Breaking Bad season 5

''Breaking Bad' Cast: Final Season Darkest Yet

Executive Producer says it’s 'about winning and what it means to stay on top'

By Peter Holslin
Rolling Stone

The cast of "Breaking Bad" offered some tidbits about the show's fifth season during a Comic-Con International panel in San Diego on Friday night. While exact details remained elusive, one thing was clear: The season, which premieres on Sunday night, is the show's darkest yet."This season is about winning; and what it means to stay on top," said executive producer Vince Gilligan.

"This entire season is just creepy. Unsettling," added Aaron Paul, who plays meth dealer Jesse Pinkman.

The hour-long panel, moderated by TV Guide's Michael Schneider, marked the first time "Breaking Bad" has made an appearance at Comic-Con. The panelists included Gilligan and seven of the show's actors, including Bryan Cranston, who stars as chemistry teacher-turned-meth maker Walter White.

Bing: More about 'Breaking Bad' | More about Bryan Cranston

Some devoted fans had apparently shown up early -- really early -- to get a good seat. "I'm scared to leave this line up. I don't want to miss breaking bad IN 5 HOURS. What is another 5 hours without peeing?" Tweeted a user named @elizabutt.

Despite the show's intensity, the panelists were clearly having a good time. Hitfix noted that Cranston and Paul came onstage dressed in yellow hazmat suits. Actor Dean Norris -- who plays White's DEA agent brother-in-law, Hank Schrader -- was dressed in an outfit that made him look like Xena.

At one point, the cast started eating some of Walter White's famous blue meth, reported TV Guide. Later, asked if his character had any redeeming qualities, Cranston said, "He makes damn good meth."

Are you at Comic-Con? Tweet us your pictures @MSNtv and @MSNMovies using #msnatcomiccon.

The fifth season is the show's last, with 16 episodes set to air in two blocks of eight before it wraps up in 2013. In that time, Cranston's character reaches new lows: Gilligan said Walt does something during the season that made Gilligan lose all sympathy for the character, though he wouldn't specify what.

"He's found a new power and it's his ego," Cranston said, according to the show's Twitter feed.

The new season adds two new characters into the mix. Jesse Plemons of "Friday Night Lights" plays a guy named Todd, and Scottish actress Laura Fraser plays Lydia, a former associate of meth kingpin Gus Fring, who died at the end of the fourth season. Pinkman's drug runner buddies Badger and Skinny Pete also make a return.

The show also brings in Madrigal, a German company that was bankrolling Gus' operation. Gilligan said to expect more German subtitles on the show, noting that the second episode partially takes place in Hanover, Germany.

During the question-and-answer session, a fan asked if the season will include any "bottle episodes," low-budget productions designed to save on costs. Gilligan said the season's fifth episode is actually the "polar opposite" of a bottle episode. It was also the first one of the series that was filmed outside of Albuquerque -- all the way in Santa Fe, an hour's drive away.

Asked what he plans to do after Breaking Bad, Gilligan said he'd love to do TV or movies. "In a very greedy sense, I hope that this is not the highlight of my career," he said.

That was a pretty good S5 premire. We can sense already that it's going to be "dark". I guess they burned the meth lab under the laundry to a crisp. With all those metal tanks/equipment in there it doesn't seem likely that so little debris would remain.

Also, tipping the truck over with the big magnet wouldn't be likely. It could have affected the ferrous metal objects in the evidence room as shown, assuming a sufficiently powerful magnet, batteries, proximity, etc. and the proximity would have been the main problem because of the Inverse Square Law, but to pull the truck over it would have required a large, ferrous metal object in the evidence room such as a large safe, etc. for the magnetic field to couple to, and the only ferrous metal objects in the room were the small objects stuck to the wall and the metal framework/shelves which don't have nearly enough mass or surface area to provide a "coupling anchor" strong enough to pull over the truck. I could look up the Oersted field requirements, etc. to do that but my ambition doesn't run that high, at the moment, and besides they are fixing lunch on the live feeds !

'Breaking Bad' Recap: The New Walt Has Arrived
Monday, July 16, 2012
Jenn Lee
Staff Writer, BuddyTV

How does a show deliver after a tense, expertly crafted finale that included the explosive death of one of TV's best villains? Well, you start off with a bizzare teaser that sends viewers into a whirlwind of questions. Then you proceed to pick up the pieces from where you left off because--though Walt the King fails to understand this--nothing significant happens without repercussions (no matter how brilliant you are). Welcome to season 5 of Breaking Bad.


The Mysterious Flash-Forward
The first shot of the season starts with a breakfast plate (which seems to be a common image in Breaking Bad), revealed to be Walt's 52nd birthday meal at a Denny's somewhere midway between New Hampshire and California. Here's what else you need to know: Walt's alive (though possibly still sick, judging by his cough and pills), his hair has grown back and he's here on "business" to collect a heavy-duty gun and a bounty of ammunition for a mysterious purpose..... The Denny's isn't exactly "Somewhere midway between New Hampshire and California" but is actually at 2608 Central Av, SE, Albq. The address is plainly visible on the door behind him, which is two short blocks east of the Frontier Restaurant where some of you have eaten. The UNM book store is plainly visible....

Walt Can't Get His Due
Then it's back to present day, right after the events of season 4. After declaring "I won" in a quietly frightening way to Skyler, Walt attempts to have a drink to celebrate his crucial victory over Gustavo Fring. But then his family comes home and he encounters Walt Jr., who can't contain the news of the Pollos Hermanos honcho's death and Hank's implication as a hero in the whole matter. Seeking to avoid his son's ignorance, Walt tries to talk to his wife, who is more informed of Walt's hand (albeit vaguely) in the whole fiasco. But Skyler can't even look Walt in the eye out of fear of her husband. So Walt is left alone to toast to himself in the mirror--until he realizes he left one stone unturned.

Mike's Return
As soon as Mike (recovering in Mexico) hears news of his boss' death, we cut to him driving furiously in the desert towards Jesse and Walt's approaching vehicle. As soon as he's out, his gun's pointed at Walt and Jesse is forced to diffuse the situation. In one of the episode's telling lines, Mike eventually relents, saying, "What is it with you guys?" alluding to the undeniable (yet unstable) bond between Mr. White and his former student/now partner. With "bigger fish to fry," the three are forced to group together to find a way to deal with Gus' laptop with footage of their complicity, now locked up in APD evidence.

The brainstorming session at Jesse's home highlights the interesting new dynamic with Mike's added presence. The hitman brings a new skill set and area of expertise to the group, but still clearly distrusts Walt, who's used to being the brains of the operation. And while Mike has some allegiance to Jesse, like Walt, he doesn't really treat the "kid" as an equal either. When Jesse finally gets the two to hear his clever solution ("magnets, ohhh!!") amidst their bickering, their shared expressions creates a priceless moment.

The Magnet Operation
The three men then spend time testing out their plan in a junkyard before executing it in entertaining heist-like fashion. Mike does his part in getting them into the police station surroundings and then Walt and Jesse drive the truck (carrying the magnets) outside the side of the building containing the evidence. Jesse is predictably unsure of himself and at the same time giddy when they manage to escape despite leaving the truck behind. But when Walt ends their questionable accomplishment with a definitive "because I said so," it's clear Walt's attitude has shifted and even Jesse is caught giving him a concerned look.

Dealing with Saul and Skyler
Thankfully Saul is still around, and he tells Skyler the bad news of her troublesome former boss/lover Ted Beneke being hospitalized with serious injuries (an unfortunate result of her request). We see her visit poor Ted, who's so frightenened and physically impaired, it's not difficult to see Skyler is following in her husband's destructive path. Walt goes to deal with Saul on the whole Skyler-Ted Beneke-no money issue and, again, we see a more emboldened, menacing side to Walt when he growls, "We're done when I say we're done."

The New Walt
Even in this first episode, we see subtle hints of Walt's truer, darker side come to surface. But Walt is too blinded by his own love of power to see that his once selfless motivation for this divergent path has been utterly replaced, leaving behind an estranged family and a loss of clarity. Though Walt thinks he has everything under his control, Gus continues to one-up him (even from the grave) with a bit of exposed evidence in the wake of their magnet operation.

Next week, we continue to build on the three-way partnership including the reluctant Mike and a new lady arrives questioning the identity of Gus' killer.

Walt Can't Get His Due
Then it's back to present day, right after the events of season 4. After declaring "I won" in a quietly frightening way to Skyler, Walt attempts to have a drink to celebrate his crucial victory over Gustavo Fring. But then his family comes home and he encounters Walt Jr., who can't contain the news of the Pollos Hermanos honcho's death and Hank's implication as a hero in the whole matter. Seeking to avoid his son's ignorance, Walt tries to talk to his wife, who is more informed of Walt's hand (albeit vaguely) in the whole fiasco. But Skyler can't even look Walt in the eye out of fear of her husband. So Walt is left alone to toast to himself in the mirror--until he realizes he left one stone unturned.

Mike's Return
As soon as Mike (recovering in Mexico) hears news of his boss' death, we cut to him driving furiously in the desert towards Jesse and Walt's approaching vehicle. As soon as he's out, his gun's pointed at Walt and Jesse is forced to diffuse the situation. In one of the episode's telling lines, Mike eventually relents, saying, "What is it with you guys?" alluding to the undeniable (yet unstable) bond between Mr. White and his former student/now partner. With "bigger fish to fry," the three are forced to group together to find a way to deal with Gus' laptop with footage of their complicity, now locked up in APD evidence.

The brainstorming session at Jesse's home highlights the interesting new dynamic with Mike's added presence. The hitman brings a new skill set and area of expertise to the group, but still clearly distrusts Walt, who's used to being the brains of the operation. And while Mike has some allegiance to Jesse, like Walt, he doesn't really treat the "kid" as an equal either. When Jesse finally gets the two to hear his clever solution ("magnets, ohhh!!") amidst their bickering, their shared expressions creates a priceless moment.

The Magnet Operation
The three men then spend time testing out their plan in a junkyard before executing it in entertaining heist-like fashion. Mike does his part in getting them into the police station surroundings and then Walt and Jesse drive the truck (carrying the magnets) outside the side of the building containing the evidence. Jesse is predictably unsure of himself and at the same time giddy when they manage to escape despite leaving the truck behind. But when Walt ends their questionable accomplishment with a definitive "because I said so," it's clear Walt's attitude has shifted and even Jesse is caught giving him a concerned look.

Dealing with Saul and Skyler
Thankfully Saul is still around, and he tells Skyler the bad news of her troublesome former boss/lover Ted Beneke being hospitalized with serious injuries (an unfortunate result of her request). We see her visit poor Ted, who's so frightenened and physically impaired, it's not difficult to see Skyler is following in her husband's destructive path. Walt goes to deal with Saul on the whole Skyler-Ted Beneke-no money issue and, again, we see a more emboldened, menacing side to Walt when he growls, "We're done when I say we're done."

The New Walt
Even in this first episode, we see subtle hints of Walt's truer, darker side come to surface. But Walt is too blinded by his own love of power to see that his once selfless motivation for this divergent path has been utterly replaced, leaving behind an estranged family and a loss of clarity. Though Walt thinks he has everything under his control, Gus continues to one-up him (even from the grave) with a bit of exposed evidence in the wake of their magnet operation.

Next week, we continue to build on the three-way partnership including the reluctant Mike and a new lady arrives questioning the identity of Gus' killer. . Here's what else you need to know: Walt's alive (though possibly still sick, judging by his cough and pills), his hair has grown back and he's here on "business" to collect a heavy-duty gun and a bounty of ammunition for a mysterious purpose......the Denny's isn't exactly "
Walt Can't Get His Due
Then it's back to present day, right after the events of season 4. After declaring "I won" in a quietly frightening way to Skyler, Walt attempts to have a drink to celebrate his crucial victory over Gustavo Fring. But then his family comes home and he encounters Walt Jr., who can't contain the news of the Pollos Hermanos honcho's death and Hank's implication as a hero in the whole matter. Seeking to avoid his son's ignorance, Walt tries to talk to his wife, who is more informed of Walt's hand (albeit vaguely) in the whole fiasco. But Skyler can't even look Walt in the eye out of fear of her husband. So Walt is left alone to toast to himself in the mirror--until he realizes he left one stone unturned.

Mike's Return
As soon as Mike (recovering in Mexico) hears news of his boss' death, we cut to him driving furiously in the desert towards Jesse and Walt's approaching vehicle. As soon as he's out, his gun's pointed at Walt and Jesse is forced to diffuse the situation. In one of the episode's telling lines, Mike eventually relents, saying, "What is it with you guys?" alluding to the undeniable (yet unstable) bond between Mr. White and his former student/now partner. With "bigger fish to fry," the three are forced to group together to find a way to deal with Gus' laptop with footage of their complicity, now locked up in APD evidence.

The brainstorming session at Jesse's home highlights the interesting new dynamic with Mike's added presence. The hitman brings a new skill set and area of expertise to the group, but still clearly distrusts Walt, who's used to being the brains of the operation. And while Mike has some allegiance to Jesse, like Walt, he doesn't really treat the "kid" as an equal either. When Jesse finally gets the two to hear his clever solution ("magnets, ohhh!!") amidst their bickering, their shared expressions creates a priceless moment.

The Magnet Operation
The three men then spend time testing out their plan in a junkyard before executing it in entertaining heist-like fashion. Mike does his part in getting them into the police station surroundings and then Walt and Jesse drive the truck (carrying the magnets) outside the side of the building containing the evidence. Jesse is predictably unsure of himself and at the same time giddy when they manage to escape despite leaving the truck behind. But when Walt ends their questionable accomplishment with a definitive "because I said so," it's clear Walt's attitude has shifted and even Jesse is caught giving him a concerned look.

Dealing with Saul and Skyler
Thankfully Saul is still around, and he tells Skyler the bad news of her troublesome former boss/lover Ted Beneke being hospitalized with serious injuries (an unfortunate result of her request). We see her visit poor Ted, who's so frightenened and physically impaired, it's not difficult to see Skyler is following in her husband's destructive path. Walt goes to deal with Saul on the whole Skyler-Ted Beneke-no money issue and, again, we see a more emboldened, menacing side to Walt when he growls, "We're done when I say we're done."

The New Walt
Even in this first episode, we see subtle hints of Walt's truer, darker side come to surface. But Walt is too blinded by his own love of power to see that his once selfless motivation for this divergent path has been utterly replaced, leaving behind an estranged family and a loss of clarity. Though Walt thinks he has everything under his control, Gus continues to one-up him (even from the grave) with a bit of exposed evidence in the wake of their magnet operation.

Next week, we continue to build on the three-way partnership including the reluctant Mike and a new lady arrives questioning the identity of Gus' killer.

Aaron Paul was on Leno last night. His persona is quite different than Jessie's. We should hope so !

He was pretty funny telling about his several experiences on The Price is Right , 14 years ago with 3 friends. They would go repeatedly and got picked to "come on down" several times. Of course Leno had clips from his appearances. He had never seen them. Once he got within one answer of getting the big prize, a sports car. He had guessed $26,500 and the actual price was about $26,384, so he went over just a little too much. He said it took him several months to get over the trauma. But then one of his friends got on and won an around the world trip and took Aaron along for part of it. They didn't show any clips from BB. AMC is stingy that way.

Q&A: Bob Odenkirk of AMC's 'Breaking Bad'
Comedian is enjoying the challenge of playing a serious role
By Mekeisha Madden Toby Fri 2:33 PM

Bob Odenkirk is so cool.

When AMC held a red-carpet premiere for the fifth-season of "Breaking Bad" last week at Comic-Con, Odenkirk stopped and chatted up every reporter and shook every hand with the charm and smarm of Saul Goodman.

He's of course Walter White's oily attorney at law on the critically beloved meth drama. Or as Walt said in the season opener, he's a "two-bit, bus-bench lawyer."

This time around, Saul is still slimy but he's also a lot less comedic and more fearful. That's because Walt is a bad man and Saul is feeling his wrath more than ever.

"Breaking Bad" has also given Odenkirk, who got his start as a writer on "Saturday Night Live" back in the 1980s, a whole new fan base and that makes the husband and father very happy.

MSN TV caught up with Odenkirk to talk about comedy versus drama and what fans can expect from Saul this season. "Breaking Bad" airs Sunday nights on AMC.


MSN TV: Is it more fun to be funny or is it more fun to be serious?

Bob Odenkirk: It's a challenge to do this dramatic role. It's a new thing for me. And when I showed up on the set and I had all these lines and the tone of the show was so different from anything I'd done, it was an interesting and exciting challenge. But I focus and I do a lot of work to get into it whereas comedy is more second nature to me. I just did a show in New York at UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade) Theatre and we did a bunch of sketches that I wrote and we had so much fun. It was a blast. But it's really what I know so well and I have a great time. But this is very different and it's fun to have a challenge when you're almost 50 years old and it's fun to have a whole new set of things to focus on.

What can we expect from Saul this season?

Saul is in more trouble than he's ever been in and he's getting really genuinely scared. He was a little scared last season but he always felt there was a buffer between him and the real bad guys. But now there's no buffer. My character didn't deal with Gus and he never represented Gus and he just dealt with Walter White. It was always like 'That's your problem. Gus is your problem. Deal with it and then give me my cut.' Saul never wanted to be at the center of this thing and now he's closer to the center than he's comfortable with, much closer.

There are some moments of humor on the show. Do you improvise those lines?

I don't improvise anything. All those funny lines are written for me. I wish I could take credit. Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. They write everything. I learn what they write verbatim and it's so much fun. And I find humor in it. You read it, you don't see it the first time and then you read it again and you see it. It's really great and they love writing it. Everyone was surprised by how funny Saul could be and how he could bring a levity to the show that wasn't there. It was a surprise. I was supposed to do three episodes.

"Breaking Bad" airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on AMC.

That was a good episode last night. While ruthless, will Mike's soft spot in not killing the mother of the little girl come back to bite him ? Or has he roped her into the "project" sufficiently to keep her quiet, and share in the profits now that she seems able to acquire the chemical needed to proceed ?


Bryan Cranston Answers Fan Questions (Part I)
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In the first part of Bryan Cranston's chat with fans, the three-time Emmy winner describes what he and Walt learned from Gustavo Fring and imagines Walter White's last meal.

Q: Walt appears to have chanelled his former mentor/adversary Gustavo Fring. What have you been doing as an actor to prepare for that level of controlled, calm, intense presence that Giancarlo Esposito mastered with his yoga mindset? -- Dtapped

A: Deep breathing is always a good exercise, but I'm a runner instead of a yoga exercisor. But really, it's mutual. Bryan respects Giancarlo as a man and as an actor and I learned from him in both those regards. Walt respected Gus in an odd way, too, how he conducted himself, how he was clear in thought, and the absolute determination and drive he had. And knowing that now he is the kingpin, I think he learned from Gus too how to present himself. You may notice Walter is standing straighter. At the beginning of the show I wanted him to have a posture that was slumped and shlubby, the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Now that weight is off, and he's wearing the crown, and you need to have good posture, with your shoulders back, you have to stand up straight when you're wearing the crown -- otherwise it will fall off.

Q: As the show progresses, we start seeing more Heisenberg and less Walter White. If we think of these two as individuals, which one do you enjoy playing the most? -- Crabjock

A: I can't differentiate between the two, he's too close to me. He is one in the same -- you can't cut one out, because the other would die. One's the muscle, one's the brain -- and it's fun to play this guy who's become this badass.

Q: How do you think Walter White would want to be remembered? -- Ken Wynns

A: Respectfully. I think that's very important for him. And he was getting it when he was praised anonymously in manufacturing the finest methamphetamine in the world. And he relished that praise and the infamy that went along with it. That's his goal. He's very much a prideful man.

Q: What would you like to see Walt's "Last Meal" consist of? -- diksee

A: His last meal? That's presuming that he's going to die. He might, but I am saying that, in all sincere honesty, I don't know. I've never asked Vince [Gilligan] what's going to happen or how it's going to happen. I'm in exactly the same place as the audience will be after Season 5. But what would I want? Scrambled eggs, bacon, maybe some Funyons on the side. Everything that we've eaten on the show. Some scotch, some bourbon, probably some of that Pollos Hermanos chicken, it's good stuff.

Q: While it is sad to see Breaking Bad leave, how do you feel about the ending of the show? -- sendmorecops

A: Actually right now with this second to last season I feel fine, I feel good. We finished it. It's a good season and fans are going to get into it. There's a lot of crazy stuff that goes on. And then I'm looking forward to the last season that will culminate in a climax that I can't wait to find out about. At that time, I may have a different answer.

Q: Do you plan to maintain a residence in Albuquerque after the show wraps? What's your favorite Albuquerque restaurant? -- Robspiegel

A: I do. I own a house there and greatly enjoy my time there. I may be able to come back and visit and also work some more in Albuquerque. I've developed a lot of friendships and places I like to go, so it's been great for me. In terms of restaurant, I think for dinner I enjoy going out to El Pinto because of the food and the guys who own the restaurant and the general manager. I enjoy the atmosphere, the food and the drinks and it's pretty festive. And as a great standby, you can't beat Flying Star.

Maybe he likes it because of the way the staff treats him as much as for the food, because for Mexican food it isn't at the top of most local's list and my one visit there, with some of you, confirms it. Flying Star ? C'mon ! Vic's or Weck's beats it hands down any day at 1/2 to 2/3rds the cost. I had a BLT and onion rings two weeks at the Corrales Rd. FS (not my choice ) and it was the worst I've ever had....jeez ! These high-profile actors and others visiting/living here need to get out of the "tourist mode" and find out what the locals know to be the truly good places...



Bryan Cranston Answers Fan Questions (Part II)
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In Part II of Bryan Cranston's fan interview, the Breaking Bad star reminisces about his favorite moments from past seasons and imagines how Walter White would get along with an adult Malcolm from Malcolm in the Middle.

Q: Throughout the series, what has been the most difficult episode for you to work on? -- Mbizzaco

A: I'll give the coldest and the hottest. The coldest was in Season 2, when Saul Goodman was first introduced to the show and Walt and Jesse kidnap him and take him out in the desert. I think that night it was in the teens, and the wind was blowing hard and cold. We were shaking and after each take, they'd yell "Cut!" and we'd help Bob [Odenkirk] up because he was handcuffed, and we'd all go running into the RV just to warm up. The hottest was probably in Season 2, also. I think we were doing an episode out in the middle of the desert, "4 Days Out." Jesse and Walt were out cooking in the desert for four days, and we were shooting out in the sun in the afternoon, we couldn't block the sun because we'd block the light. It was just burning. And this time we'd step into the RV just to cool off.

Q: What is your favorite memory on set with your co-star Aaron Paul? -- Tobias

A: I have two. One is when I was in his apartment and we were doing a scene, really serious. I said, "I told you, I want you to handle it." I'm giving him a gun, to handle, and I reached into my pocket and I pulled out this phallic squirt gun and squirted him. And he just busted up. And then I think it was Season 1 or 2, early on. We had just finished a scene in the desert and it was hot and we had sand in our faces from the wind and it was pretty uncomfortable conditions. On our way to lunch, we're walking next to each other and he says, "Isn't this great what we get to do?" I said, "Aaron, that's my wish for you. That you always feel that way about what we're able to do for a living." It really let me know who that man was at heart.

Q: What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you on the set of the show? -- Cinderellinger

A: We were doing a scene where I was naked and in order to overcome being naked I usually go outward with my personality, to feel more comfortable. We were doing a scene in the store, in Season 2, those fans who know it will remember the "fugue state" when Tuco grabbed us and was going to kill us. So Walt tried to attribute the fugue state thing to the cancer drugs and in order to sell that idea it had to be this momentous thing, where Walt stripped naked in a grocery store. There I am standing bare-ass naked in a grocery store, and a manager of the store was walking past me and I go, "Can you tell me what aisle the pickles are on?" He started to answer me, and then caught himself and became more embarrassed than I did!

Q: What is one your favorite lines of dialogue you've delivered as Walter White? -- Quinn

A: "I am the danger."

Q: If you could have played any character on Breaking Bad besides Walter White, who would it be, and why? -- Spexxy

A: I would probably choose Saul Goodman. He has funny lines and he's a great character. He swims in the opposite direction of most of the other characters, and I think he'd be the most fun to play, aside from Walter.

Q: When the show is finished, is there any prop or costume you'd want to keep? -- Sean Tollefson

A: Out of the wardrobe department, there will be one less pork pie Heisenberg hat in storage, so I'll take one of those, the one I wear. I'll probably put in on my mantle in my office. Maybe his sunglasses or regular glasses, too -- something that went through the years with me on it.

Q: You're cast as the titular character in the biopic of a public figure (past or present) you greatly admire. Who would it be, and why? -- Kealan Patrick Burke

A: The first thing off the top of my head is John Wayne. I've had a couple friends and several other people who I don't even know say I have a similar look to John Wayne, and I've always thought he was such a fascinating character and what an incredible impact he had on the film industry and on audiences! If anyone wanted to do that, I'd be interested in playing such a guy. And then I'd have a reason to do research.

Q: Would you rather fight 12 duck-sized horses, or 1 horse-sized duck? Which would Walter White choose? WE NEED TO KNOW! -- zkrauss

A: I'd rather go with the 12 duck-sized horses, because I think they'd look really cute, those little tiny horses. And then I'd kill them all.

Q: Would a grown-up Malcolm from Malcolm in the Middle be an adversary to Walt? -- TVisms

A: No I'm thinking that Frankie Muniz would make a guest appearance and we form a father and son type of bond where we appreciate each other's level of intelligence and we make beautiful meth together.

Breaking Bad’s Jonathan Banks on Bryan Cranston’s Work Ethic, Playing the Villain, and Not Getting Mistaken for a Bank Teller

By Joel Keller

For much of his 40-something-year career, Jonathan Banks was best known for playing the bad guy who kills Eddie Murphy's friend at the beginning of Beverly Hills Cop. (Though let’s not forget his Emmy-nominated turn as troubled cop Frank McPike in the late-eighties series Wiseguy.) Now the 64-year-old character actor is best known for playing the not-so-bad guy who protects other bad guys, chief among them a meth lord, in Breaking Bad. We spoke with Banks about what’s ahead for Mike the fixer, why other cast members can’t complain when Bryan Cranston is around, and where Ed O’Neill's career took a wrong turn.

You’ve been on a lot of sets over the course of your career. How is Breaking Bad’s different?
First of all, the old saw: How do you make an actor bitch? You give him a job. But people truly enjoy their job on Breaking Bad, and they understand that it’s a quality [show]; it’s not the norm. And that sounds like such a Pollyanna thing to say, but it's absolutely true.

Where does that stem from? Vince Gilligan? Bryan Cranston?
It has to stem from the quality of what it is in the beginning, and that would be Vince. And it starts with Bryan as an actor. Bryan walks onto that set, Bryan has a great attitude, and with that great attitude, you better be having a good attitude yourself. If Bryan can come and work fourteen hours of the day, and be cold or wet or rainy or whatever it is, or dusty and miserable, then you know what? You better get your stuff together and be that way yourself.

Your character, Mike, is not your average thug. What do you see in him that is different from some of the other tough guys you’ve played?
I think Vince and the rest of the writers already, just by giving me that monologue in “Half Measures” [the penultimate episode of season three] — you already know that there is this past. And in the second episode of season four, when I sit there and I rub the blood off, there is a tortured soul there. There is something that has gone terribly, terribly wrong at some point. You can’t go as far to say that Mike is good; he’s certainly not. But would he do a good turn for another human being? You suspect that he might.

That’s the same episode where he warns Walt to stay away from Gus’s house.
Yes, it’s where I beat the shoot out of him.

You look different now than the roles from the eighties that you are best known for. Do people ever look at you and say, “Hey, he’s the guy who killed Axel’s partner in Beverly Hills Cop"?
I have no trouble walking around. But every once in a while, somebody will come, during the course of the day, and say, “Oh, I recognize you from such-and-such,” and yeah, they’ll make a connection. I think for the most part, people don’t go, “Where do I know him from? Does he work at the bank?”

Do you think Beverly Hills Cop defined your career in some way?
Probably. Yeah. You’d love to say, “Oh no, there was this wealth of roles … ” but, no, I think it did. I think it did.

You played Ed O’Neill’s brother on Modern Family this year. What was that experience like?
Unbelievable. Ed O’Neill is just a good, good human being. And it’s one of those things where — and he’ll kick me right in the ass for saying this — but Married With Children was never my cup of tea. You go back to his young, young years, and you look at some of his work. Ed is really good, and I don’t want to see him playing some brute, slummin' guy. I didn’t particularly like that. So I’m so glad he’s doing this. I don’t mean to sound pretentious. I mean, we’ve known each other for years, and now we are playing brothers, and somebody said to me, “You know, you look like brothers.” You know what? We do look like brothers.

So what’s in store for Mike this season?
I can say this: Jesse [played by Aaron Paul] and I are gonna end up spending a lot of time with each other. That I can tell you, but not much more.

How is acting with Aaron different than doing scenes with Bryan?
Oh, Aaron and I have such a good time. Aaron is a kid to me. My oldest kid is 43 years old. I give him endless shoot, as well I should. I look at him and I watch some of the things he does, and he reminds me of Montgomery Clift. He just does.

In an interview with AMC's website, you intimated that some of what you know about playing mobsters and thugs comes from people you may have known in real life.
I grew up in Washington, D.C. Suffice to say, it was not a garden spot. There’s nothing more boring than seeing a guy in an interview talking about, “Yeah, the neighborhood, how tough it was, it was this, it was this.” You wanna go, “Shut your mouth. Just shut up. Do you know how lucky you are to be out of it, if indeed everything you’re saying is true?” I honestly do feel — and I hope I don’t gag anybody if they read this — but I feel like I’m one of the luckiest people in the world.

It looks like Mike is taking over the operation or at least thinks he is.....but after that money divvying-up I think Walt has other ideas in mind even though he isn't letting on....


Aaron Paul Answers Fan Questions
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Emmy-winner Aaron Paul answers fan questions about the best prank he ever pulled on set, the potential for a TwaughtHammer reunion, and the one quality he shares with his character, Jesse Pinkman.

Q: Hey Aaron, what was your favorite scene to film so far in the first four seasons of Breaking Bad? --Harrisonator

A: That's such a hard question to answer. I like the lighter scenes because it's such a dark show. The pilot was great -- the scene outside of the bank when Walt is getting money for the Winnebago and Jesse tells him how he's now how he remembers him from class. That was the very first scene from Breaking Bad I shot. Any sort of physical fighting I do with Bryan is fun, also.

Q: What is your personal favorite scene or line from the series --Vartan

A: "This is my own private domicile, bitch." That's definitely up there. Anytime Jesse feels the need to say, "Yo," and "Bitch," I get really excited about it. And "Yo" has definitely come into my day-to-day existence.

Q: Yo, who taught you how to insult people and call them BlTCH? --Michael Louis Kruger Paciocco

A: Vince Gilligan definitely taught me how to do it. He just wrote in on the page.

Q: Jesse still refers to Walt as Mr. White, the same as when Walt was Jesse's high school chem teacher. After all the two of them have been through together, why do you think Jesse still calls him that? --ritzcracker

A: I have no idea, I love it though. Whenever I run into a teacher of mine back in Idaho, I tend to call them, "Mr. Link," or "Mrs. Thompson." I know their full name but I guess it's maybe out of respect. Jesse did call Mr. White "Walt" one time.

Q: Do you and Jesse have anything in common? --Ashley Nicol

A: Not so much to be honest -- and that's a good thing. But he has a soft spot for kids and I definitely have that also. I have so many nieces and nephews and I can't wait to have kids one day. I think Jesse Pinkman would make an excellent father -- but not right now. He needs to hang up his cleats, get out of the drug business for a while and grow up.

Q: I often wonder how many people must call you Jesse in real life and if anyone treats you like they would treat Jesse. --Candace Shively

A: Yeah, people come up to me all the time calling me Jesse Pinkman and yelling, "Yo, bitch!" I can tell where they're at in the show when they say, "I hate you!" or, "What are you doing?" or, "You are going to get everybody killed!"

Q: If Jesse were to exist in real life, and you met him, what would you say to him? --Talia

A: Get it together man! And stay the hell away from Walter White. And I would tell him all of Walt's darkest secrets and open up his eyes to reality.

Q: Is there something in particular that you think about to bring on the tears? They move me to well up in my own eyes and surprise me every time Jesse goes to shed a tear. - Erin Ryan

A: You know I don't even draw on my life experiences when I'm acting. I just try and make it feel like I'm living through that person's skin. So I think about what Jesse's going through at that moment.

Q: Is there any part of New Mexico that you will miss when filming wraps up? - Luke Armijo

A: There are a lot of parts of New Mexico that I'm going to miss. I fell in love with that city during the first season and fell in love with the entire state in the seasons after that. I own a place there and I'm going to keep it, so I'll go back. And I'm going to miss the family of Breaking Bad.

Q: What's the best prank you've played on a cast member of Breaking Bad? - chickenmeth

A: Bryan and I are always messing with each other. We were shooting a scene -- the last scene of Season 4, we were on the rooftop of a parking garage and we kept playing a joke on our crew members who were down on the street. We kept pouring water on them, but they couldn't tell where it was coming from, so they would move down the street -- and we would just follow them. By the end of it they were pretty wet, and still had no idea where it was coming from.

Q: Will there ever be a TwaughtHammer reunion? --Trench

A: I surely hope so. The band needs to get back together.

Q: Other than Ice Road Truckers, what other shows does Jesse Pinkman watch while he's not cooking in the kitchen? - Laura Franek

A: Oh he's obsessed with Pawn Stars, probably The Deadliest Catch and maybe some Family Guy. But I think Ice Road Truckers is really his go-to. You betcha ! Any thinking person would agreed with this ! IRT roolzz !

Q: My question is would Jesse survive a zombie apocalypse, and if so how would he do so? - Rose Lovering

A: That is the greatest question I have ever heard. I think Jesse would find some sort of bunker, fill it up with Funyons and Cheez Whiz and just hide out and enjoy his life alone.

Q&A - Bob Odenkirk (Saul Goodman)


Veteran comedian and writer Bob Odenkirk describes a frightening visit to a box factory and predicts what Saul Goodman would have to say about his stand-up routine.

Q: Saul ended last season trying to get as far away from Walter White as possible. Do you think Saul is still planning his escape?

A: Yes. Anxiously looking for some "out." Walt has surprised everyone with how ruthless he can be, and I think if Saul didn't think Walt was such a brutal, intelligent, dangerous person then he would find an easy way out. Of course, Saul got into business with Walter because Walter seemed smart -- which is why he's ultra-scary.

Q: Saul has a hard time trying to sell Walt, Jesse and Mike on the various cook sites. Have you ever had to make a sell of any kind in front of such a tough crowd? It was funny to see that one of the potential cook sites that Saul took them to was the Hinkle Family Fun Center. I wonder what Hinkle thought of seeing their name associated with that activity.

A: I suppose I have -- I've been in front of audiences that didn't want to hear me tell another joke. First you start to sweat, second you sweat more... but I don't think Saul wants Walt to see him sweating. Saul is biting his tongue and trying to be cool. He can't help himself from making jokes; he's a cynic so he can't help saying sarcastic things. Even though he's under intense pressure, the wisecracks keep coming.

Q: The first place Saul takes the gang to in Episode 3 is a box factory. What was it like there?

A: That's in a real box factory in Albuquerque. It was massive and a little scary. There are big pieces of equipment that chop cardboard up, crimp it and package it and I suppose could do grave damage if you got in the way of the machinery. There's a box company just down the street from me. It's a pretty big building, but if they actually make the boxes there rather than just storing/selling them, then it's a quiet, odorless operation unlike what it seemed on the show.

Q: Is there a particular way you play a character that is so earnest despite all his BS?

A: It helps to come from Chicago. That sarcastic, cynical voice is a Midwest trait, I think.

Q: You still do stand-up occasionally. Do you ever work your experiences on Breaking Bad into your stand-up or sketch sets?

A: They're pretty separate. However, Breaking Bad continues to teach me something that's true in comedy: total commitment is the key in both arenas. Play it all the way, and don't hold anything back -- that's the same in comedy. You're not going to find out anything if you don't commit.

Q: What do you think Saul would think of one of your stand-up shows?

A: He wouldn't think anything of it. He'd probably like Howard Stern, but he wouldn't like improv. "Too much thinking! I have to think about it too much, it's no fun." That's what he'd say.

Q: Throughout your career you've played a fair amount of salesmen. Do you have any characters right now that are Saul-esque?

A: Yeah I did a guy who's pitching a Cirque du Soleil show. He's supposed to have it all worked out, but he doesn't have any of it worked out. So he makes up a show in front of a bunch of people and he's just clearly pulling stuff out of his ass.

Q: Saul's henchmen Bill Burr (Kuby) and Lavell Crawford (Huell) are also in comedy. How much of a comedian's paradise is it when they show up on set?

A: It is a great, great pleasure because they're both funny as can be. We all look at each other on set like we snuck into the parents' table and somebody's going to catch us and throw us out if they find out we're there.

Q: It seems like the Breaking Bad audience gets bigger by the day. Are you getting recognized more?

A: Definitely. I get called out as Saul Goodman all the time. I even get recognized for my voice. People don't even see me -- they hear me talking and turn around and go, "Saul Goodman?" So I have to disguise my voice to not be recognized. But it's fun, the fans are really nice.

Click here to read an interview with Lavell Crawford, who plays Saul's bodyguard Huell.

Last night was one of the best eps ever, on several levels. Great writing ! I wonder if just one guy came up with it.

I doubt if such an elaborate scheme to steal the chemicals would have worked but it is interesting that when Lydia pointed briefly to the map to show them the best place to intercept the train, it was at the best place in the area, although the main E-W railroad line comes through further NE than where she pointed, but you have to go on NM 509 , where she pointed , out of Grants to get up there. And that whole stretch from Grants to Cuba is really desolate.

We did a BMW club ride about 5-6 years ago, a big loop, Albq. to Grants, north to Cuba and back to Albq. on that road and saw maybe 3-4 cars in 150 miles. Interestingly when we got to the RR crossing we had to wait for a train that was stopped right across the road. It was a long coal train rather than tank cars and I'm pretty sure no one was stealing coal.

Of course on BB that was an unused spur line not the main line for obvious reasons, which was obvious by the condition of the road bed and meandering track. When the pickup stopped and the driver was Indian, that was realistic because only Indians live along that whole stretch in scattered, small groups of houses, and one garage/gas pump right along the road about 40-50 miles north of Grants.

It's doubtful they were actually filming along that road. More likely they were closer to town, south of I-40 and west of Las Lunas. There's another E-W main line that runs through there with possibly an unused spur line to film on. But NM 6 runs right through there, a short cut from Las Lunas to I-40 west, so there would be too many possibilities to be seen for a real heist to be pulled off there.

But still, someone put a lot of thought into that script.

Q&A - Anna Gunn (Skyler White)


Anna Gunn, who plays Skyler White on Breaking Bad, describes what it's like to be Bryan Cranston's prey and reveals some of the music from her Skyler playlist.

Q: We're getting to see some new sides of Skyler this season.

A: It was really the season that I was waiting for; one that I was sure was coming but didn't know what it would look like. I knew Vince was going to keep Skyler in this emotional place for as long as possible -- the way she was in the not-knowing phase for as long as the audience could stand it. But this season is the season where all the emotions that Skyler has held on to really tightly come out. If she felt that she sat down on the floor and cried, she might not be able to get up. She's like a kettle that's on the stove.

Q: What's it like to completely flip out on set?

A: It's actually been great. The first explosion with Marie really scared me because I haven't been able to go there with Skyler, and to let it loose it was kind of frightening to me. After the first take I was a little taken back.

Q: And then for your scene with Walt -- was Bryan Cranston as intimidating as he looks in Episode 4?

A: Yeah, he is. Appropriately he is. And then in between takes we're like brother and sister almost. We tried it initially with Skyler on the bottom, but after we broke and had lunch and came back we decided that it needed more movement, and it ended up as a dance, with Bryan pursuing me all around the room. It was really like I was trapped animal that was Bryan's prey. It was one of my favorite scenes ever in anything I've ever done.

Q: What do you do to get in the right mindset during scenes like that?

A: I take myself from the social part of the set to a quiet dark corner. I basically do a bunch of imaginative work in terms of what's going on with Skyler. I also use music a lot to get me into whatever headspace I need to be in -- I have a Skyler playlist for that.

Q: What's on your Skyler playlist?

A: A lot of Lucinda Williams. "Rescue," and "Changed the locks." That's one of the saddest songs I've ever heard period. "Nobody's fault but my own," by Beck, "Lord I'm Discouraged" by The Hold Steady. A little Lenny Kravitz. Pearl Jam, "Better Man" -- that song always does it for me and gives me the chills! Ben Harper, Pleasure and Pain, Cowboy Junkies, some Brandi Carlile.

Q: Are there any similarities between the Skyler playlist and your own musical taste?

A: There is some overlap. Some of these songs come from my music. But ultimately I do this for any character I play -- I make a playlist and I go browsing before. I know what kind of vibe I'm going for. Skyler's playlists have changed over the seasons. They were very kind of low key and gentle at first and now they're a lot more powerful. There's a wider variety of emotion being expressed.

Q: Skyler is one of the few checks and balances on Walt's power at this point. Did you have any idea from the get go Skyler and Walt would square off so much?

A: No I didn't. All I knew was what Vince told me: that my character would be a lot like Carmela Soprano but in on the crime. I thought it sounded great, but I didn't know how far their relationship would go.

It seems that this season features more "up close and intimate" type of scenes. The dinner scene with Walt, Jesse, and Skylar, is an example. Genius acting all around especially Aaron Paul.

However they are skirting too far beyond the "Physical Laws of the Universe" in some scenes this season. First there was the electro-magnet in the truck and last night there was one very unlikely scene and one impossible scene. When they cut up the dirt bike and put it in the barrel to be dissolved with acid, presumably Sulfuric acid, it would take an awful lot of acid and a lot of time to dissolve the 220-250 lbs. of metal and when it was done they would still have 220-250 lbs of grey sludge to dispose of. How ? Where ? I guess they dissolved the kid too ? That would have been a little too graphic to suggest even for BB.

The second scene couldn't be done.....where Walt burns off the plastic "hand cuff" with an AC "cutting torch". It's possible that that old building didn't have a GFI (ground fault interrupter) installed. I don't know what the Albq city building code requires for GFI installations. I know my house has one and every house built in the last 25-30 years, at least, is required to have one. The GFI prevents electrocutions such as electrical appliances falling into the bathtub. Any electrical short causes it instantly to pop and cut off all power in the building. It works much faster than a fuse.

But even if that building didn't have a GFI it certainly had a fuse box so Walt's "cutting torch" would have blown the fuse on that circuit within a second or two. Also, keeping the +/- wires apart like that to provide an arc is very difficult even if the power didn't go out.

And one more thing....if the kid who was shot was given his dirt bike by his parents and if they didn't impress upon him that he doesn't go riding in the desert alone, then they were negligent to put it mildly. You simply don't do that, just as you wouldn't go mountain climbing or scuba diving alone. Of course the kid could have ignored their lecture in which case he was the irresponsible one. Not that that justifies getting shot of course. Jessie seems to be the one most affected by it.

Next week looks interesting. Heisenberg is finally revealed !

The Candy Lady in Old Town, who has been making custom candies there for many years is "cashing in" on BB's popularity by taking rock candy, coloring it blue, putting a small amount in little plastic bags and selling it for $1 a bag from a basket on the counter, with a "Breaking Bad" sign on it. Last night on the news she justified doing it and says it's very popular with tourists and she has sold 200-300 bags already.

Quick and smart thinking...she's a marketing whiz!

The controversy over this is still raging. Every night the TV news has a pro/con interview with someone, but she's sticking to her guns..."It's candy folks!"

Incidentally she has a back room where X -rated candies are displayed, and for sale. You may ask, how can candy be X - rated ? I wouldn't have known, having never seen any, but years ago I worked with a woman who was friends with the owner and she told me about them.

Q&A - Dean Norris (Hank Schrader)
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Actor Dean Norris, who plays Hank Schrader on Breaking Bad, describes learning about the real DEA for a drug documentary and shares the one thing that continues to surprise him about Hank.

Q: You just returned from Europe. Did you find that locals are tuning in to the show?

A: A little bit! It kind of felt like the first or second season was here for Europeans now. But it was Americans abroad who would stop me non-stop. It seems like a huge number of people have now become fans of the show. You really get the sense that it has permeated the culture in a much larger way here.

Q: Hank is back on his feet more this season. Is that a shift you've welcomed?

A: Yeah it is. The next thing for Hank to do is find out about Walt -- so they've had to find ways to keep him out of the action -- but now with Hank back on his feet a bit we're seeing the endgame coming around the corner.

Q: How did you craft Hank's limp? Did you watch a lot of House?

A: It was always kind of told to me vis-a-vis the directors and the producers where we're at and how much limping Hank would do. They just defined that for me.

Q: Episode 4 had yet another tense family dinner. Do they feel as awkward as they look?

A: Those are some of my favorites because we all get together, and they've kind of become a signature thing on the show. I work with the DEA guys all the time, who I love, but from a personal side it's nice to hang out with the rest of the gang. Those scenes are going to be even more interesting if Hank ever knows something about Walt that Walt doesn't know he knows, because for the entire series Walt's had this secret that everybody in the audience knows and Hank is the one guy that doesn't know it.

Q: Do you and Bryan joke about this looming showdown?

A: We haven't talked about it at all. I think we're waiting to see how it plays out, because neither one of us knows what that's going to look like or feel like in the script.

VIDEO: Clip from Episode 502, "Madrigal"

Q: You recently hosted a show about the history of drugs called the The Stoned Ages. What did that teach you about real-life Hank Schraders?

A: I interviewed several DEA guys -- who were big fans of Breaking Bad, by the way -- and we went into a DEA warehouse in an undisclosed location in Arizona. It was pretty phenomenal, looking at literally hundreds of thousands of pounds of marijuana. These guys who work in this are used to the evolution of drugs. It used to be LSD, then it was cocaine, then crack, and now it's these designer drugs. As soon as you try to put a dent in a certain type of drug, then another one comes up. These guys know the limitations of what they can do but they also know it's something they have to keep fighting. They're not hardcore in the way you would think.

Q: Is there anything about Hank that continues to surprise you after five seasons?

A: I've never quite figured out why he and Marie don't have kids.

Q: Do you ever take Hank Schrader anywhere off-set?

A: It'd be fun. I often think about going into a bar and just Hankin' it up. But I figure I better not do that.

I didn't see that coming ! Mike was an interesting character and always a source of menace, I'll miss him. Maybe that's why Gilligan decided to get rid of him now, because he wants Walt to be the biggest menace to all and sundry during the final episodes....

One thing that's a little puzzling......Walt shoots Mike through the car window, the bullet would have been about head/shoulder high. But when Mike was sitting on the river bank there was blood on his shirt in the stomach area and no evidence of injury to his head or upper body....

Incidentally, the bank where the guy was putting the payoff money in all the safe deposit boxes is actually a bank, Charter Bank, but of course they put a fake name on it. Hank's assistant, the DEA agent with the goatee and the red shirt who busted the guy, is Mike Quezada, who lives here, one of the few in the cast that do, R.J. Mitte is the other. Mike also fronts a band called the James Douglas Band. I don't know where the name comes from.

Mike being interviewed at the first BB vs. IPS softball game last year...

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On the news just now a person from the NM film office. said that every episode of BB spends about $ 1 million in ABQ. and surrounding areas in salaries and prod. costs, food, rent to location owners, etc.

Meanwhile this production is shutting down the Lead Ave. overpass over the railroad on the SE corner of downtown. It will be closed for a week. They showed the whole overpass packed with vehicles and Mexican flags flying.... it is featured as an entry port from the U.S./ Mexico.

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Also , Cimmaron State Park near Cimmaron, up NE, is closed for a few days for yet more filming on the Lone Ranger.....I thought they were done with that....

TV Blog

‘Breaking Bad’ Star Jonathan Banks: ‘The Bad Guy’s Gotta Die’

by Reuters | August 27, 2012 at 5:12 PM | Breaking Bad, General

Jonathan Banks. (Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) – (Spoiler warning: Don’t read this if you didn’t see Sunday’s “Breaking Bad.”)

Jonathan Banks always knew Mike had to die.

The sad, final moment for Mike Ehrmantraut – the “Breaking Bad” enforcer for drug lord Gus Fring-turned-reluctant partner of Walter White – came Sunday as Walter shot Mike in a moment of rage and confusion. As Walt stammered an apology, Mike cut him off: “Let me die in peace.”

And he did.

Banks, who has played Mike since the show’s second season, was similarly at peace with his exit from the Emmy-winning AMC series. He said show creator Vince Gilligan told him of Mike’s death at co-star Aaron Paul‘s engagement party. But it didn’t ruin the mood.

“I honestly always thought I was gonna die,” Banks told TheWrap on Monday. “The bad guy’s gotta die. It didn’t come as any surprise at all.”

We talked about why Mike couldn’t follow his own advice, working with Bryan Cranston, and whether we’ll ever see Mike again. The midseason finale of “Breaking Bad” airs Sunday, and the show returns for its final episodes next year.

Q: How did you get the bad news about Mike?

A: “Vince told me about nine months ago. We were at Aaron’s engagement party. Sony hadn’t made my deal yet and Vince was asking the father-in-law about the hors d’oeuvres. And I said, ‘Vince. Do you think we could stop talking about the hors d’oeuvres and we could talk about my f....... life for a minute?’

“I’m making light of it, but let me tell you: Vince Gilligan couldn’t have given me a greater gift than the character of Mike. And these writers have been so good. And hopefully I brought a little of myself to it.”

Watch the Latest Episode of “Breaking Bad:”

Q: Obviously you’d prefer that Mike were still alive. If you could, what advice would you have given him, knowing what you know now?

A: “Shoot Lydia in the head. Kill Walt. But then it would have been the Mike show. Which would have been fine by me.”

Q: He really didn’t take his own advice not to take half-measures.

A: “Exactly. … Anybody’s who’s been watching the show who watched me let Lydia go, goes back to the season three ‘half measures’ speech and is screaming at the television: ‘Mike! It’s a half measure.’”

Q: We got to see Gale in flashbacks after he died. Any chance we’ll see a scene with Gus and Mike talking about their secret plan for what will happen if they both die?

A: “I’m not being coy: To my knowledge, absolutely not. But that’s a Vince question.”

Q: So you won’t be back in any form?

A: “I have no knowledge of that. I don’t see why he would, really, unless Vince and the writers are going to do some kind of flashback. I think they went back into the writers’ room August 12 or somewhere in there. And who knows what they’ll come up with? They come up with pretty good stuff.”

Q: You’ve had a long career on stage and screen. I think everyone recognized you from somewhere when you joined “Breaking Bad.” Can you talk about what it did for your career?

A: “I thought, how great that I got to do this role at 65 years old. Because it’s a great character. And I love the character. I’ve been around long enough that my expectations about fame or work, any of it – I’m not jaded, but I just take it as it comes. And I think a lot of that’s age. There are a lot of wonderful, wonderful, wonderful actors out there. And a great example is Bryan. Coming from ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ to this nuanced, raw-nerved character that he plays magnificently. I daresay there are a lot of people out there who didn’t know Bryan was that great an actor.

“… That couldn’t have been a happier set. The cast, the crew, the producers. We all got along. And it was a joy to go to work.”

Q: Vince Gilligan has said in the “Breaking Bad Insider” podcast that you’re the only one who complains.

A: “You bet your ass I complain. No, I don’t complain. I just give people a hard time. Let me tell you something about Vince Gilligan. He had us out in those black jackets, in that sun, in 100 degrees while he sits in the air-conditioned office in Burbank. And he tells me I complain?”

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Banjo wrote:Also , Cimmaron State Park near Cimmaron, up NE, is closed for a few days for yet more filming on the Lone Ranger.....I thought they were done with that....

Damon just became a "grandfather" so IF I can track him down I'll ask.

Pretty shocked over the events of that episode but afterward thought it was the best episode so far. That was real entertainment and the proof was that I was still thinking about it at 2 in the morning.

I have a friend at work I talk to about it and so when she came in I was really hyper. Turns out that she taped it and hasn't watched it yet...why? It keeps her up late...Well...DUH!

Bob Odenkirk Lays Down the Law on ‘Breaking Bad’

by Associated Press | August 30, 2012 at 9:47 AM | Breaking Bad

Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad (AMC)

By FRAZIER MOORE

NEW YORK (AP) — Albuquerque lawyer Saul Goodman isn’t picky. Anyone with cash or a money order is fair game as a client. Any infraction, large or small, is ripe for a defense only Saul could whip up.

As he boasts in his commercials on local TV, “from parking tickets to mass murder, from slip-and-fall to bond fraud, Saul Goodman and Associates is your one-stop shop for all your legal needs.”

Add “Breaking Bad” to Your Queue

In the twisted world of AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” it was inevitable that schoolteacher-turned-drug-lord Walter White would cross paths with shady Saul. For several seasons of the drama (which concludes this summer’s run Sunday at 10 p.m. EDT), he has represented the depraved business interests of Walt (series star Bryan Cranston) and Walt’s partner-in-crime Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul).

Presiding at his strip-mall office with the Statue of Liberty inflated on the roof, “Better Call Saul!” Goodman is flashy, mouthy, shameless and scheming. His desk drawer full of active cellphones hints at his professional duplicity. His office decor — the Ionic columns, portholes for windows and U.S. Constitution wallpaper — leaves no doubt he’s unacquainted with good taste.

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And, oh, by the way, he’s a really good attorney!

“If you’re committed enough, you can make any story work,” he bragged a while back. “I once told a woman I was Kevin Costner, and it worked because I believed it.”

Bob Odenkirk, who plays Saul, makes him believable.

Odenkirk is a gifted actor, comedian and writer whose credits include “Saturday Night Live,” ”The Ben Stiller Show,” ”The Larry Sanders Show” and, paired with David Cross, HBO’s legendary “Mr. Show” sketch-comedy series.

More recently he has sparked the dark, disturbing “Breaking Bad” as its scene-stealing barrister.

Saul Goodman just can’t help it: His glad-handing style is supplemented by needling, out-of-line wisecracks that amuse nobody but himself (and, of course, the TV audience).

“You’re gonna get me off, right?” implored a panicky drug dealer who had just been busted by the Feds.

“What do I look like, your high school girlfriend — five fingers, no waiting?” chortled Goodman to his client. “That’s a joke! Lighten up!”

Odenkirk had never tackled a dramatic role when he was summoned by “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan, who, with several fellow writers on the series, admired his work on “Mr. Show.”

Nor, truth be told, had Odenkirk ever watched “Breaking Bad,” then in its second season.

“I’d seen the billboards. They looked cool. And once I watched the show, I thought, ‘Wow, this is different. This is VERY different for ME!’ When you’re about to turn 50 years old” — which he will this October — “you don’t get a lot of people offering you something new. I’m a lucky guy.”

Despite his skill at writing and improv, Odenkirk says he welcomes the “Breaking Bad” scripts as is.

“I had the vision for Saul’s hair — the comb-over and the mullet in back,” he says. “But learning the lines was what taught me who he is.”

Initially, Goodman wasn’t meant to last more than three or four episodes as a fleeting functionary to advance the plot. But he caught on with viewers instantly. He was freewheeling and self-possessed (and funny!), unlike anybody else on the show.

“All the other characters are operating under the gun,” says Odenkirk. “For Saul, it’s a game: ‘I’ll see if I can make some money here.’”

Gilligan agrees, noting that “Saul is one of the few characters on ‘Breaking Bad’ who really, truly knows himself. Walter White, in comparison, is the world’s greatest liar — and the person he lies to the most is himself.”

After all, Walt is a guy who has remade his identity from a milquetoast bullied by everyday life to the meth kingpin who crowned himself Heisenberg. He’s got everyone’s attention with his alter ego, but lurking behind it, he seems delusional.

Count Walt’s swelling megalomania (along with his terminal cancer and a brother-in-law who’s a DEA agent) among the reasons his eventual downfall seems assured. No wonder Goodman at key moments has been anxious to put safe distance between them.

He was set to call it quits with Walt as recently as this season’s opener, when he felt the threat level rising unacceptably.

“You and me, we’re done,” he told Walt flatly.

But in a chilling monotone, Walt growled, “We’re done when I say we’re done.”

So Saul remains part of the game plan. Indeed, with his thriving law practice (including a website — Bettercallsaul.com — and an operating Albuquerque-area phone number), he just may outlive “Breaking Bad” once it concludes its five-season run next summer.

“There has been absolutely no official discussion as of yet,” cautions Gilligan, “but I would love to see a Saul Goodman spinoff.”

Needless to say, so would Odenkirk.

“I would love to find out what happens to him and where he can go. But we have eight more episodes of ‘Breaking Bad’ we haven’t shot yet. Before there’s a spinoff, Saul has got to survive all that.

“It’s ‘Breaking Bad,’” he says, which says it all. “ANYTHING can happen.”

"Before there’s a spinoff, Saul has got to survive all that."

What...did he say "spinoff?"

The mid-season finale was rather low key, comparatively speaking for BB. At the ending scenes where they were just sitting around the pool talking and eating, I thought.....how are they going to make a cliffhanger out of this ? But then Hank goes into the bathroom and sees the 'dedication' to Walt in his Leaves of Grass book and instantly becomes suspicious....but who is G.B. ? If it were G. F. I would assume Gus Fring.....I'll have to look up all the characters and see who is G.B.

The scene where Skyler shows Walt the pile of money in the storage facility was pretty interesting. "How much more do you need? " Good question since she has no idea how much is in the pile. But they could bring in one of those automatic currency counters, they have one, but even so it would take a long time to count through that pile ! And storing it like that in such a public facility seems irresponsible.

Also, something I've always wondered about...when someone has such a big amount of physical cash, how do they use it ? They could pay cash for groceries, gas, etc. But that's small potatoes and doesn't address the real problem.. I think $10K is the largest amount that you can deposit at one time in a bank before they have to report it. You could open multiple accts. at various banks, that seems inefficient. Or maybe they put it in Cayman Island accounts or Swiss, which the Feds are trying to pressure to reveal deposits from Americans, none of their business of course.....but still you can't pay cash for cars (I take that back, I did it once but it came from a non-suspicious source and I didn't actually have the cash in hand and plunk it down on the salesman's desk) or houses or yachts, or airplanes without arousing suspicions , or maybe you can.....I suppose high-rollers do that all the time ?....

Ah, this is the G.B. I had forgot about him. But of course Hank can make the connection between him and Walt. Next season should be interesting !


Gale Boetticher chemist extraordinaire. Recipient of the UNM Maximino Arsiniega Chemistry Scholarship. (Season 4, Episode 8: Hermanos). Described by colleagues as a dear and sweet man, kind, caring, gentle.

Keeps journal where he writes just about everything, such as a recipe for vegan s'mores alongside intricate details on how to build a meth super lab. May possibly be the greatest karaoke singer of all time, evidenced by his trip to Thailand where he sang karaoke to Peter Schilling's "Major Tom."

Met his end most unfairly, caught in a human chess game that all agree was undeserved. This brutal take down, was precursor to one of the most chilling moments ever created in film or broadcast. A CD disk taken in evidence from the crime scene; played in jest by Hank Schrader for the amusement of Hank's brother in law and nephew (Walter White and Walter Jr.) The effect cannot be fully understood unless you have seen the episodes leading up to the CD being played. To understand the moment, watch Season 3 before watching Season 4. And watch season 2 before watching season 3 and by Odin's Raven watch season 1 before watching season 2.

Further details: Gale Boetticher is a chemist hired by Gus Fring to help set up the new laboratory and serve as Walt's "lab assistant". He holds an MS degree in organic chemistry, with a specialty in X-ray crystallography. He describes himself as a "libertarian" and a "nerd". He is quite cultured, and an intellectual equal to Walt. As a side project, he is working on a process for brewing a superior cup of coffee. (source:http://breakingbad.wikia.com/wiki/Gale_Boetticher)