Phoenix

Both the scene in the Bar and the final scene left me speechless, incredible atmosphere, awesome tension, and that final scene holy hell

Jane's death in Breaking Bad is one of the most haunting moments of the series, showcasing the depth of Walt's moral decay. As Walt stands by, allowing Jane to choke, the scene is both chilling and heart-wrenching. It's a defining moment that marks his transformation into a manipulative figure willing to sacrifice others for control. The performances are stellar-Aaron Paul's portrayal of Jesse's grief is devastating, while Bryan Cranston captures Walt's cold rationalization. The moment lingers, forcing viewers to question Walt's humanity and setting the stage for the chaos that follows. Truly unforgettable storytelling.

I'm a little late to the party but I've begun binging on Breaking Bad. This episode may very well be the most intense single episode I have seen. I believe that by the end, I was sitting there with my mouth open and bug-eyed. Exceptional TV.

Season two's penultimate episode doesn't feel as if we were coming to an intense season finale, but nevertheless includes scenes of great importance. Firstly, Walt's and Skyler's second kid Holly is finally born. After the tumultuous ending of "Mandala", "Phoenix" takes it a bit calmer and includes some lovely scenes between Walt and his daughter. The fact that Skyler's boss Ted was present at the birth and her actual husband Walt wasn't, is an interesting idea already and the 'introduction shot' of Ted was made very well too.

Yet the bigger aspect of this episode is a new problem that Walt faces: through his incredible deal in "Mandala", he made him and his family rich, but can't tell them because the deal's methods were a bit disgraceful, to say the least. The growing suspicion of his family about Walt so decisively objecting to any form of subsidies is another really well-made part of "Phoenix". In one rememberable scene, he shows the tremendous money stash to his infantile daughter, which makes her fall asleep. Walt's new lawyer Saul also gets a word into that dilemma and comes up with an ingenious solution – again in his "I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy" technique.

However, the plot part that you will surely not forget about "Phoenix" is neither of those two but what happens to Jesse and Jane in this episode. I'm not spoiling it for you, but it's indubitably the most intense moment up to that point on Breaking Bad. Bryan Cranston, who is also involved in this unforgettable scene, does a phenomenal acting job – in that particular scene, it is crystal clear (no pun intended) why this man has won three Emmys for this role. What happened previous to that excellent closing scene is not nearly as good, but I at least appreciate the writer's idea of how to let this story come to an end. It's just that the screenplay gives the involved actors some cheesy lines and admittedly, Aaron Paul and Krysten Ritter don't seem to have had their best of days whilst shooting this episode. Anyway, there's still the aforementioned stand-out scene and before that, a great conversation between two characters you wouldn't have expected to meet up for a talk.

I consider "Phoenix" to be one of season two's best episodes, yet it still isn't perfect and a tad unentertaining at times.

'Breaking Bad' is one of the most popular rated shows on IMDb, is one of those rarities where every season has either been very positively received or near-universally acclaimed critically and where all of my friends have said nothing but great things about.

Very few shows in recent memory had me so hooked from the very start that before the week was over the whole show had been watched, especially when for a lot of shows now airing watching one episode all the way through can be an endeavour. 'Breaking Bad' had that effect on me, and its reputation as one of the best, consistently brilliant and most addictive shows in many years (maybe even ever) is more than deserved in my eyes. Its weakest season is perhaps the first season, understandable as any show's first season is the one where things are still settling.

Actually everything is established remarkably from the very start, but once the writing and characterisation becomes even meatier the show reaches even higher levels.

"Phoenix" is yet another brilliant episode of a consistently great season, difficult to decide which is the best of the second season for me between this and "Grilled". It has intensity but is also one of the show's most emotionally devastating episodes.

Visually, "Phoenix" is both stylish and beautiful, with photography and editing that are cinematic quality and put a lot of films today to shame, where there are a lot of visually beautiful ones but also some painfully amateurish looking ones. The music always has the appropriate mood, never too intrusive, never too muted.

The writing in "Phoenix" is a fine example of how to have a lot of style but also to have a lot of substance. The dialogue throughout is thought-provoking and tense, while also have a darkly wicked sense of humour, nail-biting tension and heart-tugging pathos. The story is texturally rich, intimate, tense and layered, with the pace of it consistently deliberate but taut.

Can't say anything bad about the acting. Bryan Cranston is phenomenal as one of the most fascinating anti-heroes, or even of any kind of character, in either film or television. Aaron Paul has never been better and Anna Gunn is affecting. The characters are compelling in their realism.

Overall, amazing and powerful. 10/10 Bethany Cox