Breaking Bad Season 4 - Page 23

Ted's definitely a dead man. I don't even think he'll need to be more of a scumbag for it to happen. Once Walt finds out that the guy his wife fucked has $600,000 of his money he's going to lose his mind.

Really looking forward to seeing how they deal with that.

Hearing Walt talk about his father die from a brain disease when he was six hit SO close to home (I virtually have the same experience) and that one scene, I think, guarantees Cranston the Emmy next year.

 

I love that it's almost turned into the Coen Brothers version of Scarface, especially with the (now departed) Steven Bauer present. LOVED the end of this episode and I'm sure it wasn't intended, but I was pleasantly reminded of Dolph Lundgren's Punisher with regards to how Eladio's goons got offed.

 

Giancarlo Esposito gets Supporting next season for sure. Best TV villain since Lithgow on Dexter. I never thought Buggin' Out would be that stone-cold of a badass.

Can we even classify Gus as a villain anymore? Outside of Walt's damaged mind, he's just the badass boss. It's doubtful he even has any plans to off Walt and (definitely) Jesse anymore. But yeah, give that man an Emmy nod (the actual Emmy will most likely go to Paul, who has honestly been a revelation this season even in spite of his work in previous seasons). 

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While I believe his relationship with Jesse has changed during the course of this season, I don't think that he'd hesitate for a second to give Jesse the ole boxcutter treatment if he deemed it necessary.

 

Didn't he (most likely) order the murder of a child?  I think that's fairly villainous.

Some of you are too quick to write Walt off as pussy this, crybaby that. Does it really only take one season to forget just how hard the whiny old bitch can be?

 

One word, "Run."

 

He's got sand. I'm not saying he's Gus or Mike. He likes feeling sorry for himself, but when his back is really against a wall, or he thinks it is, there's nothing but teeth showing.

Don't you know, TheGhost? Manly-manly tough-guys don't have sissy things like "emotions". 

 

Yeah, considering his behavior the entire season, I'd say he's more than earned a nice good cry. Now that he got that out of the way, look for the teeth to return. I imagine it won't be long before Walt wins back Jesse's heart and starts checking people off his list with a vengeance, beginning with Beneke and ending with Gustavo. 

 

Side note - how great is the continuity in this show? Beneke got his heated steering wheel just like his bathroom floors last year - and the way Anna Gunn played it you know that's exactly what entered her mind as well. Despite all the Mexico shenanigans, I'm most looking forward to seeing Walt's reaction when he finds out the guy who fucked his wife also has 600,000 dollars of that money he's "earned" as he loves to remind everyone. I'm bracing for Ted to get absolutely butchered. I'd also guess they dial back his douche-ness in the next few episodes to make us really feel it. 

 

A couple of points/questions:

 

 - Why's everyone calling Ted a scumbag? He doesn't seem like a bad guy to me. Kinda beleaguered, perhaps, and he's definitely made a few poor (and dishonest) business choices, but nothing about him strikes me as malevolent. He seems to genuinely care for Skylar, and I believe him when he says that he wants to re-employ his workers and that he needs the vehicle to conduct business.

 

 - Anyone notice Walt Jr's face as Walt spoke about his father's hereditary degenerative disease? Kid was obviously linking it to his own condition. But there Walt was, again, focusing on himself ("They tested me, but I was clean.") without realising how his words were affecting the person he was speaking to.

 

 - I think they're going to nominate Jesse for lead actor next year, and Gus for supporting. This has been Jesse's season, easily, and Walt really hasn't matched up to him.

 

 - I think Walt's discussion with Walt Jr, or more specifically, Walt Jr's reaction, is what's going to push Walt closer to full Heisenberg mode. Look at his face as the boy leaves...the only two times I've seen him look like that this season were this episode, and when he was accusing Jesse of betraying him last episode.

 

Great stuff.

Edited by Crash-Man - 9/20/11 at 8:10pm

It might be the obvious go to as far as story line but I have to say I agree with the general consensus, Ted can go eat a dick. I get where he's coming from with the whole, "Oh I bought the car for business!" I've worked with a few guys that spent beyond their means to "look the part".

 

I couldn't agree more about Walt and his father's disease and the utter lack of him connecting that to how it may make his son feel while he hobbles around. For me that's always been what makes him such a great character. He can connect these dots and point out things that your average Joe thrown into this sort of situation would never see. Like Jesse rescuing Mike. It's really what every "weak" person in the world wants. To take control and prove to someone you fear/respect, in that case Mike, that you can not only handle your shit, but you saved them. Walt hears that and goes, "Oh, well it's clearly a setup." Yet he talks to his disabled son about his fathers debilitating disease and misses the point to push his own ideal version of himself on his kid.

 

I think the cancer makes him do brash, badass shit. He's been in remission so he wants to call the wahmbulance at every turn but since that test he's seeming more and more like a frayed wire.

 

Jesse is incredible this season but he's also got some beer goggles or something on when it comes to Mike and Gus. There isn't a sane person in the world that would trust a big eared pro like Mike, let alone the silent, sometimes effeminate guy that can slit a kids throat and drink poison that's Gus. And don't get me started on that sniper shit. He's a chess player for sure but to me the box cutter showed a crack in his armor. There's no doubt he can play the waiting game, the Don realized that too late, but Walt goes feral and I'm not sure Gus has Batman levels of preparation when it comes to a terrified chemist that feels wronged.

 

All speculation and bullshit aside this is a beautiful show from the performances to the pacing and scenery. 

 

You guys can have Gus. I'm sticking with Heisenberg. 

I will stick to Gus, as long as the show will let me, thanks.  Although that's mostly because I find self-pity to be the single least attractive character trait a person can have. 

 

Well, a fictional person, anyway.  In real life, I'm less likely to be forgiving of violent or generally hateful behavior, since I don't find such things entertaining in person.  Self-pity is still a turn off, though.

 

 

Well. that's the thing. As I alluded some weeks back, serial ensemble drama (and "Breaking Bad" has definitely become ensemble this season) have the tendency to whiplash viewer identification from week to week, depending on character emphasis/plot machinations. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but nobody seemed to be truly rooting for Gus until "Hermanos". He was barely even seen until episode 5. Heck, Prankster worried about Bond villain territory just based on "Box Cutter".

 

 

I also don't read Walt's breakdown as a case of self pity. What it is, is another drugged up Walt moment of truthful self awareness of what he's done (probably no coincidence that this was episode 10...ie: "Fly" last season). He was saying sorry to Jesse about the fight.

 

 

it's all my fault...I made a mistake...it's my own fault...I had it coming....it's all my fault...I'm just...I'm sorry...i'm sorry

 

The sad part is Jesse will probably never get hear the "naked" Walt this time.

Believe me, I would love to be in Walt's corner. It's just that the show has made it very clear they don't want me there. More than Sopranos ever made Tony unsympathetic, even. It's approaching season seven Vic Mackey.

 

To some extent, I miss the early days of the show where we were allowed to get the vicarious thrill of Walt snapping out of years of fear and impotence to really take control of his fate. He's so relatable in the first season, making a pro/con list about killing Crazy Eight ('Judeo Christian Principles' vs 'He'll kill you and your entire family') and things like that. The meth cooking was dark, but never too dark, and he was truly an antihero. Now, he's a truly rotten asshole, and not even in a cool enjoyable way. My investment in the character isn't changing, per se, but the universality of the character is almost gone completely now. He's not my Dad with a few bad breaks anymore (no pun intended), he's a tornado of toxic hostility, failure and resentment. And even though it's been lights out excellent, these last four weeks in particular, I'm still not sure I'm crazy about the extent to which they've followed this thematic trail. It's purely a matter of taste, but I do fid it a notch less dramatically compelling.

 

This isn't a bitch, really. The return of Sons of Anarchy has just reminded me how far and away this show is clowning everything else on TV of late. And if the show throws me even the slightest of bones in this regard, I'll be delighted to embrace Walt again in the coming showdown. I don't really see them doing that, though.

I agree with all of the above, Arjen, but I guarantee there will still be some folks who get behind Walt once he succeeds as a badass again. Even with it inevitably going hand in hand with him with making even more despicable choices, it's just gonna happen (I'll probably be one of them!)

 

 

3 reasons...

 

Everyone loves a badass

 

Cranston

 

The writers are gonna want to make it complex

 

 

But the show has definitely long moved past the universal/primal everyman identification hook. Boxed-in Heisenberg this season is just waiting to explode into another wicked metamorphosis. It's gotta be coming.

 

 

 

Weird shit(the number 8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I'm not really trying to turn anyone away from whatever floats their boat. Personally, Walt is a more honest, natural character. I've never met a person that isn't, on some level, pretty deep into self-pity. No matter how hard they tell themselves they aren't. So I dig that. He's flawed and at times fucking pathetic. Gus makes for great tv but Walt's the heart. The lone hermano has pissed in the wind a few times, hopefully it blows back in his face before we get a comic villain.

 

EDIT: I can't say I argue with much of that Arjen, though I like Walt a hell of a lot more than I did Tony. It's the whole moral event horizon thing, right? The reality of it is enough to give anyone that stands back and looks at it pause. There isn't much "good" in Walt, at least not anymore. I can feel for Gus, he's been through a lot. At the end of the day though I'd rather see Walt's rise and fall then spend much more time building Gus' cred' with the audience. 

 

Speaking of bitching, I hope no one thinks that's what I'm doing. I was just tossing my point of view out there. I love the show and another thing you hit on the nose is just how bad this makes me feel when I'm watching SoA. I really do enjoy both shows but I wait for Breaking Bad.

 

I'd love if the next episode was nothing but a flashback to the rise and fall of Don Eladio, shading his character as fully as Gus and Walt.

It's an interesting idea, but I can't possibly imagine what purpose that would serve.  In fact, I think I'd actually be irritated with such an episode, seeing it as an unnecessary detour away from the real story and characters.  Especially in light of the fact that we only have three episodes left in the season.

 

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I don't disagree with this, but the show has done a fantastic job of humanizing Gus recently and tinkering with where our allegiance might naturally lie.  There was that moment this week, when Jesse, despite being scared out of his mind, steps up and really takes charge in the Mexican lab and we got to see Gus react to it.  And he actually looked genuinely proud of the kid.  Frankly, in that one quiet moment, he was more supportive of Jesse than Walt had ever been.

 

Then of course there's Walt, in a cloud of vicodin, mistakenly calling Walt Jr. 'Jesse', reminding us that despite him being such a huge self-centered asshole, he still cares about Jesse.  So basically this show has me in knots.  And I love it.

 

Also, that '8' thing is pretty neat.  Wonder what it means.  If it means anything.  ( L O S T )

 

Edited by fuzzy dunlop - 9/21/11 at 11:13am

Yeah, I wasn't being serious. Just commenting on how Gus went from last-minute replacement for Tuco to one of the most interesting characters on TV. Guess I wasn't clear enough.

 

I'll admit that a good part of my sympathy for Gus/antipathy toward Walter stems from knowing that due to the basic premise of the show, Gus is almost certainly doomed while Walt is similarly certain to at the very least fail a bit further upward before the end.

Walt going over the rails into being a completely hateful asshole has definitely been a theme of the season. I still suspect we might see an attempt to redeem him, sort of, and I wonder if the writers are turning that corner already with Walt's speech to Junior. Junior's always been a major motivating factor for Walt without realizing what he's actually up to--snidely encouraging him to kick back against the cancer in S1, egging him against Skylar and in his illegal dealings, inadvertently helping him with the donation site. I think the fact that this whole speech was delivered to Junior, and then hearing him be disappointed with his devious behaviour, might actually be enough to get Walt back on the rails (though he probably won't take positive action until next season).

 

Or I could be completely wrong and that scene was the last gasp of his humanity.

 

As for Ted, it's interesting to me that he's being painted as Captain Dickhead of Asshole Mountain, when in fact he's kind of occupying the place that Skylar did in S2 and a chunk of S3. Lots of people found her utterly hateful during that run--the "bitch wife" as she commented in meta fashion a while back--even though she was pretty much entirely in the right. She had dislikable qualities, for sure--she definitely was a bit overbearing to Walt right from the beginning, and she obviously had a devious, mind-game-playing streak--but, y'know, her husband was a lying drug dealer who was putting them all at risk, and if anything her failure was in accepting Walt back and joining in with the family business (which has, twistedly, made her more likable to some people).

 

Now with Ted, we've got a guy who's dislikable in some respects--he's obviously been fudging the books, and of course there was the affair--but we're seeing him from Skylar's perspective as this raging asshole, and I'm not sure it adds up. Ted's motive has always been to hold on to the family business, and while I realize that's an excuse for shady business just as Walt's cancer is, there clearly is a legitimate feeling of responsibility there. He obviously wants to keep his staff employed and his dad's name alive. The Mercedes thing comes off as a huge dick move, but of course he doesn't *know* it's a dick move, because he doesn't know about what Skylar's up to. As far as he knows, he's being irresponsible on his own dime. And hell, maybe he's right--maybe he could get a better deal from the IRS, and this is a fair gamble to make. It's not like he was embarrassed about buying it, he clearly thought it was going to be important to his business. In fact I think the "he bought a Mercedes? BASTARD!" was an intentional fakeout.

 

I'm not trying to argue that Ted is a fine fellow, but he's unaware that he's hurting Skylar. And Skylar is, of course, a criminal. It's not like she dug deep and gave out of the goodness of her heart and got slapped in the face for it. This is another example of how our sympathies are with the wrong person because of perspective.

Did a quick google search... http://www.lucky-name-numerology.com/name-numerology-13.html  ???

"I can't believe he bought it. Great Aunt Birgit! What?? I guess people see those dancing zeroes, it's a little bit like highway hypnosis." 

 

I could spend an entire hour listening to Saul describe the other character's actions. The show uses him the perfect amount, if just a little less than I would like. Hopefully his role increases in these next three episodes, as they have done in seasons past, and I'm especially hoping he survives into Season 5 and plays a larger role in the end game. 

 

I just got a buddy into the show, and he's now working his way through Season 3, and commented on Odenkirk. He said he was pleasantly surprised by Saul's general good nature, and expected a much more destructive character. I wonder if Saul will remain consistent throughout or if his character has some surprises in store. I can see one of four endings: 

 

1) Saul betrays Walt / Jesse 

2) Saul's loyalty to Walt / Jesse gets him killed / incarcerated 

3) Saul walks away from the game and disappears

4) Saul survives the events of the series and continues his business as ABQ's celebrity lawyer 

 

I'm hoping for three or four, but one or two would certainly make for some great TV. What do you guys think? 

I doubt Saul's going anywhere this season, but just because I can't imagine gilligan and co. don't see his value as comic relief and one of the best plot devices ever.

Ted's going to bite it, and Walt is going to be happy to put a cap in him with his .38 Snub. That's a hell of a lot easier to lift up than one of Ted's potted plants. Oh how I want Walt to say "I want you to know this isn't for taking the money....THIS IS FOR FUCKING MY WIFE!" right before he blows him away.

Ted isn't aware he's hurting Skylar?  He's VERY well aware that she signed off on the fudged books (at his behest, mind you) and that she can be implicated if the IRS looks any further.  He's very well aware that he signed a document with the IRS stating he would pay the funds back by the end of the month.  If he was still banging Skylar you can bet he'd be looking for a way to make sure she was out of danger.

 

He might not know how dangerous it would be if the IRS was looking into her (yes, he'll figure it out now that Skylar spilled the beans on the money) but he knows he's directly harming her.

OK, he's aware he's putting Skylar at risk, but he's on the line before she is. It's not like he's doing it capriciously. He's being careless and reckless, but we're all shaking our fists at him for being a dick when the main reason he's endangering Skylar is that she's a criminal.

 

 

I don't know if he can remain "loyal" for long. I still think he will have a scene where he betrays Walt/Jesse to save himself. Either rival meth producers make him do it, or the cops make him do it, but he betrays them. What Saul did for them at the end of season three never really sat well with me anyway (little too much suspension of disbelief there). Beyond the financial motivation, I don't see shades of gray with Saul's character. Funny as hell though, of course.

 

I'm still curious about why the Cartel was afraid to kill Gus. If Gus winds up dead at Walt's hand then there seems to be a worse enemy out there than the Cartel. It's amazing how oblivious Walt is to the danger around him, between the Cartel trouble and Skylar seriously fucking things up on the money side.

Goddamn that was intense.  The last 2 minutes were straight out of a horror movie.  

This might be the best string of episodes for a show that I've seen. Fantastic stuff.

A little harder to be part of Team Gus after tonite, eh Arjen?

I just want to mention how fucking hilarious Ted's spaz-out was. That warranted an instant rewind. I remember thinking how weird it was they showed him adjust the rug when Skylar first showed up...

 

This show. Those last 10 minutes. That laugh.

 

Maybe I'm just sick, but not really.

It didn't seem like he was bluffing about how far he'd go to punish Walt, though. It's not like it eradicates all the nuance they've given him, but it's hard to sympathize with that side of him - no matter how bad Walt fucks up.

Loved with what happened to Ted. Done in by his own stupidity. Even if he isn't dead. Also loved Saul's "A-Team".

Yeah, those final minutes are some of the best television ever done. The general panic, Walt's descent into insanity, the phone call. All brilliant. Seemed like a season ending cliffhanger, but we've still got two episodes left. Then the final 16.

As was Walt getting tasered, then tasered again just to be sure. Love how Tyrus keeps tormenting Walt.

 

Good episode. The final shot was awesome, framing his face like that is something they've done before, but pulling back with that freaky camera wobbling effect was a really cool twist.

 

The Bridge on the River Kwai on TV in the nursing home... ominous!

Yeah, from the way they were talking about it in Saul's office before Walt burst in it certainly seems like he's severely fucked up, if not dead. That whole scene (at Ted's) was fantastic. "Reasonably."

Holy shit!  Just when you think this show can't get any more insane it does.   I totally agree with fuzzy dunlop  the last few minutes I couldn't help but think in the fear and panic of it all how much this is  straight out of a horror movie. Only its much more scarier then most of the horror movies I see lately.

 

Aw man.  I love that scene with Gus and Hector again.  That was Gus putting the icing on his revenge cake.  That reaction when Jesse walked in and saw him was gold.

 

Everything's so completely fucked now yet there's still two more episodes left.  Plus 16 more.  That's crazy.

I completely, utterly lost my shit at "Reasonably."  Mostly because now I'm going to picture Huell doing the voice of Scruffy the Janitor whenever I watch Futurama.  It was spot on.

A few points:

 

1. RE: the end scene being something straight out of a horror movie: the slip into insanity for Walt, plus that face that Skylar is making really, really reminded me of the Shinning.

 

2. Huel and Bill Burr are a fantastic team, rivaling Badger and Skinny Pete. I love the seamlessness of this show in terms of expanding its universe and characters.

 

3. My prediction: now that he has nothing left, Hector does the one thing he wouldn't do before, and goes to the police. Since a prior relationship has been established between him and Hank, I can just picture the last scene being him dictating Gus, Jesse and finally Walts names to Hank somehow.

Edited by Z.Vasquez - 9/26/11 at 12:47am

1. Tyrus is dead.  He's the next body as a matter of fact is my guess.  When Walt goes full Heisenberg Tyrus won't see it coming.

 

2. If Walt is going to go after Gus, he has 1 week with Mike out of the picture.

 

3. After this episode I'm sincerely worried about Saul.  Walt not being able to call the disappearer might be the only thing that keeps him alive, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

4. Huell as MVP of the episode.  I'm mesmerized by his oddly shaped skull.

 

5. Am I the only one that thinks this was the most emotion we've gotten out of Gus?  I'm wondering if that will be his downfall, after bottling everything up for so long his emotional release by taking vengeance on the cartel makes him miss some things he never would have missed before.

Yeah, that scene from The Bridge On The River Kwai scene is obviously meant to be a hint towards everything Walt has been doing. The movie parallels what is happening in Breaking Bad.

Guiness is a willing collaborator in the movie, much like Walt is with Gustavo. Guiness realizes his mistake as he breathes his last breath.

Walt's psychotic laughter was his "What have I done?" moment.

You would think the oranges must clinch Ted's death (ie: Godfather homage)

 

 

 

 

I'd say this must be Cranston's Emmy episode, but who knows what's coming next  (It also seems Gilligan directed the last 2 episodes, first time since "Full Measure").

 

This is gonna be a long week.

 

 

The stakes this episode raises.  Fuck.

 

Yes.

 

Here's the bottom line. Gus is moving against Hank now. And as the man says, that makes things a lot easier.

 

Mike is removed from action, which suggests to me that Gilligan and co. decided to spare him from the Fucking Hellmageddon coming to Albuquerque. See you next season, Mike!

 

It was fantastic to see them do a straight up black comedy scene again. It hasn't been that funny of late, and it's nice to see they're still capable of knocking that out of the park.

 

Oh, so, I don't know how one could quantify a 'best episode' of Breaking Bad, but this has got to be top five or so.