[spoiler]What stood out was how they highlighted Walt’s despicable/monster side, while also showing his human/selfless side, sometimes in the same scene.
The knife fight scene was amazing between Skyler and Walt. I actually gasped out loud in the middle of it. The set-up with the phone next to the knives was brilliant; you didn’t know which item Skyler was going to actually grab. But even beyond that, you just didn’t know what she was going to do with either of them-- the lingering shot gave you enough time to think “Okay, if she grabs the phone, who the hell will she call? Or if she grabs a knife, what the hell will she do with it?” An incredible moment of television.
Then Walt’s face as he looked at his son protecting his mom from the monster he’d become was Walt’s low point, the king staring at his ruined kingdom.
Walt’s interaction with Holly at the end was acting at its finest. I read the baby saying “mama” in the bathroom was just one of those lucky moments of filming, and Walt’s reaction to it was largely unscripted.
The featured song was perfect. The two phone calls to Skyler-- the beginning of the journey and the end of it-- were great. Overall, an absolutely heartbreaking and perfect episode.[/spoiler]
I’m glad you liked it! If you think about Ozymandias, it’s really a very simple episode. It only has 4 major scenes: the desert scene at the beginning, the car wash, Walt’s home, and the fire station. But those 4 scenes are the culmination of several hours of tension building that released so quickly it left the viewer reeling. In addition, the actors nailed their roles, this was acting of Academy Award caliber. I’ve never had my emotions so manipulated during a show before and that’s the reason Breaking Bad is so highly regarded. That episode alone makes me proud to recommend Breaking Bad to all of my friends.
I watched it again tonight, before watching the final two. It was even better the second time through. I was able to sit back and really notice things without being caught up wondering what was going to happen next.