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[water_wendi]

The ladder scene was superb too. The crew on this show are masterful at creating intensity out of the simplest things.

i really wouldnt call someone standing on the top rung of a ladder being held by a guy doped up or the doped up guy about to admit his guilt in the death of his partners girl friend simple things. Its purely emotional manipulation getting you to care about something that in the end doesnt even matter (Jesse doesnt fall and Walt doesnt confess).

Besides the couple of minutes that focused on the meth discrepancy, this episode could have been inserted during any point after Jesse agreed to work with Walt.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Initially this episode wasn't working for me. I found the execution to be a bit heavy handed and some of the imagery distracting, but by the end it all came together and i was immensely satisfied. Not even close to the best episode of the show, not by a long shot, but it was still great (as usual) and i think it will improve a lot when i rewatch it.

I wholeheartedly disagree with the bold statement. That was by far the best acting, and camera work (or lack thereof during the conversations) this series has seen so far IMO. I honestly have no idea how people that have followed the series up until this point could not like that episode.

 

[OneEightZero]

I wholeheartedly disagree with the bold statement. That was by far the best acting, and camera work (or lack thereof during the conversations) this series has seen so far IMO. I honestly have no idea how people that have followed the series up until this point could not like that episode.

Breaking Bad is not known for episodes like this. In fact, the previous nine episodes were a complete roller coaster of suspense and forward driven plot. Especially at moments when you thought it would slow down, only to see the stable ground pulled from beneath the curve and extend further. So when the coaster finally catches the curve (Fly), not only does it stop, but the damn thing grinded to an absolute halt. And I think most don't watch Breaking Bad for episodes like this. Usually, exposition on this show isn't told through words, but through sight and action.

I think is series needed this episode. To stop the gears and settle the clouds that hover above it's main two characters. And I thought it was a fantastic way to do it. Give them a goal that they need each other to complete, push away the outside distractions and keep the spotlight on the conflict that has risen between Jesse and Walt.

If this were any other series, it wouldn't have worked. I think they both did an excellent job and I'm ready for the coaster to start it's uphill climb for the final episodes. ^_^

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Breaking Bad is not known for episodes like this. In fact, the previous nine episodes were a complete roller coaster of suspense and forward driven plot. Especially at moments when you thought it would slow down, only to see the stable ground pulled from beneath the curve and extend further. So when the coaster finally catches the curve (Fly), not only does it stop, but the damn thing grinded to an absolute halt. And I think most don't watch Breaking Bad for episodes like this. Usually, exposition on this show isn't told through words, but through sight and action.

I think is series needed this episode. To stop the gears and settle the clouds that hover above it's main two characters. And I thought it was a fantastic way to do it. Give them a goal that they need each other to complete, push away the outside distractions and keep the spotlight on the conflict that has risen between Jesse and Walt.

If this were any other series, it wouldn't have worked. I think they both did an excellent job and I'm ready for the coaster to start it's uphill climb for the final episodes. ^_^

Well one thing that Breaking Bad does well is conversations and just letting them play out without distracting camera cuts, or background music, and Fly had that in spades. The minimalist camera work during the conversations combined with the great acting from Walt, and Jesse was just perfect to me.

But I'm also one of those guys who love 5 minute standoffs in Westerns, and 10 minutes of dialogue in Tarantino films so maybe I'm just more accustomed to stuff like this.

 

[akachan ningen]

Two inept characters stuck together trying to do something. Pine Barrens was definitely funnier, but Pine Barrens probably would have been better if they cut out all the Meadow/Jackie Jr./Gloria bullshit - so Breaking Bad did that one thing better.

Those side stories worked because the show is 50 minutes long. There wasn't 50 minutes worth of pine barrens story because they accomplished very little in the woods. So they used like 20 minutes of that time with side stories to keep the pace going strong.

If this BB had included something on the side, instead of the really boring bits, if may have been a good episode.

I really think you guys were blinded by how good this ep's ending was and are ignoring the bad first two thirds of it.

 

[OneEightZero]

Well one thing that Breaking Bad does well is conversations and just letting them play out without distracting camera cuts, or background music, and Fly had that in spades. The minimalist camera work during the conversations combined with the great acting from Walt, and Jesse was just perfect to me.

But I'm also one of those guys who love 5 minute standoffs in Westerns, and 10 minutes of dialogue in Tarantino films so maybe I'm just more accustomed to stuff like this.

Oh, I agree, about the conversations being awesome. There's no denying the dialogue is well written for this show. And yet, there's hate for this episode. What happened?

It's why I'm thinking some aren't watching this show for the same reasons as others.

 

[chalkitdown1]

I'll offend lots of people when I say this, but I honestly think that if you dislike this episode you're watching this show for all the wrong reasons. I thought that was an outstanding piece of character drama. It was everything I love about the show. It was probably my favourite episode of the season.

Podcast was great this week, too. Bryan Cranston and the director of the episode were on it. Really interesting stuff.

 

[nolookjones]

for me this was the 1st 'filler' episode in the whole series...wasnt terrible but sure doesnt stand out....

 

[Maverick]

Filler?

Well for me, the episode made me really care about Jessie again after a few weeks of feeling annoyed by his character.

I thought it was fantastic.

 

[dave is ok]

I like seeing Walt and Jesse getting along - they really haven't been at all this season.

 

[KingDirk]

I'll offend lots of people when I say this, but I honestly think that if you dislike this episode you're watching this show for all the wrong reasons. I thought that was an outstanding piece of character drama. It was everything I love about the show. It was probably my favourite episode of the season.

Podcast was great this week, too. Bryan Cranston and the director of the episode were on it. Really interesting stuff.

Man I love the podcasts for this show so much. Every single one has great stories in it. Boggles my mind that they only have eight days per shooting of each episode, too.

 

[MeshuggahMan]

I've been telling my mom about this show for a while now.. saying how it's the best show on tv.. this was the first one she actually watched. She said it was "hilarious".. something I did not expect to be said about breaking bad :lol

I actually really liked this episode. Mind you.. I wasn't on the edge of my seat like the past few episodes.. but I was still sitting there thinking "Oh my god.. he's going to spill the jane incident" If they didn't have this episode.. I'd always think it would be weird how Jesse could just all of a sudden go back to working with Walt like nothing happened. They needed that talk.

 

[Leunam]

Man I love the podcasts for this show so much. Every single one has great stories in it. Boggles my mind that they only have eight days per shooting of each episode, too.

I stopped listening to the podcast because they can't get their damn audio levels right.

 

[dave is ok]

I really need to go back and listen to the S2/S3 podcasts. I watch the 'Inside Breaking Bad' features after every episode, but never bother listening to the podcasts.

 

[thekad]

First half was bad. Second half paid off and made it acceptable.

 

[FairyD]

Great episode.

Things I liked:

- The interaction between Walt and Jesse, great character development.
- Walt showing remorse for letting Jane die.
- Single setting episode.
- "yo, Gatorade me bitch!"

Things I disliked:

- Walt is becoming more and more OCD about things, I find it a bit annoying.
- Walt not fessing up to letting Jane die.

 

[bud]

that was incredible. flawless, even. this could've been a three hour movie about two guys doing nothing but being in a room, talking and chasing a fly--and i still would've enjoyed every damn minute of it. i fuckin' love this show.

 

[maharg]

If Walt admits to 'killing' Jane, it'll be in the finale. Because Jesse will beat his ass to a pulp if/when he finds out. That's a point of no return if ever there was one for this show.

 

[gdt]

If Walt admits to 'killing' Jane, it'll be in the finale. Because Jesse will beat his ass to a pulp if/when he finds out. That's a point of no return if ever there was one for this show.

Yeah, I might even prefer if Walt never mentions it, or they keep that till the end of the show.

Thats crossing the Rubicon.


(I'm thinking the end of the show has something to do with either Walt killing Jesse or vice versa)

 

[Catalix]

Overall, I felt the episode was flawed, but brilliant. I didn't find Walt's fly-catching antics in the first half to be the least bit amusing, endearing, or compelling. They layed it on a little thick sometimes. (really, walt? you couldn't swat the fly after you hopped back over the railing?). Jesse getting locked out of the lab and working to get back in was pretty dumb too. Just tiresome buffoonery imo.

But when things settled down and they got to talking, this episodes paid off in spades. The Walt and Jesse relationship is the heart of the show; I love whenever it's showcased. The disturbingly calm and intimate nature of this episode helped in exploring those characters' recent personal transgressions on a deeply intricate level. Slow, plodding pace was necessary for setting the tone. I was blown away with the acting and dialogue, more so than usual. And the cinematography was impressive throughout.

Once the layers started peeling away, it improved dramatically. The characters' insightful monologues had me riveted. Powerful stuff.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

If Walt admits to being in the room during Jane's death, it totally ruins the episode and one of the best ongoing plot threads. Too many of you want breakneck pacing and plot twists every week. That is not what this show is about. Learn to appreciate the things left unsaid, the things that don't happen-- these things are just as important as the things that do occur.

 

[dave is ok]

I don't think Walt will ever admit it, unless it's a deathbed confession and he's about to die from cancer anyway. He's learned to live with his guilt, the only time he ever slips up is when people drug him :lol

 

[Calcaneus]

Loved the episode. Reading the description and knowing the director I kinda figured that this would be a different kind of episode, at the same time I got the feeling that some people would hate it.

But calling it filler? I don't know if I agree with that.

 

[Cornballer]

- Tim Goodman's discussion of the latest episode. He loves the episode and does a great job articulating why he thinks it's important and well crafted from a scripting standpoint.

 

[YoungHav]

different but still great episode.

 

[therapist]

Yea it was a little dumb how he didnt go back over the rail to kill the fly...but DAMN that looked like it hurt haha.

Reminds me more of a season 1 ep in its slowness, but it was still awesome!

 

[dave is ok]

A fly just flew onto my monitor screen while I was reading this thread

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

I loved this episode. Funny, but really tense!

 

[Kodiak]

Like seemingly every other TV Show thread, I'm late to Breaking Bad-GAF but not late to the show.

I don't think any other non HBO or Showtime program has the confidence or talent to do an episode like fly. It was basically two men in a room for the entire episode and was purely about coming to grips with a very complex emotional issue. It was absolutely brilliant.

The ladder scene and Walt's monologue leading up to it is certainly one of the highlights of the season for me, and I think the episode is a pretty important one in defining the overall feel of the season for me.

S3 Spoilers ahoy!

One thing I want to bring up is how I initially questioned the fact that they dealt with what I thought would be the major driving force of the season about 7 episodes in, and have instead started positioning Gus as the major antagonist of the show. So many things in Season 3 point to this.

The cartel Massacre
The tip to Hank and the subsequent shootout
The conversation between Walt and Gus in episode 9 (I think it was 9)
The issue with Jesse skimming meth off the top.
And finally walt's warnings in The Fly.

All of this is making me feel very very nervous about Gus in the future, not to mention his creepy ass right hand man.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Finally caught up woot

I really didn't like the first half of Fly, but the second was great. A very emotionally tense episode. Makes me wonder when and if Jesse will find out Walt was in the apartment when Jane died. I must say overall Jesse has been all over the place this season, and for the most part has been annoying. The portrayal of him seems very inconsistent, especially considering he's sober now.

I wonder if Walt's warning to Jesse about stealing product is going to set the tone for the last few episodes.

 

[UrbanRats]

Finally caught up woot

I really didn't like the first half of Fly, but the second was great. A very emotionally tense episode. Makes me wonder when and if Jesse will find out Walt was in the apartment when Jane died. I must say overall Jesse has been all over the place this season, and for the most part has been annoying. The portrayal of him seems very inconsistent, especially considering he's sober now.

I wonder if Walt's warning to Jesse about stealing product is going to set the tone for the last few episodes.

He think he's responsible for the death of his girlfriend and a plane full of people, he's confuse as shit about his "role" in scheme of things.
He want to be become the "badguy" doing shitty acts, just to detach himself from emotions, but he also know, subconsciously, that he's not that cynic, not yet.
Where's the inconstistency?

 

[beelzebozo]

He think he's responsible for the death of his girlfriend and a plane full of people, he's confuse as shit about his "role" in scheme of things.
He want to be become the "badguy" doing shitty acts, just to detach himself from emotions, but he also know, subconsciously, that he's not that cynic, not yet.
Where's the inconstistency?

i don't know about inconsistent, but i think at some point there seemed to be some indication that jesse could clean himself up, and that the experience would make him somewhat enlightened and a bit off the "we gotta cook, gonna take this shit over yo" mentality. he's clearly succumbed to his darker side and, as you say, is playing his old games, but i can see how someone would feel shocked and a little disappointed that he seems to have learned almost nothing from the whole experience. i think he will turn it around, and that this is all affectation--i don't think deep down he believes he is who he's pretending to be--but for the time being, he's definitely being a dopus maropus, and from the scenes with him lying in his empty house listening to jane's voicemail over and over i definitely expected something a little different.

 

[KingDirk]

He think he's responsible for the death of his girlfriend and a plane full of people, he's confuse as shit about his "role" in scheme of things.
He want to be become the "badguy" doing shitty acts, just to detach himself from emotions, but he also know, subconsciously, that he's not that cynic, not yet.
Where's the inconstistency?

Yeah, Jesse's been on a pretty stable arc for me. That amazing line of 'I'm the bad guy' cut pretty hard. I love that he can be as dark as he is and still have a line like 'Gatorade me, bitch' though. :lol

EDIT: Good points, Beelz, but I really think instead of a dopus Jesse's basically--maybe subconsciously--trying to commit suicide by Gus.

 

[dorkimoe]

I had just started season 1 this week and flew through it. Now im more than halfway done with season 2. Is it me or is this turning into "House".(And by House, I mean the same pattern is starting to happen) Every single episode something bad happens and they end up losing money and starting over. Do they ever actually cook and start dealing for more than a 10 minute musical montage? I just ended the episode where now the Lawyer is kinda blackmailing them. Every single person they have done business with has screwed them in some way shape or form

 

[beelzebozo]

I had just started season 1 this week and flew through it. Now im more than halfway done with season 2. Is it me or is this turning into "House".(And by House, I mean the same pattern is starting to happen) Every single episode something bad happens and they end up losing money and starting over. Do they ever actually cook and start dealing for more than a 10 minute musical montage? I just ended the episode where now the Lawyer is kinda blackmailing them. Every single person they have done business with has screwed them in some way shape or form

i really have no idea how you'd ever come to the conclusions you're reaching, so i'll just say continue watching, because it's one of the best shows on television and is almost nothing like what you're describing. i can understand how the show may be too good for some people though.

 

[dorkimoe]

i really have no idea how you'd ever come to the conclusions you're reaching, so i'll just say continue watching, because it's one of the best shows on television and is almost nothing like what you're describing. i can understand how the show may be too good for some people though.

So youre saying they dont actually get screwed over by the first 3-4 people they do business with? I must be watching the wrong show then... (i didnt say the show was bad, i mean ive gone through almost 2 seasons in 3 days)

 

[Blader]

Has it been picked up for S4 yet?

 

[gdt]

Has it been picked up for S4 yet?

I'm pretty sure it has. Right around the beginning of the season, I think.

 

[Xater]

I catched up with this show in like 3 days. :lol Absolutely amazing.

And I am in the camp who love the last episode. Great direction from Rian Johnson. Now I want to rewath Brick and Brother Blooms again.:lol

 

[dave is ok]

So youre saying they dont actually get screwed over by the first 3-4 people they do business with? I must be watching the wrong show then... (i didnt say the show was bad, i mean ive gone through almost 2 seasons in 3 days)

I remember thinking the same thing back when those episodes were airing. The 'reset' button keeps getting hit because they either lose money or keep having to spend the money they make on unforeseen things that happen, but that is intentional. The whole point is that it is a race to make the 737,000 to leave his family before he dies. It will all be resolved soon in '4 Days Out'

 

[UrbanRats]

i don't know about inconsistent, but i think at some point there seemed to be some indication that jesse could clean himself up, and that the experience would make him somewhat enlightened and a bit off the "we gotta cook, gonna take this shit over yo" mentality. he's clearly succumbed to his darker side and, as you say, is playing his old games, but i can see how someone would feel shocked and a little disappointed that he seems to have learned almost nothing from the whole experience. i think he will turn it around, and that this is all affectation--i don't think deep down he believes he is who he's pretending to be--but for the time being, he's definitely being a dopus maropus, and from the scenes with him lying in his empty house listening to jane's voicemail over and over i definitely expected something a little different.

I think the "Fly" episode, show pretty well how his "douchebaggery" now is very different from the one he used to have in S1/2.
Infact, it's as if he's trying to push emotions(real ones)down by acting cynic or fuckin' around but, as soon as the remotest memory of Jane pass through(the cigarettes, Walt mentioning her name)the atmosphere changes immediately, his face sells him away, his eyes start to get wet, etc etc.
I think he won't be able to hold it back for much more.

 

[Cornballer]

I'm pretty sure it has. Right around the beginning of the season, I think.

Has it been officially picked up? There were a few rumors towards the beginning of the season that it was a done deal, but I don't know if it was ever finalized. It's a foregone conclusion that it'll get picked up, but they might be haggling over money right now.

 

[CygnusXS]

So youre saying they dont actually get screwed over by the first 3-4 people they do business with? I must be watching the wrong show then... (i didnt say the show was bad, i mean ive gone through almost 2 seasons in 3 days)

The point was to show how terrible at drug dealing these two noobs are. Let's just say they start to learn from their mistakes.

 

[dave is ok]

Has it been officially picked up? There were a few rumors towards the beginning of the season that it was a done deal, but I don't know if it was ever finalized. It's a foregone conclusion that it'll get picked up, but they might be haggling over money right now.

They said on this week's podcast that by Episode 10, all of the money they were allocated for S3 had been spent - so it'd be nice if they got another 10-20 million to throw around

 

[dorkimoe]

The point was to show how terrible at drug dealing these two noobs are. Let's just say they start to learn from their mistakes.

Thank you.

Not that I had any intention of not finishing this show. Was just curious. I dont think its the fact that this keeps happening, I think its because Im not used to it happening so QUICKLY in tv shows. Normally stuff gets dragged out for 9 episodes haha.

 

[PhoenixDark]

i don't know about inconsistent, but i think at some point there seemed to be some indication that jesse could clean himself up, and that the experience would make him somewhat enlightened and a bit off the "we gotta cook, gonna take this shit over yo" mentality. he's clearly succumbed to his darker side and, as you say, is playing his old games, but i can see how someone would feel shocked and a little disappointed that he seems to have learned almost nothing from the whole experience. i think he will turn it around, and that this is all affectation--i don't think deep down he believes he is who he's pretending to be--but for the time being, he's definitely being a dopus maropus, and from the scenes with him lying in his empty house listening to jane's voicemail over and over i definitely expected something a little different.

Pretty much this, in response to UrbanRats

He's obviously changed, but at times it feels like he reverts back to the S1/S2 clown junkie, which is rather annoying (and one of the reasons why I didn't like the first few minutes of Fly). He blames himself for Jane's death, and seems to hate what he used to be (which spills out in his disdain for addicts/users). And of course he blamed Walt for all of this at one point, and decided to pretend to be "the bad guy."

With respect to him stealing from Gus, I wonder whether this is him acting out in a careless manner that suggests he doesn't care about living and wants to die; or whether he's simply dumb enough to think he can steal from Gus.

 

[Spectral Glider]

Well, I can see why people think Jesse's story is inconsistent. For me, the scene of him in group talking about the box he made in school appeared to be a turning point. It seemed like something finally clicked when he confessed that he traded it for weed. And then his next scene is him back with his flunky friends concocting a horrible scheme. So it leaves you wondering which side of him is the act and which is the real Jesse.

 

[dave is ok]

I think the reason that Jesse became "the bad guy" after he got clean is because they wanted to go in the opposite direction most shows do - where a character gets clean and all of a sudden becomes this saint of a person.

 

[Grimm Fandango]

The episode was okay but absolutely mostly filler.

Yeah when Walt nearly confessed about Jane was the highlight of the episode but it could have been in another episode and that would be that. Really it was only the last 15 minutes or so deserved to be watched, the rest entirely forgettable.

 

[Cornballer]

New episode on tonight.

Abiquiu

Spoiler

Skyler gets involved with Walt's business and Hank struggles with recovery. Jesse has a startling discovery.