kingzoso
-
Posts
2,698 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by kingzoso
-
-
Just getting to the morning paper, front page of the NYTimes:
September 27, 2013
Race to End for ‘Breaking Bad’ Fans Who Got Behind
By BRIAN STELTER
Right now, Kyle Bauer fears “Breaking Bad” spoilers more than a pop quiz in class.
At the University of Pittsburgh, where Mr. Bauer is studying engineering, students cram into his dormitory lounge every Sunday night to watch the latest episode. But not Mr. Bauer, who was, as of Monday, still about 20 episodes behind. That night, he started binge-viewing so that he can be in the lounge for Sunday’s all-important finale — figuring that if he’s not there to see the ending when everyone else does, someone will spoil it for him.
“My friends are telling me it’ll be the best decision of my life,” he said Wednesday night, without even hitting pause during his marathon to talk to a reporter.
In its final season, “Breaking Bad” on AMC has become the It Show on cable television. All over the country, converts to the series about a mild-mannered teacher turned drug lord have set aside schoolwork, dishes and laundry to try to catch up on old episodes through Netflix, Amazon, iTunes and other Internet services.
The hype around hit television show finales has always been intense, but what has happened with “Breaking Bad” exemplifies a twist in the relationship between the parallel universes of live, linear television (the kind symbolized by Comcast and DirecTV) and on-demand TV (as embodied by Netflix).
On-demand services are typically thought to hurt live television viewing. In this case, they are fueling it.
“Breaking Bad” made its debut in 2008 to an underwhelming 1.2 million viewers — which would have caused many programming chiefs to drop it. But the show dodged cancellation and slowly built a following — especially once the old episodes were made available en masse on Netflix.
By mid-2012, about 2.6 million viewers were watching live episodes; now, as the ending approaches, that total has more than doubled to 6 million, which might be small for a network television show but makes “Breaking Bad” one of the biggest phenomena on cable.
“What’s remarkable about this show is we’ve created urgency to see it,” said Charlie Collier, the president of AMC, which has been running a marathon of every episode since Wednesday.
DVDs and, before that, VHS tapes have allowed audiences to catch up on shows for a long time — in fact, the popularity of “Family Guy” DVDs were partly credited with the 2005 revival of the once-canceled Fox animated comedy. But binge-viewing behavior has become much more pronounced in the last few years, mainly because Netflix and services like it have made it so easy to do.
Last Sunday, as “Breaking Bad” was finally winning the television industry’s highest honor, an Emmy award for outstanding drama, the show set a new ratings record for itself — 6.6 million, according to Nielsen — making it the biggest program on cable that night. At the same time, many people were just starting their marathons. According to Netflix, each day for the last two weeks, the most-streamed episode of the show has been the very first one, during which Walter White crystallized methamphetamine for the first time.
The show’s creator, Vince Gilligan, credited the Internet when accepting his Emmy. “I think Netflix kept us on the air,” he told reporters backstage, adding that he did not believe that the show would have survived more than two seasons without the audience and revenue lifts that Netflix provided, along with online chatter. As first reported by AdAge, the network sought $300,000 to $400,000 for a 30-second ad in the final episode. AMC confirmed on Friday night that the episode was sold out. The network declined to comment on pricing, but assuming it achieved $300,000 a spot, it will be earning more for the airtime than even the highest-rated network dramas normally do.
“It’s a new era in television,” Mr. Gilligan said, “and we’ve been very fortunate to reap the benefits.”
Mr. Bauer is ready for the finale — as of Friday afternoon, he had only five more episodes to watch, and he was saving them for Sunday.
Justin Carroll, a bank employee in Lexington, Ky., started to binge a little bit earlier — Sept. 12 — because he “wanted to be part of the discussion” with his friends.
Judy Weinstein, a human resources consultant in Sherman Oaks, Calif., started on Sept. 22 because of media coverage of the show and a crucial endorsement from a more personal source: her spin class instructor, who would “come to class every Monday morning and talk about how she couldn’t sleep the night before after watching,” she said. Ms. Weinstein is glad she did — although after she finished her marathon on Thursday, there was one downside. “In retrospect, it is a difficult show to binge-watch because it just keeps getting darker and darker,” she said.
Mr. Collier of AMC said that social networking Web sites had amplified all the chatter about the show. (Nielsen estimates that the average person’s Twitter message about a TV show is seen by about 50 other people.) “Word of mouth is still a great thing,” he said.
Netflix’s licensing contracts do not cover the eight most recent episodes of “Bad,” so for those, new fans must rely on AMC, an online rental service or a less legal route. AMC’s marathon has been a big draw this week. In prime time, it had 1.0 million viewers on Wednesday and almost 1.2 million on Thursday. (The totals will increase after digital video recorder viewing is factored in.)
Perhaps aptly for a show about a meth dealer, Melodie Holmes has noticed its addictive tendencies. Ms. Holmes, of Kitchener, Ontario, said she and her husband “generally watch two episodes a night, and look at each other seeing whether or not we could stay awake on a ‘school night’ for more,” she said. More often than not, they stayed up — and now they are all caught up. -
I love this show,so sad to see it end
Me too. I also know that that the six+plus millions of Americans who also Love this Outstanding Series will also be saddened with its ending (know matter what the outcome is).
I have to admire and Respect the fact that this Show is ending on It's Own terms. It is not ending because it is being cancelled. Vincent Gilligan (the Creator) is doing these things on His Own terms.
Bryan Cranston, aka, Walter White, aka "Heisenberg" will go down in Television History as one of the Greatest Characters EVER. With three Emmy wins for Best Actor how can I be wrong. The Emmy's voted and spoke. I am just an Honest American who Loves this Show.
-
Breaking Bad will be praised for Evermore. If I am wrong about this, I will promise to stop drinking My Beers. Just wait and give a day or two after this Sunday night.
Like I have said before, this ending will surpass the ending of another Great Series, which is the Sopranos.
-
Here is a quote from actor Dean Norris who plays DEA agent Hank Schrader and is Walter White's brother-in-law on (what else from me), "Breaking Bad".
"It's like rock 'n' roll in the late '70s, and Breaking Bad is Led Zeppelin." -- Dean Norris from USA Today (9/23/2013).
How awesome is that quote? And very true to a Massive fan I am of both Led Zeppelin and Breaking Bad.
-
I defy anyone to watch and listen to this Live dvd/bootleg and to say that this is not Pure Rock and Roll at it's Most Finest.
RUSH is one of the Greatest album-oriented and Most definitely one of the Greatest Live Rock and Roll Bands EVER!!!
Just watch, listen and HEAR:
-
I urge everyone on this Awesome Led Zeppelin Forum to watch the second to last episode of "Breaking Bad" Start from the ending and make your way forward.
Alas, I am replying to my own post. What I mean to say was start from the ending and make your way backwards. Start from the second to the last episode (and, as of now) the "Felina" (an anagram for "Finale") which will conclude this series that I and thousands of others are calling "one of the Greatest Television Shows" of all-time from both fans and t.v. critics. Start from season 1, episode 1. Again, I promise, that you will not (should not) be disappointed.
Not that I need to feel any vindication for all of my praise for this show, but "Breaking Bad" did win the Emmy Award for Best Outstanding Drama Series earlier tonight. So there is that, for what it's worth. (And to me that says and means A lot). Thank You, "Breaking Bad".
-
I urge everyone on this Awesome Led Zeppelin Forum to watch the second to last episode of "Breaking Bad" Start from the ending and make your way forward.
-
Yeap! I do drink and smoke and sometimes admire a pretty woman walking on by......
Bloody Mary if someone is buying.....
I have been drinking beer since I was 13 years old, and smoking Marlboro Reds since I was 18.
This is kinda sad to say but I have done just about every "illegal" drug that there is. However, I am Proud to say that I never got "addicted" to any particular substance that I very much enjoyed.
Maybe except my favorite, which is the All-Mighty Budweiser. Even still, I am not dependent on any of the substances that I have done in the past. And many of those "substances" have been known to hook a person and keep them a prisoner. Thank GOD, that never happened to me.
I have a steady job and a social life and some $ saved up. If I am content with that, then I see no problem there. I know that there are many, many Americans that may (or may not) agree with what I said but that is Life. (I wish I was a Millionaire) but I am not.
If I was a Millionaire, I could resort to my fun time and crazy antics (which I always enjoyed), but maybe with a very severe and different consequence.
Regardless, my favorite "HIGH" is drinking beers and listening to the "Mighty Led Zeppelin" while watching "Breaking Bad".
-
What the Fu@k?
How can a very Good guy and DEA agent succumb to such a fate? Only on Breaking Bad could such a thing happen. The conclusion to this outcome is merely two weeks away.
Walter White is the smartest Anti-Hero in the History of Modern American Television (no matter what His ultimate Fate may be).
-
"Breaking Bad" will be on in less than 18 hours from now. The climax is soon coming to an end. I have said this over and over.
Whatever happens to conclude this show, it will be talked about and discussed for Years to come. That is the "Brilliance" of this show. If anyone has any doubts as to My Predictions, I Challenge anyone to "Dispute" Me.
I welcome any responses after Tonight's episode, # 513.
-
I realize that I am the person that posts the most comments to this topic that I started. My intention is too rapidly (however it does seem slowly if anything at all), bring new converts to this Great Show into the fold. Even If persuade ONE person to take the time to watch one episode of Breaking Bad, then I will feel Myself Proud and Vindicated.
I am going to "Break" (Bad) Protocol and post this 5 minute clip of the ending of last Sundays episode (season 5, episode 513). In My opinion, one of the greatest "Cliffhangers" in the history of Television. What makes this Great is the fact there are still 3 more remaining episodes until end of this Amazing Series.
I will say that this is a Major spoiler for those that have not seen but plan on watching this show from the first season, episode one. S1, E1. Which it is the way to begin. Continuity is of major paramount importance to this Series.
Watch at your own risk:
-
Holy MF Christ!!! That/This Cliffhanger left us with is beyond Brilliant.
An Awesome Shoot Out in the desert and leaving US to wonder and Speculate who lives and who dies, that is Amazing and Brilliant Story-Telling.
I keep saying that "Breaking Bad" will go down in American Television History as One of the Greatest Shows of All-Time. It seems to be that I am Right about this once again.
"Long Live Heisenberg"
-
This:
Currently on YYZ.
-
I will offer my thoughts about the Beatles. I will admit that I have not read any of the 433 posts that others have made. I will try and read them someday because I Love the Beatles.
I believe that the Beatles were very much innovators of something that was very new and fresh at that time (1960-1963). I believe that They were one of the very first groups that actually wrote and sang their own songs and lyrics. I know that they did not start out this way in the very early days but they took playing and song-writing to a whole new level. They covered a lot of soul and Motown in the early days but they soon began to come up with original material on their own. Anyway, those of Us who are Beatles fans already know this.
I will have to say that My favorite Beatles album is the "White Album".
Maybe more to come...
-
The fourth episode and halfway point of this fifth and final season of one of the Greatest Shows of All-Time is this Sunday night at 8pm (Central Time) on AMC. Even if many of you are "late in the game" of this show, watch and be Amazed. It will want to make you watch this show and make you backtrack and start from the very beginning. Trust me.
-
Happy Birthday Mr. Alex Lifeson.
60 years old. In my opinion, You are one of the Greatest Guitar Players of All-Time.
-
I loved Walt's "confession". That was pure genius!
I agree! The acting of Walter during his "confession" was amazing. What I think was sheer brilliance, I would have to give most of the credit to Mr. Gilligan and (again) His amazing Writers. To come up with such a complete surprise and complete reversal of the whole situation is beyond brilliant.
(FYI... No spoilers in my post).
-
Three down. Five episodes left. Who will die and who will be the "last man standing"?
-
He is? Then kingzoso must have been wrong about that being C3PO...because that's the only one who could be David Prowse.
I guess I will defer and yield to Anjin-san. That means that Me and Strider were both incorrect in assuming that that was Anthony Daniels, aka, C-3PO. I will have to say that I do not know what David Prowse really looks like. But to me, the person that I thought was C-3PO, actually looks like a human version of C-3PO. His glasses look like the big eyes that 3PO has.
Are the people that say that that is David Prowse standing next to Harrison Ford absolutely Positive that that is Darth Vader? For that matter is that little dude really R2-D2. He could be Jabba the Hut for all (I thought I know/knew)?
-
^^^ You missed Dave Prowse (i.e. DarthVader),not the voice or even the light saber battles,....
I am pretty sure the tall man is Peter Mayhew and not David Prowse. (I could be wrong but these are all of the "good" guys and girl from the movie).
-
Han Solo, C-3PO, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker and R2-D2.
-
Only 6 more episodes left. What will happen in the end? I am sure there are a lot of some unexpected deaths/murders that will befall some of the principle characters that the 6+ million fans tuned into when the final 8 episodes began. I realize that there do not seem to be that many fans of this Awesome show that are on this Awesome forum, but I think/hope that that will change. If anyone here bothers to read a newspaper (I read 2 newspapers every single day), then you/they should have already read that "Breaking Bad" is and will go down in Television History as ONE of the Greatest Shows of All-Time.
That is MY Opinion, but it is also a Fact.
Why would dozens of critics from around the USA say that this show is nothing short of Brilliant, if it were not? Bryan Cranston, aka, Walter White, won 3 Emmy Awards, in a row, for playing and giving His all to make this show one of the best.
I do not know what the final outcome of this series will be, but I can assure anyone that it will be talked about for weeks (even years) from now. That is the Genius of Vince Gilligan and His writers. I think that, no matter what happens, I will be personally very sad that the way this show comes to a final conclusion.
(I have already read the whole cast of this Show have personally shed tears because they all seem like "family" after 5+ years of working together).
If you love this show as much as I do, and know the history, be ready for the "ride" of a lifetime.
-
For the real fans of this Awesome show and those that have invested many hours (like Myself), I promise you that You will be amazed and probably even petrified by what is still to come.
What I Love about this program is that is does not follow an easy and simple formula like the rest of the "generic" cop shows do. With them, there is a murder, an investigation, and then a trial (all within an hour). I think that Shit gets very boring and played out. There are at least 25 shows that follow that same principle.
Breaking Bad breaks that mold. It does not follow a certain pattern.
The writers, producers, and Creators of this Emmy Award winning show, are brilliant talents and I will have to admit that I will be very sad when this top 3 shows of All-Time comes to its Final Conclusion.
-
I am off to see Jason Bonham LZE and Heart later today in Dallas, Texas. This will be My second time seeing Jason and My very first time ever seeing Heart. Of course I am excited.
I will say this again as I have said it before when I saw Robert Plant at His first gig on His 2013 North American tour, again in the Great City of Dallas, Texas.
If anyone on this Great and Awesome Led Zeppelin Forum wants to meet up, I will be the One (again) wearing a black Swan Song T-Shirt. I should not be that hard to find.
Breaking Bad
in Ramble On
Posted
Farewell, my Friend. You were/are loved my millions of fans throughout the planet Earth. You will be sorely missed.
Thanks to Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston and the rest of the Entire cast and crew that made "Breaking Bad" one of the Greatest Television Shows of All-Time!!! Pure Genius at its Finest. Thank You!!!