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Why isn't Breaking Bad season 5 criticized more?
- Thread starter sappyday
- Start date
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HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
This.
I think for the most part, season 5 was fucking incredible, but you did mention my only two gripes with it.
I also felt that Walt's rise to becoming a drug lord occurred way too quickly. Every time he mentioned his empire, I went, "wait, what?" and then I remembered, "oh yeah, in two episodes he went from southwest America to having an international presence". It felt rushed, but given how few episodes they had, I don't think they could have done better. Season 5 was packed a bit too much and makes me kinda wish part 1 had 13 episodes to breathe a little more.
The ending wasn't great either. Jessie's stuff was fine, but Walt's wasn't what I wanted out of the series.
I also felt that Walt's rise to becoming a drug lord occurred way too quickly. Every time he mentioned his empire, I went, "wait, what?" and then I remembered, "oh yeah, in two episodes he went from southwest America to having an international presence". It felt rushed, but given how few episodes they had, I don't think they could have done better. Season 5 was packed a bit too much and makes me kinda wish part 1 had 13 episodes to breathe a little more.
The ending wasn't great either. Jessie's stuff was fine, but Walt's wasn't what I wanted out of the series.
Freewheelin'
Member
5 > 3 > 4 > 1 > 2
Frozenprince
Banned
The issue with pacing is that they didn't know how many episodes they would get, or if they would even get a 5th season, so they had to kinda just cliffnotes a lot of that.
Not me. I've always considered Walt as a immoral person. One that I didn't root for (he did have some moments of badassery). I was usually in the Skyler camp.
zero shift
Banned
Season 5 was great. What should be criticized was everything inbetween Season 1 and Season 5.
Represent.
Represent(ative) of bad opinions
It was pretty much perfect. And that Ozymandias episode is the best hour of television I've ever seen.
gutter_trash
Banned
people are too down on 2
2 was awesome because we saw lots more of Skinny Pete, Badger and Combo
the Badger episode which introduce to us Saul Goodman "better call Saul" was an hilarious episode
2 was awesome because we saw lots more of Skinny Pete, Badger and Combo
the Badger episode which introduce to us Saul Goodman "better call Saul" was an hilarious episode
The neo nazi antagonists were the most disappointing thing about S5.
Just very underwhelming in every aspect that mattered. I found the rising tension and conflict between Walt and everyone that mattered to him to be the best thing about that season.
Once he goes full Heisenberg it's glorious. Even though he's a piece of shit.
Just very underwhelming in every aspect that mattered. I found the rising tension and conflict between Walt and everyone that mattered to him to be the best thing about that season.
Once he goes full Heisenberg it's glorious. Even though he's a piece of shit.
I agree with this kinda, I don't think a timeskip to season 5 part 2 would have been good since part 1 made the overarching story flow better but I agree with the rest. 5 Part 2 is the best season, season 5 as a whole is worse than 4 and maybe 2 because of part 1, part 1 is the worst season.
the way i see it... the series' "ending" was season 4 when gus went down. i saw season 5 as kind of a coda to wrap up the loose ends, to see that walt got was coming to him, how hank's investigation would wrap up, ect
i don't think it was really meant to be a "grand" finale. it was supposed to be subdued
i don't think it was really meant to be a "grand" finale. it was supposed to be subdued
Season 5 isn't perfect going but over-reactions in here. It had some great moments but all the momentum ended after the fantastic ending to season 4. Season 5 needed to build itself up again and doing so felt rushed.
Hated the finale, it just wasn't breaking bad. Walter Whites Mcgyver abiliites were purpostrious, that machine gun in car that then shoots up every single bad guy that just happened to be all in the building was insane. Breaking Bad is all about mistakes that turn good for them, everything ran like clock work in the finale.
For me, the ending actually happened when Walt was in the car and hears the police sirens. He does actually get caught but from then on goes on to imagaine his perfect Scarface ending and that Jesse gets away to start a newlife.
Hated the finale, it just wasn't breaking bad. Walter Whites Mcgyver abiliites were purpostrious, that machine gun in car that then shoots up every single bad guy that just happened to be all in the building was insane. Breaking Bad is all about mistakes that turn good for them, everything ran like clock work in the finale.
For me, the ending actually happened when Walt was in the car and hears the police sirens. He does actually get caught but from then on goes on to imagaine his perfect Scarface ending and that Jesse gets away to start a newlife.
Except the part where his own device killed himself, not everything went as planned.
I like the finale, but the three episodes preceding it, To'hajiilee, Ozymandias, & Granite State were the peak of the fifth season.
ZackieChan
Member
Some terrible opinions up in here. The only thing I didn't like about S5 was how quickly he gave it up. That could have used at least another episode. But it came after one of the greatest montages in TV history, so I'll forgive it.
Frozenprince
Banned
Ozymandias is probably the best single episode of a television series ever made.
Because for some reason people are convinced that the fifth season was pretty good. I agree with you OP, the fifth season was a serious drop in quality. The neo nazi's were literally just introduced to create some sympathy for Walter (as bad as he is, at least he's not as bad as this!) and then there's the absolutely awful last episode. Seriously, for me the finale of Breaking Bad is up there with Dexter in bad finales. Why did everything have to work out in the ending? It felt so forced. Here's a guy who for at least two seasons hasn't really given a rat's ass about his original intentions and Jesse, and suddenly he's sorry and goes out of his way to give Walt Jr. his money and save Jesse? Bullshit. And the climax with the rotating machine gun. That's where that subplot was leading up to? Seriously? Awful.
Ozymandias and the second-to-last episode were pretty good though.
Ozymandias and the second-to-last episode were pretty good though.
I've now officially heard everything and am out.
wh...what?
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
I watched the show post-hype and I'm right there with you. Fans will fight to the death over the quality of the show, but the fifth season was not just bad for the show, it was just bad television overall. The entire series being hinged on Walt's downfall happening because some guy saw two initials in a book while taking a shit isn't cute, clever or "showing how one small mistake can bring down an empire" like fans would have you believe. It was just flat out fucking stupid.
But then again, I don't think Breaking Bad was much of anything more than power nerd fantasy dreck, so maybe I don't have the best opinion of the show in general. I mean, it was alright for what it was, but it was a really, really, really silly show that some folks take way too seriously. It was a live action cartoon, not a serious drama.
But then again, I don't think Breaking Bad was much of anything more than power nerd fantasy dreck, so maybe I don't have the best opinion of the show in general. I mean, it was alright for what it was, but it was a really, really, really silly show that some folks take way too seriously. It was a live action cartoon, not a serious drama.
Woosh. Walt thinks he's hot shit. He isn't. He is a terrible human being who has no control over what he does. Even Mike spelled it out in one of the earlier episodes.
Walt's ultimate downfall was not particularly revelatory, groundbreaking or unexpected, but not everything has to be. The execution was for the most part masterful and the show earned it.
PumpkinPie
Banned
Lydia and the Nazi gang were total shit. However, Granite State is maybe the finest episode of any TV series.
When Gus ran the business it was ordered, controlled and kinda civil. When Walt ran the business there were Nazi gang members running out of control. That's the point of the Nazis, Walt is facing something he let happen. They're a manifestation of his own chaotic methods. He basically turned the local drug scene into the insanity we saw going on in Mexico. The Nazi gang was pretty one-dimensional but that was kind of the point.
"Say my name," and "I'm in the empire business," may have been cringey but human beings do say cringey stuff like that.
Look, I'm not too crazy about Breaking Bad myself now that some time has passed since it finished, but I thought Season 5 was working on the Breaking Bad standard.
Walt did become cocky very quickly, though.
"Say my name," and "I'm in the empire business," may have been cringey but human beings do say cringey stuff like that.
Look, I'm not too crazy about Breaking Bad myself now that some time has passed since it finished, but I thought Season 5 was working on the Breaking Bad standard.
Walt did become cocky very quickly, though.
GeneralHerpes
Member
There was such a positive response to "I am the one who knocks" that the writers had no reason not to foray into the equally cringey territory of T-shirt lines like "Say my name" & "I'm in the empire business." Walt's unblinking narcissism and villainy definitely seemed more plot-convenient in S5 than previously too.
I can't get on board that it's a "pretty bad season," though. Unless you meant like, a pretty Breaking Bad season. Because Tohajiilee.
I can't get on board that it's a "pretty bad season," though. Unless you meant like, a pretty Breaking Bad season. Because Tohajiilee.
sixteen-bit
Member
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LonelyGreyWolf
Banned
"Say my name" will never be cringe-worthy. Okay, maybe a little, but it's still a god damn great scene.
timetokill
Banned
It's a fucking incredible season and a fantastic finale to the show, OP.
Might as well ask why people don't shit on Seasons 3-8 of the Simpsons or something.
Might as well ask why people don't shit on Seasons 3-8 of the Simpsons or something.
BibiMaghoo
Member
This. It's very rare I enjoy how a show I am invested in ends, BB did a very good job of this. I was left wanting more.
akachan ningen
Member
I thought most of S5 was good but the final episode was a little weak. It was pretty much what we expected to happen. There were so many shocking moments in S5 but none of them happened in the last ep!
Succinct Verbosity
Member
Season 5 wasn't as good as Season 4, but given the reception to the final season of most critically acclaimed shows Breaking Bad's fifth season was fantastic. Compare Breaking Bad's final season to Lost, Dexter, Battlestar Galactica... Hell even Star Trek TNG. It's okay to think Breaking Bad's final season was worse than what went before, but to say it deservesa ny level of scorn is unfair given how low the should could have fallen.
A Link to the Past
Banned
The Aryans were the perfect opponent for Walt. Who better to be Walt's greatest nemesis than a bunch of unintelligent violent thugs? I can't imagine that a man of Walt's intelligence and workmanship is okay with the idea that he got beaten by trash people.
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