Walter White and the Desert of the American Dream

[@Jupiter065]

I (still) appreciate the tactic of using a cultural juggernaut like Breaking Bad to teach your audience about an obscure but relevant movie from the 1970s

[@jonbongjovi1869]

she's amazing! but she's too amazing! i don't think I can keep skimming her videos.... I want to do laundry with her and go grocery shopping with her and listen to her talk all day and night, and look at her hairdos every day. (being a man is a living hell.)

[@icecreamforcookies]

For real!! I am being mind blown and need to find punishment park!

[@Mallory-Malkovich]

It's weird that KZbin calls them "Community Guidelines" despite no one in the community having a say in what they are or how they are enforced.

[@oof-rr5nf]

overthrow youtube when

[@Tairneanach]

I always thought that meant "guidelines for the community to follow", not "guidelines made by the community".

[@MrJohndoakes]

@@Tairneanach The "community" being the advertisers, who are chicken.

[@imafraidicantdothat.9203]

@@MrJohndoakes Funny you sound just like the right wing incels.

[@riz3310]

@@imafraidicantdothat.9203 Hitler would probably also say the sky is blue, agreeing with him on that wouldn’t make you a Nazi.

[@platinumcutmedia]

Its funny how worse the violence looks when its blurred like that. Censorship is weird.

[@minikawildflower]

I'm struck how the cops in Punishment Park even brag about how the game is unfair to the documentarian - they know it's rigged, and they're so confident that they'll get away with it that they actually brag about it at the same time that it's fair. They see that there are zero consequences for openly lying.

[@brianbuch1]

That's real life down at the courthouse. Cops lie all the time and those who could do anything about it: Police brass, prosecutors, and judges know it. But they also know what they serve, and it's neither law nor order, but domination.

[@adolfodominguez1857]

This literally happened for real in a documentary called The Act Of Killing

[@John-hh5kx]

Like covid vaccination and the lgtt lab made 144 genders

[@GreatgoatonFire]

Guess I'm watching this whole thing again FOR JUSTICE.

[@JustinGrays]

As am I!

[@tleilaxu42]

FOR MARTHA!

[@DavidB75311]

For Werther's Originals!

[@matthewmcneany]

Here's to a world where the discussion of violence is often considered more obscene than the violence itself if it can be (reasonably) ignored.

[@matthewmcneany]

​@AREN I have it in my head that Maggie identifies herself as Queer from some throw away lines in some of these video essays, I assumed that meant gay/bi but I may have misunderstood but also it's none of my business. As far as being trans, it's not a question I would consider regarding someone who hadn't volunteered the information one way or another regardless of whether they're a public figure or not.

[@BradsGonnaPlay]

@AREN what?

[@astridlunden6010]

#releasethefishcut

[@actionrabbitgaming3248]

Nice 😹

[@ambergong7201]

No! My comment that got liked by Maggie about her sweater is gone now.

[@MaggieMaeFish]

RE-LIKED !!!

[@BigDaddyWes]

@@MaggieMaeFish HAH! Gottem!

[@SirDynamoFilms]

I liked in the original video when Maggie perfectly recreated iconic scenes from Breaking Bad with herself as Jesse, Sigourney Weaver as Walter White and Zoe Saldana as the blue meth.

[@MaggieMaeFish]

Thank u, thank u

[@PercyNah]

Wait, so KZbin's problem was it depicts (fictional) police brutality, in a way that is far less violent and brutal than the news? WOW.

[@alsorew]

Pssst, let’s tell everyone how naughty, and filthy, and bloody, and gory the original video was, so they would be jealous and think that we, who saw it, are cool, alright?

[@Dorian_sapiens]

I will never be the same after watching the original version. It shocked me to my core.

[@JanaeSmith]

I had it bookmarked to share and then it went private and I was like FAK EWE TUBE!!! So I'm glad it's back up so fast, thanks MMF.. I'm a crack'd carryover.

[@thrisbt1]

i cannot tell a lie ...the best part of the unedited original for me was the 10 whole seconds of full-frontal nudity of M.M.F.

[@CourtneyCoulson]

I am so amazed she got Bryan Cranston to appear, but I guess it's clear why he got cold feet about that footage in the end. But wow, I won't soon forget it. It was bold.

[@mistert5620]

Remember when Darkseid showed up in the video? That was insane! Man, I'm so glad I got to see it when I did

[@DionicioRT]

After having watched Punishement park because of the original video this second watch is gonna be so interesting to watch!

[@BigDaddyWes]

I don't think I've seen someone use "watch" three times in one sentence before

[@markkalsbeek5883]

I assumed that all the explicit, immoral and frankly disgusting content was cut out but you're still dunking on my wonderful caramel pebbles!

[@markkalsbeek5883]

Edited the spelling mistake out but that unpinned it :/

[@toshomni9478]

@@markkalsbeek5883 I know. that's some delicious candy. There really is no accounting for taste.

[@chainey4387]

The KZbin Cut of the video

[@Dorian_sapiens]

Lmao, perfect!

[@snoa18]

RELEASE THE MAGGIE CUT

[@SimGunther]

@@snoa18 What if this is already the Maggie cut to mock the vagueness of KZbin's rules that make it so if a "controversial" video that obviously breaks its rules, it can stay up so long as it rakes in lots of money but the moment Google deems it "not profitable", the video can be blacklisted or removed for innocuous reasons not stated in the guidelines?

[@snoa18]

I really really want to see Punishment Park but at the same time I don't know if I can handle it at times like this. As a Chilean, every single clip you show (in this cut and the original one) look way too real. Like, not exaggerated or fictional at all.

[@Dorian_sapiens]

Cuidate, camarada. La lucha en Chile inspira a todos los que luchan por la liberación. ❤

[@aidansullivan551]

I’ll just say what i said last time: Despite having years of analysis and dissection done on it, this is the best examination of Breaking Bad I’ve ever seen.

[@morcey7154]

For anyone who didn't catch my comment from last time, even if you finish the video (and thus know how Punishment Park ends), it doesn't make the movie itself any less worth watching. It's truly excellent and, if you're up for it mental-health-wise, I heavily recommend it.

[@abigailmcpherson3234]

Ms. Fish I love your work like an innocent victorian child loves a shiny penny, but how DARE you besmirch the sweeten condensed joy that is Werther's caramel. The candy of happiness and serenity. Aside from that, a wonderful video. Congratulations!

[@Dyvon.dynamo]

My aunt and uncle have worked law enforcement my whole 30 year life, the stories they'd tell me... it makes me wonder what narratives they projected on some of these people. That scene where the officer is asked if he had ever killed a man, and if he felt anything: the chill down my spine in knowing some of those stories from my own family members gives a palpable dread to me. You seen that movie Parents? That moment the kid realizes his parents are killing and eating people? That sort of pain and fear. Thank you for being rad Maggie!

[@soulknight5330]

I finally completely get the meaning behind the saying… *Fuck da Police*

[@fatimagic1365]

this video was really uncomfortable to watch specially the punishment park bits but i appreciate that that's the point. walter jr. is one of the only non-inspiration porn disabled characters i can think of played by an actually disabled actor. and even though i never watched breaking bad i appreciated his presence on the show (i have cerebral palsy like rj mitte) and your discussion of his character. also, your character in the beginning of the video reminds me of a young log lady from twin peaks.

[@Shadowfolk369]

Well, might as well watch it twice

[@gumtree541]

same

[@SeiShinjitsuShi]

I just noticed the book is upside down.

[@silversam]

UGH the rules suck, especially when it isn't clear what they are... but wait I have a reason to watch this again, so it ain't all bad 😎

[@ThatJohnStanley]

17:37 obligatory "They're Minerals!" reference.

[@johncarmack1174]

This video is so good I watched it twice. (thank you for mentioning the inherent ableism in capitalism!)

[@MaggieMaeFish]

[@TheEndKing]

Hey man, are you John Carmack?

[@jonbongjovi1869]

@@TheEndKing No - - that's Joey Carmack. ("John" is his legal name.)

[@yell0w355]

I'm still shocked by Werther's being called tasteless the second time around.

[@garycossins4714]

I was shocked by them being called American.

[@ernestot3482]

This is technically a "new" video release so i'll take what I can get .

[@sam7732]

Having now committed to watching this a second time, I remember I literally owned one of those Heisenberg sketch T-shirts in highschool oh god i was *that* guy

[@JanaeSmith]

Oh I'm SO MAD (cracking up here) at myself for not finishing the original! I had it up as a tab for the past days because it was so nutrient dense, I was trying to pace myself... FRAK!

[@adnauseamxi951]

I cannot thank you enough for turning me on to PUNISHMENT PARK and Peter Watkins: my new favorite movie and director.

[@LithiumJay]

I would have just embraced log lady and used a log to censor all the "bad" content. But then, the owls are not what they seem. Once again though, this is another brilliant video essay that is incredibly relevant and needs to be seen by many more people. Thank you for introducing many of us to Punishment Park!

[@charalampostsakirides-pala2761]

Still getting a well, well, well-deserved like. And another watch. The original was rattling but in a good way. Thank you for introducing Punishment Park to us.

[@grapeshot]

It's quite amazing that they will glorify shows like Breaking Bad but we'll demonize movies like New Jack City. I wonder why🤔 I'm just kidding I know exactly why. One has always been glorified in this society for their misdeeds because it's often times characterized as heroic versus another group who if they do anything wrong even if it's for a good reason they will be criminalized.

[@thelemonadestandman]

KZbin told me if I left a comment on every single video on the site they'd explain why the original upload was age-restricted. Surely this is a promise they will keep and not an impossible task that gives the illusion of fairness. A mirage, if you will.

[@JeremyPickett]

This makes me quite curious about the casting and writing for Punishment part. It feels so real and spontaneous, without anyone looking at the camera by accident, and the individuals really owning their dialog. I am torn at being super impressed if this was dialog that was written, or super impressed that this was dialog the members of the movie felt. Excellent, excellent juxtaposition.

[@fad23]

Welcome back, video!

[@fad23]

Still hoping you'll get that lauded Werther's sponsorship.

[@ChristopherBatson]

Sucks that this got age restricted. I'm glad you found a work around to preserve the essence of your analysis 👍🏿

[@Js-rq9uj]

I like how you fully quote references, there's so much substance in this review. My takeaway is that we forget our frailty, and reminders of it are easily misconstrued under our favored pretenses. Thank you for taking the time to teach. I had not and maybe would have never recognized my own cognitive dissonance that I experienced watching breaking bad if not for this.

[@Dorian_sapiens]

Yes, youtube, I will gladly watch this again.

[@patrickrodriguez9124]

Giving it a second and third watch to make up for the taking down

[@b1merio]

Love the Velma-esque voice you use during your onscreen scenes. Anyway, definitely a video that leaves you staring at the wall when it ends. Good stuff.

[@AgusSkywalker]

My friend and I are pretty anti-system. So thank you Maggie for giving us a new movie to watch. I'm sure he and I will "enjoy" it very much (if you could say that about a movie in which communists, feminists and blacks are brutalized, but I can't think of another word)

[@Th09C]

This was a very smart way to get people to watch a video talking about a movie few people know.

[@BKSF1]

I HIGHLY recommend a watch of When The Wind Blows for anyone curious about super serious British depictions of nuclear war. It has a children's book style to it, one instantly recognizable even if I couldn't place the author, and is downright chilling in how far it goes with that art style.

[@HuplesCat]

Threads

[@nburakovsky]

at 13:02, I think Walt only allowed Jesse to be killed because of how angry he was at Jesse. Hank had just died and he blamed Jesse for it

[@tz64nk41]

Release The Fish Cut

[@Altar360]

I remember noticing that. Every now and then Skyler would irk me, then I’d stop and think “Wait a minute, she is 100% right though...” it’s crazy, says a lot about how I was raised...

[@petehjr1]

I have War Game/Culloden on DVD. Gotta see Punishment Park now.

[@damianstarks3338]

Nice to see a new video from you.

[@ethicalcheeze1407]

Why the hell was the original taken down?

[@MaggieMaeFish]

youtube said even though it didn't violate Community Guidelines, they age-restricted it anyway... and wouldn't say why.

[@LowFlatRate]

@@MaggieMaeFish It's because you're immoral.

[@Jish00742]

@@MaggieMaeFish Very transparent and cool, youtube

[@pantaloney]

Fantastic video as always, MMF. Glad I got the chance to watch the director's cut!

[@NeonPixels81]

Nice to see more KZbinrs bringing attention to Breaking Bad. Such a great show, I'm not sure how it flew under so many people's radars. Really wish it had gotten the attention it deserved while it was running, but maybe it'll have a second life in syndication.

[@Persephonelope]

I've watched all your videos at least twice by now anyways, might as well get a head start on this one! I refuse to eat the Werther's again though.

[@NotYourCitizenAnymore]

Your work is always worth a second viewing!

[@bengallup9321]

I haven't seen this movie, but the plot reminds me of the philip k Dick book Flow my Tears, the Policeman Said. It was a terrifying book and much like the movie appears to still be very relevant. Anyways awesome content as always.

[@TroutBoneless]

While rewatching this for probably the fifth time, I JUST realized that Peter Watkins is also the guy who directed The Media Project, which I watched for two different Media Ecology classes in college, that just blew my mind. I've watched Punishment Park numerous times since this video introduced me to it, and I had no idea it was also the directors one of my favorite media ecology documentaries, tho gun to my head I couldn't name a second documentary in that field

[@MaggieMaeFish]

I talk about The Media Project in my video on Loki/Tarkovsky!

[@TroutBoneless]

@@MaggieMaeFish I'll have to rewatch that one too!

[@invadermedras]

Commenting again for the AlGoRiThM! Came here for the excellent sweater, stayed for the excellent commentary 🤩 I'd watch so much more of this "Films in Conversation" show!!

[@BogoljubTeofilovic]

phenomenal video essay!

[@rubys.shibanigans]

I can't help but to come back to this video once in a while. I continue to be amazed by the messages within those two pieces of media but also with your analysis which has made me see Breaking Bad in some different ways. And some of the things I already felt and thought put into words I couldn't find.

[@sudevsen]

Woah Punishment Park is way too raw,I'm shaking in anger and helplessness.

[@lymphaticjeopardy]

Oh my god FINALLY someones talking about Walt Jr./Flynn. He's honestly one of my favorites in the show for a bunch of reasons, but seeing someone look into the angle of ablism and its intersection with masculinity in relation to him is so nice. Thank you for bringing it up and pointing out soem details I hadn't even noticed!

[@VacentViscera]

It's pretty easy to imagine one of the tribunal members stating that the people they were sentencing were spouting "alternative facts" and "fake news" and that they "just don't want America to be great," unfortunately. A little too relevant these days. Need to check out this film; I had never of it before this. Great video, as usual!

[@kitmakin289]

For anyone watching through Maggie's back catalogue: 1) You can watch "Punishment Park" for free here on KZbin (just search I'm not gonna link and risk it being taken down by copyright) and a 2004 interview with Peter Watkins about the film. 2) That's not how you pronounce "Culloden" but Maggie's Calliope Syndrome here should be forgiven because of how good the rest of the video is (for future reference the "o" is supposed to be a short o sound closer to - Cull-uh-din).

[@prycelessventures8823]

I Love the way you articulate complex ideas. Huge fan! Thanks for continuing to create.

[@Angels-3xist]

What a prescient, engaging and well written essay. Wanted to applaud at so many points. I hope anyone watching really thinks about what they’re listening to and watching. The weight of the subject matter being tackled on this channel is awe inspiring and inspirational if a bit difficult. I feel like this show was a lesson to society in general. The juxtaposition (or lack of) in Punishment Park couldn’t be more fitting. These lessons on what not to be and why should be something that gets through to more people and that we should act on in our lives. These unfortunate but necessary modern allegories continue through the shows spin off, Better Call Saul. It’d be interesting to see what this channel could clear up around the messages there.

[@nicholasnora139]

More Maggie is always great! Love you!

[@paulkingdesign5928]

Such a well crafted video. Kept me engaged the whole way through.

[@rorysyers8457]

next "films in conversation" could be about the American City. Robocop & The Wire maybe.

[@adnauseamxi951]

Another brilliant analysis, thank you for turning me on to PUNISHMENT PARK.

[@CriticalHitRoll]

i will not tolerate this slander against werthers originals i love those fucking things. also i discovered your vids recently and theyre very thoughtful and epic. probably gonna end up binging all of them this week

[@theferociousblue3945]

I'm mainly leaving comments on your videos for the algorithm. Regardless, being a European and having lots of contact with American (specifically USA American) media, but wishing to have more knowledge on the historical background, cultural heritage, and folklore behind its elements, your videos are wonderful educational material. Thank you for all the effort you put into them.

[@valzugg]

This some good content yo. 11:00 tho, I dont know if I feel like that depicts the reality of what was going on with Jesse and Jane, I mean it fits the metaphor really well, but other than that this is some MINERAL SOLID stuff, subbed

[@josegutierrez1082]

Still a great video, love your work.

[@dansmoothback9644]

I enjoyed the hell out of Breaking Bad, but i think i agree on your take on the ending. Like, once it was over it was like, "well, alright, time to do sometbing else now". Its inspiring me to check out Punishment Park. Also, the punk nerd in me learned of the origins of some samples that were featured in hardcore punk/grindcore songs (Discharge - Cries of Help samples The War Game; Magrudergrind - a few tracks off their self titled album feature samples from Punishment Park). Great video!

[@KenHoodJr]

Hope this video gets some good views as well. Great content here Maggie.

[@nightwingphd8580]

Never gonna not read that as "Pub-Guh" now

[@heliumtrophy]

Man, youtube needs to chill out once in a while.

[@jon5620]

Excellent! Thank you! Always doing good insightful analysis

[@HuplesCat]

No one uses a pool on BB other than once and that is the suicide attempt that fails. It is a sign of wealth and power yet unused, unappreciated, and often a distorted lens on reality

[@palazzo1113]

Welp, I'm gonna watch this again.

[@SirNotAppearing]

I had heard of Punishment Park before, but never seen it. As Maggie is describing the action, I recognized that it sounds a lot like novella "The Long Walk," by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachmann). A novel that seems entirely relevant to the second decade of the 21st century, and one long-past due for being filmed (maybe as a prestige cable miniseries? hint-hint)

[@aestevalis0]

I'm sorry the original got taken down but I don't mind watching it again.

[@illiaflannery7312]

this video is really good and I appreciate being reminded puishment park exists, it's also got me hugely tilted bc I never put together that gus was gay. I thought they were legit brothers and now I'm just shaking my head

[@seanbutterfield1]

Have watched a few of your videos, but this is the one that convinced me to support you on Patreon. Thanks for your excellent work.

[@evedangerfield3476]

Commenting to own the algorithm

[@badgaldidi5678]

amazing job...thank you so so so much for this video ...so eye opening

[@jeffreycarman2185]

Thanks for the thoughtful video

[@icecreamforcookies]

Thank you for making this video! And sharing punishment park!

[@Super-Visor420]

Glad you saved the video! Now to save Martha.

[@yonokhanman654]

People giving different reasons to rewatch the video, but not me. It is in my very nature to rewatch it. I can't do otherwise. I see good video, I rewatch. Simple as that.

[@Beeg_Boy]

Haven’t seen punishment park but every clip of it in this video is so incredibly ahead of it’s time. Sadly

[@jpickens189]

I felt throughout Breaking Bad that it always did more to indulge Walt's pathology than criticize it. By the end, yes, his journey is a cataclysmic tragedy, but it is also at the 62 40+ minute episodes that are primarily about the triumphs and pitfalls of becoming a drug kingpin that is ultimately built around Walt's inability to deal with his own impotence. Punishment Park seems better because it is less than 40 hours and doesn't spend the whole time wallowing in the same stupid mentality that it supposedly hates.

[@bananaboatcharlie]

One of my favorite songs of all time (Erase - They Might Be Giants) features the line: Please don't call it strangulation, that is such an ugly word So just... leaving that there...

[@cordinia]

Just discovered your videos. Really good content. Thank you for making it.

[@jackbennett2269]

Love this. Walt’s character deserves the audience’s loathing and yet they love him

[@aestevalis0]

Oh, yeah. That slide out of frame. Forgot about that.

[@Cheyne_TetraMFG]

Hot take Skylar is the best character on the show

[@MiloKuroshiro]

That's Jesse. Skylar would be the second tho

[@praetentious2925]

I definitely identified with her by the end and couldn’t ever identify as any of the other characters...except Flynn maybe.

[@brettomomyces]

ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[@sthamansinha243]

Umm what? There's a difference between morally 'good' characters and well written characters. Skylar's character was absolute doghsit until the 5th season where her writing improved tremendously. Also, Skylar wasn't the most moral character in the show either(Her cheating and book cooking). Best written character- Walter Most Moral character- Flynn or Holly

[@Cheyne_TetraMFG]

@@sthamansinha243 I mean all of this is ultimately subjective, I think I just identified more with her character. Also I did say “hot take” which implies this isn’t a commonly agreed upon perspective (from my view anyway)

[@Zeverish]

Well damn, now I'm going to have to watch this again!

[@amandarose4469]

The Australian Desert, it just kills you, it may be a person, no one knows. It has a rock, so yay.

[@heathercalun4919]

In the next episode: "Kim Wexler, the masculinization of women, and _The Art of Not Getting Fridged"_ Also, I'd never heard of Punishment Park, but this description of the plot, more than Breaking Bad, reminds me of "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream"