"Tony was dealing in mortality every day. He was dishing out life and death. And he was not happy. All I wanted to do was present the idea of how short life is and how precious it is. The only way I felt I could do that was to rip it away. And I think people did get it, it made them upset emotionally, but intellectually they didn't follow it. And that could very well be bad execution." David Chase, on The Sopranos' finale, Dec 2012 [LEFT]
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Laley23;1507272 wrote:David Chase has even admitted he didnt do a good job explaining the finale.

Laley23;1507277 wrote: You feeling its different is a reason why its lazy writing. Or, maybe a better phrase is indecisive writing. Just pick an ending. It can be ambiguous in nature, but you have to leave more obvious clues for the viewers. He didnt leave nearly enough for us to decide what happens, and thats a shame and bad writing to me.

gut;1507279 wrote:We can take this to PM if you like, I'll just say you and I mostly agree. I don't think Tony got whacked there, but you and I disagree that it matters. The point is that it's been sufficiently foreshadowed (maybe not obviously enough, but there were enough Godfather references throughout that series that a diligent viewer should have gotten it). We do know what fate awaits Tony, I don't think that part was unclear. Truly great writing is rarely obvious - we could debate if Chase was writing too far out of the medium.

But I think Chase achieved some remarkable things with that scene from a production/visual perspective. Did he exploit the viewer's expectation that this was it for Tony? Sure, but I can't recall being put into the characters shoes like that with such heightened awareness and anxiety. That was what was so masterful - he let you feel what it's like to be in Tony's shoes for a minute...and actually a stark contrast to how comfortable and calm Tony is in that scene. Just another day in the life, but Tony won't see it coming just like we didn't. Chase in his typical cryptic fashion doesn't really contradict any of that.

For my money, the fact that the experience and appreciation for that scene evolves as you watch it more and learn more about it is why it is so amazingly brilliant. Is that what the viewer signed up for? Maybe not, but you take away from that scene what you put into it..which is simply fantastic writing.

gut;1507268 wrote:That's the whole point in the shaved/unshaved head - Heisenberg is indeed an alter-ego, and he's gone. The main point of the conversation with Saul wasn't about intimidation to get the number of a "guy who knows a guy" (which he obviously got), but the "friendly advice". Walt resigned himself to living out his final days in peace and anonymity. And on that very first day he goes all the way to that gate, then he shuts it and accepts his sentence. Literally closing the book (door) on Heisenberg.

gut;1506741 wrote:No, it isn't. Shouldn't have been necessary. We've known for a long-time his ego comes first.

Doctor, my wife is seven months pregnant with a baby we didn't intend. My fifteen-year old son has cerebral palsy. I am an extremely overqualified high school chemistry teacher. When I can work, I make $43,700 per year. I have watched all of my colleagues and friends surpass me in every way imaginable. And within eighteen months, I will be dead. And you ask why I ran?

se-alum;1507431 wrote:Let's be honest, gut and MB are really the only people smart enough to know what's really going on here. The rest of us are just sheep willing to consume whatever the writers want to feed us.

Fab4Runner;1507295 wrote:How had he resigned himself to that? I never, ever got that sense. Was he incredibly ill and weak? Yes. Had he tried to conjure up Heisenberg and failed? Yep. But I don't think he ever actually resigned. It makes perfect sense that he'd try one more time to do the one thing that was his goal all along.

I'm gonna go throw myself down some stairs now for agreeing a little with gut....[/QUOTE wrote:
Please light yourself on fire first so we know the job gets done.

Manhattan Buckeye;1507445 wrote:I think the writing is mostly great. How many times do I need to say it?

Family Guy absolutely nailed this. What is up with over-pretentious Breaking Bad fans that take criticisms personally? We can't discuss the show?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIom3LSbB0I

Fab4Runner;1507295 wrote:How had he resigned himself to that? I never, ever got that sense. Was he incredibly ill and weak? Yes. Had he tried to conjure up Heisenberg and failed? Yep. But I don't think he ever actually resigned. It makes perfect sense that he'd try one more time to do the one thing that was his goal all along.

BoatShoes;1507393 wrote: "Providing for his family" was just an excuse.

Manhattan Buckeye;1507439 wrote: Jesse's entire arc is off. We're supposed to believe he really cares about Andrea and Brock, yet has millions of dollars that can take them away and he just discards it?

gut;1507641 wrote:Now the character that's really gone bizarro is Todd - he's alternately stupid vs. cunning/manipulative, psycho vs. loyal/compassionate, incompetent underling vs. future kingpin. Maybe he's a mash-up of sociopaths, but I think mainly he's just been whatever Vince needs to advance the story. I don't know. Jesse without a moral compass? A combination of Walt and Jesse?

I think you’re right. I think that Todd seems to be missing a piece. He seems to be missing a piece. Maybe it’s a piece of empathy; maybe there’s part of his soul that just doesn’t seem to be there. And he doesn’t understand that other people aren’t the same way. I think that’s part of the key, is he sort of thinks in the back of his mind that he and Jesse can still be friends. In his mind, everything he’s done has been logical. You never see Todd doing anything out of pure emotion. There’s a rational explanation for everything that he does, and it’s very clear, but the fact that he doesn’t seem to suffer from any of it is what makes him seem so soulless. I think Jesse Plemons is just brilliant at playing the character. There’s a moment, especially early in the episode, when they’re watching the video of Jesse talking about the train robbery, and he calls Todd the dead-eyed Opie piece of sh–, or something along those lines, and Jesse Plemons gave this little smile like, “Oh, that Jesse. I really like that guy.” And I think he genuinely does like Jesse and he would like for things to be better between them, but he just doesn’t see it.

gut;1507635 wrote:I don't think it was mutually exclusive. He felt obligated to provide for his family, and so Walt Jr. telling him to go stick it with the cash is really his final and ultimate failure.

And actually back to the newspapers...You think a guy starved for any news, especially one with a giant ego, would want to dive-in and read all about the great Heisenberg. And maybe he will, but right now he just wants to talk with another person.

That's not to say his ego doesn't take over. But ultimately I don't think that's his core - he may make bad choices because of ego, but I don't think he's ever actually valued empire over family. He always wanted both - and I've slipped on this too, but I don't think it's that ego is #1 so much as he can't control his ego. And for that matter let's remember that Heisenberg WAS retired, literally (except Hank finds that book, and then Jesse flips out).

Laley23;1507667 wrote:Without re-watching, didnt he have every single clip of Heisenberg cut out and clipped up and highlighted and shit??