Originally made in May 2020 or something. A video essay in which I review my favorite scene in Breaking Bad; the scene from "Ozymandias" in which Skyler and Flynn see Walt back at the house.
Yeah, but at this point it's almost as if the truth is just a technicality. I don't think there's much difference to them between "I killed uncle Hank" and "I hired some white supremacists to kill my meth business associate and they ended up killing uncle Hank". Maybe Jerry Springer would prefer the latter
Really even if they knew the truth, it would be the same thing. Hank got killed but Walt tried to save him. Ok. Who killed Hank? How did Jack know even know about Hank or get near him?
@@MrTambourineMan. All Walt is concerned right now are two things 1- He didnt pull the trigger 2- He REALLY doesnt want to think about how he did aim the gun at Hank's head pretty much
nah. as always walt has to leave details out to fit his narrative. he forgot to mention that he tried to save hank from his own hitman call. master manipulator at work. it was always about protecting himself.
In the final scene with her running after Walt, you should watch the behind the scenes. It's very intense and she really struggled emotionally with that bit
@@revisjamesit’s a dark show I’ve watched lots of behind the scenes you can tell it’s a struggle to play such complex troubled characters it can feel so real Anna deserved better some people can’t tell reality from fiction
@Messwithmitchie you summed up my thoughts completely man. It's very hard to play a character as complex and well made as someone like Skylar or Walt. Making a technically morally correct character unlikeable is a hard line to walk and people should be praising it not sending death threats
My favourite part of this scene is right after Flynn attacks Walt to protect Skylar, Walt yells “what the hell is wrong with you? We’re a family!” But then it shows Flynn and Skylar cowering in fear as the camera slowly pulls back to reveal Walt is all alone. He has no family. He’s made his choice. The camera pull back to show him alone is brilliant.
Imagine being in Flynn’s position. He literally went from another average day to suddenly finding out his father his a drug kingpin and murderer, and his mother was complicit. Literally his entire view on his parents changed in an instant. He still looks at life with that innocence of black and white. And then he gets home and finds Walt. And then he finds out that Hank, his idol and hero that he looks up to, is dead. And he believes his own father killed him. His entire world was changed forever in the span of a few hours. How would you react in his position?
The problem is him, still not fully understanding the situation, sides with Skylar and lies that Walt attacked her when the opposite transpired. Him calling the police is an L but his actions somewhat make sense.
@@baseddepartment1645 based department says calling the police on the person you think killed your loved one and you were just told was a meth kingpin is an L move
That camera shot of Flynn shielding Skylar as they both stare at Walt in sheer terror gave me literal goosebumps. Such a tragic and chilling scene. Followed by Walt's hearbroken whimpering "we're a family" is one of the most heartbreaking moments in the entire series. 😢😢
I grew up around parents that fought a lot and I always thought this scene was horrifically accurate to what it was like. It’s genuinely one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever watched, especially with everybody’s performances.
100%. Walt yelling reminded me of my dad trying to convince my mom he was right, the tussle with the knife reminded me of watching my parents fall on the floor in a fucked-up wrestling match. It hits hard. I'm lucky and very glad they've changed. I hope you're doing alright.
Yes and the way Walt uses the bullshit family excuse, his oversaturated ego, and his decision to kidnap the baby reminds me of my dad too much to the point where I almost couldn't finish watching BB. Never seen anything like that on TV.
My parents fought a lot too.. cops and ambulances were always there! Mom was an alcoholic and dad was too but a meth head as well.. my siblings and I were always dragged into it everytime my mom would try to leave with her but my dad would yell and constantly wrestle her.. it was bone chilling here knowing how similar it was to mine.. the acting is phenomenal but the scene hit too close to home.. instead a knife it was a pipe that my dad viciously beat my mom up with.. she didn’t wake up I really thought she was dead but simply knocked out.. traumatizing.. breaking bad is one of the best shows ever
Ozymandias is such a smart name for the episode too, for those who don’t know it’s a poem about an ancient leader who loses all of his power and it’s meant to symbolise how having power will not last forever - for obvious reasons this is just like the episode edit: thank god I had high school English class so that I could analyse breaking bad more effectively
it also gives an interesting interpretation of the poem if we apply walt's situation, the "king of kings" was never much of a great man to begin with and his arrogant boast to "look upon my works ye mighty and despair" was just a small man's attempt to look big
The poem is bullshit, as the real life inspiration of it is exactly the opposite of what the poet implies. The country founded by The King of Kings is still a prominent political identity today, and he left a trail that'd be walked by those wishing to recapture his legacy for thousands of years after his death. Even still the Iranians of today patiently await the arrival of the next Saoshyant. The poet focuses entirely on the material aspect of the King of Kings' legacy, which is appropriate for a pretentious little ignorant western. The poem is not unlike reading hot takes on twitter, just worded in a way that sounds poignant and nice. Heisenberg similarly also left a trail which will have its fair share of aspiring criminals and his grave will be visited, like the tombs of the great conquerors of old to receive his blessing.
To be completely honest, the thing that broke me when i saw this scene where the screams of Walt Jr. during the fight "Mom! Dad! Please stop! Mom!", the delivery on these lines are simply amazing. I always thought of Walt Jr. as one of my favorite characters in the show, he was just a teenager, doing teenager stuff, with an unfortunate disability, but you could clearly see that he was pure at heart, i would even dare to say he was the most innocent character on the entire show, but here he was watching his parents fight and was forced to choose. He also just found out his father is a drug kingpin and thinks he killed his uncle, who he always saw as a model compared to his father. The emotions just killed me when i saw this, i needed to pause the episode and lay on my bed for 5 minutes
It was always a meme to pick on all his parts as just "eating breakfast" or dinner or he's always just there, but that was always the intention I think. He is in fact just a teenager who never gets involved in any of the main plots of the show which makes this scene all the more heartbreaking because this is the moment he discovers the truth about his dad and it's when his dad is the biggest monster he can be. Imagine if Junior found out during Walt's battle of wits against Gus or after his kidnapping by Tuco. Would it have been as defensive or harsh of a reaction? Would he convince him to go to the cops like Skylar? That's not to say he should be "okay" with Walt's actions. But the fact he doesn't discover his dad's true identity until after Hank dies is very sad. He will never believe his dad at this point that he got involved in the drug business to secure finances for his family.
my favorite part in the whole series is his acting in this scene, specifically when he is on the ground shielding skylar from walt. breaks my heart every time
@@Rollwithit699 Is this bait? Walt jr isn't entitled or ungrateful he's a literal child going through some real traumatic shit between his parents. Not only that but he has a disability which makes him even weaker and sensitive by nature. It doesn't mean he's a bad character tho, that's what makes him a good character. You can really feel however u want about walt jr, but the common consensus is that he belongs in the character lineup just as much as anyone else
Every time I rewatch the show I notice something with Skylar's attire. In the beginning of the show she dresses kind of flowy and free, almost youthful, in the middle she starts dressing sexier, possibly as a sign of rebellion from her marriage and a hint toward the oncoming infidelity. when she begins the laundromat sneaky business she dresses darker and more corporate, like she's now in on the dirty business her husband started. at the end, particularly in ozymandias, and in the scene when Hank nearly arrests her, she is dressed in pastels that reflect her timid, hopeless and submissive disposition while everything gets out of hand. I haven't heard anyone else notice this. am i just crazy?
Breaking Bad had tons of thought put into the costume design. I saw a wonderful video on how it utilizes colors, I’d recommend searching up “breaking bad color theory”. Apparently Vince told the costume designers specifically what colors he wanted in each scene to exemplify the characters best
@@salamanderhillbillyweasel1629 No hes not Vince Gilligan put a ton of thought into every outfit every character wore and when they wore it search up “breaking bad color theory”
Sometimes I think that BB is getting overanalyzed and even Vince Gilligan would be like "wow that's actually cool, i didn't know that" But now I'm sure Vince is a genious
Can you imagine Vince looking at the comments section of a breaking bad clip and seeing a random guy with confederate flag profile pic explain how Walt is actually a good guy and Vince is a genius for writing such a great character lmao
the part where skylar says “put on your seatbelt it’s not safe” and walt jr says “ur shittin me right?” actually is the funniest piece of dialogue in breaking bad history in the most intense episode ever 😂
Skyler had some of the best lines in the whole show. She gave me goosebumps when she said "I don’t need to hear any of your bullshit rationales. I’m in it now. I’m compromised. But I will not have my children living in a house where dealing drugs and hurting people and killing people is shrugged off as ‘shit happens!"
One of my favorite aspects of this episode is that it isn’t the finale. Hell, it isn’t even the second to last episode. We get two whole episodes after, to just sit in our own shame at ever having rooted for Walt at any point.
Walt did shitty things throughout. Letting Jane die was an early one. He gets to the point where you completely hate him and he has given up, and then he does everything possible to make things right. Or if not right, better. Gets money to his family, apologizes to Skyler, avenges Hank by killing all of the Nazis, frees Jesse and died admiring chemistry equipment.
I hated Skyler at first. With retrospect, it might be one of the best character in the Serie. The producer wanted us to hate her while praising for Walt. Like you said tho, in this episode, everything flips upside down. Even if I hate Ryan Johnson, I can't deny the fact that he gave us great scenes at the right time and just the right amount of stuff. Sadly, it takes a bit of talent to write an episode about a fricking fly o.O
Skyler's screams while she runs to save Holly haunts me to this day it never fails to give me the most gross heavy and devastating feeling. This is truly the greatest scene in media despite how depressing it really is.
i think that the conflict in ozymandias felt so painful because it felt the most real. a shootout using turrets isn't an every day scene, while scenes of domestic abuse are. this is every day, and even not abuse but just the way walt insults skyler through the phone before returning holly, and especially skylers a thousand yard stare felt all too real for a show that's disconnected from reality for so many of us
@@rain-gx1lj that was the point of the shot of Skyler's face, stone-faced but listening intently, conveying that she understood that Walt was lying to protect them
“If you knew about it this whole time, then you’re just as bad as him.” Holy shit we (the audience) are literally skylar in that moment. We’ve watched Walt let an innocent girl die, poison a child, and mentally abuse his wife, and yet we somehow still paint him as the good guy.
Because we, as skyler, also watch walt good side, and how he transformed, Marié and hank were close friends of the family, but they didnt live with walt. But anyways it happen with all villains, if the villain have a good backstory, we can think of him as a victim, and as a good person. But also there is the other way and walter didnt only manipulated his family but also the audience, so we are like a type of jesse.
@@ShFred Yeah, I was gonna say.. He had good reason letting her die. For his own personal privacy. It’s not morally good, but good for his goals and confidentiality maintenance. Because she essentially blackmailed Walt to give Jesse his money when he was under influence of cocaine. Threatening to expose Walt’s secrets and illegal activity. She wasn’t helpful or good for Jesse, and she was an extreme threat to Walt. So she is far from innocent. Some may say, oh wow. She’s actually innocent because she tried to expose a drug dealer. But just how moral is she if she does drugs anyway? A consumer of a product is no more innocent than a producer. In this drug related circumstance.
Anna Gunn is such a good actor, probably one of if not my favourite actor in the show. This scene is very powerful, in part due to the good writing, but mainly because of her very real and horrifying reaction.
What makes Ozymandias the best episode of television is that everything we thought that was going to happen from the first episode is payed off and showed in this episode. We didn’t know the exact details but we knew family will be destroyed in some fashion 5 years after the pilot aired. It’s like a slow but explosive reaction waiting to happen.
Along with many others, I was feeling the worst for Flynn in that scene. He was never even told what's going on before, and not because he's too young, but because it's illegal. And those memories of the real existing WW website to fund his medical treatment are still clear in my head.
I was thinking that too. It is already a traumatic experience regularly having to watch your parents fight, I can’t imagine how it must feel to watch your family fall apart before your own eyes and your parents descend into madness and violence against each other while you’re near powerless to stop any of it.
@@burgerkingbasketballcourt and moments before that you just learnt that your beloved uncle is very possibly dead and you are really not sure if he was murdered by your father or not.
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This scene made me feel really uncomfortable and scared. I just assumed it's just because I'm super sensitive to domestic violence with children and stuff since it reminds me of a couple times when similar stuff has happened when I was a kid. But that explanation and breakdown of the scene made me really appreciate it a lot more now. Good video!
Honestly, the family fight is insane. Everything is done so accurately it makes it feel like I'm right there, watching a family have a fight, or like someone recorded an actual fight, or is livestreaming it. Everything is so real. The way things build up so suddenly yet so excruciatingly slowly, just like real life where you know it's going to happen yet it feels so sudden when it actually happens, and the best part? The camera angles and movements. This is almost exactly how I remember my childhood and the way my parents fought. Everything feels so blurry, so rushed, and you have no idea what to do. The sudden cuts and shakes of the camera really put everything into perspective, making the viewer also feel like a victim of Walt. Definitely the best show I've ever seen in my life.
I love how you end the video with Flynn saying "If all this is true, and you knew about it, then you're as bad as him," with no commentary, because everyone watching now realizes he's not just talking to Skylar there.
I actually originally recorded a final line that said "Flynn was talking to us in the car." Had a big back-and-forth on whether or not to include it. Glad the point got across!
I feel like Ozymandias was a big ass slap to the face of the fans who thought Walter was the badass hero and Skyler the whiny bitch. Walter begging and sobbing his lungs out at the start, the phone call, Flynn's dialogue...it's too perfect.
you so clearly see them as victims in this scene, far more than ever before in the series. the moment that they're breathing heavy after the fight and walt jr and skyler are cowering in fear below walter feels like that sharp breath and moment of clarity you have after a bout of adrenaline; you can feel walt's view shift as he sees that he's broken the family beyond repair... he sees, even if just for a moment, that he is the scary and evil boogeyman that his wife and son could never have even imagined. really intense. this scene is also such a stark contrast to the rest of the show because it is SO grounded in reality. it's real. families go through horrifically traumatizing things like this , whereas for most people, you're able to look at the rest of the show through lenses of fantasy.
Imagine hating Skylar because of how she handled something that most people wouldn't be able to at all. I used to find her annoying until I started getting sober and realized that's how someone would act in true desperation feeling like they're trapped.
She's still an annoying character- you can’t exactly save her from that. And let me remind you that she ‘trapped’ herself by choosing, with her adult mind, to participate in the meth business, without anyone else forcing her to. She is not an innocent victim, and that is a really weird point of view to hold.
@@James-jq3hd her alternative was to turn Walt in to the DEA, something that would have exposed walts actions to his son, and cost him having a father in his life, same with Holly. while its arguable she got "greedy" trying to just go back to normal life after Walt quit the business, her options were limited. while she's not an innocent party, she is absolutely Walts most tortured victim, so I think we can give her a bit of slack when judging, her arc in the show is being worn down into things Walt was always ok with.
@@James-jq3hddidn't really have much of a choice by the time she fully understood the situation. Most spouses aren't likely to put their partner in prison you know.
@@Listed_Gamer she ignored the advice of her divorce attorney, who would have provided her with all the evidence and protection available under the law. She had a free pass and the perfect opportunity to get out. She chose to delve deeper and deeper into crime as if it were a turn on for her, using the same "for the family" justification Walt had (paying Hank's hospital bills). You're only giving her a break because she's a woman and you think she's incapable of deciding what's right and wrong for herself. In the end, she couldn’t go full gangsta.
10:55 fun fact this scene made Anna Gunn, the actress for Skylar White, actually breakdown they almost cancelled it because it made her so emotional it was a disturbing scene to act and watch
In fact, Walt wasn’t even supposed to kidnap Holly, Bryan Cranston, the actor that portrays Walter White saw the opportunity and abducted her, the directors liked this SO much that they decided to keep it in the show Bravo Vince! Truly one of the moments of all time
@@randomuser1010 breaking bad wasnt even supposed to be a crime drama, it was meant to be a family-friendly sitcom but bryan cranston started cooking meth on set and vince liked it so much they rolled with it
She broke down because her screen partner of five seasons acted out a kidnapping? C'mon dude. In 9 cases out of 10 these "tHiS AcToR aCtUaLLy BrOkE dOwN" trivias are just bullshit their PR manager gets dumbass redditors to believe and spread to others to make the actor look better.
The thing i find rhe most wild about all these video essays, is how often I hear "and we thought walt was the good guy".did that many people really view Walt as a good person? By the end of season 2 he was a monster. I watched to see how the monster would evolve. Protagonists don't need to be morally good.
I first watched the show in eighth grade (too young?), so I think a lot of the nuance and themes of the show went over my head the first time through. I wish that more people watched it with your attitude, to be honest, as I think it's the most accurate one, but if you scroll through these comments, about half of them are saying Walt did nothing wrong which is a little terrifying to me
You're supposed to sympathize with him. You're supposed to go down with him. You're supposed to excuse or even justify his actions. It's not until the end that you get a wakeup call and realize he was the villain all along. That's the main point of the show.
It was easy for me to keep rooting for Walt in the context of a fictional story. But for me the facade shattered after he let Jane die. My egotistical fantasies apparently have a limit! My mom said from the first time Walt lied to his wife she knew what kind of man he was, even if he never became Heisenberg. (And I am certain that was what Vince intended as well.) My mom has had a strong marriage for over 40 years now, forged through fire. There's no room for bullshit in that. On the same note she had a problem with Skylar being a bad parent, but it was never like what the audience did, hating on her in favor of Walt. She wanted them to live happily ever after of course, but there was no facade shattered for her, and I always found that really interesting. Elliots' offer was also another early foundation for Walt's character, take it or leave it. I apparently forgot about that huge moment in favor of fun times haha.
the shot with teh knife in the foreground being fought over and flynn in teh background made my heart stop. i thought he gonna try to intervene but fall on it. omg. these breaking bad analysis always amaze me cause it just adds more to the masterpiece that is this show.
The fear I felt thinking that Flynn was going to die in this scene was too much, I was still reeling from Hank's death and if he died I think I would've had to take a break.
I loved how you pointed out how this episode was in contrast to all the "cool" moments of the show. This whole episode's message to me was "this was all not okay". Walt did terrible things and what happened was not cool or fun, it was horrific. A lot of the show was honestly light hearted despite the dark subject matter, and this episode showed how ugly it all really was.
@@jeffgayzose8129 for real it’s like the people who say cod turns people into mass shooters. If you can’t distinguish fiction from reality you are basically lobotomized
God, Holly’s blood curdling screaming and crying whenever she’s present during a verbal or physical altercation will stick with me for god knows how long.
I don't get why Skyler is pinned the most hated character in the show..every time i watch it i have more sympathy for her character seeing her husband transform into a hardened criminal and put the whole family in danger. Plus Anna Gunn does such a phenomenal job bringing her character to life
You forgot the shot after the fight... when walter sees his wife and son on the floor lookin at him in absolute fear and shock... and the camera does a zoom sequence showin how far apart he has come from them... confirming that this is the point he has completely lost his family and there is no going back... heartbreaking
i also like how when skylar chases walt, the shots are far, and it’s arguably the first moment in the show where the conflict between skylar and walt isn’t inside their house, sort of telling us that there’s no turning back now that everything is out in the open.
In the first 15 seconds of the video, he used the phrase “toxic masculinity” once, and then never brought it up again. Somehow this threw a ton of people into a fit. If hearing that term hurts your feelings so much and makes you unable to sit through the rest of the video, you’re kinda weak.
There is such a thing as toxic masculinity but it is over used by Misandrists, if someone can describe non-toxic masculine traits without describing feminine traits can talk about it.
Walter's actions here and throughout the whole show helped cement Jesse as my favorite character instead of the egomaniac kingpin that manipulated Jesse and his own wife. Every performance in this show was fucking incredible, too.
Hmm, idk about that. I agree that Jesse feels the weight of his actions a lot heavier than Walt does, but there are still many moments where Jesse was in the wrong when it came to Walt. For one, Walt was right to say that Jesse’s threat of burning his money would only be hurting his wife and kids; not Walt. Despite the plan being a scheme between Jesse and Hank, their end goal was clear to have Walt arrested and have his money be repossessed by the DEA. Walt explained both to Hank and Jesse that he likely only had 6 months left to live, meaning he’d both never survive until a verdict gets reached in court and he doesn’t have the time to spend his $80 million in cash. Jesse and Hank’s scheme was solely intended on “beating” Walt out of spite, even if it meant he’d never face _true_ justice or that his family would really be the only ones suffering. Second, Jesse was wrong to side with Gus over Walt during the time Gus was trying to pit the two of them together. One could blame Walt for his faults and mistakes, but Gus is MUCH worse than Walter in every regard. I don’t blame Walt for making Brock sick and framing Gus in order to smack some sense back into Jesse, because Jesse needed a reminder about who Gus truly is and how Gus would _actually_ be willing to murder a kid like Brock while Walt merely poisoned him to give Brock flu-like symptoms; refusing to cross that line which Gus has walked many times over without a second thought. Third, Jesse indirectly caused Jane’s death. He got her hooked back onto drugs and no matter how many people try to blame her death on Walt for his inaction, it was ultimately Jesse who introduced her to drugs just like how he introduced the other people in the rehab therapy group to drugs.
No matter how polished the script is, or how good and telling the cinematography is, Internet discussions about this episode are still some of the cringiest and most hilarious things on this website. It's all just people who missed the point by an astronomical distance, desperately trying to gaslight each other that Walter did nothing wrong and that everything would've been fine if only Skyler had been open to sit down and have sum coffee with her kingpin pathologically lying husband to calmly discuss the intricacies surrounding Hank's brutal murder.
Yeah, I remember watching the Breaking Bad Honest Trailer and both the video and the comments portrayed Skyler as an annoying, nagging bitch of a wife. So when I finally watched the series, I was so confused. Nagging bitch where? Her actions and inactions were overall valid and understandable. But even today, Walt fans vilify the hell out of the characte... and the actress too. It's quite concerning.
I didn't like Walt by the end of the show, but you have to admit that skylar attacking walt with a knife was a stupid decision on her part, especially to do it in front of walt jr.
One of the most disturbing parts to me is the fact that he kidnaps Holly knowing that his own life is also in danger.After inadvertently having his brother killed he betrays his own family to prove a point and uses his newborn child as an excuse for his actions,in the illusion that he was trying to save her from their own family despite his own psychopathy.
I don't think he was trying to save his daughter from them, he was desperately trying to hold onto his family and Holly was his last option at that point. By taking her he gave up on Skyler or Walter Jr. ever forgiving him. It was a crime of passion, it wasn't premeditated like you're suggesting. He wanted to take Skyler, Walter Jr., and Holly with him in the truck, but Holly became his only choice after the fight
I think the reason he took Holly is simple. He wasn't planning on keeping her and raising her on the run. He took her because he loved her and knew he might never see his family again and so he stole one last moment with her. But mainly he wasn't thinking. One last selfish act.
@@kevinburch4932 that's what I thought too after I just rewatched it. It seemed like he just took her to spend SOME time with her since he knows his fate and will never be able to see her again. It's obvious how he holds her later, it made me sympathize with him again
um what? what point was he trying to prove? i think you missed the mark entirely on your idea of what happened but to each their own. He had given up on his family and thought the kid was the only thing left of it, he wasnt thinking "i need to take my kid to save her from my craaazy none drug making family!"
I think the reason why they made this scene so disruptive and so different from all the other "cool" scenes of Breaking Bad is that this is the moment Walt finally has no point to make, no argument, no upper hand, no motive. For 5 seasons, we heard him say he was doing all the most hideous acts "for his family". After Hank's death and during this scene, he just can't use this argument anymore, so now we all know he's just doing all this for himself.
The best shot of the whole series was in this scene and you skipped over it. Around 10:33 when Walter Jr with his arm over his mom looks frightened at heisenberg. Honestly the most heart breaking and confronting shot in the whole series.
Yeah, it's like they're reduced to genuine primal fear and you can see how much it messes with Walt when he sees his family in that state, due to his actions.
I think that scene is stupid Walter jr acted like an idiot in that scene straight up lied to the cops he doesn’t know anything about Heisenberg his mom pulled the knife
@@behindyou3689 lmao am not talking about the context. Yes walter Jr was a idiot. But the shot itself visually was beautiful and haunting. Even if you hate the show you admit. Also you literally sound like your 12 lmaooo. Most people would argue Walt was in the wrong in most of this season.
Being a child who grew up (still growing) in a very violent household, the fight between Walt and Skyler while Flynn is trying to stop them terrified me. The shot of Flynn protecting his mother broke me man.
I mean mom pulled the knife first so idk what ur talking about He doesn’t know anything about Heisenberg but yet they portrayed like he does Didn’t e spect people to be so angry it’s just an opinion I still live breaking bad I was just voicing my opinion
@@SenorCoupon true but he doesn't believe them it just doesn't make sense they portray Skylar as this innocent woman but she is pretty terrible and walt jr worships his dad the whole show and switches on him on a dime but not when his mom slashed his dad with a knife? bad directing this the only point in the show that sucked for me just not a good ending to these characters in my opinion stupid and didn't make sense
I love this scene so much. Its incredible how they made the viewers feel physical discomfort(atleast for me). Making it feel like you just want to get out of the situation.
Why would you say he “kidnapped” his own daughter? idk bro, from the way Skylar attacked Walt with a knife and his son lying to the police about what happened, I’d say Holly was in danger being around her mother and brother. Not only does Walt have the legal right as a parent to take his own daughter for a car ride, but Walt could’ve comfortably supported Holly for years with the money he earned. I’d say forget the hysterical wife and the lying, ungrateful son and just live a new life as a single father with his daughter. Those two made their choices by stabbing Walt with a knife and make a false report to the police, so screw ‘em. No money for them I’d say, but Walt has too big of a heart to go through with something like that, and he’s willing to forgive those who wronged him.
@@NiigoMeeks How is that bait? Walt was the one that was had his hand sliced by a hysterical wife that wrongly believed her husband murdered their brother in law, and then their son had the audacity to lie to the police and portray his father as the menace. Do you think the violent wife with a knife and the lying son are in the right here? I’m curious why you’d think so…
@@NiigoMeeks Ah I see, you’re some sort of role-reversing troll, where you troll others by deliberately making baseless troll accusations in order to cause outrage and confusion. That’s kinda clever, but your yawning emoji gave it away. I give your trolling a D+ for creativity, but I’m taking lots of points off since you gave it away in your second reply…
I can’t be the only one who ALWAYS saw that knife block as a Chekov’s Gun from the first time it was on the show. I noticed it right away in S1 and thought…. Those ain’t just for cooking
@@Zack29810 Ya, but it's shown clearly near the centre of the frame many times. This is breaking bad, they don't just put random things in a shot repeatedly for no reason
@@Zack29810 no it's not, look at the angle of the camera when it appears. I think it was kind of obvious when they showed them the last time before Skyler used them
@@lilequalityraps1232Planning on rewatching the show I'll keep that in mind but I don't think you need a setup or forshadow for a simple kitchen knife though
I’m just reiterating what everyone is saying really, but the fight scene between Walt and Skylar is so deeply disturbing to me because it is just SO real. You hear the sharp breath, the struggling, the literal fight for survival. You’re watching the complete and utter destruction of a family, a family that will never be together again, whose relationships will never be repaired. It’s like you’re watching all of the characters die at once, or at least you’re watching parts of them die. It’s raw and it’s real and it’s terrifying, just like actual violence that occurs behind closed doors.
I would say that my first time around watching this series, Ozymandias is the episode that did finally break down exactly how far into his monstrosity Walt had dug. I knew he was a monster, but the tone of the show makes you constantly manipulated into the same sick twisted fantasy he's having... believing he has any sort of victory. That his hole-filled plan had any semblance of sense from the beginning. When you watch Breaking Bad a second time, the tone changes. You don't forget this episode, not ever. It completely reshapes how you see everything Walt does, provides a sort of clarity.
I remember watching this episode live one of the last" had to see it live" moments along with most of the final season as after this Netflix and streaming where the new norm going forward. I still remember how stunned I was after this episode and having to sit on it and wait another week for the next episode. Alot of grea5 shows are being made but it's a shame we no longer get this sort of slow burn and builds so much anticipation and actually pays it off and that sort of energy that comes with knowing your experiencing this the same time as every one else is a crazy feeling
I'd like to also point out that a large portion of the audience (myself included) also goes through a realization similar to that of Walt Jr. when he realizes that his father is a monster. Watching Skyler and Walter fight over the knife and eventually Holly is almost as harrowing to the viewer as it is for Jr.
The "Were a family" line killed me. Haven't cried more during any tv show or movie. And the way he says it twice realizing his family has finally turned on him is just so sad.
It hurts every time. It’s so sad. “We’re a family” as Skyler and Flynn are in fear and shock just completely terrified of Walt. The second time he whispers it is what makes it so strong and super sad
To me, his fear is now that now they know that his "we're a family" doesn't mean anything to them. Walt considered Hank family, too. Now Hank is dead and they know he had something to do with his death. They know that they are not safe from him. And that's when it also dawns on Walt that all hope to have them on his side is lost. He has lost and his only chance to have them not turn on him is to leave.
Best Breaking Bad scene ever. When Walt’s world crumbles right in front of him, he realises everyone he worked so hard for (or so he says) turn against him. “We’re a family…” it hits him! He’s now alone
I remember seeing this for the first time and being absolutely speechless and chilled to the bone, I love when top-notch analysis can break down why and point out things that can slip this layman by. Well done man.
Agreed; I'm currently in a film analysis class to round out my last few credits, and it's so cool to actually see the things from our notes in media I'm actually familiar with. It makes it a lot easier to understand
It's not too terribly subtle of course but I am personally fond of the shot of Walt backing out of their driveway in his decrepit, broken down truck, forcibly ramming into their family car (which is essentially a stereotypical suburban family-type vehicle) and pushing it out of the way so he can make his getaway. In the same sense, by nothing other than his own actions has he forced his family out of his life, with a "dent" that will never truly be repaired. Great video!
I remember dissolving into tears when he leaves with Holly. I have never, in my 50yrs, ever been that emotionally drained and cried that hard watching a television show.
I like to think there is some form of symbolism in the fact that in his prime walt went from a normal SUV to a nice luxuries Chrysler 300. Then when he is at his breaking point of failure he has to drive a broken down old truck showing that his life couldn't be anymore worse.
6:05 what is note worthy in this shot is that Walt until this point almost always kept lying/not telling the truth. No matter how certain Skyler was he stuck with the act trying to decieve her. Here he almost immidietly give in, because he is not answering Skyler. You caused the death of Hank is almost certainly a thought he is currently dealing with. Skyler is strengthening the inner voice tellinh him that it is his fault, a thought he cannot bear, and he yells in denial because it's a reality he is not willing to accept. Not only does he not want he family to think that, he himself will not tolerate the thought for one second.
I appreciate the hell out of people that went to film school after having not really thought much about y’all my whole life. It’s neat having advanced things pointed out to me that I wouldn’t know, like the 30 degree cut rule. Totally can’t recall seeing many scenes violate it…and it has exactly the impact that the rule is meant to avoid.
It should be a crime to direct and edit such a gripping piece of television. The scene where Skyler runs behind the truck is perhaps most gut wrenching performance ever seen.
I liked this part of the series too, but I also wonder how it would look to the neighbors or someone who doesn't have any information on what's happening. There's a married couple who argue here and there, but most of it isn't seen by others. Then one day, there's a truck that no one has seen before, with a barrel that could be holding anything in it. The father gets into the truck with the youngest child and the mother is screaming and pleading. The father makes a dramatic exit as he drives off to who knows where, and the mother is yelling and crying in the middle of the street with blood on her clothes. If I was their neighbor or a passerby and I saw that happening, I would wonder what caused that to happen for a long time.
Gets even crazier than that, cause walts whole story was all over the news afterwards, so a in just a few days they'd know exactly what caused that to happen.
The thing I’ve always thought about in this scene is “what are the neighbors thinking right now?” I’ve been the guy the disrupts a quiet street, and I’ve also been the guy being disrupted. Neither are pleasant.
This was truly an incredible scene and I'm glad you talked about it in such length, it is by far one of my favorite, and one of the most important scenes in the entire show, thank you for your great video essay Tim. It shows a great understanding of the story's themes and I adore the video for that. (However I am a little bummed you didn't cover by far my favorite shot in the scene, the POV shot from Walter as he looks at his son trying to protect his mother).
I never noticed the intensity of the moment of Walt getting the upper hand before. The fact that in his pride he could have killer her had Walt Jr. not tackled him. Thanks for breaking this down and analyzing in such detail.
I really doubt he would’ve killed her. In the fight, she was the aggressor. Then jr lied about it. No matter what hank did, Walt was t willing to kill him. He was willing to go to prison instead, so why should we think he would’ve killed skyler?
@@bennywolfe4357 it’s less about him actually killing her and more about the threat. Plainly, Walt is way more dangerous than his family. With Walt Jr. knowing so little of what happened and thinking that Walt *DID* kill Hank, the threat of also being killed is present in the minds of Skyler and Jr.
Sht, we are able to see walt as a victim, and thats good writting, or maybe walt also manipulated the audience. But idk, we humans always see a villain like a victim if we see his backstory. Or maybe we can reflect ourselves in walt, how his life is miserable and how he wants to do something big, something to leave a mark, just like all of us wants, we all want to do more rather than just being happy with your shitty life we feel the hate of walt, the hate of being too good at something and end up doing crap.
I have to give my props to all of the actors in this scene. You really see Flynn watch his whole family fall apart infront of his eyes. You see Skyler really feel the loss of her daughter, and Walt’s regret and sorrow about having lost both Hank, and the trusts of his son. I think all of their acting in this scene was incredible especially Anna Gunns, she portrays so much emotion without being corny.
I only consumed all of BB recently (literally last week) so watching this video is quite moving. Your explanation of the scenes and thought process of how our psychology of how we by design are suppose to view Walt until we see can only see him as the true monster that he is. I always stayed pretty objectionable to his actions in my watch. I had empathy but knew the road he was going down would not only be difficult but “winning” could never happen when you’re sacrificing the safety, trust, and lives of the people around you. I think we as an audience feel this even more with Walt’s relationship with Jesse, the truly inexcusable actions as we see his manipulation and gaslighting, and that breaking point as well. Anyways love this and I watched your Toxic Masculinity video as well. Best video essays I’ve seen in a while man. Fantastic job! 👏🏼
I’m surprised to hear that people are supposedly still sympathising with him at that point. In my group of friends nobody had any sympathy left for him after season 2 or latest season 3.
Even though you can't justify most of his actions through the whole show, I believe that walt's family was his top priority until this scene. Of course becoming a cold criminal isn't a good to way show you care about your family, but the intentions of everything he's done was to keep his family safe and not have to worry about money. So I do feel bad for him to a certain extent.
Great analysis. Just a note about characters talking over each other - it also happens in another episode where Walt and Flynn are on the phone when Walt is trying to tell him that he's giving them money and Flynn yells at him for killing Hank. It has the crushing line at the end when Walt says "It can't all have been for nothing."
Rian Johnson got a lot of (maybe deserved) hate for The Last Jedi, but if we learned anything from this episode, it's that he is a great director. Just keep him away from the writers room.
I think his work as director on Breaking Bad and Last Jedi is excellent, and his work as writer of Knives Out is great too, but visually the movie is kind of whatever. Waiting to see him combine those things, 'til then Ozymandias is as close as we have
As a person who's went through some personal family issues of my own, I almost nearly cried while watching this scene because it made me relive those memories like no other show ever has, and I felt like, for a few seconds, I was right back to those times; it made me empathize with what walt's family was going through so effectively since I had also encountered similar situations to this one. this was one of the most intense and emotional scenes I had ever watched, and is the reason why i love this show
glad to hear someone felt the same way. things like these happen in homes everyday, maybe not to that dangerous extent, but these scene made me sympathize and relate to skyler more than anything
This scene and Crawl Space ending are in my view two of the best scenes in the entire show. And i felt like this particular scene isn't talked as much as "Say my name" one or Gus's death, but it's absolute perfection of a climax, from dialogue to acting to soundtrack (which is also underappreciated in terms of its contribution to the intensity of this whole scene). As well as it hits deep seeing such a real depiction of family breaking apart, can't even imagine how emotional seeing this scene is for someone who've come through something like that.
I remember the first time I seen the series I was 1,000% into the show and when I have seen this exact scene I was shedding tears as walt was backing up in a old pickup truck kidnapping his daughter in his nice sub urban neighborhood that was once a warm welcoming home to many of his friends and family.. that’s when I knew shit has gone through the roof with Walt, although I still praised him till the end.
Here's a bit of trivia for that very part of the scene: Take a look at the atmosphere of the outdoor shots, right after Walt pulls away. The cast and crew were fighting snow flurries to shoot those scenes, and it was actually below freezing that day. After I watched a behind the scenes video of that scene being shot, it put an entirely new feel on it for me knowing that it was so cold during those shots. Give that scene another watch and tell me what you think afterwards.
My take on the scene is that he took Holly for Skyler’s good. The next scene is where the police are at the house and skyler is on the phone with Walt. He knows that police will be listening to the call so he acts extra monstrous on the phone, threatening her and calling her a bitch, but the whole time he’s crying and you can tell he doesn’t mean what he’s saying. This would give Skyler a much better result in court since the police would believe that any involvement she had in the crimes was just to protect herself and the kids...
I think he initially took Holly because at that point, she was the only family member that still loved him. It isn't until the bathroom scene that he decides to leave Holly at the fire station and call Skyler in order to exonerate her.
@@personman1148 yea i agree. walt admitted that he did everything for himself, but that phone call was the only thing i could see that was genuinely for his family. sure he gave his kids millions of dollars but in a stupid and dangerous way that ended up tearing his family apart and killing a loved one
I’ve watched the show with all episodes 11 times! And every time it is exciting to watch, even though I’ve seen it all many times. And these scenes, still give me goosepumps, happiness, scare, sadness and all emotions I can feel. It’s the most amazing to show ever!