Shall we anticipate the FIFTH SEASON of the AMC series "Breaking Bad"? I think I may.

I also thought, no way a moving freight train can see a guy waving at them on the tracks and stop in time to avoid hitting whatever they're waving about.

Freight trains don't always go very fast, especially when it gets curvy (as it did before the crossing). As someone who lived about 30 feet from freight train tracks for about 10 years, I found the scenario plausible.

lets not talk about teasers pls

Wow, this was one of the best episodes of the series, right after the all time worst. Or second worst. I can't remember if it was worse when they did it the first time with the fly or the second time with Skyler. She's definitely more annoying than the annoying fly but neither are as annoying as all of the handwringing ITT re: morality or realism.

oh c'mon there's no way last week was anywhere near as bad as some of the more awkward s1 / early s2 eps.

The pacing of this series is perfect so far. You can't beat a good elaborate train heist episode and it was so much fun after the (necessary) tension overload of last week. Jesse under the train was awesome.

Once again killing or involving children is the moral line. Jesse's going to fucking freak out now. Especially given the kid probably had zero comprehension of what was actually going on and there was no need to do anything.

But yeah, the police are probably more bothered about dead or missing children than they are about random drug dealers being taken down so this will be a level of heat they haven't previously experienced.

"The point is, no one, other than us, can ever know that this robbery went down. Nobody. Got it?" -Jesse
"Yeah, absolutely." -Todd
"Are you sure?" -Walt
"Yes, sir." -Todd

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 14 August 2012 00:47 (9 hours ago) Bookmark

yeah, exactly. i wonder if even walt can sweep this kinda brutally logical execution under the carpet - i mean i'm not saying he'll pack it all in but it does set up psychological repercussions down the line even besides jessie's reaction around him

How many more episodes left before the break, by the way?

8 a half so two more

really not sure i'm into this model tbh

in fact i'm certain i'm not

lydia is a great character btw

like, you know her so well already, that she'd still try and get bug eyed greedy even when she's playing her one card to stay alive

hank reaction to walt breakdown priceless too

i mean... "rodarte-quayle"

biggest laughs

"Emo McGee"

"Burying bodies?"
"...Robbing a train"

Heist music was cool - pretty Reznorish, and very 'flangey'.

Once again killing or involving children is the moral line. Jesse's going to fucking freak out now. Especially given the kid probably had zero comprehension of what was actually going on and there was no need to do anything.

I sort of think they couldn't take the risk.

However Walt's bravado about robbing a train is going to come back to haunt him when there's news stories about the missing kid and Skylar realises.

well, thats if they leave the body under the train tracks which doesnt seem like a great idea

so theyre framing landry as really impressionable & kinda dumb i guess? idk the way he said "you guys thought of everything" struck me sorta suspiciously but given the end it's supposed 2 be legit awe of these high-level(from his perspective) crooks

I was thinking more that he'll be reported missing and someone will know he was last seen near the the train tracks. Maybe a big stretch.

they'll have to kill the tarantula too. It knows too much

Killing the kid was a much more risky move than letting him go. Police sweeps and interviews of everyone in the area are a lot worse than a kid who might think something shady is going on.

It's less a case of whether or not it'll lead back to them and more a case of it (probably) being a big news story and a massive headfuck for all five of them. We've just been shown the group working about as harmoniously together as possible and they're going to be riven with divisions from now. Jesse aside I'm not sure Mike is crazy about the idea of killing children either.

(xpost) tarantula saw everything WITH EIGHT EYES

It's less a case of whether or not it'll lead back to them and more a case of it (probably) being a big news story and a massive headfuck for all five of them. We've just been shown the group working about as harmoniously together as possible and they're going to be riven with divisions from now. Jesse aside I'm not sure Mike is crazy about the idea of killing children either.

yeah this is of course the bigger implication, i'm just curious to see if they find a way for skylar to find out.

idk the way he said "you guys thought of everything" struck me sorta suspiciously

me too, i think there is something going on with him beyond just dumb wannabe.

I wouldn't say dumb wannabe exactly but it's definitely clear that wanted to prove himself. Even in the previous episode where he pointed out the nanny cam in the house

i just feel like he will have some big role to play this season

The clear development (having not seen the teaser - please don't spoil!) is that the spider will get into the meth and then bite Jesse, who will be able to shoot blue crystal out his wrists, thus cutting out the need for Walt. Then, guilt-ridden, Jesse will don a costume and clean up New Mexico of all its drugs and crime.

BTW, my guess with Todd is that he is doomed. Shot a kid, sole witness to a crime (aside from the comedian driving the truck, but he's no loose canon). Walt doesn't like to share spoils.

Also, some discussions were confused as to why it was Walt who met with Lydia. Clearly that was to get a long-game line on MIke, who Walt is no doubt planning to kill, for myriad reasons.

"Why did you put the hit on Mike?" The wheels are spinning...

i think todd may be being established as a more formidable character than we thought, i may be wrong on this, he might be a dummy with a hair trigger, but he seemed to ~know what he was doing~

How is Skylar going to find out? How are they going to connect the missing kid to the train robbery? Also kids go missing all the time (esp. ones riding dirt bikes in the desert, I imagine) I don't see any reason for this to be big enough news that they hear about it in Albuquerque.

i would think that mike's magic crime guy skills will be enough to ensure that people besides the four of them knowing won't be an issue.

Nah Todd is canon fodder I reckon. I like the dude who was upfront talking to the train guys though.

How are they going to connect the missing kid to the train robbery? Also kids go missing all the time (esp. ones riding dirt bikes in the desert, I imagine)

if anyone knew he was in the desert it might not be impossible.

i think todd may be being established as a more formidable character than we thought

this is my gut feeling too.

there shouldn't be any connection to the robbery though because the whole point is no one is supposed to notice it happened

"if anyone knew he was in the desert it might not be impossible."

This is presuming that they connect the desert to the train though. There is a lot of desert out there.

And yeah what robbery, etc.

I think we'll have a better idea of Todd's fate once we see everyone's reactions next ep somehow. But yeah I agree that he seems to be set up as more than just a dopey B&E guy.

the only scene with him before this ep was pretty clearly meant to establish that this dude is more clever than he looks

But he looks like Matt Damon's paler, dorkier younger brother.

also, feel like we need more characters in play besides the three of them & lydia at this point if we are going to build to a climax here

Well there is Hank and Skylar and Saul and Walt Jr, etc.

the cliffhanger at the end of episode 8 is going to be brutal isn't it. Hope so anyway!

ya but don't you think it'd be a little unsatisfying if it just involved the same ol dudes xp

what if walt jr becomes a robin-esque crimefighter under the flynn monicker

xpost I feel like Todd is there to rival Jesse and serve as wedge in their partnership, esp. after preview of Walt's "I want an EMPIRE" thing. Walt's needs someone on his side w/ ice in his veins to keep the power balance from tipping to Mike....

I don't know about this episode.... I really thought it could have used a short scene of these guys practicing the siphon on a disused train somewhere — Mike hooks them up w/ a guy who used to work the rails or something, doing a drill w/ a stopwatch or whatever.

That they knew exactly which industrial tools they'd need and what size bits and flanges, and how many security clips and where the valves were and all the rest was pretty HUH? For me so much of the thrill in watching this show over the years is watching these amateurs get thrown in over their heads and having to learn on the fly.

Things I am increasingly worried the writers will just forget about/not bother with:

- Who Gus actually was and why even Mike can't find any trace of him before he came to America.
- Who if anyone was behind Gus/Madrigal that was so scary/important that the head of a Mexican drug cartel wouldn't kill Gus.
- That thing about Walt standing back and allowing Jesse's girlfriend to die (okay, they will probably cover this one).

That they knew exactly which industrial tools they'd need and what size bits and flanges, and how many security clips and where the valves were and all the rest was pretty HUH? For me so much of the thrill in watching this show over the years is watching these amateurs get thrown in over their heads and having to learn on the fly.

― Hadrian VIII, Tuesday, August 14, 2012 9:21 AM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

did wonder about this, just assumed they did their homework

- That thing about Walt standing back and allowing Jesse's girlfriend to die (okay, they will probably cover this one).

― Matt DC, Tuesday, August 14, 2012 9:27 AM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i hope they don't!

i can't see a neat way of that dramatically resolving, aside from another "Fly"-like situation where Walt blurts it out... and i really don't want to see that.

exactly

her ghost might appear i guess

Who Gus actually was

Gus is all of us - the last episode will introduce this awesome effect of the screen becoming a mirror & that will be it for the entire hour

That they knew exactly which industrial tools they'd need and what size bits and flanges, and how many security clips and where the valves were and all the rest was pretty HUH? For me so much of the thrill in watching this show over the years is watching these amateurs get thrown in over their heads and having to learn on the fly.

I just assumed Lydia had loads of shit about all this stuff that they could look at.