Growth Decay Transformation - A Breaking Bad Rewatch Podcast

What makes for a satisfying ending? In “ABQ” we meet Mike Ehrmentraut when he gets a devastated Jesse prepared to call in Jane’s death, Walt gets his tumor removed before Skyler confronts him and asks him to leave, and Donald mourns the loss of his daughter before we see where all of those black and white teasers were heading when Wayfarer 515 crashes above the White household. The finale works as a conclusion that ties up so much of what the season has asked us to think about while setting things up for the future. The satisfaction it provides feels like a reward for paying attention.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are there any episodes that you dread rewatching? Your hosts break down one of the most heartbreaking episodes in the whole series, “Phoenix.” Walt makes the deal at the cost of missing Holly's birth, is deeply offended by the concept of charity, gets blackmailed by Jane, has a highly coincidental meeting at a bar, and then watches Jane die. Y'know, a typical week in the life of a meth kingpin. But how responsible is Walt for Jane's death? Is it really Jesse’s fault that Walt misses Holly’s birth? Why do Walt and Donald "other" Jesse's "little junkie girlfriend" and Jane's "scumbag" boyfriend, respectively? Join Pete and Courtney as they unpack the penultimate episode of season 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you find Skyler singing “Happy Birthday” cringey, you’re in good company. While it may be a scene that even made the crew feel uncomfortable, it’s an important one that gives clarity to Skyler’s choices. Speaking of fateful decisions, this is an episode teeming with them. Join hosts Courtney and Pete as they discuss Jesse’s downward spiral, Jane’s decision to join him there, and Walt’s first meeting with “the guy” (who knows another guy who apparently knows Saul). So put on your best corporate smile, grab a soda, and join your hosts as they ponder just how alike Walt and Gus are. If you have a complaint, I suggest you submit it through our e-mail system. I'd be happy to refer you to our website: BreakingbadGDT@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does Jesse have a type? When he feels rejected by Jane some comparisons to Walt start to emerge. More bad news, male kangaroos don’t have pouches. Junior gets his first taste of Tequila and what’s been bubbling up between Hank and Walt comes out in the worst possible way. But hey, they’re really excited about the future at the White house and Walt’s on the case to get rid of the rot. This is peak decay in Walt’s journey of growth, decay, and transformation, and as much as he’d like to become something different he’s looking a lot more like Heisneberg than even he understands.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where do you store your keys when you’re way out in the boonies in an RV cooking meth? Does methylamine go bad? Why does Walt punch the paper towel dispenser after receiving such good news? And what’s the deal with Walt’s mother? Join your hosts, Courtney and Pete, as they explore these questions and more in their discussion of Aaron Paul’s favorite episode of Breaking Bad, “4 Days Out.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you see Jimmy McGill or do you see Saul Goodman? First introduced to us as a cartoonish caricature in the eighth episode of season two, there’s a lot more to everyone’s favorite criminal lawyer than initially meets the eye. Saul offers much needed comic relief, but we know from BCS that underneath the hilarious quips and colorful, outlandish suits is a deeply wounded man. Join Pete and Courtney as they ponder Saul’s role in Walter White’s success, how fear affects Walt and Hank, and why Jane keeps “coming back” to Jesse.  Want more? Check out Pete’s livestream with Courtney on Better Call Saul S06E11 “Breaking Bad” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG0lCD2QCP8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bond is a strong attraction. Do you remember what it’s like to be in a budding romance? Jesse searches for signals from his satellite and from Jane while Skyler gets her signals in a new (old) job and a cracked picture frame. Your hosts discuss the significance of these developing bonds, explore the lore surrounding the mythical figures of Jesús Malverde, Heisenberg, and Blowfish Jesse, and say hola/adios to Tortuga. Join Courtney and Pete as they breakdown the explosive seventh episode of season two, “Negro y Azul.”  Los Cuates de Sinaloa perform “Negro y Azul” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHF0xlf-bjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everytime Gretchen makes an appearance on Breaking Bad, one of the Bald Move guys makes an appearance on GDT. A. Ron joins Pete and Courtney to discuss S2E06 "Peekaboo." Saved by an ATM and a "rich girl just adding to her millions," Jesse and Walt both get off the hook from dealing with matters they'd really rather not. Things don't go as well for the Three Spooges, though. Mr. Spooge, in particular, is delivered a crushing blow. Join Pete, Courtney, and A. Ron as they discuss this memorable episode. Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram TalithaTV YouTube Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you know how many times Jesse calls Walt by his first name? You can count the number of times on one hand, so when he does, it is a big deal. Join Courtney and Pete as they take a deeper look at all the things that break in S02E05 "Breakage." Hank, like his home-brewed Schraederbrau, threatens to explode and things come to a breaking point with Walt and Skyler. Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram TalithaTV YouTube Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever felt blue? Jesse Bruce Pinkman gets dyed blue in Down. The Smurf look is a not-so-subtle nod to the rising tensions between Skyler and Walt and the way in which Jesse himself is feeling. It’s pretty clear by this point in the show that Walt can’t keep his mouth shut, and thereby alienates Skyler. Pete and Courtney call into question Walt and Jesse’s belief that they are owed by their own families. Your hosts will sort through the emotional turmoil in the hardest episode of Breaking Bad to watch. Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram TalithaTV YouTube Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courtney and Pete connect the dots of the subtle details in Bit By a Dead Bee. Walt takes notice of a painting that is mundane in appearance, but rich in sub-textual story. The very same painting appears in several episodes across Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. As Walt further traumatizes his family with his “fugue state”, Hank descends on Jesse with an avenging force. Could Walt turn this boat around? What does the painting mean? And will Wendy ever get her root beer?  Get a sneak peek of The Iconography of the Boat in 19th-Century American Painting by Gerald Eager here.  Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Appearances (and disappearances) can be deceiving. Do you know how many episodes Tuco Salamanca appears in on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul? For a character with so little screen time, he leaves a lasting impression. Join Pete and Courtney as they say goodbye to Tuco and hello to Don Hector in their discussion of "Grilled."  Check out what's grilling in Breaking Kitchen.  Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you remember the first time you saw the black and white opening? What were your theories? Did you catch all of the foreshadowing in this episode? In case you missed those details, Pete and Courtney have a rundown of all the hard-to-spot clues that color this season. Your hosts will paint a picture that blends themes, plot, and character development so you can experience the great storytelling of Breaking Bad all over again.  Check out the fresh beats from Jesse and Badger. Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s something you do for fun? Now ask yourself, would you have even more fun if it was ILLEGAL? If your answer is yes, then you and Walter White have something in common. The Heisenberg hat makes a debut, which further reinforces the emerging persona. As Jesse and Walt wade into more dangerous waters, Pete and Courtney have some questions for you to consider. Does intention matter? How far can rationalizing go? And when would you ever need a baby tiara?  Check out Pete’s video: Why the Breaking Bad Pilot Still Rules Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who was Heisenberg? No, not Walt’s alter ego. Who was Werner Heisenberg? And what are the parallels between him and Walt? As Walt emotionally pulls away from his family, he starts to bond with Jesse. For a man who claims to be risk-averse, Walt is very comfortable making dangerous bluffs. Hank certainly thinks he’s the smartest man in the room, so why was Walt able to fly under the radar for so long? Want to see these dichotomies play out for yourself? Pete and Courtney say this episode makes for a great rewatch.  Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim of Bald Move joins GDT to discuss “the gray area of Gray Matter”. Walt is presented with a gift that would take care of all of his financial worries, so why doesn’t he take it? Well, that’s what Pete and Courtney are trying to figure out. Hear what Vince Gilligan had to say about the end of Walt and Gretchen, get a rundown of details you missed, and find out what meth and instant noodles have in common in this episode of Growth Decay Transformation.  Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walt’s cancer becomes a family affair as Skyler and Marie search for medical attention. Hank tells Walt that he’ll take care of Skyler and Walter Jr., and predictably, Walt gives him a withering look. Though seemingly benign, there are actions taken in this episode that have big consequences later down the line. Just like the cancer in his own body, Walt becomes a destructive and unyielding force. Why You Should Rewatch Breaking Bad video from Pete and Courtney! Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walt has a choice to make, but he’ll do everything in his power to delay making it. Pete and Courtney dive into the psyche of Walt as he makes his first kill of the series. Though this is the first, it is certainly not the last. Courtney and Pete will map out the connections from this episode to the later casualties of Breaking Bad and plot lines in Better Call Saul.  Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courtney explores the significance of coin flips and choices and considers to what extent they are catalysts for Walt’s transformation. Was it a random act of fate that the task of killing Krazy-8 fell to him? When Skyler flips a coin in “Cornered,” why doesn’t she follow it across the Colorado border? The decisions the characters make can sometimes put them on bad choice roads.  Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Support GDT: Our Patreon Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Talitha Makes Things Instagram Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever decide something with a coin flip? Walt and Jesse did. And that brings us to question the role of fate in the lives of these characters: Was Walt always Heisenberg? Or did he have to become Heisenberg? Looking back, there’s a lot bubbling under the surface of these characters.  Now, go watch No Country for Old Men if you haven’t seen it yet.  Got feedback, yo? Send it to breakingbadgdt@gmail.com. Growth Decay Transformation Twitter Pete Pepper’s Twitter Courtney’s Twitter Check out Pete Pepper’s YouTube Channel and Courtney’s Reviews here for more coverage of your favorite entertainment. Looking for a watch-a-long podcast? Check out Bald Move’s Breaking Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices