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Sparky · 08-22-2012, 06:50 AM

So i've watched all 4 seasons on netflix now and enjoy it but still feel kinda underwhelmed.

First the positives:
The character of gus is great. His back story is genuinely interesting and i sympathize with him more than mr.white or jesse

Character arcs are always handled well. Chances are if he/she was introduced as a minor character, the show will makes sure to not let him/her go to waste or not leave loose ends.
Though the extent to which they go about this is also sometimes a flaw

The cinematography starting with the 3rd season is great. The overall visual quality of the show may be the best part about it. The sterile hazmat drug lab aesthetic gives the show a unique feel(much like gilligans other show-xfiles)

The notion that all the "higher ups" in the meth world are intelligent, cultured, educated entrepreneurs is a fun hook.

Now for the bad:

Character motivation is awful. Jesse wants to risk his life peddle meth to people in rehab even though he is already getting paid 1.5 million securely.

Walt has seemingly not had cancer for 3 seasons (the whole point of his shaved head and hysterical behavior i thought) yet it just simply continues to escalate.

Tethering in elements or subplots from earlier seasons is great but the show overdoes it. Does walt and his wife really need to purchase the carwash from season 1? It hinders the scale and was an unnecessary retread.

Jesse's character was originally not supposed to live past the first season and it's noticeable. The show just trickles down without in set direction. The end of the 3rd season reaches the peak of the relationship with gus and walter, and then the 4th season peddles it back just so you can use that same conflict again.

They more or less "walt-ify" jesse, meaning they use the same gimmick of giving him a shaved head and a bad ass attitude abruptly. Out of the blue jesse is now a hard nosed killer. The contrast between him and walt is still there but it's no longer the endearing teacher-student relationship of prior, and i feel the show is weaker for letting that dynamic go.

08-22-2012, 06:50 AM	#47 (permalink)
Sparky not really Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 5,223	So i've watched all 4 seasons on netflix now and enjoy it but still feel kinda underwhelmed. First the positives: The character of gus is great. His back story is genuinely interesting and i sympathize with him more than mr.white or jesse Character arcs are always handled well. Chances are if he/she was introduced as a minor character, the show will makes sure to not let him/her go to waste or not leave loose ends. Though the extent to which they go about this is also sometimes a flaw The cinematography starting with the 3rd season is great. The overall visual quality of the show may be the best part about it. The sterile hazmat drug lab aesthetic gives the show a unique feel(much like gilligans other show-xfiles) The notion that all the "higher ups" in the meth world are intelligent, cultured, educated entrepreneurs is a fun hook. Now for the bad: Character motivation is awful. Jesse wants to risk his life peddle meth to people in rehab even though he is already getting paid 1.5 million securely. Walt has seemingly not had cancer for 3 seasons (the whole point of his shaved head and hysterical behavior i thought) yet it just simply continues to escalate. Tethering in elements or subplots from earlier seasons is great but the show overdoes it. Does walt and his wife really need to purchase the carwash from season 1? It hinders the scale and was an unnecessary retread. Jesse's character was originally not supposed to live past the first season and it's noticeable. The show just trickles down without in set direction. The end of the 3rd season reaches the peak of the relationship with gus and walter, and then the 4th season peddles it back just so you can use that same conflict again. They more or less "walt-ify" jesse, meaning they use the same gimmick of giving him a shaved head and a bad ass attitude abruptly. Out of the blue jesse is now a hard nosed killer. The contrast between him and walt is still there but it's no longer the endearing teacher-student relationship of prior, and i feel the show is weaker for letting that dynamic go.