Breaking Bad on AMC (4 Viewers)

[Leeroy Jenkins]

People keep saying that Jesse being a slave to the Nazis means it's impossible for the finale to have been a dream. All it really proves is that the dream could've started earlier, probably around the time Hank died and Walt was on the ground in shock. Do we really think Uncle Jack decided to give Walt $10M and not just shoot him dead there?

Walt put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger in the pilot. Maybe everything since was a dream.

:headexplode:

The #### you ending would have been Walt having a gun pointed at somebody, and then the camera going down the barrel of the gun, only to come back out if the barrel back in episode 1. Then Walt shoots himself and we see his family around him in a hospital bed in a coma with them pulling the plug. I'm ecstatic they didn't go that way, and they went that other way.

 

[Rove!]

Seriously. Even mere talk or longing for it to have been a dream is a disservice to the show and insult to its creators.

It's the opposite of this. When people write "serious" literature or produce a "serious" film, they expect it to be discussed, picked apart, and analyzed in ways that might never have occurred to them at the time of production. The fact that people approach a television show in that way is the greatest compliment anybody can bestow on the writers and directors.

People who uncritically take everything at face value and rationalize every little inconsistency or implausibility are the ones who are insulting the creators. That sort of attitude is fine for mindless stuff like TWD, but it's not appropriate for this kind of program. Gilligan and his colleagues deserve to be held to a higher standard than that.

Edit: To clarify, there's nothing wrong with just watching the show and enjoying the story and leaving it at that. Shakespeare can be enjoyed that way too. But nobody ever says that it's we're insulting the Bard when we point out that Romeo and Juliet isn't up the standards of King Lear or Othello, or when we talk about multiple ways to explain Hamlet's character.

Discussing, analyzing and picking apart I thoroughly enjoy. Saying you think it was a dream or wishing that it was a dream because it would make the finale more satisfying to you is not same thing.

Of course it is. That's what we mean by "analyzing and picking apart."

Again, for the record, Gilligan clearly did not intend the finale as a dream sequence. The thing with Jesse absolutely nips this in the bud. Moreover, there's no serious precedent for dream sequences anywhere in the franchise. The closest thing I can think of is when Jesse hallucinates and sees the two Jehovah's Witnesses as biker enforcers, but that's not really the same thing and it occurs all the way back in season one. A dream-sequence finale would be wildly out of place for franchise that plays things straight in every other episode.

The only things this interpretation has going for it, that I can tell, is that it provides a bleaker ending, and it resolves all of the events in the finale that pushed a lot of people past the point of suspension of disbelief. It's not the "right" interpretation IMO and I don't think it's even a viable interpretation, but it's a fun idea to bat around.

Walt dies alone, Skylar is still under indictment, Marie is alone, Hank is dead, Walt Jr has no father and probably no mother soon, Holly will be essentially parentless, Jesse has no money no resources and no legitimate marketable skills, Gretchen and Elliot may or may not give the money to Walt Jr, and worst of all Saul is probably managing a Cinnabun, Sure, Walt gets to destroy his blue and kill some enemies but this is hardly a rosy ending for anyone. Everyone's lives that Walt touched are damaged or destroyed.

Walt gave Skyler the location of Hank's body as a bargaining chip with the DEA, so she will probably avoid prison.And Gretchen and Elliot will DEFINITELY give Flynn the money.

I don't get the reasoning behind Skyler avoiding prison by knowing where Hank is buried. First off, if she knows where he is, then her family duty sense will probably make her want to give Marie that closure. Second, Hank and Homie are dead because of a criminal empire that she was an active participant in. A portion of his death falls on he shoulders. Third, they don't have Walt or the Nazis to pin anything on. They're gonna want someone to go down.I just don't see it being a get out of jail free card.

What evidence do they have against Skylar?

That's the thing after Walt and the Nazis are dead and they find 70 million dollars, ae they going to want to follow that up with a potential acquittal? How much of a case do they really have?

 

[Rove!]

When you think about it, G&E offer to walt in S1 is kind of an insult. When a Steve Wozniak retruns to a company like Apple, do you just give the guy some make-work position and expect him to gratefully accept a handout from an empire he helped to create?

 

[SacramentoBob]

When you think about it, G&E offer to walt in S1 is kind of an insult. When a Steve Wozniak retruns to a company like Apple, do you just give the guy some make-work position and expect him to gratefully accept a handout from an empire he helped to create?

:goodposting;

I think the entire point of BB was to show how much more evil G&E were compared even to a druglord like Walt.

 

[Rove!]

When you think about it, G&E offer to walt in S1 is kind of an insult. When a Steve Wozniak retruns to a company like Apple, do you just give the guy some make-work position and expect him to gratefully accept a handout from an empire he helped to create?

:goodposting;

I think the entire point of BB was to show how much more evil G&E were compared even to a druglord like Walt.

just saying that they aren't some idealized model citizens that some in here imagine them as

 

[Long Ball Larry]

When you think about it, G&E offer to walt in S1 is kind of an insult. When a Steve Wozniak retruns to a company like Apple, do you just give the guy some make-work position and expect him to gratefully accept a handout from an empire he helped to create?

:goodposting;

I think the entire point of BB was to show how much more evil G&E were compared even to a druglord like Walt.

just saying that they aren't some idealized model citizens that some in here imagine them as

Who has been advocating that position?

 

[Chase Stuart]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

 

[Psychopav]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

 

[Chase Stuart]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

Thanks. Show was before my time. What was the reaction like to that?

 

[TheIronSheik]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Turns out, this post by Chase was just a dream.

 

[Psychopav]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

Thanks. Show was before my time. What was the reaction like to that?

Not favorable.(Understatement)

 

[one time]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

Roseanne too

 

[Gr00vus]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

Roseanne too

Also Newhart.

 

[SacramentoBob]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

Roseanne too

Also Newhart.

There was a show named Breaking Bad that did that too.

 

[Don Quixote]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

Roseanne too

Also Newhart.

They could have followed St. Elsewhere by ending with Walt Jr staring into a snowglobe.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

Roseanne too

Also Newhart.

There was a show named Breaking Bad that did that too.

I always get Newhart and BB confused. The plot is eerily similar.

 

[Gr00vus]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

Roseanne too

Also Newhart.

There was a show named Breaking Bad that did that too.

I always get Newhart and BB confused. The plot is eerily similar.

Who was hotter in their prime - Anna Gunn or Mary Frann? And why do they both have two ns in thier last names?

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Alice in Wonderland down?

It's a cheap device that I think is now considered completely trite, and I can't imagine any serious show ever pulling a stunt like this.

I think the whole thing is jumping off from Ms. Nussbaum's review, and she didn't theorize that it was a dream, just that it seemed like one. She even says that if it was a dream, she'd be writing a rave instead of being disappointed.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

When you think about it, G&E offer to walt in S1 is kind of an insult. When a Steve Wozniak retruns to a company like Apple, do you just give the guy some make-work position and expect him to gratefully accept a handout from an empire he helped to create?

:goodposting;

I think the entire point of BB was to show how much more evil G&E were compared even to a druglord like Walt.

just saying that they aren't some idealized model citizens that some in here imagine them as

Who has been advocating that position?

I should probably just drop this whole thing (cue the quote with just that one part quoted), but I would sort of advocate for that position. In Seasons 1 and 2, the Schwartzes are portrayed as being almost completely benevolent. Elliot and especially Gretchen genuinely love Walt. Even when Walt accuses Gretchen of making their fortunes off his ideas (Peekaboo, I think), she's sincerely stung and hotly disputes that idea. It's pretty clear that Walt ran into some kind of personal issue with the two of them and that's why he took off . . .

. . . until the last season, when I agree that Gilligan decided to switch course and make them evil somehow. I don't get what prompted that. Maybe Gilligan just had second thoughts about how he wanted the story to run. But E&G in the first couple of seasons were pretty close to idealized.

 

[T Bell]

This letter from Anthony Hopkins to Bryan Cranston is pretty cool.:

Dear Mister Cranston. I wanted to write you this email - so I am contacting you through Jeremy Barber - I take it we are both represented by UTA . Great agency.
I've just finished a marathon of watching "BREAKING BAD" - from episode one of the First Season - to the last eight episodes of the Sixth Season. (I downloaded the last season on AMAZON) A total of two weeks (addictive) viewing.
I have never watched anything like it. Brilliant!
Your performance as Walter White was the best acting I have seen - ever.
I know there is so much smoke blowing and sickening bull#### in this business, and I've sort of lost belief in anything really.
But this work of yours is spectacular - absolutely stunning. What is extraordinary, is the sheer power of everyone in the entire production. What was it? Five or six years in the making? How the producers (yourself being one of them), the writers, directors, cinematographers.... every department - casting etc. managed to keep the discipline and control from beginning to the end is (that over used word) awesome.
From what started as a black comedy, descended into a labyrinth of blood, destruction and hell. It was like a great Jacobean, Shakespearean or Greek Tragedy.
If you ever get a chance to - would you pass on my admiration to everyone - Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Aaron Paul, Betsy Brandt, R.J. Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Steven Michael Quezada - everyone - everyone gave master classes of performance ... The list is endless.
Thank you. That kind of work/artistry is rare, and when, once in a while, it occurs, as in this epic work, it restores confidence.
You and all the cast are the best actors I've ever seen. That may sound like a good lung full of smoke blowing. But it is not. It's almost midnight out here in Malibu, and I felt compelled to write this email.
Congratulations and my deepest respect. You are truly a great, great actor.
Best regards
Tony Hopkins.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Yea, that's awesome.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Wow.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

When you think about it, G&E offer to walt in S1 is kind of an insult. When a Steve Wozniak retruns to a company like Apple, do you just give the guy some make-work position and expect him to gratefully accept a handout from an empire he helped to create?

:goodposting;

I think the entire point of BB was to show how much more evil G&E were compared even to a druglord like Walt.

just saying that they aren't some idealized model citizens that some in here imagine them as

Who has been advocating that position?

I should probably just drop this whole thing (cue the quote with just that one part quoted), but I would sort of advocate for that position. In Seasons 1 and 2, the Schwartzes are portrayed as being almost completely benevolent. Elliot and especially Gretchen genuinely love Walt. Even when Walt accuses Gretchen of making their fortunes off his ideas (Peekaboo, I think), she's sincerely stung and hotly disputes that idea. It's pretty clear that Walt ran into some kind of personal issue with the two of them and that's why he took off . . .

. . . until the last season, when I agree that Gilligan decided to switch course and make them evil somehow. I don't get what prompted that. Maybe Gilligan just had second thoughts about how he wanted the story to run. But E&G in the first couple of seasons were pretty close to idealized.

I guess I'll have to go back and re-watch again and see what I think now. Perhaps I was just totally in Walt's camp at that time, but I thought of them as patronizing #####. I mean, I know Walt played his role in the whole thing, but I felt like he did kind of get the shaft ultimately.

 

[bentley]

So, I just rewatched season 1 last week and I'm watching the finale right now and I'm having a hard time seeing the difference. I think Elliott was trying to be helpful in a rich guy helping out a former colleague kind of way up front and trying to protect his assets at the end. I don't understand why someone would expect them to act differently after finding out that Walt ran a criminal enterprise that resulted in a countless number of deaths including a couple federal agents.

 

[dparker713]

When you think about it, G&E offer to walt in S1 is kind of an insult. When a Steve Wozniak retruns to a company like Apple, do you just give the guy some make-work position and expect him to gratefully accept a handout from an empire he helped to create?

:goodposting;

I think the entire point of BB was to show how much more evil G&E were compared even to a druglord like Walt.

just saying that they aren't some idealized model citizens that some in here imagine them as

Who has been advocating that position?

I should probably just drop this whole thing (cue the quote with just that one part quoted), but I would sort of advocate for that position. In Seasons 1 and 2, the Schwartzes are portrayed as being almost completely benevolent. Elliot and especially Gretchen genuinely love Walt. Even when Walt accuses Gretchen of making their fortunes off his ideas (Peekaboo, I think), she's sincerely stung and hotly disputes that idea. It's pretty clear that Walt ran into some kind of personal issue with the two of them and that's why he took off . . .

. . . until the last season, when I agree that Gilligan decided to switch course and make them evil somehow. I don't get what prompted that. Maybe Gilligan just had second thoughts about how he wanted the story to run. But E&G in the first couple of seasons were pretty close to idealized.

Didn't come off that way for me at all.

 

[shuke]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Newhart? St. Elsewhere?

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Seiously? Google Dallas dream season.

The Dallas dream season was in a much different context. It wasn't done for artistic reasons, but as the reason to bring back Patrick Duffy into the show. Duffy had pulled a Shelley Long/David Caruso (wanting off the show so he could pursue a movie career) and so they killed him off in a very dramatic way. When he wanted to come back, they couldn't figure out a plausible way to re-integrate him into the show, other than maybe being an Evil Twin, so they just wiped out the previous season.

 

[cstu]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Alice in Wonderland down?

It's a cheap device that I think is now considered completely trite, and I can't imagine any serious show ever pulling a stunt like this.

I think the whole thing is jumping off from Ms. Nussbaum's review, and she didn't theorize that it was a dream, just that it seemed like one. She even says that if it was a dream, she'd be writing a rave instead of being disappointed.

When it's an entire show, or even a season, it's lame, but I don't have a problem with leaving the ending of a show ambiguous.

 

[TheIronSheik]

What if the whole show was a dream? And Walter White was just asleep in study hall. He didn't have cancer. He didn't know someone named Jessie. And.... wait for it..... he was actually a math teacher. Now THAT would have been a twist ending only a couple of people would have seen coming.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

What if the whole show was a dream? And Walter White was just asleep in study hall. He didn't have cancer. He didn't know someone named Jessie. And.... wait for it..... he was actually a math teacher. Now THAT would have been a twist ending only a couple of people would have seen coming.

What if it was JESSE'S dream while sleeping in Walt's class and he's awoken when Walt yells "Jesse, apply yourself!" :credits:

 

[TheIronSheik]

What if the whole show was a dream? And Walter White was just asleep in study hall. He didn't have cancer. He didn't know someone named Jessie. And.... wait for it..... he was actually a math teacher. Now THAT would have been a twist ending only a couple of people would have seen coming.

What if it was JESSE'S dream while sleeping in Walt's class and he's awoken when Walt yells "Jesse, apply yourself!" :credits:

Bravo, good sir! Bravo! :standingovation: :anthonyhopkins-likeemailforthcoming:

 

[Rove!]

Or what if the back story of the protagonist is that intead of a chemist formerly associated with a great money-making company he's really a writer formerly associated with a great money-making TV series. The whole series is a dream he has of selling meth to make money. When he wakes up, intead of selling meth, he starts writing...

 

[TheIronSheik]

What if turned out it was all a dream a dog was having. And it happened while he was in a coma. He wakes up to a man having just saved him from drowning in a lake while a chemistry teacher he didn't know drowns in the background.

 

[Rove!]

to beat a dead horse

can you imagine Paul Allen being broke and sick and Bill Gates saying "hey we can get you a job in our accounting dept "

or Robert plant hiring Jimmy page as a roadie because Jimmy needs the money

it's just seems like a big demotion to go from partner to low level employee

 

[Long Ball Larry]

to beat a dead horse

can you imagine Paul Allen being broke and sick and Bill Gates saying "hey we can get you a job in our accounting dept "

or Robert plant hiring Jimmy page as a roadie because Jimmy needs the money

it's just seems like a big demotion to go from partner to low level employee

I don't get it. Are you saying that this scenario was all a dream that John Paul Jones had? Or that John Bonham imagined John Paul Jones having as he was choking on his vomit?

 

[T Bell]

When you think about it, G&E offer to walt in S1 is kind of an insult. When a Steve Wozniak retruns to a company like Apple, do you just give the guy some make-work position and expect him to gratefully accept a handout from an empire he helped to create?

:goodposting;

I think the entire point of BB was to show how much more evil G&E were compared even to a druglord like Walt.

just saying that they aren't some idealized model citizens that some in here imagine them as

Who has been advocating that position?

I should probably just drop this whole thing (cue the quote with just that one part quoted), but I would sort of advocate for that position. In Seasons 1 and 2, the Schwartzes are portrayed as being almost completely benevolent. Elliot and especially Gretchen genuinely love Walt. Even when Walt accuses Gretchen of making their fortunes off his ideas (Peekaboo, I think), she's sincerely stung and hotly disputes that idea. It's pretty clear that Walt ran into some kind of personal issue with the two of them and that's why he took off . . .

. . . until the last season, when I agree that Gilligan decided to switch course and make them evil somehow. I don't get what prompted that. Maybe Gilligan just had second thoughts about how he wanted the story to run. But E&G in the first couple of seasons were pretty close to idealized.

Didn't come off that way for me at all.

Walt had a thing for Gretchen and then had a falling out with Elliot long ago. He gets sick, and they're happy to try to help, but Walt being Walt can't accept that and brings up the old resentment and causes a further rift.

They move on with their lives, and then when it all falls apart for Walt, he coerces them to essentially launder his money for his family.

That's it in a nutshell.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Gretchen talked in Peekaboo about he abandoned her that weekend, so it almost makes me think that he bailed on their relationship for God only knows what reason, and then when she and Elliot got together, it became too difficult for Walt to be around them anymore (leaving Gretchen for his reasons + her now being involved with the other partner), so he took the buyout and left Gray Matter.

 

[Sarnoff]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Dallas

Married... With Children

St. Elswhere

Newhart

Angel

Life on Mars (US version)

Roseanne

...all erased at least one full season, if not the entire series, by revealing it to be a dream. Not the 60s, these are the shows that did it since the 80s. The list of TV series which revealed just single episodes, or parts of single episodes, to be a dream is too long to list.

 

[packersfan]

Technically, "Angel" didn't have a dream season. They concluded one season by having the main characters (except for Angel) have their memories of the events removed. However, the following season everyone eventually found out what Angel had done. The events of the season still happened, though.

St. Elsewhere's ending to this day still p****s me off. That was one of my favorite shows of all time and the ending was the strongest example I can think of how not to conclude a series. Truly awful.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Technically, "Angel" didn't have a dream season. They concluded one season by having the main characters (except for Angel) have their memories of the events removed. However, the following season everyone eventually found out what Angel had done. The events of the season still happened, though.

St. Elsewhere's ending to this day still p****s me off. That was one of my favorite shows of all time and the ending was the strongest example I can think of how not to conclude a series. Truly awful.

It's what happens when writers try to get too creative. Which is why BB did it perfect. Everyone says that it seemed to easy. But seriously, if they would have tried some crazy weird ending, I think it would have killed the show.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Technically, "Angel" didn't have a dream season. They concluded one season by having the main characters (except for Angel) have their memories of the events removed. However, the following season everyone eventually found out what Angel had done. The events of the season still happened, though.

St. Elsewhere's ending to this day still p****s me off. That was one of my favorite shows of all time and the ending was the strongest example I can think of how not to conclude a series. Truly awful.

It's what happens when writers try to get too creative. Which is why BB did it perfect. Everyone says that it seemed to easy. But seriously, if they would have tried some crazy weird ending, I think it would have killed the show.

Or at least the internet.

 

[Sarnoff]

Technically, "Angel" didn't have a dream season. They concluded one season by having the main characters (except for Angel) have their memories of the events removed. However, the following season everyone eventually found out what Angel had done. The events of the season still happened, though.

My notebook says season 4 of Angel included an episode where Angel dreams the solution to all the season's problems, then wakes up as the evil Angelus. But my notebook may not be completely accurate as to the amount of continuity or the total effect on the series as I never saw it and don't know it that well.

 

[packersfan]

Technically, "Angel" didn't have a dream season. They concluded one season by having the main characters (except for Angel) have their memories of the events removed. However, the following season everyone eventually found out what Angel had done. The events of the season still happened, though.

St. Elsewhere's ending to this day still p****s me off. That was one of my favorite shows of all time and the ending was the strongest example I can think of how not to conclude a series. Truly awful.

It's what happens when writers try to get too creative. Which is why BB did it perfect. Everyone says that it seemed to easy. But seriously, if they would have tried some crazy weird ending, I think it would have killed the show.

I agree. The writers on St. Elsewhere got too cute and it blew up in their faces. I think you could make a similar argument for how David Chase ended The Sopranos. He tried to be cute instead of just delivering an actual ending.

I think the best way to do it is have an ending. Lost took a lot of heat for its finale (I loved it) but whether you liked it or not at least they crafted an ending to their show. The story began, had a middle and an ending. Do that and I'll respect what you did, even if I may not completely enjoy it. Gilligan seems to have understood that. He delivered an ending. Like it or not, it was an ending. For me, that's how it should be done.

 

[packersfan]

Technically, "Angel" didn't have a dream season. They concluded one season by having the main characters (except for Angel) have their memories of the events removed. However, the following season everyone eventually found out what Angel had done. The events of the season still happened, though.

My notebook says season 4 of Angel included an episode where Angel dreams the solution to all the season's problems, then wakes up as the evil Angelus. But my notebook may not be completely accurate as to the amount of continuity or the total effect on the series as I never saw it and don't know it that well.

I was incorrect. Season 4 ended with all knowledge of Connor and what he did stricken from everyone's memories except for Angel. Connor was given a normal life with other parents. But in Season 5 he became aware of what Angel had done and again remembered that Angel was his father.

 

[Chase Stuart]

Why is it that in almost every TV series, a vocal minority always expects that at some point, we'll hear that the whole thing was a dream? Was there some TV show that did this in the '60s or something and has scarred viewers forever?

Dallas

Married... With Children

St. Elswhere

Newhart

Angel

Life on Mars (US version)

Roseanne

...all erased at least one full season, if not the entire series, by revealing it to be a dream. Not the 60s, these are the shows that did it since the 80s. The list of TV series which revealed just single episodes, or parts of single episodes, to be a dream is too long to list.

Thanks -- didn't watch any of those shows regularly.

Does anyone like it when they do this? Why do people keep thinking it's going to happen in [insert next show]?

 

[Chase Stuart]

Technically, "Angel" didn't have a dream season. They concluded one season by having the main characters (except for Angel) have their memories of the events removed. However, the following season everyone eventually found out what Angel had done. The events of the season still happened, though.

St. Elsewhere's ending to this day still p****s me off. That was one of my favorite shows of all time and the ending was the strongest example I can think of how not to conclude a series. Truly awful.

Oh, I see you haven't watched Dexter before.

 

[packersfan]

Technically, "Angel" didn't have a dream season. They concluded one season by having the main characters (except for Angel) have their memories of the events removed. However, the following season everyone eventually found out what Angel had done. The events of the season still happened, though.

St. Elsewhere's ending to this day still p****s me off. That was one of my favorite shows of all time and the ending was the strongest example I can think of how not to conclude a series. Truly awful.

Oh, I see you haven't watched Dexter before.

One of my favorite shows. I avoided the thread for most of this season because all of you there hated the season a lot more than I did.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

to beat a dead horse

can you imagine Paul Allen being broke and sick and Bill Gates saying "hey we can get you a job in our accounting dept "

or Robert plant hiring Jimmy page as a roadie because Jimmy needs the money

it's just seems like a big demotion to go from partner to low level employee

Paul Allen helped grow Microsoft.

When Walt left Gray Matter, it was a three-person company worth about $15,000 total, and the three principles may not have even made minimum wage there.

If Walt had rejoined Gray Matter in season two at Elliot's urging, he would have been part of a multi-billion-dollar company with hundreds or thousands of employees, and he would have gotten full health benefits and a real salary.

Trying to paint Gretchen and Elliot as the bad guys for their generous offer to Walt is insane.

 

[Apple Juice]

Technically, "Angel" didn't have a dream season. They concluded one season by having the main characters (except for Angel) have their memories of the events removed. However, the following season everyone eventually found out what Angel had done. The events of the season still happened, though.

St. Elsewhere's ending to this day still p****s me off. That was one of my favorite shows of all time and the ending was the strongest example I can think of how not to conclude a series. Truly awful.

It's what happens when writers try to get too creative. Which is why BB did it perfect. Everyone says that it seemed to easy. But seriously, if they would have tried some crazy weird ending, I think it would have killed the show.

I agree. The writers on St. Elsewhere got too cute and it blew up in their faces. I think you could make a similar argument for how David Chase ended The Sopranos. He tried to be cute instead of just delivering an actual ending.

I think the best way to do it is have an ending. Lost took a lot of heat for its finale (I loved it) but whether you liked it or not at least they crafted an ending to their show. The story began, had a middle and an ending. Do that and I'll respect what you did, even if I may not completely enjoy it. Gilligan seems to have understood that. He delivered an ending. Like it or not, it was an ending. For me, that's how it should be done.

I understand you're stating your opinion, but the Sopranos ending further cemented that show as one of the best of all time. The Lost ending took a dump on everything that came before it, removing it from the conversation completely. You may disagree personally, but that's what happened.

 

[packersfan]

You're right. I disagree. I loved the Lost ending because it worked for me as someone who always cared more about the characters and their relationships than the great mysteries of the island.

I don't dislike The Sopranos ending as much as I did when it first aired but by his own admission Chase set out to be ambiguous so to me he was trying to be too cute. Just give me an actual ending to the story. Have the balls to take a stand. Don't toss something at the wall and then tell me it's up to the viewers to decide what happens. I want you to tell me how the story ends. Then if I dislike it, I'll let you know. But at least have the courage to deliver an actual ending. I don't think Chase did. I think Gilligan did which is why I view the BB ending as the definitive ending (to this point in time) for a great TV show. Gilligan didn't feel the need to get cute. He didn't need to tell the viewers that they can decipher the ending for themselves. He gave us all an ending and then it was up to each of us to decide if we liked it or not. I did.