Breaking Bad

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Df~_sl

shitlord
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0
This show needs to be on the air again!!

Also, did anyone come to a conclusion about what episode to start new viewers to the series?

Was thinking end of season 1 middle of episode 6... Jessie meeting Tuco and go from there... really want the girl to enjoy the show.

I introduced some shows to her...

She did not enjoy...
Arrested Development (4 episodes before she quit)
Deadwood (3 episodes before she quit)

She sort of enjoyed...
The Wire (currently watched 6 episodes)

Not going to risk her not liking Breaking bad by the slow start of season 1... so what does everyone think?

She likes: Drop Dead Diva, Pretty Little Liars, Greys Anatomy, House, Dexter, True Blood...
 

TrollfaceDeux

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Breaking bad appeals to who? i understand it is drama but the topic of interest (drug, drug war) would appeal to who exactly?

I am disagreeing with your conclusion that women are written shitty because they are women. And that it is the epitome of misogyny. I am saying that it is epitome of trope. And that Skyler doesn't need to be a Walter White. She just has to serve a purpose and it is being a cunt to Walter to complicate the matter. Doesn't need a crazy elaborate "oh women are people, so we need to write better."

the story doesn't need skyler to be anything other than a trope. it would be nice, but why give a fuck and why does it have to be a misogyny because it is a trope? who cares? it feels like grasping at straws here. this show isn't making a social commentary like Mad Men. it's just a goddamn story.


Which was the point. Can you say the audience is being sexist for hating on a disproportionate amount of female characters? Or are female characters disproportionately written to be sources of stupid, irrational and short sighted decisions? I'm firmly in the latter camp.
I am in neither. I am not about to criticize their script. I am about to criticize their execution.
 

Lithose

Buzzfeed Editor
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Deadwood (3 episodes before she quit)

Shesort ofenjoyed...
The Wire
Bro, serious question, is the sex mind blowing good? And does she genuinely make you happy in many other facets of life? Because my suggestion to your course of action will depend on the answer.
 

Lithose

Buzzfeed Editor
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Breaking bad appeals to who? i understand it is drama but the topic of interest (drug, drug war) would appeal to who exactly?

I am disagreeing with your conclusion that women are written shitty because they are women. And that it is the epitome of misogyny. I am saying that it is epitome of trope. And that Skyler doesn't need to be a Walter White. She just has to serve a purpose and it is being a cunt to Walter to complicate the matter. Doesn't need a crazy elaborate "oh women are people, so we need to write better."

the story doesn't need skyler to be anything other than a trope. it would be nice, but why give a fuck and why does it have to be a misogyny because it is a trope? who cares? it feels like grasping at straws here. this show isn't making a social commentary like Mad Men. it's just a goddamn story.
The original point was that our view of Skyler-like characters was misogynistic. My post was pointing out that if youhaveto apply sexism, then it's in the use of women to fulfill this trope, not in the audiences interpretation of it. I'm fine with saying a bad character is just bad...But when all the sources of this trope are generally found in women? Is it then a stereotype of women?

So in short, if you have ten stories, and you have a "gender neutral" role of "idiot that makes TERRIBLE choices to inspire drama", and you give that story to women 9 out 10 times? To me, that shows a stereotype. In the same exact vein as men as comic relief in commercials.

However, again the original point, trying to push that blame to the audience? Seemssilly.
 

Ambiturner

Ssraeszha Raider
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Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but why do you consider "wife" as a gender neutral role? That's a pretty important part in the whole "screw up the guys life but he keeps me around anyways" scenario
 

spronk

FPS noob
23,561
27,589
really want the girl to enjoy the show.

She likes: Drop Dead Diva, Pretty Little Liars, Greys Anatomy, House, Dexter, True Blood...
stop trying to get your girlfriend to like the same shit you do. I'd wonder about any woman who likes Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones or The Wire or Boardwalk Empire, be worried about them getting bad ideas on how to deal with you. Watch shit like The Good Wife, Amazing Race, Top Chef, nature documentaries, etc with your woman and she will appreciate your sensitive yet competitive nature instead of the fucked up guy who cheers when Walt fucks shit up.

10 days, do I rewatch all of breaking bad now or watch the final season and then rewatch... hmmmm
 

Dabamf_sl

shitlord
1,472
0
Walt was the dude to give Hank enough doubt that Gale wasn't Heisenberg. He likes being chased and known that there is this all-powerful Heisenberg out there.
This point is often forgotten. Hank believed Gale was Heisenburg until Walt made some statement to put doubt into his mind. He doesn't want someone else getting the credit
 

TrollfaceDeux

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the problem, I think, is that there aren't that many women (in real drug war and this show) to begin with, which reduces the plausibility of women being shown as effective participants and amplifies your particular perception. When they can insert women, it is at the executive position in a large German conglomerate. And when they do, she is just as effective as any other male characters because she plays an active role in the drug trade.
 

iannis

Musty Nester
31,351
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This show needs to be on the air again!!
She likes: Drop Dead Diva, Pretty Little Liars, Greys Anatomy, House, Dexter, True Blood...
I don't think she'll like BB no matter where you start her. It's just not the sort of thing she enjoys watching. The only chance you have is to sell her on Jesse, but the problem is that for Jesse to become good you have to see how awful he starts. And it's a whole heap of awful.

I suggest you buy her Dr. Who instead. Honestly.
 

Lithose

Buzzfeed Editor
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Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but why do you consider "wife" as a gender neutral role? That's a pretty important part in the whole "screw up the guys life but he keeps me around anyways" scenario
Because I don't regard the protagonists role as having to be male? I also don't regard the "wife" as having to the source of the drama? (An adult child, for example, can do fine. A brother, a father ect.) It's almost always the wife. However, in some cases, it's not--like Peggy's boyfriend on Mad Men fit this mold perfectly.

However, on the whole, you don't have to make one character such a virulent source of problems, at all. Like the Sopranos did a good job spreading out family douche among everyone (Even Tony!). That's the reason why Carmella was probably a worse overall person, but still loved by fans, while Skylar is hated--because Carmella wasn't constantly the source of just dumb drama. In fact, she would often be relied on in the family unit to solve dramatic problems stemming from other characters, it kind of evened her out--made her not seem like such a one dimensional source of tension.

That's ALL Skylar is used for. A source of tension. (Until recently, when I agree, she has grown).
 

Lithose

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the problem, I think, is that there aren't that many women (in real drug war and this show) to begin with, which reduces the plausibility of women being shown as effective participants and amplifies your particular perception. When they can insert women, it is at the executive position in a large German conglomerate. And when they do, she is just as effective as any other male characters because she plays an active role in the drug trade.
I can agree with this, but that goes back to what I said--using the wife as the soul source of this feels cheap, and easy. Sopranos did a good job of showing how families have problems from every angle--it's not just the wife being the source. However, when you're limited on time, or sources, inevitably it's probably going to be a woman. And that's fine, whatever, I agree she doesn't have to be more than a foil. But it's silly to say the audience is sexist for noticing this trend (Not you, talking about earlier), when it's obviously used because it's the easiest, most effective (Or I guess at least most practiced) way to add family drama to a male protagonist.
 

Chukzombi

Millie's Staff Member
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i said this in the FOH thread. Skylar isnt all bad. sure she can be a megacunt a lot of the time. but she has been the voice of reason and has also saved Walt's ass a time or two. sometimes the writers cant seem to make up their mind if they want skyler to be walt's partner or his enemy. i guess she is secretly bi polar or something? anyways, i dont see megacunt qualities in Marie. a much worse character was Jane, who started out well then turned into a complete devouring monster at the end. which was due to her severe heroin addiction. i have no problems with any of the female characters in this show. they may be written a bitch or a pushover at times, but at least they have been written smartly. the walking dead? all their females are horrible one dimensional cut outs.
 

Df~_sl

shitlord
975
0
I am not trying to get her to like all the same shows I do... I am trying to show her new TV shows and I realized that if you start on the wrong episode... your desire to watch more is very low and some shows take time to get going.
 

iannis

Musty Nester
31,351
17,657
Hey, at least Carmella never fucked Ted.

Carmella was examined. She was like an actual person. She contributed to the story. Skylar does not. Skylar is just a device. I don't even hate Skylar. Shit is just boring, but whatever -- pacing. If it was nothing but blowjobs all day I guess my dick would probably get sore. Maybe. Eventually.

What I really hate is that Jesse started out that way too and became something really valuable to the series. It's not that they're incapable. Far from it. Somebody somewhere just decided, "Nah. Good enough" but then spend like 20 hours talking about it anyway.
 

Lithose

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I am not trying to get her to like all the same shows I do... I am trying to show her new TV shows and I realized that if you start on the wrong episode... your desire to watch more is very low and some shows take time to get going.
Man, I don't know...That's true for a lot of shows, but Deadwood is kind of one of those shows that each episode is great on it's own. If she didn't go for that, it might be hopeless....I'd try Rome or Justified, those both work well in that vein of needing very little start up time. But meh, BB seems like a bad bet.
 

Df~_sl

shitlord
975
0
Starting at middle of episode 6 of season 1 got another friend of mine hooked on the show...

I have just enough time to rewatch now... Might just wait to introduce it to her until after it finishes. Part of the problem is that english is her second language (Yay for living in China). For now, will try watching Rome with her instead. Thanks for the suggestion! Sorry for the derail.
 

TrollfaceDeux

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i said this in the FOH thread. Skylar isnt all bad. sure she can be a megacunt a lot of the time. but she has been the voice of reason and has also saved Walt's ass a time or two. sometimes the writers cant seem to make up their mind if they want skyler to be walt's partner or his enemy. i guess she is secretly bi polar or something? anyways, i dont see megacunt qualities in Marie. a much worse character was Jane, who started out well then turned into a complete devouring monster at the end. which was due to her severe heroin addiction. i have no problems with any of the female characters in this show. they may be written a bitch or a pushover at times, but at least they have been written smartly. the walking dead? all their females are horrible one dimensional cut outs.
what other uses would they have otherwise. dealing drugs? Walt's third partner? Criminal investigator along with Hank? All tropes? DEXTER? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOT IN MY BREAKING BAD.

All I could think with Jane was,
"What the fuck, Jesse. you pussy faggot. Take back your manpants, you piece of shit."
 

Ambiturner

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Because I don't regard the protagonists role as having to be male? I also don't regard the "wife" as having to the source of the drama? (An adult child, for example, can do fine. A brother, a father ect.) It's almost always the wife. However, in some cases, it's not--like Peggy's boyfriend on Mad Men fit this mold perfectly.

However, on the whole, you don't have to make one character such a virulent source of problems, at all. Like the Sopranos did a good job spreading out family douche among everyone (Even Tony!). That's the reason why Carmella was probably a worse overall person, but still loved by fans, while Skylar is hated--because Carmella wasn't constantly the source of just dumb drama. In fact, she would often be relied on in the family unit to solve dramatic problems stemming from other characters, it kind of evened her out--made her not seem like such a one dimensional source of tension.

That's ALL Skylar is used for. A source of tension. (Until recently, when I agree, she has grown).
So Walt should have been a female role? Or are you saying if a character is unlikable then it's sexism if it's a woman? There are plenty of bland, unlikable male characters out there. Not sure why we're derailing a good breaking bad discussion over something stupid like this