Breaking Bad

[syntheticgerbil]

I became pretty fucking bored with half of the episodes in the last season. The dialogue in the show was never exactly it's strongest point and to watch episodes where people just talk for forty minutes without any comic relief or banter is just dull. All it became was just threats and Walt explaining things.

[Gormongous]

I became pretty fucking bored with half of the episodes in the last season. The dialogue in the show was never exactly it's strongest point and to watch episodes where people just talk for forty minutes without and comic relief or banter is just dull. All it became was just threats and Walt explaining things.

 

I hear you on the "Walt explaining things" bit. I think the writers buy into Walt's own bullshit about himself and his world by the end, which makes the show somewhat less as a whole for not staying at least one step ahead of him.

[Roderick]

The last season is when Walt has perfected the art of lying to such a degree that there are no more tells - even the show doesn't acknowledge that he's lying. That's why it may seem a bit more straightforward, but the real treat is that you have to start figuring out when he's telling the truth and when he isn't. For the first time, you're his victim too.

[Ben X]

Also, Secret Asian Man, the first season is definitely a little slower than the rest. It picks up pretty much straight away from the start of S2.

[TheLastBaron]

The last season is when Walt has perfected the art of lying to such a degree that there are no more tells - even the show doesn't acknowledge that he's lying. That's why it may seem a bit more straightforward, but the real treat is that you have to start figuring out when he's telling the truth and when he isn't. For the first time, you're his victim too.

Yeah this is a really good way of putting it, I really liked the last season.

[SecretAsianMan]

Still watching Breaking Bad, getting close to the end of the second season.  I think one of the most surprising things so far has been Hank.  I started out disliking him because of his attitude and manner, but he had some very human moments and became much less of a caricature to me.  Walter (I can't bring myself to call him Walt) continues to puzzle me.  I started out thinking I would understand him the most but he's actually the one I get the least.

[Nachimir]

He'll probably come more into relief for you as the series go on.

[SuperBiasedMan]

I think the show is supposed to be about you figuring out Walt. Originally I... uhhh, this is vaguely sort of spoilers I guess. No concrete events are mentioned but it might spoil it a bit for people.

 

When I first watched the show I thought it was about Walt's Macbeth style moral descent, but on rewatching I'm seeing how Walt's core does not change in the show, it's just that his circumstances do, and he progresses in what he's comfortable with doing. But realistically he has the same flawed character from the start, he just needs to be introduced to a setting that would cause him to take the drastic actions that come up later in the show.

[Twig]

I thought Walt seemed like a stand up guy throughout the series so now I'm really confused.

[BusbyBerkeley]

I thought Walt seemed like a stand up guy throughout the series so now I'm really confused.

 

 

SUPER SPOILERS DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU'VE SEEN ALL OF BREAKING BAD

 

"I watched Jane die."

Stand up guy.

 

I just started into the fourth season of The Wire for the first time this week. It's good!

[Twig]

ehehehehe

[SecretAsianMan]

I just finished the second season of Breaking Bad.  Things are starting to get pretty interesting.  It was kind of weird seeing a whole bunch of stuff happen in that last episode compared to the slow drip the series has been giving me so far.

[SecretAsianMan]

Still trucking away at Breaking Bad.  I watched the third season episode Kafkaesque last night.  There was some unexpected stuff in there.  I'm also finding Saul to be increasingly amusing which is also a surprise to me.  Apparently he's getting a spinoff show?  That could be interesting.

[brkl]

That actor was great in the Fargo TV show.

[Merus]

Also in Mr. Show.

[Brannigan]

Also Bob Odenkirk.

[Ben X]

That actor was great in the Fargo TV show.

 

Yeah, he was fantastic.

[Merus]

Also Bob Odenkirk.

 

Who I continually confused with Steve Oedekerk, who is not quite as talented.

[Brannigan]

Also Bill Odenkirk

[eot]

I started watching Breaking Bad, mostly because it's the one show that people keep mentioning in the same breath as The Wire, as a contender for best TV show ever. I'm maybe halfway through season 2, and while I enjoy it I don't think it's anywhere near the best television I've seen. That is of course an unfair thing to hold against a show, so I don't, but at the same time I feel like I'm waiting for it to get to bits that supposedly set it apart from other series. I'm not invested in the family drama, there are too many "suspenseful" soap opera moments, most of the supporting cast feel like caricatures and the writing is pretty hit or miss (for how small the cast, and how much time they can give each character I don't think they develop them all that well). The motivation for the main character is quite questionable in my opinion, and there were some plot holes that stood out to me so far, like:

 

how is Hank unable to find Jesse's house when apparently both Walter and Skyler can do it no problem? Give me break.

[Twig]

I loved Breaking Bad but also found it exhausting at the same time. I also think people who would put it on the same level as The Wire are babonkabonk.

[Patrick R]

I think The Wire is one of the best pieces of art ever but I think, as far as what TV actually is most of the time, Breaking Bad is the best example.

 

Which is to say I think most serialized television isn't actually interested in telling stories or exploring characters. I think most serialized television is only interested in spinning plates in as interesting a way as they can. Most modern TV feels all about that final moment of the episode, where you're on the edge of your seat and say "Whhhaaaa, but but, what's gonna happen next then???". It's all about stringing you along so you desire that next fix. You just gotta know what this mystery is, you just gotta know what happens to so-and-so, you just gotta know how they get themselves out of this seemingly impossible situation.

 

I think, as far as most serialized tv goes, every episode is only about getting the audience to watch the next episode. In that way, Breaking Bad is King. For 4 seasons, they had a set-up where at the end of basically every episode the characters were worse off than they were before, their situation was tighter than it was before, and death/jail/total meltdown always felt imminent. For 4 seasons. Very impressive.

 

5th season was pretty bad.

But as an actual story, as an actual character study, it's kind of meaningless. Vince Gilligan likes to say the premise is "what would it take for a normal guy to become Scarface?" but Walter is clearly not a normal guy from the start. The show would try to shock the viewer by showing Walter getting more and more immoral and wicked, but the first episode has him murdering some dudes. He's pretty much there from the start.

 

But as far as old film-serial style cliffhangers go (which is what I think most modern TV resembles, more than anything), I don't know a show that's ever been as exciting as Breaking Bad.

[seamus2389]

On 11/6/2016 at 4:33 PM, eot said:

I started watching Breaking Bad, mostly because it's the one show that people keep mentioning in the same breath as The Wire, as a contender for best TV show ever. I'm maybe halfway through season 2, and while I enjoy it I don't think it's anywhere near the best television I've seen. That is of course an unfair thing to hold against a show, so I don't, but at the same time I feel like I'm waiting for it to get to bits that supposedly set it apart from other series. I'm not invested in the family drama, there are too many "suspenseful" soap opera moments, most of the supporting cast feel like caricatures and the writing is pretty hit or miss (for how small the cast, and how much time they can give each character I don't think they develop them all that well). The motivation for the main character is quite questionable in my opinion, and there were some plot holes that stood out to me so far, like:

 

  Hide contents

 

 

That was a show that began and ended with Walter White and they put some time into the rest of the cast but that imbalance was never fixedwhich was a problem for me in the last season. If you are looking for tension filled show starring a bald white guy the Shield might be worth checking out.  After the Wire it would be my pick for top tv show. Both look like cops shows on the surface but underneath are two very different but devastating tragedies, the Wire is more social/ institutional while the Shield is very personal. They make for interesting rewatch companions in that way.

 

Breaking Bad had two deaths in it's last season that were meant to be as devastating but didn't spend the time to develop the characters who died enough to make me care which is why I stopped watching that show. The Shield did a far better of not just focusing on Vic Mackey. He was Al Capone with a bad to Walter's Scarface but the Shield put  more time into the rest of the cast. Mackey's actions would also be at the centre of the show but other characters could exist outside of his storylines and be interesting to follow which I never felt with breaking bad.

 

On 11/6/2016 at 5:07 PM, Patrick R said:

 

Which is to say I think most serialized television isn't actually interested in telling stories or exploring characters. I think most serialized television is only interested in spinning plates in as interesting a way as they can. Most modern TV feels all about that final moment of the episode, where you're on the edge of your seat and say "Whhhaaaa, but but, what's gonna happen next then???". It's all about stringing you along so you desire that next fix. You just gotta know what this mystery is, you just gotta know what happens to so-and-so, you just gotta know how they get themselves out of this seemingly impossible situation.

 

I think, as far as most serialized tv goes, every episode is only about getting the audience to watch the next episode. In that way, Breaking Bad is King. For 4 seasons, they had a set-up where at the end of basically every episode the characters were worse off than they were before, their situation was tighter than it was before, and death/jail/total meltdown always felt imminent. For 4 seasons. Very impressive.

 

5th season was pretty bad.

But as an actual story, as an actual character study, it's kind of meaningless. Vince Gilligan likes to say the premise is "what would it take for a normal guy to become Scarface?" but Walter is clearly not a normal guy from the start. The show would try to shock the viewer by showing Walter getting more and more immoral and wicked, but the first episode has him murdering some dudes. He's pretty much there from the start.

 

 

 

 Someone made the point once that Walter White story isn't normal man becomes scarface but is more of a super villian origin story.

 

Lastly the Shield can be seen as either a 3 (1-3, 4/5, 6/7 or 5 (1/2, 3, 4, 5, 6/7) act tragedy  where Breaking Bad could also be seen as a 3 act show but it's first act is the first 4 season - Walter constantly rising up and defeating everyone who stands in his way, the second act is the last season up to the third last episode - hubris taking hold and the third act is shoved into the last two - realising the harm he has caused and trying to do something about it.

[SuperBiasedMan]

I like Breaking Bad as a criticism of male gender roles, whether intentional or not. Walter's problems stem from an issue with how he sees himself as a member of society and the head of his family. His greatest weaknesses come from a need to be masculine, masquerading as a sense of doing what's right for his family.

[Cordeos]

2 hours ago, SuperBiasedMan said:

I like Breaking Bad as a criticism of male gender roles, whether intentional or not. Walter's problems stem from an issue with how he sees himself as a member of society and the head of his family. His greatest weaknesses come from a need to be masculine, masquerading as a sense of doing what's right for his family.

He could have swallowed his pride taken a gift in the first episode and that would have been that