Monday, April 13, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 1, Episode 5: Gray Matter
Once again we see a parallel between Walt's and Jesse's plot lines as both reconnect with old friends. It turns out that Walt was involved in the creation of a giant corporation, which leads to his old college roommate becoming quite wealthy. It shows a stark contrast between Walt's state and that of his peers in the scientific community as they are all rather well to do. While the party he attends does seem belittling, there is an upside as his wealthy friend offers him a job with top notch health insurance...which Walt promptly turns down.
I'm not going to lie, I don't understand Walt's thought process here. I get that he doesn't want his health issues being discussed, that's legitimate, but he should still take the job. He's qualified for it, the pay is better, and it has better benefits. Even putting the cancer and the issue of whether he should get treatment or not aside, it seems like a boon.
The episode hints that it is a matter of pride, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense as Elliot (the aforementioned friend) just offers to pick up the check for the treatment anyway. If anything, that's more of a charity case than just taking the high end job. Walt turns that offer down too, so points for consistency, I guess.
It leads to an intervention which actually acts as the episode's highlight. The scenario is largely played for laughs with things like the talking pillow, but the cast also turns in some top notch dramatic performances as well later on in the scene.
It is here where Walt gives some explanation for his actions, saying that he wants to make the decision for himself. It helps a little, but it is still somewhat head tilting.
For Jesse's part, he attempts to get back into the cooking game after he realizes he's not really qualified for anything. His one interview is for a job spinning signs. Again, personal pride comes into play (adding another parallel to the two characters this episode) but this makes a lot more sense.
While Jesse has picked up some knowledge from his time with Walt, he still can't cook as well as his old partner. I don't understand why he just scrapped what he made. I mean, I guess we should commend his exacting standards and dedication to quality, but couldn't he still sell that at a lower price?
This episode had its strong points, but I might mark this as the weakest entry so far, largely due to Walt's inane thought process. I get that there wouldn't be a story if Walt's rich friend just swooped in and saved the day, but then why bring it up to begin with? The plot hook works much better when it seems like Walt has no other options, but it's clear he has options, he's just not taking them.
It does flesh out Walt's back story a bit and establish his scientific genius to some extent. Maybe have Elliot point out that there aren't any job openings or that profits are down and that they can't afford to take anyone on right now? It seems like there's a way around that.
The episode does a great job balancing comedy and drama. It does flesh out the characters and it does bring Walt and Jesse back together. It had its problems, but it does set things up for the couple of episodes that remain this season.
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I'm not going to lie, I don't understand Walt's thought process here. I get that he doesn't want his health issues being discussed, that's legitimate, but he should still take the job. He's qualified for it, the pay is better, and it has better benefits. Even putting the cancer and the issue of whether he should get treatment or not aside, it seems like a boon.
The episode hints that it is a matter of pride, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense as Elliot (the aforementioned friend) just offers to pick up the check for the treatment anyway. If anything, that's more of a charity case than just taking the high end job. Walt turns that offer down too, so points for consistency, I guess.
It leads to an intervention which actually acts as the episode's highlight. The scenario is largely played for laughs with things like the talking pillow, but the cast also turns in some top notch dramatic performances as well later on in the scene.
It is here where Walt gives some explanation for his actions, saying that he wants to make the decision for himself. It helps a little, but it is still somewhat head tilting.
For Jesse's part, he attempts to get back into the cooking game after he realizes he's not really qualified for anything. His one interview is for a job spinning signs. Again, personal pride comes into play (adding another parallel to the two characters this episode) but this makes a lot more sense.
While Jesse has picked up some knowledge from his time with Walt, he still can't cook as well as his old partner. I don't understand why he just scrapped what he made. I mean, I guess we should commend his exacting standards and dedication to quality, but couldn't he still sell that at a lower price?
This episode had its strong points, but I might mark this as the weakest entry so far, largely due to Walt's inane thought process. I get that there wouldn't be a story if Walt's rich friend just swooped in and saved the day, but then why bring it up to begin with? The plot hook works much better when it seems like Walt has no other options, but it's clear he has options, he's just not taking them.
It does flesh out Walt's back story a bit and establish his scientific genius to some extent. Maybe have Elliot point out that there aren't any job openings or that profits are down and that they can't afford to take anyone on right now? It seems like there's a way around that.
The episode does a great job balancing comedy and drama. It does flesh out the characters and it does bring Walt and Jesse back together. It had its problems, but it does set things up for the couple of episodes that remain this season.
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Friday, April 10, 2015
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 1, Episode 4: Cancer Man
This episode takes a break from the drug antics to focus more on the family. The crux of the episode centers around Walt's family learning the truth about his condition. It's actually rather heartwarming as they all rally around him and try to come up with ways to deal with his situation.
I still have no problem with Skyler. Actually, I'd mark this as her best episode. You're able to empathize with her to a much greater degree this time around as she is distraught by the devastating news. She also remains optimistic, reminding Walt that things aren't as bad as they first sounded and telling him that they will figure out a way to deal with the financial obligations.
If any character is coming off as unsympathetic, it's Walt's son. This episode seemed to be doing a good job of giving the viewer something to connect to, but then he throws it all away with his last line. I should feel sorry for him, but I don't.
Honestly, when I feel more sympathy for the two dimensional corporate douche character, you have a problem. While I wouldn't call him a likable character, I do feel like Walt's reaction was a bit of disproportionate retribution. Maybe a few more run ins would have helped in that regard, I don't know. It does reinforce that Walt doesn't put up with any guff, but this seemed a bit of a stretch. Being a little crude and taking a parking spot doesn't warrant destroying a car, maybe that's just me.
Speaking of crude, I still enjoy the hell out of Dean Norris' Hank. He makes lewd jokes, but he seems like a fun guy to be around. He also shows himself to be rather loyal, telling Walt that he'll make sure the family is taken care of should the worst happen. At one point, Skyler suggests borrowing the money from him and while Walt shuns the idea, I have no doubt that he'd gladly do it if asked.
Last episode, I wondered how Walt was going to make it. This episode gives us some explanation. While things aren't ideal, his condition is treatable and the treatments wouldn't even necessarily be all that aggressive (though the effects vary from patient to patient.)
One surprising highlight was the glimpse into Pinkman's home life. Just as Walt had, Jesse retreats to his parents' house. It turns out that they are fairly suburban and Jesse's younger brother is something of a child prodigy. It's a stark contrast with Jesse's persona and makes for some decent tension. The parents manage to walk that fine balance between wanting to welcome their son home and being frustrated with his shenanigans.
There may not have been much in the way of drug schemes, but this was a solid breather episode. It allowed the characters to shine a bit more and gave us a better look at how they operate. I think the reality check was actually rather beneficial for both the main characters as well as the viewers.
This was another strong entry. Odd as it may sound, we're halfway through the season. Sure, it's only been a few episodes, but the show has done a great job of hitting the ground running.
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I still have no problem with Skyler. Actually, I'd mark this as her best episode. You're able to empathize with her to a much greater degree this time around as she is distraught by the devastating news. She also remains optimistic, reminding Walt that things aren't as bad as they first sounded and telling him that they will figure out a way to deal with the financial obligations.
If any character is coming off as unsympathetic, it's Walt's son. This episode seemed to be doing a good job of giving the viewer something to connect to, but then he throws it all away with his last line. I should feel sorry for him, but I don't.
Honestly, when I feel more sympathy for the two dimensional corporate douche character, you have a problem. While I wouldn't call him a likable character, I do feel like Walt's reaction was a bit of disproportionate retribution. Maybe a few more run ins would have helped in that regard, I don't know. It does reinforce that Walt doesn't put up with any guff, but this seemed a bit of a stretch. Being a little crude and taking a parking spot doesn't warrant destroying a car, maybe that's just me.
Speaking of crude, I still enjoy the hell out of Dean Norris' Hank. He makes lewd jokes, but he seems like a fun guy to be around. He also shows himself to be rather loyal, telling Walt that he'll make sure the family is taken care of should the worst happen. At one point, Skyler suggests borrowing the money from him and while Walt shuns the idea, I have no doubt that he'd gladly do it if asked.
Last episode, I wondered how Walt was going to make it. This episode gives us some explanation. While things aren't ideal, his condition is treatable and the treatments wouldn't even necessarily be all that aggressive (though the effects vary from patient to patient.)
One surprising highlight was the glimpse into Pinkman's home life. Just as Walt had, Jesse retreats to his parents' house. It turns out that they are fairly suburban and Jesse's younger brother is something of a child prodigy. It's a stark contrast with Jesse's persona and makes for some decent tension. The parents manage to walk that fine balance between wanting to welcome their son home and being frustrated with his shenanigans.
There may not have been much in the way of drug schemes, but this was a solid breather episode. It allowed the characters to shine a bit more and gave us a better look at how they operate. I think the reality check was actually rather beneficial for both the main characters as well as the viewers.
This was another strong entry. Odd as it may sound, we're halfway through the season. Sure, it's only been a few episodes, but the show has done a great job of hitting the ground running.
Click here to join our Patreon campaign
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 1, Episode 3: And the Bag's in the River
A couple of years ago, I started watching the much hailed series, Breaking Bad. The plan was to go through and review each episode on Reviewstream as I had done for several series before. Unfortunately, the site changed its guidelines and reviewing a show episode by episode no longer became feasible. As I didn't have the monetary justification, I put the show watching on the back burner as I focused on other things.
Now that the blog is up and running, I figured that I could get back into it and just post the write ups here. It would give readers some original content to break up all of the "Daily Dose of Awesome" posts and hold them over while I work my way through lengthy Stephen King books or long running anime series like Rurouni Kenshin.
As to why I'm starting with episode 3, it is because I already reviewed the episodes. You can read said reviews here. I also want to add that because it had been a while, I did go back and watch the episodes again just to make sure that everything was fresh in my mind. As such, let's dive into the third episode.
The main focus is on Walt as he tries to figure out what to do with his hostage. Pinkman insists that Walt live up to his end of the coin flip (which is apparently serious business), but Walt can't bring himself to do it. He attempts to weigh his options with a pros and cons list, but it is to no avail.
I was a little surprised that Walt sat down to talk with Krazy 8. It seems like getting to know your victim is counter productive. It is explained, though, as Walt flat out says that he's looking for a reason not to cross that line.
It leads to a great scene where the two just talk and get to know each other. It's enough to convince Walt to let him go. On the one hand, you know what's going to happen, but Max Arciniega does such a great job in his performance that you can't blame Walt for thinking that he was being sincere.
It leads to a rather brutal scene as Walt proves Krazy 8's assertion that Walt didn't have it in him wrong and chokes the dealer to death with the bike lock.
You'd think that Walt would want to go for a ranged weapon. He knew that 8 had the shard on him, yet he still went up close. It's more tense, I'll grant you that, but the questionable decision does result in Walt's leg getting stabbed more than once as 8 desperately struggles to hit Walt with his improvised weapon.
There's a B-plot where Walt's son is suspected of smoking weed, leading to Hank being recruited to scare him straight. It's not as engaging, but it isn't an illogical path for the characters to take.
On the plus side, it gives Dean Norris a bit more screen time. While his character is very different from the manipulative, angry Big Jim Rennie, Norris is still incredibly fun to watch. I did get a kick out of his DEA agent being dismissive about the dangers of weed. He also shines later on after they discover the scene of the fiasco that went down in the last two episodes.
We're three episodes in and I still have no strong feelings about Skyler one way or the other. While she does berate Walt a little, you can't exactly fault her for it. He did quit his job and lied to her about where he was. All things considered, you can't exactly blame her for being upset. Of course, the show is still young so who knows what path her character may take later on down the line.
I do wonder how Walt is going to make it for five whole seasons. He's passing out and sounds like he's hacking up a lung fairly regularly. I'm guessing he'll eventually start getting treatment. The episode ends with the implication that he's going to tell Skyler about his condition and it is the only way that he has any hope of making it long enough to become a major drug kingpin.
I'm glad I'm getting back into this show. It has a nice balance of tension, drama, and humor. Even this relatively quiet episode still advanced the plot quite a bit and moved Walt further down the rabbit hole.
Click here to join our Patreon campaign
Now that the blog is up and running, I figured that I could get back into it and just post the write ups here. It would give readers some original content to break up all of the "Daily Dose of Awesome" posts and hold them over while I work my way through lengthy Stephen King books or long running anime series like Rurouni Kenshin.
As to why I'm starting with episode 3, it is because I already reviewed the episodes. You can read said reviews here. I also want to add that because it had been a while, I did go back and watch the episodes again just to make sure that everything was fresh in my mind. As such, let's dive into the third episode.
The main focus is on Walt as he tries to figure out what to do with his hostage. Pinkman insists that Walt live up to his end of the coin flip (which is apparently serious business), but Walt can't bring himself to do it. He attempts to weigh his options with a pros and cons list, but it is to no avail.
I was a little surprised that Walt sat down to talk with Krazy 8. It seems like getting to know your victim is counter productive. It is explained, though, as Walt flat out says that he's looking for a reason not to cross that line.
It leads to a great scene where the two just talk and get to know each other. It's enough to convince Walt to let him go. On the one hand, you know what's going to happen, but Max Arciniega does such a great job in his performance that you can't blame Walt for thinking that he was being sincere.
It leads to a rather brutal scene as Walt proves Krazy 8's assertion that Walt didn't have it in him wrong and chokes the dealer to death with the bike lock.
You'd think that Walt would want to go for a ranged weapon. He knew that 8 had the shard on him, yet he still went up close. It's more tense, I'll grant you that, but the questionable decision does result in Walt's leg getting stabbed more than once as 8 desperately struggles to hit Walt with his improvised weapon.
There's a B-plot where Walt's son is suspected of smoking weed, leading to Hank being recruited to scare him straight. It's not as engaging, but it isn't an illogical path for the characters to take.
On the plus side, it gives Dean Norris a bit more screen time. While his character is very different from the manipulative, angry Big Jim Rennie, Norris is still incredibly fun to watch. I did get a kick out of his DEA agent being dismissive about the dangers of weed. He also shines later on after they discover the scene of the fiasco that went down in the last two episodes.
We're three episodes in and I still have no strong feelings about Skyler one way or the other. While she does berate Walt a little, you can't exactly fault her for it. He did quit his job and lied to her about where he was. All things considered, you can't exactly blame her for being upset. Of course, the show is still young so who knows what path her character may take later on down the line.
I do wonder how Walt is going to make it for five whole seasons. He's passing out and sounds like he's hacking up a lung fairly regularly. I'm guessing he'll eventually start getting treatment. The episode ends with the implication that he's going to tell Skyler about his condition and it is the only way that he has any hope of making it long enough to become a major drug kingpin.
I'm glad I'm getting back into this show. It has a nice balance of tension, drama, and humor. Even this relatively quiet episode still advanced the plot quite a bit and moved Walt further down the rabbit hole.
Click here to join our Patreon campaign
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