Breaking Bad II - Always say "thank you" to Walt.

[LemonMelon]

Nazis are smarter than the people who fell for this lazy, braindead farce of an episode.

 

[lazarus]

If Ozymandias had been the finale, with Holly being dropped off at the fire station and Walt driving off to start his new life, I would have been OK with that. Loads of questions left to answer, of course, but the show would have ended with arguably its best episode and a functional ending.

Of course, what we received was much more satisfying.

It could have also ended on Granite State, which preserves the anticlimax of Walt having to live out a pathetic existence in that cabin by himself, his money practically useless.

The flashforwards obviously prevented anything like this from happening. I don't fault Gilligan for doing something straighforward (especially relative to the show's history), but again it just seemed to obvious in its mechanics.

As a finale, this may have had the masses applauding happily, but I don't think this set a bar that's going to be hard for Matthew Weiner (and Robert Towne!*) to top.

Spoiler

*Roger Sterling: "Forget it, Don. It's Madison Avenue." (CRANE UP, FADE TO BLACK)

 

[gvox]

Nazis are smarter than the people who fell for this lazy, braindead farce of an episode.

I know, like lets spend another dozen or so posts flogging the initial silly joke into the ground because, you know, Nazis are just such a great gang of dudes to defend, right?

Honestly, it got tired a long time ago. but its fun because Laz seems so bugged by it. Lol

 

[lazarus]

Even when you've become a parody of yourself you can't resist jawing even further.


WHO WOULD WANT TO DEFEND NAZIS LIKE COME ON GUYS??

 

[gvox]

Laz, it may come as a big surprise to you, I know, but you declaring me to be a parody of myself really does not change my day. Coming from the caricature you've become, it's frankly hilarious.

 

[lazarus]

What's that, the deluxe version of "I know you are, but what am I"?

 

[No spoken words]

Hey guys, no offense, but, can you fucking have the 50th version of your stupid pissing match in another thread? A series that meant a lot to a bunch of us ended tonight and it would be nice to discuss it in peace. So, please.

 

[LemonMelon]

What did you think of it, Mike? Wasn't it AWESOME?

 

[gvox]

What's that, the deluxe version of "I know you are, but what am I"?

Read back my initial response to the thread that prompted your sarcastic-laden response to me. Nothing i said was disrespectful or nasty at you. You, typically, respond by drawing the mighty sword of Lazs Sarcasm. Here's the thing: you do that alot, I get it. The problem is you seem to expect people - or at least me - to cower and slink away or whatever. But you know what, I can beat stupid sarcasm into the ground as pathetically as you can Laz, so around and around we go, until, of course, you make it much more personal than it needs to be.

I cracked wise - notably, to someone else - and called Nazis dumb. For some inexplicable reason, you needed to jump in and carry it on endlessly. Was what I said that offensive to you? Probably not. This stuff is just sport for you.

 

[gvox]

Hey guys, no offense, but, can you fucking have the 50th version of your stupid pissing match in another thread? A series that meant a lot to a bunch of us ended tonight and it would be nice to discuss it in peace. So, please.

I agree with you and am done with it.

Having said that, my initial comments were just that: an analysis of how I saw the believability of the thing, nothing else. Wasn't anything personal at Laz at all.

***********************************************

I am just as crushed as anyone else that this whole thing has come to an end. I've been watching from pretty much the start and have raved here about it endlessly, and put pretty much all of my family and friends on to it. It means a great deal to me as a series.

 

[lazarus]

I agree with you and am done with it.

Done with it, right after posting another long screed about how tough I am!


And then I'll add further explanation after saying I'm done, because I'm sure you really care.

 

[gvox]

You must be reading the posts backwards

 

[deep]

Very satisfying ending. I'm sure deep will be disappointed.

wrong

 

[cobl04]

Agree with most everyone else, in feeling slightly underwhelmed. The last two episodes were just so sensational, I think Cori sums how I feel best - I don't know what could have been done differently that would have made me absolutely love it, but I also think that with time I'll think it was pretty great.

If I really think about it I guess my issue was that it was very predictable, in a series that has been quite unpredictable.

Interesting ideas with it ending on either of the past two episodes. Ending it on Ozymandias would have left me annoyed, but Granite Slate could have worked.

But really, Jesse killed Todd, which was awesome. Walt killing the Nazis was awesome. Walt shooting Jack, interrupting him mid-sentence, was awesome. I thought Walt's final goodbye, was pretty great. He exonerates Sklyer, ensures her and Marie can find Hank and Gomez, and finally drops the bullshit and said he did it all for himself. Walt at the Schwartz's was a nice way to get the money to his kids (he didn't mention Holly though?? I guess Flynn will give some to Holly/Skyler) and the reveal with Badger and Skinny Pete was funny. Walt's casual, disinterested "you're dying Lydia..." was great.

Man, what a terrific show. Sad it's all over.

I had a dream that Walter, dying after the final confrontation with the Nazis, was able to free Jesse and give him the lotto ticket with coordinates to Hank and Gomez. He asked Jesse to tell the DEA what happened so he would be cleared of the murders, which would also take pressure off of his family. Jesse goes off and leaves Walt to die in peace....

Take a bow, Mrs Garrison, you were one person off, but got all the mechanics right. Skyler instead of Jesse.

 

[Irvine511]

Left unattended, Jack would have died as Walt eventually did. Are you indignant that he lived long enough to have a short conversation with Walt?

Gotta be indignant about something.

 

[cobl04]

Surely the biggest suspension of belief in that scene was the Nazis not opening the boot?

 

[cobl04]

Also surprised no one has mentioned the throwback to the end of Crawl Space. It was the first thing I thought of as he died.

 

[Imperor]

And I'm surprised no one has mentioned how Jesse killing Todd was some straight Slave Leia vs. Jabba shit.

 

[lemonfly]

Overall, hugely satisfying. The machine-gun-in-the-car-boot-angled-at-the-perfect-height-and-trajectory was overkill (literally), maybe a good ol' fashioned car bomb woulda sufficed, but whatever. I'm glad they didn't give Walt a reconciliatory moment with Flynn, simply coz I didn't think he deserved one. Knowing that his son will hate him for the rest of his life was an apt punishment for Walt.

 

[gvox]

Surely the biggest suspension of belief in that scene was the Nazis not opening the boot?

Yeah as that happened a buddy and I texted each other the same thing.

Having said that though we have been asked to suspend disbelief before with this show. Even though I disliked a few of the earlier examples which I felt were worse than this one, I'm ok with suspending it one last time.

Did you watch Talking Bad? I loved the part where Gilligan talks about the artsy fartsy reason they showed Walt taking off the watch and leaving it at the gas station, and then the real and practical reason they felt compelled to go to efforts to deliberately show that. Had to smile at that.

 

[gvox]

Also surprised no one has mentioned the throwback to the end of Crawl Space. It was the first thing I thought of as he died.

Another good catch.

Not sure if anyone had already mentioned this one, but another one worth highlighting from earlier:

 

[bollox]

I'm glad they didn't give Walt a reconciliatory moment with Flynn, simply coz I didn't think he deserved one. Knowing that his son will hate him for the rest of his life was an apt punishment for Walt.

Happy that someone mentioned this. In an episode that featured nazis getting mowed down and Jesse having to choke a bitch, possibly the most effective/devastating part was the silent scene of Walt watching Jr come home from school.

 

[Outsider]

And I'm surprised no one has mentioned how Jesse killing Todd was some straight Slave Leia vs. Jabba shit.

this is exactly what I thought

 

[Irvine511]

Also surprised no one has mentioned the throwback to the end of Crawl Space. It was the first thing I thought of as he died.

There have been several in-a-coffin shots throughout the series. He's always been a dead man.

 

[lazarus]

And I'm surprised no one has mentioned how Jesse killing Todd was some straight Slave Leia vs. Jabba shit.

this is exactly what I thought

Ditto here. There's no way that wasn't intentional, I thought Todd even sounded like Jabba choking for a second.

 

[LMP]

 

[Irvine511]

great write up as usual.

Breaking Bad Series Finale: A Man Becomes a Legend in 'Felina' - Hollywood Prospectus Blog - Grantland

 

[lazarus]

Another great writer weighs in:

Breaking Bad Finale Recap: ‘Do It Yourself’ -- Vulture

 

[bonocomet]

And I'm surprised no one has mentioned how Jesse killing Todd was some straight Slave Leia vs. Jabba shit.

this is exactly what I thought

Ditto here. There's no way that wasn't intentional, I thought Todd even sounded like Jabba choking for a second.

Joining this, same here. As soon as Todd looked out the window I said Jesse's gonna totally Jabba him.


I loved the episode. Loved the closure. Still basking in its glory of great TV so no complaints from me at the moment.

 

[Irvine511]

Another great writer weighs in:

Breaking Bad Finale Recap: ‘Do It Yourself’ -- Vulture