Salud

'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.

"Salud" (my review summary referring to the episode title's English meaning) is to me was an incredible episode. One of Season 4's best and a high-point of the show, being very powerful and tense.

Visually, "Salud" 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 "Salud" 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 episode here belongs to Giancarlo Esposito bringing nuances to some of his most sink-teeth-into-with-relish writing for Gus. Likewise with Jonathan Banks. The characters are compelling in their realism, likewise with their chemistry, and the episode is strongly directed.

Overall, incredible. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Breath-taking episode! I cannot believe how this show manages to keep that (insanely brilliant) level of writing, it's crazy! Brilliant episode. Every episode has its own style. Some seem to be more domestic, others are focused on the psychology of the characters. Even some sequences and dialogues that seem like comedy, to a very black and sometimes twisted sense of humor. Somehow, it has managed to maintain its essence throughout the whole series, and no episode has resulted in any kind of disappointment whatsoever. I'm looking forward to seeing how this season ends. Problems seem to multiply and nothing ever settles, as in real life.

This was crazy! The last part of the episode had me in shock! I could not believe it and yet it was so satisfying! After watching Hermanos this was the perfect episode! Gus becomes the most ruthless and clever villain and instantly rise to the top TV villains of all time! This episode might have my favorite scene with him! You might not be alle to read him... but he always has a plan and intention!

Despite the scenes in Mexico taking the spotlight, the scenes with Walt and Flint were amazing! I think Flint described it best when he said: "you were real"

Great acting and serves as the best scene between the two! Great talk about memory and what your memory of someone will be, which is the most important thing for Walt regarding his søn! How he is remembered!

Overall an amazing, tense and unpredictable episode!

He's100% Scarface here. Perhaps he had moments of lucidity with his son, but only very small moments.

Jesse nailed this episode. Too good. Too good