While I think he's brilliant, I think the best supporting actor should go to Dean Norris. He's been incredible this season.

I just watched this episode for the first time (watched seasons 1 and 2 on Blu-ray and have always been an episode or two behind this season). I really liked it. Walt's speech was great, and the ending was very powerful.

Yes another old thread bump as I plow my way through the seasons
Was expecting to open this thread and see universal praise for this episode and all I read is how boring it was
LOL ... I thought it was absolutely brilliant and one of the best most meaningful episodes of the series

It's different watching it week to week as opposed to all in one go. I'm sure it would have more resonance with the culmination of everything before it much more fresh in one's mind.

Nope, I marathoned it and this episode was like running into a brick wall, absolutely terrible.

I still really liked this episode a lot. One of the best Walt and Jesse only centered episodes of the series if you ask me.

When I marathoned the show, I remember thinking how interesting and creative it was, and then moving on to the next one. I was also surprised to see the hate.

Bingo. The episode is freakin brilliant. One of the best that season.

I'm in the middle of a marathon, too, but loved this episode. Good character stuff. Great change of pace. Jeez people, not every episode has to be slam bang action.

I'm on S3 of BB and just watched this episode last night. It was certainly different, but entertaining.

If you are in a marathon this episode is great.

But when you are watching live... As you can see from reply in the first page, I wasn't that bored with the episode, but there wasn't a lot to comment, compared with the previous weeks.

Great point. Having to wait a week after this episode was tough. I still liked it. Looking back on it came at a perfect time to balance the season.

Been marathoning and haven't felt the need to comment on any episode since the beginning...until this one (because it was so good). I was surprised to see was like a "Walking Dead" thread: "Too much character development! Not enough meth action!"

Really wish Walt had spilled the beans about Jane. That was the closest he has ever come.

Then we'd all be complaining how the series finale of Breaking Bad was really boring and anti-climatic until the last 5 minutes when Jesse shot Walt in the head down in the lab and then Victor came and killed Jesse.

For the record, I have no problem with this episode, but I can see how on a week to week basis it would seem like a brick wall. Imagine that if after the most recent episode (the 5b premiere on 8/11/13) and what happened at the end, tonight's episode was just Walt and Skyler doing inventory of waxes at the carwash.