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Wow - having slammed the first seven episodes of this series down over the weekend, I'm feeling totally dazed by what I just saw. All respect to Mad Men, but how is this not the most talked about show on television?

Bryan Cranston is world class, Oscar quality (I'd say Emmy quality, but come on); whatever hyperbole you can throw at him is totally deserved.

And what an absurd premise! To succeed with this over-the-top idea is truly impressive. This and Big Love are the best shows on television in my opinion - and they both have truly unusual premises. Obviously, we'll see this backfire with some lackluster network television shows trying to come up with the latest mind-boggling synopsis - but for now, bring more shows like Breaking Bad on!

If you haven't seen this yet, do yourself a favor and either rent the DVD or watch AMC's recap over the weekend. It's only seven episodes, you'll be glad you watched them in time for the start of Season 2 on March 8th.

Quick question, as well - does anyone here have AMC in HD? I have FiOS and a friend has DirecTV, and neither of us have it - or do they even have an HD station?

I think the series benefits a lot from taking this absurd premise and grounding it in reality, I was very surprised by the show myself and feel that Mad Men has been given the critical accolades due to the involvement of the Sopranos' producers.

Although, Cranston did win an Emmy for his performance, but I hear you with this being one of the best series on television, it truly is spell-binding how well the science teacher selling drugs premise works. Probably the single most bad-ass moment I've seen on television was Walt causing the explosion when he met with Tuco, brilliant!

mfunk9786 wrote:Quick question, as well - does anyone here have AMC in HD? I have FiOS and a friend has DirecTV, and neither of us have it - or do they even have an HD station?

I've got it here in California through Comcast.

And, yes, this show is astoundingly good.

I was totally hooked to this show since the commercials for it started floating around every Turner channel. I think is better than Mad Men and much better that any other crap that the networks at throwing at us. It's incredible that most of the best TV shows are in channels that were not known for their original programming.

I'll add my two cents to the praise above...not only is it thrillingly entertaining, full of some excellent and refreshingly cliche-free performances and really bad-ass moments (the aforementioned mercury explosion at Tuco's left me slack-jawed) it's quite possibly the most affecting show I've ever seen on television. Without ever feeling that my emotions were being exploited I was almost brought to tears a few times over the course of the season, such was the power of certain scenes dealing with Walt's cancer and his family's reaction to it. I'll echo everyone else in saying that Cranston is incredible. He leaves me in awe! Glad I timed finishing the first season so close to the premiere of the second...

Was anyone else really disappointed with last night's finale? (Specifically, the end)

Spoiler

It taught me to not give drugs to anyone because they might be the offspring of an air-traffic controller, who will then allow for a mid-air collision!

But, yeah it disappointed me in how it used a very minor character, whose actions only coincidentally affected Walt, as its big season ending. The event had almost no relevance to the story and just seemed to be tacked on to make a dramatic cliffhanger. I thought the previous episode was much stronger, especially the ending of that one. I thought the episode as a whole wasn't all that compelling either, I liked the beginning part with Jesse and Saul's buddy but afterwards the episopde didn't much grab me the way every other episode this season has.

Murdoch wrote:But, yeah it disappointed me in how it used a very minor character, whose actions only coincidentally affected Walt, as its big season ending. The event had almost no relevance to the story and just seemed to be tacked on to make a dramatic cliffhanger.

Vince Gilligan wrote:...to visualize, in one fell swoop, all the terrible grief that Walt has wrought upon his loved ones, and the community at large.

A little too butterfly effect-ish for me, but it is thematically relevant to the story.

Most dramatic fly death scene ever.

Great season so far, the twins' attack on Hank was easily the most exciting moment on television this year.

Not thrilled with the fly episode (the level of neurosis was just unbelievable and took me out of it). But I liked the concept, and it picked up once Jesse and Walt had the climactic discussion.

I was gobsmacked by the ending of "Half Measures". The entire episode was excellent and filled with brilliant moments (I don't think I breathed once during Mike's cautionary tale) but nothing prepared me for those last few seconds.

Spoiler

I'm of the mind that those two dealers killed the boy on their own accord, but I can't imagine anyone working under Fring doing that without his permission.. Unless Fring is far more ruthless and calculating/borderline clairvoyant than he's let on, and this was his (unsuccessful) method of getting rid of Jesse?

Especially after this past episode, I cannot wait to see how the season will end. This show destroys paradigms on a weekly basis; I haven't a clue what will come next.

Spoiler

Walt's sudden rescue of Jesse was a great cliffhanger for last episode, and I'm glad it happened since he was becoming too complacent in Fring's regime and I hated seeing him just sit back while Jesse was threatened and Skylar was at risk of going down the same path as Walt with their business proposition.

The writing has become a lot stronger this season and the show's great at throwing a curve at you when you think you know how something will end.

The inherit flaw, though, is the same one that applies to any episodic drama (perhaps sans Lost: it's not like a main character is ever going to be killed off. I've never had a moment's concern for Walt, Jesse, Hank, or Skyler's well being, and it sort of removes some of the WOW factor for me.

Been a fan since it first appeared. The writing has been stronger this season, although I think the whole hoot and holler over the twin assassins ended kind of abruptly. It's hard for me to pay attention to the plot when I'm so busy trying to figure out what spots in Albuquerque they filmed certain scenes at since I live in Albuquerque(well Rio Rancho). I live not far from the High School. If anyone can remember the first season where Walt give Jesse 5000 dollars, that bank is actually the local library. Just some stupid trivia.

If only for the opening theme, this is definitely worth a view: Breaking Bad as an ABC sitcom.

This is only my second episode, but I'm really loving it so far. There's a great tension to this episode and I'm thankful that they keep the comedy flowing (that scene with the woman and baby starts off hilariously and only builds up). I'm kind of surprised at how it circles around Walt, but barely features him. I probably should be thankful though because I still think 'Malcolm's dad' whenever I see his face even if he looks nothing like that now.

And you're two episodes in! Once you've caught up you will be afraid to pass Bryan Cranston on the street.

Just realized Gus was Buggin Out in Do The Right Thing (I might be stating the obvious but it's news to me)

He's also the cab driver in Night on Earth. Much like his character in this show, he's done a very good job of hiding himself in the role.

I don't watch Breaking Bad but he came in during the last couple seasons of Homicide as well

Domino, as our resident TV nerd, you've really got to watch this show.

Murdoch wrote:Just realized Gus was Buggin Out in Do The Right Thing ( I might be stating the obvious but it's news to me)

Giancarlo Esposito was a member of Spike Lee's stock company, to the extent Spike had one. He's also in School Daze, Mo' Better Blues and has a small role in Malcolm X. Was in a fair number of early/mid 90s indie movies like Smoke and Fresh (a real NYC theme here). Was surprised to see him pop up in Breaking Bad.

"I'm from Detroit...MO-town! You don't know a God damned thing 'bout AF-ri-caaaa!"

I just started watching this show this season because a guy on another board has been urging me to and because of Giancarlo's presence.

Wow, I was wondering when this season was going to really get going, but here we go.

I wonder if

Spoiler

Jesse will actually be killed off this early in the season with at least one more season to go. Aaron Paul is obviously amazing, and is the heart of the show in a lot of ways, but it's going to take a pretty huge plot twist rabbit-out-of-the-hat on the part of the writers to get Jesse out of this situation alive without the result seeming unrealistic. This is beginning to feel like a natural time for him to go, much like Christopher in The Sopranos.