Breaking Bad Discussion Thread

[BJORN 679]

That was good, but I dunno something doesn't feel right.

Maybe that one of the greatest shows ever just ended?

[BC 331]

I was confused for a minute. If you live on the west coast, it starts at 9pm, so the east coast got the conclusion first. I thought I was watching the finale while I was actually getting conveniently caught up with the Hank death and all that.

Edited September 30, 2013 by BC

[BUCK3Y3 44]

The Machinegun was brilliant but I dont think the ending was as good as I had expected. They could've flashed forward to see if his kids got the money. See how the trial turned out or what Jesse was doing. A little dissapointed.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

That's too much and all unneeded. They shut all the doors on most of those things... You just have to assume Walt Jr gets the money... that Skyler is doing well... and Jesse gets away as it shows. I don't know why we would think any different.

Walt died being at peace with himself, and it was as good of an ending as we could have gotten. No need to waste air time after that scene with extra stuff we know happens anyway. Would have totally killed everything the series built up to.

[Barracuda 629]

Well that was great.

 

Loved all the stuff behind the name of the episode too. Marty Robbins at the beginning name of the girl in that song is Felina plus all that extra stuff already posted. Good stuff.

[FartWaffles 1,857]

Perfect ending to an amazing TV series. The writers from Dexter should take note of this.

 

I'm sad it's over...

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Perfect ending to a great show. My only complaint with the finale was the small role Jesse had, but that was necessitated by the story arc of the final episodes, not so much the finale itself.

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

They gave us exactly what we wanted instead of trying to be edgy and shock us (while also shocking us multiple times along the way). Perfect ending indeed.

 

I especially enjoyed the fact that Walt admitted to Skylar that it was all for him and that he enjoyed it. In the end they did redeem him a bit and bring that human side back and ended Walt on a good note.

 

Steven has my support on the Jesse comment. Too bad he didn't have a larger role. However, it was great to see him get revenge on that worthless cunt Todd and finally go off a free man.

 

I loved the camera work and symbolism in this final episode.

 

-When Walt broke into his old colleagues' house and they showed the shot from the side it was eerie in that they had the lighting between the two rooms split with a cool greenish-blue on the left for the pair and a warm red on the right for Walt.

 

-When Walt met with Skylar and they used that pillar to hide him...holy shit. They then used the pillar a second time to show Skylar and Walt divided in their stances. Such brilliance on both accounts.

 

-The final shot showing Walt dead on the ground was just sublime. Crisp and calm around him with a small, blue glow given to Walt's body. Shit gave me chills.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Zack_of_Steel

[blotsfan 2,112]

I especially enjoyed the fact that Walt admitted to Skylar that it was all for him and that he enjoyed it. In the end they did redeem him a bit and bring that human side back and ended Walt on a good note.

 

That was great. I don't think it really redeemed him, but it was nice to see him finally admit it.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

They gave us exactly what we wanted instead of trying to be edgy and shock us (while also shocking us multiple times along the way). Perfect ending indeed.

 

I would take that sentiment a step further; a finale that gives you everything you want would be ultimately underwhelming. This one gave us everything we wanted in the moment--at least that's how I felt, anyway. It managed to be surprising, but every surprise was awesome.

 

"Oh, he's filtering his money through Gretchen and Elliott! Awesome!"

"Oh, he used the ricin on Lydia's stevia! Whoa!"

"Yes, Walt, we know you did it for the fam--what? Oh, man, that was great."

"No, Todd's still alive! Jesse! Get him! YES! YES!"

 

Also, going into the finale, I didn't think I would enjoy a Walt-saves-Jesse ending, but I did.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

All I could think in the final scene is this quote, by Charles Bukowski:

 

 

Find what you love and let it kill you.

 

A very Nietzsche-ian ending, too.

[Vin+ 3,121]

I'm not sure how well it's going to hold up upon rewatch, but it was pretty amazing while watching it.

 

OMG, WALT'S GOING AFTER GRETCHEN AND ELLIOT

OMG, WALT'S GOING TO KILL GRETCHEN AND ELLIOT

Oh, he's just bringing in the money

OMG WALT'S GONNA TAKE DOWN GREY MATTER

Oh, he just wants them to give the money to Jr. What a good guy.

OMG HE BROUGHT HITMEN WITH HIM

Oh, it's just Skinny Pete and Badger

 

I'm surprised at the amount of reviews that I've read that were sad that Lydia got ricin'd, citing that she had a daughter. I guess it's possible that since Walt told her that she got ricin'd that she'd have time to get treatment. I dunno, but I didn't really have a problem with it.

 

I think I was bothered most by Todd's death, not that it happened, just how it happened. Survives the M60 without a scratch, crawls over to the window, looks out it and says "Jesus... Mr. White?" and then boom, strangled. Surprise killing for a surprise killing I suppose.

 

The line that everyone gravitates to, "I did this for me."; does anyone else think that he was just saying that so Skylar would listen to him and take the lotto ticket. Seems like he was saying just what she wanted to hear seeing as she was getting really defensive before he said. Maybe that's just me though.

 

Really solid finale, and I don't really have any issues with it. Like others have said, I would've like to have seen more interaction between Walt and Jesse at the end, but I guess given the state of their relationship that wasn't really possible.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I'm not sure how well it's going to hold up upon rewatch, but it was pretty amazing while watching it.

 

OMG, WALT'S GOING AFTER GRETCHEN AND ELLIOT

OMG, WALT'S GOING TO KILL GRETCHEN AND ELLIOT

Oh, he's just bringing in the money

OMG WALT'S GONNA TAKE DOWN GREY MATTER

Oh, he just wants them to give the money to Jr. What a good guy.

OMG HE BROUGHT HITMEN WITH HIM

Oh, it's just Skinny Pete and Badger

 

I'm surprised at the amount of reviews that I've read that were sad that Lydia got ricin'd, citing that she had a daughter. I guess it's possible that since Walt told her that she got ricin'd that she'd have time to get treatment. I dunno, but I didn't really have a problem with it.

 

I think I was bothered most by Todd's death, not that it happened, just how it happened. Survives the M60 without a scratch, crawls over to the window, looks out it and says "Jesus... Mr. White?" and then boom, strangled. Surprise killing for a surprise killing I suppose.

 

The line that everyone gravitates to, "I did this for me."; does anyone else think that he was just saying that so Skylar would listen to him and take the lotto ticket. Seems like he was saying just what she wanted to hear seeing as she was getting really defensive before he said. Maybe that's just me though.

 

Really solid finale, and I don't really have any issues with it. Like others have said, I would've like to have seen more interaction between Walt and Jesse at the end, but I guess given the state of their relationship that wasn't really possible.

That's just you, IMO. Outside of Walter's death, that is my favorite scene of the Finale, and one of the best scenes in the history of the show. Superb in pretty much every way.

 

I don't know why anyone would need or want more Jesse. He's chained up and being held prisoner.... how much ore could they do? What did we see in the finale are you willing to sacrifice to get a hollow scene with Jesse in it? They could have done something more early in the episode, but something has to be taken out. They could have done something at the end after his escape, but then it doesn't make Walt the focus and kills what they have built the show on for 5 years.

 

Jesse was in it just enough to give us both the answers and closure we needed. Same can be said about every other character except maybe Marie -- but who really cares?

[blotsfan 2,112]

The line that everyone gravitates to, "I did this for me."; does anyone else think that he was just saying that so Skylar would listen to him and take the lotto ticket. Seems like he was saying just what she wanted to hear seeing as she was getting really defensive before he said. Maybe that's just me though.

 

I disagree completely. I think that was completely the truth. He's always had a huge adrenaline rush from doing his illegal things. Not to mention that "empire business" stuff when he could easily get out and never have to worry about providing again. He liked it and him admitting it was great.

[56AceInDaPlace 110]

That machine gun was fucking badass. Bad ass gun. Jack tried to reason like all the fucking bad guys do in movies or shows lol. Walt gave em a bullet to the head and im glad it was Jesse who killed Todd. Everybody got what they deserved pretty much. Solid show and ending.

[FartWaffles 1,857]

Jack tried to reason like all the fucking bad guys do in movies or shows lol.

 

I thought it was poetic justice that Walt shot him while he was in mid-sentence, just like Jack did with Hank.

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

Man, the ending is so powerful.

 

 

 

And here are some really interesting interviews with Vince Gilligan and the cast. In the first he explains that they put it on the table in the 4th episode that Walt was doing this for himself. The third is hilarious. There's also a video of Aaron Paul (Jesse) on The Price is Right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2013 by Zack_of_Steel

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

 

Jack tried to reason like all the fucking bad guys do in movies or shows lol.

 

I thought it was poetic justice that Walt shot him while he was in mid-sentence, just like Jack did with Hank.

 

Not only that, but think just a few episodes ago how emotional Walt got about his money. Jack was trying to play up that he still had Walt's cash and Walt didn't even think. Frank tried using what Hank used to finally "get" Walt as his ace and failed horribly. No hesitation, just action. Epicness.

 

Granted he knew by then he came to die, so that probably had a lot to do with it. But it just feeds and builds into that final scene of Walt being completely at peace as he dies. Perfect.

 

Sitting back and just thinking on moments like that one and other connections that Zack and others have made more apparent... The little things in each and every scene... How they play into one another... How these characters have changed, adapted, and evolved through 5 seasons...

 

Breaking Bad truly is the study of transformation and it's nothing short of brilliant. Vince Gilligan is a bloody genius -- and I would be hard pressed to think that this isn't his magnum opus. I can't even fathom him ever topping this moment right now.

Edited October 1, 2013 by Favre4Ever

[Guest Phailadelphia]

 

 

Jack tried to reason like all the fucking bad guys do in movies or shows lol.

 

I thought it was poetic justice that Walt shot him while he was in mid-sentence, just like Jack did with Hank.

 

Breaking Bad truly is the study of transformation and it's nothing short of brilliant. Vince Gilligan is a bloody genius -- and I would be hard pressed to think that this isn't his magnum opus. I can't even fathom him ever topping this moment right now.

 

 

Agreed.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Kinda cool to go back and watch (well, listen) to this now that the series is over. One of my favorite bits of dialogue from the series.

 

 

http://youtu.be/GAu8YLIWn6E

[seanbrock 1,684]

I have to say, everything about that show. Every episode, the way they ended it. It was perfect. The last show I was into like this was Lost and I was very disappointed by the ending. This was perfect.

 

I was also wrong about Jesse killing Walt. I said that when he poisoned Brock in season 4 I think.

 

Really hope that they do end up doing a Saul spin off. I think it should be a lot different than Breaking Bad though. Mostly a comedy. If it sucks it sucks, but I definitely want to see it.

Edited October 2, 2013 by seanbrock

[BC 331]

So, there was a poker game in season episode 6. Walt had a garbage hand, and Hank had a full house. Hank was referencing the possibility of bluffing something. Then folds with that outstanding hand just to teach Walt a lesson or something. That really threw me off.

[Vin+ 3,121]

I think it was more in reference to Hank underestimating Walt. If I remember right, Hank calls Walt a horrible liar right before he folds, because he's so sure he's beat, only that it turns out, like you said, that Walt has nothing.

[Bucman 891]

This show was actually pretty close to not happening. No major network wanted it. AMC took the chance and it paid off huge.

[Vin+ 3,121]