The Official Breaking Bad Thread

[dollar_bin]

I think it's about time this show had its own thread. Now that the Wire is winding down, I need to find a new show that I can be Soul Strut's resident apologist for. Breaking Bad is rapidly becoming that show for me. It's easily the blackest comedy I've seen on TV in a long time, plus it has drug use, chemistry, and episode 4 features Darondo in the sound track.Screw Showtime, AMC is the new HBO.

 

[GenePontecorvo]

I think it's about time this show had its own thread. Now that the Wire is winding down, I need to find a new show that I can be Soul Strut's resident apologist for. Breaking Bad is rapidly becoming that show for me. It's easily the blackest comedy I've seen on TV in a long time, plus it has drug use, chemistry, and episode 4 features Darondo in the sound track.

Screw Showtime, AMC is the new HBO.

CO-RIDE.

I've never seen even sixty seconds of that Malcolm in the Middle show but dude who was the dad is incredible in BB.

D_B, it even looks like they're about to introduce more *scientists* into the plot stew.

 

[The_Non]

Breaking Bad: Warning, Painfully White Dancing:

 

[rootlesscosmo]

what is this show

 

[dollar_bin]

what is this show

Sunday nights, 10PM on American Movie Classics. Briefly, Bryan Cranston (the dad from Malcolm in the Middle) plays a high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with cancer so he decides to cook Meth in order to provide for his family.

 

[dollar_bin]

You can watch the first two episodes on-line:

http://www.amctv.com/originals/breakingbad/

 

[white_tea]

Liked the pilot, hated the second episode, redeemed a bit by No. 3. It's one of the few shows, with my basic cable package, that I can watch commercial-free On Demand, and for that, I will tune in. I really don't have any other "shows" aside from Bill Curtis crime shows on A&E, the First 48 and stuff on the History Channel, so this one is OK.

AMC is actually redeeming itself the past year or so. They still have an extremely loose definition of classic movies. Still would rather have TMC.

I didn't even realize that was the same dude from Malcom in the Middle -- a sign of pretty damn good acting or that I am a space cadet.

 

[mylatency]

It's easily the blackest comedy I've seen on TV in a long time, plus it has drug use, chemistry, and episode 4 features Darondo in the sound track.

Yup, I started watching it since The Non and others were talking about it in the Tivo thread. Seriously dark but really nice stuff, I think of it as the more serious meth-analogue to Weeds. There are similarities but it's not even remotely as goofy, and I don't feel like they require the audience to operate on a suspension of belief level like Weeds's crazy scenarios. It floored me when the Dorando kicked in and the flames rose from the car.

That said, I hope they aren't painting themselves into a corner with the lung cancer + Crazy 8 storyline. Walt Sr. operating as the "kingpin cook" would be sick.


GLASS GRADE

 

[Pundit]

glamourises meth use which aint that glamourous is my only gripe.
but I rate it as the only decent thing to surface in a little while.
ep4 slowed things down a little and got into some character development.

 

[Electrode]

AMC is actually redeeming itself the past year or so. They still have an extremely loose definition of classic movies. Still would rather have TMC.

Major

. I'm so pissed that I don't get Turner.

 

[Rockadelic]

Damn.....they turned down my idea for a show about a Professional Bowler who losses his fingers in a Noodling accident and turns to smoking crack.

 

[dollar_bin]

glamourises meth use which aint that glamourous is my only gripe.
but I rate it as the only decent thing to surface in a little while.
ep4 slowed things down a little and got into some character development.

Ewww, I don't really think the meth use is very glamorous in the show, but I can see your point. I think episode 4 definitely hinted at a richer back story for the main characters.

 

[FYBS]

glamourises meth use which aint that glamourous is my only gripe.
but I rate it as the only decent thing to surface in a little while.
ep4 slowed things down a little and got into some character development.

Ewww, I don't really think the meth use is very glamorous in the show, but I can see your point. I think episode 4 definitely hinted at a richer back story for the main characters.
Which ones are you talking about? The kid and his parents, or the guy who got his car torched?

 

[pacman]

Heh, what's crazy about AMC is I just heard one of my boys tracks as the background for the Godfather marathon commercial.

 

[shooterali]

yo some update me on this because I missed it. Did they hack ole boy up yet that was down in the basement?

 

[mylatency]

yo some update me on this because I missed it. Did they hack ole boy up yet that was down in the basement?

Spoiler









You know, I'm not sure, Walt Sr. choked him with the bike lock cos he realized Crazy 8 was gonna stab him with a piece of the broken plate (when he was chucking the plate in the trash when he trying to make a decision on whether to spare him or not).



I don't see how this show glamourizes meth use. Any indication that the users and or dealers are doing well is shot down pretty quick by the police, violence, and death.

 

[mandrew]

I didn't even realize that was the same dude from Malcom in the Middle -- a sign of pretty damn good acting or that I am a space cadet.

me too.
i don't know wht it says about us/me that i cant recognize the guy from a show that's been running on prime time for what seems like 6 years... but i'm already well familiar with this show on amc.

 

[mandrew]

I don't feel like they require the audience to operate on a suspension of belief level like Weeds's crazy scenarios.

cuz the normal guy chemistry teacher who takes up cooking meth with his flunky ex-student, then kills and tries to chemically disolve two dealers within a week is very plausible... riiiiiight

It floored me when the Dorando kicked in and the flames rose from the car.

my old music supervisor mentor is working on this show and i'm proud to say i introduced him to that song [/props over here]

 

[mandrew]

You know, I'm not sure, Walt Sr. choked him with the bike lock cos he realized Crazy 8 was gonna stab him with a piece of the broken plate (when he was chucking the plate in the trash when he trying to make a decision on whether to spare him or not).

that part was ill. i appreciate how amc allowed the show to run that seven minutes in the basement scene with walter and krazy 8. seems very unorthodox for a show, especially one only into its 3rd ep. its cool that they humanized krazy 8 and showed the two of them begin to develop a relationship and sympathy for one another... only to off the dude in the next scene.

crazy thing about this show is that that outcome would have been predictable in many other shows... you would think 'of course dude's not going to kill him in cold blood...' not quite for this show. i wasn't sure if ol walt was going to kill him in cold blood, kill him in defense, or make him his partner.

drawback of the show is clearly the budget. really poor quality film and obvious rush job to the editing. but what really speaks highly for the show is that it is able to shine through.

 

[mylatency]

I don't feel like they require the audience to operate on a suspension of belief level like Weeds's crazy scenarios.

cuz the normal guy chemistry teacher who takes up cooking meth with his flunky ex-student, then kills and tries to chemically disolve two dealers within a week is very plausible... riiiiiight



Moreso than Mary Louise Parker hot trottin' around weed selling in suburban SoCal with thugs AND employing her friends/family. Much moreso, methinks.

no hatt on her at all though, just sayin.