#16 Breaking Bad- Granite State

At the end of last week’s episode, Walt used Saul’s extractor friend to disappear, permanently cutting himself off from the rest of the world. “Ozymandias” was one of the best episodes of the entire show. Naturally, my expectations for this week’s “Granite State” were through the roof. There are no bad episodes of Breaking Bad, but I was little underwhelmed with this one. It’s still better than most shows on TV, but the episode felt alternately rushed and drawn out in places. Don’t worry, there are still some great moments in this episode. That being said, let’s get into “Granite State.”

A familiar red van pulls into a vacuum store. I expected this to be taking place moments after the end of the last episode, which is a well-known Breaking Bad trope. An even better Breaking Bad trope is playing with the audience’s expectations. It turns out that Saul is the one in the van. Even Saul needs to call someone from time to time. Saul is amused to find out that the vacuum store is real, rather than code for something else. The extractor (played by Robert Forster) tells Saul that eventually he’ll be living in Nebraska. (Breaking Bad Wiki lists the extractor’s name as Ed, even though I don’t remember his name being said. From now on, I’ll call him Ed.) In the meantime, Saul will have to stay around for a few days…and bunk with Walter White.

Hank’s death has affected everyone in different ways. Marie is in the backseat of a DEA car, staring blankly out the window. “We will find Hank,” an officer vows, but Marie knows her husband is dead. Marie, who was once a clueless kleptomaniac, has now learned the truth and lost the person she loved the most. This tender moment of silence does not last long. The DEA agents notice that Marie’s home has been raided. Luckily, Marie is driven away as the agents search the home. Jesse’s confession tape is heard as they investigate the house, leading us to…

The Nazis watching the confession on a big screen. They’re kicking back, drinking beers and smoking cigarettes. Apparently watching Jesse cry his eyes out about all the horrors he’s experienced is not only entertaining to Uncle Jack, but funny. The Nazis fast-forward to Jesse talking about Drew Sharp. In the video, he incriminates Todd. Todd smiles to himself as they watch this, as though he’s proud of killing a child.

Uncle Jack is already out the door, with a gun at his side. Todd asks Uncle Jack to spare Jesse for a few more cooks, considering they still have 600 gallons of methylamine. Uncle Jack could care less about meth: “We won the lottery here! We’ve got all the money in the world.” For once, I agree with Uncle Jack. Todd pretends he’s in it for the money, but Uncle Jack knows he’s trying to impress Lydia. After Todd appears to get genuinely angry, Uncle Jack stops mocking him and heads back inside. Todd got what he wanted out of that situation.

For a moment, Jesse lives. He holds a photo of Brock and Andrea in his hands. A paper clip is attached to the picture and Jesse sees his opportunity to escape. Walt is also looking to escape, but he is no prisoner. Even when holed up in a bunker under a vacuum store, Walt is as calculated as ever. He hands a piece of paper to Saul, telling him, “Give me a list of hitters. Mercenaries…Five should do it, provided they’re the right man for the job.” Walt’s targets are Uncle Jack and his friends.

Saul offers some advice to Walt: “If you’re worried about your wife and kids, don’t leave.” Walt retaliates, “As far as the police are concerned, Skyler is a blameless victim.” Saul admits the phone call was “a smart move,” but warns Walt that the DEA will remove his family from their home. Skyler will not get out of this so easily. Walt’s precious money can’t reach his family without the feds getting suspicious. Mike Ehrmantraut couldn’t even get money to his granddaughter.

From Saul’s perspective, the best option for Walt is to stay behind and go to court. This could definitely protect his family. Walt goes into his routine “I do this for my family” speech. Basically, Walt refuses to die without killing Uncle Jack and getting his money to his family. The extractor comes to take Saul away, but Walt won’t let him leave.

Saul reminds Walt that he isn’t a lawyer anymore, just a civilian: “If I’m lucky, a month from now…I’ll be managing a Cinnabon in Omaha!” Walt corners Saul, in a move that echoes his “We’re done…when I say we’re done,” threat. This time cancer stops the ruthless Heisenberg from finishing his threat. Walt is doubled over on a bed, coughing fitfully. “It’s over,” says Saul, leaving Walt alone in the bunker.

Skyler also finds herself alone, even in a room full of lawyers. She stares into space, much like her sister, as disembodied voices echo around her. The editing is very similar to the scene in the pilot in which Walt is diagnosed with cancer. Skyler is snapped back to reality and begins to talk to the lawyers. “I understand I’m in terrible trouble. I understand that you will use everything in your power against me and my children, unless…unless I give you Walt. But the truth is I can’t give you what you want. I don’t know where he is.” Skyler’s world has been destroyed. She has never seemed so hopeless.

That night, Skyler sits on her couch and smokes a cigarette. She peers out the drapes to monitor the DEA men watching her every move. It’s not the DEA she needs to worry about. A masked man grabs her from behind and covers her mouth. I almost jumped off the couch when this happened. Two other men stand around the baby’s crib. I’d like to think that the show would never kill a baby, but this show doesn’t pull any punches.

It is clear that the leader is Todd, who talks to her like a perfectly reasonable sociopath. “Look, we got a lot of respect for your husband, there’s just something we gotta straighten out.” Again, Todd’s real purpose concerns Lydia. He doesn’t want the police to know about her under any circumstances. Skyler promises to never speak about Lydia to the police. “You really don’t want us coming back here,” Todd chillingly warns.

After that ordeal, we next see Todd sitting in a familiar restaurant. Walt used to meet here with Lydia. Todd is now well dressed and smooth, quietly sipping a cup of tea. Lydia arrives and chooses to conduct the meeting facing away from Todd. Two people sitting back to back and talking to each other is a lot more suspicious to me than two people sitting at the same table and talking. Todd tells her that his trip to see Skyler “went really good” and “the message was received loud and clear.” Lydia is still paranoid, because Skyler saw her face. She would prefer to see Skyler dead.

Oddly enough, Todd is once again the voice of reason: “Really, if you’d been there, I think you’d see it different… She seems like a nice lady watching out for her kids.” What a swell guy. Lydia keeps up her wall of uncertainty. She’s on her way out, until Todd mentions that his meth is up to 92% purity. This gets her bulgy-eyed attention. Now the blue color is back. It’s “Heisenberg level.” As usual with Lydia, Todd is all about their relationship, while Lydia focuses on the numbers. “I just think we work together good. We make a good team. I think it’s kind of…mutually good,” Todd says quietly. For some odd reason, Todd touches her back for a moment before the scene ends.

Walt is holed up in the bottom of a truck, where propane would usually be stored. He steps out, blinded by the white light of a strange new environment. Walt has made it to New Hampshire, the “Granite State.” More Breaking Bad New Hampshire facts: The season 5 premiere is entitled “Live Free or Die,” which is New Hampshire’s state motto. It’s no coincidence that the episode also marked the first appearance of Walt in the future. Now back to “Granite State.”

Walt is getting accustomed to his new, very modest living. His tightly-packed cabin has a month’s worth of food, a meager supply of electricity and a small wood fire place. The TV itself barely works, so Walt is limited to watching Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium on DVD. No man should have to suffer such a fate. This scene reminded me of a scene from The Shining in which Scatman Crothers shows Shelley Duvall around the hotel.

Like the Overlook Hotel, Walt has no phone or internet access. His only news will come from local Albuquerque papers. Walt has been in the cabin for all of three minutes and he’s already s talking about attending to his “business.” The extractor warns Walt that if he leaves he will get caught. His face is all over the news and TV. “If I find out you’ve left the reservation, I won’t be coming back,” he adds. On the way out, the extractor offers some thoughtful words about New Hampshire “…Seems to me just the spot for a man to rest up, think on things. If you look around it’s kind of beautiful.” The only thing Walt can see is a man distracting him from revenge. Robert Forster, who plays the extractor, lends rich characterization to a role that could’ve been played by anyone.

When he is alone, Walt prepares to head into town. He loads up his pockets with money from his barrel. Walt’s eye catches an open bag. From inside the blackness, he pulls his Heisenberg hat. In one of the series’ most epic shots, Walt is seen from behind as he places his crown upon his head. He reaches the gate that will lead him to town, but another coughing fit begins. Walt does not have the energy to continue on. “Tomorrow…tomorrow,” he breathes to himself.

Meanwhile, Jesse is free of his handcuffs, struggling to reach the top grate of the dungeon. He balances a bucket on top of several blankets. He can almost reach the top, until Todd arrives and he has to put his handcuffs back on. Todd kindly brings him some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, one of which is Americone Dream. Jesse “deserved a little something” for his 96% batch. See, Todd isn’t so bad. Now that Jesse is in Todd’s good graces, he asks Todd to leave the top off of his cell for the night. The paper clip comes out again and Jesse is free again.

The tricky balancing act works, but Jesse knocks the bucket over in the process. He is left dangling on the metal bars above his head. Jesse just manages to unlock the grate, escaping his dungeon for the moment. Dave Porter’s heart-pounding music once again makes a suspenseful scene even more exciting. Jesse can see his way out, he can feel it. A barbed wire fence is the only thing between him and freedom.

Of course, the Nazis are right behind Jesse before he can reach the top. He drops down to the ground. “Go ahead, do it! Just kill me now and get it over with, because there’s no way I’m doing another cook for you psycho f***s!” Jesse screams. Ironically, in a show that details how to cook meth, melt people into barrel slushies and bomb nursing homes, viewers cannot hear an uncensored F-word. What a strange world we live in.

Jesse has made a huge mistake. As punishment for Jesse’s behavior, Todd pays a visit to Andrea. He wins over her trust with a smile and the mention of Jesse. Andrea is naturally interested in seeing Jesse. The last time she heard about him was when Walt told her that Jesse was taking drugs again. Todd points to the car that Jesse is sitting in. It’s dark outside and the car windows are tinted. Andrea can’t see a thing. We see Jesse, bound and gagged inside the car, screaming like a madman. He pounds his head against the window, but his pleas are futile.

As soon as Todd is safely behind Andrea, he raises his gun: “Just so you know it, this isn’t personal.” Just like that, she is dead. Jesse wails from inside the car, in a sickeningly real performance from Aaron Paul. In a series with a history of characters being killed off, this particular murder is so unnecessary. Andrea was never involved in any criminal activity. Her death was only used to put Jesse in his place. The Nazis intentionally leave Brock alive to discover his dead mother. Even though Walt is a terrible person, I’m on his side on some level because these Nazis deserve to die. At this point, Jesse’s life is unbearable. Everyone he has ever loved is dead or alone. This is the last we see of Jesse until the finale.

Months in the future, Walt returns to the gate. He may have gone there to walk into town, but he is stopped by the sight of Ed’s car. We finally get a good look at Walt inside the house; he’s sporting a full head of hair and a beard. Ed brings Walt a fat stack of newspapers, which he can barely read. He appears to have lost some weight and his vision is slipping. Ed updates Walt on his family’s situation. They are living in a different home and are still together for now. Skyler is possibly facing a grand jury.

“What are they doing for money?” Walt asks. Skyler is now working for a taxi service and she’s switched to her maiden name. Walt finds a new pair of glasses that suit his needs. He now has the full “future Walt” look. As for Walt’s house, the bank had to put a fence around it. “Seems like the place got to be kind of a tourist attraction, kids breaking in,” Ed tells him. That would explain why “Heisenberg” was etched on his wall.
Walt has worked so hard to supposedly protect his family and now he can’t do a thing to help them. He’s dying a slow, painful death inside the cabin.

Desperate for human contact, Walt begs Ed to stay for just two more hours. He even offers him $10,000. Ed decides to stay for another hour. Even with another person, Walt has never been more isolated. On one level, Walt deserves to die alone for what he’s done. At the same time, I sympathize with anyone who has to die by themselves. Cranston’s performance helps you sympathize with the devil. “One of these days when you come up here, I’ll be dead,” Walt realizes. “My money…what happens to it then? What if I ask you to give it to my family? Would you do it?” he asks. Walt doesn’t want this all to be for nothing. “If I said yes, would you believe me?” questions Ed. It’s a fair point. Walt and Ed are basically strangers.

Another time jump occurs, but nothing has changed for Walt. He lies coughing on a bed, with one arm hanging over the bed. He has lost so much weight that his wedding ring slips off his finger. It’s symbolic of Walt’s shattered relationship with his family. He still ties the ring around his neck with a piece of string. Perhaps his family is the only thing that keeps him alive. Or perhaps revenge is his main motivation. Regardless of his motivation, Walt decides that he will not die in the cabin. He fills a box of Ensure with money and heads into town.

Finally, we’re out of the cabin for a moment. Junior gets called to the principal’s office. He is told that his Aunt Marie is on the phone, but we quickly see that Walt is the one who called. “It’s so good to hear your voice,” Walt sighs. As usual, Walt’s admission of guilt is fraught with understatement and hesitation: I did wrong…I made some terrible mistakes, but the reasons were always…” Walt trails off. Junior’s friend Lewis lives near the White house and he plans to send some money to that address. He apologizes to his son, “I wanted to give you so much more…” he moans.

Junior thinks Walt is responsible for Hank’s death. “Why are you still alive? Why don’t you just-just die already? Just-just die!” Earlier in the series, Junior used these words to inspire his father not to give up. Now, he actually wishes for his father’s death. Walt is quietly devastated, all alone in the world. From this point on, Walter White is dead. He is literally alive, but with nothing to live for. His family has rejected him and his son wants him dead. He makes another call, this time dialing the DEA. “I’d like to speak to the agent in charge of the Walter White investigation,” he murmurs. When asked to identify himself he says “Walter White,” and walks away.

Going nowhere, Walt has a drink at the bar. The bartender flips through channels, until one catches Walt’s attention. Gretchen and Elliott are being interviewed on television by Charlie Rose. The talking points of the interview? Gray Matter and Walter White. Charlie brings up the fact that a co-founder of their company is a drug kingpin. Elliott dismisses Walt indirectly. Walt’s rage begins to boil as the interview continues. “So what was Walter White’s contribution?” Charlie asks. Gretchen answers that his only contribution was the company name. “As far as I can recall, his contribution begins and ends right there,” Elliott finishes.

This is an overwhelming blow to Walt’s ego. He clenches a fist and grits his teeth. Walter White may be dead, but Heisenberg is alive and kicking. He won’t go out without a fight and he certainly won’t go out as a nobody. For the first time in the series history, the theme music starts to play in the background. Walt glares at the TV, with new determination on his face. The police arrive outside the bar and prepare to arrest Walt. As they storm the bar, the only thing Heisenberg left behind was his glass. The last shot focuses on the glass as the Breaking Bad theme leads us out.

As a whole, “Granite State” was a good episode that could’ve been outstanding. It didn’t have the same non-stop tension of the past six weeks, but maybe we needed to take a breather. Maybe this was the calm before the storm. With only one episode left of the whole series, I’m holding out hope that the finale doesn’t disappoint. I’ve never been disappointed by a season finale of Breaking Bad, but there’s a special amount of pressure on the series finale to conclude the story and satisfy the fans. Whether or not the series ends with a bang, this show will still be talked about for years to come.

#14 Breaking Bad-Ozymandias

Before I get into the recap, I’d like to point out that the director of this episode is Rian Johnson. Johnson is perhaps most known for his time travel thriller Looper, but he’s also directed two other episodes of Breaking Bad. He brought us “Fly” (maybe the show’s most divisive episode) and “Fifty-One.” Now, he directs “Ozymandias.” It’s his finest episode yet. The episode’s title comes from a sonnet by Percy Bysshe Shelley. The poem is about the inevitable downfall of kings and their empires. In this episode, Heisenberg loses his meth empire, most of his money and a member of his family.

Director Rian Johnson (AV Club)

An unexpected flashback opens the episode. We see a close up of bubbles rat-tat-tatting in a flask, echoing the sounds of gunfire from last week’s desert shootout. This is a clever move on the part of Johnson, because he knows that viewers expect to see the shootout continue right at the beginning of the episode. Anyway, Walt is teaching Jesse how to cook properly inside the infamous van. This is supposed to take place around the time of season one. We know this because Walt has hair and Jesse is still acting like Walt’s student.

(geekosystem.com)

After lecturing Jesse, Walt walks away to be alone. He’s coming up with what may be his first Heisenberg-related lie. He rehearses his lines, changes some of the phrasing and decides on a story. Walt will tell Skyler that his boss “has a bug up his butt.” These were such innocent times for Walter White. Walt gives Skyler a call. In those days, Skyler’s main concerns were pizza and making $9 on eBay. Skyler suggests a name for her baby: Holly. This scene foreshadows Walt’s later actions in the episode. It also reminds viewers how far these characters have come. Jesse, Walt and the van all fade away, showing us a vast and empty desert.

(hardinthecity.com)

The quaint tone of the opening scene doesn’t last for long. We return to the empty desert, which is now replaced with trucks full of bullet holes and loud gunfire. The Nazis momentarily cease fire. What follows is almost too heart-wrenching to imagine. Hank’s leg has been wounded. He’s slumped against the back of a car, breathing heavily. His eyes are full of adrenaline and fear. His partner, Steve Gomez, lies dead in front of him. In a last ditch effort to save himself, he crawls to reach Gomey’s shotgun.

(breakingbad.wikia.com)

As Hank inches toward the weapon, we know his efforts are futile. The Nazis can be seen approaching him as he trudges along in the dirt. I have to commend Rian Johnson’s brilliant direction of this scene. By the time Hank has reached the shotgun, Uncle Jack is right behind him. It’s just horrific to see a beloved character like Hank be so easily trumped by a villain. In an unbearable few minutes, Hank is left alive as the Nazis chat.

(ibtimes.com)

Todd has lost sight of Pinkman, momentarily sparing Hank. Dean Norris’ unbelievable performance just crushed me. Uncle Jack raises his gun and points it at Hank. Hank’s eyes flinch as he prepares for his death. From the car, Walt hears Uncle Jack cock his gun. Walt begins to violently protest Hank’s murder. Cranston’s acting is so genuine that it’s uncomfortable to watch him beg for Hank’s life. “Don’t kill him! Don’t kill him! Don’t kill him…” Walt pleads.

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Walt reveals that Hank is family. Uncle Jack could care less that Hank is Walt’s brother-in-law. In fact, he thinks he did Walt a favor by preventing Walt’s arrest. “You weren’t supposed to be here!” Walt reminds him. I suppose one reason why this scene is so hard to watch is because the violence committed didn’t need to happen. Walt tried to prevent it. This is what happens when you work with Nazis. Walt is at his most desperate. He begs Hank to walk away and forget this happened.

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Uncle Jack sees that Hank isn’t cooperating and once again raises his gun. Walt screams like a lunatic for him to stop. He reveals that his money is buried out here. “$80 million! And all you’ve got to do is let him go,” Walt cries. Uncle Jack ponders whether or not he should let Hank go. Hank is as defiant as ever: “My name is ASAC Schrader and you can go f*** yourself.”

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Walt’s tearful pleading is useless. Hank locks eyes on Walt: “You’re the smartest guy I ever met, but you’re too stupid to see…he made up his mind ten minutes ago.” He pauses a moment, faces Uncle Jack and says, “Do what you’re gonna do.” BANG. The gunshot rolls and echoes throughout the desert. Hank is dead. Silence. Walt collapses to his knees as the sound cuts out. He sobs on the ground, just like Gus Fring once did in season four’s “Hermanos.” Walt’s sobs are disquieting. Perhaps even more haunting is Uncle Jack, who has no reaction to killing Hank.

(wired.com)

The Nazis dig and dig, collecting all of Walt’s barrels. In the hole where Walt’s empire was buried, Hank and Gomey are laid to rest. Breaking Bad hasn’t disturbed me this much since Walt and Mike put Drew Sharp in a barrel. At least Uncle Jack has the decency to give Walt a barrel of his own money. That’s Uncle Jack’s version of justice. Todd offers his condolences: “Sorry for your loss.” Walt is freed of his handcuffs and stares off in the distance.

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Uncle Jack and Walt make a momentary peace. Walt is a broken man. He shakes Uncle Jack’s hand with all the humanity of Gus Fring. As Uncle Jack walks away, Walt utters the name Pinkman. Walt has spotted Jesse, who’s hiding under a car. After the death of Hank and Gomey, I didn’t think Jesse had much of a chance. Nevertheless, it was sickening to see a gun cocked behind Pinkman’s head. This time, Walt gives Jack the OK to pull the trigger. It looks like Jesse’s life has come to an end…

(screeninvasion.com)

Until…Todd interrupts Jesse’s execution with a thoughtful suggestion. Todd’s logic is that Jesse might have some information about what the DEA knows, considering he was in their custody. Jesse stares despairingly into Walt’s cold stare. Right now, Walt’s only mission is to make Jesse suffer. He believes Jesse is responsible for Hank’s death. Without blinking an eye, Walt tells Jesse: “I watched Jane die. I watched her overdose and choke to death. I could’ve saved her, but I didn’t.” Walt has ruined everything Jesse has ever cared about. The Nazis take Jesse away, leaving Walt behind in the dust trail.

(lubiie.com)

I usually hate having to sit through commercials, but I really needed one after the first few minutes of the show. The scene was a masterwork of acting, editing and writing. But, boy was it hard to get through. Now, Walter sits in his car and takes in what has happened. We needed a moment to breathe along with Walt. His car quickly runs out of gas; a bullet has grazed his gas tank. Walt is forced to roll his barrel full of money up the desert. Upbeat, whistling Western music lend to a surreal quality to this scene. Awesome Easter egg: Walt passes his pants from the pilot episode as he continues to roll the barrel.

(ibtimes.com) Notice his pants in the left hand corner!

The use of music here is outstanding. The Western tune manages to be lonely, ironic and blackly comic. It sums up everything Breaking Bad is about. The song also shows Walt to be nothing more than a lonesome cowboy who’s lost everything. Walt eventually reaches the home of a poor Native American man. He hands the man a wad of cash and buys a rusty old truck.

(uproxx.com)

After spending half the episode in that godforsaken desert, we finally switch locations. Marie arrives at the car wash to talk with Skyler. Symbolism note: Marie is wearing an uncharacteristic black, while Skyler remains clad in white. Sadly, Marie still believes Hank is alive. She tells Skyler that Walt has been arrested. This is Marie’s last effort to help out Skyler. Marie still has hope for her sister. Skyler is quietly breaking down as Marie demands Flynn be told the truth.

(breakingbad.wikia.com)

Meanwhile, Jesse is lying on the floor of a torture chamber. He’s grotesquely bloodied and bruised-his cries for mercy are massively unsettling. We have seen Jesse reduced to such a state. Todd pulls him up and sends him to the lab. Here, Jesse is chained up, a slave to the Nazis’ demands. Jesse can’t even move without sliding his chain forward. A picture of Brock and Andrea has been taped to a pole for Jesse to see. Whether or not the Nazis plan on harming them is irrelevant. Jesse now has a reason to cook for them, an incentive to live. This is incredibly dark, even for Breaking Bad.

(hardinthecity.com)

Back at the car wash, poor Junior has been told the truth. “You’re completely out of your mind!” he screams at Skyler. He can’t believe what’s going on. For the longest time, Junior has been the only character to remain innocent. He has been in the dark this whole time. He still doesn’t even believe the story can be true.

(whatculture.com)

Walt is simultaneously packing his family’s things. Skyler, Junior and baby Holly are on their way home. “If all of this is true and you knew about it, then you’re as bad as him,” Junior tells his mother. Walt is running around trying to get his things together as they arrive home. Junior wants to know what is going on, but Walt pushes him inside. “Walt…why are you here?” Skyler asks. Walt won’t answer her questions. “Where is he? Where’s Hank?” she demands.

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Walt, with tears in his eyes, looks at Skyler: “I have $11 million in cash right outside. We can have a fresh start.” Skyler is shaking. “You killed him,” she breathes. “No, no no! I tried to save him!” Walt answers. Everything comes out. Junior knows Uncle Hank is dead. In the middle of the chaos, Skyler reaches for a knife. “Get out of here…now,” she commands.

(breakingbad.wikia.com)

Walt approaches her and she swings the knife, slicing his hand. The two wrestle for the knife in a nail biting scene reminiscent of Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Junior is forced to tackle his father. “What the hell is wrong with you?!? We’re a family!” roars Walt. Then it hits him. The family he’s supposedly been fighting for all along is now destroyed. Hank is dead. Marie hates him. His son, who looked up to him, is now defending Skyler from him and calling the police. “We’re a family,” Walt mutters again. Quiet piano keys accompany this scene. This is Walt’s ultimate downfall. He’s lost his family.

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Surprisingly, I feel bad for him. Cranston’s performance gave me goosebumps.
The police are on their way and Walt knows he has to leave. On his way out the door, he takes baby Holly with him. Skyler slams on the car window and chases Walt down but to no avail. The truck has taken off. She collapses in the street. Perhaps, Walt is trying to hold on to some piece of his family. Holly is the only one who doesn’t, or rather can’t, see Walt for the monster that he is.

(o.canada.com)

Walt is changing Holly’s diaper in a bathroom somewhere. He smiles at her but all poor Holly can do is cry “mama.” It will break your heart. Walt realizes that he can’t keep her any longer.
The phone rings in the White house. The police are inside, along with Skyler, Marie and Junior. Walt is on the line: “Are you alone? No police?” Skyler demands to know where Holly is, as Walt unleashes a furious rant: “…This is your fault…I warned you for a solid year, you cross me there will be consequences…Maybe now you’ll listen…You were never grateful for anything I did for this family…” he spits.

(ibtimes.com)

Upon closer inspection, this “rant” is actually exonerating Skyler of any guilt. Sure, Walt may want to say things to her that have always bothered him, but ultimately Walt knew the police were on the line listening to the call. Walt actually made yet another sacrifice for his family. He alone holds responsibility for his actions, even though we know Skyler is an accomplice. As he continues to scream into the phone, tears stream down his face.

(tv.com)

“Walt…where is Hank?” Skyler begs. “You’re never going to see Hank again,” Walt answers taking the blame for Hank’s death. Marie knows, just from Skyler’s reaction, that Hank is dead. I lost it in this scene. I can only imagine how Junior feels.

(uproxx.com)

As for Holly, Walt leaves her in a fire truck with his address taped on her chest. A fireman finds the sobbing child in her car seat. In the closing scene, Walt sits at Saul’s pick up location. He is trying to disappear, like Jesse did in “Confessions.” The pick-up car arrives. We see Walt’s face in the rearview mirror as the car drives off into the sunset. Just like that, he’s gone.

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Now we know why Walt has a new identity in the future. I can only assume he has the M16 in his trunk to get revenge on Uncle Jack. I wonder if Jesse will make it out of the series alive. He’s probably going to die in the next episode by Walt’s hands. I can’t believe there are only two episodes left. Apparently, these last two episodes will be 75 minutes long. I’m not sure how much more I can take. All this bloodshed and death is wearing me down. “Ozymandias” had to be the darkest episode yet. I say it every week, but this show keeps getting better and better.

#12 Breaking Bad- “To’hajiilee”

Continuing on from the cold open of “Confessions,” Todd is cooking some crystal meth for Uncle Jack and Lydia. The Nazis eye Lydia up like a piece of meat. We’ll see Todd do something similar later in the scene. Lydia is worried that Todd’s product isn’t blue, while Uncle Jack is just impressed that the meth purity is now 76%. “Blue is our brand,” she stresses. Uncle Jack isn’t what you’d call a details person. “If it catches the light just right,” Todd can see “a touch of blue.” Neo Nazi #2 dubs the batch aquamarine.

After his presentation, Todd brings Lydia a cup of tea and apologizes for messing up his latest cook. As they talk, Todd moves closer and closer to her, eventually touching her shoulder. We know that Todd has committed some heinous crimes, so it’s an unsettling moment. Lydia keeps her cool and walks away unscathed. She leaves her tea cup in Todd’s hands. Todd is left standing alone, until he gets a call from Walt. We hear the conversation from “Rabid Dog,” played out a bit longer. Walt makes it clear that his target is Jesse Pinkman. Todd continues to be completely apathetic about murder. He takes a sip of Lydia’s tea, right where she left a lipstick stain on the cup. This is Todd’s warped version of a first kiss.

Jesse leads Hank and Gomey to Huell, who’s in a safe house under DEA supervision. Gomey suspects Huell will try to “lawyer up”, but Hank has a plan to keep Huell in the dark. Hank produces what appears to be a cow brain and pours the bloody contents all over his kitchen floor. “You’re up,” says Hank to Jesse. Speaking of Huell, Hank and Gomey visit him inside his safe house. As part of Hank’s elaborate scheme, he reveals all of his knowledge about Heisenberg to Huell. Huell has a convincing poker face.

Hank figured Huell wouldn’t spill the beans about Walt, so he tells Huell that they’ve been tapping Walt’s phone. According to Hank’s story, Walt was overheard threatening to kill Jesse, followed by Huell. Hank goes on to say that Goodman has betrayed Huell and Kuby has gone missing. Huell still seems unconvinced, until Hank shows him a photo of a “dead” Jesse. Huell freaks out and tells the two about Walt’s barrels full of money. Hank urges Huell to stay in the safe house, but he is technically free to go. “How long you gonna be?” asks a concerned Huell. Hank and Gomey may never come back…

To keep up tradition, Walt politely meets with Uncle Jack before ordering a hit on Jesse. Walt seems almost reluctant to do so. He shoots down rumors that Jesse is a rat. “He just won’t listen to reason,” says Walt, casting an angry look towards Todd. Todd appears to be wearing a Freddy Krueger style t-shirt, as though this whole situation is a nightmare for Walt. “Jesse’s like family to me,” Walt admits. He wants Jesse’s death to be “quick and painless, no suffering, no fear.” Walt has broken his own rule of keeping family out of his business by pushing for Jesse’s execution.

Uncle Jack can see Walt’s point: “I respect that, there’s too many savages out there.” That’s an ironic statement if I’ve ever heard one. Pitch black comedy at its finest.  Unlike the previous job, Uncle Jack doesn’t want money from Walt. He wants Walt to cook for them. Walt would rather triple his price than help improve Todd’s meth batches. Walt looks tired and beaten down, like every word out of his mouth is draining more life out of him. “One cook, after the job is done,” says Walt reluctantly, shaking Uncle Jack’s hand.  Walt is going to regret that handshake.

We transition from the blackest depths of human depravity to young Brock happily eating breakfast. I didn’t think Brock or Andrea would ever appear on the show again. Walt knocks on the door and greets Andrea with a smile. He slips inside under the guise of being Jesse’s friend. Had Andrea been aware that Walt poisoned her son, she wouldn’t be so keen to let him in. Walt greets Brock, who shyly munches on his cereal and keeps quiet. I don’t think Brock is aware that Walt poisoned him; he’s just awkward around strange adults, like many kids. This moment is meant to illustrate how despicable Walt is to return to Andrea’s home like nothing happened.

Walt starts to manipulate Andrea, telling her that Jesse is “using again.” He also hasn’t been returning Walt’s calls, so Walt says. Andrea gives Jesse a call, telling him that Walt has come to visit. Walt does seem like the devil in this scene, entering someone’s home under false pretenses and lying through his teeth.

From his car, Walt sees two Nazi hit men waiting outside Andrea’s house. Walt’s assumption was that Jesse would rush over once he discovered Walt was near Brock again. Andrea’s voicemail is picked up by Hank, who proposes a new plan to Jesse and Gomey. He’s figured out, based on Huell’s testimony, that Walt probably buried the money somewhere in the desert. There was no GPS tracker on Walt’s money van, but “Walt doesn’t know that.” Both Hank and Walt appear to be out-planning one another in this episode.

On the lighter side of things, Skyler is teaching Junior how to work in the car wash. It seems like a normal day for the Whites, until Saul Goodman walks in. Skyler becomes wary, while Junior won’t stop smiling at Saul. He remembers Saul from his “Better Call Saul” commercials. Saul has some advice for Junior: “Don’t drink and drive, but if you do, call me.” That’s got to be one of Saul’s best lines. “Have an A1 day!” waves Junior.

Saul’s getting his car washed to remove the excess cocaine Jesse left inside. Since Huell has gone missing, Saul has taken to wearing a bulletproof vest. Saul worries that Walt’s plan won’t work on Jesse, who is smarter than Walt thinks. As Walt and Saul talk, behind them is a “Better Call Saul” billboard. Their discussion shows us the reality of Saul’s character. Differing stories are paralleled in this episode, as Saul and Hank blame two different people for murdering lackeys.  In both cases, the supposed victims are still alive.

Walt looks out the window of the carwash, feeling the gun in his pocket. He glances over at Skyler and his son, perhaps taking his final glimpse on them. The faintest hint of a smile appears on his face. Then he is back to business.

He gets a picture on his phone of an open barrel full of money. Walt panics. He believes that his “Buried” treasure has been found. His phone rings. “Got my photo, bitch?” Jesse says he’s found the other six barrels too. Walt runs out of the car wash, not even having the time to make up an excuse for his leaving.

The remaining minutes of the episode are perfectly done. Walt speeds down the highway as Jesse rattles off all the false information he’s been given by Hank. Jesse promises to burn $10,000 of Walt’s money for every minute he’s not there. “Don’t you touch my money!” screams Walt. Walt’s enraged moans don’t stop Jesse from seemingly burning his cash. Walt switches gears and tries instead for sympathy. “Jesse, I’m dying. My cancer is back. You’re not hurting anyone but my family!” Walt wants this money to go to his children.

“Oh, you’re going to talk about kids,” Jesse says. Walt apologizes for Brock, but Jesse doubts his sincerity. “YES I AM SORRY ABOUT BROCK!” he yells. Bryan Cranston’s face becomes twisted with fury and desperation. “But he’s alive, just as I planned it!” Walt says. I felt the same adrenaline Walt was feeling as he flies down the road. This scene is a major turning point in the series, because all of Walt’s accidental admissions of guilt are being recorded for the DEA.

Walt continues his rant, as Jesse continues to taunt him. “Open your eyes! Can’t you see that I needed you on my side to kill Gus?!?  I ran over those gangbangers! I killed Emilio and Crazy 8!” Walt has admitted to all his crimes, quite clearly. My heart was pounding hard throughout this scene. Walt pulls up to the desert, but can’t see Jesse anywhere. Gun drawn, he leaves his car. He realizes he’s been duped. Walt’s desperation is so brilliantly captured by Bryan Cranston, who is the standout performer of the episode.

Walt takes cover on a cliff until he sees some dust flailing up in the distance. He runs down to ground level and hides behind a rock. The remaining twenty minutes of the episode are some of the most suspenseful in the show’s history. It’s remarkable how long Breaking Bad is able to sustain sequences of tension. Dave Porter’s score adds extra levels of heart-racing adrenaline to the proceedings.

Walt calls the Nazis and gives them his location. He tells Uncle Jack that Jesse is after him, probably with back up. “You get here right now as fast as you can,” Walt orders. Uncle Jack is still on the line, waiting for some more details from Walt. Walt won’t answer because he’s caught sight of Hank and Gomey. He didn’t expect anyone but Jesse to be there. Walt’s face is full of pain and anguish. It’s the end of the line for Heisenberg. He knows it. “It’s off, do not come,” he murmurs to Uncle Jack.

Detective Schrader and Gomey scan the area with their guns raised. “Walt, come on out!” Hank hollers, his voice echoing through the desert. The camera pans in slowly on Walt’s defeated face. Tears are in his eyes.  To me, these tears represent Walt’s realization that Junior will find out what he’s done. Walt is also the type of guy who doesn’t like to lose.

You can hear a pin drop as Hank keeps screaming for Walt to show himself. Jesse is wide-eyed and anxious, even with the protection of Hank and Gomey. Finally, Hank spots Walt, who emerges peacefully from behind the rock. Walt drops his gun and raises his hands in surrender. Walt raises his arms in defeat in the same way that Gus once raised his arms to show his fearlessness. Heisenberg walks calmly over to Hank for what seems like an eternity. Even though it’s completely illogical, I thought Walt might have a bomb on him or some sort of trap to stop Hank. It turns out Walt is not as infallible as he thinks he is.

After seasons of watching Walt slowly work his way into the criminal underworld, it’s appropriate that we see him methodically place his hands behind his head and follow Hank’s orders. As Walt is cuffed, Jesse has a beautiful look of relief and disbelief on his face. He almost can’t believe what he’s seeing. Great actors can astound you without any dialogue. I’m looking at you, Aaron Paul. Nice work.

Hank can’t resist taunting Walt a little bit: “How’d you like my barrel photo, huh? Took it in the backyard by the barbecue grill, where we used to cook out with the family.” Jesse’s plan worked after all. He was right to assume that Walt’s greed would be his downfall. Walt just couldn’t resist losing any of his hard-earned money. Hank smirks victoriously. He asks Walt to take them to the real location of his money. Of course, Walt won’t say a word. Hank assures him that a DEA search team will find it eventually.  He reads Walt his rights, but Walt just stares venomously at Jesse. Walt calls his former partner a “coward” and Jesse spits in his face. Walt deserves to be spit on by Jesse after all the things he’s done to hurt the guy.

The two partners in crime have a scuffle, which is quickly stopped by Gomey and Hank. Walt needs to be put in time out. He takes a seat in the car, momentarily separated from the rest of the group. Hank is so proud of his accomplishments that he gives Marie a call. Marie is disgusted to find a brain in the trash can, but Hank’s not so concerned about that. “Hey, baby. I got him,” Hank beams. Marie is overjoyed to hear this.  She’s crying with joy. “I gotta go. It may be awhile before I get home. I love you.” Judging by the end of this episode, this may be Hank and Marie’s final conversation. It’s an unusually poignant scene for Hank.

Just when everything is looking up for Team Schrader, Walt sees two mysterious cars approaching from inside Hank’s car. My jaw dropped as I realized what was going to happen. Uncle Jack and the Nazis have ignored Walt’s orders to stay behind. What’s approaching Hank is nothing short of a small army, complete with heavy artillery. Any Breaking Bad fan will tell you that their heart was beating furiously at this point. My stomach was churning. I knew what was coming.

Walt frantically tries to warn Hank through the window. Jesse knows something is wrong. “Jack! Don’t do it!” Walt repeatedly screams. This is the most tense standoff in Breaking Bad history. The relentless suspense and masterful editing make this scene outstanding to watch.  Uncle Jack and Hank lock eyes. Walt screams on, to no avail. The Nazis begin raining hellfire on Hank and Gomey. Slow motion is used to show the force of their firepower. Gomey appears to be wounded, but Hank continues to fire.

The battle rages on. Watching it, you feel as though you’re in the midst of this chaos. The frenetic gunfire seems unstoppable. When will this ever end?!? Surely Hank and Gomey will be killed. Walt writhes around in the floor of the car, until his glasses fall off. The sound cuts out and the episode is over. It feels as though this was ended abruptly on purpose. This is certainly the most nail-biting cliffhanger in recent memory. Some felt cheated by the sudden cut to black, but I felt it was a powerful way to end the episode. You’re still in a headspace of chaos and death even when the credits roll.

“To’hajiilee” was declared by The Daily Beast to be “the finest episode of Breaking Bad yet.” While I’m not quite ready to place that moniker on this episode, it was definitely the highlight of this season. I can’t think of another TV show or movie in recent years that has captured so well this level of non-stop tension. Ben Affleck’s Argo came pretty close, but Breaking Bad still takes the cake. Interestingly enough, both Argo and Breaking Bad have one thing in common: Bryan Cranston. Without Cranston, this show never would’ve been as successful.  With 3 more episodes left, it’ll be hard to top this one. Then again, I’ve never been disappointed by a Breaking Bad finale.

#11 Breaking Bad-“Rabid Dog”

Walt pulls up to his house and sees Jesse’s car. His face becomes twisted with pain and fear. He sneaks around back with a gun, moving quietly through the bushes. The scene is pulse-pounding and intense. For me, Jesse’s life was very much at stake. Walt walks through his kitchen stealthily and sloshes through gasoline on the carpet. He calls out for Jesse to show himself, but gets no reply. Walt methodically searches every room, every corner of his house. He comes to the last door and carefully turns the knob. No Jesse. He returns to the front of his house and looks inside Jesse’s car. Inside is a CD dusted with what appears to be cocaine. Hmm…

Jesse’s gasoline antics sure made a mess. For the moment, however, the White house is standing. Walt needs to clear the gasoline out of his house as soon as possible. The majority of the gasoline is sucked out through large blue tubes coming from carpet repair trucks on Walt’s driveway. Walt is worried about his family’s safety with Jesse on the loose. He tells Huell to keep an eye on Junior at the high school, while Kuby is watching the car wash.

Walt leaves Jesse a voice mail, which will come into play later. He thanks Jesse for not burning his house down and tells him that he wants to fix things. Yeah, yeah, yeah we’ve heard this before. Jesse can’t sleep this one off, as Walt suggests. On his way inside, Walt talks to a man and stresses that his house have the same keys as before, despite the break in. Walt realizes that Skyler would notice the locks had changed.

Meanwhile, cleaning up the remaining gasoline on Walt’s carpet proves to be damn near impossible. Walt wants the carpet emergency workers to completely erase the smell of gasoline in his house. He offers them extra money to no avail. One of the workers interrupts Walt explaining that until he gets new carpeting, the smell is going to stay. Well, if Walt can’t buy people off, his next natural move is to make up an elaborate story!

Cut to: A close up of Walt getting down to his tighty-whities. Thank you, AMC. Walt has a gun tucked into his underwear, just like the old days. As the wheels turn in his head, he begins to douse some of his clothes in gasoline. What to do with the empty gasoline container? This story’s got to be convincing. First, he disposes of the gasoline in his own garbage can. Then, he decides it’d be better suited in his neighbor’s garbage can. But wait, he also feels compelled to pour some gasoline on his own car seat. Walter White: so calculated, yet so indecisive.
Skyler arrives home and notices a fan in Walt’s front seat. It’s clearly a prop left by Walt to lend credence to his story. Skyler instantly smells the gasoline and comes home to find Walt scrubbing away at the floor. Here comes a ridiculous story! According to Walt, he was at a gas station and experienced a “pump malfunction.” See, the reason there is gasoline in the house is because he accidentally covered himself in the stuff at the gas station. Even by Walt’s standards, this is a pretty weak cover story.
Skyler clearly sees through Walt’s charades but doesn’t call him out in front of Junior. It’s Junior who actually speaks up first and asks Walt to “just please tell the truth.” Junior suspects that Walt fainted at the gas station and it’s his cancer that caused this recent gasoline episode. Walt plays along with Junior’s perception of events. He admits to a new truth that is still a lie, but one that is more plausible to his son. Due to the gasoline smell and Walt’s paranoia, it becomes clear that the White family is not safe in their home. Walt proposes that they have a family vacation, at a nice hotel, to the excitement of Junior.

Later that night, Walt meets up with Kuby and Saul in the hotel parking lot. Saul has had it with Jesse, who’s left a potential scar on his face. “I never should’ve let my dojo membership run out,” laments Saul. Kuby reports that Jesse still hasn’t been found. He’s looked everywhere, even with Badger and Skinny Pete. “Keep looking,” Walt urges. Once Jesse is eventually tracked down, he plans to talk Jesse out of his rage.

Saul makes a fair point. Maybe Jesse is “not in the mood for a nuanced discussion of the virtues of child poisoning.” To Saul, this is an “Old Yeller” situation where Jesse is a rabid dog that needs to be put down. Walt mocks Saul’s “colorful metaphors” and leans in close, saying, “Do not float that idea again.”The lighting of this scene is dark and evocative. At some points during the conversation, Saul is almost completely shrouded in shadow. Walt is portrayed in the same light. This is a style of lighting frequently used in The Godfather. The cinematography on display shows how corrupted Saul and Walt have become. Even so, Walt still has a soft spot for Jesse. Walt, over the course of the series, has slowly corrupted all of the main characters. Everyone has broken bad because of him.
Walt returns to his hotel room and talks with Skyler. “How’s Saul doing?” she asks. “You were just out talking to him in the parking lot.” Walt becomes Heisenberg in a moment: “I’m sorry. Were you spying on me?” Skyler reveals that she knew his pump malfunction story was a lie and demands to know the truth. Walt has a funny way of explaining things. He tells Skyler that Jesse is mad at him for something he did. Skyler quickly understands that Jesse tried to burn their house down. “That…was…probably, for a brief moment, his intention, but obviously, he changed his mind,” Walt awkwardly admits.

Walt further explains that Jesse “has a tendency to fly off the handle,” but he has never hurt anyone. We know Jesse killed Gale, but it suits Walt’s interest to keep that information secret. Skyler seems to be the only person Walt can’t lie to very well. She is in Mrs. Heisenberg mode: “So what’s your course of action here?” In a chilling moment, Skyler orders Walt to kill Jesse. “We’ve come this far, for us. What’s one more?” I was blown away by Anna Gunn’s performance in this scene. My jaw was hanging open for the entirety of the scene. Now, both Skyler and Saul have suggested killing Jesse.
Speaking of Jesse, we flashback to his raid of the White house. He snorts cocaine off a CD and pounds his hands on a steering wheel, amping himself up. Jesse runs inside and douses the place in gasoline. We’ve seen this scene already. Just before Jesse can drop his lit match, Hank bursts in and points a gun at Jesse. Jesse looks half-crazed and he’s crying. “He can’t keep getting away with this!” he wails like a child. Hank tells Jesse that if he wants to bring Heisenberg down, he’ll need to cooperate with the DEA.

Jesse seems to calm down and gets in Hank’s car. As Hank and Jesse drive away, Walt pulls up to the house. This means that Walt missed Jesse by a moment in the opening scene. Hank’s been following Jesse “since Goodman’s.” The two are on the way to the DEA, but Jesse points out what happened to the last few DEA witnesses Walt knew about. Oh yeah, ten guys killed in prison in under two minutes.
Marie is just as shaken about Walt as Hank. She’s taken to researching untraceable poisons and staying up late. She is in therapy at the moment, but it doesn’t seem to be having much effect. Marie can’t really divulge all of what’s going on to her therapist, even if it would make her feel better. The therapist seems to be worried that Marie will do something violent. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t hurt anybody.” Marie assures him.“…It just feels good to think about it.” Walt’s corrupting influence appears to have broken crazy eyes Marie as well. This scene is well acted but seems unimportant to the overall story.

Just as Marie arrives home, Hank is trying to usher her out the door. This scene echoes Skyler and Walt’s relationship. Where the White’s relationship is built on secrets and lies, Hank and Marie are mostly honest with one another. Marie’s not leaving and Hank is forced to tell the truth. Jesse is passed out in the Schrader’s guest bedroom. Talk about bringing your work home with you! Hank is worried that if he brings Jesse in “Walt’s gonna find out in five minutes.” He can’t afford to lose another witness to Heisenberg.

Hank explains his reasoning, but that’s not what Marie needs to know. “Is this bad for Walt?” she asks. It’s very bad, he assures her. Marie agrees to let Jesse stay, but she’s still not leaving. Just then, Hank hears Jesse’s phone ring and listens to Walt leaving a voicemail. This is evidence that could connect Walt and Jesse.

Walt can’t sleep and he’s sitting next to the hotel pool. It seems like whenever Walt has to scheme he finds a big blue pool to sit by. Junior joins him by the pool. Walt Jr. is still the only major character who’s unaware of Walt’s criminal empire. When Walt tells Junior he’s thinking about business, Junior just assumes he’s talking about buying a second car wash. Poor Junior is upset and worried about his father’s cancer. Walt tells him not to worry: “You think I came all this way just to let something as silly as lung cancer take me down? Not a chance.” Junior embraces his father and buries his face into Walt’s shoulder. This hug is heartbreaking and echoes Walt and Jesse’s hug in the desert.

Walt’s other pseudo-son, Jesse, wakes up in Hank’s house. He sees a picture of Walt dressed as Santa Claus. It’s a surreal moment, because Walt is so far removed from anything jolly at this point in the series. Hank has set up a camera in his living room so that Jesse can record a confession for the DEA. This is both a tactical strategy and a way to get back at Walt when he is caught. As far as Jesse is concerned, he can talk all he wants but it’ll just be considered hearsay without proof. Hank talks Jesse into it anyway and tells him to start from the beginning. “He was my teacher,” Jesse says. It’s crazy how much Jesse has been through since the start of the series.

Hank and Gomey meet outside after finishing the recording. Gomey “unfortunately” believes Jesse’s story, but he worries that “there is no physical evidence.” Hank shares another voicemail that Walt left Jesse. Walt tells Jesse to meet him at Civic Plaza, where he can explain himself. “I’ll be alone and unarmed,” Walt says. For Hank, this is a perfect opportunity to catch Walt. Jesse will wear a wire and get the evidence the DEA needs. Jesse wants no part of this because he figures Walt is just going to kill him.

Due to Walt’s “zero tolerance policy on threats,” Jesse is more than skeptical. “He’ll do just about anything to protect his interests…except when it comes to you,” Hank retorts. Walt has paid for Jesse’s rehab, saved Jesse’s life and made Jesse a 50/50 partner in the meth operation. He also poisoned an innocent child, who Jesse cared about and allowed Jesse’s girlfriend to die. Jesse tends to remember the bad stuff. “Look, you two guys are just guys. Mr. White, he’s the devil.” Gomey is convinced that Jesse is heading into a trap but Hank doesn’t seem to care. “Pinkman gets killed, we get it all on tape,” he says. In some ways, Hank is just as ruthless as Walt when it comes to tracking down drug dealers and criminals.

Later, the plan is in motion. Hank preps Jesse for the operation inside a van, while Gomey operates a camera to film Walt. The van’s door slowly rolls open as Jesse is forced to confront his fears. From a distance, Jesse can see Walt sitting alone on a bench. Every person Jesse walks by on his way to Walt startles him, whether it’s a crazy homeless man or a runner. With Walt seated on a park bench with his back to Jesse, Jesse is especially spooked by a big, bald guy standing off to Walt’s right. This unfamiliar man is seemingly looking in Jesse’s direction. Jesse thinks this guy is there on Walt’s orders to kill him. Jesse has second thoughts and heads to a pay phone.

Hank and Gomey thinks he’s ditching them. Walt picks up his phone and looks puzzled. “This is just a heads up to let you know I’m coming for you…Next time I’m going to get you where you really live,” Jesse threatens and hangs up. The feeling of paranoia in this scene, even in public, reminded me of the 70’s thriller The Conversation starring Gene Hackman. Walt’s supposed hit man turns out to be just a normal guy waiting to see his young daughter. Walt makes another phone call: “Todd, I think I might have another job for your uncle.” Looks like Walt has been convinced that killing Jesse is his only option.

If Walt does end up murdering Jesse, it will be the equivalent of murdering his son. That will be some truly dark territory to explore, even for Breaking Bad. “Rabid Dog” was a very good episode in my opinion. Sure, it was slower than last week, but it was smartly written and tremendously acted. Anna Gunn and Aaron Paul particularly impressed me with this week. The reveal that Hank stopped Jesse from burning down Walt’s house was a neat twist. I can’t wait to see how far Hank will go in his investigation. Only four more episodes left…