Ozymandias

With "Ozymandias", Breaking Bad reaches its absolute apex, a gathering of all the worst things that could possibly happen for the series's main characters and the perfect analysis of Walter White's character. To me, this isn't merely the best episode of the series – these 45 minutes of utterly tragic intensity, having my heart continuously palpitate, are what I consider to be the best thing to be ever put on screen in any medium.

In a non-stop fashion, Looper's writer/director Rian Johnson shocks the audience with gut-wrenching, jaw-dropping, and unforgettable scenes, not leaving you any time to breathe deeply and not stopping to bother you after the ending credits roll. The screenwriters of this series have proved to be one of the most talented in their business over the course of almost five seasons up to that point and in "Ozymandias", they have all the accumulated problems ingeniously falling to pieces. In one way, it's torturing to watch all the worst case scenarios arise, but it's also fascinating because of how greatly made it is. The acting is a new career-best for virtually everyone involved and the departments that don't receive their due respect too often, such as the cinematography, the editing, or the incidental music contribute a major share to the phenomenal final good as well.

I'm completely stunned at how fantastic "Ozymandias" is and I can't think of any other episode of a TV series or any other film that emotionally affected me to the extent Vince Gilligan and his crew managed to do with this episode. Breaking Bad has had its weaker moments in previous seasons and may not be everyone's cup of tea, but with "Ozymandias", it suddenly becomes a must-see for anyone who gives anything about great film- or TV-series-making.

The best episode ever, in the history of Television

An episode that cannot be measured by scores,That's all I can say.

'Breaking Bad' is one of the most popular rated shows on IMDb, is one of those rarities where every season has either been very positively received or near-universally acclaimed critically and where all of my friends have said nothing but great things about.

Very few shows in recent memory had me so hooked from the very start that before the week was over the whole show had been watched, especially when for a lot of shows now airing watching one episode all the way through can be an endeavour. 'Breaking Bad' had that effect on me, and its reputation as one of the best, consistently brilliant and most addictive shows in many years (maybe even ever) is more than deserved in my eyes. Its weakest season is perhaps the first season, understandable as any show's first season is the one where things are still settling.

Actually everything is established remarkably from the very start, but once the writing and characterisation becomes even meatier the show reaches even higher levels.

"Ozymandias" (referencing the poem by Percy Byssche Shelley) is another incredible 'Breaking Bad' episode, perhaps the best episode of the fifth season and one of the show's biggest achievements. The sizzling tension and emotional impact are only a couple of truly great things and even more the rich subtlety and story advancing twists that will leave one reeling.

Visually, "Ozymandias" is both stylish and beautiful, with photography and editing that are cinematic quality and put a lot of films today to shame, where there are a lot of visually beautiful ones but also some painfully amateurish looking ones. The music always has the appropriate mood, never too intrusive, never too muted.

The writing in "Ozymandias" is a fine example of how to have a lot of style but also to have a lot of substance. The dialogue throughout is thought-provoking and tense, while also have a darkly wicked sense of humour, nail-biting tension and heart-tugging pathos. The story is texturally rich, intimate, tense and layered, with the pace of it consistently deliberate but taut.

Can't say anything bad about the acting. Bryan Cranston is phenomenal as one of the most fascinating anti-heroes, or even of any kind of character, in either film or television. Aaron Paul has never been better and Anna Gunn is affecting. The supporting cast are both intriguing and entertaining, Dean Norris giving one of his best performances perhaps of the show. The characters are compelling in their realism, likewise with their chemistry, and the episode is superbly directed.

All in all, another episode that is difficult to find fault with. 10/10 Bethany Cox

"oh my god", "holy sh*t', "fu**kk". no i haven't lost it, those are my reactions every 5 minutes through this episode. all of us have been waiting eagerly for this episode to find out what will happen after that amazing ending of last week's episode. and boy what a show! i mean after this one i can truly say that BB IS the best show ever! everything is so perfect in this episode. multiple changing points in just one episode. and when you expect that the beginning of it is amazing and shocking.. wait till you see the rest of it! i mean wawww!! the best scenes of the show are in this episode, tension rising up so quickly that other shows might do a whole season just to produce the same level of tension and i mean it! so really no one have a damn clue what will happen next, really cant wait till next week! 10000/10.