tv show: Breaking Bad

[MWilke]

I'd imagine. Just watch the very first episode. I guarantee it's not boring.

[cneutron]

so VERY NC...
BSG let me down on the last season, and the Wire self immolated before it started to suck.
This is the nearest thing to a perfect show in my strike zone as you can get.

Just started season 3.
Dude, the degradation of corruption of the soul through good intentions, AND Bob Odenkirk?!!

awww, c'mon fuck a guy!

NC!
no

[Sam]

the season finale? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAAAA!! AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

[BobbyPeru]

watched 1st season on recommendation of mr. arrison.. he wasn't kidding about how well written this show is. Can't wait to start season 2!

[dokazaado]

little bumparoo to say I'm watching Season 3 now and this show gets better and better.

Bob Odenkirk is amazing. Dude was born to play Saul.

[eephour]

little bumparoo to say I'm watching Season 3 now and this show gets better and better.

Bob Odenkirk is amazing. Dude was born to play Saul.

How?!? Is it on DVD yet?

[dokazaado]

amazon video on demand.

[Jeremy B]

Last episode of Season 3.......HLY SHIT. Dude from The Wire and Flight Of The Conchords made that episode awesome. I can't wait for Season 4.

-Jeremy

[caset]

shit needs to get back on the air already !
what did I read somewhere? next season wont air until july 2011 or something?
damn. . .

[BClark]

my god, what an excellent show.

SPOILER:

in season 3, when hank is tipped off by the scrambled voice on the phone, before the hitmen come... i have an idea of who it is.

i think it is his DEA boss (the funny looking tall older guy), in league with gus. we already know gus to be affiliated with his DEA boss, and i have a feeling there is more to that relationship than has been made explicit. for instance, when the cartel leader was killed in the police raid, i think that was arranged by the DEA dude for gus (i think it actually references a true event detailed by charles bowden in down by the river, his book about the growth of the juarez cartel -- in the book, a high-ranking DEA officer is paid $1 million by one drug dealer to mount a raid on another cartel and to ensure that the head of that cartel is shot in the raid). and as to the call to hank -- i think it was his DEA boss because it was hinted at in the scene just before the shootout: when his boss says "maybe you have a guardian angel." i swear that is hinting at a plan to intervene and warn hank. which would bring more weight to marie's anger at the DEA for taking away hank's gun (if they did in fact know about the impending hit attempt).

man the show is so great. the writing, the acting, the shots. its really something special. my favorite show since the wire. i'm not going to start picking a favorite between the two since they are very different, but damn i am glad this show is going. it is so great from the start, and just keeps getting better.

[Miel]

Having been a big fan of 'Malcolm in the Middle' when I was younger, I had trouble taking the main character (Cranston) seriously when I first saw this. That wore off quickly, though -- he is a mad versatile actor.

It's a great show, whenever I can catch it. Even for someone who doesn't follow it religiously, it still makes sense. Now that's good writing.

[Miel]

Edit: Double post.

[Miel]

Edit: Triple.
(Having browser issues. Can I delete my own posts?)

[athena]

Finally.

[i am the smud]

My take on Breaking Bad:

I like this show, in fact I like it a lot. Walter White is an interesting and likeable character, and the bald head/goatee is a cool look for him. His character development has been really fantastic.

Jesse Pinkman kind of reminds me of Cassidy from the Preacher comic series. He's a loveable guy at first, but then you start to realize he is an irredeemable fuck-up. He's not as treacherous as Cassidy, but this could change. I could foresee Jesse being killed (perhaps by Walt) for a future transgression.

There is a lot to like about this show, but there are many things to criticize it for. If I start comparing this show to The Wire, Breaking Bad starts to fall apart and reveal itself to be fairly ridiculous. However, I have to remind myself that this is unfair because The Wire is a pinnacle of brilliance. Breaking Bad is good entertainment, The Wire is something else entirely. Since I love food, I will use a food metaphor. If The Wire is a five-star filet mignon, Breaking Bad is a damn good cheeseburger.

Sometimes I feel like this show cannot decide if it wants to be gritty and realistic or over the top nutso crazy time. Like take Saul Goodman, for instance. I think Saul Goodman is a hilarious character and Bob Odenkirk an inspired choice for the role. But sometimes this Saul Goodman is too much of a cartoon and takes away from the believability of the show. And the two semi-mute cousins in the fancy suits? They might as well have had mustaches to twirl around.

But the most ridiculous thing was when Gus slit that guy's throat in some grand gesture of villainy. Gus made more sense to me as a cold, calculating businessman who had other people do his dirty work. Turning him into some kind of psycho-killer was stupid.

But all in all Not Crap with waffles.

[edventure]

My take on Breaking Bad:

I like this show, in fact I like it a lot. Walter White is an interesting and likeable character, and the bald head/goatee is a cool look for him. His character development has been really fantastic.

Jesse Pinkman kind of reminds me of Cassidy from the Preacher comic series. He's a loveable guy at first, but then you start to realize he is an irredeemable fuck-up. He's not as treacherous as Cassidy, but this could change. I could foresee Jesse being killed (perhaps by Walt) for a future transgression.

There is a lot to like about this show, but there are many things to criticize it for. If I start comparing this show to The Wire, Breaking Bad starts to fall apart and reveal itself to be fairly ridiculous. However, I have to remind myself that this is unfair because The Wire is a pinnacle of brilliance. Breaking Bad is good entertainment, The Wire is something else entirely. Since I love food, I will use a food metaphor. If The Wire is a five-star filet mignon, Breaking Bad is a damn good cheeseburger.

Sometimes I feel like this show cannot decide if it wants to be gritty and realistic or over the top nutso crazy time. Like take Saul Goodman, for instance. I think Saul Goodman is a hilarious character and Bob Odenkirk an inspired choice for the role. But sometimes this Saul Goodman is too much of a cartoon and takes away from the believability of the show. And the two semi-mute cousins in the fancy suits? They might as well have had mustaches to twirl around.

But the most ridiculous thing was when Gus slit that guy's throat in some grand gesture of villainy. Gus made more sense to me as a cold, calculating businessman who had other people do his dirty work. Turning him into some kind of psycho-killer was stupid.

But all in all Not Crap with waffles.

Really good point here. Although they greatly range in quality, I think the comic relief moments are ultimately necessary, just to keep the show from suffocating on its own gritty atmosphere.

In regards to Gus' killing the guy, I think the most important thing about it is that it sets the stage for (what I think) is the arc of the season -- Walt attempting to take control of (or escape from) Gus' empire. What a great scene with him and Mike in the bar this last episode! Here's hoping they do eventually team up.

[MWilke]

Dear god, another fucking 'Breaking Bad isn't the Wire so it's only pretty good' post?

It's an apples to oranges comparison in the first place, but Breaking Bad is better pound for pound for my money. The cinematography, acting, intensity, the narrative balance of development/pay-off are all superior. The Wire is more intricate, detailed, and has less sensationalism. But Breaking Bad is overall a more fun experience.

However, again it's a serious robbery of both shows to be comparing the two.

I completely disagree about your assessment of Saul Goodman. Comic relief is a key to this show and Bob Odenkirk is tremendous at what he does. And I think Gus's move in the Season 4 opener was a pretty outstanding choice by the writers.

[i am the smud]

The cinematography, acting, intensity, the narrative balance of development/pay-off are all superior.

Several times while watching The Wire I forgot that what I was watching was a TV show, such was its quality. This pretty much never happens to me while watching Breaking Bad. You say the development/pay-off is better. I say where The Wire applies a scalpel, Breaking Bad applies a machete.

But I do like the show! I just think it's a bit too bombastic, for my tastes.

Saul is good comic relief, I never said otherwise. But sometimes his antics throw off the overall tone of an episode, but usually only for a brief moment.

I still stand by my statement that Gus' move went against his character and came off as ridiculous. Gus is supposed to be careful and calculating, isn't he? What exactly is careful about slitting a man's throat open in your place of business? You cannot say it was an act of passion, Gus clearly took his time on this. If he wanted to intimidate his underlings, he could have done it in a less extravagant fashion or had someone else do it. Gus just doesn't strike me as someone willing to get blood on his hands, he'd rather use someone else to do it for him.

[i am the smud]

In regards to Gus' killing the guy, I think the most important thing about it is that it sets the stage for (what I think) is the arc of the season.

I agree, but I think it could have been handled better.

[MWilke]

Michael Slovis' photography (colors each have their own character, the shadows are gorgeous, etc.) in Breaking Bad is better than anything I've ever seen on television including The Wire. It's not close. It's so good I learned the dude's name.

You can't go back to the character that Gus was before the Half Measures episode. The stakes got raised too high for him to be the same stoic leader. Victor messed this whole thing up. It was his job to be on surveilance for Walt to eventually find Jesse. He blew it so badly that he not only failed to find Jesse, but Jesse cracked Gus's plan to kill Walt in the lab (was that problematic for you too?) by killing Walt's replacement. That's why Victor was so upset and nervous till Gus got there and tried to prove his worth otherwise by cooking himself. Now Gus has not only retaken full ownership of Walt and Jesse's souls, but it's a reminder to Mike that he's on thin ice too. This seemed pretty straightforward to me, but I've had to explain this multiple times to friends so maybe it was a mis-fire overall. I really liked the choices by the writers though.