Gliding Over All

Every season of Breaking Bad does it: that moment when you realise your jaw has dropped and you are completely aghast at two separate things - the shocking turn of events and the fearless brilliance of the shows creators. The 'mid-season finale' does not disappoint.

I can scarcely thing of a less predictable show than BB. No matter if you guess one of the things that might happen - you'll never guess how, and anyone who hasn't seen this episode should run mile from anyone who tries to spoil it for them. Again, Vince Gilligan makes amazing use of the shows back catalogue of episodes to make this episode fit so beautifully, almost poetically, as a key point in the story of so many characters. It ends the mini-season leaving you itching to jump forward in time so you can find out what happens next, and is easily the best episode in what has been another incredible season.

Discussions will rage on geek sites for the next 8 months and in bars all over the US and hopefully the world about what should happen, what will happen, who the hero of the show is or will be, and who will survive. The saddest thing is that this masterpiece of television will end next year, leaving a Sopranos-sized whole in the lives of all those who have watched it.

So, where to start? First of all i have seen this episode, it was good enough, but i unfortunately think it is overrated. Ya'know it has good acting and the story is... WOW. But Really? It has (currently) 9,6/10? Thats almost all full stars. It doesn't happened THAT much in the episode, it had a weak ago 8,5/10. Thats what i think it should have instead of 9,6. If you compare this with for example the episode "Confessions" which also (currently) has 9,6/10 (which in my opinion it should have) you'll see that its a BIG difference and that this episode should have lower rating than it. Its more than one star higher since its last rating. Confessions had some action in it, but in this episode it only has that prison scene which is more ridiculous than action-full. Rest of it they are just talking (what I remember). I don't know about you but in my opinion, it is a very overrated episode. Ratings like 9,6 should be watched over and over again.

All what happens is that they are talking, cook, cries almost like every episodes. Walt quits his meth-making, Gives Jesse his 5 million dollars in cash, and thats just about it.

8,5/10

This episode is disturbing, is straight-up insane, it's just amazing. Unsurprisingly good.

The first part of Breaking Bad's final season ends on a phenomenal note – a twist audiences have feared since the character of Walter White was introduced in 2008, but have stashed away in the subconscious after more than 50 episodes of the series. "Gliding Over All" sets up so many possibilities and a whole new direction for the final eight episodes of the series and makes predicting the end of this amazing story an impossible endeavour.

To rephrase one of Walt's lines in this episode, last things first: the ultimate scene in "Gliding Over All", that simple yet momentous and jaw- dropping epiphany for one of the characters, wouldn't be as great as it turns out to be if it weren't for the perfect lead-up to it. The intensity is lacking for most parts of this episode, but that turns out to be the perfect calm before the storm – a storm that one could also describe as the best season-ending cliffhanger of the series. However, my 10 rating isn't the result of merely one remarkable scene, since there are loads of other things to praise in this episode. Firstly, there are Breaking Bad's best two minutes of non-stop violence in the most beautifully (not inappropriate to say, right?) shot murder montage. If such bloodshed isn't your cup of tea, there's still the drug cooking and contributing, getting stretched out to a three-minute chain of the whole process, set to contrasting music, looking purely amazing, and impressing with more match cuts you could ever expect to find in any other episode of any TV series.

Fans of subtlety will find a lot to admire about "Gliding Over All" too, with hints to episodes quite a while ago and the little disguised murder contemplations (Walt's ricin, Jesse's gun) being present in these 50 minutes, which may not be the series' most intense or thoroughly entertaining, but are artistically made and opening an outstanding new story for the series, making it the best episode of this half of the fifth season.

I think Gliding Over All is one of the best episodes of Breaking Bad for numerous reasons.

There are character moments involving Walt, Skyler, Hank, Marie, Jesse, and Lydia that all work brilliantly. Some of the more ironic moments, particularly the final shot are very memorable. The writers display constant awareness of previous episodes and keep great consistency with certain callbacks.

The evolution of Walter White is one of the main reasons to watch Breaking Bad and this is another classic depiction of how far down that road from Mr Chips to Scarface his has moved. Bryan Cranston is brilliant as always, but the cinematographers do for his physical appearance what Gordon Willis did for Al Pacino and make him an intimidating force of nature.

Speaking of The Godfather, there are some particularly well made tributes to some of its most famous moments in this episode. Plus it is generally visually stunning in most scenes, particularly the montages and transitions. I love the cut from Walt sitting down whilst leaning forward to him sitting back up in a different situation. The White family house drenched in shadowy darkness is incredibly effective.

Cranston, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Aaron Paul, and Laura Fraser are all perfect in their scenes.