KnockBack, Episode 130 | Breaking Bad (Seasons 1 + 2)
Added 2020-08-08 16:58:04 +0000 UTCBreaking Bad is widely considered one of the greatest television dramas of the 21st century (and possibly ever). Released in the same era as Mad Men and The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad didn't only help put AMC back on the map as a respected TV channel, but gave us insight into an increasingly sinister world with a simple premise: A high school chemistry teacher and his burnout ex-student teaming up to cook meth. The story that unfolds is dramatic, sad, tragic, and ultimately irresistible to watch, and to do this topic extra justice -- one voted on by our Patrons -- we've decided to split our Breaking Bad coverage into three episodes. This is the first one, focusing on Seasons One and Two, the origins of Walt's and Jesse's partnership, Walt's battle with cancer, the beginnings of their fledgling criminal enterprise, and the ratcheting up of the personal stakes. So hit play: It's tight, tight, tight!
Comments
The wife and I just ran through this series again and then watched El Camino. It took about 2 weeks to finish. I played Helldivers on a second screen while she watched on the sofa. Once again shout out to Knockback for coming through in the clutch and having timeless episodes you can go back to.
Michael Mashpotato
2024-02-23 14:56:58 +0000 UTCI 100% agree with you, Caleb.
Christopher Puckett
2024-02-06 04:44:17 +0000 UTCTrust me bro. My field of work is working with people with intellectual disabilities. Not to mention my younger brother has autism, and I would fuck up anybody who would call my brother that with volition in the street. The term “mentally retarded” is frowned upon and people in my field nation wide have advocated to stop using that term since the mid 2000's. You have a right to use whatever term you wish to use, its your show. I just thought I'd try to spread some useful info and possibly educate some. That being said, keep up the great work, and I'm happy to be a patron of your content!
Matthew Legaspi
2020-08-22 03:05:23 +0000 UTCWe're recording them as we watch, but with foreknowledge, as we've already seen the show. I don't think it gets too spoilery, but Cash here disagrees, so it's really up to you!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-21 20:25:31 +0000 UTCHey, to each his own!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-21 20:24:57 +0000 UTCWell, be careful out there.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-21 20:24:47 +0000 UTCThis is true, though I think some pilots (like Lost's) are exceptional examples of setup.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-21 20:24:40 +0000 UTCThose aren't equivalent at all, I couldn't disagree with you more. That said, we always want to use the terminology that's most common or makes the most sense.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-21 20:24:19 +0000 UTCI watched the first season of Succession and thought it was awesome. Never got to the second season, as of yet.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-21 20:23:31 +0000 UTCNo, they spoil the ending of the series even, and multiple plot points in season 3,4 and 5 with no warning later on in the episode. I'd hold off until you finish the series.
Cash
2020-08-20 10:33:39 +0000 UTCI’ve only seen the first two seasons. Can I listen to this without having the rest of the show spoiled?
Nick Jensen
2020-08-20 00:14:44 +0000 UTCColin your perspective on Jesse surprises me. I felt that Jesse willingly went along with everything he had a choice and he choose wrong everytime and then at the end he decides to play victim? I ended up thinking jesse was the biggest piece of shit ever.
Tyler Bello
2020-08-19 21:23:49 +0000 UTCTo be fair, we still get a lot of really bad flooding in the Midwest, alongside the tornadoes and werewolf infestations
Watch Ergo Proxy
2020-08-18 18:26:38 +0000 UTCGreat episode. Looking forward to more. I feel the plot/Walt feeling rushed is the nature of making a tv pilot. You have to sell/set up the show before you can get into the weeds with it. TV pilots often have characters doing things out of their "character" just to set shit up.
Daniel Boyer
2020-08-18 00:21:07 +0000 UTCLove your content Moriarty Bros. Breaking Bad really is a great show, one of my favorite of all times. But I would never try to defend the characters to someone who would hate them on a fundamental level. *One note Colin. I think it would be wise to stop using the term “mentally retarded.” It’s an outdated derogatory term. Try to use the term “developmental disability” more often. Mentally Retarded is equivalent to fa**ot for the gay community or the N word for the black community. Just a thought. Can’t wait for more BB content tho!
Matthew Legaspi
2020-08-17 08:47:12 +0000 UTCI couldn't agree more with your sentiments regarding Breaking Bad. I too feel like the discussions about its quality are blown a bit out of perspective. Have you seen Succession? Easily my favourite show on TV at the moment! It's kinda like a media mogul version of Veep, with more drama however.
Tyron Hay
2020-08-17 00:02:06 +0000 UTCThank you. <3
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-15 02:14:58 +0000 UTCYeah, I'll give it a go when I'm done with my rewatch of Breaking Bad.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-15 02:14:50 +0000 UTCHey James, I can't say for sure. If so, they came from Dagan. I'm watching Season 3 right now and I wouldn't have been able to talk about it in any real way, as I barely remember it. We're trying to keep the conversation linear, and so my assumption is that it didn't come up.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-15 02:14:37 +0000 UTChad a blast listening to this one great work guys
Joey
2020-08-13 20:07:30 +0000 UTCGreat ep guys! Making me reaaaaaaly wanting to watch Better Call Saul right now. But think I'm going to follow Colin's route and wait for the series to complete first before binging it.
Pete
2020-08-13 17:11:19 +0000 UTCWalt goes from seeing Jesse as the screw-up kid he taught who never put in any effort that he's forced to work with to the guy who did so much for him. I think there's a huge change after he sees Jesse break down crying in that crack house and Walt feels so much responsibility for doing that to him.
JAMES P. FLANIGAN
2020-08-13 07:27:22 +0000 UTCHey are there spoilers for S3+ in here? My girl heard you were doing it broke up into seasons and is watching with me for the first time ever, we're two eps into season three and wondering if we can budget our watching time so as to finish seasons in time to listen to the pod or if we should get all the way through El Camino before we give it a listen-- thanks!
JAMES P. FLANIGAN
2020-08-13 06:31:19 +0000 UTCThanks for listening!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 21:45:38 +0000 UTCI like it a lot... but yeah, it's not in my top echelon.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 21:45:25 +0000 UTCYes! That's what we talk about in this episode. I wish it slowed down a bit.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 21:45:12 +0000 UTCIt's certainly consistent, I agree!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 21:45:00 +0000 UTCThank you! Yeah, we had to dig into Jane. She's an interesting character.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 21:44:53 +0000 UTCPlease enjoy!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 21:44:35 +0000 UTCI'm watching Season 3 now and it gets a little grayer, I think.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 21:44:28 +0000 UTCHey Colin, first couple seasons of this show aside from a few great scenes, doesn't really get going until near the end of the second season, I also believe that Walt's arc over the whole series is why the show is so addictive, watching his transformation, I actually fell off as well after the 1st season but was happy to come back a few years later. thanks for the discussion bitches!
David Kramme
2020-08-10 19:36:41 +0000 UTCGreat episode, although it bums me out that you don’t think BB is top-tier. I don’t know where I’d rank it in terms of my favorite shows to watch, but I can easily say it’s the best overall show I’ve seen in terms of production, writing, acting, etc. That goes for Better Call Saul as well. Enhance!
NeO JD
2020-08-10 17:31:09 +0000 UTCWhile I do love this show there is one thing that drives me crazy. Way to much happens in way to short of an amount of time. In season one Walt turns 50 and in season he turns 51!!! Your telling me all of the event s of the show take place over one year!!
Drtot
2020-08-10 16:36:30 +0000 UTCThe show was so consistent in terms of quality it's crazy!
Janhellyeah
2020-08-10 11:33:08 +0000 UTCGreat first episode guys. Glad you dug deep into Jane. Funny your take on Walt Col. My friend views him similarly. My buddy would always argue with me that Walt was a terrible person from the get-go. But, I always held sympathy for him. Excited to rewatch and see how I feel.
Eric Bolella
2020-08-10 10:48:18 +0000 UTCthis show and the sopranos are some of the best shows ive ever seen super excited to listen to this :)
Jack Doheny
2020-08-10 06:58:13 +0000 UTCI couldn’t disagree with Colin more about Walt. I think Jessie destroys his own life. He’s a mess. And Walt has so many reasons to be the way he is. I think he’s got a lot of love for Jessie. Yes in the last couple seasons Walt is a dick but he’s a drug lord at this point.
Anthony Longo
2020-08-10 03:46:48 +0000 UTCI watched this , well binged every season except the last and watched that one live on tv and I’ve loved it since. Got to rewatch it during Covid with my fiancé and she loves it too which was a really fun thing. Since we have watched all of Saul and El Camino and really wish there was more content. We need more !
Anthony Longo
2020-08-10 03:26:12 +0000 UTCFair enough my man.
Caleb Greer
2020-08-10 01:24:57 +0000 UTCColin, I'm a fan of it now also. I definitely hated it as a kid though. My girlfriend's name is Karma. She gets the ol "Karma's a bitch" joke a couple times a week lol.
Miles Williams
2020-08-10 01:00:00 +0000 UTCNice. =) We'll see you in a couple of weeks for Part II!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:49:40 +0000 UTCReally? I think Miles is an awesome name. =\
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:49:29 +0000 UTCI'm gonna rewatch Lost soon.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:48:59 +0000 UTCI figured that was the name your parents gave you.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:48:44 +0000 UTCI mean, I realize that. I just think it's dumb.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:48:29 +0000 UTCYes, this is good feedback. I realized this after we recorded, actually. We'll correct the record in the next episode.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:48:07 +0000 UTCYeah, bitch! I love Jesse. LOL.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:47:39 +0000 UTCBlizzards are whatever, honestly. I lived in some of the snowiest and coldest parts of the US, and found blizzards temporarily debilitating. Thankfully, they don't cause many actual issues (like, say, a tornado or earthquake).
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:46:10 +0000 UTCHe appears short, from what I can tell!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:44:26 +0000 UTCTalk to you then.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:44:15 +0000 UTCSorry! Maybe you'll enjoy the next two Breaking Bad-related episodes more.
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:44:09 +0000 UTCWe hope you like our talk!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:43:48 +0000 UTCRemember: I'm trying to take the show as it comes, and keep my point-of-view both authentic and limited to the seasons we're discussing. This is an honest reflection of those thoughts so far, two seasons in. The strip club scene, for instance, doesn't happen until season three!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:43:38 +0000 UTC=D
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:42:29 +0000 UTCPlease enjoy. =)
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:42:14 +0000 UTCThanks for your support!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:41:35 +0000 UTCI hope you enjoy our chat!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:41:21 +0000 UTCIt should be fixed now. =\
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:40:43 +0000 UTC!!!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:40:30 +0000 UTC=)
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-10 00:40:09 +0000 UTCI've paused this episode 3 times to go watch the show. Great episodes can't wait foe part 2&3
Alex Lawrence
2020-08-09 23:43:27 +0000 UTCGrowing up with a name like Miles was rough! Haha. I would of changed it in a heart beat when I was a kid. "Hey Miles how many Miles have you ran today" or hey "kilometers" 😂 It wasn't until I was older when I realized it's not really a rare name.
Miles Williams
2020-08-09 22:17:00 +0000 UTCI was born in Albuquerque and have lived here my whole life. This show has a very special place in my heart because I get to see my city in every episode and it looks glorious. (the meth and stuff is definitely accurate tho) 😂 my favorite show of all time next to Lost (yes Colin, all of Lost is amazing.)
Tyler Cumerford
2020-08-09 17:34:14 +0000 UTCIndeed my birth name IS Guitarraven28. DONT wear it out!
GameSimp
2020-08-09 15:24:45 +0000 UTCThe reason Walter Jr wants to go by Flynn is pretty subtle. He only wants to start going by Flynn AFTER his dad's "fugue state." He's embarrassed to be known as that weird guys junior at school. And if you notice, he wants to go buy Walter Jr again when he's upset at his mom for kicking his dad out of the house.
Bogey Zero
2020-08-09 14:45:30 +0000 UTCYeah dog, I’m in Northwest Louisiana. Tornadoes are real.
Caleb Greer
2020-08-09 12:55:15 +0000 UTCJust a quick correction Colin Most of the show, from the pilot all the way to episode 4 of season 5 takes place over the course of one year. The pilot is Walt's 50th birthday. Episode 4 of season 5 "Fifty-one" is Walt's 51st birthday. And then the finale is on his 52nd birthday. He's celebrating it on his own at that diner.
Bogey Zero
2020-08-09 09:21:58 +0000 UTCI would argue that you're not supposed to like Walt at all. He's a terrible human being, and his relationship with Jesse ads to that. I turned my girlfriend, mom, and sister onto the show... After it was over each one of them talked about how big of a shit bag Walt was. I've always looked at Walt as the villain of the show. Jesse is by far my favorite character in the show. Bryan Cranston gets the majority of the love, but honestly I think Aaron Paul is just as good in the show. The Path is a solid show also! Shame it got canceled.
Miles Williams
2020-08-09 06:11:59 +0000 UTCSpeaking of multiple Natural Disasters, as someone who grew up in the southeast (Georgia / Florida Line near east coast) Colin is right. We do get hurricanes and flooding, but we also do get a fair amount of tornadoes every year and severe thunderstorms all the time. Luckily we do dodge the forest fires (though we do have brush fires now and then), earthquakes, and blizzards. Although in 2012 in Atlanta they somehow had literally every disaster mentioned but on a small scale.
Henry Maxwell
2020-08-09 04:37:44 +0000 UTCFunny thing about the Path, one episode was filmed at the pizza shop by my apartment in Queens. I got to see Aaron Paul, he’s surprisingly short
Kenneth Oms
2020-08-09 03:00:30 +0000 UTCThanks for reading my inquiry, you will hear from me in precisely one year.
Brent Lindquist
2020-08-09 02:51:52 +0000 UTCHad a tough time with this episode. Reminded me a lot of The Last of Us 2 Spoilercast where I just wanted to grab Chris by the shoulders and show him what I loved about the game. I felt the same way with Colin not feeling sympathy towards Walt at all. I thought the show did a great job with it early on while keeping a brisk pace. I also didn’t start liking Jesse until like, season 5? Sure, Walt didn’t improve his life but Jesse would have ended up in jail or dead as Cap’n Cook if Walt hadn’t interfered. Even wholesome Dagan calling Skylar a bitch hurt me. I definitely fall on the side of being sympathetic towards her and find a lot of the hate that she’s a “bitch” and won’t let poor Walt just cook some meth. I think I just love this show too much and have my mind made up on how I view what happens during it. I’m sure I’ll listen to the next two KB episodes on it because I love you guys but dammit if I wasn’t fuming during it. Much love, Sean
Sean P.
2020-08-09 02:29:14 +0000 UTCBreaking Bad is my favorite show from start to finish of all time. I'm so excited you guys are doing a 3 part knockback for this show!
Anthony J Sanchez
2020-08-09 01:11:05 +0000 UTCColin, I think your view of this show being about Walt ruining Jesse’s life falls short. I think you deny Jesse’s own agency/decision-making, the fact that he too is a bad person (he stole Walt’s money and spent it at a strip club), and the fact that his life already sucked. Walt only enabled his drug-selling. I think the show’s partially about Jesse realizing through his exploits with Walt “breaking bad” that he’s changed and is no longer a bad guy, and he has a choice to be something else. After he makes that choice, I think >then< you can make a case for Walt’s manipulation, ego, and vindictiveness ruining Jesse’s chances of getting out of that life.
Caleb Greer
2020-08-08 21:41:35 +0000 UTCYeah bitch!!!!
josh
2020-08-08 18:46:58 +0000 UTCReally looking forward to this. I align with Colin on a lot of opinions... but this is one where I’ve always been shocked to hear he doesn’t put this show up there with one of the greats. Excited to really hear the full story as to why!
Quinn Zielonko
2020-08-08 18:03:45 +0000 UTCAwesome episode! Thank you guys so much!
seamus kane
2020-08-08 17:27:14 +0000 UTCSo happy to see it being split into multiple episodes! Really like that format. BB is my favorite television show of all time and I can’t wait to hear what you guys have to say! :)
Andrew Duda
2020-08-08 17:04:58 +0000 UTCYou got a typo Colin this is unacceptable.
Curse These Metal Hands
2020-08-08 17:03:22 +0000 UTCYes!
Steven Camilo
2020-08-08 17:01:55 +0000 UTCFor those that missed my Twitter post: Sorry we're late this week. Dagan's power got knocked out by the tropical storm, and it set us way behind. Enjoy!
Colin Moriarty
2020-08-08 17:01:11 +0000 UTCI’m coming for you Shadows!
Luke Wright
2020-08-08 16:59:39 +0000 UTC
