"Breaking Bad"

[BigK]

Hank was a hot shot at one time or they wouldn't have sent him to TX that one time or given him the big promotion.

I bet his arrest rate has really slumped since he's been after the blue meth ring.

[Mike.357]

I don't think Hank will arrest Walt when he finds out the truth. Hank will try to be the good bro in law, either help rehabilitate Walt or get in on the action himself.

Skyler is going off the deep end, no way she can keep it from her sister and then Hank will know.

[G27]

I don't think Hank will arrest Walt when he finds out the truth. Hank will try to be the good bro in law, either help rehabilitate Walt or get in on the action himself.

I dunno - after those 10 people were knocked off in prison, Hank's view of the Walt as one of the 'monsters' will affect him, imo.

Hank's a bit of a goofball, but man, nothing gets past him. Now I'm *really* wondering what the prologue to S5 was about - Scarface ending?

[Mike.357]

yeah that whole ending was a little odd. I must have missed the flashback part of it or just don't recall it.

But Hank does have moments of emotional breakdown. I am still not so sure he won't back Walt.

[Murgatroy]

It was interesting.

I didn't see the Walt/Jesse/Skylar thing coming there before the end.

I think they keep trying to push us to hate Walt, then reign him back in enough to show he is human. I think what they are trying to show is that while Walt and Heisenberg are the same person, they are two sides of the same coin, a Jekyll and Hyde if you will. Actually, I think that is the exact allusion.

I really didn't see him wanting out. I guess that is why I didn't see that coming.

Then Hank at the end. I am interested to see where that goes.

[BigK]

Hank was reading Gale's journal and it mentioned working with WW. That's what the flashback was about...Hank and Walt discussing the possible WW's that it could refer to.

I can't believe Walt would leave that page in the book after having that conversation with Hank.

That was as good a cliff-hanger as I've EVER seen! Love that look on Hank's face when he "got it".

[G27]

I can't believe Walt would leave that page in the book after having that conversation with Hank.

THIS! I was shocked when I realized that was the book Gale gave him.

That was as good a cliff-hanger as I've EVER seen! Love that look on Hank's face when he "got it".

And this, too. I knew they were going to hammer us with something before the months-long break, but that was brilliant.

[JGunner]

I almost made the mistake of reading this thread before I watched the latest episode LOL ... woooops.

Yeah, as careful as Walt is ... I can't believe he just left that book sitting there. Should have been dropped in a bucket of acid like all the other evidence.

[Mike.357]

Hank was reading Gale's journal and it mentioned working with WW. That's what the flashback was about...Hank and Walt discussing the possible WW's that it could refer to.

I can't believe Walt would leave that page in the book after having that conversation with Hank.

That was as good a cliff-hanger as I've EVER seen! Love that look on Hank's face when he "got it".

aah Gales book, now I recall

[Guest BungieCord]

...Hank's a bit of a goofball, but man, nothing gets past him. Now I'm *really* wondering what the prologue to S5 was about - Scarface ending?

Rolling Stone mag had an article about the show a couple of weeks ago. They're trying desperately not to let anyone know how the series ends, so all Bryan got before shooting that scene -- the M-60 buy in the Denny's washroom -- was the text of the script. But he felt he needed more of a frame of reference so he kept needling Vince Gilligan, who finally told him, "You've just returned to town, coming back to protect someone." So that's what the MG in the trunk was about.

One thing about this series, they rarely waste anything. Most everything on screen eventually becomes something in the plot, especially when you're talking the actions of the main characters. Remember before Hank got shot, there were a couple of espisodes where it looked like he might have been having chest pains? And he always went someplace private to ride it out? For all his many flaws, Hank has never been portrayed as anything except a hard-core, straight-laced, uber-anal cop. I can't see him cutting Walt any slack, but I can see the moral dilemma pushing him into a cardiac arrest.

That way, even in retirement, Heisenberg gets to be responsible for one more killing.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Maybe they were coronary symptoms, but I interpreted it as panic attacks. With some ptsd and obsessive behavior added in. Like he saw the two methhead bikers in the bar, and couldn't help himself but mix it up with them without backup, then have panic attacks in-between the compulsive risk taking behavior.

Edited September 3, 2012 by Lester Weevils

[monkeylizard]

How long do we have to wait for the rest of the season?

At least we'll soon have The Walking Dead to pass the time.

[Mike.357]

Boardwalk Empire is starting back up soon too.

[monkeylizard]

.... according to some Google-Fu, it will be summer of 2013.

[Mike.357]

BW in October BB in Feb is what I thought I saw.

[BigK]

Sons of Anarchy returns next Tuesday too! Dexter comes back in about 4 weeks too.

But, Breaking Bad is some tough shoes to fill.

[atlas3025]

I can't believe Walt would leave that page in the book after having that conversation with Hank.

I don't think that was a stretch at all. Walt had already dealt with that issue by informing Hank "WW" was Walt Whitman. If anything, tearing the page out would make Hank MORE suspicious...assuming Walt kept the book.

Walt is certainly capable of mistakes...he has made a TON over the course of the series, but more importantly, he has become bolder, and much more careless in his mania...just like Gus.

I am glad the show is taking a long break. It is getting so hard to watch. The penultimate scene where they are sitting at the pool, having a good time with everyone smiling...even Skylar...was agonizing because you knew it wouldn't last. There have been very few shows that have made me sick to my stomach because they are so powerful, but this one does it. I am glad for the winter break.

[Guest BungieCord]

Maybe they were coronary symptoms, but I interpreted it as panic attacks. With some ptsd and obsessive behavior added in. Like he saw the two methhead bikers in the bar, and couldn't help himself but mix it up with them without backup, then have panic attacks in-between the compulsive risk taking behavior.

I figured he was picking the fight with the bikers in the hope that they'd kill him. Then they'd get sent up for killing a fed and he'd be relieved the indignity of living out a diminished life while waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I figured he was picking the fight with the bikers in the hope that they'd kill him. Then they'd get sent up for killing a fed and he'd be relieved the indignity of living out a diminished life while waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Can't properly recall the order of events in the first seasons. In addition, not all events were presented in sequential order. Was the biker incident after his remote assignment where he was with several other agents who got killed? Think I recall him having some of the "panic attacks" both before and after the remote assignment. OTOH presumably Hank had witnessed enough before the start of the series to start working on a case of chronic PTSD.

Some of his actions are classic compulsive. Taking risks because he couldn't help but do it. The obsessive-compulsive can also be observed how he so doggedly follows the blue meth case (and other most likely earlier pet cases). His co-workers knock off at quitting time and Hank stays on it. Takes the job home with him and he's not doing it for a promotion.

Obsessively sticks with his pet cases even when offered promotion, almost losing his job chasing the cases rather than the promotion ladder. His devotion to the blue meth case before he gets shot is close to insubordination and he looked at risk of eventually getting fired for not following supervision and policy. Then after Hank gets shot, recuperates, and "solves" the blue meth case as related to Gus's network-- Hank is promoted but self-imposes the same risk to his long-term career, obsessively doing street work when he's supposed to be pushing papers and supervising other agents.

PTSD and panic attacks often are correlated. Never had a panic attack but have seen them, and they can look (and feel to the victim) very similar to heart attack. In the old days panic attacks were what weenie hypochondriacs would get, often discounted by doctors as weak neurotic people. But it seems to be at least sometimes more a brain-chemistry kinda thing. Strong-willed non-neurotic person can get them and not know what it is, and not be able to "shake it off".

So anyway maybe was misreading it, and its only a show. If he had coronary symptoms, figured that would be picked up or at least mentioned when he got so much medical attention after getting shot and crippled?

[BigK]

I don't think that was a stretch at all. Walt had already dealt with that issue by informing Hank "WW" was Walt Whitman. If anything, tearing the page out would make Hank MORE suspicious...assuming Walt kept the book.

So, check this out...I just discovered something...

Back in season 4, Hank was over at Walt and Skyler's for dinner and was kind of hiding in the bedroom looking at the evidence file from Gale's murder. Walt comes in as sees what he's doing and tries to leave, but Hank asks him about the chemical process in the lab notes. Hank reads the W.W. dedication from Gale's lab notes ("To W.W. My star, My Perfect Silence") out loud and starts guessing names that fit the initials. After guessing Woodrow Wilson, Hank says "Walter White" and Walt panics. He's looking through the notebook and finds the "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" poem and the pic of Whitman in the back and explains the W.W. reference, ending the conversation. This site, http://www.amctv.com...her-case-file, has an awesome interactive look at the notebook.

The book Hank finds on the back of the toilet was a gift from Gale to Walt. In several episodes, Walt was sitting around in plain site reading it. Hank had never seen it before, so Walt could have torn that page out, but......... What I didn't realize until I just re-watched that part is the pages were stuck together. It made a distinct sound when Hank separated them. So Walt surely didn't know it was inscribed from Gale. He's WAY too smart for that.

The inscription ("To W.W. From G.B.) is written in the same exact block letter handwriting that appears in Gale's lab notes. So, there's no way to deny that link now.

[atlas3025]

It made a distinct sound when Hank separated them. So Walt surely didn't know it was inscribed from Gale. He's WAY too smart for that.

I noticed that last night when I watched it again, but it didn't occur to me that it could mean Walt hadn't seen it. Great catch. They don't throw away any scenes or details on this show. They had to add an effect to make the pages stick together, and they wouldn't have done that for nothing.

I had forgotten they were looking at the inscription in Gail's notebook the first time around. I was thinking it was in "Leaves of Grass" itself. I wonder why Gail put the incription in both places? Was he just practicing in the notebook? He was a bit of a perfectionist, so that would make sense.

[Il Duce]

Holy Breaking Bad marathon here. Watched S1E1-S5E8 in just over a week. What a fantastic show.

[TrickyNicky]

Yup probably one of if not the best things on tv for awhile now.

[BigK]

I think I'm gonna ask Santa Claus for the full box set when it comes out. I can see me watching this series again and more than once over the years.

[Guest aknut]

i love breaking bad and was totally crushed to find out that episode 8 is the last one till NEXT year!

in serious withdraw now.