BrBa Progress Update

So I'm in the middle of season 3 and want to say a few things. I just finished episode 5.

Spoiler

Skyler.
Wow, that is a complex character.
But I hate her. I hate her so much. The problem is though, is that I don't blame her for most of the stuff she does. I can totally buy an actual person reacting in the way she does. Now, there are some communication problem between her and Walter (there have been multiple times where I've wanted to shout, "JUST TELL HER WHAT YOU TOLD THIS PERSON AND EVERYTHING WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER"), and she is not very understanding, but what she does is understandable. However there are some things that I find inexcusable, such as sleeping with Ted and telling Walter about it. I get what she's trying to do, but wow what a *****.
and btw, fuck you lawyer lady you don't know shit

Gus is amazing.

Jesse is so tragic. There were a couple scenes where it was just too sad, like the one where he breaks down in tears in Walter's arms.

I don't understand why Walter signed the divorce papers. I'm conjecturing that it has to do with the speech Gus gave to him a few scenes before, but I'm not sure what provoked him into actually signing them, considering the scene before it was Skyler allowing him to hold Holly at dinner, which was the first semblance of a happy family they have had in a long time. I may find out later on, but right now I feel that's something they didn't emphasize or make clear enough in this episode.


I don't have much to say about Hank, but I love how the character has progressed and everything he is going through.


There are a lot of parallels being drawn between characters and situations in all kinds of intricate ways.
I don't know what else to say except,

 

It doesn't sound like you're apart of the "Skyler is a *****" camp just yet. That was the worst thing about watching BrBa, people saying that about Skyler. She has a valid reason for all of her actions. The only reason people dislike her is because she opposed Walter, who a lot of the audience projects themselves onto him because he is the protagonist of the series, and because of that, you want to see him proceed. She is not a badly written character; none of them are, but that does not make her a *****, it makes her a human being.

And Jessie, oh God, Jessie. Everything hurts just thinking about it.

I'm curious to see how you react at the end of season four...

 

Spoiler

Well the thing is, you're supposed to dislike her. The writers make Walter overwhelmingly sympathetic at the beginning, and then when Skyler forces him to leave despite what he did, the natural response is to dislike her. The problem is that she, in most cases, is doing the very same thing as Walter: trying to protect her family in response to Walter doing the same thing. She's a fantastic character, and I hate her. She's (for the most part) very well written, but she does some horrible things as does Walter. If the story were told from her pov and not Walter's, I would probably feel the same way about Walter as I do her.

I don't blame people for saying she's a *****, because she is in some cases, but I doubt those people are looking at it from a writing perspective.

And the actress does such a fantastic job with her, "I ****ing hate you" face, that it's impossible to not be frustrated with the character.

At this rate I'll be there soon.

 

The series is only going to get even better from here on out
(imo)

 

Skyler really is annoying but she is very well-written and developed (seriously, in season five part 1 she is amazing). It's good that you're sympathetic to her but still dislike some of the things she does, I think that's kind of the point. I don't hate her so much for sleeping with Ted, though. Cheating is despicable and I'm not defending it, but I understand why she did it. She felt like she was losing control of her life (which, really, she is) and really everyone seems to be against her. She's in a really difficult spot. But there's this one guy who's always nice to her and where things are comfortable and happy, where she can escape from her hellish life as Skyler White for a little while. I pity her, really. Which doesn't mean I agree with her actions, but I understand them.

ooooooh just wait

I don't remember exactly when in the show's timeline it's happening but I think Walter finally realizes that him being out of the White house isn't only what Skyler wants, but it's best for the family. He's dangerous and he's constantly in danger. He doesn't want his children being wrapped up in his life as Heisenberg (which, I mean, then maybe you shouldn't have started cooking meth, but).

aaaaaah I love Hank. Him and Marie are probably my favorites.

 

Spoiler

Good point, but that validates everyone hating her even more though. I dislike her sleeping with Ted as a person, I'm not saying it's a flaw in the writing or anything like that. I don't sympathize with her sleeping with someone to find an out for her problems because it only creates more problems for her, but sure, I understand it. If she wants control she shouldn't be actively causing more chaos is all I'm saying. I'm not criticizing the Skyler the character, I'm criticizing Skyler the person. If that makes any sense.

I didn't get that from the episode. It's possible, but it doesn't play like that. I'm sure that will come up (and has come up a bit already) but in that moment that didn't seem to be the case. Could be though, idk

I liked Hank at first for being the "funny guy" but he's become so much more than that now and I like him all the more. I didn't like Marie at first but I'm starting to come around.

 

Oh totally. Pretty much everyone on Breaking Bad can be criticized as a person while still respecting them as a character.

Edit
I actually read a really interesting theory on why Skyler is so disliked (aside from misogyny, which is the case for some fans). She's an obstacle. As a viewer, we want to see Walt cook meth, for better or for worse. Skyler stands in the way of that, she endangers his whole scheme, so we dislike her subconsciously for that.

Yeah, again, I could just be screwing things up in my head. I am rewatching the series for some reason I cannot figure out so I'll prob have more to say when I get up to that scene (just watched the one where Hank kills Tuco).

I absolutely love Hank. I think he has enough development that he's not just the stock "funny cop good guy," and he has his dark moments, but you still (or at least, I do) root for him as a symbol of justice.

 

Spoiler

This show is great for paying things off and holding them over characters. This is one of those things that informs that character in a very deep way later on.

Definitely. The episode where he attacks Jesse is one of those situations. On one hand I'm rooting for Hank, but on the other I feel bad for Jesse because he really just caught up in all of this and isn't wholly to blame.

 

Below, please spoiler tag bro. I fought this battle once against the newbies with you by my side.

 

Sorry.
I was under the impression that I was one of the last here to watch the series, and since the title is BrBa Progress Update I figured spoilers would be a given.

 

you were pretty spoiler free til right at the bottom.

Also, I'm ALWAYS the last person to a show. ALWAYS. I watched DRRR! for the first time only a couple months ago.

 

For what it's worth I didn't give away the best parts, or things you couldn't immediately figure out were going to happen.

haven't seen it

 

ARE WE ABOUT TO HAVE A LATE TO THE PARTY BRODOWN? BECAUSE I WILL SET A DATE FOR IT AND SHOW UP THREE YEARS LATE.

 

STILL DON'T HAVE A PS3

YOUR MOVE

 

NEITHER DO I.

WHATCHU GONNA THROW AT ME NEXT?

 

DON'T KNOW YET

 

WELL THAT MAKES TWO OF US. I'M GOING TO GRAB SOME TEA WHICH I JUST STARTED LIKING RECENTLY AND COME BACK WHEN THE SERIES FINISHES.​

 

TAKE YOUR TIME

 

I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN FIREFLY.

BRING IT.

 

I HAVEN'T EITHER
I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT ITS ABOUT