# Breaking Bad 5.16 "Felina" 9/29/13 SERIES FINALE **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591 "2013-09-24T17:31:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 42
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/821 "2013-10-04T22:14:50Z")
Judging from the trailer it looks like a parody trailer for a non-existant show. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/822 "2013-10-04T22:26:58Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > According to somebody on Reddit, their friend works at the Albuquerque newspaper and they’ll be running [this obit tomorrow morning.](http://i.imgur.com/5exqCfP.jpg) It was actually published in today’s Albuquerque Journal, [as described here](http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-breaking-bad-albuquerque-newspaper-runs-obit-for-walter-white-20131004,0,1658474.story). I live just outside ABQ and I didn’t here about it until a co-worker told me a couple of hours ago. It has pretty much sold out; I stopped at three stores on the way home and nobody had a copy. One clerk told me they sold out by 10 am. Apparently people are already selling copies on ebay. Fortunately for me, my parents get home delivery and they said they would save their copy for me (after confirming that the obituary was indeed there). Oh, and I’m going to buy a copy tomorrow morning just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/823 "2013-10-05T01:15:15Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Apparently the alleged gate (never shown) was insufficient to keep out a frail cancer patient and two goofball druggies. I think Pete and Badger didn’t make it inside the gate. That’s why Walt had to stop and pick them up presumably outside the development. The house was probably close enough to one side that Pete and Badger could see inside the house for Walt’s signal (that area is wonderfully hilly). Walt’s making it inside the gate did seem a bit odd, but I suspended my disbelief for that. But I don’t want to keep laboring on the locked-door point. I find it perfectly plausible that they did not lock the door behind them when they arrived home. You don’t. We shall have to agree to disagree. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/824 "2013-10-05T01:34:59Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Judging from the trailer it looks like a parody trailer for a non-existant show. Love the YouTube commentary: “I am the Juan who knocks.” ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/825 "2013-10-05T03:58:41Z")
So was Junior the only one of the main cast who never met Jesse? I guess it makes sense. Junior was in the end the only “pure” character on the show (well, along with Holly), the only one left completely untouched by Walt’s malicious influence. Unless you want to count the $9 million payout. I supposed you could question how clean the kid’s soul will be when his future is paid for with Walt’s drug money (arguably, depending on whether G&E will use their own money and how that figures into the moral equation). After all, he turned down Walt’s money once. Do you think he’ll suspect that Walt is connected with the millions, and maybe even turn them down or give them away? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/826 "2013-10-05T16:55:01Z")
Gretchen and Elliot, in my mind, will undoubtedly use that exact pile of cash. Prior to the laser pointers, their plan was clearly to go to the police the second Walt left. Once the hitman speech was delivered though, they are going to follow Walt’s marching orders to a T. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/827 "2013-10-05T18:02:29Z")
I don’t think this has been posted yet: [First and last appearances of Breaking Bad characters](http://smileslikeareptile.tumblr.com/post/62703476444/breaking-bad-first-and-final-appearances). ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/828 "2013-10-05T19:20:59Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > I don’t think this has been posted yet: > > [First and last appearances of Breaking Bad characters](http://smileslikeareptile.tumblr.com/post/62703476444/breaking-bad-first-and-final-appearances). So, let’s see… Hank’s first appearance and his last are actually the same, if you count the akwardly-inserted flashback in the finale. Walt, Jesse, Gomez and Badger all grew beards. Marie and Saul both end up dressed in white at the end. Mike’s first and last appearance both involve getting out from a car. Needless to say, being Jesse’s girlfriend can be severely detrimental to your health. What any of it means, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/829 "2013-10-05T20:31:40Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I would think that by the time they were airing episode 1, episode 4 had already been filmed, meaning the titles don’t tell us much about the order in which they came up with the ideas contained in those four episodes. According to Vince Gilligan, the writing staff conceived Season 2 holistically instead of piece-meal like they typically do, and it was such a gargantuan effort that they never attempted to repeat it. But they knew that there was going to be a plane crash and they knew why and who was going to cause it from the outset. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/830 "2013-10-05T21:55:49Z")
> [@Tarwater](#): > > According to Vince Gilligan, the writing staff conceived Season 2 holistically instead of piece-meal like they typically do, and it was such a gargantuan effort that they never attempted to repeat it. But they knew that there was going to be a plane crash and they knew why and who was going to cause it from the outset. That’s a good point–and is an even better reason for **Dewey Finn** not to doubt the writers’ claims about how they wrote the seasons out based just on the titles of episodes from season 2. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/831 "2013-10-05T22:10:59Z")
Actually, I provided the quote from Vince Gilligan that they carefully planned out the second season. What I was doubting was **SlackerInc** ’s claim that they did _not_ plan out the second season. > [@SlackerInc](#): > > Then there was the series of flashforwards showing the singed pink teddy bear. Originally they did not know that was going to be a plane crash. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > [Vince Gilligan told The AV Club](http://www.avclub.com/articles/vince-gilligan-walks-us-through-season-four-of-bre,63013/), “Season two was the only season where we knew exactly where we would end at the beginning of it all. That came about through many, many hours of beating our heads against the wall—very laborious work, which is probably why we haven’t repeated that formula since.” ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/832 "2013-10-06T00:05:11Z")
I remember differently from the DVD commentary, but I don’t even have a disc plan at the moment so I will have to concede the point for lack of evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/833 "2013-10-07T00:49:29Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > And FWIW I live nowhere near NYC and in fact there is not even an interstate highway for at least fifty miles in any direction; but I lock my front door immediately after entering. I have never ever done this wherever I have lived. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/834 "2013-10-07T23:11:17Z")
One cool example of something that wasn’t planned in advance is all the stuff that went on with Jesse’s house. The creators lost access to that location at one point, when the house was sold and later renovated. Then, some time later, they were able to shoot there again, only now it had a brand new interior (they later rebuilt it as a set for the parts where Jesse turns it into a graffitied-up meth den and party central). The writers worked it all into the plot, having Jesse thrown out of his house by his parents, move in to Jane’s place, then buying the house with drug money. Looking back, that all seems positively numinous, with the way Jesse’s housing situation works as part of his story, and, much like Walt’s cars, adds a layer of symbolism for his character throughout the series. ---
**Author:** ![Krazy-8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Krazy-8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krazy-8)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/835 "2013-10-08T01:10:58Z")
So something that bugs me about the final episode is a little detail. When the waiter brings Lydia her tea, he asks Walt what he will have. Lydia tells him Walt is leaving. Then he asks Todd, Todd says no thanks. Why didn’t Todd order tea to show Lydia he was simpatico with her? It would give him a chance to linger after their meeting and make small talk. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/836 "2013-10-08T01:26:38Z")
> [@Krazy-8](#): > > So something that bugs me about the final episode is a little detail. When the waiter brings Lydia her tea, he asks Walt what he will have. Lydia tells him Walt is leaving. Then he asks Todd, Todd says no thanks. Why didn’t Todd order tea to show Lydia he was simpatico with her? It would give him a chance to linger after their meeting and make small talk. I wondered about that as well. In a parallel universe, Todd orders tea and ends up with the Stevia instead of Lydia, and Jesse has to go to Lydia’s place and strangle her instead… ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/837 "2013-10-08T01:28:50Z")
Todd is a simple man of humble tastes He wouldn’t know what to order in a place like that ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/838 "2013-10-08T02:27:28Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Todd is a simple man of humble tastes > > He wouldn’t know what to order in a place like that [Oh, really](http://i.imgur.com/uArG1FF.png). ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/839 "2013-10-08T02:33:06Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Todd is a simple man of humble tastes > > He wouldn’t know what to order in a place like that That’s probably not too far from the truth. All the way up until the finale I kept telling myself “nobody could be that fucking dumb and still function. It’s gotta be an act.” Oh, was I ever so wrong on that one. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/840 "2013-10-08T03:01:20Z")
One cool thing about this show to me has always been some of the little mostly insignificant details that they manage to work in. For instance, in this episode I got a kick out of the scene where Walt was assembling his Rube Goldberg contraption in the desert while singing “El Paso” under his breath. We can only imagine how many times that song played on the tape in the Volvo on the drive from New Hampshire. That cracked me up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591.md?page=43)