Breaking Bad - Season 5 - Page 18

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Originally Posted by Dr Harford 

Lydia really didn't seem to know what she was doing in the warehouse, even when by herself. How did she get up there to that continer to plant the tracker? I don't think she did it.

Well, yeah. That was part of selling it, I imagine. I certainly think were meant to believe Mike on this one. And on pretty much everything else.

This episode reminds me of 'Cancer Man', the fourth episode of Season 1. It makes me think this truncated season is following the same format as the truncated Season 1: a grandiose, relatively self-contained premiere, a second episode following up on unexpected loose ends, a riveting and consequential third, followed by a quiet, emotional fourth, focused on family. It's no coincidence this episode referenced the infamous 'talking pillow' sequence from that episode. Things look to differ in that next week looks action-packed.

I may have to amend my predictions... it's looking doubtful Mike bites it next episode. I'm still guessing he does not make it past this first batch alive. 

Also, I have never, ever liked Skyler as much as I did in this episode. 

Really not liking the flaky Lydia character, and time spent to flesh her out I would rather see going to the other characters. Kill her, Mike!

The bacon reappropriation scene makes me oddly apprehensive about Walt Jr.'s future.

I'm apprehensive about everybody's future.

Except for Walt. As much as I enjoy his character and its steady decline into scum and villainy, I'll be all too happy to watch with glee as reality catches up with the arrogant bastard and gives him a good bitch slappin'.  I just hope Hank and/or Jesse make it out relatively unharmed. Preferably Jesse, the dude deserves a happy ending as far as I'm concerned.

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Originally Posted by Kevin Matchstick 

Well, yeah. That was part of selling it, I imagine. I certainly think were meant to believe Mike on this one. And on pretty much everything else.

This.  Based on what we've seen, I don't think there's any way we can take what Lydia says and does at face value.  Shes so desperate for self-preservation, and I'm betting shes a pretty good actress too.  Everyone just needs to listen to Mike.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Matchstick 

Well, yeah. That was part of selling it, I imagine. I certainly think were meant to believe Mike on this one. And on pretty much everything else.

I think so too, but we're getting some conflicting reports.  She seems to be legitimately unraveling (the shoes, screaming into the pillow), but then they also show us that she inflates the size and aggression of the DEA "raid" when talking to Mike, so she's not too scared to attempt to deceive him at this point.

I think being dumb enough to mess with Mike is very clear proof that she's unraveling. She's not thinking. She's terrified and doesn't understand the extent of Mike's street-smarts, so she keeps making little exaggerations in the silly attempt to make him go "screw it" and leave her alone. 

"At least we didn't have the replace the windshield this time."

I still don't think I like Skyler - at all - but Walt's unearned arrogance and his massive naivete are seriously grating, and for the first time I find myself on her side rather than his. The guy is just plain delusional, and he's going to ruin his whole family with his hubris. There is still some part of me that likes how radically he's transformed himself from a meek man into someone to be feared, but there is little left about him I can support, and I sit through most of his scenes thinking what an asshole he is.

I think it's great this show has allowed it's characters to truly change and grow, but in Walt's case I'm definitely ready for peripeteia.

So we know next week is going to be the train heist, which should be a blast.  Really curious to see what goes down there. "Dead Freight" huh?  Do we think Mike doesn't make it?  I say he does.

Then, we got "Buyout" after that.  Who's buying out whom?  Walt and Jesse buying out Mike?  Does the title refer to Madrigal?  The car wash?  So many possibilities!

Can it be Sunday yet?

I really like the addition of Lydia, actually. I think the show doesn't really miss when it comes to mixing interesting characters in the soup. Lydia's somewhat complex plan of forcing them to source methylamine from somebody else has to appeal to Walt a little. It's certainly similar to a ruse he might try to pull. With Skylar rebuffing him on all fronts, I wonder if these two will connect.

We always talk about how Walt is deluding others. But, man, is he ever deluding himself. He's certainly living out a fantasy. When Skylar reveals to him that she's just waiting for him to die, that's a tough moment. Tough to watch, no matter your feelings for Walt. Cranston's look during that scene - wow. And, at the end, he's back restructuring things. Like Skylar didn't just say the worst possible thing off all time to him.  

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Originally Posted by MaxYumTime 

So we know next week is going to be the train heist, which should be a blast.  Really curious to see what goes down there. "Dead Freight" huh?  Do we think Mike doesn't make it?  I say he does.

 

Then, we got "Buyout" after that.  Who's buying out whom?  Walt and Jesse buying out Mike?  Does the title refer to Madrigal?  The car wash?  So many possibilities!

 

Can it be Sunday yet?

I didn't know it was a train heist next week and I didn't need to know. I avoid the "next week on" stuff on purpose. Please spoiler anything that isn't conjecture about future episodes.

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Originally Posted by Evi 

 

I didn't know it was a train heist next week and I didn't need to know. I avoid the "next week on" stuff on purpose. Please spoiler anything that isn't conjecture about future episodes.

For what its worth, I think the train part isn't confirmed.

Related conjecture based soley on the "next week" preview:

Evi, I apologize for not providing a spoiler alert, but Hypno Toad is right.  There is nothing to really confirm about the "train heist".  I only saw a snippet of the preview, plus with the name of the episode I made an assumption.  I'm just really guessing.  No worries.

GEORGE: Did anybody see Firestorm?

MR. ROSS: Firestorm, that's a hell of a picture.

GEORGE: Yeah.

MR. ROSS: Remember when they had the helicopter land on top of that car --

FRANK: Hey! Hey! Come on! Come on! I haven't seen it yet.

MR. ROSS: It doesn't have anything to do with the plot!

FRANK: Still! Still! I like to go in fresh!

GEORGE: Oh mother of God.

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Originally Posted by Evi 

 

 I avoid the "next week on" stuff on purpose.

This is so utterly bizarre to me.

People like to go in 100% fresh for complete satisfaction.  It's not my style, but I understand it.

My fiancee is borderline psycho about making sure we watch scenes from next week's episodes...for any show.

That's outstanding.  I got a feeling you'll be adding the Walt's Chrysler 300 to the pic come the 2nd half of the this final season.

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Originally Posted by Jacob Singer 

This is so utterly bizarre to me.

And people wanting to know anything about what's going to happen next on the most surprising show on tv is utterly bizarre to me so, y'know, to each their own.

Right, but it's hard to call speculation borne from previews for next week's show off limits. Most watch those. You don't. That's a self-imposed diet. And the rest of us don't want that cabbage soup, bro.

The way he talked about it, I got the feeling it was more than a glimpse of a train in the preview that he was referring to.

I'm on Evi's diet as well, at least for shows that don't need to sell me on the next episode.  I'd rather see the scenes in the order and context the creators' designed for them, rather than the manner a marketing editor thinks is most tantalizing.  Each their own.

I'm kind of with Evi on this, but I can understand both points of view. Due to my own lack of self control I was watching everything released prior to the premiere, but now I'm avoiding it. Maybe spoilertag just in case? As unpredictable as this show is, it probably doesn't matter(I mean good god how many of us have correctly predicted ANYTHING?), but then everyone wins!

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Originally Posted by AtomTastic 

Needs the Capn'Cookmobile!

There was no train in the preview. Oh wait, that's a spoiler too! I'm stuck in a vortex!

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Originally Posted by Schwartz 

I'm on Evi's diet as well, at least for shows that don't need to sell me on the next episode.  I'd rather see the scenes in the order and context the creators' designed for them, rather than the manner a marketing editor thinks is most tantalizing.  Each their own.

And I can't imagine the thirty seconds of non-descript teasing affecting my viewing in any way. That's why I also watch trailers for movies I know I'm going to see anyway. Each their own.

But let's get back on track, sorry for the de-rail. (HAR!)

Don't remember a train in the preview. It did affirm that Mike, Jesse, and Walt are up to something, though.

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Originally Posted by Kevin Matchstick 

Don't remember a train in the preview. It did affirm that Mike, Jesse, and Walt are up to something, though.

You...you monster.

Going back to this "Skyler is a bitch/unlikeable" thing... I haven't felt that way since the first season, and to be fair the only character who was fully fleshed-out in those days was Walt.

Spoiler: Jesse James robbed trains.

Spolier: Also was once married to Sandra Bullock.

See what your spoilers have done???

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Originally Posted by Nexus-7 

Going back to this "Skyler is a bitch/unlikeable" thing... I haven't felt that way since the first season, and to be fair the only character who was fully fleshed-out in those days was Walt.

I've read awful things in past day or 2, entire screeds about what a bitch Skyler is, and I'm completely perplexed by it. She's the only person in the show who sees Walt for what he really is and, more importantly, the only one taking a stand against him. For the sake of their children! If there's a less bitchy thing possible, I haven't heard it.

That said, I can kind of see why people might find her unlikeable. Skyler's practical, no-nonsense and hasn't been shown to be much fun, but I think that's mostly from how she's reacted to Walt going completely off the rails. She's had to be mature enough for the both of them.

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Originally Posted by Evi 

See what your spoilers have done???

 

 

I've read awful things in past day or 2, entire screeds about what a bitch Skyler is, and I'm completely perplexed by it. She's the only person in the show who sees Walt for what he really is and, more importantly, the only one taking a stand against him. For the sake of their children! If there's a less bitchy thing possible, I haven't heard it.

But for the Scarface-worshipping wannabes who think Walt is just the coolest, most bad-ass guy ever, being against their hero automatically makes her a bitch.

Skyler is the only person, other than Mike, that calls Walt out on his bullshit. For that she has my undying respect.

But guys, if he could get rid of Skyler, Walt would be so much more badass. He'd be on top of the world! I bet he'd get a bitchin' old car and wheel around with a machine gun ready to unleash his wraith on anyone who stood in his way.

Sorry.  I was the catalyst for the spoiler themed discussion.  All I really wanted was for a discussion regarding what (spoiler alert, I guess?) the title of episode 6 "Buyout" was referring to.

(end of spoilers?)

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Originally Posted by MaxYumTime 

Sorry.  I was the catalyst for the spoiler themed discussion.  All I really wanted was for a discussion regarding what (spoiler alert, I guess?) the title of episode 6 "Buyout" was referring to.

 

(end of spoilers?)

This is purely conjecture, but I'd be surprised if it were anything other than Gray Matter. Douche Walt will not stop at buying douchey cars for himself and his family. He wants the company he got fucked out of. That was a huge catalyst in his decision to break bad, whether or not it was said explicitly. The evidence is there in any scene involving Gretchen or Elliot. This would Douche Walt's achievement of notoriety and vindication.

Gray Matter!  I completely forgot about that company.  And of course all of this is pure speculation, but it's just so damn fun to discuss.

Gray Matter never even entered the realm of possibility for me, but it blows all of theories out of the water.

They'll need to do several more cooks in the next 2 episodes to make that a viable option, since Walt only has around $50k in cash reserves at this point and Grey Matter was pretty hot shit back in season 1-2 (which we just established was very recently in story-time).  Unless he can somehow convince Jesse to foot the bill.

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Originally Posted by HypnoToad 

But guys, if he could get rid of Skyler, Walt would be so much more badass. He'd be on top of the world! I bet he'd get a bitchin' old car and wheel around with a machine gun ready to unleash his wraith on anyone who stood in his way.

I love how the first 3 and half episodes this season had Skyler being the kind of wife/woman these folks seem to want out of Heisenberg's spouse. Meek, subdued, biting tongue, never crossing him, never teliing him no. Not the strong, active woman we've known since the series began. Basically taking all of Walt's shit like a "good wife". In awe/fear of master Heisenberg. Yeah, season 1-4 would have been so much richer with that type of Skyler in the mix....Sheesh.

The moment I realized this perception of Skyler was full of shit was when I noticed viewers mentioning how she was a bitch for mindfucking him after the disappearance/fugue state in season 2. I mean, those whole sequences were predicated on the fact that she alone knew that Walt was not coming clean to her. That he was lying about God knows what, and that his strange behaviour was about more than the cancer, She knew there was a second cell phone that he was hiding from her. So basically she knew (the only one in the story) that something was going on. Yeah, she was making Walt's domestic life hellish, but she wanted to know the truth. I felt the hell Walt was going through because I so primally identified with Walt back then, but what made those scenes so rich was Skyler was justified. And she had character.

Skylar has basically hit a reality check since seeing how her actions affected Ted and the cold manner in which Walt "won" agaomst Gus. Her dabbling into money laundering is a crime, but it's not as devastating and tangible as murder and physical harm. Since coming into contact with those elements at the end of season 4 and the beggining of this season, she realizes how far her family has fallen and how irredemable Walt is. Since Walt is a sociopath, the murder and intimidation have never affected him. Skylar actually has a moral compass, and I don't see how anyone can find her less likeable than Walt, besides the usual "LOL nagging cunt" crowd.

I love Skylar, but there is no reason to go overboard in praising her "character." She's not entirely a victim here. Maybe she was willfully naive after Walt came clean to her in the first place about the meth trade, but she was absolutely attracted to that life of crime for a moment. Certainly energized by it. And she choose not to leave when she had the chance. Plus, her manipulation of Beneke was very Walt-like. They are a lot alike. She's as intelligent as him, for sure. Hence the attraction in the first place, I'm guessing. She has every right to be upset with Walt, frightened of him, frightened for her family. But she's not exactly a hero in this situation. 

My prediction:  Walt Jr. gets with Andrea.  They raise Brock together, enjoying a hearty breakfast daily before his street races, while the rest of us are left wondering what happens to everyone else.....actually, that could be a sweet spin-off.

Man, I'm bored today.

I hope Walt Jr is killed due to a bomb his dad places in his pancakes.

My favorite example of Walt's delusion from the other night: When he leaves the cook early because he's expecting a big birthday party on his behalf, then he gets there and nobody has shown up. He views himself as the conquering hero, yet no one else does.

EDIT: I think Skyler is a fleshed out anti-heroine in the same way Walt is an anti-hero, yet some consider Walt a "badass" and Skyler a "bitch", which is kinda gross. I guess Skyler needs to kill more people.

At first, I thougbht it was sad seeing Walt come home to nothing.

Then, I remembered who he has become.