RANDOM THOUGHTS:
The following were on my mind between Monday, September 19th and Monday, September 26th:
- Those last ten minutes of last night's "Breaking Bad"...
Those last ten intense...haunting...glorious minutes...
(This is the time where I tell those that have yet to watch "Breaking Bad" to skip ahead to the next paragraph, because these next three paragraphs will have many spoilers. However, if you aren't a viewer and would like for me to get into specific details on why I love the show, you may proceed)
Ever since Jessee went on the trip with Mike in the appropriately titled episode "Shotgun," it just seems that Vince Gilligan and the brilliant cast and crew of "Breaking Bad" have just made an effort to try to constantly top itself with every episode and to prove just why there are the unanimous holder of the title "Best Show of Television" (and with "Mad Men" not returning until late winter-early spring, the "Best Show of 2011. Period."). First came the episode "Cornered" in which Walt gave his angry, profound speech in "Cornered" (featuring his proclamation "I am the one who knocks!," which is easily the show's best quote so far). Then came the episode "Hermano," which was highlighted by a suspenseful flashback into Gus's old days as a nervous, ambitious meth-dealing newcomer, and the tragic moment involving Max, the other hermano of "Los Pollos Hermanos," in the cartel leader's pool. Two episodes later came the rage-filled fight between Walt and Jesse (a fight very similar to another memorable TV fight between two friends between Stringer Bell and Avon Barksdale on "The Wire"), followed by Gus single-handily killing off all his cartel enemies in another fantastic scene poolside at Don Eladio's home at the end of last week's "Salud."
But none of them could compare to the ending of last night's episode. From Jesse and Walter's relationship further becoming strained and Gus taking Walt to the desert just to threaten him and tell that he's finally been replaced to those final images of Marie crying to Skyler through the phone in fear about Hank's danger while Walt sat lying on his home's ground floor, laughing like a mad man at the realization on how much he had really gotten into, that ending was simply all kinds of amazing (arguably the greatest final scene on a show with many memorable final scenes over the years). Not only that, but they managed to end the Ted Beneke storyline in a way that, while abrupt, felt pretty organic and led to the new troubles of the White family presented in that final scene. It really is amazing that there are only two more episodes left this season and eighteen more episodes total (AMC announced a sixteen episode final season of "Breaking Bad" nearly a month ago). From what transpired in the past few weeks, it really does feel that the show is ending in the coming days!
And a lot of that credit really does go to the people working on the show. Vince Gilligan and the rest of the writing staff have done an exceptional job once again in their improvisational writing, creating all these little plotpoints in the beginning of the season and have them all start to culminate as the end approaches. The acting has also been outstanding, from Bryan Cranston (who is poised to win his fourth Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series award during next year's Emmys) to Aaron Paul and Giancarlo Esposito, neck-and-neck when it comes to the battle of the show's best supporting actor this season. And of course, the art direction and cinematography have been great, too, but really, who hasn't said that already about the show? There's only four more episodes left this season, and I am very much looking forward to watching it play out, as I have absolutely no clue as to how this story is going to head towards hiatus.
- I don't know what's the dumbest thing that Michele Bachmann has said this month: the fact that she actually said during Thursday's Republican debate that there should be absolutely no taxes in this country, or that HPV shots are really bad. I'm starting to think that the woman is there simply to make Rick Perry and Mitt Romney look like coherent and intellectual speakers.
- Wolf Blitzer: Such an awesome name for someone who least deserves it.
- I don't feel like getting invested in "Terra Nova," because I'm worried that if I do, I will just spend the entire time worrying about the major plot holes of the show, like the destruction of the universe's current space-time continuum (UPDATE 09/26: Apparently, they've traveled through some kind of time rift with the STC, so I guess that solves my problems with this issue...I think), or how those Terra Nova pilgrims are going to help save their current planet by going 85 million years in the past despite the fact that, around 65 million years ago, there will come a time where most of the species on Earth become extinct, including the humans that will still live in Terra Nova.
- A poignant final word on Troy Davis and the death penalty from Lawrence O'Donnell on "The Last Word" one week ago. Makes me actually consider watching his show more:
- I just want to give a big thanks towards the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves. Both of your chokes in the past four weeks have significantly changed the MLB pennant chase from what was mostly a bore where every chase seemed to be decided already to an interesting ending where at least two playoff spot are going to go down to the very end (currently Boston has a one game lead in the AL Wild Card over Tampa Bay while Atlanta has a one game lead in the NL wild card over the St. Louis Cardinals). This thanks especially goes to Boston, who were thought to be a 100-win team and being compared to the 1927 Yankees mere months ago and now are pulling their own version of the team's 1978 season. Can't wait to see which one of you teams actually complete an '09 Tigers in the next three days!
- If PETA's goal with their ads is to get me to think of them as a softcore porn organization more than animal rights group, they have succeeded.
- So far, not that really impressed with the new slate of fall shows network TV has debuted. The only three shows that I seeing as being okay and having potential are "The New Girl," "Up All Night" and "Pan-Am," while the rest (especially shows like "Whitney" and "The Playboy Club") have been either forgettable or just plain bad. The one bright side, though? Those three shows that I currently like are three times more than the amount of new shows I liked last fall, so this new TV season is off to a better start.
More random thoughts to come...well, I haven't that yet. Maybe I will bring back the Thursday RTs, maybe not. Either way, I hope you come back to this blog to see when that next edition does come. Until then, enjoy the rest of your workweek!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
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