I was much more sympathetic to Hank. Yes, he was a blowhard and sort of an ass, but he also loves his family and when he thinks Walt is going to die with nothing, is willing to watch out for his family. The other thing is that Hank is a fantastic depiction of PTSD after the Tuco and the turtle incidents and depression also after being nearly paralyzed by the Salamanca twins.
YES, Hank goes out trying to help Walt's family after discovering he was Heisenberg. He beated Jessie almost to death because he called saying Marie was in the hospital aaaand he stood up to what was right til the end, even with everyone making fun of him and not believing his story. He is a brilliant character, he grows from the funny guy you see in season one to a depressive and traumatized cop, then a person trying to outcome his deficiency and last but not least a man wanting to put an end to a druglord
I did binge watch it because I never had the chance to watch it as it aired but damn! I would've died to wait til next week for a new episode! I remember the episode where Walt runs over the 2 drug dealers to save Jessie's ass I was like WHAT THE F!!! Hopefully i didn't have to wait a week to recover from that shock!
They made him a respectable villain. He wasn’t stupid or reckless. He was just as smart if not smarter than Walt. Too many shows/movies make there villain have some dumb flaw. Gus was as cold and calculated as they come. He and Walt were playing chess and ultimately Walt won because Gus didn’t expect Walt to play the Cartel angle. Even when he died he straightened his tie like a boss before he accepted death.
@@gabrielmenezes8206 I mean telling him is the best he could do. What was despicable was the reason why he told him, to watch him die inside as revenge
Naw Jane deserved to die she would've eventually ratted everyone out and was very weak willed. On top of being a manipulator. Though she definitely isn't the only one in the show. Looking at you Walt.
I actually just finished The Sopranos tonight after never seeing it. It holds up and you can see its influence on shows like Breaking Bad. I'm not sure which is "better", but I have either of the two shows as 1 and 1A.
Sopranos deserves SO MUCH credit for really being the show that kicked off all these dramas centered around fully-realized, villainous-yet-somehow-still-relatable protagonists. That being said, the show is definitely a bit more inconsistent than Breaking Bad. I've grown to LOVE the finale, but I can definitely understand how some people hated Sopranos finale who wanted non-ambiguous wrap up. Still, the show laid the foundation for things like Breaking Bad so you gotta respect it.
The Fly episode is a metaphor for the entire series. Walt has a clear goal and a plan to achieve it, yet it alludes him despite all his careful planning.
Gus's character makes you wonder about how many businesses are actually covers for organized crime. Gus is the exemplification of the corporate criminal. Evil with a smile. But he actually treats his legitimate workers well, stands up for them, and gives to the community. He shows the duality of good and evil as it exists in the real world.
@@HolyknightVader999 little finger and tywin remind me so much of gus I like that type of cold calculated antagonist. They're such intriguing characters
I know of an example for this. Mattress Firm stores are probably used for money laundering. Think about it, you see nobody there. If that's so, then why are there so many stores? It's pretty cool ngl
On Point. And knowing his backstory you can see that he never realy chosed to be Evil, he was just adapting to his surroundings, just like Walt. Bad Men are not born, they are made
@@awesomereviews1561 How was she written badly? She was written pretty good and had a decent development, especially after she ended up breaking bad along with her husband.
WW was bad from the beginning. If his goal was to provide for his family, he would've accepted the offer from Gretchen and Elliott. But his true goal was pride. And revenge. The last thing he confessed to Skyler was: "I did it for myself". One of the best show ever.
Hilariously enough, “Fly”, which I agree is one of the best episodes of Breaking Bad, was directed and creatively controlled by Rian Johnson- the guy that the whole internet would despise a few years later on for making Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi.
I watched the entire series in 4 days when I got food sickness. It was actually quite disturbing when I look back but I was literally addicted to the show I literally could not stop watching it. I tried putting myself in the shoes of people who watched it new and had to wait an ENTIRE FUCKING YEAR for the next season. I honestly don’t know how people did that....
Dude it was torture. As easy as it is to say, "screw it, I know it's 2:00 AM but I HAVE to know what happens" it was equally as hard to wait for weeks or years to see what was happening.
better call saul is definitely a worthy prequel. It gets bigger, more intense, and more intriguing with each season and i definitely recommend it to people who love bb.
It was a throwaway episode they made simply out of budgetary constraints. That being said I thought it was great. It easily has one of the funniest scenes in the whole series where Jesse hits Walter with the homemade fly swatter. Its a classic in my opinion
Sometimes it's easier to respect characters who are out through ultimate tests. Skype goes through so little in some cases and response in such terrible ways. I also think this is why skyler is terrible.
Great review, but Hank was definitely going through PTSD and depression after watching a bunch of officers get blown to shit right in front of him, and only escaping death from that himself due to chance. That really shook him up, and his weakness in response to it caused him to question his masculinity, which was like his primary characteristic. He literally tells his wife "Im not the man I thought I was". But in the end, Hank is the only main character who sticks 100% to his core values, and as a reward, he gets one in the head. I hated him too, but overall he was a very complex and interesting character.
The moment I really respected him was after he beats Jesse, when he refused to spin the story as self defense, opting instead to accept whatever the repercussions would be. It definitely showed a lot if integrity, especially when you know how often real life police officers do it (so often that they have a made-up word for it; "testilying". Not even kidding. Google it)
@@franklinbadge1215 Well all fighters in Japanese anime yell their super moves, real life Cops are just the same, except they only have one move : 'stop resisting!'.
Wait a second, saying Tio (Hector Salamanca) ringing his bell was his only way of communicating is a disservice to Mark Margolis's acting. His facial expressions spoke volumes.
@@TheBlackSamurai2708 id just say they’re more scary. We rarely see Todd show any emotion and Jack is just really likable when i saw the scene of gus in that flashback where he just seems pathetic. I couldn’t see him as this intimidating individual anymore
I love season 1. The episode that Walt goes to his former business partner’s birthday is awesome. And the intervention scene is one of the show’s best.
Fly is not the only episode where you get to immerse yourself in one place. The other episode is in fact, my favorite episode in the series, Season 2's "4 Days Out". It's the one where Jesse and Walt have to cook in the RV for 4 days straight to make one huge haul. It takes place pretty much fully in the RV and the surrounding wilderness and it's such an important character development episode for both Walt and Jesse, as well as their budding relationship.
The most underrated character of BB has to be hands down the incredible Cinematography. They should of won more awards there. It really is very impressive.
Chris Virtue I thought the cinematography in BCS was almost amateur in comparison to BB. It looks lower budget and more “video like” to me. BB looks more like a movie and BCS looks more like a TV show to me but to each their own.
Yeah agreed. If you look at it the way it's meant to be interpreted it really takes on a much more somber tone since the fly represents the nagging guilt in the back of Walt's mind and how it is consuming him, hence the Jane confession.
Exploding Lamps No. The fly episode was a 45 minute waste of time. Yes Walter feels guilty for his actions, but the fly is symbolic for him losing control in which is what he wanted all along. Walter is a terrible person and his moral conflict is like watching your neighbor toss a live cat into a stove; he’s obviously in the wrong and in no way was Walter captivating to watch.
There's things to love and hate about Hank. There is one thing we are all split on. His drive to not quit. I hated that about him. Just let it go. Some people have that personality, others like me will eventually say fuck it. I feel somewhat bad for Hank, but had he stopped chasing Walt he would have come out ok. Same with Walt's greed. He could have gotten out at multiple points...been rich and in the clear. Same trait that Hank has. Just can't walk away from it.
I finished Breaking Bad today, and was absolutely crushed watching Hank die. Legit, my face looked similar to Walt's face when it happened lol. Amazing show.
There was also a "fly" episode in Malcolm in the Middle, where Bryan Cranston has an intense battle with a fly aswell. I'm curious if that link was intentional or just a coincidence.
9:56 "His devotion to his family never ceases." I gotta disagree here. There's a scene in Season 5 where Walter admits that somewhere down the line, it became more about making money than providing for his family. I think of it this way: Walter White loved his family, and Heisenberg loved being a drug lord.
I have buddies that wont watch it cause its so slow and they keep holding it to breaking bad standards. They seem to forget that breaking bad started off slow and then spiraled from there.
El Camino almost feels like a fanfic, or something produced by other people than the original crew. Which is ironic since it's mostly the same and indeed was written / directed by Vince himself. But that goes to show you that, as he himself admits sometimes, the show's success depended on much more than his own genius. There were many things they honestly could have done way better and I choose to look at El Camino as a separate and unnecessary entity they gave the hardcore fans to have fun with if they wanted.
one of my favorite moments is when walt is rushing home scared and looking for the money so he could disappear but his wife tells him she gave it to her boss... and walt screams wildly and then burst in laughter ... that was fking scary lol
I've seen my father react exactly the same way several times, it's not a ha ha funny laugh, it's a psychotic i almost died kind of laugh....WAY SCARY IN REAL LIFE!!!!
Michael Dunn I watch it every year in January and I’ve had the same experience. I used to hate Skyler and Marie and now I can understand and empathize with them so much more; it devastates me how much I grow everytime to hate Walt even more. such a great show that every rewatch changes perspective and reaction.
Just finished BrBa yesterday after a 2 week binge. After watching that much, that fast, the withdrawal and acceptance that its over hits hard for a little while. You do have to keep reminding yourself it's just a show. Never has any show, for me, had this impactful of a conclusion/finale. The show definitely defines perfection. Can't believe I waited this long to see it.
The fly episode really feels like a fever dream or a late afternoon at school with ur friends before summer break. It’s a really uncanny but cozy feeling
Most shows I've watched in their entirety have definite shifts in quality between seasons. The only shows I've seen that I feel are completely great all the way through are this one, Six Feet Under, and The Sopranos. I have a feeling Better Call Saul is gonna be on my list once it's finished, too. Vince Gilligan just knows how to do it right.
They're still filming it though so you'll have to wait for it. You might want to wait until it's over to watch it. They started shooting season 4 in January.
The Fly is my favourite for completely different reasons. It is a microcosm of the series' pivotal relationship. It also is very comtemplative episode, as the fly represents Walter's guilt over how his life is spiralling out of control,al and the hurt he had caused for everyone else, especially Jesse. With my favourite part of the episode being how at the end of the monologue, he realizes how he cannot contain the damage of his actions and says to give up on the fly and says "It's all contaminated". Meaning his he can't revert to his peacefull life and that there will even more victims of him breaking bad.
Hank is actually my favorite Character in the Series. He is yhe only character who is Entirely True to His/Herself. The Scene where he punches Walt after he finds out about his Identity proves that
I got into Breaking Bad…around last winter. It took me a while to finish season 1 but I eventually did and it was all uphill from there! The characters were great, the story was intriguing, I even thought some of the locations were pretty cool! I also got my dad into the show when I got back home for summer break and we finished the show in less than a month and now we’re on to Better Call Saul and we’re enjoying that as well! Vince Gilligan created an excellent universe and I’m glad I discovered it!
James, you HAVE to watch the series that jump started the Golden Age of Television back in 1999, HBO's The Sopranos. I'd love to hear your insights on the characters and the completely unintentional dramedy that resulted from some of the best casting and writing a TV show has ever seen.
I brushed breaking bad off for years. after I watched it, let me put it to you this way. I became such a fanboy I bought a car like Heisenberg's, (The 300... not the Aztek. Lmao)
Hank was a depiction of PTSD. It doesn't absolve him of all his actions but many of his traumatic breaking points came as a result of Walt's criminal activities. His life was constantly at risk. He watched his coworkers get literally blown into pieces. It's easy to get frustrated by his rage but by the point in the show he's out of control he's barely sane. By the end of the show he gets his shit together and him and Marie redeem themselves in a big way. His story is almost a redemption arc.
I think it started with him killing Tucco. Even though he did what he had to, It tore him apart and everyone kept calling him a hero, which made him feel worse. Then, as you mentioned, the explosion killing and severely injuring his colleagues which wasn't long after, added up obviously took it's toll on his mental health
ALMOST a redemption arc... Too bad he was killed, mid-sentence. But I agree. From the time he killed Tuco, was almost hit by the twins, worked in promotion, he definitely was breaking apart, but had his resolve ready after discovering Heisenberg...
You’re going to love El Camino. It gives Jesse a more proper conclusion for his arc and it’s so well done. It’s not quite on the level of BB or even BCS but it is very good.
By the same token I could say YOU might have some issues with fatherhood, being so overly judgmental of a guy you only know from videos. Why else would you make such wild assumptions...
idk fucking vile things happen to kids in the show, it's worth a mention paternal or not - and i think his point is dead on, the kids are the only real innocent characters
"He says kids are the only innocent characters in a drug market drama, definitely means James is a terrible dad" Also normal parents feel guilty about stuff you wouldn't even think about. If you think you're a perfect parent, you are more likely to justify and continue doing terrible things and blame everyone else.
When you watch Better Call Saul, a rewatch of Breaking Bad truly makes him feel like the center of the entire universe and the true protagonist of the whole thing.
I just finished the show, I broke down in tears twice during the finale... all thanks to this video. I wouldn't have given the show a chance if it weren't for this, I know the chances of james actually seeing this comment are incredibly low lol but on the 0.0001% chance that he does, thank you james
I have seen so many sad shows movies and even anime , like ones that are supposed to make you cry and feel sad yet I never felt that much. Yet I was crying in the final sequence
The fly thing is a metaphor, reflecting how Walt tries to "decontaminate" his situation (mostly by eliminating people who might be a threat). Then if you remember the end of the episode, there's another fly in the lab, signifying that Walt can't keep up and truly decontaminate.
