Breaking bad, you watching it?

[Johnny Unusual]

Also, it's just a really good song.

[goflyblind]

you know what song they should've had playing when the van pulls up?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/lgGKSjiw0HQ" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/lgGKSjiw0HQ</a>

[wurwolf]

So I've been reading lots and lots of reviews and articles about "Ozymandias" and Breaking Bad in general. I just finished reading this piece, entitled "Sympathy for the Devil: Why It's Crucial That You Still Like Walter White". It says this, among other things:

We relate to Walter more than we’d like. We understand the very human emotions behind his inhuman actions. Walt’s world view is uncomfortable but at times sympathetic. As creator Vince Gilligan recently said: “It’s complicated. You should have ambivalent feelings about who to root for here.

Here's another article in the same vein from Vulture, which says this:

By which I mean yes, of course, the phone call was a performance! We all know that! But like all performances, and like all convincing lies, it drew on true emotions, deep resentments. It was a magma-hot blast from Walt's id, even if in that moment the id was helping the superego put across a lie intended to exonerate Skyler and put all the legal heat on Walt. As my friend Mark Johnson put it, "As Heisenberg, he hates her. As Walt, he loves her. He was having a shared moment with his alter ego."

If find this shared identity the most fascinating thing about Walter White. I would call it a split personality except that the two personalities -- Walter and Heisenberg -- are more like two sides of the same coin rather than separate individuals. With him, when a job needs to be done one steps up while the other recedes. I love how heartbreakingly this was portrayed by the telephone call.

Also, here's a tumblr post that has a listing of some of the more intriguing articles about Breaking Bad. Rolling Stone's Q&A with the actors is particularly enjoyable.

http://heisenbergchronicles.tumblr.com/post/61764098201/5x14-breaking-bad-reader-roundup-of-the-best

[Sugar Ray Dodge]

I'm kind of hoping that we learn more about Jack and his gang in the next couple of episodes in flashback form, like when he learned about Gus, the Salamancas and other supporting characters. I mean, yeah, they're neo-Nazi murderers, but I'd still like to know more about their history if they are going to be the main antagonists of the last season. I'd also like to see some of the killed-off characters in flashback form one more time before the show ends, Gus, Mike, Gale, Jane, and Hank for that matter. Maybe show them interacting with new characters like Lydia and Jack to tie everything up in a nice bow, showing that they were part of the story all along. And since the last episodes are going to be extra-long, there's no reason not to.

But even if they don't do all those things, I've decided that I'm going to like the finale no matter what. Vince Gilligan, the writers and the writers are all pleased with it, so even though I'd like to see Walt standing on top of a pile of bodies of all those who crossed him, I'll be satisfied with whatever ending they felt was appropriate for the story.

[Kete]

One reason to still like Walt....he honestly tried to pay $80 million to save Hank's life.  His entire empire wasn't worth as much to him as Hank's life.  I was just thinking that Jesse witnessed this exchange.  This may be crucial information in the future.

I don't think that Walt will survive this, but they may try to exonerate him in his family's eyes.

[eegah]

One of the prizes today on The Price is Right was a trip to Belize. Luckily for her, the lady overbid.

another theory I've seen is that Felina is just an anagram for Finale.  I'd be disappointed if that's all it is. That's weaksauce.

And we prefer our sauce to be BOLD!

[Thrifty Version II]

Walt does still have cancer, and since his hair has grown out I'm guessing he decided to stop treatment.  Still think he's gonna dose himself with the ricin.

[Sugar Ray Dodge]

Walt does still have cancer, and since his hair has grown out I'm guessing he decided to stop treatment.  Still think he's gonna dose himself with the ricin.

I doubt this will happen. Walt isn't the kinda guy who would commit suicide. He wants to live to reap the benefits of his actions if he can. I think the ricin will be used in a way we won't see coming.

[Kete]

I think the ricin will be used in a way we won't see coming.

This?

[Raven]

Walt does still have cancer, and since his hair has grown out I'm guessing he decided to stop treatment.  Still think he's gonna dose himself with the ricin.

If he's on the run with a new identity doesn't that explain why he's not on the chemo anymore.  His scheduled treatments aren't an option for his new identity and getting treatments set up under his new I.D. wouldn't be easy either.  It's not like there are black market chemotherapy centers that you can just buy treatments from and he's on his own now without any contacts to try to find a shady doctor that could help him.   

I agree with SRD that Walt won't commit suicide unless there's no other option.  The only way I could see Walt taking the Ricen himself is if Skyler winds up being charged with all of his crimes and he takes it before turning himself in, confessing to exonerate her, and then dying in custody.  And all of this is assuming he's already dealt with Todd and Co. and the Jesse story has resolved itself.  In my eyes that would be one of the weaker ways the story could go but I could see it. 

[Johnny Unusual]

How Sugar Ray Dodge expects things to go.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/heres-what-happened-to-hank-after-redacted-on-last,103184/

[Sugar Ray Dodge]

How Sugar Ray Dodge expects things to go.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/heres-what-happened-to-hank-after-redacted-on-last,103184/

No, I don't expect that. That would be way too awesome for a show that has fans that take it way too seriously.

[Thrifty Version II]

Considered skipping tonight's episode and watching it with the finale next week.  Realized I don't even have the self control to wait 20 minutes so I can let the DVR cache enough of the show so I can skip commercials.

[Bob]

Same here.......will be watching the final two 75 minute episodes live too.

I'm even gonna wait until tomorrow to watch the final Dexter show that is on at the same time.

[Thrifty Version II]

So that was great, as always.  Hell of a lot less intense than last week.  I like that they're continuing this theme of Walt's degeneration.  First he's scheming, and he tries to bully Saul into playing along--doesn't work.  Then he tries to leave the shack right after he gets dropped off--immediately turns around.  That phone call with Walt Jr. was heart-wrenching.  Walt tries to reconnect with his son and help him, but his son's hatred for him couldn't be more vehement.

I love that Walt's become a famous, national fugitive.

Best scene of the episode: Walt puts on the Heisenberg hat, gets that look in his eye, attempts to defy The Vanisher's orders and hike to town.... gets to the fence, and gives up.  There was a lot of symbolism in that.

It was nice seeing some of the old characters back again, Carmen and the two people who founded Gray Matter.