has to deal with it. Tension escalates until the finale where that out of control family member is killed. The clock gets re-set in the next season. Also, who was Archie?

[LIP MAN]

No. Season 5 is split. You can get the season pass on itunes for the second half of Season 5 if you want to watch them (close) to when they air.

If you use HMA or something similar, UK netflix had the first half of season 5 up way before the other versions did. But I would assume it'll still be a number of months after it airs.

If you switch HMA or unblockus and switch it to the UK version, they release the episodes the NEXT day.

[Wormius]

So does anybody know if the finale is just going to be an hour long, or is it going to extended for this special occasion? Doesn't seem like two more episodes is enough time to wrap it up.

[Red]

I loved the Soprano's but they really just repeated the same plot line over and over again ever season. Someone in Tony's mob family is out of control and he has to deal with it. Tension escalates until the finale where that out of control family member is killed. The clock gets re-set in the next season. Also, who was Archie?

Artillo? Not sure how his name was spelled, the restaurant owner.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

I loved the Soprano's but they really just repeated the same plot line over and over again ever season. Someone in Tony's mob family is out of control and he has to deal with it. Tension escalates until the finale where that out of control family member is killed. The clock gets re-set in the next season. Also, who was Archie?

Sopranos was so much more than just the mob stuff though. It was a show where Tony had to manage both families and his scenes with Melfi were so strong. Carmela vs Tony in the Season 4 finale was some of the strongest stuff the show ever did. That was just two amazing actors at their peak giving viewers everything they had.

[FlamesAddiction]

As much as I like Breaking Bad, I can't help but feel that they are forcing a lot this season in order to advance the plot. It's a trap that a lot of shows run into when they start to draw to a close and I was hoping Breaking Bad would be more fluid to end the series.

[Regulator75]

Some very dedicated viewers.

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/9/16/16/enhanced-buzz-2429-1379361727-3.jpg

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr03/2013/9/16/18/enhanced-buzz-18079-1379370484-7.jpg

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr01/2013/9/16/19/enhanced-buzz-11543-1379373971-0.jpg

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr05/2013/9/16/19/enhanced-buzz-20888-1379374298-9.jpg

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr06/2013/9/16/15/enhanced-buzz-5965-1379361397-12.jpg

[Bertuzzied]

^ummm thats kinda sad.

[ranchlandsselling]

I'm not sure where it ranks for me.

Breaking Bad
Shield (I forget about this one all the time)
Battlestar
Lost (it was dumb at times, but the characters became like people you knew)
West Wing

I don't get the Wire... I watched it as it always felt like it was about to peak or become climactic but it never did. Which I don't get. Each season kind of ended. I never grew attached to a single character.

Ah well

[Erick Estrada]

^ummm thats kinda sad.

Takes being a nerd to an all new level.

[MikePatton]

Not sure if its been mentioned but Vince Gilligan said in the insider podcast that he thinks that Ozymandias is the best episode of breaking bad. Also mentioned that the flashback scene was shot on the last day of shooting. So it was probably 1000x as nostalgic for the cast as it was for us.

[MikePatton]

I don't get the Wire... I watched it as it always felt like it was about to peak or become climactic but it never did. Which I don't get. Each season kind of ended. I never grew attached to a single character.

The Wire is not for everyone. With the amount of love it gets on the Internet you would think it's impossible to dislike but it's such a unique viewing experience. You just never know.

Anywho... Breaking Bad, bitch!

[trackercowe]

I think The Wire is the best television show ever, while Breaking Bad just might be the most entertaining show ever (if the finale ends on a high note).

After that there is The Sopranos, The X-Files, and Lost. Probably my top five dramas right there. I liked Band of Brothers as a mini-series, but there are plenty of better war movies out there. Not sure the same can be said about The Wire or Breaking Bad.

[Bertuzzied]

I think The Wire is the best television show ever, while Breaking Bad just might be the most entertaining show ever (if the finale ends on a high note).

After that there is The Sopranos, The X-Files, and Lost. Probably my top five dramas right there. I liked Band of Brothers as a mini-series, but there are plenty of better war movies out there. Not sure the same can be said about The Wire or Breaking Bad.

The Wire isn't HD. All of Breaking Bad is! Winner to the 720p.

[Erick Estrada]

Breaking Bad isn't a show for everyone (lots of people don't like it) so I have a hard time accepting it as best show ever.

[Mathalete]

Breaking Bad isn't a show for everyone (lots of people don't like it) so I have a hard time accepting it as best show ever.

That could be said about every show, though.

[Table 5]

Personally, I think the best tv show ever is Seinfeld. I know that people aways think a show has to be serious or filled with drama to be good, but writing smart, layered, comedy for a decade is incredibly hard.

And it has the best casting of all time. Never mind the leads, the list of amazing characters on that show is staggering. Newman, Puddy, Bania, the Costanza and Seinfeld parents, J. Peterman, Steinbrenner, Uncle Leo, Mickey, Whatley (!), Jackie Chiles, Bookman etc etc etc.....they are all just amazingly cast actors and they are all classics in their own right.

Breaking Bad is fantastic. But I've seen every Seinfeld episode at least 20 times, and Im happy to keep watching them whenever one comes on the show. I know what's going to happen, and yet I still want to watch.

[dirk diggler]

Personally, I think the best tv show ever is Seinfeld. I know that people aways think a show has to be serious or filled with drama to be good, but writing smart, layered, comedy for a decade is incredibly hard.

And it has the best casting of all time. Never mind the leads, the list of amazing characters on that show is staggering. Newman, Puddy, Bania, the Costanza and Seinfeld parents, J. Peterman, Steinbrenner, Uncle Leo, Mickey, Whatley (!), Jackie Chiles, Bookman etc etc etc.....they are all just amazingly cast actors and they are all classics in their own right.

Breaking Bad is fantastic. But I've seen every Seinfeld episode at least 20 times, and Im happy to keep watching them whenever one comes on the show. I know what's going to happen, and yet I still want to watch.


Even look at how many cast members from Breaking Bad were on Seinfeld as well...... Walt, Saul, Skylar just to name a few.....

[Mathalete]

Personally, I think the best tv show ever is Seinfeld. I know that people aways think a show has to be serious or filled with drama to be good, but writing smart, layered, comedy for a decade is incredibly hard.

And it has the best casting of all time. Never mind the leads, the list of amazing characters on that show is staggering. Newman, Puddy, Bania, the Costanza and Seinfeld parents, J. Peterman, Steinbrenner, Uncle Leo, Mickey, Whatley (!), Jackie Chiles, Bookman etc etc etc.....they are all just amazingly cast actors and they are all classics in their own right.

Breaking Bad is fantastic. But I've seen every Seinfeld episode at least 20 times, and Im happy to keep watching them whenever one comes on the show. I know what's going to happen, and yet I still want to watch.

I agree - Seinfeld is my favourite as well. Still entertaining 15 years after it has gone off the air.

[Erick Estrada]

That could be said about every show, though.

Well not exactly. The ratings for Breaking Bad have been pretty mediocre over the years. This last season has obviously done very well but past seasons it's been pretty burried by lesser fare. Heck even a new show that caters to a smaller demographic like American Horror Story brings in higher average ratings (not counting these last few episodes of BB).

I think what you have is that the people that watch the show absolutely love it but the majority of watchers have found it too hard to get into. I find it hard to call a show that a vast majority couldn't get into the greatest of all time as the truth is the show is an acquired taste.

Seinfeld is unquestionably the greatest show ever not only because it was brilliant but because it was universally loved. Also it's aged very well as it's still watchable today which you can't say about the majority of programs that are over a decade old.

[corporatejay]

Well not exactly. The ratings for Breaking Bad have been pretty mediocre over the years. This last season has obviously done very well but past seasons it's been pretty burried by lesser fare. Heck even a new show that caters to a smaller demographic like American Horror Story brings in higher average ratings (not counting these last few episodes of BB).

I think what you have is that the people that watch the show absolutely love it but the majority of watchers have found it too hard to get into. I find it hard to call a show that a vast majority couldn't get into the greatest of all time as the truth is the show is an acquired taste.

Seinfeld is unquestionably the greatest show ever not only because it was brilliant but because it was universally loved. Also it's aged very well as it's still watchable today which you can't say about the majority of programs that are over a decade old.

Ratings have nothing to do with how good a show is...nothing. Ratings have to do with how accessible a show is. Procedural Dramas (where a case is solved in an hour) get high ratings because they require zero commitment from their audience. Miss an episode...who cares. They also require zero engagement from their audience, they are passive.

Shows like Breaking Bad, The Wire, Mad Men and the Sopranos require their viewers to actually engage the material. What's so amazing about the Sopranos is that it worked on two levels, it was totally accessible by people who just wanted to sit back and enjoy and it was able to be dissected by more hardcore fans.

Duck Dynasty gets like 11 million viewers and I dont' think it makes it GOAT.

[Red]

Ratings have nothing to do with how good a show is...nothing. Ratings have to do with how accessible a show is. Procedural Dramas (where a case is solved in an hour) get high ratings because they require zero commitment from their audience. Miss an episode...who cares. They also require zero engagement from their audience, they are passive.

Shows like Breaking Bad, The Wire, Mad Men and the Sopranos require their viewers to actually engage the material. What's so amazing about the Sopranos is that it worked on two levels, it was totally accessible by people who just wanted to sit back and enjoy and it was able to be dissected by more hardcore fans.

Duck Dynasty gets like 11 million viewers and I dont' think it makes it GOAT.
Ratings show how popular it is. For whatever reason that may be.

BB is good, but it has had its really slow moments. I myself was ready to give up after season 2.

The show is huge right now because it's about to end. Lots of hype. Is it the best ever? Let's see how people talk about it 5 years from now.

[FlamesAddiction]

I think The Wire is the best television show ever, while Breaking Bad just might be the most entertaining show ever (if the finale ends on a high note).

After that there is The Sopranos, The X-Files, and Lost. Probably my top five dramas right there. I liked Band of Brothers as a mini-series, but there are plenty of better war movies out there. Not sure the same can be said about The Wire or Breaking Bad.

Personally, Breaking Bad is my favourite, but in the past, I wasn't much of a TV guy. I never watched The Sorpranos or The Wire. I had the DVDs for the 1st season of The Wire and only watched a few episodes. I had trouble getting into it. My wife already saw them all though, and I can't stand watching shows alone.

Lost was a weird one for me. I watched the whole series and was addicted like a lot of people, but critically speaking, I really don't think it was a great show after the 1st couple of seasons. There was so much fluff that it could have easily been condensed. The ending also underwhelmed. It was exactly like what many people predicted it would be after the 1st season in spite of the creators denying that it would be that.

I'm currently at various stages of watching:

Breaking Bad,
Sons of Anarchy,
Walking Dead,
Boardwalk Empire,
Game of Thrones,
Dexter, and
True Blood

I would rank those in that order from favourite to least favourite (but I like them all). Granted, besides Breaking Bad, I am at least a season behind on all the others.

[Mathalete]

Ratings show how popular it is. For whatever reason that may be.

BB is good, but it has had its really slow moments. I myself was ready to give up after season 2.

The show is huge right now because it's about to end. Lots of hype. Is it the best ever? Let's see how people talk about it 5 years from now.

I haven't found Breaking Bad to be slow, but it's all subjective - as is the discussion of Breaking Bad's legacy.

The show does seem to alienate some fraction of the population. However, as corporatejay pointed out, there is a level of engagement that is very high along with the other shows he listed.

I think giving it 5 years is a great point. For me, it has surpassed Six Feet Under as my favourite dramatic series (with Seinfeld still the runaway winner as my favourite tv show).

I don't think the show is only garnering attention because it's ending. I would be just as amped over the past few episodes if there was another season next year. What impresses me the most about the show is how the quality of the show increases every season. Six Feet Under was an amazing show, but the third and fourth seasons sagged in quality in my opinion. Breaking Bad has been building a story from the very first episode, and unlike Dexter that has a somewhat anti-climatic storyline in the final season, the last batch of BB episodes have focused on ideas that have been simmering for just about the entire series.

[Erick Estrada]

Ratings show how popular it is. For whatever reason that may be.

BB is good, but it has had its really slow moments. I myself was ready to give up after season 2.

The show is huge right now because it's about to end. Lots of hype. Is it the best ever? Let's see how people talk about it 5 years from now.

Actually ratings matter. If only a small minority of the poplulation claim something is the best that the vast majority of people dislike it's hard to accept that claim as valid. I akin BB popularity as more of a cult thing. Small group that is highly devoted to it. All of us that follow it know it's a very high quality show and I have tried many, many times to get siblings and friends to check it out but most of them can't get into it. I just have a hard time saying it's the best when it's only me that see's the beauty in it because as much as I wish everyone loved what I love accessibility matters if you proclaim something as the best.

[corporatejay]

Actually ratings matter. If only a small minority of the poplulation claim something is the best that the vast majority of people dislike it's hard to accept that claim as valid. I akin BB popularity as more of a cult thing. Small group that is highly devoted to it. All of us that follow it know it's a very high quality show and I have tried many, many times to get siblings and friends to check it out but most of them can't get into it. I just have a hard time saying it's the best when it's only me that see's the beauty in it because as much as I wish everyone loved what I love accessibility matters if you proclaim something as the best.


Disagree. A TV show that gets good ratings has less to do with how good it is and more to do with how it least offends people.

Would you say the same thing about Top 40 music?

Twilight is probably the most popular book series of the last decade, is it the best? What about 50 shades of Grey? Dan Brown?

[polak]

If ratings had anything to do with quality of content than Big Bang Theory, Hunny Boo Boo (or whatever) and Keeping up with the Kardashians would be some of the greatest shows of all time. Rating have absolutely nothing to do with it as you cannot compare shows like Breaking Bad, which require a high level of commitment from viewers to shows like Big Bang Theory which are 22 minutes long, have very little to no character arcs and tell you when to freaking laugh.

Since we're all listing our favorite shows, here are mine:

1. Breaking Bad
2. Community (although season 4 is a huge blemish on an otherwise perfect record)
3. Entourage
4. Californication

My list might look crappy but I don't watch much TV and I rarely find serious shows to be satisfying because of most of them never close of their arcs or they don't develop characters enough. Honestly Breaking Bad and Californication are the only dramas I have been able to stay committed to.

If Californication could ever break their repetitive story that seems to repeat every season it'd be far and away my favorite show ever. It's got everything. Well written dialogue, it pulls off comedy and drama perfectly, it develops it characters well and has a great cast. Unfortunately it just seems to always revert back to the same basic story. Hank has a new project, struggles, finds a new love interest, pisses off his daughter, figures it out, rinse repeat. Although with in that basic premise there are some amazing smaller stories and great episodes.

[fredr123]

Personally, I think the best tv show ever is Seinfeld. I know that people aways think a show has to be serious or filled with drama to be good, but writing smart, layered, comedy for a decade is incredibly hard.

And it has the best casting of all time. Never mind the leads, the list of amazing characters on that show is staggering. Newman, Puddy, Bania, the Costanza and Seinfeld parents, J. Peterman, Steinbrenner, Uncle Leo, Mickey, Whatley (!), Jackie Chiles, Bookman etc etc etc.....they are all just amazingly cast actors and they are all classics in their own right.

Breaking Bad is fantastic. But I've seen every Seinfeld episode at least 20 times, and Im happy to keep watching them whenever one comes on the show. I know what's going to happen, and yet I still want to watch.

My wife doesn't like Seinfeld. Seinfeld therefore cannot be the best tv show ever.

[polak]

I never liked it either.

[MikePatton]

I will agree that it's imperfect. The story is pretty ridiculous. Sometimes I can see the writers fingerprints all over it and that is always something that will bother me.

But it's still immensely entertaining. I have to see it the night it comes out. So I guess I still really like it.

[trackercowe]

I am a huge Seinfeld fan, and in terms of sitcoms it would be right up there for me (only behind The Simpsons); although I have to say Curb Your Enthusiasm might be better than Seinfeld. I feel there is a lot more rewatch value in Curb, and I just find myself laughing more often. That show is absolutely hysterical, and shows how Larry David doesn't even need the Seinfeld cast to create an excellent comedy.

[Tinordi]

It's a great show but it's not in the upper echelon to me. It's basically an action show with commitment to a 5 season story arc. In that end it seems novel because most shows are written with only one or two seasons in mind and then they go on brand new stories only with the same characters. Besides Walt and Jesse there isn't alot of depth to the other characters, not like shows like The Wire, the Sopranos, Mad Men which I would hold in a higher regard than Breaking Bad.

The show's greatest strength is also one its biggest weaknesses. It's a very good story and continually refers to itself and all actions and reactions are related back to events told within the tightly woven narrative. However, the world of Albuquerque in the show is very narrow and placed within a glass bubble. There's a certain pastiche to the world that it seems like we're watching a contrived greek tragedy put together by the Gods, it's mechanical and deliberate.

Except that's not how real life is, shows that I hold in higher regard are ones that accept and glorify happenstance and the organic, chaotic, fabric of our society told through characters that are deeper and less overly flawed but still more relatable and understanding.

[Flash Walken]

Except that's not how real life is, shows that I hold in higher regard are ones that accept and glorify happenstance and the organic, chaotic, fabric of our society told through characters that are deeper and less overly flawed but still more relatable and understanding.
The Wire

[nik-]

Breaking Bad is great, but it hasn't surpassed the Wire for me because the Wire told a tale that to me is personally more intriguing. The corruption and decay of a civilization through bureaucracy and complacency. Improper policing, neglect of neighbourhoods, the dissolution of a formerly solid job base, the death of school systems and the hopelessness of fighting against any of it. Way broader, way more depressing, but incredibly cool.

Plus, Walter White is a villain, there are villains in Westeros ... but Snoop and Chris? ... come on.

[blankall]

^ummm thats kinda sad.

Tattoos...they preserve the things you love:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/miliano/2f32-164.jpg

[FlamesAddiction]

There's a certain pastiche to the world that it seems like we're watching a contrived greek tragedy put together by the Gods, it's mechanical and deliberate.



I think that is sort of what I was getting at when I said a lot of the things this season feel forced just to advance the plot.

The writers really don't seem to want the viewer to make their own determination about the characters and are force feeding the audience. It really feels like this last season is on rails.

Don't get me wrong, the show was always full of unilkely coincidenses that geared the story, but it still felt a little more wide open and intricate. I much preferred it when Walt was a shady MacGyver and the relationship with Jesse was are bizarre "odd couple" satire. There was no highgorund for anyone and just different shades of grey. Now, it seems like they are trying to teach the audience a lesson and are dictating how the audience should feel about characters... which is fine for some shows, but I was really hoping for different.

While I think the acting has been top notch this season and the story still interesting, it feels like they ran out of time and made things less intricate. I found myself disappointed with laziness of some of the plot advancements. For example; instead of Hank finding out about Walt trhough some incredible sleuthing, he just fell onto it. And then how Jesse pieced together the Brock poisoning, I am still not buying it. Both of those major plot advancements are too forced and undermine the cleverness that the show has had in the past IMO.

While it is a great show, it is not without it's flaws.

[polak]

The whole show prior to this season had built up a persona for Walt that meant he was always a step ahead of Hank or was able to somehow diffuse his suspicions. It would be weird if Hank got so close to figuring it all out after Gale died, then got stopped by Walt, and then kept getting close again. It would've become a cliche in my eys. Kind of like how I said earlier that Californication seems to go through the same arc every season, Breaking Bad would've developed the same problem. Every season it'd be Walt finding a new way to build or maintain his empire, Jessie going through some depression for something he was involved in cause of Walt, Hank getting close to figuring him out but never quite doing it and Skylar being an annoying B****. It was sort of a slow burn as Walt built up his empire but if it wasn't for Hank "stumbling" on his discovery the story would've fallen into a cycle as Walt had already become a king pin.

Hank stumbling upon something coincidently, allowed for the show to break out of that and move the story to the end. It was also a given that something small would get Walt. The show was never going to end with Hank leading a proper, successful investigation and then putting Walt in handcuffs. It needed to be something outside the box.

[rayne008]

... For example; instead of Hank finding out about Walt through some incredible sleuthing, he just fell onto it. And then how Jesse pieced together the Brock poisoning, I am still not buying it. ...


Funny, both of those you mentioned are ones I am totally comfortable with. I feel, like most things in life, it's the tiny details that get you. Sometimes all it takes is the smallest catalyst for all of the pieces to fall apart.

[Erick Estrada]

Maybe this sailed over my head but did Walt actually believe the police weren't listening to that call with Skyler when he pretty well admits guilt in all his crimes? Was that calculated in that he's trying to spare the family any association with his crimes or has he become extremely sloppy?

[corporatejay]

Maybe this sailed over my head but did Walt actually believe the police weren't listening to that call with Skyler when he pretty well admits guilt in all his crimes? Was that calculated in that he's trying to spare the family any association with his crimes or has he become extremely sloppy?


It was Skylar's get out of jail free card with a tinge of (his) truth. He knew the cops were listening.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Maybe this sailed over my head but did Walt actually believe the police weren't listening to that call with Skyler when he pretty well admits guilt in all his crimes? Was that calculated in that he's trying to spare the family any association with his crimes or has he become extremely sloppy?

That was all calculated. He knew they were listening, he was trying to separate Skyler from any wrong doing. You can tell he didn't enjoy saying the things he was saying, but he knew it had to be done before he left town.

[Hessen]

Hence ripping the battery out of and destroying the phone.

[East Coast Flame]

http://i.imgur.com/SxNnxES.png

[Erick Estrada]

That was all calculated. He knew they were listening, he was trying to separate Skyler from any wrong doing. You can tell he didn't enjoy saying the things he was saying, but he knew it had to be done before he left town.

Not sure why he felt he had to take the fall for murdering Hank though as drug dealer is one thing but cop killer is grounds for a massive manhunt. He could have pinned that on Jessie to get a bit of revenge.

[polak]

I think he either believes his new identity will keep him safe forever and doesn't care or he doesn't want to cross anyone else anymore out of fear of revenge against his family.

[trackercowe]

Walt also believes he only has under a year left to live. So why would he care if there is a manhunt looking for him? In his mind he'll be long dead before the cops get wind of where he is.

[Wormius]

Not sure why he felt he had to take the fall for murdering Hank though as drug dealer is one thing but cop killer is grounds for a massive manhunt. He could have pinned that on Jessie to get a bit of revenge.

I don't think he wants to give the nazis any reason to come around to threaten Skyler and the kids by implicating them. I don't think it is believable that Jesse would have done it. Besides, he is missing too and Marie wouldn't believe it.

[Flash Walken]

Maybe this sailed over my head but did Walt actually believe the police weren't listening to that call with Skyler when he pretty well admits guilt in all his crimes? Was that calculated in that he's trying to spare the family any association with his crimes or has he become extremely sloppy?

Others have commented already but I think the overarching storyline of Walt here is that, while his Ego might be the trump card in many circumstances, in the end, it is his love of Family that has brought about all this catastrophe.

In the end, after all the horrible stuff we saw Walt do prior, he still sacrifices for his family.

It's just another layer to the love-hate relationship I have with the character.

Edit: And also, because invariably someone will bring this up in response, Walt utilizes that massive ego in his final act to 'save' his family.

[FlamesAddiction]

Did Walt take the blame for Hank's death?

Skylar just asked where Hank was Walt replied that they would never see him again. Then he said that if she didn't keep in line, she would end up like Hank.

It implied that Hank was dead, but it wasn't a murder confession.

[Regulator75]

http://i.minus.com/i0cW0bjb3eir3.gif

[cDnStealth]

Apparently AMC is extending the final two episodes to 75 minutes each including commercials.

[getbak]

Apparently AMC is extending the final two episodes to 75 minutes each including commercials.
Which likely just means that AMC is selling 10 more minutes of commercials in the final two episodes (they were already running this year's episodes at 65 minutes).

[To Be Quite Honest]

I think that is sort of what I was getting at when I said a lot of the things this season feel forced just to advance the plot.

The writers really don't seem to want the viewer to make their own determination about the characters and are force feeding the audience. It really feels like this last season is on rails.

Don't get me wrong, the show was always full of unilkely coincidenses that geared the story, but it still felt a little more wide open and intricate. I much preferred it when Walt was a shady MacGyver and the relationship with Jesse was are bizarre "odd couple" satire. There was no highgorund for anyone and just different shades of grey. Now, it seems like they are trying to teach the audience a lesson and are dictating how the audience should feel about characters... which is fine for some shows, but I was really hoping for different.

While I think the acting has been top notch this season and the story still interesting, it feels like they ran out of time and made things less intricate. I found myself disappointed with laziness of some of the plot advancements. For example; instead of Hank finding out about Walt trhough some incredible sleuthing, he just fell onto it. And then how Jesse pieced together the Brock poisoning, I am still not buying it. Both of those major plot advancements are too forced and undermine the cleverness that the show has had in the past IMO.

While it is a great show, it is not without it's flaws.

Since the beginning it has been about the rise of a man and the fall of a King. There has been no "high ground" or shades of grey. Just wrong turns and choices that blow up the bubble until it bursts.

You know when you read a novel and everything makes sense because all the details are explained. This is incredibly difficult in TV/movies and I think the writers have done a fantastic job with the show and you're just being too picky, trying to find flaws in a superior piece of art.

This show is the new pinnacle for structure and story telling on a TV series and I feel sorry for all most every show that is compared to it.

[To Be Quite Honest]

Which likely just means that AMC is selling 10 more minutes of commercials in the final two episodes (they were already running this year's episodes at 65 minutes).

By law there is only a certain amount of commercial time you can show in an hour. I believe it's 16 mins on US network TV. So 24 mins in an hour and a half. At least that what it was when I was in school.

6 mins in Canada every 30 min slot
8 mins in the US every 30 min slot.

* Scratch that - TV advertizing is deregulated in the USA - Page 13

http://www.tvb.ca/page_files/pdf/InfoCentre/TVBasics.pdf

[Regulator75]

Anyone notice that pair of pants when Walt was rolling his barrel?

http://i.imgur.com/VenMk1G.gif

[Hessen]

^^ What am I missing?

[Regulator75]

^^ What am I missing?

Nothing? Just highlighting his pants on the ground.

[Hessen]

Geeze... I totaly missed them. Thought it was a rock.

[Wormius]

Nothing? Just highlighting his pants on the ground.

Unfortunately some of these animated gifs are totally lost on Tapatalk users.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Tapatalk users must be shunned.

[Igottago]

This show is the new pinnacle for structure and story telling on a TV series and I feel sorry for all most every show that is compared to it.

The show is just about to knock off The Sopranos off as my favourite show of all time. The final two episodes will probably cement its place.

I might have to give up TV for a while becuase nothing has/will come close to it for a long time. Its had everything...orginal concept, great acting, great writing, great directing...and best of all, its ending while its still in its prime.

[nik-]

The show is just about to knock off The Sopranos off as my favourite show of all time. The final two episodes will probably cement its place.

I might have to give up TV for a while becuase nothing has/will come close to it for a long time. Its had everything...orginal concept, great acting, great writing, great directing...and best of all, its ending while its still in its prime.

I definitely have Breaking Bad over the Sopranos right now. It's just so much cleaner. There were too many tangents in the Sopranos I felt. Breaking Bad seems like it was much better defined from the start.

[Bertuzzied]

I might have to give up TV for a while becuase nothing has/will come close to it for a long time. Its had everything...orginal concept, great acting, great writing, great directing...and best of all, its ending while its still in its prime.

Vince Gilligan doing a 2014 Gilligan's Island remake!

[Regulator75]

http://www.brobible.com/files/uploads/images/Entertainment/breakingbadrecaps/breaking-bad-ending.jpg

[calgarywinning]

Nothing? Just highlighting his pants on the ground.

Just to be precise about this, it was the first pair of pants/overalls he wore on the first cook in the desert with Jesse in the RV.

[Flash Walken]

I definitely have Breaking Bad over the Sopranos right now. It's just so much cleaner. There were too many tangents in the Sopranos I felt. Breaking Bad seems like it was much better defined from the start.

What you describe is part of the reason I would put Sopranos over Breaking Bad.

Tinordi nailed it though in his post. I like breaking bad a lot, it's a great 'action' show, but it's certainly (in my opinion OF COURSE) not a top drama by any means.

[nik-]

I wouldn't call Breaking Bad an "action" show. It just had a much more defined arc, and as a result, there was less filler than the Sopranos.

[Clever_Iggy]

Breaking Bad is great, but it hasn't surpassed the Wire for me because the Wire told a tale that to me is personally more intriguing. The corruption and decay of a civilization through bureaucracy and complacency. Improper policing, neglect of neighbourhoods, the dissolution of a formerly solid job base, the death of school systems and the hopelessness of fighting against any of it. Way broader, way more depressing, but incredibly cool.

Plus, Walter White is a villain, there are villains in Westeros ... but Snoop and Chris? ... come on.

Totally agree. The Wire's characters are so awesome and the interlacing of each season was great - plus as a viewer you can identify with the issues in The Wire easier. The characters, issues, etc are more real than BB.

Breaking Bad is up there with The Wire and Sopranos for me, but hasn't topped them (neck and neck with Sopranos, but I give Sopranos the edge on characters, storyline complexity and acting - Gandolfini and Cranston are basically a wash, and BB has quality actors (Jesse/Hank), but overall, I think Sopranos entire cast was awesome top to bottom.

[polak]

I wonder if the next episode will start in the future or continue on this timeline and give a glimpse of what happens when you get into the van. We've been teased 3 times now with people taking a "clean start" but this is the first time anyone has actually gone through with it. I want to see what that intails.

[SHOGUN]

_SEL27xiJGQ

Awesome.

[djsFlames]

Seinfeld was a mediocre show.

(ducks)

[TurnedTheCorner]

I wonder if the next episode will start in the future or continue on this timeline and give a glimpse of what happens when you get into the van. We've been teased 3 times now with people taking a "clean start" but this is the first time anyone has actually gone through with it. I want to see what that intails.

My guess is we'll see a bit of both timelines. The episode is called 'Granite State', which is the state motto of NH, where Walt relocates to as seen in previous flash forwards.

I doubt we'll see much of the specifics of "getting in the van". Maybe a montage with an ID, name, new address, etc. It seems kind of pedestrian stuff to spend a lot of time on, IMO. But who knows? Only one more day left before we find out!

[SHOGUN]

Seinfeld was a mediocre show.

(ducks)

Shows like "Friends" and "That 70's Show" surpass it in every way.

[trackercowe]

Shows like "Friends" and "That 70's Show" surpass it in every way.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I6-LWhRv5Gs/TOxU1ySiFrI/AAAAAAAAA_I/jfzH_GNDenc/s640/Seinfled-GeorgeFacePalm.JPG

[Bertuzzied]

Shows like "Friends" and "That 70's Show" surpass it in every way.

hahahahaha. Friends??? are you effing kidding me?

Ban this guy from the thread please!

[CalgaryFan1988]

_SEL27xiJGQ

Awesome.

The Price is Wrong....... B!tch!

[d_phaneuf]

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I6-LWhRv5Gs/TOxU1ySiFrI/AAAAAAAAA_I/jfzH_GNDenc/s640/Seinfled-GeorgeFacePalm.JPG

Shows like "Friends" and "That 70's Show" surpass it in every way.

http://replygif.net/i/472.gif

[jd456]

v_XfvQsNFbg

[Yamer]

I could be wrong, but I think there are a lot of busted sarcasm meters in here...

[SHOGUN]

Successful troll is successful.

[Badgers Nose]

With Dex and Breaking Bad coming to an end, I just started watching BSG again.

How much crazy did they pack into the first few episodes? I forgot how good that show was.

[Acey]

TV buff's wet dream tonight. Emmy's. Dex finale. Breaking Bad penultimate. I'm salivating already.

[Flabbibulin]

Wow, they have a lot of ground to cover in the last episode. Surprised it is only going to be 75 minutes.

[Ashasx]

Welp, they dead.

[nik-]

Walt's pride gets him again. That didn't feel like the second last episode ... lots of work to do.

[Mike F]

As was inevitable, a step back from last episode.

Seems to be setting up a Walt vs Supremacists, but hopefully they wrap that up early and the finale is about Walt & Jesse.

Edit: it's interesting... Vince Gilligan has repeatedly said that, to him, the moment that Walt "broke bad" was when he (Gilligan) introduced the Deus ex machina of Grey Matter showing up and offering to pay all of Walt's medical bills, and set his family up for life, but Walt chose meth cooking because his pride couldn't allow him to take a handout from his former partners. Now here we have Walt broken and ready to turn himself in, and there's Grey Matter again, tweaking his pride and sending him down a dark path

[BlackArcher101]

Wow, that setup the finale to go in so many different directions, I don't even know where to begin guessing.

[FlamesAddiction]

Hopefully he blows up Gray Matter on his way to do everything else he has to do.

[Wormius]

Interesting. I wonder what that interview with Elliott and Gretchen set off in Walt. I mean, obviously his ego after they basically dismissed his contributions, but did it set something else in motion, or just renewed his drive to finish going after the nazis to get the rest of the money. Or does he now realize how much Jesse ultimately did mean to him and try to help him out, while Jesse would kill him for everything he just put him through over the last month or so.

[Ashasx]

I think Walt's gonna be the hero and save everybody.

[stang]

Interesting. I wonder what that interview with Elliott and Gretchen set off in Walt. I mean, obviously his ego after they basically dismissed his contributions, but did it set something else in motion, or just renewed his drive to finish going after the nazis to get the rest of the money. Or does he now realize how much Jesse ultimately did mean to him and try to help him out, while Jesse would kill him for everything he just put him through over the last month or so.

I think it made him realize that Jesses still alive... They said the blue meth is making a comeback

[mac_82]

Walt in New Hampshire was like Rocky in Russia in Rocky 4. Now it's time to go beat some Neo Nazi/Ruskie butt!

[polak]

Wow don't know how they're going to wrap this up in one episode. Everything is still in motion and they added Grey Matter into the mix. Crazy how it sets it up to come full circle now after Grey Matter screwed Walt in the beginning and then insulted his ego by offering to pay for his treatment.

I can't wait until next week.

[polak]

I think it made him realize that Jesses still alive... They said the blue meth is making a comeback

Well that could definitely be it but Walt seemed to get really mad when they said that Walter White was gone and only Heisenberg was left.

[TurnedTheCorner]

"Only Heisenberg? I'll show them Heisenberg!"

[djsFlames]

I agree with the above poster.

I hope he bombs the Grey Matter headquarters and 70 million dollars of his meth money rains down upon its ruins, right after he steals it back from the cold hands of the bloody, lifeless corpses of the supremacists.

(he comes to the realization of how absurd it was to think that his kids could actually use such an unfathomable amount of cash)

It would be, just, ..perfection. BB style. :cool:

[Brannigans Law]

Todd is amazing. The murder tonight was ridiculous and evil and heart wrenching. Pinkmans reaction was amazing too.

Good gravy.

[djsFlames]

I'll admit I felt for Jesse in that scene with Andrea. Dude's been through enough already. Beyond repair now at this point. The guy was begging for death. He wasn't smooth at all in that escape attempt though. Really should have surveyed the area and looked for some damn cameras of all things.. (it's a giant meth lab, of course they're gonna have security..) and not just, you know, bolt across the open field. Typical Jesse not using his noggin.

[trackercowe]

Another great episode. A shame Cranston didn't win the Emmy, as he deserved it for tonight's episode; from the highs and the lows he displayed throughout.

I guess this means Saul makes it out, so any spin-off with him could either be a prequel or sequel to the show.

I hope they answer the question of what exactly is Walt's health at the moment. He appeared to be in better shape at the end of the episode than at the beginning, even though his body appears to have wasted away (with the ring falling off).

Can anyone answer how long he was in New Hampshire?

[Hemi-Cuda]

Another great episode. A shame Cranston didn't win the Emmy, as he deserved it for tonight's episode; from the highs and the lows he displayed throughout.

I guess this means Saul makes it out, so any spin-off with him could either be a prequel or sequel to the show.

I hope they answer the question of what exactly is Walt's health at the moment. He appeared to be in better shape at the end of the episode than at the beginning, even though his body appears to have wasted away (with the ring falling off).

Can anyone answer how long he was in New Hampshire?

Close to a year. It was shortly after his 51st birthday that all hell broke loose, and we saw him at the beginning of the season on his 52nd birthday. He's also had time to go through multiple cancer treatments and also we know the house is now in the state it was during the flash forward

[Hemi-Cuda]

Oh and Todd needs to die, damn that was hard to watch with Jesse's reaction. Hank's death had more weight to it obviously, but this one hits harder IMO because it's a completely innocent person killed solely to hurt someone else. There's no way I'll be happy with the finale unless that entire nazi gang gets taken out

[trackercowe]

I actually find Todd a tad likable, granted I hope he dies as well, but it's just hard to picture someone like him to be as completely ruthless and deadly as he is. And I barely watched Friday Night Lights, so that's not a factor at all.

[calgarywinning]

The Pinkman escape scene was pretty cool tonight. Was very tense. Also, I was pissed when Bill Pullman won for newsroom of Cranston.

I kept saying he should channel Heisenberg and Kanye West and get up and grab the Emmy back.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Also, I was pissed when Bill Pullman won for newsroom of Cranston.

I kept saying he should channel Heisenberg and Kanye West and get up and grab the Emmy back.

Go home calgarywinning, you're drunk

[megatron]

Just watched the last episode. Wasn't as crazy as the last 3 episodes, but still great.

I was hoping Jesse would get away. I actually thought Todd would come back and step on his hands while he was trying to unlock the cage. I really want Jesse to get his revenge on all the Nazis.

You could see Walt's heart break talking to Walt Jr. on the phone and he was ready to turn himself in, until the old Heisenberg ego was woken up hearing about Grey Matter. I guess the next episode will pick up when Season 5, episode 1 started off in the diner celebrating his 52nd birthday with the guns in the trunk of the car.

I can't wait, although I'm pretty distraught at everything ending.

Pretty crazy that Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston didn't win Emmys tonight. Anna Gunn deserved to win. My wife told me that this season (season 5, part 2) will be up for next year's Emmys. They should be a lock for best actor, supporting actor and best drama.

[JeanLucPicard]

Honestly...I really dislike this whole Grey Matter situation all of a sudden. Whatever Walter's dealings were with Schwartzs just had no development whatsoever. It was enough for us to know that once upon a time Walt's ego was hurt when it came to Grey Matter - we didn't have to go into it in any detail.
Bringing Grey Matter into picture just adds too many players for the last 45 minutes - and I just don't like too many character and "story arcs" crammed into a finale just for the sake of tying "lose ends". I was totally indifferent when it came to "Grey Matter" - theres no need to make it relevant at THIS point.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Honestly...I really dislike this whole Grey Matter situation all of a sudden. Whatever Walter's dealings were with Schwartzs just had no development whatsoever. It was enough for us to know that once upon a time Walt's ego was hurt when it came to Grey Matter - we didn't have to go into it in any detail.
Bringing Grey Matter into picture just adds too many players for the last 45 minutes - and I just don't like too many character and "story arcs" crammed into a finale just for the sake of tying "lose ends". I was totally indifferent when it came to "Grey Matter" - theres no need to make it relevant at THIS point.

I believe the premise is that Walter had always believe that Gray Matter became a billion dollar company off his research. It had always left a bad taste in his mouth. Now they aren't even giving him any credit.

With blue meth back there's another company, of sorts, making a fortune off his research. And he's not cool with that. It was just that last push, that last kick to his ego, that stopped him from turning himself in.

[Wormius]

I don't think the blue meth means much, Walt knew they took Jesse to do a few cooks. For all he knows or cares, it was a success and then they killed him.

Regarding Jesse's escape, a bit contrived. They have video surveillance everywhere except there?

Lydia's "stevia" addiction almost seems like she would be the recipient of the ricin, but I don't think at this stage Walt needs to kill discreetly. He would probably just kill her with a gun for all it matters to him at this stage. Ironic that when those guys were contemplating killing Lydia they showed her mercy, not really reciprocal showing by Lydia with Skyler.

What's up with Walt's drink? Who drank theirs neat? Was that Walt's really preferred way or did he pick that up from Hank?

[Wormius]

Another great episode. A shame Cranston didn't win the Emmy, as he deserved it for tonight's episode; from the highs and the lows he displayed throughout.

I guess this means Saul makes it out, so any spin-off with him could either be a prequel or sequel to the show.

I hope they answer the question of what exactly is Walt's health at the moment. He appeared to be in better shape at the end of the episode than at the beginning, even though his body appears to have wasted away (with the ring falling off).

Can anyone answer how long he was in New Hampshire?

A Saul sequel may be a tad, uh, underwhelming. Unless it is him at the Cinnabon sharing stories about the past with the whole episode being a flashback.

[Regulator75]

A Saul sequel may be a tad, uh, underwhelming. Unless it is him at the Cinnabon sharing stories about the past with the whole episode being a flashback.

It's a Prequel spin-off with Saul.

[stang]

Honestly...I really dislike this whole Grey Matter situation all of a sudden. Whatever Walter's dealings were with Schwartzs just had no development whatsoever. It was enough for us to know that once upon a time Walt's ego was hurt when it came to Grey Matter - we didn't have to go into it in any detail.
Bringing Grey Matter into picture just adds too many players for the last 45 minutes - and I just don't like too many character and "story arcs" crammed into a finale just for the sake of tying "lose ends". I was totally indifferent when it came to "Grey Matter" - theres no need to make it relevant at THIS point.

I'm pretty sure the whole grey matter thing was just another kick to his ego to push him back into Heisenberg mode. Just like it was at the beginning of the series. I don't think he takes any retribution against them.

[speede5]

At first I was thinking Grey Matter was possibly a way for him to get his money to his family. Then they were trying to disasociate themselves and it triggered Walt's ego.

I think Jesse lives now. He's going to kill Todd, somehow, and then he gets to man up and raise Brock. He will have some peace somewhere with a few million bucks.

Unfortunately I think there will be alot of disapointment with this finale, Way too much to wrap up in a 75 minute episode. i think a 2 hour finale would be pushing it.

[Wormius]

It's a Prequel spin-off with Saul.

I know. I was commenting on why a sequel would be bad, even though it's technically possible.

[Regulator75]

I know. I was commenting on why a sequel would be bad, even though it's technically possible.

It occurred to me after I replied... :bag:

[Radio]

I don't think the blue meth means much, Walt knew they took Jesse to do a few cooks. For all he knows or cares, it was a success and then they killed him.

Regarding Jesse's escape, a bit contrived. They have video surveillance everywhere except there?

Lydia's "stevia" addiction almost seems like she would be the recipient of the ricin, but I don't think at this stage Walt needs to kill discreetly. He would probably just kill her with a gun for all it matters to him at this stage. Ironic that when those guys were contemplating killing Lydia they showed her mercy, not really reciprocal showing by Lydia with Skyler.

What's up with Walt's drink? Who drank theirs neat? Was that Walt's really preferred way or did he pick that up from Hank?

No way. They were supposed to take him, torture him for info then kill him. That's what Walt paid them for...to kill Jesse. He's made it clear in other episodes that that it is his recipe and he doesn't like others reproducing it...not even Jesse.

That Grey Matter interview definitely set him off. In their attempt to disassociate themselves with Walter they completely dismissed the fact that the company was built on his research. That all he did was help with the name after that company made billions off his work.

If there is blue meth back on the street he knows Jesse is still alive, because he's the only guy who could do it. I don't think he'll blow up Grey Matter but he'll bring them down somehow.

[Hemi-Cuda]

At first I was thinking Grey Matter was possibly a way for him to get his money to his family. Then they were trying to disasociate themselves and it triggered Walt's ego.

I think Jesse lives now. He's going to kill Todd, somehow, and then he gets to man up and raise Brock. He will have some peace somewhere with a few million bucks.

Unfortunately I think there will be alot of disapointment with this finale, Way too much to wrap up in a 75 minute episode. i think a 2 hour finale would be pushing it.

They could have almost had another entire season without stretching things out too much. There's a lot more they could have done with Walt being in exile, and then hunting those that wronged him. Would have been nice to tie up some old loose ends as well, like Gus' mysterious past in Chile and the remnants of the Mexican cartel

[polak]

I’m inclined to echo the doubt about the finale being able to satisfyingly end everything that has been left open ended but I have faith. I’ve also given up on trying to guess how this will all go down. The gun has to be for Jack and his crew (which like I said before, is a little disappointing that such small characters end up being the final adversaries) but the Ricin could be for anyone. Maybe it’s for one of the Grey Matter people? Other than that, Jessie still needs a resolution, as does Lydia, Skylar and Marie. Saul has been taken care of and I’m assuming Hule is still sitting on his couch?

[Flabbibulin]

I don't think Grey Matter necessarily has to be involved in the last episode- it might have just been the motivating tool the writers used to get Walt back in the game and that is all we will see of them. The success of Grey Matter was one of his biggest driving forces for him in the beginning, and the interview clips reminded him of that.

Then again, it could be setting up to have a Godfather-like finish where Walt takes care of all of his enemies in a simultaneous fashion, ending with a final showdown with Jesse.

[FlamesAddiction]

I’m inclined to echo the doubt about the finale being able to satisfyingly end everything that has been left open ended but I have faith. I’ve also given up on trying to guess how this will all go down. The gun has to be for Jack and his crew (which like I said before, is a little disappointing that such small characters end up being the final adversaries) but the Ricin could be for anyone. Maybe it’s for one of the Grey Matter people? Other than that, Jessie still needs a resolution, as does Lydia, Skylar and Marie. Saul has been taken care of and I’m assuming Hule is still sitting on his couch?



I'm prepared to be let down a little bit. There are just so many loose ends to tie off and so little time to do it neatly... too many corners that they painted themselves into. I've already compained enough about this season and how despite that great acting, the plot devices seem very forced in order to push the plot forward (and Walt seeing Grey Matter on TV at that exact moment seems like another one). Personally, I would rather that they leave a few loose ends than force everything into a resolution.

[Jbo]

My thoughts:

1) Walt will go in Scarface style on the Nazis. I think back on the scene where Walt and Flynn are watching that movie (specifically the final scene). He will not make it out of the fight. Jesse may take him out or Todd.

He will have some kind of closure moment with Skylar and Walt. Jr. before the fight.

2) I think Jesse finds the ricin on Walt and kills Lydia with it to get back at Todd.
I could see him getting out and looking after brock, or I could see him wind up dead.

Some story lines I would like to see:

1) Following a Walt death it is revealed that Grey Matter was truly built on Walt's work. Company is shown to be a fraud and disolves;

2) Badger and Skinny Pete talking about some guys they used to know....

3) Huell shown in the last shot still waiting for Hank to come back.

[Red]

I'm prepared to be let down a little bit. There are just so many loose ends to tie off and so little time to do it neatly... too many corners that they painted themselves into. I've already compained enough about this season and how despite that great acting, the plot devices seem very forced in order to push the plot forward (and Walt seeing Grey Matter on TV at that exact moment seems like another one). Personally, I would rather that they leave a few loose ends than force everything into a resolution.

I feel the same. The show’s best plot ended two episodes ago. They missed so much opportunity by killing off Hank so soon. All this family drama, dilemma etc, all gone. Too bad. The show could have ended right there. And it feels like it actually did. Little has happened since.
Everything since seems to be filler type material. Hardly anything worth caring for is left. Neos? Who cares. Jessie’s girlfriend (whatever her name is), again, she had what, 3 lines in the entire show? Gray matter? Again, we don’t know these people. They have had almost no part in this entire show. Lydia? Again, meh. Jessie and the family are the only things that need resolving and if the family continues to hate him then really, that plot was finished 2 episodes ago. No change since.

Last episode was pure filler, disappointing. Hope for a lot better in the finale.

[Jbo]

I had the opposite reaction to the last episode. I loved it. Almost every frame of it.

I loved finally seeing the extractor. And seeing Saul and Walt have that final moment, followed by a coughing fit that left him on the ground.

Seeing the contrast from the desert to the snow. Many poets and writers have used winter to symbolize death, and that is just what this was. Walt dying in the woods. Those moments in the cabin felt lonely. You could see everything that Walt had worked for stripped away. Watching Walt pay 10K just for an hour of playing cards was hard. You felt for him. I still think Walt is a good person.

"It can not have all been for nothing".

Finally, thought the way the fast forward was handled was perfect.

Oh and that ending. Walt giving up, seeing the Grey Matter TV show.

Walt is dead. That is what the woods and snow have symbolized. Heisenberg is all that remains...and he is going to take a lot of people down with him. (And the Breaking Bad theme playing when the cops came in...perfect)

[corporatejay]

My thoughts:

1) Walt will go in Scarface style on the Nazis. I think back on the scene where Walt and Flynn are watching that movie (specifically the final scene). He will not make it out of the fight. Jesse may take him out or Todd.

He will have some kind of closure moment with Skylar and Walt. Jr. before the fight.

2) I think Jesse finds the ricin on Walt and kills Lydia with it to get back at Todd.
I could see him getting out and looking after brock, or I could see him wind up dead.

Some story lines I would like to see:

1) Following a Walt death it is revealed that Grey Matter was truly built on Walt's work. Company is shown to be a fraud and disolves;

2) Badger and Skinny Pete talking about some guys they used to know....

3) Huell shown in the last shot still waiting for Hank to come back.


I think people are still expecting this to be some heroic story where Walt comes back and does something brave. Unfortunately, the fact that I feel depressed and sick after almost every episode makes me realize that this is going to end badly, for everyone.

[Jbo]

I think people are still expecting this to be some heroic story where Walt comes back and does something brave. Unfortunately, the fact that I feel depressed and sick after almost every episode makes me realize that this is going to end badly, for everyone.

Yep. Like I said in the above post. Walt is dead already. To me that is what the woods and snow symbolized. When Flynn yelled "why don't you just die"...he already had. Walt died up there.

Heisenberg is the re-animated hell fury of Walt.

[nik-]

Honestly...I really dislike this whole Grey Matter situation all of a sudden. Whatever Walter's dealings were with Schwartzs just had no development whatsoever. It was enough for us to know that once upon a time Walt's ego was hurt when it came to Grey Matter - we didn't have to go into it in any detail.
Bringing Grey Matter into picture just adds too many players for the last 45 minutes - and I just don't like too many character and "story arcs" crammed into a finale just for the sake of tying "lose ends". I was totally indifferent when it came to "Grey Matter" - theres no need to make it relevant at THIS point.

I think it's perfect. After all that's happened, all the plans, all the enemies made on the way, all the money, all the destruction to his family, he's gone, he's out, he's dying ... and this petty bull#### pulls him back into it.

Walt was always a petty, weak loser acting like a boss, and this driving him over was exactly the way you'd expect him to react.

[polak]

I agree that most of this episode was filler but I think it did a good job showing that Walt had lost it all. Even when he threatened Saul he couldn’t finish. I thought that was a pretty powerful scene.

He’s dying, he lost his, money, his family and he lost his power. Then the last scene showed him giving up and Heisenberg taking over.

While I agree that episode 14 would’ve been a great finale if they tied everything off, whose to say what next week has in store? Episode 14 was incredible and took care of a lot of business in that hour. Could very well happen again. Jessie, the Nazis and Lydia could conceivably be tied off during the same event and Walt’s family doesn’t need much for a resolution, they know the truth, what else is there really to do? I don’t see that being anymore of a challenge then killing Hank, exposing Walt and having his family turn on him in one episode and we saw how amazing that turned out. Probably one of the best hours in TV history.

Like I said, it’s going to be tough to end this with everything wrapped up but if any show can do it, it’s this one.

[gargamel]

I feel the same. The show’s best plot ended two episodes ago. They missed so much opportunity by killing off Hank so soon. All this family drama, dilemma etc, all gone. Too bad. The show could have ended right there. And it feels like it actually did. Little has happened since.

Everything since seems to be filler type material.

I agree that most of this episode was filler

Are we watching the same show? I didn't think a single minute of that episode was filler. It certainly wasn't as action-packed as the past few weeks, but everything seemed to be critical to the plot. In fact, other than the Star Trek plot idea, I don't think there's been any filler at all this last half-season.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Close to a year. It was shortly after his 51st birthday that all hell broke loose, and we saw him at the beginning of the season on his 52nd birthday. He's also had time to go through multiple cancer treatments and also we know the house is now in the state it was during the flash forward

Are we sure that's the time frame though?

Seems it would be a real stupid move to have the same birthday on his new New Hampshire ID as he did in his real life.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Felina.

FE(iron)=Blood
LI(lithium)=Meth
NA(sodium)=Tears

[Tinordi]

It will go down something like:

Walt and Jesse serendipitously working at the same time to bring the white gang down.

But, once they realize they're in the same game the climax will be the showdown between Walt and Jesse. Both of them blame each other for killing people they love. There is no making up between these two, both are too damaged.

The show will resolve with Walt re-establishing his role as father figure to Flynn in some act of sacrifice and self-immolation.

The $10 million of Walt's clearly ends up in the Grey Matter charity.

Walt will destroy what he built by bring down the entire Madrigal ring by tipping off the police and stinging Lydia.

Jesse will have vengeance on Todd, Walt will have vengeance on Jack.

[surferguy]

Watched talking bad last night - they mentioned he was in the woods for 3-4 months and that when he left it was 2 days prior to his 52 birthday.

Also Felina is anagram of finale as stated by Vince Gilligan.

[fredr123]

Sam Page of SI's Extra Mustard figures out what game was playing in the background while Walt was talking to Flynn on the phone: http://extramustard.si.com/2013/09/23/last-nights-breaking-bad-featured-a-classic-college-hockey-game-from-1998/

Edit: Lambert (@twolinepass) figured it out and posted it on twitter about 12 hours or so before the SI guy.

[polak]

It will go down something like:

Walt and Jesse serendipitously working at the same time to bring the white gang down.

But, once they realize they're in the same game the climax will be the showdown between Walt and Jesse. Both of them blame each other for killing people they love. There is no making up between these two, both are too damaged.

The show will resolve with Walt re-establishing his role as father figure to Flynn in some act of sacrifice and self-immolation.

The $10 million of Walt's clearly ends up in the Grey Matter charity.

Walt will destroy what he built by bring down the entire Madrigal ring by tipping off the police and stinging Lydia.

Jesse will have vengeance on Todd, Walt will have vengeance on Jack.

That's a pretty good take but it ignores the Ricen. It could be for Lydia but why kill her slowly and painfully? If she's sick like Brock was (or worse cause it would be a lethal dose) then she won't be much use to the police.

[polak]

Oh and as for why the nazis didn't have a camera on the cage, it could be cause they don't want the fact that they are holding a prisoner on tape? Or it's just not needed. We saw how fast they caught Jessie.

[nik-]

Am I alone in thinking that it seems like killing Lydia isn't really a priority for Walt? In the end, besides being anal, did she really do anything to outweigh providing a channel for him to make a massive amount of money?

I don't see the reason Walt kills her.

[Tinordi]

I don't think Walt has a big enough beef with Lydia to outright murder her in cold blood.

I think the Ricin is for Walt. Of note, nobody has actually died from the ricin that Walt produced in the show to-date. I think it'd be poetic if the person to actually die was the creator himself.

[polak]

Yeah Lydia doesn't need to be killed but she has to have some resolution. Or is she just there to give the Nazis a purpose to keep Jessie alive? That could very well be it too. She's had a pretty significant amount of screen time this season. Pretty much equal with the other female characters outside of Skylar (and not by much).

As for the Ricen being for Walt, why kill himself slowly and painfully like that? Whats wrong with the classic Shotgun to the dick?

[Red]

Are we watching the same show? I didn't think a single minute of that episode was filler. It certainly wasn't as action-packed as the past few weeks, but everything seemed to be critical to the plot. In fact, other than the Star Trek plot idea, I don't think there's been any filler at all this last half-season.

To me it was all a filler because at the end of this episode we are no further along than last episode. Nothing of any significance changed. Family still hates his guts. He is still on a run. Neos, Jessie, Lydia, Saul…All status quo.

[Tinordi]

Yeah Lydia doesn't need to be killed but she has to have some resolution. Or is she just there to give the Nazis a purpose to keep Jessie alive? That could very well be it too. She's had a pretty significant amount of screen time this season. Pretty much equal with the other female characters outside of Skylar (and not by much).

As for the Ricen being for Walt, why kill himself slowly and painfully like that? Whats wrong with the classic Shotgun to the dick?
Because people (his family) would think that he died of cancer instead of suicide.

[fredr123]

Seems to me that Gilligan and Co. were less subtle than usual with the "don't tell anyone about the lady at the car wash" bit and Lydia's concern about Skyler. There was all that talk about Skyler not having any bargaining chips, not having any info to give in exchange for leniency. Well, now she does. Thanks again, Todd.

[trackercowe]

Maybe Walt uses the ricin as a backup plan in case he gets captured or taken by the DEA or Nazi's.

I can't believe people are actually calling yesterday's episode a filler. Just because the episode didn't feature a brutal shootout does not mean it was filler. Heck a single mother was brutally assassinated, what more do you want? We knew that they were building up to explaining the flash forward scenes, and it's to be expected that he used Saul's witness relocation guy. People want everything explained for them, and yet they complain when something like this is.

Like Jbo I thought the episode was near perfect. Walt Jr. turning his back on his Dad was heartbreaking (the last person who he believed was on his "side"). Same goes with Andrea being assassinated due to Jesse's actions. Then we have Todd and gang hold Skyler hostage, who knew how that was going to turn out. We also see how Walt's "confession" didn't exactly "save" Skyler, a case that did need explaining. Really though this episode is all about Walt in which they needed to fill in what happened between much of this season and the flash forward, and they did that.

I honestly think some people are hoping for these episodes to disappoint just so they can pull the old "I told you so" garbage next week.

[Tinordi]

Yes I thought it was a great episode. You needed to tell the story of why Walt comes back.

At the end of the last episode he's basically burned all of his bridges, it would be the rational thing to just stay the hell out of Dodge. This episode basically makes that story. Walt is on the verge of returning but decides against it. Infact, once he realizes things are irreperable with his son does he decide to throw in the towel and turn himself in. A lonely, wasted, shell of a man with no fight left in him.

Only when his monstrous ego is challenged does he finally budge.

Excellent episode I thought.

[gargamel]

As for the Ricen being for Walt, why kill himself slowly and painfully like that? Whats wrong with the classic Shotgun to the dick?

One possibility is that, after killing the Nazis, he could make a deal with the DA to turn himself in if Skyler gets immunity. The delayed suicide by ricin would give him time to make that happen but wouldn't leave him stuck in prison.

[nik-]

Maybe Walt uses the ricin as a backup plan in case he gets captured or taken by the DEA or Nazi's.

I can't believe people are actually calling yesterday's episode a filler. Just because the episode didn't feature a brutal shootout does not mean it was filler. Heck a single mother was brutally assassinated, what more do you want? We knew that they were building up to explaining the flash forward scenes, and it's to be expected that he used Saul's witness relocation guy. People want everything explained for them, and yet they complain when something like this is.

Like Jbo I thought the episode was near perfect. Walt Jr. turning his back on his Dad was heartbreaking (the last person who he believed was on his "side"). Same goes with Andrea being assassinated due to Jesse's actions. Then we have Todd and gang hold Skyler hostage, who knew how that was going to turn out. We also see how Walt's "confession" didn't exactly "save" Skyler, a case that did need explaining. Really though this episode is all about Walt in which they needed to fill in what happened between much of this season and the flash forward, and they did that.

I honestly think some people are hoping for these episodes to disappoint just so they can pull the old "I told you so" garbage next week.

I think that that scene locked up Aaron Paul's Emmy for next year. That or the scene in the desert when he tells Walt to stop working him. That Andrea scene was really hard to watch.

[Coys1882]

There is no way this season can end without Jesse avenging Meth Damon killing Andrea is there?

[polak]

One possibility is that, after killing the Nazis, he could make a deal with the DA to turn himself in if Skyler gets immunity. The delayed suicide by ricin would give him time to make that happen but wouldn't leave him stuck in prison.

Won't the cancer take care of that?

[TurnedTheCorner]

The ricin would act in a much more predictable and bearable manner than dying slowly from cancer IMO.

[polak]

Yeah I guess. I don't know, I guess I'm not a fan of the idea that Walt kills himself. Seems sort of anti-climactic. I hope Jessie or someone in his family pulls the trigger.

Can you imagine if it was Walt Jr.?