Breaking Bad Thread

[MaddXMan]

http://youtu.be/QXZFNRYh-Cc

If you have not seen them yet check out the minisodes on YouTube. This one is my favorite. Also "Sauls" website has hilarious customer testimonial vids.

 

[dasein]

The diabolical Walter White has kind of turned into a desperate man who is making mistake after mistake after mistake. Not sure if this is intentional from the producers or not. Lots of holes in this season. Something tells me they wont tie everything up in the end either. Series finales are (almost) always disappointing. The Sopranos, Seinfeld, X-Files...

The one thing I haven't considered is Lydia...not sure what will happen to her.

I have a hypothesis about this, call it the "Weeds Theory," and imagine it's not original to me. The hypo claims that good writers are most responsible for a show's original success, and those writers are moved from existing moneymaker shows to new projects once the shows are anchored enough to insure a continuing audience and new audience based on buzz. Even hack writers can mimic a successful formula. Explains not only Weeds after Season 3, but the last season of BSG, the last couple of Sopranos seasons, Entourage latter seasons, The Wire latter seasons (I know, sacrilege), and the devolution of quality in many hit shows.

It played out in a variant way in BB. The first, third and fourth seasons were works of genius. Though the critical acclaim was there after Season 1, the audience appeal was not, so a couple of key writers were moved after the first season anticipating an uncertain future for the show. Buzz and renewed interest got the good writers back for Seasons 3 and 4, and then moved back away for the final season.

Watching the marathon right now, and my favorite episodes of the whole series, the "Jessie in Mexico" ( Saul doing Great Aunt Burgett sp? from Luxembourg on right this minute ROFL) and "Poisoning of Don Eladio" are about to come on, will be a late night.

Like Todd, I find Lydia strangely attractive, bet she would be a wild f-ck with many kinks, probably BPD/Cluster B, and hope Todd gets a piece in the last episode despite that not being likely, who knows what will happen to her? Am a bit disappointed that the last show is only going to be an hour, which supports the Weeds Theory IMO also.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

I have a hypothesis about this, call it the "Weeds Theory," and imagine it's not original to me. The hypo claims that good writers are most responsible for a show's original success, and those writers are moved from existing moneymaker shows to new projects once the shows are anchored enough to insure a continuing audience and new audience based on buzz. Even hack writers can mimic a successful formula. Explains not only Weeds after Season 3, but the last season of BSG, the last couple of Sopranos seasons, Entourage latter seasons, The Wire latter seasons (I know, sacrilege), and the devolution of quality in many hit shows.

It played out in a variant way in BB. The first, third and fourth seasons were works of genius. Though the critical acclaim was there after Season 1, the audience appeal was not, so a couple of key writers were moved after the first season anticipating an uncertain future for the show. Buzz and renewed interest got the good writers back for Seasons 3 and 4, and then moved back away for the final season.

I've heard about this as well, from a bunch of other shows. I really think BB could have ended after "Face Off." But money's money. Anybody who's pretty much GUARANTEED a season of rabid fans and big advertising money's gonna have a hard time turning it down.

But there's not much place to go after you

1) defeat the cartel

2) defeats the guy who defeated the cartel

 

[Peaks&Valleys]

Some loose ends I would have liked to see tied up, as well as some "where are they now" clips, but other than that, pretty good.

 

[Colossus]

All in all I thought the last episode was really satisfying. They didnt throw as many twists in there as I thought; it was pretty straightforward and linear. Just about all loose ends were tied up, I was entertained, and happy with the way Walt went out. I'm glad Jesse got to live and Lydia and Todd got whacked!!

My predictions were DEAD wrong, lol, except for Jesse living. But that's what makes it a good show.


I agree Dasein on the writers theory. It's hard to keep a show THAT compelling for 5 or 6 full seasons. I think it's just the nature of the business. BB kept most of it's creative integrity throughout, though. I think these final 8 episodes were a bit rushed and there were some gaps in the story that were kind of sloppy. Overall though I'd give the show an A. Better than just about anything else on TV.

 

[Bible_Belt]

30 sec ads on cable tv average $10K. Last night AMC was getting up to $400k per 30 seconds. They could bury their own barrels of cash in the desert.

Someone on the writing staff has a fixation on cars and using them as symbols. Walt's first car is the hideous Axtec, a metaphor for his boring meager life. Later he gets the new Charger, which symbolizes his success as a drug lord. He buys one for Junior and also wrecks one (it?) just for fun. Then when the Nazis steal most of his money, the Charger breaks down, and we never see it again. With only one barrel of cash, Walt is reduced to driving an old Chevy truck. Later when he turns badass again and goes to get revenge on a gang of killers, Gus Fring-style, he drives a Volvo, same as Fring.

As for the pimp car he was driving to see the nazis, I'm at a loss on that one. "No replacement for displacement" (?) Maybe he just needed a big car to hold the gun.

Jess begins the series driving the ridiculous ghetto hoopty car that represents his youthful ignorance and naivety. But when he shoots Tuco, his first violent crime, Hank shoots his car along with Tuco, and he has to leave it behind. He drives a station wagon after that, shortly before falling in love with Jane, whom he probably would have married and had kids with.

When Jesse escapes, driving as fast as he can, he does so in an El Camino, which is Spanish for "The Road."

 

[Peaks&Valleys]

it was pretty straightforward and linear. Just about all loose ends were tied up, I was entertained, and happy with the way Walt went out. I'm glad Jesse got to live and Lydia and Todd got whacked!!

Agreed, I was just hoping they would have shown a final seen with Saul, who ended up being my favorite charcter, on a beach somewhere sipping a margarita with a fake mustache.

Other than that, I was impressed with it.