Breaking Bad

[Jeremy Blackman]

This was definitely Walt's episode. His turn from impotence to omnipotence was very exciting.

Mostly, I want to know what Walt's plan is. Here's what Jesse says:

"Mr. White's got an idea. Mike, I'm serious, it's a great idea! Look, you get your 5 million, we both do, and he gets his methylamine. Just hear him out!"

It just doesn't make sense. Walt can't create 10 million dollars out of thin air. Does it involve stealing from Lydia? Or Gray Matter? If Jesse is so persuaded, it can't involve a crazy heist or hurting people, right? Assuming this is good, the writers need to be given some kind of special plotting award for thinking of it.

I sort of want to think Todd is Walt's new partner, but probably not. Mostly because it would be the easy/obvious choice, and Breaking Bad never does that. Also, Jesse Plemons is still credited as a guest star. I see him keeping his role with the exterminators, and if there's something more, it will only be occasional.

My other favorite moments from the episode:
- The whistling. Could qualify for iconic scene status.
- Seeing the dead kid's hand revealed in the dirt. So creepy. The dirt bike disassembly made me forget about his body.

[HeywoodRFloyd]

I actually love the Gray Matter story from this episode, it feels like the writers set up this story all the way from Season 1.

[polkablues]

- Seeing the dead kid's hand revealed in the dirt. So creepy. The dirt bike disassembly made me forget about his body.

Such a brutal fake-out.  You think they're just going to show them dissolving the dirt bike and leave the kid implied, then Todd digs down to the hand, and it hits you right in the gut.  It's like the eye-cutting scene in Un Chien Andalou.

[Jeremy Blackman]

Donna Bowman at the AV Club predicts there will be some kind of knockoff meth or that Walt will change the color of his meth to let the 2/3 deal go through. I'm skeptical.

Also, on a tangent... I like her reviews, but pretty much every time she quotes dialogue, she gets it wrong. It's grating after a while.

[©brad]

Feel the same way about her. Lately AVClub reviews are nothing more than plot recaps which I also hate. You generally have to weed through the comments to find anything insightful.

[RegularKarate]

Donna Bowman at the AV Club predicts there will be some kind of knockoff meth or that Walt will change the color of his meth to let the 2/3 deal go through. I'm skeptical.

Yeah, that doesn't make sense because it was specifically stated that there couldn't be any 2/3rd deal... they said it was all or nothing.
I guess they could try the changing of the meth color, but I don't see them convincing the buyers that he won't make any more meth.

[Fernando]

great episode.

- I'm guessing Walt's AK47 is to protect himself from the methylamine buyers, still IF that's the reason it doesn't seem enough to be protected by himself from an entire drug organization.

- also, I'm guessing that if Walt's ego lets him see beyond his ambition of having an ''empire business'', he could eventually give the divorce or aloud Skyler to separate from him so she and the kids can be safer from the trouble that's coming.

- wonder if the kids murder will eventually have consequences, apparently they didn't leave any trace, unless Todd keeps the jar with the kid's finger prints, if he keeps it that's the only connection with the murder; well there's also the gun, but Mike should have taken it from Todd to get rid of it, btw, i don't remember seeing it when they dissolved the bike.

- Walt is truly transformed now, I know its redundant to say it, but when he let Jesse's girl die with her own vomit he was really affected, and now with the kid he didn't show any regret.

[Jeremy Blackman]

I am really itching to know what the plan is. I keep thinking it's some crazy risky thing, but then I bump up against Jesse being so persuaded and even enthusiastic about it.

Todd keeping the jar leaves a loose end out there, but Todd is probably smart enough to wipe the jar of fingerprints.

I actually saw a decent amount of sadness in Walt during the teaser. You could also see it a bit in his immediate reaction to the shooting last week. He's not crying or anything, but I don't think he enjoys getting kids killed, and I don't think he's entirely emotionally indifferent to it.

PODCAST INTERPRETATION WARNING

I was glad to hear them agree with my interpretation in the podcast. Vince and the writers generally believe that Walt still has some humanity left. Also I don't think it's a mystery or a secret... if you look closely you can tell Cranston is sort of trying to play "somewhat sad but totally accepting."

[MacGuffin]

All I could watch was the baby sucking on that choking hazard of a bracelet.

[Fernando]

I actually saw a decent amount of sadness in Walt during the teaser. You could also see it a bit in his immediate reaction to the shooting last week. He's not crying or anything, but I don't think he enjoys getting kids killed, and I don't think he's entirely emotionally indifferent to it.

never thought he could enjoy killing kids, but that he didnt showed any emotions (I wrote regret, my bad), maybe he hides them too well now.

and I think he has them, actually thats why Im guessing he eventually (if he comes to his senses) will leave Skyler off the hook.

[Jeremy Blackman]

That's fair. I think the last time he expressed a decent amount of real compassion was when he learned that Brock would be okay. Much of that was relief that it had gone as planned, but I think he also felt some relief on a human level.

Since then, this is the closest he's come... but he definitely throttled his emotion before it got the best of him.

Also compare this to the extreme anguish he experienced when Jane was dying, and you see the difference.

[Brando]

Walt did seem to have honest remorse over the kids death although it didn't last long. He never even considered stopping or never cooking again. He was shocked when both Mike and Jesse said they were out. It's as he said at the end of episode four, nothing stops this train or cook.  All he cares about is the next cook.

I am really itching to know what the plan is. I keep thinking it's some crazy risky thing, but then I bump up against Jesse being so persuaded and even enthusiastic about it.

I keep thinking about it trying to see if I can guess what these writers have come up with. I agree, It's hard to see Jesse and Mike who;s being followed by the DEA would try something as risky as the train heist.  So it has to be without major risk yet effective while getting at least 10 million in cash.

I also realized this is Walt's first plan/scheme of the season or since the poisoning of Brock plan. While he had a huge part in planning both the magnet and train they were both Jesse's ideas. 

EDIT: I just remembered that the bugging of Hank's office and having Lydia call was Walt's idea.

I keep thinking about Walt burning his hand to get free. The guy is a rat.  You corner the rat he will chew his whole hand off to get away.

[ono]

Spoilers.


As soon as I saw Walt open Mike's go bag with the gun on top, I had a bad feeling Walt was going to kill him.  Such a "peaceful" ending to an episode.  A moment of silence for one of the show's best characters.  Since Half Measures, he has been glue for this show.  I don't know that there's much to root for now.  We see how Walt is alone.  His scenes with Todd are so empty and bittersweet.  He really is estranged from everyone.  Todd is simple.  I was reminded a bit of Of Mice and Men with this ending, though in hindsight it doesn't really fit.  Just the atmosphere and the "let me die in peace" line rang true.  I guess, though, as soon as we saw the huge deposit box of money for his granddaughter, we could pretty much assume Mike was through -- even before the go bag.

Walt has very little street smarts and his ego has gotten far out of control.  We've all said this episodes and episodes ago, but it comes more true with each passing event, and each mistake he makes where he narrowly escapes, masquerading as luck and ingenuity.  Genius in science doesn't equal genius in cause and effect, in human relations, and that of course is Walt's prime failing.  He's horrible at reading people, and knowing his place in the hierarchies of society.  There's a bittersweet taste going into the final episode of this season.  Mike's gone, Jesse's out, his wife won't talk to him, and he never talks to his son.  It's clear now how he gets to where he's shone at the beginning of the season, but what else is there left to root for?

[Kal]

Spoilers...

Can't believe that there are only 9 episodes left in the entire series. I was thinking about it when the DEA finally got a break, but of course they had to. There is nobody left but them and Walt against each other now.

Haven't been this anxious about the end of a season since the 3rd season finale of Lost. Can't believe there is only one episode and then wait a year.

Makes me think of the first minute of this season, when Walt shows up with hair and stuff. That is obviously still far away, so unlikely that we'll see a resolution of that in the next episode.

ALSO, forgot to mention... the beginning of this episode... SAY MY NAME... You're goddamned right!

[cine]

I don't know that there's much to root for now.

but what else is there left to root for?