Breaking Bad

[The Cid]

...Since RLF is so busy and booming these days, I'm going to try yet another thread about a TV show. We've never seen that before.

So the final season of Breaking Bad just started last night (or continued last night, depending on how you're counting). I'm going to be honest. I'm hoping people are watching this, because I would like to discuss this show. I felt that way about other TV threads, but didn't expect that anyone would be watching.

The show's pacing is amazing to me. Things that you expect would take most of a season to happen end up unfolding in less than an episode. Basically, the moment the plot makes it obvious something needs to happen, it will happen soon. I'd also like to thank the show's writing staff for making everybody who watches the show intimately familiar with the concept of Chekhov's Gun, so much that that phrase is pretty much necessary to describe the show.

Figured that other people might be watching this show and want to discuss it.

[Rorschach]

...Since RLF is so busy and booming these days

I'd managed to lock myself out of my account a few weeks ago and have only just realised that I can fb Martin to help me through my blatant stupidity.

Anyway, we're just starting Season 3 but this show is well worth the hype. I wasn't sure if it was going to be a black comedy, or a straight drama or a morality tale and after two seasons, I'm still not absolutely sure. It has it's snortworthy moments but usually in disbelief at something that's happened.

I adored the pay off at the end of Season 2 which explained the gradually unfolding pre-credit scenes throughout the preceding episodes although my watching companion felt a little cheated by it. I think she was looking for the obvious resolution while I appreciated the twist and also how it tied into more recent events of that arc.

Bryan Cranston is great in this. Obviously he can do funny but he is dark and brooding and terrifying at times in BB. Think about Matt LeBlanc in Lost in Space. Think about how an actor primarily known for his comedy work can utterly fail to be convincing as a bad ass.

Anyway, I'm not sure how much more I can add as obviously I'm a few seasons behind, but we should have that sorted out within the next couple of weeks.

[Deacon]

I fell off sometime around the beginning of last season, I believe. Season 4 I watched for sure, maybe Season 5, but I'll have to double check.

Great show. Need to get around to binging on it some more.

EDIT:

binging on it

Oh so THAT'S why Microsoft calls their search engine that...

[The Cid]

I'd managed to lock myself out of my account a few weeks ago

Well what'd you do that for?

Welcome back.

I wasn't sure if it was going to be a black comedy, or a straight drama or a morality tale and after two seasons, I'm still not absolutely sure. It has it's snortworthy moments but usually in disbelief at something that's happened.

That the lead and one of the most recognizable supporting actors (Bob Odenkirk) are known for comedic acting confuses matters. Catch up so I can reference events that happen after season two. I want to, but out of respect for how much more the Doctor Who thread helped me enjoy that show I won't. Okay, one vague one in spoiler tags.

There's a character who appears in later seasons that really reminds me of George Carlin.

(By the way: Saul's getting a spinoff. One of the bigger acting upsets I can remember is Bob Odenkirk somehow being involved in an even more memorable TV show than David Cross. Though Jack Black is always going to be the most famous person from Mr. Show.)

Bryan Cranston is great in this. Obviously he can do funny but he is dark and brooding and terrifying at times in BB.

First seen as Jerry Seinfeld's dentist, now Walter White. That's quite a range. Cranston's performance in Breaking Bad is up there with the other great television performances. The acting in general on that show has been excellent. Aaron Paul does a great job as Jesse Pinkman--if that part isn't well-played, the whole show is entirely different.

[Rorschach]

Season 3 just came through the letterbox so I imagine that'll be done in the next week/week and a half.

Anyway, I was reading on imdb that:

Walter was originally going to be directly responsible for Jesse's girlfriend (Jane?) dying. i.e. Murdering her but that it was decided that that would distance him too far from the viewing audience and it would be impossible to pull them back again. As it is, that scene is beautifully done, disturbing as hell and makes the viewer question the im/morality of his in/action a lot. And - and thank for introducing the concept to me - Chekhov's Gun guarantees us that we haven't seen the last of that, although we would probably assume that there are repercussions anyway. There would need to be, in fact. Walter's going to have to agonise over that or we're going to lose a lot of sympathy for him.

Obviously I'm writing this as not having seen past Season 2 yet.

I was also reading that:

Jesse was orginally slated to die during the first season. I'm so glad they changed their mind. He's such a great character - full of gangbanger bravado but weak and stupid with it but we can't help but like him

I'm really looking forward to Season 3.

[ampersand]

I didn't realize until it was mentioned in a podcast the lead actor was Malcolm's father in Malcolm in the Middle. I haven't seen Breaking Bad, but apparently he's pretty good.

[The Cid]

He also played Jerry's dentist in Seinfeld.

[Deacon]

Yes, Bryan Cranston is awesome.

[Rorschach]

I wonder what kind of role he'll play in the new Godzilla movie.

[Deacon]

It'll be a perfect marriage of bumbling and brooding.

[Rorschach]

Yeah, I'm thinking absent-minded but brilliant scientist.

[The Cid]

Reportedly, Cranston is going to be Lex Luthor for the forseeable future. If I were more into comic books, I suppose I could say whether he'd make a good Luthor. I'd say he's a good actor and that's all that should matter, but I would have said the same about Kevin Spacey and that apparently didn't work very well.

I don't want to spoil anything, but there have been a few moments in this final season so far that have left me with my mouth hanging open.

[Rorschach]

About halfway through Season 3 now. It's going slower than I expected, but I'm battling Masterchef as well as other things.

"Honey, why don't you ever want to snuggle any more?"
"Quiet woman! We need to watch Breaking Bad again."

Ah, RLF. You'll always be my true love.

Anyway. On Lex Luthor: I'd like a mostly straight performance. Gene Hackman occupied the tricksy zone between dark and funny which is where I see Cranston operating. Kevin Spacey mainly spent his screen time chewing scenery, as I recall.

[FireAza]

I started watching Breaking Bad recently and I love it. It's good to finally see an American TV show that's released that a TV series can be used to tell a long, complete story instead of coming up with a concept and repeating that concept each episode. Who would have thought it? Which comes at a good time, since I'd pretty much given up on American TV shows then along comes The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad, vundabar!

[Deacon]

Haha, long developing story arcs have been around for a long time, you silly Aussie. Though I may be giving too much credit to television before The Sopranos.