Peekaboo

'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.

"Peekaboo" is another brilliant episode of a consistently great season, one of the season's best and the best episode perhaps since "Grilled", the tension and meat of that episode present here.

Visually, "Peekaboo" 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 for "Peekaboo" 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, on top of being one of the show's most tense up to this point, is texturally rich, intimate, tense and layered, with the pace of it consistently deliberate but taut. It also contains another unforgettably killer ending that one does not expect.

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, brilliant.

Today, December 2022 is into my annual re-watch of the greatest TV show of all time, "Breaking Bad," and this episode ranks as among my top five. As some reviewers have pointed out, this episode stands alone and fleshed out a little bit more would make a great movie, although it might be difficult to set up the Walter-Gretchen situation and what makes that restaurant scene so poignant.

Kudos to the makeup and art design department for creating the ultra-realistic Spooge and his lady partner characters with their emaciated bodies and meth sores. Maybe around the time the little red-haired boy was born Spooge worked a legitimate medical-related job, but descent into thievery to support drug habits has made a mess of him, his woman, and the house where the family lives.

When Jesse invades that house to attempt to recover stolen meth and/or money, his features contort with disgust at the filth he finds there. Yet, in the middle of it all the little boy nonchalantly walks into the living room, turns on the TV set to the only channel it can receive, and plops onto the couch beside Jesse. This is what causes the emotional punch because if the writing/direction team had shown the little boy as horriied or desperate it would have been way less effective.

The episode contains one of the most graphic yet ironically appropriate endings for not only a BB episode but for a dramatic TV show in general. Aaron Paul submitted it for consideration of a "Best Supporting Actor" award, and it's easy to see why.

This episode perfectly captures one of the core themes of season 2.. addiction! This episode sees Jesse try to recover the stolen drugs from a couple! Here we really get too see what drugs does to you and your life, to the point where all you can think about is your next high! This shows us the consequences of their "business!'

This episode also shows what kind of people both Jesse and Walt, are! They really develop surprisingly much in this episode! Just the first scene gives us one of Jesses' core values in a great subtle way! It tells you so much about him! This is great writing and storytelling! Walts conversation with Gretchen also showed us what kind of person Walt has become and is equally important!

The actors playing the two junkies were phenomenal! Very believable and memorable performances! I also like how dirty and deteriorating they look! Once you learn they have a kis.. it all hits different! Oh and that final scene is one of the most iconic in the show!

This episode was heartbreaking. It was so sad if gave me chills, the whole thing with the kid crushed me, i could barley handle seeing it. This was easily one of the best episodes so far, however one i wouldn't be able to revisit frequently because the scenes with the kid were so heavy. The atm scene was one of the greatest so far. Jesses storyline was so well done it takes away from walt's storyline although it was highly important to furthering the fact plot.

This is literally one of the best episodes of the entire show. I personally loved Jesse's storyline in this episode, with him and the kid. I loved his and Walt's storyline, because Walt's was also amazing. Anyways, my favorite characters in this episode were Jesse, Walt, and the kid. My favorite things about this episode were the Protagonist, the storyline, and the pacing. This should honestly be at least a 9.0 or a 9.1. This should definitely be higher rated on this app, because this was amazing. This is another episode as to why this is in the top 5 of best shows. If you are looking dor an impactful drug show, definitely watch this one.