Breaking Bad – Episode 2: How to lose an-almost dead man?

I cooked crystal meth and killed a man doesn’t have the same ring to it…

The second episode of Breaking Bad marks a continuation of Walter’s desperation. Now that he has entered the drug business, he is learning the death tricks. Here are his levels of desperation include: lying, cheating, tips on body dissolution, and the difficult one: killing. But being the protagonist he does this with finesse – killing by kindness (i.e. feeding his convict ham sandwich and oodles of water, and toilette necessities.

Meanwhile, I am beginning to dislike Walt’s wife Skylar, who is the stick-up-his-ass or ‘psycho-bitch’ as she is called. She doesn’t even try to find out the real reason Walt is behaving the way he is and so easily believes his ‘i take pot’ line.

Rating: 3/5

Thoughts: Hasn’t become too serious for me yet.

Nobuta wo Produce – Episode 4: The choice between flowers and water

Nobuta power enter: A super power to overcome shyness. Coming soon near you!

Another episode with character progressions and developments. I like how the series doesn’t rush towards people having a change of heart; it progresses gradually and slowly, with the cardboard characters slowly moving towards being well-developed.

The fall of the flowers

Take Shuji, for example. In the first scene, he meets his sort-of girlfriend and they walk towards their class. He is aware that people around him are watching them (I think everyone notices themselves being watched), but then his inner voice says, ‘I dont wanna go out with her.’ Throughout this episode he keeps reminding us that he is not such a good guy/hero. He lies through his teeth, admitting twice that  - “I’m a hypocrite” when he thinks that all his behaviour is for the public view and popularity and “I’m good at lying” after his girl friend finds his birthday date written in Nobuko’s diary. Even I had my doubts when he has to choose between pouring water or flowers on Nobuko. But in the end, he says that he would have chosen flowers, even if he lost his popularity over it and that was “probably because I liked the two of them.”

What a mentally deranged tradition: Water over flowers?

I think the series is not about changing Nobuko, but more about the people around her. Take Bando, the bully. She is given the choice to change – either she can replicate the beat Nobuko like her boyfriend beats her, or she can choose not to. And Bando thinks. That was all that was needed. There is no shameful berating by Nobuko who instills in her guilty feelings – but rather just an option to change.

A very good scene between the girls: “Becoming a good girl now? How can I?”

The other change visible was in Akira, who has started to shape up, proving he is a much better friend to Nobuko than Shuji. (I guess that is obvious considering Akira and Nobuko are always on the periphery). Akira threatens to chop Shuji if he chooses water over flowers. And by the end, in his encounter with the truth-man (what an interesting concept – tell the man the truth and he stops hounding you), Akira says that he is in love with Nobuko.

The origin of the Nobuta power:
Akira’s great physical prowess

Developments all around.

Thoughts: Series is starting to take shape and finding a direction. Although there are often diversions in the form of teachers :P

Rating: 3.5/5

Nobuta wo Produce - Episode 2: Ugly, Show-off and Stupid!

Quote of the episode: The one who needs a haircut wont get one, and the one who doesn’t need to wants to cut her hair. What is all this? Should I cry?

Let the Makeover process commence!

Episode Two of Nobuta… was slower, but gave way to building of friendships and strengthening of enmities, along side revealing that there is someone else who dislikes/hates Nobuko, more than the gang of usual bullies. But more on that later.

The episode begins with the arrival of a Mayonaka-sama, a woman who carries a doll and is seen at night by some kids. And guess who that is, but Nobuko, who carries a doll with her, who has been her friend since childhood. Shuji’s attempt for a makeover are refused by Nobuko, who says that she will remain as pretty or ugly as the doll, and would ever Shuji embarrass himself, by wearing something he doesn’t want… But all of this is precipitated as Nobuko’s uniform is taken and the word ‘ugly’ is spray painted on her coat.

Her wish is thought over by Shuji and the following is the result:

Shuji: Now let’s get your hair cut :P

And I had to add this for sure -

Akira: No matter what you say, isn’t that one cuter?!

So, as she can’t wear her uniform, she must resort to something that caters to all of the school, in her bid to be ‘produced’. And after hours of shopping, food and hair-cut (which apparently is a very big deal for some people), the result is here:

And the response:

Aahh, men (sounds of heavy breathing)….So obvious to read :P

But coming back to the uniform issue – After two days, Nobuko has to come back to the ‘ugly’ uniform because other students, who saw her go to casual from uniform, see that they can use this paint technique to show-off their own clothes. And start spoiling the coats till the vice-principal buts in and Nobuko has to go back to her uniform to spoil this bad blood between them.

So, in order to un-isolate her, the Producers pull out their weapons of mass stupidity and paint the school in it:

The Backside at work or how to impress the behind

Masters of the art work: Show-off and stupid! And because they are so famous, the school follows their lead. So, they are successful in averting the making Nobuko feel small or revert to the Mayonaka-sama crisis.

But they are still unable to understand who began this art to begin with. My guesses here would be Shuji’s sort-of girlfriend. Who else can it be? It’s not the four bullies and unless it’s someone who hasn’t been introduced, it’s only her. She acts all sweet, but alas, we know where sweetness leads to.

Rating: 3/5 (in process)

Thoughts on development: Still no word on Akira. He is sort of oscillating between the two. He shares some common space with both and becomes a comfort to both when they are in need, apart of being the comic relief as well.

Breaking Bad season 1 episode 1

(Apology to self for the long delay in writing)

I am taking a break from watching the long list of Anime that I want to see and whose review is still pending. Thought I'd start watching something with real people in it.

The options were The Sopranos or Breaking Bad. (I am watching Dexter, the Mentalist and The Big Bang Theory too, but that's a weekly drivel that I am avoiding.)

I chose Breaking Bad because it is a low key affair as compared to the Sopranos. It isn't particularly famous in India, and as far as I know it is not coming to any television near us/me. At this year's Emmys, it was totally surprising to find that a show I hadn't heard of (including In Treatment) was getting critical praise. And as I recall Bryan Cranston also won the Emmy for the leading actor, for season 2.

So, what would I choose - The Sopranos, rated as the best series ever by EW and many others or Breaking Bad, which ended its second season and to which I have no clue....

I chose shorter over longer, unfamiliar over successfully famous.

Season 1, episode 1

Cranston is a good chemistry teacher, hardly making ends meet by working two jobs and trying to raise a family. But his dreary life takes another downward turn when he finds out that he has lung cancer and not much long to live.

With time running out, he decides to make a quick buck by befriending a local meth dealer, previously his student, he has the goods on.

The first episode was slow in some places and I think, that will be the pace for the whole series. Cranston is unbelievably real, and seems a desperate man whose looking for a way out, breaking bad.

Obviously the show will guide us through his transformation from in-the-dumps chem teacher to a meth-dealer-without-any-baggage?.

I am also interested in this meth-creation process. While Cranston calls this science, others refer to it as an art, 'cooking'.

Premature rating (one episode): 3/5

Strengths: high potential to evolve, good direction,

Weakness: can be emotional? (I think)

Could haves: Plenty?

The Wire: Season One

The Wire

TS Eliot said, "Humankind cannot bear very much reality." The reason why The Wire fails to make it to the popular crowd is not the lack of exciting drama or your/my kind of comedy; rather it is like facing a mirror that magnifies the blemishes and scars and makes you feel that not only your exterior but your insides are rotten and mangy as well.

The story of The Wire becomes complex as it progresses. Never too boring and never too fantastic, the realism is always taut and tight. Set in Baltimore, Dominic West plays officer McNulty who has issues with authority but is devoted to getting the criminal behind bars. His passionate enthusiasm and dedication brings all around him to be infused by the same spirit, with some complicated compromises and challenges.

The best way to enjoy The Wire is to open your ears and your eyes and immerse yourself in the nervous laughter, hasty revelations, the continuous conspiracies, constant fear and the cautious excitement. The best way is to let yourself be swept away in this small and dirty puddle.

Rating: 4.5/5

Strengths: Good storyline, gripping drama with frequent doses of humor, strong characters.

Weakness: The first time I saw episode one I hated being put in the situation of media res. But the second viewing was much more pleasurable.

Could have: I don't know. Set it in India perhaps.