tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post4982220685224827489..comments2024-03-19T03:23:06.738-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: Breaking Bad, "Caballo Sin Nombre": House huntersAlan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-34714205038065119152011-10-01T18:57:44.822-04:002011-10-01T18:57:44.822-04:00The relationship between Jesse and Walt is becomin...The relationship between Jesse and Walt is becoming interesting. I still don't know whether jesse is going to cross walt or protect him in the end now that he can make the batch himself.Amy @ bake pophttp://www.seentvcanada.com/bake-pop-cake-pops-pan-p-705.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-67095843189963983702010-08-08T05:06:50.183-04:002010-08-08T05:06:50.183-04:00with all the attention to detail this show has, I ...with all the attention to detail this show has, I was stunned to see the boiler room where Walt enters the house through the hatch. The piping is completely different from what he himself installed!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-12957686577633346132010-04-01T14:38:17.313-04:002010-04-01T14:38:17.313-04:00In response to questions from "anonymous"...In response to questions from "anonymous""<br /><br /><i>"are all pizzas 1 meter wide?"</i><br /><br />Thanks to the "pause" button, I googled the pizza place. The box, along with the name of the pizzeria, has the words "Party Pizza" printed on it. Venezia's Pizza sells a 24-inch Party Pizza:<br />http://veneziaspizzeria.com/pizza.shtml<br /><br /><i>"wouldn't neighbors sound an alarm if 2 dudes wearing shiny suits carried a shiny axe to their neighbors door"</i><br /><br />In suburban neighborhoods such as that, most people are away at work and their houses empty during the middle of the day. Statistically most residential burglaries in those kinds of neighborhoods, in fact, happen during daylight hours for just that reason.bleibtreuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12156700590662134044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-16298315079316943502010-04-01T14:31:50.368-04:002010-04-01T14:31:50.368-04:00In response to macguyver:
I believe that "Po...In response to macguyver:<br /><br />I believe that "Pollos" was the sender of the message, not the text of the message. Gus, remember, owns a chain of chicken restaurants called "Los Pollos Hermanos."<br /><br />We've already seen that messages from him arrive on Walt's phone with that identifier. Usually in real life the user of the phone sets that up, and it would actually seem an unlikely coincidence that the cousin would have chosen the same thing in his phone's phonebook.<br /><br />But I think we have to allow some artistic license on that small point, as this is the only way to let the viewer know who sent that message.<br /><br />It's possible, on the other hand, that it was meant to be the text of the message -- and that it's code that Gus sends simply to tell people with whom he's set it up to contact him immediately. The cousins may have left to do that, figuring that now that they know where Walt lives (at least they think he still lives there) they can come back and deal with him any time.bleibtreuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12156700590662134044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-53321493028761555312010-04-01T10:51:44.380-04:002010-04-01T10:51:44.380-04:00PET: it means "lawyer up" or get a lawye...PET: it means "lawyer up" or get a lawyer or hire SAUL GOODMAN, ESQ. it refers to a suspects right to have an attorney present when questioned by the police. it is vernacular used mostly by commentators on news shows while discussing a pending legal entanglement. "the police suspended questioning because the suspect lawyered up."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-29625094160635734192010-04-01T10:46:50.420-04:002010-04-01T10:46:50.420-04:00have a cousin in dublin, ireland and she is OFF TH...have a cousin in dublin, ireland and she is OFF THE WALL crazy about this show. she said that she & her friends gather around a computer sunday nights (early monday irish time) before they head off to work/school/daycare and watch breaking bad. she has never been to the US & asks the craziest questions: are all pizzas 1 meter wide? wouldn't neighbors sound an alarm if 2 dudes wearing shiny suits carried a shiny axe to their neighbors door or are homes SO big that this can pass unnoticed? oh well...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-9692771636701558672010-04-01T10:45:38.083-04:002010-04-01T10:45:38.083-04:00Can anybody explain me the meaning of the "LW...Can anybody explain me the meaning of the "LWYRUP" license plate? I'm not a native English speaker, but I thought I knew the American culture quite well. Looks like I don't. And I can't Google it, either.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15213303943944663735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-37029132038596058402010-04-01T05:57:20.420-04:002010-04-01T05:57:20.420-04:00The most confusing part of the whole episode is wh...The most confusing part of the whole episode is why the twins would back off killing Walt with that beautiful glistening ax after recieving a one word text, "Pollos". As many would translate this word as "chickens", this word is also commonly assosiated with illegal immigrants who cross the border from Mexico into the US. The twins did illegaly cross the border, so whoever sent the text and whatever meaning it had, it was obviously directed at the twins. This one is gonna keep me guessing till sunday.macguyvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-63825736328528431692010-03-31T22:34:00.190-04:002010-03-31T22:34:00.190-04:00"Consiglieri" is plural, I think the cor..."Consiglieri" is plural, I think the correct form is "consigliere".Karl Rubenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17046303307901837031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-13296235095085260582010-03-31T17:23:00.800-04:002010-03-31T17:23:00.800-04:00"At some point, Walt's got to get back in..."At some point, Walt's got to get back in the lab. What's going to get him there?"<br /><br />Gus apparently didn't have anything that Walt wanted (not even $3 million). Now he finds his leverage. He's able to protect Walter from the chopping block, but as long as Walter remains retired, he doesn't need to. <br /><br />My guess is that Gus agrees to protect Walt for as long as he cooks for him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-69319560788429660002010-03-31T09:17:53.854-04:002010-03-31T09:17:53.854-04:00I still see Walt as the hero, everything through h...I still see Walt as the hero, everything through his eyes, and Jesse as innocent. That must come from the amazing character writing & acting. While the situations may be farfetched, the characters and their motivations couldn't be more true.<br /><br />"• Walt's so anal and controlling that he has to go and skim the pool at his apartment complex. (And that, in turn, gives the production team an excuse to trot out the pools-eye-view camera again. I love that camera almost as much as they obviously do.)"<br /><br />I really saw this as him doing the things he would do at home. Sad that he doesn't have his own pool to keep clean.Scazzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09616094300577670096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-58298009748808407792010-03-31T02:54:22.001-04:002010-03-31T02:54:22.001-04:00Angela, I agree. It seems kind of silly to me for ...Angela, I agree. It seems kind of silly to me for people to criticize that those characters don't act like "real" cartel operatives would, while watching a show about a high school teacher turned meth producer who teamed up with an ex-student, killed a couple of drug dealers, created more powerful methanthetamine than anyone else ever has, blew up an office with a very tiny amount of explosive, and then happened to be living in the debris field of an airplane collision caused by a Rube Goldberg-ish series of events that he put in motion.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I love the show. But it's fiction. Almost nothing in it reflects real life. What's important is that when we're living in its universe, we lose ourselves there.<br /><br />And everybody loves Saul Goodman. How much is he like a "real" lawyer? His character is exaggerated for effect, as are those of the cousins.bleibtreuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12156700590662134044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-14188725581332352152010-03-30T19:29:07.468-04:002010-03-30T19:29:07.468-04:00In the last episode my comment never posted,
so th...In the last episode my comment never posted,<br />so this comment has more to do with last week. <br />The Cousins: I couldn't figure out why I liked them a lot, yet so many others said they were not to their liking. <br />Perhaps it's because I saw them as a parody of the drug cartel. So it was fine with me that they wouldn't act like/do that, in real life. <br />Plus I thought their performance was awesome. Perfect timing, gestures, rhythm, everything! <br /><br />Also, really good entertainment pulls you in, but at the same time you are reminded while watching, that it *is* entertainment. Hm...hope that makes sense.<br /><br />Anyway, I just love this show, as much as always.Angelanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-90205528641512498732010-03-30T16:16:22.348-04:002010-03-30T16:16:22.348-04:00One other thing: apparently the only clue that ale...One other thing: apparently the only clue that alerts Walt that something is up, that someone has been in the house, is that the eye is moved from one side of his open suitcase to the other. He's really paying close attention to that little talisman.bleibtreuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12156700590662134044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-31890769639516747572010-03-30T16:13:11.493-04:002010-03-30T16:13:11.493-04:00Having gone back to review the final scene, starti...Having gone back to review the final scene, starting from when the cousins arrive at the house, I feel I can weigh in on a couple of the questions that have come up here.<br /><br />It's clear that Walt has left the door unlocked; the cousins don't do anything to get in other than open the door. We see the door from inside the house as it slowly opens with both of them standing outside. Nothing in their gloved hands -- no keys, picks, or anything similar -- other than the ax.<br /><br />And the cell phone is in the pocket of the lighter-dressed of the cousins when it gives a short double-buzz that would be indicative of a text message arriving. The message on the screen, as mentioned earlier, says "Inbox 1/1"" -- also indicative of a text message.<br /><br />While one could thing that they found and picked up Walt's phone earlier, it clearly doesn't happen. We see them make their way through the house; the only stops are to look at the photo on the refrigerator and a glance into the baby's room.bleibtreuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12156700590662134044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-62976998885797225062010-03-30T14:43:53.173-04:002010-03-30T14:43:53.173-04:00It's definitely not Walt's cell phone, its...It's definitely not Walt's cell phone, its one of the cousins. He pulls it out of the breast pocket of his jacket, its clear that he didn't pick it up anywhere. <br /><br />Also, its definitely a text message not a call. Its clear on the screen that it shows "Inbox (1/1)" at the top of the page. Whats unclear is whether the text <i>says</i> "Pollos" or its a text <i>from</i> "Pollos", and actual message isn't displayed. From what I can remember when I had a similar phone, I believe that only shows who its from, and we never see the contents of the message.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-88360578942144788912010-03-30T13:24:28.549-04:002010-03-30T13:24:28.549-04:00skyler's best scene, i think, was the scene wi...skyler's best scene, i think, was the scene with loss prevention discussing the tiara. the writers haven't given her character much to work with. she's either too strident w/walt or smarmy with her son. her character never seems to strike the right note. add to that the matter of ted @ the car dealer. i tend to think that each character, this year, will break bad in their own way. the son will try to emulate the father, skyler will go for ted binake, jesse is harder and more confident of his new role as the bad guy, hank's career will spiral into walt's compromising both...and so on. the writers are insane. this is the best TV since the original airing of Brideshead Revisited on PBS in 1980.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-47301643530673080952010-03-30T12:22:59.728-04:002010-03-30T12:22:59.728-04:00When Walt told the officer about hellfire raining ...When Walt told the officer about hellfire raining down upon his home it seemed to me the show was sort of attempting to explain the symbolism of the season 2 finale, which felt odd and forced. Otherwise a great episode, much better than last week.<br /><br />I hate Skylar too. She is just awful. But it has nothing to do with her actions this season. I just can't stand her or the actress who plays her.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-3513984756282042382010-03-30T12:10:49.348-04:002010-03-30T12:10:49.348-04:00I think that the teddy bear eye is symbolic on man...I think that the teddy bear eye is symbolic on many levels, both literal and figurative. It's a powerful reminder of Walt's single or limited vision (enhanced, as already pointed out, by the smashed windshield, pepper spray, and shampoo in Walt's eyes) which is an overarching theme in novels such as "Clockwork Orange". The eye illustrates the power of the gaze and triggers Walt's conscience and transient feelings of guilt. The eye is also a literal reminder of the lives lost in the crash, particularly the lives of chidren, and brings into sharper relief Walt's hypocrisy in attempting to convince himself he's a cooker because of his committment to his family.Hutchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-85808735141110788982010-03-30T10:16:38.058-04:002010-03-30T10:16:38.058-04:00The first few shots of the opening scene were grea...The first few shots of the opening scene were great at showing the world through Walt's eyes. We see him clearly through the windshield, happily singing along to the radio. It's not until the cop pulls him over and points it out that we see the windshield is totally shattered (which Walt indirectly caused).Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03684742278197721865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-86105899578952551572010-03-30T10:16:32.558-04:002010-03-30T10:16:32.558-04:00A good show has good characters and interesting st...A good show has good characters and interesting story lines. To be truly great, you need a few curveballs that are plausible at the same time.<br /><br />Walt's wife being an accountant is a great choice for her personality. Pre-Enron, accountants were viewed as the most ethical of the professions. Her dealings with her boss is not unusual for accountants. CEOs and even small business owners want everything to look good for the stock price or even for applying for bank loans, auditors do not want to lie when certifing financials but want to get paid by their clients. Auditors are not going to call the IRS on a client, they are going to advise how to state the financials legally. It is a fine line negotiated on both sides.<br /><br />And to be fair to Skylar, her deal with Walt and her boss is similar. She wants a divorce but won't rat Walt out. She also won't rat out her boss but won't be party to somehow illegal and states how he needs to "refine" his financials before she will sign off on them. Comparing Skylar to Jesse's parents in terms of hypocracy in this episode is not exactly fair imo. It is interesting with Skylar; she seems to have softened her attitude just a bit after talking to her boss but I am not sure if her situation with Walt has put her boss in a more sympathetic light or vice versa, but after that scene--as a viewer--I am thinking Skylar is a bit emotionally vulnerable to Walt.<br /><br />And what do you know, Walt Jr shows up and Walt is in a position to drop him off at home with knowledge from Walt Jr that everyone is on his side. This is right after the scene with her boss, a perfect segue.<br /><br />And this is where the episode threw a great curve for me. Instead of giving the same speech her boss gave about doing all this for his family, he shows up with the tawdry charms of cologne and dipping sauce, expecting to get in. If he had been a bit more apologetic, Skylar might have caved but of course he is as oblivious to his behavior here as he was all episode. Those type of scenes remind me of "Reality Bites", where Winona Rider and Ethan Wawke are on the verge of getting together throughout the movie but are constantly striking attitudes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-18572347625236729392010-03-30T01:24:01.100-04:002010-03-30T01:24:01.100-04:00(Continued from the previous post)
I think too, t...(Continued from the previous post)<br /><br />I think too, that it foreshadows a paranoia that will become more and more real as Walt goes deeper into the rabbit hole. He first found it (and inexplicably pocketed it) just as Hank (police authority personified) shows up and thereafter we see it again and again witnessing depravity of one kind or another. We'll see it a bunch more too. Without a doubt. And when we do - consider how things look from that eye's perspective within the scope of that eye's history.<br /><br />I think it would be REAL interesting to chronicle a listing of scenes where that eye shows up.<br /><br />Last, A Horse With No Name. Consider closely the lyrical metaphors that make this tune so awesomely appropriate for BB and for Walt's life at this point:<br /><br />A Horse With No Name, by America<br /><br />On the first part of the journey,<br />I was looking at all the life.<br />There were plants and birds. and rocks and things,<br />There was sand and hills and rings.<br />The first thing I met, was a fly with a buzz,<br />And the sky, with no clouds.<br />The heat was hot, and the ground was dry,<br />But the air was full of sound.<br /><br />I've been through the desert on a horse with no name,<br />It felt good to be out of the rain.<br />In the desert you can remember your name,<br />'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain.<br />La, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br />La, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br /><br />After two days, in the desert sun,<br />My skin began to turn red.<br />After three days, in the desert fun,<br />I was looking at a river bed.<br />And the story it told, of a river that flowed,<br />Made me sad to think it was dead.<br /><br />You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name,<br />It felt good to be out of the rain.<br />In the desert you can remember your name,<br />'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain.<br />La la, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br />La la, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br /><br />After nine days, I let the horse run free,<br />'Cause the desert had turned to sea.<br />There were plants and birds, and rocks and things,<br />There was sand and hills and rings.<br />The ocean is a desert, with its life underground,<br />And a perfect disguise above.<br />Under the cities lies, a heart made of ground,<br />But the humans will give no love.<br /><br />You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name,<br />It felt good to be out of the rain.<br />In the desert you can remember your name,<br />'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain.<br /><br />La la, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br />La la, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br />La la, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br />La la, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br />La, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br />La la, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br />La, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br />La la, la, la la la la, la la la, la, la<br /><br />'nuff said.<br /><br />~Indy Hound DogAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-30197277781071970692010-03-30T01:23:43.403-04:002010-03-30T01:23:43.403-04:00No, Mike was not in the house - he was in the yard...No, Mike was not in the house - he was in the yard.<br /><br />As for the cell phone, it is definitely Walt's. We saw it in season 2. Neither is it a text message. "Pollos" is simply the name Walt has given Gus for reference in his 'phone book'. When "Pollos" is calling, it's Gus on the other end.<br /><br />Eventually this thing is going to come down to Walt and his people vs. Tio and the Cousins. The only way out of that death match is a faked death or witness protection or maybe Walt moving far away. There will be casualties on both sides but somehow Tio and the Cousins are going to have to die or else Walt will.<br /><br />There is, of course, a chance that Skyler is offered up as a sacrificial lamb to appease the Cartel. If Skyler goes, I feel a strong hunch that the baby will too.<br /><br />Which leaves Walt and Jr. I'm betting that before this is all over we will see those two mirroring what we saw with Tony Soprano and Anthony Jr (where Jr begins following the path of his old man).<br /><br />And lastly Hank - we started to see some Dirty tendencies from him in Season 2. Whether that plays out as Dirty Harry or Dirty Cop is up in the air. I know that so much of his personality is 'by the book' but if you watch closely the season 2 episodes that focus on Hank, you will see that he could Break Bad too. <br /><br />I think that one of the themes of this show is that ANYONE could go bad. "There but for the grace of G-d, go I." And further still that life is not black and white. There is a heck of a lot of grey in each of us as well as a whole spectrum of other colors. Hank may ride a white horse but hasn't he already covered up for his kleptomaniac wife AND bailed out both Walt and Walt Jr in a clear abuse of police powers and/or bending of policies and using his 'pull' to get them off the hook when anyone else would be up on charges?<br /><br />I can see that when violence comes too close to the family, Hank may snap and even if Walt's cooking does come out at that point Hank the Bulldog is going to let that slide and help Walt do some serious battle. <br /><br />Jesse. Jesse has become the rock on which Walt will lean. Jesse is now in a frame of mind to really run a criminal enterprise and he will. With or without Walt. But obviously those two aren't through yet by a long shot.<br /><br />One thing that baffles me is: Why wouldn't the Studio just purchase that house to shoot in? It's not as if real-estate isn't able to be sold when/if it is no longer needed. Or even rented out on a temporary basis. Certainly at this point the budget for such a purchase is there. Financing should be no problem one way or another.<br /><br />I too loved the pizza scene and I do believe that it went up in one shot. When things are coming together just right as they clearly are in so many aspects of BB, everything just <i>works</i>.<br /><br />The eye. It is the Eye of Judgment. Call it G-d or self reflection or Jimmeny Cricket or whatever. Walt feels it on him and he keeps it around as a symbol of that feeling. Perhaps guilt. <br /><br />(Continued in the next post)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-41313077025140458062010-03-30T00:35:17.996-04:002010-03-30T00:35:17.996-04:00Before Walt got there, Mike had already easily got...Before Walt got there, Mike had already easily got into the house.berkowit28https://www.blogger.com/profile/08194317697552106140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-30260620141861149712010-03-30T00:29:17.637-04:002010-03-30T00:29:17.637-04:00How did the cousins open the door to Walt's ho...<i>How did the cousins open the door to Walt's home so effortlessly when he couldn't crack that lock with every effort (and key) he attempted?</i><br /><br />Anon at 10:03 is correct I think. Walt had unlocked the door. But aside from that explanation, I haven't the slightest doubt that those guys would have basically no trouble at all opening that door even if it were locked. It really wouldn't be much of an obstacle for any kind of determined criminal.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00167030293466638914noreply@blogger.com