Breaking Bad

[irishjayhawk]

Anyone watching this magnificent show?

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by blaise

Didn't salon run a similar kind of aritcle last year? I wonder if it was the same guy. I think it is absurd. The way he keeps using the word, "supremicist" makes it seem like it's an active goal of the show's writers and creators. As if the show was organized around a desire to further some white supremicist agenda. That is absurd. Using the phrase, "white supremicist," takes it from a people rooting for Walt because they can relate to him concept to a white people like it because they're racists level. He's not just saying the show is popular because many people can relate to Walt in terms of his race and his initial middle class existence. He's saying there's an active desire to make people say, "yeah, white people!" There's nothing wrong with creating a character that people can relate to. You're supposed to look at Walt at the beginning and think he looks like someone you might know. That's part of the show. He's the guy next door, or your teacher, and he broke bad.
For the author take it a step further and act like people's joy comes from some racial conflict where white comes out on top makes me think he just has an agenda against the show, or he just wants a reaction and he's reaching for the race card, which is the easiest way to get a reaction.
The way he refernces The Wire in the article makes me think he probably suffers from Whitlock's Wire vs Breaking Bad mentality.

I don't disagree with you. As many of the commentators posted in the comments on salon, it reads like a marxist/postcolonialist deconstruction straight out of academia. Nothing wrong with that, as I find it kind of entertaining to apply that lens to pop culture, whether I agree with the analysis or not.

And I'm not sure if salon ran something similar before. Most of their entertaining writers are pretty huge fans of the show, and this article was actually republished in salon from a different source (they've started subcontracting/republishing a lot of stuff from secondary sources lately).

[Dallas Chief]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Don't read if you get pissed off anyone throws the term "racism" around. Anyway, leave it to salon to try to **** up and make me dislike the subtext of a show I really love. It's still a pretty cool analysis.

Drivel. I can't believe you actually read that garbage. It is TV show, and a damn fine one at that!

[blaise]

Originally Posted by NewChief

I don't disagree with you. As many of the commentators posted in the comments on salon, it reads like a marxist/postcolonialist deconstruction straight out of academia. Nothing wrong with that, as I find it kind of entertaining to apply that lens to pop culture, whether I agree with the analysis or not.

And I'm not sure if salon ran something similar before. Most of their entertaining writers are pretty huge fans of the show, and this article was actually republished in salon from a different source (they've started subcontracting/republishing a lot of stuff from secondary sources lately).

I just went back and looked. It was Matt Zoller Seitz. He didn't say it was racist or anything, just that it was a sort of WASP fantasy.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by NewChief

As many of the commentators posted in the comments on salon, it reads like a marxist/postcolonialist deconstruction straight out of academia.

But unlike an article from a peer-reviewed academic journal, this piece doesn't bother to really prove the points that it argues.

So, yeah, like you said earlier in the thread: strained.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by NewChief

I don't disagree with you. As many of the commentators posted in the comments on salon, it reads like a marxist/postcolonialist deconstruction straight out of academia. Nothing wrong with that, as I find it kind of entertaining to apply that lens to pop culture, whether I agree with the analysis or not.

And I'm not sure if salon ran something similar before. Most of their entertaining writers are pretty huge fans of the show, and this article was actually republished in salon from a different source (they've started subcontracting/republishing a lot of stuff from secondary sources lately).

Not to single you out, but trying to suss out the evolution of language [a 'lens' I like to apply, if you will]. But when you see allegations of things like racism, or bigotry, . . . expand it however you will, 'evil' 'craven' 'partisan,' whatever emotionally charged words you wish, does it have an attendant surge of emotion for you? Or is it like describing something as yellow, or liquid, or rambling, . . . terms less emotionally charged by tradition?

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Not to single you out, but trying to suss out the evolution of language [a 'lens' I like to apply, if you will]. But when you see allegations of things like racism, or bigotry, . . . expand it however you will, 'evil' 'craven' 'partisan,' whatever emotionally charged words you wish, does it have an attendant surge of emotion for you? Or is it like describing something as yellow, or liquid, or rambling, . . . terms less emotionally charged by tradition?

A piece like that doesn't really get me up in arms saying, "****ing white man, keeping the black man down!" It gets me about as up in arms as conspiracy theories that the government created the Joplin tornado or pool is a "racist" game because it's a white ball knocking a black ball in a pocket. It's an amusing theory that I don't really take that seriously but find interesting. Which is probably why I'm not in academia and sucked at writing that sort of criticism.


I mean, I find stuff like "Lady Gaga, the Illumanti Puppet" equally interesting, though it is based in delusions while the other is based on actual reality (albeit a politicized take on reality).

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Dallas Chief

Drivel. I can't believe you actually read that garbage. It is TV show, and a damn fine one at that!

Drivel? Okay.

Disagreeing is fine, but it's hardly drivel. Drivel is Entertainment Weekly's take on it. The fact that people are writing pieces like the above on BB doesn't diminish it. On the contrary, it cements it as a "damn fine" work.

[Fishpicker]

what's worse, giving white actors all the "good" roles or, pandering to a black audience by putting hip hop artists in a show or movie to help them cross over?

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by Fishpicker

what's worse, giving white actors all the "good" roles or, pandering to a black audience by putting hip hop artists in a show or movie to help them cross over?

The Jesse character is the designated whigger

[The Franchise]

[Micjones]

Saw my very first "Breaking Bad" episode this morning.
I'm halfway through Episode 4 and I'm already hooked.
HOLY SHIT!

[Dallas Chief]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Drivel? Okay.

Disagreeing is fine, but it's hardly drivel. Drivel is Entertainment Weekly's take on it. The fact that people are writing pieces like the above on BB doesn't diminish it. On the contrary, it cements it as a "damn fine" work.

Yes. Drivel. Making hay out nothing, for no reason, other than to stir up controversy where there is none.

[Fishpicker]

damn I cant believe this got leaked. someones never working again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRoUg...layer_embedded

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Fishpicker

Dayumn, I cant believe THE finale got leaked. someones never going to work again. nobody tell dane, it'll just get him worked up.

[SPOILER]



[/SPOLIER]

Why were they in Jerry's dentist's house?!?

[Fishpicker]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Why were they in Jerry's dentist's house?!?

ha I couldnt get that to embed right in the preview. you got the touch