Breaking Bad - 'Kafkaesque' and now I'm in the mood for some good Chicken!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Breaking Bad - 'Kafkaesque' and now I'm in the mood for some good Chicken!

Gus Gus Gus....you are a super genius, gentleman drug dealer and I wonder
if you have or will ever personally get your hands dirty...that is yet to be seen
but one thing is for sure, you have and will continue to have A LOT of money!


I discovered this amazing show a little late. I saw bits and pieces of it
when it first came out because the concept was cool but never
fit it in to give it the fair shake it deserved. As season 3 was starting,
I caught a BEST OF Marathon starting with the Pilot and
I saw crucial episodes in Season 1 and 2 but definitely missed some
along the way. I have watched all Season 3 episodes and not
one of any of the episodes I watched have been BAD but all Breaking Awesome.

If you haven't seen this show, then you have to get it on your 'To Do List'
(either on tivo's or your life's!) right away. Now if you don't want to know
what's happening...click on a different post to read now!

Where to start?! The acting on this show is top notch and
it's shot beautifully for a show that I imagine has a miniscule budget
compared to most other shows on network or even cable for that matter.
I think it may be the best looking show on television but has lots of competition
for sure.

Okay first off - Walt is still dying but the show feels like it's put the cancer
a little in the background b/c Walt is doing much better. Can his life
and quality of life last as it is for much longer as we haven't seen really seen him
suffer lately although he still has no hair that's not on his face...
I am going to guess that his cancer will be coming back in a painful
way before this season is over unless Walt can actually beat it somehow?!

Walt's money is now going to be divided as he will pay for Hank's
rehab...Thanks to his pretty cunning wife and she's pretty too, Skylar
for concocting a gambling story which is sure to ultimately hurt
Walt while helping Hank. Marie has trouble keeping secrets
and there is no way she won't at the very least tell Hank
all about Walt, his gambling and the money he is providing.
That'll come to a Walt and Hank talk eventually but Hank
might be in bad shape for some time before that finally happens.

I love how the show toys with us in making us think there's a chance
that Skyler understands and might forgive what Walt has done.
Walt didn't think the violence/territory/drug cartel part of selling
Meth all the way through. He thought he makes something people want
and sells it to those that want it but it's not like he's making coffee here (that
was Gale's job!). Gus, on the other hand, has a complete understanding of what it means
to sell drugs (and tasty chicken for that matter). He has it
all worked out but may have underestimated Walt's ability to put
it all together. I'm not sure if he did and thought Walt was stupid
or just a little irrational. Gus needs Walt to make his special Meth
and I'm very surprised that Gus wouldn't just record 'How to
Make Walt's Meth' in some way and just have Gale or someone else
reproduce it for a lot cheaper price. I think Gus is a man of his word
as long as you don't become a threat. The way the Cousins went down
because of Gus was classic television and Hank was in fine form.
I wonder how the Cousins would feel if they knew they both
went down due to the actions of the 'Chicken Man'. Ha!

Walt thinks he might have an upper hand in getting a raise from
Gus (especially now that he has to support his family and Hank's
rehab, plus maybe Jessie rubbing it in is motivation for our Walt Ol' Boy).
Of course Gus is providing protection for Walt & maybe his family's life
so that is worth something. Gus could pay more but I think considering
what he has set up between the costs and risks involved on his end
while Walt & Jessie just have to make the product without much,
if any worry plus no costs at all - 7.5 million per year each is not only
great money but it seems like way more than they were making
selling it individually. Jessie likes being in control and feeling all
powerful as head of his own operation. He enjoys that
and it makes him feel alive. Under Walt and this new setup,
it doesn't even sink in that Jessie is being paid a ridiculous
amount of money because he feels like he's at some 9-5
job and "outlaws" don't work dayjobs...

Speaking of dayjobs...Saul is dying to get back into
the action of the Blue Meth Business. I wonder
if Jessie will rethink his whole operation and
take him up on a business....maybe not a nail salon
b/c how believable is it that a kid like Pinkman
wants to paint people's nails?! Now, a Jamba Juice
or something similar I could see. Ahh Poor Saul/Soul..
Better Call Em' and Cheer him up with Greenbucks!

Jessie wants more greenbucks himself on his own terms
so he is likely to screw it all up for himself & Walt
by taking some Meth for himself. Now this would
without a doubt piss off Walt and I'm guessing
that Gus would be annoyed but how much business
could Pinkman take from him anyways?! Is it considered
stealing when it's your recipe but maybe so since the supplies
were bought by Gus..so then yes. I don't want Jessie to die
but something tells me that Walt will have to go through
Jessie getting killed before he eventually goes too
which will be a hard pill for Walt to swallow. Aaron Paul
is incredible and he brings the nice contrast from Walt's world
(along with Bob "Saul" Odenkirk) so I'm guessing they'll hold
off on Jessie biting the dust for awhile...although he'd haunt
Walt as a ghost for sure. Now the one thing about Jessie is
that he goes back and forth between the tough talking
gangster guy & the more reasonable, smart mastermind.
It just surprises me when he's one and not the other...
Jessie isn't dumb so is that all an act that he puts on
to "fit in" and play some role? We shall see...
as he sells Meth to his own group but will that
be enough to satisfy his needs?

Also now that Skyler basically broke things off
with her boss, Ted..will she be taking a permanent
vacation? Skyler can fault Walt all she wants for
not thinking things through before acting on them..
but now she will have to get a new job or *gasp*
become dependent on Walt's Drug money?!
She can say that her having no job is Walt's fault but
if she uses one ounce of Walt's drug money for herself
and/or the family...wouldn't that make her, I don't know,
a complete hypocrite or is it justified because Walt
screwed everything up so badly?

Great episode and I look forward to a new one each
and every Sunday. I just started listening to the Breaking Bad
Podcast with creator, Vince Gilligan & Crew which is interesting
as I learned the original RV wasn't the one they actually destroyed
a few weeks ago b/c "it'll be saved for its rightful place in the Smithsonian!"

How safe is Walt & his family from the Cartel, Gus, Jessie's actions and the D.E.A.?
Lots of people can hold Walt's secret over his head and in the end,
Heisenberg can be blamed for everything that is Blue Meth related!
And of course...will Saul get his wish to run a cover business with
Mr. Pinkman? Is every single thing Saul does simply for money or does
he actually give a crap about Jessie & Walt...one would think not but
owning a profitable/legal business does give Jessie a very nice alibi
for why he has money...now where the startup money originated from..
that is a whole other ball of wax...

Did you love the heck out of this episode? Whadya think?