Breaking Bad "Phoenix" 5-24-09

[speaker city]

Wow, great foreshadowing! I guess we can scratch Jane's name off the list of possible people in the body bags.

I wonder if Jane's dad will blame Jesse for her death and seek some kind of revenge.

Saul's idea of using "zombie" computers to make paypal donations seems a little far-fetched. From what I understand, a foreign hacker is going to use computers in the US and Canada to make donations to Walt's site. Does this mean using the computer owner's paypal account? How the hell is that gonna work? Hopefully someone with more knowledge of networks and computers than me can chime in.

[tiams]

Wow, great foreshadowing! I guess we can scratch Jane's name off the list of possible people in the body bags.

I wonder if Jane's dad will blame Jesse for her death and seek some kind of revenge.

Saul's idea of using "zombie" computers to make paypal donations seems a little far-fetched. From what I understand, a foreign hacker is going to use computers in the US and Canada to make donations to Walt's site. Does this mean using the computer owner's paypal account? How the hell is that gonna work? Hopefully someone with more knowledge of networks and computers than me can chime in.

By foreshadowing, are you referring to Walt putting the towel behind his baby girl to keep her from sleeping on her back? Yes, that was great!

Yeah, the paypal thing is farfetched. I kept thinking about all the paypal fees on hundreds of small donations. That eats into his profit big time!

I love this show. Every episode Walt and/or Jesse end up in what seems like am impossible situation.

[billboard_NE]

The confrontation in the apartment with the father and Jessie was great, how many YOs did Jessie say?

The scene at the bar with the girlfriends father was very touching, well done. This was the best episode this season. Brilliant!!

Of course Walt would not give up on Jessie, he killed for him (maybe not directly, but ya that was murder). I guess Walt has a better understanding of Jessie than he has of his own son. How Ironic: the conversation at the bar with the girlfriends father was what convinced Walt to return to the apartment and watch his daughter die.

[speaker city]

By foreshadowing, are you referring to Walt putting the towel behind his baby girl to keep her from sleeping on her back? Yes, that was great!

Jane also told Jesse not to lay on his back after shooting up in case he started vomiting. When she told him that I thought of Jimi Hendrix.

[BluesFools]

For anyone interested www.savewalterwhite.com actually exists. The donation button doesn't go to AMC's paypal account :) but is a link to the national cancer coalition. Which is cool - they may pick up some donations.

[danterner]

That was a powerful episode. Wow.

[aforkosh]

By foreshadowing, are you referring to Walt putting the towel behind his baby girl to keep her from sleeping on her back? Yes, that was great!

Note that Jane was laying on her side against Jesse until Walt's shaking of him rolled her onto her back. So Walt's actions in the bedroom were part of the chain of events leading to her death.

[refried]

That last scene was very dark. I can't believe he just stood there and watched her die.

There's one thing that confused me about the scene. I thought Walt looked at the syringe and it was still full, like they didn't actually shoot up. So why did she throw up?

[Jeeters]

There's one thing that confused me about the scene. I thought Walt looked at the syringe and it was still full, like they didn't actually shoot up. So why did she throw up?The syringe was empty. You can see the little black rubber 'piston' was pushed all the way down to the pink plastic base of the needle.

[speaker city]

For anyone interested www.savewalterwhite.com actually exists. The donation button doesn't go to AMC's paypal account :) but is a link to the national cancer coalition. Which is cool - they may pick up some donations.

My dad likes to cook

Ain't that the truth.

[sjgmoney]

I too was surprised that he let her choke to death, but remember good old Mr. White cares about one thing, providing for his family (Jesse includede, i.e. the "nephew" comment to Jane's dad) and Jane knew too much so he has to let her die.

I think the two bodies are going to be the brother-in-law and sister-in-law. This ain't no feel good story.

[stellie93]

I don't remember the body bags you're referring to. I assume it was in an actual episode considering the spoiler rules. ;) (I don't care if it's a spoiler or not, just tell me where you saw them, please).

[danterner]

I don't remember the body bags you're referring to. I assume it was in an actual episode considering the spoiler rules. ;) (I don't care if it's a spoiler or not, just tell me where you saw them, please).

Throughout the season, though not every episode, there have been black-and-white "flash forwards" featuring no dialog. In the first episode of the season we basically just saw a burnt pink teddy bear floating in a pool. Now we've been shown people, presumably police, dressed in hazmat suits, collecting evidence from the area around the pool. The evidence has included the bear and Walt's glasses. It looks to be Walt's back yard, and it appears there was an explosion of some sort. In one of the most recent episodes, the flash forward expanded to show the front yard, with Walt's car parked in the driveway and, next to it, laid out on the driveway, what appear to be two body bags, contents unknown.

[sjgmoney]

Throughout the season....with Walt's car parked in the driveway and, next to it, laid out on the driveway, what appear to be two body bags, contents unknown.

I'm going to go out on limb and say the contents were bodies. We've seen no sign of an alien subplot so I'm going to go further out on the limb and say they are human bodies.

[danterner]

I'm going to go out on limb and say the contents were bodies. We've seen no sign of an alien subplot so I'm going to go further out on the limb and say they are human bodies.

Pretty good guess on your part, I'd say.

I just meant that we don't know whose bodies. :rolleyes:

[tiams]

I too was surprised that he let her choke to death, but remember good old Mr. White cares about one thing, providing for his family (Jesse includede, i.e. the "nephew" comment to Jane's dad) and Jane knew too much so he has to let her die.



Letting Jane choke to death is totally within Walt's character now. Remember, Last season he murdered the guy they had locked up in Jesse's basement. He will do whatever it takes to protect himself and his family. Jane knew too much and was going to compromise Jesse.

[danterner]

Letting Jane choke to death is totally within Walt's character now. Remember, Last season he murdered the guy they had locked up in Jesse's basement. He will do whatever it takes to protect himself and his family. Jane knew too much and was going to compromise Jesse.

I'd go so far as to say that the tear that he shed as she died was not for her, but rather an indication that Walt realizes how far he's fallen and the type of person he has now become. He was mourning himself.

[SeanC]

I'd go so far as to say that the tear that he shed as she died was not for her, but rather an indication that Walt realizes how far he's fallen and the type of person he has now become. He was mourning himself.

I agree. Walt letting the girl die was an honest to god yell at the TV moment for me. I'm upset that he did it, but it fits with the character's story arc.

Though it occurs to me that they could be doing a dramatic cliff hanger ending, just to have Walt resuscitate her at the beginning of the next episode (I consider this extremely unlikely), it's just that I've become rather jaded with TV deaths.

[dswallow]

Letting Jane choke to death is totally within Walt's character now. Remember, Last season he murdered the guy they had locked up in Jesse's basement. He will do whatever it takes to protect himself and his family. Jane knew too much and was going to compromise Jesse.

And I think it wasn't so much Jane knowing alone, but Jane having made the blackmail attempt that led him to let her die. it was her behavior, not just her knowledge that led to her demise.

[SeanC]

Quite a reversal for a character on a show for me. At Jane's introduction I thought she might be a good influence on Jesse, so initially I liked her a lot. Then in the space of one hour of television I really disliked her (I didn't want or expect her to die though).

[netringer]

I agree. Walt letting the girl die was an honest to god yell at the TV moment for me. I'm upset that he did it, but it fits with the character's story arc.

Though it occurs to me that they could be doing a dramatic cliff hanger ending, just to have Walt resuscitate her at the beginning of the next episode (I consider this extremely unlikely), it's just that I've become rather jaded with TV deaths.

I'd be looking for Walt to give Jesse one more injection. Ya gotta figure a chemist knows how to prepare H.

IIRC, the body bags are next to Walt's Aztec and Skyler's Cherokee.

[cheesesteak]

Just one tiny, insignificant nitpick. I wish Jane's transformation into a bossy, junkie shrew had taken place over a couple more episodes.

Even though I know that Walt really does care for Jesse in a paternal way, it was pretty stupid of him holding back on Jesse's half of the money and not expecting some sort of retribution. He doesn't really need Jesse for anything now that he's got the connection to Gus. Give him his money, wish him the best as an Australian bush pilot and check the obituaries every once in a while. Gus was right, you can't trust an addict.

[sooperkool]

Why is there "outrage" that Walt let Jane die? How is this worse than the other cold-blooded murders he and Jesse have committed?

[nataylor]

Why is there "outrage" that Walt let Jane die? How is this worse than the other cold-blooded murders he and Jesse have committed?

What other cold-blooded murders have there been? There was Krazy-8 in the basement, but Walt only killed him because he tried to kill Walt first. Have they killed anyone else?

[danterner]

There was the attempt to take out Tuco with the ricin (unsuccessful), and then there was also Walt and Jesse leaving Tuco, badly wounded, in the pit outside Tuco's uncle's house. The impression I had is that they thought they were leaving him to die.

I think that - although certainly flawed - Jane was a more sympathetic character. Even likable. She was bringing out the best in Jesse until Jesse brought out the worst in her. Even her "backslide" was prompted by her desire to stay at Jesse's side. Seeing Walt decide not to save her is therefore that much more impacting. As I watch the show and see all the characters break bad, I've been holding out hope that they'll each surmount their situations and rise from their own ashes (like the eponymous phoenix of the episode's title). But this episode's end was especially powerful because Jane didn't rise - she just crashed and burned. It makes me wonder whether the same will be case for everyone else, as well.

[nataylor]

There was the attempt to take out Tuco with the ricin (unsuccessful), and then there was also Walt and Jesse leaving Tuco, badly wounded, in the pit outside Tuco's uncle's house. The impression I had is that they thought they were leaving him to die.But even then, Tuco was trying to kill them first.

[stellie93]

Throughout the season, though not every episode, there have been black-and-white "flash forwards" featuring no dialog.

Thanks--I remember the teddy bear and the hazmat suits, but never noticed the body bags. So, no way Jane is going to get into Walt's driveway... Have we ever seen the teddy bear before, in current time?

[danterner]

I've been looking for it each episode, but haven't noticed it. I assume it's probably Holly's.

[speaker city]

Why is there "outrage" that Walt let Jane die? How is this worse than the other cold-blooded murders he and Jesse have committed?

What "other cold-blooded murders" are you referring to?? Crazy 8 and Tuco were both killed in self-defense. Jane posed a serious threat to Jesse and Walt's well-being. She brought it on herself and got what she deserved. Nothing of value was lost.

[sooperkool]

I want to see all this justification the next time your local "real murderer" shows up on the news and says "someone tried to get me first".

So far Walt and Jesse have killed 2 people in their drug business, horribly dissolving one and leaving one o die in a pit in the desert but its "OK".

Walt's been killing and advocating killing for a while now when he's deemed it necessary so why the shock at Jane? That took far more effort than cooking up Ricin or choking someone with a bicycle lock.

How many times has he told Jesse to "Go take care of it" and meant explicitly to kill them?

[sooperkool]

What "other cold-blooded murders" are you referring to?? Crazy 8 and Tuco were both killed in self-defense. Jane posed a serious threat to Jesse and Walt's well-being. She brought it on herself and got what she deserved. Nothing of value was lost.

The cops will be more than happy to tell you that if you can get away or out of the area then there is no lethal force justification. Walts been a murderer and committer of Felony Murder several times over now.

[nataylor]

I want to see all this justification the next time your local "real murderer" shows up on the news and says "someone tried to get me first".

So far Walt and Jesse have killed 2 people in their drug business, horribly dissolving one and leaving one o die in a pit in the desert but its "OK".

Walt's been killing and advocating killing for a while now when he's deemed it necessary so why the shock at Jane? That took far more effort than cooking up Ricin or choking someone with a bicycle lock.

How many times has he told Jesse to "Go take care of it" and meant explicitly to kill them?

First, this is fiction. I do not support the killing or disolving of most people in real life. :)

Second, you said "cold-blooded" murder. To me, that has a specific definition. For instance, planning the killing of someone for profit or retribution. Acts commited in the heat of the moment aren't, to me, "cold-blooded." Still murder, but in Walt's cases, what other choice did he have in those situations?

[sooperkool]

C'mon all of the murders have basically been for profit or retribution, what other reason was their to kill Jane? They had won, they had the money....

I just don't see it the way you guys do and I like Walt.

[nataylor]

I like Walt, too. But I see this as a turning point. The other times he's killed, he would have been killed had he not reacted the way he did. This is the first time he's "killed" without being in a position of immanent mortal danger himself.

[UTV2TiVo]

He didn't 'kill' Jane, he let her die.
The distinction may still not justify what Walt did but it was not the same as premeditated murder.

[VegasVic]

I had been behind about 3 episodes and watched them all tonight. What a fantastic show this is. The storyline with Skylar and her old/new boss is lame but other than that, the time really flies by. Bryan Cranston should win another Emmy.

[chsscgas]

I had been behind about 3 episodes and watched them all tonight. What a fantastic show this is. The storyline with Skylar and her old/new boss is lame but other than that, the time really flies by. Bryan Cranston should win another Emmy.

It may seem lame the plot line with Skylar but her deciding to go along or look the other way with the financial fraud is her "Breaking Bad". It shows what good people will do if put in difficult personal financial situations. Of course the irony being that have $480K in cash in the laundry room.

[VegasVic]

It shows what good people will do if put in difficult personal financial situations.

That's what this whole show is based on with Walt. Having Skylar go through a similar situation seems too contrived to me. But it's (at least for now) a small part of an otherwise great show.

[stellie93]

It's a sign of how far down Walt has gone that he seems proud of his drug business. He wants credit for it. I get that everyone thinks he's a wimp, and he wants to show that he's not, but still..... He knows that drugs will kill Jessie, but doesn't worry at all about all the other kids he's killing.

He's going to have to get in gear to have the cash available for Sky when he goes in for surgery. If he dies she has to know where to find it. I don't see the website working that fast.

[classicX]

Didn't he kill also those two dudes in the trailer who wanted him to show them how he was making the meth?

I'm pretty sure that explosion released toxic gas, that's why they eventually stopped trying the get out of the door that Walt was holding shut.