Breaking Bad Season 5 - Official Discussion Thread

[Kaido]

The more I watch or try to watch other shows, including supposedly acclaimed ones, the more I appreciate BB. Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones etc are all glorified soap opera. No overall compelling narrative, scenes thrown together, characters in and out just to drag things out and so on.

You may like other shows initially but sooner or later it wears off and you see that they are hollow at their core, just like the rest of the TV.

There are some TV series, a few episodes long, which have been quite good. But for shows spanning several seasons, you get bored when you realize they are just soaps.

I don't know how the BB people managed to create something of sustained excellence and interest, but somehow they did. Kudos to them

I'm on Season 3 of Walking Dead right now (yay for Netflix binge-watching) and I'd have to agree. I'm really enjoying the show, but a lot of the elements are "good" but not "great". Sometimes the acting & the editing are just okay. And lately, some of the situations aren't on the "great" level where you feel the characters HAVE to do something or react in a certain way. A quick discussion of TWD :

Spoiler

For example, there was a moral dilemma when Shane killed Otus. But that was the right choice to make - either he sacrificed Otus to save himself & Carl, or all three of them died. So that was good writing. But then you have stuff like when they escape the farm and Rick tells them that he killed Shane and that everyone is a carrier & will come back a zombie regardless and people FLIP OUT - who cares if you come back as a zombie without getting bitten or scratched!? They didn't make it a strong enough plot point that it was a big surprise or anything. That's just a minor example, but there are plenty more.

So in contrast to just coming off watching Breaking Bad, where pretty much every episode was great, there's a noticeable difference in quality. I loved how in-depth the writing was in Breaking Bad - you saw both sides of each character's dilemmas, as well as the larger story. The logic was sound throughout the series. That's what I liked about the first couple season of Lost as well, I just wish that series had finished the same way it started!

What I do like about TWD is the intensity of the story - there's an insane amount of tension in each episode, which is what I think makes it addicting. I've yelled at the screen more than once while watching it :biggrin:

 

[Kaido]

That's why it got a score of 99/100 for season 5 from Metacritic. It's probably the best television show of all time. The emotions you feel, the love & hate you have for the same characters all at once, the connection you feel even though you didn't know you had with somebody...everything was so well done.

WW was probably the most sympathetically dubious character of any show I've ever seen. His ability to love Jesse while simultaneously making his life a living hell was incredible.

Well that's the thing, they just made everything so relatable. Everyone's had a parent or a boss like that, where they may have good intentions for you as an authority figure, but a horrible way of implementing it. I like the character growth too, like how you start liking Jesse as the series progresses, and how bad you feel when they do stuff like take out Brock's mom in front of him.

 

[smackababy]

Well that's the thing, they just made everything so relatable. Everyone's had a parent or a boss like that, where they may have good intentions for you as an authority figure, but a horrible way of implementing it. I like the character growth too, like how you start liking Jesse as the series progresses, and how bad you feel when they do stuff like take out Brock's mom in front of him.

Jesse, overall, was a great character. I read they were supposed to kill him off in the first season, but upon seeing the chemistry between him and Cranston, they decided to keep him. It really helped the show, giving it a "mentor / student" role, even after they had been apart. Walter White cared for Jesse, far more than Jesse wanted to believe.

 

[squarecut1]

Well that's the thing, they just made everything so relatable. Everyone's had a parent or a boss like that, where they may have good intentions for you as an authority figure, but a horrible way of implementing it. I like the character growth too, like how you start liking Jesse as the series progresses, and how bad you feel when they do stuff like take out Brock's mom in front of him.

Yes, every time something happened to a character, you could feel it yourself. Like when Jesse's girlfriend died of overdose and Walter did nothing, you really felt bad about it all, about the girl and Jesse. Other shows try to manufacture such situations, and my reaction is ...meh. Reason being that in BB, the characters had depth and real human like feel, even the ones that were not very major ones. That is a hallmark of an excellent movie / show / book.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

BB has just flat out ruined all future TV shows. :biggrin:

 

[z1ggy]

Jesse, overall, was a great character. I read they were supposed to kill him off in the first season, but upon seeing the chemistry between him and Cranston, they decided to keep him. It really helped the show, giving it a "mentor / student" role, even after they had been apart. Walter White cared for Jesse, far more than Jesse wanted to believe.

The thing is though, I think Jesse did know.. Deep down he knew. He just couldn't admit it to himself, or Walt. Why do you think he never could actually kill him? He wanted Walt to suffer.. But not to be physically harmed.

Also, I can't wait for the spin off with Saul. Should be funny, Bob Odenkirk (spelling?) is a funny guy. Maybe Hule will be in it!!!!

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Better call Saul.

http://blogs.amctv.com/breaking-bad...ul_breaking_bad_win_two_critics_choice_awards

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Well that's the thing, they just made everything so relatable. Everyone's had a parent or a boss like that, where they may have good intentions for you as an authority figure, but a horrible way of implementing it. I like the character growth too, like how you start liking Jesse as the series progresses, and how bad you feel when they do stuff like take out Brock's mom in front of him.

I think, in addition to its great writing, a lot of that relatability comes from the fact that it is about middle-class people, in the present day, and presents their interactions in a generally believable and human way. Not to denigrate The Wire or The Sopranos, for example, but I have no real-world frame of reference that would help me relate to black crack dealers in a Baltimore housing project, or a New Jersey mob family. The characters on BB feel like people I have known.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I think, in addition to its great writing, a lot of that relatability comes from the fact that it is about middle-class people, in the present day, and presents their interactions in a generally believable and human way. Not to denigrate The Wire or The Sopranos, for example, but I have no real-world frame of reference that would help me relate to black crack dealers in a Baltimore housing project, or a New Jersey mob family. The characters on BB feel like people I have known.

I think we can all relate to psychotic meth kingpins dying of cancer.

 

[Kaido]

Better call Saul.

http://blogs.amctv.com/breaking-bad...ul_breaking_bad_win_two_critics_choice_awards

If they do it right, it could absolutely hilarious. If they do it wrong, well...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375355/

 

[Kaido]

I think we can all relate to psychotic meth kingpins dying of cancer.

Haha, Don Vito Corleone actually has an excellent point - Walt starts out as a normal guy in a relatable situation - financial issues, health issues, familial issues, etc. He starts out by making smallish wrong decisions & it escalates from there. Kind of a morality tale...be careful about the choices you make because one thing leads to another.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Starting Aug 10th on AMC, Breaking Bad is back on. They will be showing the entire series over again on Sundays, they are calling it Breaking bad Binge.

 

[smackababy]

Haha, Don Vito Corleone actually has an excellent point - Walt starts out as a normal guy in a relatable situation - financial issues, health issues, familial issues, etc. He starts out by making smallish wrong decisions & it escalates from there. Kind of a morality tale...be careful about the choices you make because one thing leads to another.

The best thing is at first, everyone is on board with Walt's questionable morals, as he is trying his hardest to provide for his family. Having to kill that first guy was emotional. But, as it continues to escalate, the audience begins to see Walt able to make weaker excuses for each dilemma that pops up. It is ultimate brought to a close when he loses everything: his money, his family, and his empire. Unable to simply accept his fate, he finds a way for a strange sort of redemption; his family gets enough money to be covered, from a source they can't refuse, he saves his friend, and he regains his empire.

 

[Kev]

Starting Aug 10th on AMC, Breaking Bad is back on. They will be showing the entire series over again on Sundays, they are calling it Breaking bad Binge.

AMC is the king of milking their 3 shows for everything they can.

 

[purbeast0]

personally i think the better call saul thing is going to be bad. his character was best as one you see every now and then. his character would have been annoying in breaking bad if they showed him too much. i just can't see the spinoff show being that great. but who knows i hope i'm wrong.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

AMC is the king of milking their 3 shows for everything they can.

I have zero issues with them showing the best show ever on TV again and again and again. I have the Blu Ray box set, so just getting it out there for more people is a great thing.

 

[squarecut1]

personally i think the better call saul thing is going to be bad. his character was best as one you see every now and then. his character would have been annoying in breaking bad if they showed him too much. i just can't see the spinoff show being that great. but who knows i hope i'm wrong.

Yes I'm inclined to think the same. It is not a character suited to the main role

 

[smackababy]

Yes I'm inclined to think the same. It is not a character suited to the main role

I will give it a chance. But, I am aboard the "this is going to suck" boat as well. I just don't see how they can spin a character that should only get a few minutes of "questionable, selfish legal advice" at a time. It just seems like it is going to end up as slapstick and be awful though.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Agree on Sol. Hoping it turns out well though.

Jessie Pinkman would have been an interesting character to pursue.

 

[Stopsignhank]

I think a series about Gus would make a great series, the problem is that it would probably be just like Breaking Bad II. A guy who turns to the dark side.

 

[eldorado99]

Agree on Sol. Hoping it turns out well though.

Jessie Pinkman would have been an interesting character to pursue.

I disagree; a show about Jessie would be "Jessie drives his El Camino to Alaska, sets up a wood shop and makes shit out of wood"

 

[squarecut1]

A must read for all Breaking Bad fans. Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul discuss the ending of BB.

Vince teared up typing the ending at the kitchen table of his condo.

Good read
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/tv/la-et-st-en-breaking-bad-20140807-story.html#page=1

 

[Kaido]

I disagree; a show about Jessie would be "Jessie drives his El Camino to Alaska, sets up a wood shop and makes stuff out of wood"

http://vimeo.com/86874661

 

[Kaido]

A must read for all Breaking Bad fans. Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul discuss the ending of BB.

Vince teared up typing the ending at the kitchen table of his condo.

Good read
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/tv/la-et-st-en-breaking-bad-20140807-story.html#page=1

It was a good, solid ending. I like how they ended it.

 

[Kaido]

A must read for all Breaking Bad fans. Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul discuss the ending of BB.

Vince teared up typing the ending at the kitchen table of his condo.

Good read
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/tv/la-et-st-en-breaking-bad-20140807-story.html#page=1

Good section:

Cranston: Jesse really became the rose that grew from concrete.

Gilligan: He got way worse than he deserved, in my opinion.

Cranston: I don't know if he got worse than he deserved. He did kill Gale. He murdered another man point-blank.

Paul: Gale was a bad guy! He cooked crystal meth!

Gilligan: With Gale, I think it's the socks-and-sandals thing. Maybe he did deserve it.

Cranston: See, even now, a year and a half after we finished shooting, we're still debating the merits of these characters' actions.


Gilligan: That's the whole point. Jesse did kill an essentially innocent man, and yet he did it to save his partner. He could have split on Walt at that point.

Cranston: And not murder someone. "Will you do me a favor?" "Sure. What?" "Will you murder a friend for me? This guy's getting in my way." "Sure.