i feel like there's no way walter doesn't try his own product in this season's finale. killing bad guys is easy... it's the sinking into hell that they've saved for finales.

this is the only reason that I could think of that he'd do something like that to someone who's been so loyal. they did a nice job making his killing/death look real. I was definitely squirming while watching it. So many times, I've wanted to smack Jessie in the head for his actions, but I guess they really did need to take out Gale to survive.

All true but I think the REAL reason why Gus killed him was that Gus wanted to send a message to all three of them.
He wanted to show that he still is the man in control and that he is not afraid to kill and get down and dirty and get blood on his own hands...aka he's not just a kingpin who gives orders. The reality is is that he could have given Mike the order or someone else but instead chose to do it himself to prove a point.

S04 E02

If there was any doubt that Walt isn't the same man he was in Season 1, the scenes of him practicing his quick draw should dispel the doubts. While he may have been clumsy (and then later humiliated by Mike's loyalty to Gus) the resolution in his eyes was absolute. He knows he can kill without hesitation, now. That whole bar scene was so well acted. I loved Mike's curt "I get it, drink up and shut up" sorts of responses to Walt's peacemaking. It really underlined how Walt doesn't hail from the same hardened criminal mindset, even though that's where he's heading.

Something needs to break with the Schraders. The audience can understand why Hank is in no mood for Marie's happy-face demeanor, but by episode's end sympathizes with her plight and sincerity and dedication to her husband while Hank appears to be cruel and obsessive about the rocks (oops, I mean minerals) to the point of losing his mind. Despite his need for Marie's support, he appears to want to be anywhere but in his marriage. They can't continue like this and it'll be interesting to see where they go and if it's together or not. In prior seasons I thought that a confrontation between Hank and Walt was inevitable, but at this point it's not necessarily so. Totally unclear whether Hank will ever be able to return to work. Wouldn't it be interesting if Walt became more of a financial benefactor with Hank coming to know what Walt's up to, trapped again in a reliant relationship that he loathes? We'll see...

Jesse seems more lost than ever on the "who am I?" level, but not nearly as lost as his doofus friends, which a few scenes made explicitly clear. They're just useful stooges who lack Jesse's self-awareness and have the potential to screw everything up by virtue of their cluelessness. In a way Jesse is now old beyond his years, and I think that's on his mind. The scene with Andrea and Brock was a reminder that Jesse has strong paternal and romantic instincts in spite of his otherwise self-centered nature, something the show keeps returning to. I'd like to think that's not the last time we'll see Andrea and her son but who knows? Jesse's probably thinking about marriage and fatherhood, neither of which would be a good idea at any point in his near future. In the end he drowns out his tortured thoughts by sinking into the subwoofer boom of his high end stereo, paid for by the business that screwed his life up, the one that he's dedicated to and enslaved by.

Nice write up Dean. What are your thoughts on last night's episode, "Open House"?

After getting food poisoning on Friday, I've been watching this show day and night from the very beginning and finally finished S4E02 just now - this is definitely an amazing show!

I think what I love most besides the dark comedy (loved the fly episode) is the cinematography. I'm often wondering how they get a certain shot off. There seem to be recurring shots, like close-ups of wheels and filming through the POV of the floor/bottom of a barrel/etc. And all the great graphic matches (and also audio matches) throughout the series.

The season 4 opener was especially beautiful with the lighting. Gustavo comes in looking like a true Devil furious with those who have cheated death once again. The reds and blues just work so nicely together.

I know it's very early on but I'm finding this season boring as hell already. First episode was good but they could have combined the last two into one. There is no dramatic tension as in seasons past. Let me explain:

1) So in season's past we always had a really bad element of fear. Tuco, Salamanca Brothers, Gus last season. Seems like that is gone. There is no life threatening immediate danger element. Gus has been in one episode this season, the first , which was more of a wrap up of last season's cliff hanger. Sure they may be building on something but everything seems methodic, slow, and routine.

2) Jesse. Wow the writers have really outdone themselves on his character He's so distraught over killing someone they've made his character lame and boring. He's so upset he has a bunch of crackheads living in house so he doesn't have to be alone. Which by the way is really unlikely to happen in real life. That many criminals coming in an out of that house in that neighborhood, well the cops would have been there by now. He's not amped and ready to freak out like he use to be. Boring. He was better as a character who was growing not going back to crackhead zone.

3) Supporting cast. The tension of Hank discovering Walt used to be so present you could almost touch it. Now Hank is a cripple and spends his time collecting minerals, which is an analogy for how good of a detective/agent he use to be looking for clues but because he can't he does rocks now. Last episode he picked up that Lab Note book because it's his way of getting back into the game but he can't walk. Seriously how long is this going to drag on? Marie steals things in open houses because she is tired of Hank being an asshole to her, so she steals to get him to be the knight in shining armor for her. Treading old ground again. Skyler is as useless as ever with the damn car wash. Just make it happen already. She should just back to banging her old boss. Walt Jr. the epitomy of innocence, has he even been in a episode?

I have to disagree, this is the typical BB pace, builds up episode after episode. This third episodes seems to ba a seeding one, in particular with Jesse, Skylar and Hank. Personally I'm enjoying every second of it so far.

I'm with the Beast on this one --- every scene isn't giving me the visceral spikes and oogs of certain moments that come to mind from episode one and seasons past, but the time spent with character development and gingerly metered plot-points is what makes those payoffs so very satisfying. I can feel the build of darker moments even as we spend time at local open houses and car wash study, y'know? The characters have all earned my interest, so nothing really feels like a digression to me.
I think all of my favorite dramas have stories within each episode that get at least a variation on resolution, all the while holding a larger arc firmly in place. Breaking Bad serves this template up as satisfyingly as just about any show I know.

Btw, who is the guy in the car? And is he keeping an eye on Jessie or Walt? Looks like he's outside of Jessie's house...
> Had a look at episode 2, same guy that walks into the lab

I've watched all season of BB and this isn't typical pace. It's almost too methodic and slow.

Well I may be mistaken but I remember quite a few slow moments in BB in the past. Mind you nothing against slow pace if it leaves leads behind. Quite a few in this episode for sure. Besides, might not be the typical pace but I still find it great.

Such a great show. I watched Season 1, 2 and 3 last time I was on tour and it was the perfect companion during long drives. As soon as my son falls asleep tonight, I will enter Season 4. Can't wait!

Thanks wizeguy. It's been awhile since I've ranted around here.

Well it looks like I was wrong about Hank and Walt after all, which is good for the show's tension. Can't wait to see how that develops. Sometimes I think of Hank as a clueless goofball but he is also intimidating, a man who believes in the law to the core of his being. He may be in a bad funk for the time being, but the not-so-clueless lawman is still burning under all that resentment and self-pity. You really saw that in the first seconds when he got the phone call from Marie at the police station. Barely contained fury ... he puts a lid on it quickly but it clearly shook him up. The closing moments of the episode bode well for the rest of the season. Fasten your seatbelts. Hank is waking up.

I don't find this season boring but I can see why people might. But let's not forget that some of the other seasons started slowly too, focussing on the interpersonal relationships without a lot of spectacle (although Gus' big scene was pretty spectacular.) Agree with Lixx about Jesse ... something needs to give there, dude needs a breakthrough to get past the disassociated lethargic state he's in. I don't mind that the show often veers into being a little unrealistic but the whole party scene at his house ... I dunno. Seems a little overdone (then again I was never a speed freak so maybe I'm being naive.) I did like the business of Jesse throwing things at the passed out dude's face. Contempt for his discardable "friends" finally coming to the surface.

My guess is that the producers are saving the fireworks (and budget) for later in the season. They're really good at the gradual build. Walt Jr. has been mostly M.I.A. so far but will probably resurface as a principle character soon. Sometimes I think the writers aren't sure what to do with him.

I was sort of sleepy while watching "Open House" but to state the obvious the episode was largely about Skyler and the probability of a reunion with Walt. Loved the scene with the bottle of champagne. She was 100% correct about Walt slipping up in little ways, and he needed the slap down. Between that dialogue and Skyler's brilliant (and very funny) machinations over the car wash purchase, we're seeing that she's a smart cookie who has her own criminal-minded shrewdness about her. It wouldn't surprise me if she becomes more and more of a partner in the meth enterprise. After giving Walt the hard talk about minding his step ... "now destroy the evidence." Perfect, and a little flirty, too.

I agree with Lixx.... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

let's get this train moving...

i'm sure it's building up, but I want more tension. Hank needs to get off his ass and start busting some ass. Him on Walt's trail was one of the best parts.

I want to see the Mexican Cartel come after some serious revenge. where is that?

Something bad needs to happen to Jesse.

You hear that, Hank? Forget the "minerals" and go find some blue rocks.

i'm not feeling the character-level punch of the third season, but the cinematography is as strong as ever. that scene where the camera's right up by the drain watching the soap go down, oh man. complete series blu ray in three years, here i come.

something bad IS happening to jesse. he executed an innocent dude and he's blowing his senses out with noise and depravity. look how quickly his house turned into a junkie den with him tossing money at vagrants for his own amusement. horrifying stuff. though it is odd that his house is in a nice neighborhood and this influx of party/crime/degeneracy hasn't raised any red flags yet. he needs to keep sinking before the breakthrough.

gus went regular cast member this season so i'm bummed he's only even said five words so far. like mike said, walter will supposedly never see him again. until shit rises to the fan, he's going to be the all seeing camera eye in the lab and i guess i can live with that.

walt jr showed up for like a total of three seconds between the first two episodes. i'm pretty sure he's going to be a casualty this season because what else happens to innocent people on this show.

as for the marie schraeder stealing spoons show, no thanks. she's a pathological kleptomaniac and hank is an emotionally abusive mineral nut, good for them. it was far more interesting for the minute or two i thought she was milking the whites for cash to buy an escape house with a secret identity. yeah, she's good in her crazy scenes, but enough is enough.

who knows what could be in that notebook. possibly mentions of heisenberg or walt+gale 4ever doodles, but more likely is some evidence to bust gus and mike because gale was the original cook.

i don't really hate skylar all that much. she's a tough lady yeah, but the way she tricked bogdon into the sale and is looking out for the family business for her own motivations is class. she's better than the passive aggressive, chain smoking pregnant of s2 anyway.

also, i much enjoy heading over to imdb and seeing upcoming episode titles. this show is really good at naming episodes.

i'm enjoying this season and definitely see the slower elements of the first couple shows as essential build-up to what will become exciting moments in episodes to come. i do however totally agree that the stuff going on in jesse's house is just unbelievable and over-the-top. i mean c'mon, graffiti on the walls and violent mosh pits in the living room? i said the same thing to myself when watching that someone mentioned above... clearly the cops would have been at that house already with all those shady characters hanging around

either way, i fucking love this show and i am pretty sure it won't let me down. i def see some cartel drama coming soon. and i think mike is going to play an essential role in whatever goes down. i just get the feeling that there are still things we don't know about him.

what does a house full of meth heads look like?

haha well that was a long time ago, and i am no expert by any means (it was more like a few poeple, not a house full) probably shouldn't have even mentioned that... just saying that scene seemed totally over the top

not that I know, but from what I've been told, I would think a house full of meth heads would be very neat and organized?

well in "thirty eight snub" the house had all this space and the scenes were shot wide or on roomba-cam so you could for the most part see who was there and what kind of stuff they were doing.



"open house" changed things by showing a lot less of the house and suggesting that it turned into this wasteland of thieves and junkies because everyone else got tired of the constant party. even though i've never been in a meth den i thought the screwed up walls and the fighting/sex was a little over the top.



honestly though, those scenes are all about aaron paul and jesse's state of mind. the go-karting scene especially, that was one of the best parts of the episode.

Actually this relates to both BB and the Walking Dead thread. So apparently from browsing various articles online today, the huge budget AMC allotted to Mad Men is causing all kinds of havoc with Breaking Bad and Walking Dead, by the network's demand to slash their budgets. Sony which owns the rights to Breaking Bad threatened to move the show to FX so they had to come to some sort of compromise. There was even talk of making this season only 6-8 episodes, and now they're talking about wrapping it up in two seasons.

AMC which owns the rights to the Walking Dead show, told Darabont that even though there are 13 episodes in season 2 he had to work with the same budget (40 million) as last years 6 episode season. They also demanded a $250,000 cut from each episode. A show filmed on location with lots of make up and special effects, and you can see where this is going. No wonder Darabont quit. Wonder how this drama will play out with the networks money woes.

i like mad men too, but why matthew weiner needed 30 million dollars plus to stretch the show into seven seasons at the expense of its network companions is beyond me.

most abusers of hard uppers I've known do not want to be around more than 3 people at a time and would lock themselves in the smallest room they could find or mold themselves to a couch, which makes no sense to me as I always wanna move around if I'm "up" and all I do is coffee or we're someones mom and cleaned 24/7
and I mean spotless