TREAD LIGHTLY: Wow. I didn't quite see how they were going to put Walt and Hank back on an equal footing after the end of Season 5.1 but, by God, that was brilliant. Spoiler away in the comments.
Yes, yes, the episode was spectacular. But most importantly: they FINALLY corrected the electron count for Barium in the opening titles. (Also Chromium, on Vince's "Created by" credit.)
HA! Well, they'd long ago corrected the OTHER goof in the credits. DP Michael Slovis's name originally had the "Ch" highlighted, but there is no element with the symbol Ch. At some point (late season two or early season 3), the credits were updated so that only the "C" was highlighted. AND YES IT MATTERS. :)
I still can't quite believe that THAT was where this first episode ended. I mean, you knew there was going to have to be a Hank/Walt confrontation at some point - but I thought they'd milk the tension for at least a couple of episodes. And that's not to say I didn't love the ending, because I freaking ADORED it - I'm just glad the show can still surprise me this close to the end. (And I can't have been the only one thinking of Phoebe's classic "They don't know we know they know we know!" as the ep progressed.)
They're not on an equal footing so long as Walter realizes that Hank has been running this analysis solo, and if something were to happen to Hank and his garage the trail would stop. Except we know that Hank's at least somewhat successful here, given the flash-forward.
My favorite insight into the show is the fact that Walt always picks up traits from whoever he kills, most recently with the towel under his knees before vomiting, like Fring.
My other reaction is that I feel like this was the ending of Unbreakable, only without Shyamalan's frustrating title cards and with seven extra episodes instead.
"Now that we know who you are... I know who I am. I'm not a mistake! It all makes sense. In a comic, you know how you can tell who the arch-villain's going to be? He's the exact opposite of the hero, and most time's they're friends, like you and me. I should've known way back when."
I was fascinated by Walt's costuming in this episode. He was fully out of Heisenberg mode, wearing extremely light, staid outfits that conveyed how difficult it was for him to stay back in "Mr. White" mode. If he had been wearing clothing that changed on its own, he would have had a little flare of madrassy pastels during the "more carwashes" bit, and would have transitioned to full-on deep green during that final scene. I was watching alone, but when Hank threw that punch, I uncontrollably exclaimed "Holy shit!"
Watch the Walt-Hank scene again and listen to how Walt's voice changes. He's Walt through the first part of the scene, then he changes into Heisenberg when he raises the issue of the GPS tracker. Then the tone of his voice yo-yos up and down while he's trying to convince Hank that he's dying and Hank should do what's right for the family. But when Hank says Walt should bring the family in for a talk, the voice plummets down to pure Heisenberg for both "that's not going to happen" and "tread lightly." And his eyes go with his voice, too. They turn to steel whenever his voice drops. It occurred to me on Colbert during the Get Lucky dance what a great actor Cranston is with his eyes. When Colbert is calling Cranston to join him and Cranston mouths "me?", his eyes are so misty that he's practically crying.
He did the same voice changing thing on the Colbert interview episode, too. Only it was changing between Hal and Heisenberg, which was both hilarious and creepy. (And it was pretty amazing to see how his eyes changed at the same time.)
Not that you need more proof, but for another example of Cranston's totally natural acting abilities, check out the 4 minute pitch for Adam Carolla's FundAnything-funded movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrsZOcrjW4c&feature=player_embedded -- it's hysterical, and Cranston is amazing.
Yes, yes, the episode was spectacular. But most importantly: they FINALLY corrected the electron count for Barium in the opening titles. (Also Chromium, on Vince's "Created by" credit.)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk0DFGhgugU
ReplyDelete[Kidding!]
HA! Well, they'd long ago corrected the OTHER goof in the credits. DP Michael Slovis's name originally had the "Ch" highlighted, but there is no element with the symbol Ch. At some point (late season two or early season 3), the credits were updated so that only the "C" was highlighted.
ReplyDeleteAND YES IT MATTERS. :)
I still can't quite believe that THAT was where this first episode ended. I mean, you knew there was going to have to be a Hank/Walt confrontation at some point - but I thought they'd milk the tension for at least a couple of episodes. And that's not to say I didn't love the ending, because I freaking ADORED it - I'm just glad the show can still surprise me this close to the end.
ReplyDelete(And I can't have been the only one thinking of Phoebe's classic "They don't know we know they know we know!" as the ep progressed.)
They're not on an equal footing so long as Walter realizes that Hank has been running this analysis solo, and if something were to happen to Hank and his garage the trail would stop. Except we know that Hank's at least somewhat successful here, given the flash-forward.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite insight into the show is the fact that Walt always picks up traits from whoever he kills, most recently with the towel under his knees before vomiting, like Fring.
Also, I'll be sadly disappointed if someone doesn't put Badger's Star Trek episode to film.
ReplyDeleteThis was TPE. Weird things afoot on my Discuss account.
ReplyDeleteDone: http://www.vulture.com/2013/08/breaking-bad-badger-star-trek-story-animated.html
ReplyDeleteI know that guy! Great improviser, too.
ReplyDeleteMy other reaction is that I feel like this was the ending of Unbreakable, only without Shyamalan's frustrating title cards and with seven extra episodes instead.
ReplyDelete"Now that we know who you are... I know who I am. I'm not a mistake! It all makes sense. In a comic, you know how you can tell who the arch-villain's going to be? He's the exact opposite of the hero, and most time's they're friends, like you and me. I should've known way back when."
I was fascinated by Walt's costuming in this episode. He was fully out of Heisenberg mode, wearing extremely light, staid outfits that conveyed how difficult it was for him to stay back in "Mr. White" mode. If he had been wearing clothing that changed on its own, he would have had a little flare of madrassy pastels during the "more carwashes" bit, and would have transitioned to full-on deep green during that final scene.
ReplyDeleteI was watching alone, but when Hank threw that punch, I uncontrollably exclaimed "Holy shit!"
Question: Has Jesse just killed the one person, Gale?
ReplyDeleteWatch the Walt-Hank scene again and listen to how Walt's voice changes. He's Walt through the first part of the scene, then he changes into Heisenberg when he raises the issue of the GPS tracker. Then the tone of his voice yo-yos up and down while he's trying to convince Hank that he's dying and Hank should do what's right for the family. But when Hank says Walt should bring the family in for a talk, the voice plummets down to pure Heisenberg for both "that's not going to happen" and "tread lightly." And his eyes go with his voice, too. They turn to steel whenever his voice drops.
ReplyDeleteIt occurred to me on Colbert during the Get Lucky dance what a great actor Cranston is with his eyes. When Colbert is calling Cranston to join him and Cranston mouths "me?", his eyes are so misty that he's practically crying.
Two: there was one in Mexico as well. http://breakingbad.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_deaths_on_Breaking_Bad
ReplyDeleteJesse shot at least one Cartel goon in the escape from Mexico.
ReplyDeleteHe did the same voice changing thing on the Colbert interview episode, too. Only it was changing between Hal and Heisenberg, which was both hilarious and creepy. (And it was pretty amazing to see how his eyes changed at the same time.)
ReplyDeleteNot that you need more proof, but for another example of Cranston's totally natural acting abilities, check out the 4 minute pitch for Adam Carolla's FundAnything-funded movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrsZOcrjW4c&feature=player_embedded -- it's hysterical, and Cranston is amazing.
ReplyDelete