Yeah I watched it again. The bullet goes in the cheek and out well below the skull. It's gruesome but totally survivable, especially in the world of tv. I'm actually shocked at how everyone seems to be taking it at face value (pun only kind of intended) that he's dead. That was very strategically staged to leave open…

She was "compelled to take his life" isn't the same as "she took his life." The wording there might be key. I'm siding with him being alive.

The bullet went in and came out too low for it to be brains splattering. Pretty sure it was just blood.

My immediate thought was "survivable" when it happened. Super scary but he's too significant of a character to kill off like that. Also, Will's line later about Miriam was that she "felt compelled to take his life" not that she actually succeeded.

Can we get over the Breaking Bad thing already? Good show. Not the only show ever made. Not relevant to this story at all.

Also, probably the worst example I can think of in recent memory wasn't in writing. AMC featured Gus Fring's big moment in the rest home in their general advertisements for the following Breaking Bad season. I wasn't caught up at the time and the damn tv network spoiled one of the biggest moments of their own show. I…

The most infuriating aspect of a lot of internet film criticism is that the writers all seem to feel the need to summarize the entire film in their review. It's possible to review a film without actually spelling out the story from beginning to end, but I'm afraid it's an 'art' lost on most critics these days. No…

I just find that a number of the characters lack realistic motivations the majority of the time. Skyler's moods exist purely to provide Walt with opportunities to yell out "I am the danger!" and for them to sit at the dinner table and look angry at each other. She has long since ceased to behave like a real human.

This. This. This. I generally enjoy Breaking Bad, and it's certainly carefully and skillfully made. I just can't get on board with the way the show so often forces the plot forward, frequently at the expense of any logic or sound character development.

"You know all of those plot contrivances that are so unrealistic? They're actually brilliant! Trust us! They really are! We promise!"

This summer's Star Trek had a whole sequence involving a giant airship flying towards and crashing into buildings and the ensuing disaster. Abrams literally had a character turn a plane/spaceship into a torpedo and used shots that mimicked famous camera angles from 9/11. It was the single most blatant callback to 9/11…

I'm just frankly confused by a lot of the critical response. It's as though they all wanted and expected another Donner Superman, despite the fact that Singer already had a go in that sandbox and was sent home without his toys for making a film that felt too old-fashioned and 'out of touch' for modern audiences.

AVClub, what version of Man of Steel did all of you see exactly? Sure it's big, loud, and a bit convoluted, but it's hardly the huge failure you guys seem to be implying, and it absolutely wasn't a huge departure for the character. Yeah he was a bit moodier, but he still was overtly positive about his cause once he…

I think that's true in regards to when he hired her. She was a trophy and he was stealing her out of competitive desire. I don't think it's true now in regards to how he feels about her. I think he's impressed with her as a person and a writer and is genuinely infatuated. Although I suppose time will tell. Now that he…

She's not married to Abe.

It's been stated publicly that this was removed because of sensitivity over the Sandy Hook shooting, and that it had already been cancelled before Boston. That makes a lot more sense given the episode's subject matter. Not sure why AVClub is continuing to report this was a response to Boston. It wasn't.

Probably just a wink to the fans. I'm sure if the show goes long enough they'll get to Starling, but I can't imagine they'd have already cast somebody for the role and would be slipping her into the background this far ahead of time.

Delaware

dawesterity, I'm not pissed at the guy. Just would rather they cover the one episode the way most tv episodes are covered on AVClub, rather than two that we can't watch yet.

I definitely understand why a network would send out 3 at once for reviewers. I just question the resistance to doing a traditional recap of the pilot like any other recap the AVClub does? I'd much rather read a true, detailed recap with a brief mention at the end regarding the quality of the next few episodes.