Breaking Bad Season 4 - Official Discussion Thread

[coldmeat]

I hate watching shows while they are still on tv. I hate waiting weeks for a new episode/months for a new season. I just watched what I thought was the latest episode, but the whole time I was watching it I felt like I had seen parts before. Turns out it was one of the last episodes of last season, just mis labelled on the site I was watching it on. It had been so long since last season I forgot what happened.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

I hate watching shows while they are still on tv. I hate waiting weeks for a new episode/months for a new season. I just watched what I thought was the latest episode, but the whole time I was watching it I felt like I had seen parts before. Turns out it was one of the last episodes of last season, just mis labelled on the site I was watching it on. It had been so long since last season I forgot what happened.

It's hard, if not impossible to forget the ending of last season. Were you just not paying attention?

 

[gorcorps]

Good start to the season. Last season started off slow so I'm glad to see how exciting this is going already.

One thing I've noticed though, and I don't know if anybody else sees stuff like this but the product placement is getting a little ridiculous. We've known what car Walt drives for a while so none of that is a surprise anymore, but there's more. Hank sets his laptop down ever so perfectly to make sure we see it's a Vaio. When Jesse and Walt are at the diner, the shot is angled just so you can see the Dennys sign between them out the window. Angled shot to see Gale's phone ringing... then a zoom in to see it's a Samsung. I don't know if it's really paid-for product placement, but some of the angles seem fairly odd and the logos are quite apparent. Not really a problem, but something I notice.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Good start to the season. Last season started off slow so I'm glad to see how exciting this is going already.

One thing I've noticed though, and I don't know if anybody else sees stuff like this but the product placement is getting a little ridiculous. We've known what car Walt drives for a while so none of that is a surprise anymore, but there's more. Hank sets his laptop down ever so perfectly to make sure we see it's a Vaio. When Jesse and Walt are at the diner, the shot is angled just so you can see the Dennys sign between them out the window. Angled shot to see Gale's phone ringing... then a zoom in to see it's a Samsung. I don't know if it's really paid-for product placement, but some of the angles seem fairly odd and the logos are quite apparent. Not really a problem, but something I notice.

It's the same issue that Mad Men is going through right now, product placement and commercial time. I also saw that they're going 4 minutes over an hour now to squeeze in more ads for each BB episode, something MM will have to do to not lose more time for content. It's ridiculous but it's part of the whole package that is able to bring us these shows so ya just gotta deal with it. Once a show gets a little big for its britches you just hope it doesn't split its pants bending over, or some kind of allegory like that.

 

[purbeast0]

Jesse definitely isn't back - he's got that thousand yard stare going on. In a few hours he's killed a innocent man for the first time, witnessed a bloody murder, and cleaned up a body.

jessie cleaned up a body in season 1, that guy that was tied up in the basement. that is why they gave michael that look when he asked if theyw ere sure that acid would owrk,b ecause they had done it before, except last time, jessie didn't get the right tupperware to put the body in, and it made his bathtub disentegrate and fall through the 2nd floor of his house, and into the basement.

 

[olds]

Jesse says: 10 minutes, bitch!

 

[purbeast0]

Good start to the season. Last season started off slow so I'm glad to see how exciting this is going already.

One thing I've noticed though, and I don't know if anybody else sees stuff like this but the product placement is getting a little ridiculous. We've known what car Walt drives for a while so none of that is a surprise anymore, but there's more. Hank sets his laptop down ever so perfectly to make sure we see it's a Vaio. When Jesse and Walt are at the diner, the shot is angled just so you can see the Dennys sign between them out the window. Angled shot to see Gale's phone ringing... then a zoom in to see it's a Samsung. I don't know if it's really paid-for product placement, but some of the angles seem fairly odd and the logos are quite apparent. Not really a problem, but something I notice.

i did not notice anything other than the denny's sign. but product placement doesn't bother me at all. i am more bothered when i see a red soda can that says "soda" or a green bottle with a label reading "beer" on it. i'd rather see a coke product and a heineken bottle.

 

[Anubis]

Good start to the season. Last season started off slow so I'm glad to see how exciting this is going already.

One thing I've noticed though, and I don't know if anybody else sees stuff like this but the product placement is getting a little ridiculous. We've known what car Walt drives for a while so none of that is a surprise anymore, but there's more. Hank sets his laptop down ever so perfectly to make sure we see it's a Vaio. When Jesse and Walt are at the diner, the shot is angled just so you can see the Dennys sign between them out the window. Angled shot to see Gale's phone ringing... then a zoom in to see it's a Samsung. I don't know if it's really paid-for product placement, but some of the angles seem fairly odd and the logos are quite apparent. Not really a problem, but something I notice.

yea i didnt notice that at all

 

[nageov3t]

Good start to the season. Last season started off slow so I'm glad to see how exciting this is going already.

One thing I've noticed though, and I don't know if anybody else sees stuff like this but the product placement is getting a little ridiculous. We've known what car Walt drives for a while so none of that is a surprise anymore, but there's more. Hank sets his laptop down ever so perfectly to make sure we see it's a Vaio. When Jesse and Walt are at the diner, the shot is angled just so you can see the Dennys sign between them out the window. Angled shot to see Gale's phone ringing... then a zoom in to see it's a Samsung. I don't know if it's really paid-for product placement, but some of the angles seem fairly odd and the logos are quite apparent. Not really a problem, but something I notice.

I noticed it, but it doesn't really bother me.

I'd rather have a good show with product placement than MILF Island XIV

 

[shocksyde]

Great first episode. I really like Jesse's acting.

 

[TwiceOver]

Guess I just wasan't that impressed. It was good, but not mind blowing like everyone makes it out to be.

 

[gorcorps]

i did not notice anything other than the denny's sign. but product placement doesn't bother me at all. i am more bothered when i see a red soda can that says "soda" or a green bottle with a label reading "beer" on it. i'd rather see a coke product and a heineken bottle.

I agree, but some of them were pretty obvious (like the Denny's one). The Vaio one could have just been the way he set the computer down as it wasn't really out of the ordinary. The phone however was pretty apparent IMO and I didn't see any reason to zoom in on it. I don't remember the screen showing anything.

Again, not like it hurts the show but it's still something I notice. It's not as bad as Pawn Stars pushing Subway EVERY FUCKING EPISODE these days or anything like that. I know... different shows entirely but product placement is still ridiculous at times.

 

[shadow9d9]

that was a pretty epic start to the season

If by "epic", you mean "nothing happens because they have run out of story", then yes.

 

[coldmeat]

I agree, but some of them were pretty obvious (like the Denny's one). The Vaio one could have just been the way he set the computer down as it wasn't really out of the ordinary. The phone however was pretty apparent IMO and I didn't see any reason to zoom in on it. I don't remember the screen showing anything.

Again, not like it hurts the show but it's still something I notice. It's not as bad as Pawn Stars pushing Subway EVERY FUCKING EPISODE these days or anything like that. I know... different shows entirely but product placement is still ridiculous at times.

I went back to look for the Samsung on the phone, but I don't see it. There was no zoom in. I don't really know why they would want to advertise that phone anyway, it's like 5 years old.

 

[shocksyde]

If by "epic", you mean "nothing happens because they have run out of story", then yes.

The power struggle and anticipation involved with Gus does nothing for you?

 

[shadow9d9]

The power struggle and anticipation involved with Gus does nothing for you?

Anticipation of what? A long, drawn out scene, where you knew he was not going to harm the main characters and was likely to kill the other guy? Sorry, but I saw it a mile away. I could see them in the writers room... "Hey, I have nothing.. let's have him walk slowly for 5 minutes and call it a scene!"

 

[shocksyde]

Anticipation of what? A long, drawn out scene, where you knew he was not going to harm the main characters and was likely to kill the other guy? Sorry, but I saw it a mile away. I could see them in the writers room... "Hey, I have nothing.. let's have him walk slowly for 5 minutes and call it a scene!"

I was referring to their interactions in future episodes.

Also, I see nothing wrong with being able to see from a mile away that Gus was going to kill his muscle. I'd rather I be able to see something like that from a mile away than for the series to turn into Lost, where the writers decided to go batshit crazy and made the show completely ridiculous.

 

[Demo24]

Guess I just wasan't that impressed. It was good, but not mind blowing like everyone makes it out to be.

Same. Might be because I watched some preview for the season and it kind of spoiled somethings to come.

 

[shadow9d9]

I was referring to their interactions in future episodes.

Also, I see nothing wrong with being able to see from a mile away that Gus was going to kill his muscle. I'd rather I be able to see something like that from a mile away than for the series to turn into Lost, where the writers decided to go batshit crazy and made the show completely ridiculous.

The show is essentially equivalent to Lost. Take a thin plot and stretch it to within an inch of its life. Like Lost, this show has had no direction/plot for a while. Nothing new actually happened in this first episode.

Btw, I only still watch it because of my wife.

 

[Kev]

The show is essentially equivalent to Lost. Take a thin plot and stretch it to within an inch of its life. Like Lost, this show has had no direction/plot for a while. Nothing new actually happened in this first episode.

Btw, I only still watch it because of my wife.

What would you consider good? Examples, please.

 

[shadow9d9]

What would you consider good? Examples, please.

If you mean what shows...

Deep Space Nine
ST: TNG
Firefly
BSG
Farscape
Dexter(except season 3, 5)
Six Feet Under(except last season)

 

[gorcorps]

If you mean what shows...

Deep Space Nine
ST: TNG
Firefly
BSG
Farscape
Dexter(except season 3, 5)
Six Feet Under(except last season)

D:

I think I'm happier that you don't like the show. If it was anything like those I wouldn't touch it.

 

[shadow9d9]

D:

I think I'm happier that you don't like the show. If it was anything like those I wouldn't touch it.

Yes, intelligent shows are not for everyone. Some people enjoy a guy walking slowly around a room for 5 minutes more than something intelligent.

 

[anyusername]

The episode did not disappoint. If you were expecting to have your mind "blown" I would say you had unrealistic expectations. I look forward to see how their deal with Gus will change after this and what they going to do to prevent him from killing them.

 

[FDF12389]

Yes, intelligent shows are not for everyone. Some people enjoy a guy walking slowly around a room for 5 minutes more than something intelligent.

That's one scene. I'd say the show is pretty intelligent.