Breaking Bad Discussion (Spoilers)

Goodwill

Goodwill

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Behind Lost and Entourage, Breaking Bad qualifies as one of my favorite TV shows on right now. It stars Brian Cranston (The dad from Malcolm in the Middle) who plays a high school teacher with cancer who decides to cook crystal meth to help his pregnant wife and his son financially after he croaks. With the help of one of his former students, he cooks the meth while his former student distributes it.

Anyone else watch this?
 
I do! AMC ran a marathon a couple of weeks ago, and having FINALLY gotten DVR, I recorded all the episodes and had a Breaking Bad splurge the next day.

I have to say - I think it might be just about the most intense thing on TV right now. And yes, I watch 24. But every episode is so nerve-racking -- for example: who knew a mute old man in a wheelchair with a bell could so freakin' terrifying. And I can't wait to see how that half-burned, one-eyed stuffed bear figures into things.

And Cranston is amazing. He completely deserved his Emmy last year, and he'd completely deserve it if he won this year, too. Amazing, amazing performance, and an amazing, amazing show.

So, yeah, I love it.
 
I remember seeing this advertised but I don't think it actually ever aired here... I was interested in it so I'll probably catch it on DVD sometime.
 
Yea, I'm definitely going to get this show on DVD when it does come out. It's only had six episodes in its first season (due to the writer's strike), and has only had three so far in its second. So, the DVD set will probably come out when the second season concludes.

But, yea, agreed... This show is the most intense TV show that I've seen. They do pick actors to match that intensity (for instance Tuco) and I think that Brian Cranston is an awesome actor and his character is definitely memorable.
 
Actually, it's already out on DVD. You can find it on Amazon.com. I haven't bought it myself yet, but I'm sure I will.

I think the most amazing thing about Cranston's performance is that it's totally different from his most popular (and also great) one on Malcom. He's nothing if not extremely versatile.
 
I agree.

I just saw a commercial on AMC for this and noticed that Stephen King is calling this show the "Best Scripted Television Show" out right now. I guess he's a bigger fan of the Rock of Love Bus if he's got to stipulate this is the best scripted show. ;-)

By the way, the new episode was real good, I thought. I like how Cranston plays the part of a high school teacher who decides to be a dealer. When you saw him talking to those three kids in the museum, I kept thinking that those kids were in his class at one point or something... And now he's dealing and all.

Sucks to be that brother in law, now doesn't it?
 
Damn, I keep forgetting to comment on this show.

The most recent episode was probably one of my favorite episodes of the show. It opened up a lot, I think, especially because of the new character, Saul.

I like the Godfather references at the end of the episode. Walt saying that he is no Vito Corleone was ironic on purpose because I think that's what they are eventually leading to, where he is this don of drugs. We'll see though. Like always I can't wait for the next episode.

I will say this -- I enjoy this show as much as I did the first season of Lost. There's just something about the quality and the storytelling that makes it special. Not to say that Lost seasons 2-5 are bad, but I'd bet a large number of people will tell you season 1 was the most special because, back then, it was new.
 
Last night's episode almost made me cry with joy. So crazy how this game gets at your emotions so easily. An interesting turn and it makes me wonder what the hell they've got planned for the rest of the season and the show.
 
Absolutely. I thought it would end with his death, but it turns out that they might have much more interesting things in store. I mean, if he recovers - how will he get out of this mess? Will he be able to leave the meth business or will he get further and further sucked in, destroying his family and his life in the process?

Man, I love this show.

On a related note, I think Sunday's episode might be my favorite of the series so far. But I don't think they've made a bad episode, so that's a difficult thing to say with any certainty (seriously, this might be the most consistently amazing show on television right now). More people definitely need to watch it.

And does anyone else (well, just Goodwill I guess :D) see a similarity between this and Fargo, or No Country? It's very Coen-y with its wry mix of dark humor and violence. Just something I've been thinking about.
 
These scenes at the beginning of select episodes is a great way of building up to something. It makes it less linear, sure, but all the more foreboding. It's like a water balloon is gradually filling up and the season is continuing until it bursts.

I am guessing that the two people in the body bags are the wife and son. I think the show can continue without them, although that would change things radically. I wonder if that's what they are trying to drive at? I don't think they'd kill Walt or Jesse... So I guess we'll just have to see.

Another solid, solid episode though. It's really about character and I love that about it. Walt is an emotional wreck now because his death is still inevitable although it has been forestalled. I didn't think they'd take that route, but can see how very realistic that feeling might be for someone combatting cancer. Just, wow.

Great use of "DLZ" by TV on the Radio, too. I always jam to that song while I'm driving at night and they put it into a very bad *** part of the episode, too. "Stay out of my territory." Looks like old Walt's not as done as he said he was.

Oh, and I can see you making a comparison to No Country, I guess. I haven't seen Fargo in the longest time, so I couldn't relate it to that. I don't know what exactly I would say this relates to most, but I do see what you're saying about the dark humor/irony in it all.
 
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I just watched the first disc of Season 1, which contains the first three episodes. And it's pretty frigging good. From what people have told me, it only gets better.


I have a question for someone who watched the episodes when they originally aired on AMC: Are these episodes on the DVD slightly different from the ones that were on TV? Having watched "Mad Men" on TV, I know that AMC they're allowed to use the S-word but that's about it for basic cable. In these "Breaking Bad" eps there have been F-bombs and both male and female nudity. Not that that's a bad thing, but was this edited out of the TV broadcast? I'm guessing it must have been, or else the FCC would've had a field day...
 
I haven't watched it on DVD yet, but if there's nudity then I would imagine it's different.

And for some reason, they have gotten away with the F-bomb on the show. At one point in season 2 Walt straight up says "**** you" to someone.
 
Last night's episode was one of the more intense episode of late... And one of the more enjoyable. As more allies are introduced, the more interested in this show I become. This Gus character seems like he'll add a very cool angle to the show. Very cool.
 
Ooh, you haven't seen Sunday's episode yet? Whatever you have to do to see it, see it. It was amazing. The show just keeps getting better and better, and I can't wait to see what happens in next week's season finale.

I'm especially interested to see how the bear is involved with anything, and of course,
who's in the body bags? I hope one of them's not Jesse or Walt Jr. :scared:
 
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