Before The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson divided audiences with a lousy episode
In the new Screaming movie, the most polarizing sequel in the universe Stab franchise is attributed to “ Pull out the knife guy.” It was a nod of understanding to Rian Johnson, who had Star Wars next part The Last Jedi infamous for splitting the fan base back in 2017. Some Star Wars fan review The Last Jedi is a masterpiece, while others see it as the low point of the story. Johnson’s radical deconstruction of the franchise tradition – namely Luke Skywalker’s unusually bitter characterization (and Leia’s “Mary Poppins in Space” moment) – is sure to get a reaction split from the audience.
This is not Johnson’s first experience with a polarized fan base. Seven years ago, he directed an episode of Break divided fan opinion. “Fly” of season 3 – the first of three seasons Break episodes directed by Johnson – are among the most controversial in the near-perfect series of Vince Gilligan’s Iconic Crime Drama. There are plenty of fans who enjoy “Fly,” but it’s notoriously one of the show’s most hated episodes.
“Fly” is a good example of an “episode”. When a season of a TV show is about to exceed its budget, screenwriters come up with an “episode” designed to cut costs with a limited cast and location. In “Fly,” Walt delays work for a day because a housefly has gotten into the meth lab and it can contaminate the cook. So he and Jesse spend the day killing a fly. Some fans and critics decried the episode’s lack of action, story progression, and main characters other than Walt and Jesse, but others considered it to be one of the best episodes of the series.
While “Fly” is definitely a unique episode of Break, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some of the best TV episodes of all time broke the convention of shows. When “Fly” first aired, it was rated higher than Sopranos episode “Pine Barrens”, in which Chris and Paulie chase a Russian bandit through a snowy forest where they are supposed to hit him. Like “Pine Barrens,” “Fly” plays like a quirky one-act play that focuses on the relationship between the two main characters.
“Fly” may not progress the ongoing storylines or any of the features Breaksignature act of, but need to delve into the overall themes of the story and the psychology of the characters. Throughout the episode, the pesky fly becomes a symbol of Walt’s guilt – it’s an annoying little thing he just can’t get rid of. His conflicting feelings about Jane’s bubble of death surface when he becomes delirious and almost tells Jesse he let her die. “Fly” is much deeper and more engaging than fans seem to remember as its philosophical brainstorming gets in the way of their quick viewing.
Three years after “Fly” aired, Johnson was redeemed by the eyes of Break fans when he returned to lead “Ozymandias” in the final season. Notable with a perfect 10/10 score on IMDb, “Ozymandias” is considered by many to be one of the best TV episodes of all time. A two-episode run from the series’ finale, “Ozymandias” serves as the action climax for the series, with all the rewards viewers have been waiting for half a decade. Johnson tries to hang on with every death, from Hank’s to The Fall of the Walt Empire to a brutal knife fight between the White family. Even fans who once despised “Fly” will admit that “Ozymandias” is a masterpiece.
Based on this achievement, it is possible that Johnson can achieve similar redemption in the immediate future Star Wars fan. The period of The Last Jediwas released, Johnson signed it Wrote and directed the entire series Star Wars trilogy of works – completely disconnected from the story of Skywalker – but since The Last Jedi in theaters and Johnson’s in charge Star Wars divided fans, that the trio was ignited again. Johnson has since spearheaded an all-new trilogy with Pull out the knife.
If that stalled Star Wars trilogy once happened, Johnson will have a chance to tell about Star Wars story from the beginning. One of the problems in The Last Jedi is that Johnson must fit his ideas into the setting of JJ Abrams from Divine Power Awakens. Johnson deconstruction of Star Wars Legend might work better if it has nothing to do with the legacy of characters that audiences care about, like Luke and Leia. It’s not easy to unify the whole thing Star Wars fan base, but Mandalorian proved that it can and Johnson managed to merge Break fans with “Ozymandias” after dividing them with “Fly”.
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https://gamerant.com/last-jedi-rian-johnson-divided-audiences-breaking-bad-episode-fly/ Before The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson divided audiences with a lousy episode