Breaking Bad - Season 5 (AMC) (1 Viewer)

[Greg.K]

Also, Example #37489 of Breaking Bad's insane attention to detail: Saul's ribbon on his lapel in this episode represents Native American reparations.


http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turquoise_ribbon

Ah, thanks - was wondering about Saul's ribbon. Didn't think it was still related to the plane crash.

 

[joshEH]

I can't wait for that lottery ticket to win $2, and Junior goes to cash it (and loses the location of the money).


So much brilliance on this show. Jesse has reached the end of his rope, and truly despises Walt. He seems like he'd be willing to turn on him with just the right provocation. He's perfectly set up to give him away to the police...only he hates Hank's guts. The one guy who could maybe save him and give him some redemption, and the one guy who can give Hank the proof he wants, and each one loathes the other.

(Speaking of Jesse, that was some damn compelling imagery with Pinkman on the merry-go-round. Like a single bullet in a six-shooter.)

 

[Patrick Sun]

Nothing on "HIMYM" is going to compete with that bitch-slap. Slap-tastic!

 

[Sam Posten]

I've sat in those before. They're not very comfortable, at least to me.

I missed this last week. Thanks for the reply.Last night's episode was the weakest in 5 season's for me. Hope that's not an indicator that I will be disappointed with the rest up to the finale!If you are going to take the baby, TAKE THE BABY. Now that would have been good.

 

[Quentin]

We'll have to see what Jesse does. It seems likely he would turn since we only have a few episodes left and we know the govt. takes the house and whatever else. How does Hank swing that without someone turning? And, we now know it won't be Skyler.

I just always figured sad-sack Jesse as the 'two wrongs don't make a right' dude. He just wants out and to be done and forget. Betraying Walt doesn't seem right to me somehow.

Good thing Marie didn't take the baby. Hank's career and case would have died right then and there.

I realize the whole thing is imploding right now...but, I watch Lydia being escorted by Todd across a pile of bodies and I can't help but think they are a far worse threat than Hank.

 

[shazzerman]

How do we know the Government took the house? One thing to remember about BB: never assume anything.

 

[joshEH]

Good thing Marie didn't take the baby. Hank's career and case would have died right then and there.

Did anyone else initially think that Marie was wearing a wire when she went in to talk with Skyler?


What was really interesting with this episode was its upending the obvious sympathies we were left with after last week (and in the series leading up to now). Hank's the ostensible White Hat, but his cornering of Skyler was rushed and harsh (despite the hug), not hardly caring or even registering what sort of spot he'd be putting her in.

We completely understand her fleeing the interview [/margegunderson]. And his bringing Marie into it was equally ruthless and manipulative without caring about the emotional consequences; he's single-minded about taking down Heisenberg, and for this episode, it wasn't easy to be on his side the way he's handled it. His one saving grace was sensibly ordering Marie to stop with the baby-napping.

Walt, meanwhile, is the Black Hat, but is given two standout moments to get the audience back to identifying with him: His bathroom floor plea to Skyler, willing to turn his monstrosity into sacrifice as long as his family can keep the spoils; and his baffled, furious response to Saul, suggesting Hank take "a trip to Belize" -- killing Hank is out of the question. "He is family."

That's a much softer, and more sympathetic, position than we've come to expect from Walter White, up to and including last week's "tread lightly" threat.

I'm also relieved Walt's exasperated mutter, "I'll send you to Belize" was played for a comic line, and not lingered on as a flat-out threat. But if I were Saul, I wouldn't be forgetting it anytime soon, either.

 

[joshEH]

I realize the whole thing is imploding right now...but, I watch Lydia being escorted by Todd across a pile of bodies and I can't help but think they are a far worse threat than Hank.

The surprising thing about the Declan/Lydia/Nazi-plot in this episode is that Walt doesn't seem to be in their crosshairs just yet. Lydia apparently accepted Walt/Skyler's rejection, and this is about reinstalling Todd to get some relatively purer crystal.

Surely it's only a matter of time before the Czechs demand "Classic Coke," though, at which point Lydia will suddenly have lots of use for her new muscle.

How do we know the Government took the house? One thing to remember about BB: never assume anything.

Agreed. I'm starting to worry that the start of last week's episode, which had us believing that the world knows about Heisenberg, is a gigantic fake-out, because "I'm not telling anyone until I have all the proof I need!" is exactly the sort of thing some moron says right before he gets shot in the head.

 

[joshEH]

Sorry for so many consecutive posts in the same thread, but just wanted to add:

One frustrating thing about this episode is how I'm inevitably and awkwardly going to struggle to get "The monkey is in the banana patch!" into everyday conversation.

I heard that phrase no less than 8 times today at work. Three of those times were from the same guy.

 

[TravisR]

,,,and his baffled, furious response to Saul, suggesting Hank take "a trip to Belize" -- killing Hank is out of the question. "He is family."

I viewed his ignorance and total confusion about that suggestion as more of an act for Saul (or even for himself) because I think Walt considered killing Hank in the garage and maybe even thought of it as a possibility on the drive over to Hank's house. I think he ruled it out but the DEA agents that were dropping off paperwork for Hank might have saved his life because they'd have been able to tie Walt to the scene if Hank was murdered.

 

[shazzerman]

Try this: At least two times in the show so far Jesse has shown he is capable of, shall we say, "lateral" thinking. He has come up with brilliant ideas even when Walt was floundering. One was the magnet - I cannot recall the other one right now. Could this be laying the groundwork for Jesse to come up with some cleverness to "get" Walt, an idea that Walt, with all his contingency plans and looking at problems from all angles, will not see coming? Probably not. Just a thought. It would stay true to the show though: viewers would hardly see that one coming. But surely the show must end with a scene between Walt and Jesse? It has been their story. It probably means that Jesse will have to be told about Walt's actions with the Lily-of-the-Valley, and maybe Jane. Actually, I think the writers have an incredibly clever way of allowing Jesse to discover about Jane waiting in the wings: Walt nearly admitted it during "Fly". Ask yourself why?

Maybe Jesse makes his own ricin (he saw Walt do it). He offs Walt, maybe himself as well. Last line, whispered by Jesse into Walt's ear: "Yo...science...Mr White." Or, "Yo...science...bitch". (He might go with the former to emphasise that Heisenberg is dead.)

 

[joshEH]

Here's a fantastic link with info inside the writer's room, including abandoned or revised storylines. Absolutely fascinating stuff.

"Gus goes trolling for students at the university." LOLOLOLOL

Uh, do I have this wrong, or were the writers at one point seriously entertaining a version of Season 4's climax where Walt abducts Brock, and ultimately disposes of a bloody box containing his body over the side of a boat?

Because damn.

 

[TravisR]

Uh, do I have this wrong, or were the writers at one point seriously entertaining a version of Season 4's climax where Walt abducts Brock, and ultimately disposes of a bloody box containing his body over the side of a boat?

Because damn.

That's how the card read to me. I guess Brock would have accidentally been killed because I have trouble buying Walt would murder a kid (though maybe if he saw Walt's face...) when he could have kidnapped and eventually returned him. As bad as it was to poison Brock, Walt knew that he'd at least get medical attention and might survive.

I like that they planned for Wendy to apparently become a born again Christian. I don't know if it'll happen but I'm hoping to see that character one more time.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Finally caught up with this week's episode and reading the
many remarks posted here.

Another great episode. I think I would have been more satisfied
if Marie took Skyler's baby. That would have set up a very tense
situation of getting him/her back.

I agree this was the quickest 60 minutes I have spent with Breaking
Bad -- a testament to just how damn entertaining it is.

6 more episodes to go!

 

[NolanJ]

Try this: At least two times in the show so far Jesse has shown he is capable of, shall we say, "lateral" thinking. He has come up with brilliant ideas even when Walt was floundering. One was the magnet - I cannot recall the other one right now. Could this be laying the groundwork for Jesse to come up with some cleverness to "get" Walt, an idea that Walt, with all his contingency plans and looking at problems from all angles, will not see coming? Probably not. Just a thought. It would stay true to the show though: viewers would hardly see that one coming. But surely the show must end with a scene between Walt and Jesse? It has been their story. It probably means that Jesse will have to be told about Walt's actions with the Lily-of-the-Valley, and maybe Jane. Actually, I think the writers have an incredibly clever way of allowing Jesse to discover about Jane waiting in the wings: Walt nearly admitted it during "Fly". Ask yourself why?

Maybe Jesse makes his own ricin (he saw Walt do it). He offs Walt, maybe himself as well. Last line, whispered by Jesse into Walt's ear: "Yo...science...Mr White." Or, "Yo...science...bitch". (He might go with the former to emphasise that Heisenberg is dead.)

The other instance was when Jesse suggested robbing the train in the way that they did.

 

[joshEH]

Man, I seem to be only posting pictures these days, but this is just too good to not post.

From the actual Belize Tourism Board:

It's the "purple fish for Marie" that's just golden.

The cultural penetration of this show is huge. I can't picture Atlantic City doing something like this, because ain't nobody watch Boardwalk Empire.

 

[joshEH]

Also (on another note), I think Walt Jr. gets his big episode soon, if not Sunday. In my head, Hank and Marie will demand the kids from Walt and Skyler. Walt and Skyler invite them to fuck off, and then Hank and Marie play the "we'll-tell-Junior" card.

At which point maybe Walt and Skyler proceed to break the news to their son, so that it can at least be on their terms.

(What I'm REALLY praying for before the end comes, though, is a massive Jesse/Marie confrontation. Somehow.)

 

[Sam Posten]

Man, I seem to be only posting pictures these days, but this is just too good to not post. From the actual Belize Tourism Board:

Brilliant!

 

[joshEH]

Anna Gunn posted a rather poignant essay to the NY Times about playing Skyler.

Carmela Soprano was coming around just as the Internet was starting to grow. I'm not sure any female character on TV has caught more unnecessary shit than Skyler White.

Oh wait...she slept with another man, due to her being trapped in a nightmare not of her own making. HISTORY'S GREATEST MONSTER!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Very sad to read through Anna's post.

People really have no lives when they start pointing that kind
of hatred towards a television character and the people that
portray them.