Breaking Bad on AMC (3 Viewers)

[identikit]

Every time I see an Aztek out on the road, I think about this show.

Am I alone on this?

Oy.

 

[Gawain]

Does Skyler know that Ted's dead yet? I don't think she does and #### has to hit the fan when she finds out about that.

 

[Jojo the circus boy]

Does Skyler know that Ted's dead yet? I don't think she does and #### has to hit the fan when she finds out about that.

I thought she did, but it escapes me.

 

[identikit]

Does Skyler know that Ted's dead yet? I don't think she does and #### has to hit the fan when she finds out about that.

I thought she did, but it escapes me.

I don't believe she does.

 

[Sebowski]

Does Skyler know that Ted's dead yet? I don't think she does and #### has to hit the fan when she finds out about that.

I thought she did, but it escapes me.

I don't believe she does.

I thought I read Ted might not be dead.

 

[BustedKnuckles]

Nice write up in USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/story/2012-07-10/breaking-bad/56132250/1

After emerging from another dust-up with his employer, the meth-cooking high school teacher (played by Bryan Cranston) appears destined to become the kingpin he once loathed as AMC's Breaking Bad returns for another season starting Sunday (10 ET/PT). After eight episodes this season, the series ends next summer with another truncated eight-episode run.

This year, creator Vince Gilligan promises, the show is going to get dark. Real dark. "The gloves are off," he says.

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

Anyone know the backstory on how Walt's career derailed into teaching?

They kinda hint at it (Gretchen falling for Elliot instead of Walt). I bet we will get the full story in Season 5

I just started watching 'Full Measure' which starts with a flashback of Walt and Skyler looking at a house, and some dialogue about his big gig at a local lab.Thought maybe I missed something along the way.

Never fully explained. He had some kind of a falling out with Gretchen and Elliott whereby either1) Gretchen and Elliott started seeing each other behind his back2) Gretchen and/or Elliott were going to use the company/inventions in a way that Walt didn't like3) Gretchen and/or Elliott usurped control of the business and/or took (undue, in Walt's mind) credit for their work4) Skyler was pregnant and the new business was too big of a riskPerhaps there are other theories (probably discussed upwards in this thread), but they seem to be the main issues we can glean.

When Gretchen and Walt have their "discussion" after she finds out about Walt's lie to his wife, Gretchen makes it clear that it was Walt who ended their relationship.

my guess: Gretchen may have and an emotional attachment to Elliot that Walt's ego could not handle, so he bolted like a petulant child.

 

[Major]

Every time I see an Aztek out on the road, I think about this show.Am I alone on this?Oy.

You're not....i'd consider buying a cheap one (same color) for schtick purposes. Maybe have a Los Pollos Hermanos bumper sticker and Flynn attached to the roof.

 

[peaces]

Every time I see an Aztek out on the road, I think about this show.Am I alone on this?Oy.

I don't think that, but whenever I see a beat up RV I imagine it's really a meth lab on wheels.

 

[bonesman]

There's a Breaking Bad channel on Veetle right now. S2.E1 just about to wrap up.

 

[Fiddles]

Great Cranston interview with the avclub

http://mobile.avclub.com/articles/bryan-cranston-breaking-bad-john-carter,82309/?mobile=true

This season sounds like the goods

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

Breaking Bad has set the bar too high and ruined most television viewing for me. I'm going to hate waiting for Season 5

THE WAIT IS ALMOST OVER

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

I'm slightly worried that it can't possibly meet my expectations.

 

[Major]

I'm slightly worried that it can't possibly meet my expectations.

It'll be better than Season 5 of The Wire

 

[Sebowski]

I'm slightly worried that it can't possibly meet my expectations.

I was worried about this before last season. Then Ding, Ding, BAM!

 

[Wingnut]

Waiting for a couple of episodes from season 4 on AMC to record in a bit: "Hermanos" and "Bug". Im down to the final 6 episodes of season four, and I cant get enough of this show.

Aaron Paul has definitely turned into a great actor. I guess hes learned a thing or two working with and watching Cranston all this time. The dude is lights out.

Mike is such a great character, I love every scene hes in.

Cranston is just plain brilliant.

 

[Raider Nation]

Mike is such a great character, I love every scene hes in.

This cannot be stressed enough. Jonathan Banks is effing fantastic!I loved his speech to Walt in Half Measures. It makes me want to hurt someone that this is the only version I can find.

That jackhole uploaded it with dubbed-in background music.

Not to mention the video is a mirror image. Oh well... it's (barely) better than nothing.

 

[hutchins929]

started watching this earlier this week... Couldn't stop! I'm into season 2 now and I can say one thing!!!

ATM Machine

 

[Raider Nation]

started watching this earlier this week... Couldn't stop! I'm into season 2 now and I can say one thing!!!ATM Machine

I found it difficult to believe that a man of Walt's intelligence would actually say (and he did) "ATM machine."

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

started watching this earlier this week... Couldn't stop! I'm into season 2 now and I can say one thing!!!ATM Machine

I found it difficult to believe that a man of Walt's intelligence would actually say (and he did) "ATM machine."

You think he'd say "AT machine"? Everybody says "ATM machine."(See also: PIN number, DC Comics, HIV virus, DSL line, LCD display, AC current, SAT test . . .)

 

[Raider Nation]

started watching this earlier this week... Couldn't stop! I'm into season 2 now and I can say one thing!!!ATM Machine

I found it difficult to believe that a man of Walt's intelligence would actually say (and he did) "ATM machine."

You think he'd say "AT machine"? Everybody says "ATM machine."

Not everybody. I say "ATM" because "ATM machine" is redundant. That's what I expected from Walt as well.

 

[Sebowski]

started watching this earlier this week... Couldn't stop! I'm into season 2 now and I can say one thing!!!ATM Machine

I found it difficult to believe that a man of Walt's intelligence would actually say (and he did) "ATM machine."

You think he'd say "AT machine"? Everybody says "ATM machine."

Not everybody. I say "ATM" because "ATM machine" is redundant. That's what I expected from Walt as well.

He was relating to his audience. Happens all the time.

 

[toadstool]

started watching this earlier this week... Couldn't stop! I'm into season 2 now and I can say one thing!!!ATM Machine

I found it difficult to believe that a man of Walt's intelligence would actually say (and he did) "ATM machine."

You think he'd say "AT machine"? Everybody says "ATM machine."(See also: PIN number, DC Comics, HIV virus, DSL line, LCD display, AC current, SAT test . . .)

I don't know too many people who say ATM Machine, most I know just say ATM.

 

[Ned]

Every time I see an Aztek out on the road, I think about this show.Am I alone on this?Oy.

I don't think that, but whenever I see a beat up RV I imagine it's really a meth lab on wheels.

I was out for a run a few months ago and saw an RV that was a spitting image of their RV. I nearly stopped in my tracks when I saw it parked in the lot.

 

[Ned]

I'm slightly worried that it can't possibly meet my expectations.

I agree. The hype is so hard to ignore. We're almost setting them up to fail.

 

[comfortably numb]

started watching this earlier this week... Couldn't stop! I'm into season 2 now and I can say one thing!!!ATM Machine

I found it difficult to believe that a man of Walt's intelligence would actually say (and he did) "ATM machine."

You think he'd say "AT machine"? Everybody says "ATM machine."(See also: PIN number, DC Comics, HIV virus, DSL line, LCD display, AC current, SAT test . . .)

I don't know too many people who say ATM Machine, most I know just say ATM.

You guys are starting to sound like the baseball who argue about "RBI" and "RBI's"

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

Every time I see an Aztek out on the road, I think about this show.Am I alone on this?Oy.

I don't think that, but whenever I see a beat up RV I imagine it's really a meth lab on wheels.

I was out for a run a few months ago and saw an RV that was a spitting image of their RV. I nearly stopped in my tracks when I saw it parked in the lot.

did you look for bullet holes in the door?

 

[VA703]

hmmm

looks like amc may be skipping some of the episodes in the season 4 reruns or my xfinnity app isnt showing me the correct lineup

anyway .. finished act 3 last night.. awesome ending.. really liked the scene where walt ran over those two gangsters and finished the one guy off

 

[Jojo the circus boy]

hmmmlooks like amc may be skipping some of the episodes in the season 4 reruns or my xfinnity app isnt showing me the correct lineupanyway .. finished act 3 last night.. awesome ending.. really liked the scene where walt ran over those two gangsters and finished the one guy off

Act 3?

 

[VA703]

hmmmlooks like amc may be skipping some of the episodes in the season 4 reruns or my xfinnity app isnt showing me the correct lineupanyway .. finished act 3 last night.. awesome ending.. really liked the scene where walt ran over those two gangsters and finished the one guy off

Act 3?

too much diablo 3 lately..season 3.. lol

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Every time I see an Aztek out on the road, I think about this show.Am I alone on this?Oy.

I don't think that, but whenever I see a beat up RV I imagine it's really a meth lab on wheels.

I was out for a run a few months ago and saw an RV that was a spitting image of their RV. I nearly stopped in my tracks when I saw it parked in the lot.

did you look for bullet holes in the door?

You can't harass people in their own private domicile, #####

 

[badmojo1006]

Every time I see an Aztek out on the road, I think about this show.Am I alone on this?Oy.

I don't think that, but whenever I see a beat up RV I imagine it's really a meth lab on wheels.

I was out for a run a few months ago and saw an RV that was a spitting image of their RV. I nearly stopped in my tracks when I saw it parked in the lot.

did you look for bullet holes in the door?

You can't harass people in their own private domicile, #####

 

[jamny]

Every time I see an Aztek out on the road, I think about this show.Am I alone on this?Oy.

I don't think that, but whenever I see a beat up RV I imagine it's really a meth lab on wheels.

I was out for a run a few months ago and saw an RV that was a spitting image of their RV. I nearly stopped in my tracks when I saw it parked in the lot.

did you look for bullet holes in the door?

You can't harass people in their own private domicile, #####

Walt--->

 

[Apple Juice]

Just watched

...again. Still gives me goosebumps. It's been discussed before, and there are a sequences to choose from, but is this the best scene in the history of the show? I remember watching it when it aired feeling almost short of breath. The perfect fusion of sound, acting, editing, camera-work and a story arc coming to a head. The pull-away from Walt framed by the crawl-space was a brilliant idea.

 

[comfortably numb]

Co-worker who knows i watch this show just said his good friend who is a critic of some sorts was linked the 1st 2 episodes and said they were real good.

 

[identikit]

Saul, to Brock: 'Hey tiger, how's it hangin'?'

and 'Carpe diem'

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Just watched

It is my favorite scene in the series.

 

[badmojo1006]

AMC is offering streaming of the premier for Dish network viewers. "We wanted to give them a week to switch to a service that has AMC"

At least I will be able to watch Season opener legally

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

 

[Major]

AMC is offering streaming of the premier for Dish network viewers. "We wanted to give them a week to switch to a service that has AMC"

I'm loving this feud (cable guy here) and since AMC is one of the few networks I actually watch, I really only get to see their attack ads. IMO, they're definitely winning this war in a landslide but then again I haven't seen a response from Dish.

 

[pollardsvision]

Mike is such a great character, I love every scene hes in.

This cannot be stressed enough. Jonathan Banks is effing fantastic!I loved his speech to Walt in Half Measures. It makes me want to hurt someone that this is the only version I can find.

I think that's my favorite scene of the series.

 

[The Ref]

I'm slightly worried that it can't possibly meet my expectations.

It'll be better than Season 5 of The Wire

Huge fan Of the wire here, and my expectations are higher then that.

 

[Abraham]

Half measures

One minute

Crawl space

All right at the top.

 

[identikit]

Tio's bell

 

[Apple Jack]

I'm slightly worried that it can't possibly meet my expectations.

I agree. The hype is so hard to ignore. We're almost setting them up to fail.

The same anticipation has happened before every season since two. I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[Major]

Tio's bell

I'm buying one of these for the office....will be good schtick for meetings

 

[Raider Nation]

Pilot is on now. Such a great show.

It's interesting to go back and watch early episodes of a long-running series. Sometimes it takes the actors a while to get to know their character. In the pilot, Jesse sounds like he's doing a Rocky Balboa imitation... "ayyy YO", instead of the skateboarder/pothead-sounding "YO" it would become later (if that makes any sense).

I knew his voice was different early on. Paul touches on it (in red, below) in the interview he just did with Sepinwall.Good interview, BTW. And there is a long one coming up soon with Cranston.

Let's start at the beginning. I've spoken to Bryan before about how he created the character in part through the costume and hair and makeup choices. How much input did you have in coming up with the way Jesse looks and dresses? Because that's not you.

Aaron Paul: Zero input. I had no idea. I had a preconceived notion of who I thought this kid was when I read the pilot and auditioned for it. But when I went out to Albuquerque and started trying on the clothes in the wardrobe fitting, I could not believe what he was wearing. But I loved it. It was great. It's literally a costume, like zipping on a different skin. It's exciting.

So at what point in reading the script or working on that episode do you feel like you found Jesse's voice?

Aaron Paul: I don't think I found it in the pilot. Because I had no idea where it was heading. I thought he was probably from some messed-up home. I didn't know his background. I felt like he was trying to be something that he really wasn't. I knew that in the beginning. I think finally now he's finding his own footing, and you can see the evolution of his clothes. His wardrobe has definitely changed. Midway through the first season, when you met his family, I felt I had a lock onto who this kid was.

Vince has said often that Jesse was going to die in the first season. At what point did you know this? Or did you not find out until after the fact?

Aaron Paul: I found out in the first season, towards the end. We were supposed to do nine episodes but ended up doing six plus the pilot. Vince was having lunch with the other writers, and they brought me over and said, "You know, we were going to kill Jesse off in the first season." And I still haven't read the next episode yet! And I go, "Yeah, what does that mean?" Vince says, "Well, that's not going to happen anymore." And I go, "Well, when is it going to happen?" I thought maybe in the next season. They said, no, that was always the pitch that Vince brought around to all the networks: the arc of the first season is that this kid brings Walter White into the drug world, then ends up dying a horrible death and leaves Walt hanging alone. I guess once he shot the pilot, that changed his mind. He wanted to keep Jesse around. Thank God.

Did you ever find out specifics about how you were going to die?

Aaron Paul: I feel like I did, but I kind of forget it. I'll just tell stories: I think he died in a crazy gun battle. Or I think it was a meth explosion.

What was it like the first time you and Bryan were working together in the RV?

Aaron Paul: It was extremely hot, but fun. The first scene that Bryan and I ever did together was outside of the bank where Walt is giving Jesse the money to buy the Winnebago. That was the first scene we ever shot. And it was instantly fun. The dialogue was, "You are not how I remember you from class — at all." That was the line where he says, "What are you, gonna break bad all of a sudden?" Working in that Winnebago was extremely difficult, because you're shooting in the middle of the desert with a bunch of people, with lights, cameras, extremely hot. But it was so sad to see it meet its demise in season 3. Watching it get crushed was like watching one of your favorite characters die.

Let's stick with the Winnebago for a second. "4 Days Out," the battery runs down, and it's just the two of you stuck in the desert. You've done a couple of episodes like that. When it's just you and Bryan for an hour, either there or in the superlab chasing the fly, what's the atmosphere like?

Aaron Paul: "4 Days Out," I think it's my favorite episode. It's just so fun. "4 Days Out" and "Fly" felt like a play. It's all on one location, or one set, and the atmosphere is so good. This show is the story of struggle: constantly trying to keep their head above water. With "4 Days Out," it was just a cook in the dessert, and then the battery dies. What are you gonna do? You're ####ed. Really, we can't just jump it? No, because the generator caught on fire and you used up all the water. So now we have nothing to drink, and we're going to die here in the middle of the desert.

I actually tried to not drink water during that shoot. I went almost three days, which is a horrible idea, with no liquid. And then I realized, "This is way too method right now." When I tried to drink water, it was actually too difficult. It was hard for me to swallow. But it's always fun riffing off of Bryan.

That episode has one of my favorite Jesse bits: when Walt finally figures out how to get the RV started, Jesse starts cheering, "Yeah, science!!!!"

Aaron Paul: "Yeah, science!" And the robot line.

Yes, the robot line is even better.

Aaron Paul: That was a Friday night, last shot of the night. They checked the gate and said, "That's a wrap." But Nick Shuster, our focus-puller, came up to me and says, "Oh, you should've said, 'What are we gonna build: a robot?' And I go, "Oh, that's brilliant!" And we tell them we need to do it again, there was a problem with the focus, so they called action, and I did it one time, and they decided to keep it in.

And Bryan didn't break?

Aaron Paul: No, no. It was great.

Another one from season 2, where it's mainly you in an enclosed space is "Peekaboo," you're stuck in this horrible house with this horrible couple and their poor, filthy, neglected child, and Jesse is trapped with the horror of what he's wrought. How many days were you in that place?

Aaron Paul: It was six days, I think. And they actually cleaned the place up a little bit. The person that owned it was a hoarder and had 15 cats, I think. There was just feces all over the place. The smell was unbelievable. But it really put you in that environment. It really showed the audience that Jesse has a heart, that moment where he sees the kid. And that's what's so devastating, is there are so many kids out there like that. And when Jesse saw that little boy, he knew that he had to get this kid out of there. And I loved that.

I have different friends who come to watch the show at different times, and there always comes a different point for each of them where their sympathies switch from Walt to Jesse. Where do you feel in the show that moment is? Or are you too biased to be able to tell?

Aaron Paul: I think I might be too biased. But at the beginning of the show, everybody seemed like they hate Jesse. They'd go, "Ohmigod, this idiot!" I'd get that from fans all the time: "You are such an idiot! I hate you!" And I'm like, "Well, okay, thank you?" But now it's so different: "Jesse's such a badass!" Definitely for our female fanbase, "Peekaboo" was the episode where it became, "Ohmigod, I love this character." And some guys were like that, too, but others were, "Whatever, he's going to get everyone killed." But I think by the end of season 2, everyone feels for Jesse. I can't imagine; if you didn't, wouldn't you be kind of a messed-up person? But Jesse wakes up with his girlfriend dead next to him. He's really going through a lot.

I want to ask you about another scene where Jesse actually confronts Walt about all the bad things that have happened to him as a result of their partnership, which is the speech in the hospital bed from "One Minute." What was it like, first reading that when you got the script, and then doing it?

Aaron Paul: Oh, when I first read that, I was blown away, and then very excited to be able to play that. Jesse has just gone through so much, and it's nice to be able to release all of that inner turmoil on the character that's caused all of this. It's fun, and very rewarding and exhilarating.

Getting back to Jane, what kind of rig did they put you on for the heroin scene? How was that done?

Aaron Paul: This guy Crow, one of our crew members, built this rig. It was just this platform, the shape of my body, a little smaller, and they just lifted it up. It was so fun! It was incredible. That's what's so great about this show is it's so artistic on every level. They try to push the artistic boundaries. We always have those token "Breaking Bad" shots, the camera underneath the table, or --

Shovel cam!

Aaron Paul: Shovel cam! Or the scene where you're inside the dryer, drying the money. Just interesting shots.

It seems like there's been a steady character progression for Walt, while Jesse seems to change personae much more frequently, not just in each season, but multiple times a season. He starts off the second one, he's the screw-up, then he realizes he can take charge, then he's in the relationship with Jane, then the junkie. How hard is it playing this guy who is so many different people in such a short period of time?

Aaron Paul: You just take it day by day. What's great about the show is it's honest. You're a product of circumstances. We all are. So a certain thing happens is going to cause you to react a certain way in the future, and it's going to change you. It's exciting. And it can be fun to play the junkie, the character who's messed up and high. But I'm glad I'm not playing that high always. It's nice to play kind of a schizophrenic, crazy character.

Because the emotions you have to play as this guy are so intense, is it ever hard to leave it at the office?

Aaron Paul: It is. Sometimes, I used to take it home with me and try and stay in that skin as long as I could. But you realize you don't necessarily have to do that. The writing's so good on this show, they make it easy. What makes it hard is when the writing's not on the page. But sometimes you do take it home. You have to work on your stuff for the next day or week, so you're in that headspace anyway. But it's nice to just wash your face, get in the shower and relax, and not have it within you for a couple of hours. And then jump back into it. Jesse, he's just constantly getting beat down. So it's exhausting to play this character.

What's the atmosphere like on the set, what's going through your head, when Jesse shoots Gale?

Aaron Paul: So much is going on. What I do when I take on roles is I try and truly live through the person's skin. So to put myself in that place was very hard. Obviously, I've never killed anybody. But it was difficult, because you know this character didn't want to do this, but he felt he had to. He's killing quite possibly the nicest character that has ever existed on television! Let alone "Breaking Bad." He didn't want to do it. He was terrified, he was scared, but he felt like he had to do it. Jesse was willing to be a martyr in the episode prior, go out guns blazing, and then all of a sudden Walter White shows up and runs those guys over and saves his life. Because Jesse would have died, for sure. He might have gotten off a couple of shots, but he'd have died. So Walt saved his life, and Jesse felt he owed him.

After this happens, Jesse goes through a kind of nihilist phase, just trying to dull himself out and turning the house into this hellpit. What was it like on set when you're on the set, and the Roomba is flitting about and the speakers are thumping?

Aaron Paul: It was pure chaos. He has to keep his mind busy, he has to be preoccupied with a lot of stuff. He couldn't be lost in his own thoughts, because then he's just living a nightmare.

What kind of direction are all the extras in this party being given?

Aaron Paul: My God. These extras. The background players in the party were brilliant. There was this couple, there's a close-up shot of them having sex in the middle of the living room, and there's blood dripping down the person's back. And they're actually doing that. You can see other scars on his back — this is a thing they do — and she's scraping her nails, and I thought, "That is makeup! There is no way that's real!" And it was real. You realize you were in that environment, and it was very disconcerting. Very hardcore.

After that, Mike takes Jesse under his wing. Jesse just wants some kind of father figure, right?

Aaron Paul: Yes, he wants to be told what to do. He's striving for that. And he wants a father figure. His parents completely bailed on him. So he needs that in his life.

You had several years where you and Bryan were very much in sync, then you're doing a lot with Jonathan Banks. What's he like to work with?

Aaron Paul: Unbelievable. He's brilliant. I love that man and I will be friends with him forever. He's incredible. Just like with Bryan. They're both such mentors of mine, on and off set. I hope to be them when I'm older. It's great. We are blessed to have the cast that we have.

The last one is the problem dog speech in NA with Jere Burns. They started giving you a lot of speeches after a while. Was there a point where you realized, "Hey, this is something they like to have me do"?

Aaron Paul: We all get these speeches. I hate to toot my own horn, but we're so blessed to work with this dialogue. The writers on our show are just top-notch. When I read that speech, written by Peter Gould, I went, "Oh my God." When they'd give me one earlier in the series, I'd be terrified: "That's four pages of dialogue. I hope I can pull this off." Like in the hospital bed, I was trying to figure out how to do this, because there's so many different ways. You don't want to do it one note. There are so many layers. With this one, it's perfect because it was a confession. It gave Jesse an opportunity to confess his sins, and he absolutely needs to do it to someone. Even though he was talking about a dog, he was able to confess to everyone and say, "No, it's not okay! It's not about self-acceptance! #### you! What you're teaching us is wrong!" And Jesse believes that he should never be forgiven, ever. He needs to be punished. It was really, as an actor playing this character, it was a nice release.

A lot of the time when you do these speeches, the camera's got you in a pretty tight close-up, and yet in the scene as constructed, you're delivering it to Bryan or Jere or whomever. Are they there beside the camera, or are you playing it to the camera as if it's them?

Aaron Paul: No, they're there. Sometimes they're behind the camera. But I have to say, all the background players in that scene were so great. They were all just in the moment as well. They weren't just sitting there. It really helped. I really felt like I was there. That's the goal: to feel like you're transported into a different world. It's all about make-believe, and playing pretend. And that's why we do it.

 

[Charlie Frown]

"tell your ######## brother-in-law to head towards the light." :roflmao:

 

[hutchins929]

started watching this earlier this week... Couldn't stop! I'm into season 2 now and I can say one thing!!!ATM Machine

Well into season 3 now... middle of the night. Seriously, think I'm getting like 2 hours of sleep a night.

 

[Zow]

Seven episodes deep into season 4 in preparation for Sunday. The mike character is freaking awesome. Loved when he punched out walt in the bar.

I'm kinda disappointed in walts character so far in season 4. Just uncharacteristic mistakes starting with trying to kill Gus at his house to losing his wife after hr momentarily had her back (wasn't that a major goal of his??) to treating Jesse like crap and whining all the time. I suppose this is part of his progression to "break bad" but I always like how smart and methodical he was before. I realize he has the stress of his life threatened but dude is losing it fast. Curious to see how they build him back up.