Breaking Bad

[dark_b]

Walt goes to rescue Jesse. Check.

we knew that Walt will somehow rescue Jesse. but he didnt go there to rescue Jesse. he was going to kill the nazis and he thought that Jesse was a partner.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Has anyone here been with the show since the first season? I came aboard in the beginning of season 3. Knew about it from the beginning, but stupidly dismissed it because I thought the whole chem-teacher-as-meth-dealer-with-DEA-brother plot sounded "gimmicky" and because I didn't think AMC could deliver the goods like HBO. From my first or second episode, I knew how wrong and completely idiotic I was. I think a lot of people had similar misconceptions of the show, because it's only caught on like wildfire since the beginning of 5B.

So any first season vets? When did everyone start watching?

It's amazing how mainstream it is now. People who were raving about shows like "Girls" a few months ago are now all into it. But I wonder how many are just jumping on the bandwagon.

I was with the show from Season 1, Episode 1. But that's going by when it first aired in the UK, which was several months behind the US. And after Season 1 UK TV messed up showing it, so I had to catch up on Season 2 on US DVD, then start downloading episodes. I was up to date and watching weekly with America from Season 3, episode 5.

 

[vanson]

I thought more of this comparison:

 

[StarLord]

 

[Darkness Falls]

that is one of my favourite shots in the whole series t:

 

[Tron Bonne]

Based on ratings BB could arguably not be considered "mainstream" until this past half season?

It was a big cult hit I'd say from season 2 onwards though. I remember hearing a lot of good things about it but I actually thought the premise sounded too depressing so i didn't bother until I took the plunge on netflix right before season 4 I believe.

No, I wouldn't call it cult status exactly. Even in the previous seasons managed 1.5-2 ratings pretty consistently. That may not be major, but for a basic cable show, it's pretty good. And I think media sales were always on the strong side, too.

Like others said, there isn't just mainstream and cult. I kind of notice that's a tendency of people nowadays, to typecast anything that isn't the most popular thing around as cult when it's really just sort of in between.

 

[AnneFan]

What a magnificent finale. This is how you end a series. Low key but hitting the right spots, satisfying and right.

 

[TheNextNolan22]

Has anyone here been with the show since the first season? I came aboard in the beginning of season 3. Knew about it from the beginning, but stupidly dismissed it because I thought the whole chem-teacher-as-meth-dealer-with-DEA-brother plot sounded "gimmicky" and because I didn't think AMC could deliver the goods like HBO. From my first or second episode, I knew how wrong and completely idiotic I was. I think a lot of people had similar misconceptions of the show, because it's only caught on like wildfire since the beginning of 5B.

So any first season vets? When did everyone start watching?

It's amazing how mainstream it is now. People who were raving about shows like "Girls" a few months ago are now all into it. But I wonder how many are just jumping on the bandwagon.

I started watching about the second episode into season 2 and I was very interested, but didn't really know what was going on so I found the first season episodes online and I got hooked.

 

[Kane52630]

 

[TheNextNolan22]

That is probably my favorite single shot of the whole series.

 

[Kaleb]

Badgers Star Trek story is amazing.

 

[AnneFan]

Sheer psychotic relief.

When 'Baby Blue' started, I got chills. Ala The Sopranos 'Don't Stop Believing'. I knew what was coming. Fitted the scene perfectly. I love upbeat music like that juxtaposed to sad, downbeat events. Killing all the trash, wanting to die though ultimatley getting his wish via the machine gun wound - with his family set up for life. When he is 'caught', it's redundant anyway. A neat finish.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

If I had the flash skills I'd try to animate Badger's Star Trek script. Someone more talented than me should really do that.

 

[Kane52630]

 

[StrainedEyes]

If I had the flash skills I'd try to animate Badger's Star Trek script. Someone more talented than me should really do that.

It already was like the day after that episode aired.

[YT]xJZjMGd2b0M[/YT]

 

[Kane52630]

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Ah, it's the Internet. Of course, it was. I always forget that online any idea you think of was thought up and done a thousand times already.

EDIT: That was a pretty good version though.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Sheer psychotic relief.

When 'Baby Blue' started, I got chills. Ala The Sopranos 'Don't Stop Believing'. I knew what was coming. Fitted the scene perfectly. I love upbeat music like that juxtaposed to sad, downbeat events. Killing all the trash, wanting to die though ultimatley getting his wish via the machine gun wound - with his family set up for life. When he is 'caught', it's redundant anyway. A neat finish.

I do wonder how Walt got shot, because the bullet was lower than the others and isolated, but when the marks on the house showed a fairly high and straight trajectory. It must have been a ricochet shot.

 

[dark_b]

the dark times. Walt was full on evil t:

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

How WW's fate stacks up against other famous cable protagonists.
http://iphone.eonline.com/article?id=464837

 

[Hush]

I do wonder how Walt got shot, because the bullet was lower than the others and isolated, but when the marks on the house showed a fairly high and straight trajectory. It must have been a ricochet shot.

I too was wondering that but lets just cook it up to
Hollywood magic.

 

[Still Wynning]

Spoiler

That bottom left frame is "John Carpenter's The Thing" levels of disturbing. The way the bent-in metal distorts the reflection of his face makes it look like he's some kind of monster.

It's very unsettling.

 

[Keyser Soze]

http://www.empireonline.com/features/best-breaking-bad-moments

This list is all the more impressive because not only is each of the 25 classic moments from BREAKING BAD utterly deserving of inclusion on this list, but you could make a top 25 consisting entirely of moments left out of this list that would be equally valid, including:

- Walt's video confession at the start of "Pilot."
- The killing of Crazy 8 in "...And the Bag's in The River."
- "Nothing but chemistry here," also in "...And the Bag's in The River."
- The agonising "Ding! Ding! Ding!" setpiece with Tuco and Tio in "Grilled."
- That heartbreaking moment in "Bit By a Dead Bee" early in Season 2 where Walt is in hospiral, staring mournfully at that picture of the family on the shore waving away the man on the boat. Something about that scene as the music cue kicks in always pulls at my heart strings.
- Jesse's breakdown in "Down", which comes after a run of rotten luck culminates in him falling through a porta-potty roof.
- The opening sequence of "Better Caul Saul", with Badger and the DEA agent.
- Just all of "4 Days Out", though if I had to pick one moment in particular I'd say the ending, where Walt find out his cancer is in remission and he responds by punching **** out the bathroom hand-dryer.
- Walt's outburst at Hank in "Over" after pretty much force-feeding Walt Jr alcohol until he throws up: "MY son, MY bottle, MY HOUSE!"
- The immortal line that ends "Over": "Stay out of my territory." How the hell could any list be made without this moment in it?
- Jane choking in her sleep in "Phoenix", while Walt watches and does nothing.
- Walt finding Jesse in the heoin den in "ABQ", and Jesse just nakedly wailing into his arms, totally destroyed.
- The Cousins' trail of destruction at the start of Season 3 leading them to right outside Walt's bathroom in "Caballo Sin Nombre", with Walt only being saved from death by a well-timed Gus phone-call, yet never realising.
- Another classic heart-in-your-mouth setpiece from Season 3 came in "Sunset", with Hank trailing Jesse and the RV to the junkyard, unaware that Walt is also inside. Also, "This is my own private domicile and I will not be disturbed.... *****!"
- Gustavo Fring starting to reveal just how frightening he is in "I See You" after taking out the last of the Cousins: "Now thank me.... and shake my hand."
- Again, I'd include all of "Fly" as a classic moment in itself, but if I had to pick one bit, it would be the "If only I could have died right at that moment..." speech from Walt. That right there won Bryan Cranston his third Emmy.
- Mike the mega-badass, part 1: his little side mission in "Full Measure" to put the frighteners on an uncoopoerative employee.
- Also in "Full Measure", Saul reveals he's not totally self-serving by the reveal he's sheltering Jesse.
- The conclusion of the Season 3 finale, "Full Measure", where Walt goes from pitiful pleading to ice-cold ruthlessness, as we realise he's ordered Jesse to kill Gale. Then we cut to sobbing Jesse, poor Gale, and a firing gun.
- Moving into "Thirty-Eight Snub", we have Gus' disappearance from the show following the premiere, with Mike's "Walter, you'll never see him again," leading into my chosen moment: Walt trying his "badass Heisenberg put on the hat and slow walk" thing as he approaches Gus' house, only for it to be utterly deflated by a phone-call telling him to go home. Gus became this invisible, but all-seeing, seeming invulnerable presence.
- Mike the mega-badass, part 2: taking out the cartel hitmen trying to wipe out the goods truck at the start of "Bullet Points."
- Also in "Bullet Points", Gale's brilliant return-from-the-dead in the cheesy karaoke music video. Shortly followed by the tense "W.W.?" conversation between Walt and Hank.
- The moment of cringeworthy arrogance and hubris from a drunken Walt in "Shotgun", where he boasts over dinner that Gale must have been an imitator of Heisenberg, he couldn't possibly have been the real deal.... in the process waking up Hank from his slumber and putting him back on the case.
- "This whole thing - all of this - it's all about me!" The OTHER great speech from Walt in "Cornered", the episode that gave us the classic "I am the one who knocks!" moment mentioned in the Empire list.
- Man, I only realise in writing this how dense Season 4 was with excellent moments: Hank's big comeback moment in "Problem Dog" where he pieces together Gus' involvement in an international meth empire.
- Also in "Problem Dog", Jesse bares his soul in a heartbreaking speech at a group therapy session - I can't recall for sure, but I think this was where he went into his woodworking story.
- In "Hermanos", we get our first glimpse of crack's in the seemingly invincible Gus' armor, when he smiles through an interview with Hank, seemingly unfazed by Hank's suspicions, but then he gets into the elevator, and we see a tiny little twitching of his finger....
- Speaking of Gus' vulnerability, "Hermanos" also shows us some of Gus' tragic backstory where his friend and partner was murdered by Mexican drug lord Don Eladio. This then segues into Gus tormenting the crippled Tio for his involvement in that past brutality. "One day you'll look at me, Hector...but not today."
- Jesse visiting Gus' home in "Bug." I could have mentioned the scene when Walt visited Gus' home back in Season 3, but I felt this one was even more potent for the conrast between Jesse and Gus. And you start to get a sense that Gus would be a much healthier paternal figure for Jesse to be loyal to than Walt.
- Walt and Jesse's big fight in "Bug", with a despicable Walt telling Jesse he hopes he dies in Mexico, but Jesse ultimately getting the upper hand.
- Walt Jr caring for his beaten-up father in "Salud", leading to a barely-conscious Walt accidentally calling him "Jesse."
- Gus' spectacular revenge on Don Eladio and the cartel in "Salud", complete with his "DON ELADIO IS DEAD!" declaration to the compound.
- Walt and Gus' desert confrontation in "Crawl Space", leading to...
- For my money, the best moment in the show's history, certainly the one I've rewatched the most. The ending of "Crawl Space", with Walt lying in the eponymous crawl space, covered in money, sobbing, then crying, then lying quiet and still, as the camera pans up and we dwell on just how ****ed he is.
- Gus' "face-off" moment in the "Face-Off" Season 4 finale, but also everything leading up to it. His strangely poignant moment in the car before going into the nusing home, or his reaction when he realises he's been bested by Walt. And also the immediate aftermath, with Walt sitting in his car listening to the news.
- Walt's skin-crawling "I forgive you" to Skyler at the end of "Live Free or Die", first episode of Season 5.
- Mike the mega-badass, part 3: averting the assassination attempt clumsily organised by incoming Big Bad Lydia in "Madrigal."
- The battle of wills between Skyler and Walt in the family bedroom in "Fifty-One", which Walt ultimately wins by going to scarily cruel extremes, only for Skyler to get the shocking last word with "I'm just waiting... for the cancer to come back."
- The closing moments of "Fifty-One", with the zoom in onto the ticking clock.
- The most awkward dinner of all time between Walt, Jesse and Skyler in "Buyout".
- "Heisenberg."/"You're goddamnright!" - How "Say My Name" got its title.
- The final confrontation between Mike and Walt in "Say My Name", with its gutting conclusion.
- The confrontation between Hank and Walt in the garage in "Blood Money" - "Tread lightly."
- The stomach-churning video confession by Walt in "Confessions", as Hank and Marie watch on.
- The thrilling, devastating desert stand-off at the end of "To'hajiilee".
- Hank's last stand at the beginning of "Ozymandias."
- A broken, pathetic Walt in the cabin with Robert Forster in "Granite State."
- The closing moments of "Granite State", with something awakening in Walt one last time, and him leaving his whiskey on the bar as the show theme kicks in...
- Walt visiting Gretchen and Elliot's home in "Felina."
- Also in Felina, Walt's final meeting with Skyler: "I did it for me."
- And, of course, one final "Yeah science!" moment as Walt takes out the Neo-Nazis in "Felina".

Bloody hell, I ended up writing enough for another 2 "Top 25" lists, and that wasn't even particularly trying or straining to remember great moments!

 

[FCEEVIPER]

Has anyone here been with the show since the first season? I came aboard in the beginning of season 3. Knew about it from the beginning, but stupidly dismissed it because I thought the whole chem-teacher-as-meth-dealer-with-DEA-brother plot sounded "gimmicky" and because I didn't think AMC could deliver the goods like HBO. From my first or second episode, I knew how wrong and completely idiotic I was. I think a lot of people had similar misconceptions of the show, because it's only caught on like wildfire since the beginning of 5B.

So any first season vets? When did everyone start watching?

It's amazing how mainstream it is now. People who were raving about shows like "Girls" a few months ago are now all into it. But I wonder how many are just jumping on the bandwagon.

I was 6 episodes behind in the first season, my sister kept telling him I had to watch this show. Once I DL the show I was in full awe and hooked.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

Just got to watch it.

Beautiful. No other words.


Well, probably about a billion other words, but none that need to be said.