Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 13 Face Off

Breaking Bad episode titles always have multiple meanings, but "Face Off" has to take the cake. I mean, Gus literally with his face off. It doesn't get more visceral with that. And there's plenty of symbolic meaning to the shot as well--the good side of his face representing his public image, the owner of a chicken chain, and the other. mangled side, the drug lord who kills without remorse. So long to Gus and his cold calculations, and especially Giancarlo Esposito, who has been amazing on the show.

Gus's downfall ultimately came about because he cared about something. Critically, he wants to talk to Tio, look him in the face before killing him. Sure, he could have sent any goon to get rid of him, but he wanted to be there when his quest for vengeance was fulfilled, to really throw it in Tio's face. But Walt saw the opening and capitalized on it. One small slip-up and Gus dies. Applying this to Walt, it's not pretty. Walt is someone who cares about a lot more than Gus. He has a family and often berates Jesse for no good reason. Walt doesn't think clearly all the time and from Gus's example, not thinking clearly just once can have deadly consequences.

"Face Off" is another mind-blowing episode, coming after a bunch of episodes of the same quality. It's crafted brilliant, slowly unveiling all the pieces--Tio and the DEA--before unleashing a torrent of plot development which works like gangbusters--Tio ringing the bell and blowing Gus up, Walt and Jesse laying waste to their workplace, and Walt revealed to have poisoned. Brock. It's classic Breaking Bad and it works perfectly.

The revelation of Walt owning the plant (I believe the one which the gun pointed to in last week's episode) which poisoned Brock was just about perfect. It fits with Walt's character and it's a less elaborate scheme than Gus poisoning Brock for his purposes (though the logistics behind Walt giving Brock the berry do seem improbable). After Walt defeats Gus, declaring to Skyler, "I won," this revelation brings everything together. This is Heisenberg at the top of his game. He's saved himself and he doesn't care who the fuck is in his way, innocent or otherwise.

This then leads into the fifth season which will obviously deal with Jesse and Walt  That handshake may have sealed things for now, but it is also framed as a face off between the two and they are sure to clash again. A season of Breaking Bad has never disappointed me and the fourth was no exception. After a slower start, without the typical action/tension episode, Walt hit his low point and then rose to the top in the amazing last half of the season.

Score: 9.6/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 12 End Times

After a string of jaw-dropping Breaking Bad episodes, the explosiveness and tension of "End Times" shouldn't have been a surprise. But it was. Just when you think Breaking Bad has no more gears, nothing left in the tank, it busts out with a series of unexpected twists. I guess you could say Breaking Bad is like Gus, always 10 moves ahead.

The first half of the episode is spent on Walt's funeral march. Everyone in the know--Walt, Skyler, Saul--have conceded that Walt is pretty much a goner. At the same time, Gomez checks out the laundry and finds nothing, but it obviously adds to the notion that Walt is at the center of Gus's problems. Even more depressing, Walt spins his gun and it points towards him, spins it again and it points towards him. But he spins it once more and the gun finally points away, towards a pot instead. Who is the pot?


The second half of the episode hits a level of ballsiness as Brock is in the hospital, ill from something unknown. I was a little confused at first until I remembered reading how the ricin cigarette would play an important role later on, and indeed it did. This spurs Jesse to action, confronting Walt. After all, Walt was the only other person who knew about the cigarette. Jesse pulls Walt's gun on him and is prepared to shoot. In yet another amazing speech/plea, Walt sets out the compelling case that it was not him but Gus who poisoned Brock. Yes, Bryan Cranston is fucking good.

Jesse goes from wanting Walt dead to wanting Gus dead, and a plan is set in motion. Jesse lures Gus to the hospital while Walt puts a bomb in his car. Gus gets closer and closer to the car, Walt looks through his binoculars, preparing to push the button. But Gus stops, looks around, and backs away. Somehow, Gus has enough instinct to realize something is wrong. This should be the end of the road for Walt, the last ditch attempt having failed.

Okay, so I have some complains/hesitations about this episode, or more specifically the ricin. Gus finding out about the ricin, poisoning Brock with it, and expecting Jesse to kill Walt sounds a little too far-fetched. Walt made a compelling case to Jesse while his life was on the line, but the scheme sounds awfully convoluted once you look past Bryan Cranston's persuasiveness. It seems too much like a Rube Goldberg plot where a series of events starting from an precise beginning leads to a precise ending. Maybe there will be a better explanation next week when the dust settles.

With the season finale next week and then a whole season after that, Breaking Bad still has plenty of story left to tell. But the noose tightens around Walt and it seems more and more improbably that he'll ever get out of Gus's grasp. Even if Walt does not, the season finale promises to be a great episode, with all the plots and schemes converging.

Score: 9.5/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 11 Crawl Space

Breaking Bad is currently looking over a precipice, staring into an abyss which has no end. Its toes are hanging over the edge and things are getting wobbly. A tiny movement can send it over the edge forever. But this is only the third to last episode of the second to last season. How can Breaking Bad go over the edge now? I have no clue, but the writers hammer the direness of the situation in the final 10 minutes, letting no stone go unturned.

To recap, Walt pleads with Jesse one last time, but that option was gone two weeks ago. Jesse has moved on, both professional and personally. Still, Jesse tells Gus not to kill Walt, either because he's a nice guy or figures that Walt in the picture gives him a potential exit. In any case, Walt strikes out with Jesse,

This leaves Walt to get tased and dragged to the desert where Gus clearly lays everything out: Walt won't be killed until Jesse gives the order, but Hank will be killed, and if Walt interferes, everyone dies. Walt begins to chide Gus about keeping him alive, trying to pull out that old Heisenberg magic which saved him a season ago. Except Walt has nothing. No cell phone, no big secret, nothing to leverage. As the sun goes down, so too does Walt's hopes.

On principle, Walt refuses to let family die, so he runs to Saul for the nuclear option, saving Hank and then running off forever. The entire package costs tons of money, which Walt is supposed to have. However, Skyler gave $600K to Ted and there's not enough left. Walt cries and laughs manically as Marie calls to tell Skyler about the threat against Hank. It's a twisted final scene, to be sure, but it also feels appropriate as if it were coming all along. The situation, once controlled solely by Walt, has spun out of control and he has nothing left. He has a bunch of money, but it's no good if he can't buy freedom. He has his family, but they're all going to be killed soon. Walt has nothing left. Damn... As always, Bryan Cranston is amazing, with the crazy urgency and distress one would expect of a dying man.

After a relatively slow start to the season and an unusual degree of complaining, there shouldn't be anyone complaining anymore. Every episode for the few weeks has ended on a bombshell and there's no question Vince Gilligan has a firm grasp on the show.

I've said that I didn't like the Ted plot, but I liked how it was wrapped up. While Saul's guys force Ted to give the money to the IRS, he slips on the rug and kills himself. It's humorous and silly, just what the show needed before the last act. Of course, the Skyler giving him the money have major plot implications, so it was a nice way to tie it all up. I guess it was a tad contrived, but you won't get any big complaints from me about it.

The question on everyone's minds is how Walt will get out of this one. There are 18 episodes left, of course, which means Walt will live for quite a bit longer unless there is the greatest coup in television history and Walt actually dies in the next episode. What options are left? It seems like the most logical choice would be to run for Hank, whose been on Gus's trail and has the friends to keep Walt safe for a while. I'll be eagerly awaiting next week's episode to see what happens.

Score: 9.4/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 10 Salud

There is the normal tension on television--when the bad guys have their guns drawn, when a big secret might get revealed, when someone is yelling at someone else--and then there is Breaking Bad tension. Everyone knows something will go down at Don Eladio's place. It's the site of Gus's great trauma, and all the tell-tale signs are there. Gus swallows something before gifting wine to Eladio and Mike tells Jesse all three are leaving together or not at all. So we get a good sense that terrible things will happen, but of course we don't learn instantly.

What differentiates Breaking Bad from the rest of the crop is its way drawing out these scenes, never tipping its full hand until absolutely necessary. The last scene plays brilliantly, as Gus, stonefaced, drinks the poisoned wine alongside Eladio, gives a logical reason why Jesse shouldn't drink the wine (because he is an addict), and even waits a while to throw-up--after the chicas have come out. This takes place in the span of 10 minutes--forever in a television episode--and the scene slowly plays out, drawing the audience closer and closer and closer before releasing. Then, as slowly as it built, the tension is let go in a blitz of action, Gus slumping over as Mike and Jesse drag him out, a gunman shooting Mike before Jesse kills him. Amazing.

Assuming Gus lives, he basically wins on all fronts. He gets his revenge on Eladio and takes care of the cartel in one bold move, careful planned and perfectly executed. I'm not even sure this will affect Walt at all immediately. After all, Walt didn't seem to care about the cartel, only caring about the short-term conflict with Gus. What it allows, however, is more time for Gus to deal with Hank, who was absent in the episode. After walking out into the fire last week, Gus is becoming more and more awesome, beyond his usual passive exterior, so I hope he survives.

Jesse and Walt took big turns in the episode, almost flipping their characters entirely. At the Mexican manufacturing place, Jesse channels his inner Walt, berating the head chemist for sucking, with the Jesse vocabulary we've come to love. Meanwhile, Walt finally (finally!!) comes to his senses after two seasons of blinding himself to reality. He's horrified at what he's done, especially to Jesse, and apologizes to Walt Jr. as a surrogate for Jesse. After sleeping for a while, he tells Walt Jr. a poignant, moving story about his own father's death, which came when he was only 6. He remembers his only memory of his father and how he wasn't sure his father even knew who he was, which gives us some reason why he became so willful and obtuse after his cancer diagnosis, doing the exact opposite of what his father did.

Back at home, Skyler buys Walt Jr. a PT Cruiser for his birthday. A fucking PT Cruiser. PT Cruiser--not cool. Charger--cool. But Skyler doesn't know the difference and Walt Jr. can only express muted thanks. Of course, Walt should have been helping her, so we can't completely blame Skyler. At the very least, Walt Jr. got a car, albeit one worse than the one he had a few episodes ago.

I liked how Skyler confronted Ted at the end, revealing it was her money he is using, but there was something unrealistic, too hokey about it. We're supposed to believe that Skyler gives Ted $600k to pay the IRS via a fake relative, complicated the plot further. This is more of a personal preference , but I would prefer the plot end soon, because I could hardly care about Skyler and Ted when far more interesting and exciting things are happening at the same time. But I probably shouldn't count out what Vince Gilligan has in store for the plot.

I'm curious to see how the writers begin next week's episode. This would appear to be a cliffhanger, and a big one at that, but I can't imagine a time in any previous Breaking Bad episodes when there was a situation quite like this. Tough spots, yes, but not two people potentially dying. Will the episode pick up right where this one left off or show us the aftermath?

Score: 9.5/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 9 Bug

Damn.

Looking back to the beginning of Breaking Bad, the one constant has been Walt and Jesse. They've had their ups and downs, like another other couple, but they've always manages to renew and strengthen their partnership eventually. And now it's over--for real.

When "Bug" begins, we see Walt's glasses on the ground, drops of blood dripping down as a bloody hand reaching down to recover the glasses. It's a gripping image that usually indicates death, though of a human being. Indeed, while there are no human deaths, there is the death of Walt and Jesse's relationship, the cornerstone of the drug business we've seen through four seasons of the show. It ends in Jesse's house with the two pummeling each other. It's a ferocious, messy, frantic fight, ending with Jesse winning. Jesse relishes the last couple hits, as if to say, "I got you, bitch." There's no turning back.

To see how things reached this point, we need to look no further than Walt's behavior a few minutes earlier. Jesse pours his heart out, explaining how screwed he is in the situation, having to go down to Mexico to teach the formula. But does Walt listen? Of course not. When has he listened this season? All he cares about is Jesse meeting Gus but not killing him.

The last shred of control Walt has is over Jesse. The cartel is out of his hands, Hank is out of his hands, and dealing with Gus personally is out of his hands. But Jesse has been his loyal partner for three-plus seasons and Walt has always exerted power over him. When he realizes Jesse is slipping out of his hands, however, Walt acts to contain Jesse, going on a rant about Jesse and Gus. Of course, he completely misreads the situation and Jesse, as he has been for the entire season, and ends up losing dearly.

Last week's episode, with the interrogation scene and the flashback showed us another side of Gus, more vulnerable and more human, someone who wasn't the sociopathic killer. This week, we see the recognizable Gus who fearlessly confronts the shooter, stepping out between the shots, knowing the cartel won't kill him. There is actually something quite heroic about the way Gus strides out into the open and stretches his arms out in defiance (and I'm guessing director Terry McDonough wanted it to look that way). In reality, though, this is a calculated business decision, relenting and letting the cartel have what they want.

Although I understand why the writers gave Skyler a rather large subplot this week, she's just not a character I care about. The plot bridges the Ted Beneke plot from last season to Skyler's increased money and willingness to break the law, which is all nice, but it felt awfully drawn out for a plot with such a tenuous connection to the greater matters at hand. Unless Ted somehow gets roped into the cartel--which would seem awfully gimmicky--there seems to be little reason why this had to go on so long.

Now that Walt and Jesse appear to be done, what will happen? Will they continue to cook together? Will Jesse still be sent to Mexico? Will Walt be sent? Will Jesse be sent? In any case, Gus decided to let the cartel win (unless he has tricks up his sleeves), and Walt and Jesse are fragmented. This can only mean bad news.

Score: 9.3/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 8 Hermanos

Midway through "Hermanos," Walt realizes, after seeing a text message, that Jesse has left him. It's a damning moment for Walt, to see how little he has left and how much control Gus has over him. Since Walt can't do anything immediately, the episode pivots to a question that has been lingering in the air since the first time Walt and Gus spoke at Los Pollos Hermanos: Who, exactly, is Walt dealing with?

The question is as complex as any, but we get good headway once we see part of his past. In true Breaking Bad fashion, the flashback is a glorious scene, slow, riveting, and endlessly tense--all while spoken in Spanish and subtitled in English. There Gus is, looking like an enterprising young man, with a partner, trying to convince Don Eladio that he should sell their methamphetamine. To bridge past and the present, there is Tio, who is surprisingly off-kilter almost like he is in the present, and Don Eladio, who has many of the same tendencies as his son, Tuco.

As the events play out, we see a different Gus. He's not in the driver's seat and he's not entirely sure what will happen. But we can instantly recognize the Gus that wants to earn money and has a solid plan in place. And then Tio shoots his partner Max in the head--blood pouring out, Gus's face pushed into the ground, whimpering--and it becomes clear. Gus explains to Tio that the Cousins dying was the result of blood for blood. Indeed, Gus has been biding his time for revenge, allowing for people to be killed in order to get back at Tio. Tio is the one who turned Gus into the cold, ruthless killer and now he's getting what is due.

However, this revenge indicates that Gus does not make every decision purely for business. Simply trading Max's blood for the Cousins would be one thing, but Gus finds it necessary to push it into Tio's face. Now, Gus has both Hank and the cartel on his tail. Gus has made it this far (much, much further than Hank), but will he keep his cool as he proceeds?

The funny thing about the episode is that the flashback was icing on the cake, albeit icing studded with 5 carat diamonds. The interrogation scene alone had me speechless and I was ready to use the entire review to lavish praise on it before being even more stunned by the flashback. Here, Gus is alone with three law enforcement officials and they are clearly poking towards his biggest secret. While he manages to dodge their questions with the usual Gus deception, they have him rattled, especially when it comes to his past. As he leaves, we see, for the first time, a Gus who isn't quite himself, and he gives familiar look we see later in the flashback. Needless to say, Giancarlo Esposito owned the episode.

Although "Hermanos" is a Gus episode, it still has some about Walt's hermanos--Hank, his brother-in-law, and Jesse, his once-trusted partner. Hank has dug himself in and is gunning straight for Gus. Walt wants to keep Hank safe, but is that possible with his close ties to Gus? Killing Gus seem like the only option, and a very, very risky one at that. Jesse, meanwhile, is still in flux. He gives plenty of money to Andrea and Brock, but is conflicted about meeting them.

In contrast to Gus, Walt is a failure. Sure he has money, but he has no control over his life. Walt lives under Gus's thumb, under constant surveillance and in fear. Previously, Walt could skate by by convincing others of their mutual interests, but it's looking less and less likely it will work again. Can Walt take his life in his own hands?

Score: 9.6/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 7 Problem Dog

As all the forces swirl around in "Problem Dog," there is one thing that becomes clear: Wal is fucked. Every which direction is another obstacle, created largely by himself. Walt is the Challenger, skidding around in the parking lot, leaving huge circles which lead to the exploded mess. There's no question which car performed the act, and now the question is whether Walt will receive the same fiery end.

His closest ally, Jesse, appears to have switched sides, or has decided to stay neutral, which doesn't bode well. Initially, Jesse goes along with Walt's plan to poison Gus with ricin (despite the failure way back when Tuco had them hostage), and he has several chances to kill Gus, either through poison or by shooting him. However, Mike again tugs on Jesse's pride, handing him a gun in case something happens at the summit. If Jesse felt good when he got away from the fake goons a few episodes back, then he surely felt good after seeing how important and dangerous the meeting was and having a role.

But Jesse seems reluctant to take a firm stance, as he battles his own demons first. His visit to the support group ends badly, in an admission that he joined to sell meth, but he first talks about killing Gale--in a story about putting down a dog. He can really come up with no reason why the dog should have been put down other than that it was a problem dog, and he snaps after the dog woman keeps chastising him. Jesse has come back from the edge since his drug phase, but he's still struggling and looking for more, whatever that may be.  Aaron Paul delivers for the n-th in a stunning scene.

Even the money laundering, a scheme in the plans since the third season, is not going well. Once Skyler learns how much money Walt earns, she tells him it's too much to report. Walt's response? Deal with it. Again, Walt misses the big picture, that the money has to be dealt with properly, in exchange from some short term reprisal. With everything else going on, Walt chooses to ostracize his wife and possibly draw suspicion to the money.

The one stable factor in the past few seasons has been Gus's empire and even that seems to be under imminent threat. The big meeting--with a full vegetable platter, chairs laid out, and a handful of gunmen--ends unceremoniously. There are no key cartel figures, only a messenger. And his message--yes or no? They don't care what Gus is offering. I believe what they want is Walt, the master cooker who fuels Gus's operation. If I remember correctly, the Cousins were originally coming to New Mexico to bring Walt and Jesse to Mexico, but took a detour to deal with Tuco's killer. For now, Gus is willing to put his men on the line for Walt, but if it proves too costly, there is no doubt what Gus will do. Again, bad news for Walt.

Dean Norris was awesome in the final scene, rattling out the connections from Gale to a manufacturer to Los Pollos Hermanos and finally to Gus. And then he busts out the last, damning piece of evidence, fingerprints. I've never been a fan of Hank (and I'd go as far as saying I dislike him when he talks himself up), but it felt good to see him back on track. Go Hank!

In the previous seasons, it always seemed like Walt could get out of a situation. In comparison, he didn't have too much to deal with back then. There was the family and there was the drugs, also a less complicated operation back then. Now, as the family and the drugs come together, the two worlds colliding, Walt's world becomes infinitely harder to manage. How can he even get out?

Score: 9.4/10

• It looks like Jesse was playing Rage HD for iOS (which is a rail shooter unlike the PC and console versions), though the motion control could be an indication that it was indeed the full version. Good bit of advertisement juxtaposed with Gale's shooting.
• If Walt's plan to kill Gus had panned out, the cartel probably would have swooped in immediately. Walt dodged the bullet on this one.

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 6 Cornered

I liked plenty of "Cornered," but overall I just wasn't feeling it. The episode focused on the pathology of Walter White with regard to Skyler and Jesse--how he deals with them and their problems and how he continues to isolate himself. This is all fine stuff and the episode has plenty of great scenes, but it's a transition episode which lacks the urgency the stronger episodes have.

Fundamentally, Walt does not fully understand humans, yet he believes he has the answers to everything. He believes he can talk to Skyler, explain the situation, and everything will be fine. But he doesn't who Skyler is or what she wants. First and foremost, she wants safety for her family and when Walt basically tells her that he's high up in the operation, she realizes Walt is not the guy she thought he was. This leads her to run to the Four Corners where she flips a coin. Both times it lands in Colorado, but she moves the coin back to New Mexico. It's a beautiful scene, and when she returns home, she is once again trapped by circumstances--by Walt.

With Jesse, Walt fairs even worse. The first thing he does when he sees Jesse is to berate and belittle him. Even when he figures out that Mike and Gus are running a game on Jesse, his words are utterly insensitive, making Jesse know it's all about him. His words may hold truth, but clearly he now has no means by which to convey them in a manner conducive to another human being. Mike and Gus, meanwhile, know exactly how to handle Jesse. Mike allows Jesse to go on another job, and Jesse actually does some good work.

And Gus later tells Jesse, "I like to think I see things in people." See, Walt, that's how to do it. Gus can refer to himself in the sentence while heaping praise on Jesse. The Walt that once propped up Jesse by calling him a blowfish is now gone, replaced by the self-centered narcissist Heisenberg.

Score: 8.8/10

• I was so sure that Walt Jr. would die at the end of the episode (partially because I remember Walt Jr. driving with two feet on the pedals back in season two) that my heart actually started beating faster. Needless to say, my heart was very disappointed.
• The camera on the shovel was really cool. Maybe there could be an episode next season called "The Shovel," which is spent following Walt and Jesse vis-a-vis a shovel.
• Walt was really terrible to the three laundry women, confirming what Bogdan said about him being a boss. Of course, Walt is so myopic that he thinks he can control the situation. Tyrus promptly sends them back to Honduras, or maybe to their deaths.

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 5 Shotgun

Walt, Walt, Walt, Walt, Walt, Walt, Walt. Walt... No, I'm not Michael from Lost, but I am infuriated by Walt. Look at the situation he's in. Skyler wants him to move back in, Jesse is back on track, and most importantly, Hank thinks Gale is Heisenberg. What better situation could there be for Walt? Everything was as close to normal as it could be for a meth cooker. But Walt, partially influenced by alcohol, has to talk. No, he tells Hank, Gale is no genius--he is like a student, copying only without reasoning. Perhaps Heisenberg is still out there.

This is stunning stuff, because Walt took the crosshairs away from a dead body and put it closer towards himself, but this really isn't that unexpected. Walt is defined by his hubris and resulting self-destruction. It boils within him, and when Hank suggests it is Gale who is the genius, he just has to say something. It's happened before and it'll happen again. That's Walt, the guy who believes he deserves something from everyone. Well, Walt gets what he deserves--Hank back on the hunt and led to Los Pollos Hermanos.

It's fitting that Leverage aired alongside Breaking Bad tonight, because Gus's scheme to prop up Jesse's self-esteem seemed like a con Nathan Ford and his crew would do. We learn fairly quickly that Mike is not killing Jesse or even taking him out to the desert to teach him a lessen. Instead, is a cleverly orchestrated plot by Gus to get Jesse on the right side of the fence. They go around picking up cash until a guy with a shotgun walks up behind the car. Jesse saves the day and the rest is history. Little does he know that Gus was behind all of this. It seems like Gus wants to complete transform Jesse and possibly use him against Walt. In the case that this does happen, it'll suck for Walt, because we see that he really does care what happens to Jesse, so much so that he was willing to pull a gun on Gus.

After all the recent news that AMC was having trouble negotiating with Sony, Breaking Bad was renewed for a final 16 episode order. That leaves 24 episode left total, which seems like an adequate number to finish things off. The noose continues to tighten around Walt (perhaps self-induced), and the end will have to come some day.

Score: 9.2/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 4 Bullet Points

"Bullet Points" is an odd episode, split almost perfectly in half between Walt's family and Walt's work, with a perfectly logically reason for the transition. There is great turmoil in both parts, and at the center of it is Walt, who realizes he may be in too deep a hole to dig out of.

The episode begins with a lengthy conversation between Skyler and Walt, discussing how to explain Walt's gambling habit which provided the money for the car wash. It's mostly used for humor, as Skyler's script and Walt's reactions are rife with the funny charms Breaking Bad has. We've seen Walt plan before, but definitely not like that.

There is a kernel of impending doom, however, with Walt agreeing follow the script after Skyler's long-winded explanations. He realizes that he has to look like the Walter White everyone has always known, the meek, docile Walt who should be apologetic and ashamed. He can't take pride in what he does, not in front of Marie and Hank, nor with Skyler, who Walt needs to keep calm. Walt is back where he's always been, hiding the truth from everyone, except this time there are different lies for different people. Interestingly, the only person he can talk to is Saul, who functions both as a problem-solver and someone to get things off the chest.

For Skyler, it isn't easy either, though the humor of the way she went about planning the lie did take the edge off. She makes some good points when Walt tries to counter her, and we can sympathize with her predicament. She notes that unlike Walt she isn't as practiced at lying, defending her over-preparation and cutting at Walt a little. When Walt says that he doesn't want Walt Jr. to think any less of him, Skyler reminds him that her reputation has already suffered greatly, and Anna Gunn really brings out the hurt in Skyler.

Up until this point, the nothing much has happened in the episode yet, about a third of the way through. But Walt talks to Hank and wheels start moving. Hank shows them a DVD--a silly music video featuring Gale that leaves Walt Jr. and Hank laughing but Walt mortified. Later, Walt weasels his way into the investigation, offering to listen to Hank, and ends up reading Gale's notebook, which is filled with the whimsy that makes his death feel worse. Walt deftly knocks away the WW reference, and manages to gain lots of useful information, despite the precariousness of the situation. With Hank investigating and Walt leeching information, Walt is walking on a tightrope and one slip-up could mean the end.

The central plot point of the second half of the episode is whether anything will happen to Jesse. Walt and Saul both know who is first to go, if someone has to be killed, the surveillance camera is constantly following him, and Mike shows up to warn him and kick everyone out of the house. The thing is, Jesse doesn't give a fuck and lets everyone know. People come and go, someone even steals his cash, but nothing, not even Walt, can snap him out of it. Now, Mike is driving Jesse somewhere, possibly to be killed, and he still doesn't care. Breaking Bad has not killed a main character yet, after three seasons and countless close encounters. Is this the time it happens? All the pieces sure seem in place.

Another ongoing plot is the cartel moving in on Gus. The cold open is a scintillating scene in which cartel goons shoot up a Los Pollos Hermanos truck with Mike inside. Mike doesn't die and he sends a clear message to the cartel, killing the two with ease. He isn't unscathed, however, as we see his ear later in the episode. Things are messy now and it only gets downhill from here.

Score: 9.3/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 3 Open House

Three episodes into the season, and aside from Gus killing in the premiere, there has been almost no violence or even any threats of violence, as opposed to the previous three seasons which had plenty of violence or potential violence in the opening episodes. What this indicates to me is that Vince Gilligan is once again trying something new.

While the plots of the previous seasons were largely moved by external elements--introduction to the drug world, Tuco, Cousins, Gus--this season is about how the characters deal with what has been built up over time. How do these characters internalize what has happened them and move forward? Since the beginning of the show, there have been many dramatic changes and little breathing room for the characters. Now, in a time of relative inaction, how do the characters respond? These are the questions the episodes ask, rather than questions about whether someone will be killed, how to better distribute drugs, or who the cartel is going after next. Some people may not like this direction--and I certainly like those tense, pressure cooker episodes--but I think it's going well so far.

Following this general line of thought, "Open House," surprisingly, is an episode centered around Marie, a character one usually wouldn't strongly associate with the show. The writers take parts of the show we've already seen--her kleptomania and Hank's rudeness--to give us a fairly compelling look at how she is dealing with everything. There's nothing new to the episode except how Marie works with what she already has, nothing new added. After Hank throws another fit (over Marie buying Fritos instead of Cheetos...), we see her going to open houses, conjuring well thought out stories of her fantasy lives--and stealing a token from each house. It's awful to see what she has to go through and the lengths that she must go to in order to deal with Hank. She enters her fantasy worlds where everything fine, and once she is discovered, it all crumbles.

Jesse's downward spiral continues and he still isn't showing signs of climbing out. His feeble attempt to get Walt to go go-karting fails (the image of Walt on a go-kart brings back unpleasant memories of that House episode last season) , and he's left riding by himself, unleashing a scream of fury. Meanwhile, the eternal party at Jesse's house takes a big turn, as it has gotten completely out of control. The tone, the atmosphere, the people are distinctly different than the party last week, and still, Jesse does nothing. As he throws his money away, the message becomes clearer: Jesse doesn't give a fuck.

The plot moved along a bit for both Skyler and Hank's plots. Skyler closes the deal with Bogdan to buy the car wash, using underhanded tactics of getting a fake inspector, while making a few stipulations about not hurting innocent people and not using violence. Of course, Walt also began the show believing he could stay clean, and we know how that turned out. Skyler is falling deeper and deeper in the the criminal world and there's really nothing to stop her or slow her down. Her ambition is driving her, and Walt continues to lie about the dangers. And Hank is given Gale's notebook, which piques his interests, putting Walt in the distant crosshairs.

"Open House" is not an exciting episode, but it has plenty of emotional depth with Marie, who is often in the background, and allows us to see more of how the characters are dealing with what they've been through. It's been a tough time for everyone and it'll only get harder as time passes.

Score: 8.9/10

• I'm pretty sure some were miffed by the return of Marie's kleptomania, which was quite random in the first season, and I admit I was a little bothered at first, but the writers did a nice job integrating that into the plot as coping mechanism.
• Skyler worries about Walt buying a $300 bottle of champagne, but what about the $800K for the car wash? Did the writers explain how they would buy the car wash without cash? It makes a big difference in the way we view Skyler. Either she's being bitchy to Walt, or she's has rational concerns.

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 2 Thirty-Eight Snub

The shock of last week's brutal and bloody murder resonates throughout "Thirty-Eight Snub" as Walt, Jesse, and Mike--those who viewed the event other than the sociopath Gus--deal with it in their own ways. It's a messed up time for all of them, realizing how close they all were to this particular murder, and especially for Jesse who had killed another man a day earlier.

Walt proves himself to be the masterminding criminal we know him to be, purchasing a gun to kill Gus. This isn't any ordinary gun for Walt to haphazardly carry, though. It has its serial numbers filed off and Walt practices whipping it out as fast as possible. Walt's rationalization is about as scary as his precise calculation. When the gun seller questions him about the gun, Walt tells him it is for defense only and repeats this in his later conversation with Mike. Walt truly believes that what he wants to do, killing Gus, is purely self-defense and nothing more. This kind of thinking can go way overboard, but by now we know Walt won't consider the ramifications of his behavior or thought process.

With the combined weight of Victor's death and his own slaying of Gale, Jesse crashes hard, gathering Skinny Pete, Badger, and bunch of people for a days-long party in which lots of drugs and alcohol are consumed. Jesse's plot is riddled with futility and the ending shot, Jesse turning up the music and slumping down in his  trashed home, was very fitting. Though both initially clean, Skinny and Badger fold a few minutes after the drugs come out. As pathetic as they are (though extremely funny), Jesse is no better. Andrea shows up to question Jesse about money he left her and Jesse seems to believe she can get out of this world. Jesse, on the other hand, is not going anywhere soon, walking back into the house for another round of partying.

We see Mike in rare moments of distress, as he sits down to drink his coffee, groaning at this shit storm that was embroiled him. Before, he got orders from Gus and did them--and quite well I may add--but with Victor's murder, which must hit hard at home, Mike has more things to worry about.

Like Walt, Skyler thinks she has the ability to do something alone, buy the car wash in this case, and comes up empty. While Saul would certainly have made progress, her attempts to buy the car wash fail. The owner initially wants $10 million to which Skyler offers less than a million, citing her research. But the owner's offer is upped to $20 million because she is Walt's wife.

The plot with Marie and Hank hasn't gone anywhere in the first two episodes of the season, but it's clear what is happening. Hank is being a total dick and Marie is trying her hardest to put up with him. Their relationship will collapse eventually, if it hasn't already. Marie's behavior towards the physical therapist seemed to point to something, so we'll see.

Eventually, nothing major happens by the end of the episode. Walt ends up in front of Gus's house, Heisenberg hat on and ready to kill, but is called off at the last moment (My initial thought was that either Mike or Gus called him, but upon listening to it three times at high volume, I'm more inclined to say it was either Gus or a random henchman.) Later, Walt tries, with a rather flimsy argument, to convince Mike that it is in both their interest to kill Gus. But Mike will have none of that and pummels Walt into the ground. This is a far cry from the confident Walt who began the episode believing him would kill Gus. If he can't even handle Mike, how can he deal with Gus? There is a lingering question over Walt's lack of physical prowess and where his place in the world is. Is he going to get special training in order to fight against these people?

I'm curious to see how this season is plotted. In the previous three seasons, there was already some external element that presented a clear danger in the second episode--the Cousins in the third season, Tuco in the second, Krazy-8 in the first--but this episode didn't have much by way of plot development. There's no situation the characters have to extricate themselves from; instead, it is a battle of the minds, every character struggling with themselves, which provides the conflict.

Score: 9.2/10

• Jesse's sound system and Roomba instantly reminded me of DJ Roomba from Parks and Recreation. Jesse isn't quite on the level of Tom Haverford yet, combining the two in an unstoppable machine.
• Uncut pizza? Scissors!

Review - Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 1 Box Cutter

It's a good thing I rewatched the first two seasons the past month, because my heart may have exploded if I wasn't prepared. We've come to expect nothing less than brilliance from Breaking Bad, and Vince Gilligan and his crew deliver again with masterful hour of television, tugging the viewer left and right in a slow, methodical, but supremely suspenseful episode. There's not much more you need to say these days: it's Breaking Bad.

Continuing from the third season finale, "Box Cutter" begins with Gale alive, setting up the lab for Gus. It's an instant reminder of the person Jesse has just shot, a proud, unassuming chemist who finds an almost childish pleasure in these instruments Gus has for him. We soon learn that it was Gale who brought Walt on board, as he tries to convince Gus how great Walt's product is. To Gale, who is a chemist like Walt, 96% is a lot worse than 99%, and Gale wants the chemist with the best skills. Like everything else on the show, each decision brings with it a fateful consequence and for Gale that is death.

The mainstay of the episode is, of course, Walt and Jesse's confinement in the lab and the arrival of Gus. It's a tense stretch of time, as Walt and Jesse are unsure of their fate while Mike and Victor don't know what to expect either, and the viewers are in the same boat too. Gus arrives eventually and boy is it terrifying. The writers stretch it out as long as possible. Gus slowly removes his jacket, hangs it on a rack, and dons a protective suit. We know Gus is a quiet man who doesn't get down an dirty, but he's clearly preparing for something.

All the while, Walt tries to argue his case why he and Jesse should live, that only he knows the chemistry and that Victor following directions is limited. There is a moment of uncertainty when Walt realizes that Gus is completely silent, that anything can happen. But in bold move, Gus cuts Victor's throat, splattering blood everywhere. Now we see Gus getting his hands--and face--dirty. The murder doesn't come too much of a surprise, considering the early appearance of the box cutters (I like to think of them like Gilligan's box cutters, a corollary to Chekhov's gun), but the manner in which it is done is brutal, quick, and shows us exactly who Gus is. And just as Gus entered the lab, he exits, first rinsing himself off, removing the protective suit, and then putting his jacket back on. Cold, deliberate, and utterly frightening.

There are a couple reasons why Gus would kill Victor. Obviously he wants to scare Walt and Jesse, but there are other reasons why. Victor called Gale a few times and even went into his apartment, evidence for the police to track back to Victor and ultimately Gus. Victor now knows the ingredients for Walt's perfect meth formula, and after Victor demonstrated some capability of making a batch, Gus wants to get rid of them. The reasons are good alone, but it is the indifference of Gus that is frightening. He isn't the out of control drug boss like Tuco. He's smart, deadly, and uncaring--the deadliest combination possible.

There is a cute (or disturbing, however you want to look at it) callback to the failed attempt by Jesse in the first season to dissolve Emilio's body in the bathtub. Three seasons later, Walt and Jesse are knowledgeable and capable of getting it done correctly.

Those few plot elements--Gus showing up, killing Victor, and leaving--basically make up the episode and were relatively skimpy compared to most episodes. Skyler has several scenes in which she is worried about Walt's whereabouts, even tricking a locksmith into getting her into Walt's condo. She finds the teddy bear's eye from the second season, but nothing else, and is none the wiser when Walt returns. Walt's in new clothes, tells a couple lies, and he's back to Walter White, normal guy (or, to Skyler, drug cooker who's not in big trouble). Hank and Marie's scenes weren't crucial to the episode, but there is a conflict brewing. Marie still has lots of medical bills and Hank has taken up buying rocks online, or minerals as he calls it

Looking ahead, there are several issues to tackle. The biggest is Gale's notebook which surely has information about Gus's lab and the blue meth. It's out in plain sight and the police will read it eventually, once again focusing attention on Walt. We'll see how well Gus can deflect this incursion. The second thing is Jesse, who is visibly rattled after shooting Gale. Even at Denny's (yum!), Jesse seemed very distant and out of it. After losing Jane, murdering a man in cold blood, and seeing another man killed right in front of him, he must be feeling messed up.

Score: 9.4/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 12 Phoenix / 13 ABQ

Sorry I procrastinated on the final two episodes. They're here, though, a few hours before the fourth season begins, rounding out reviews for the entire show thus far.

"Phoenix"

Walt is so contemptible in "Phoenix" that it's impossible to defend him at this point. He is practically delusional in his inability to see straight, and his warped mind, which was once a product of the drug dealing, now manifests itself freely at home. He speaks to his baby daughter about all the great things he's done, all the money he's earned, ignoring all the negatives. Then, when his son decides to set up a website for his father, Walt scoffs at the website and the idea of charity. There is a bitter vileness in his tone as he said this, and he doesn't realize how hurt his son is.

In the stunning final scene, Walt goes to Jesse's place and finds Jesse and Jane passed out from drug use before Jane starts choking. He stares and stares as she dies and does nothing. Walt is not doing this for Jesse. He is doing this so Jesse can get back to cooking as soon as possible. It is at this point where Walt has become directly complicit in a woman's death. He could have saved her but chose not to even try. Shame on you, Walt.

Score: 9.4/10

"ABQ"

The second season, following the shortened first season, solidified Breaking Bad as one of television's top shows (while the third solidified it as the best), and "ABQ" caps a season of character growth--or what is more like character devolvement. Walt began the season with his family intact and supportive of him, but as he went further into the drug world, withdrawing and insulating himself, he lost them. There are always prices to pay and Walt surely pays them. The question is, however, does it even matter to him? Ostensibly, Walt seems to care that his wife is leaving him, but is that for reasons greater than that he views it as a personal affront?

Meanwhile, Jesse is basically in Hell, having woken up to find his girlfriend dead. It's hard for him not to feel guilty, and Walt later finds him in a drug den. Interestingly, Walt seeks Jesse, his partner, in the end. There is a connection between them, not solely about drug but of the kind of people they've become. Walt sees Jesse as a version of him, a tortured soul done in by outside forces. In reality, though, it is Walt who brought it upon himself--and Jesse.

The final scene is, in my opinion, truly brilliant on every level. This is the culmination of a season in which Walt has gone from bad to horrific, from teacher leaving money for his family to brutal drug dealer, from loving family man to inhuman creature. It Walt who brings this upon himself and everyone around him. As the planes crash above Walt's head and the debris comes down upon him, the audience is given the full impact of Walt's doings.

Indeed, we can trace Walt's roll in the plane crash which is happens right above his head. He is the one who led Jesse to expand the drug business and he was the one who watched as Jane died while doing nothing. There are no excuses and the audience knows it. But Walt, on the other hand, will not acknowledge. He is fine lying and obfuscating the truth, let along acknowledging his wrongdoing. In his eyes, everything he's done has been right and those who don't see the same way are simply wrong.

Although I personally think the ending is great, there are certainly reasons why it is a cop-out. From the season premiere, we were led to believe something horribly bad happen--to an important character on the show. Instead, it is two planes filled with anonymous people while all the characters are only minutely influenced. For all the flourish of the scenes, there was little direct impact to the show's fabric. But I think that's part of what makes the ending such a good twist, our expectations completely reversed with Walt being the perpetrator instead of the victim. It follows the general pattern of the season and is very striking image.

Score: 9.5/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 10 Over / 11 Mandala

"Over"

Breaking Bad began as a show about a man dying of cancer who wanted to leave behind enough money to support his family. This was a noble goal--marred by the illegality and immorality of the business he engaged in--which he carried out fairly well. But in the previous episode, ""4 Days Out," Walt learns that his tumor diminished significantly and likely will not die. It begs the question, "What now?"

The episode begins with a disturbing confrontation between Walt and Hank, Walt drinking lots of alcohol and also pouring plenty for his son before Hank tries to stop him. We see Walt's alter-ego, Heisenberg, come out, the mean, angry man who won't let anyone dictate to him. Walt doesn't care what anyone thinks and, now drunk, isn't afraid to express his opinions loudly. Truly fantastic acting from Bryan Cranston.


Walt spends the majority of the episode fixing the house while his family stares at him, not entire sure who this  person is. He isn't the angry drunk they saw earlier, but he also isn't the mopey, absent Walt from a few episodes ago. Most telling is Walt's inability to sense anything is wrong, going about business without a care in the world. Eventually, Walt goes to the hardware store where he finds a guy buying products likely intended for meth production. Seeing the wrong items, Walt tells him what to buy instead before the guy runs off. Outside, Walt sees the guy and his boss, a bald guy. It's kind of a funny situation, given the similarities to Walt and Jesse, but Heisenberg comes out and tells the bald guy to leave. And so, Walt returns to what he's been itching for the whole time, the drug trade and the money.

Jane's character is expanded a tad bit when we see her react to her father's arrival. They seem to be on good terms, but considering Jane's past as an addict, there is definitely something interesting there. While Walt is acting odder by the day, Skyler turns to work, or more precisely, her boss Ted who is also interested in her. Nothing has happened between them yet, but

The teddy bear flashback gave us the clearest picture yet of what happened. We see Walt's car in the driveway with a broken windshield as well as several body bags. Yeah, something really bad happened.

Score: 9.2/10

"Mandala"

The arrival of Gus Fring marks an important turning point for Breaking Bad, when Walt and Jesse go from street-level guys to the corporate-level. This is especially important because of what happens in the third season and the season finale. After Combo is shot during the cold open, a deliciously frightening scene, Walt turns to Saul who points him in direction to get rid of the 38 pounds.

Gus is essentially the person Walt wants to be but isn't. He's the owner of the Los Pollos Hermanos chain and undistinguished by appearance. He doesn't hang out with addicts or do anything that would call attention to himself. Simply put, he's a normal guy, discreet and unsuspecting. Giancarlo Esposito plays the character perfectly and his first appearance as a manager talking to Walt doesn't clue the viewer into his real character. In comparison, Walt, despite his seemingly high standard, is far from the model drug boss. His second in command is a druggie, and he often gets into situations in which he could get caught. But the one thing Walt has are his cooking skills and his current load of meth, and Gus recognizes his worth.

At the same time, Jesse and Jane end up in a terrible position. Jane gives in and starts shooting up again, introducing Jesse to heroin. The blame for her relapse can't really fall on Jesse since she had plenty of chances to ward him off--when he originally came to rent the place, when she smelled the pot, when he invited her to watch TV, when she figured out he was a drug dealer. Also, Jane's eventual fate truly spells out who was wrong.

While everyone is falling onto old habits, Skyler is no different. She discovers that Ted has been doing some illegal accounting to keep the company afloat, and he even admits that. Skyler initially tells him she won't be coming back, but returns to him, knowing he is supportive of her when her husband has not been. We all know where this is leading and it isn't pretty.

The episode ends on a frantic set of events, Gus's man telling Walt to deliver a shipment in a certain window or the partnership is done forever. The problem is, Jesse has the stash and he's currently passed out on the bed. Luckily, Walt acts quickly, breaking the back door, waking Jesse, and getting the meth--while Skyler goes into labor. This is Walt pushed to the limit and he seems to have won on the drug side of things, but he family problems are still as big as ever and constantly growing.

Score: 9.0/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 8 Better Call Saul / 9 4 Days Out

"Better Call Saul"

The arrival of Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) comes with the shift from a small-time operation to a large-scale operation and with his distinct personality and the situation at hand, "Better Call Saul" is very funny most of the time while still maintaining a degree of tension.

This all starts when Badger is arrested, tricked by a detective played by DJ Qualls who exploits his stupidity. Jesse turns to Saul who apparently helped Emilio with serious charges. As Jesse tells Walt, they don't want criminal lawyer; they want a criminal lawyer. Saul is that sleezy kind of lawyer, the one with cheesy commercials and everything else crass.

The plan starts going awry when Walt, talking to Saul, learns that the DEA is involved and hunting down Heisenberg. Of course, this means Walt tries to do everything possible to stop any deal from going through, something Saul doesn't quite understand. After Walt and Jesse kidnap him and threaten him, Saul figures out what's going on and gets with the program. He's perfectly fine getting into the drug business--as long as he gets thousands of dollars. There are a few more snags, but Badger is out in the end and a fake Heisenberg is fed to the DEA.

An interesting scene in the episode is when Saul asks why they don't just have Badger killed. After all, if the goal was so Badger couldn't spill the beans, then the easiest solution would be to have him killed. Compared to the eventual, complex solution, this would be much easier. But Walt and Jesse aren't those kind of people--yet. They're not entirely comfortable killing people, much less an associate, in cold blood. For now, they are able to avert this situation, but it's definitely something to think about.

Jesse's new girlfriend seems very normal, but she admits she has been 8 months clean. Oh uh...

Score: 9.3/10

"4 Days Out"

While "4 Days Out" is a great episode with all the hallmarks of a special Breaking Bad episode, I have a complaint to levy against it. Part of the appeal of the episode is the sense of danger, that someone may die or that someone may get hurt. Each plot development sinks Jesse and Walt further and further into danger, but in the end nobody is seriously hurt and the crisis completely averted. At some point, situations in which Walt and Jesse are placed in immediate harm will become tired if there aren't fatal consequences.

In need of quick cash, Walt lies to Jesse about the methylamine going back in order to go to the desert for a multi-day cooking session by lying, and lies to Skyler about visiting his mother for a few days. Already, Walt is on shaky ground, but it only gets worse.

The episode takes us through the biggest of ironies once the trouble beings, using brilliant callbacks to items--keys, water, cell phone, etc--referenced earlier in the episode. With over a million dollars worth of meth in the RV, the battery dies, leaving them stranded. They try to use the generator to start the battery, but it fails and blows up in flames. Jesse's boneheaded response is to dump all the water on it. Then, Jesse calls Skinny Pete but Skinny drives to the wrong place and the phone dies while calling him back. After hand cranking the generator fails, they are left in the desert to die.

In the end, Walt rigs up a battery to start the engine and they get out fine, but not before serious contemplation. Walt cannot believe that he's really in this position, stranded in the middle of nowhere with his punk Jesse. Each fateful decision he's made has put him closer to this position and now he'll face the consequences. But in a last twist, when Walt gets back to see the doctor, he learns that the cancer is in remission. Now what?

Walt's final outburst, striking the paper towel dispenser, shows up perfectly what Walt must be thinking. Originally setting out to get money for his family before dying, Walt has become another person, unrecognizable from when the series began. And this wouldn't be too bad if Walt was indeed going to die. But now Walt learns he won't die, and that he'll have to live with himself far longer than intended. This twist of fate is disturbing and Walt surely knows it.

Score: 9.5/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 6 Peekaboo / 7 Negro y Azul

"Peekaboo"

Just when you think, "Oh, it's the middle of the season and Breaking Bad will serve up a dud soon," we get another stunner of an episode, each minute more gripping than the last, further exploring these characters we've come to know and the world they've created.

Vince Gilligan masterfully strings viewers along, as Jesse is sent to retrieve drugs and/or money from Spooge and his woman before running into trouble. In true Breaking Bad fashion, things just don't work out as they should. First, Jesse shows up to their house, gun drawn, and is prepared to do whatever it takes. But they aren't there. Instead, there is a small child whose non-reaction to everything sums up how he's been brought up by these druggies. Jesse gets the jump on Spooge when they return and Spooge begins cracking open an ATM to repay Jesse. Of course, the tables are quickly turned when Jesse pays a little too much attention to the kid. As quickly as that happens, though, Spooge gets ahead of himself, calling his woman "skank" one too many times and gets his head squashed by the ATM.

There is some levity afterwards, cash pumping out of the ATM at Jesse's feet, but it's a terrifying experience overall, much like the earlier captivity by Tuco. Spooge and his woman are disturbing to the fullest degree--how they look, how they act--not to mention the wake of dead bodies they left behind at the store. The cinematography, with the green lights shining into the house, works wonders, making Spooge and his woman look scarier than they already are.

Through all of this, Jesse comes off as a sympathetic guy (in contrast to Walt). He makes sure to keep the kid safe, feeds him, and even entertains him. Jesse has to realize that selling drugs isn't exactly helping the kid's situation. But at the end of the day, Jesse has to walk away and not turn back. Shit happens in the world and you gotta move on.

Possibly more disturbing is Walt in the episode. I'm not sure anyone could be supportive of him at this point. He's a real asshole. There is a mean bitterness to him now, the feeling that he deserves what he wants and that he is always in the right. Coupled with his lies, Walt becomes this unrecognizable creature who is almost as despicable as Tuco was. His worst moment comes when he's talking to Gretchen about the situation, trying to explain why he lied to his wife about receiving money from her and her husband. His statement: I'm very, very, very, very sorry, but I won't tell you why. When she pushes him further, he strikes back, unleashing all his resentment on her and blaming her for everything. The most telling moment is when Gretchen explains the situation--that Walt was the one who abandoned her. And does Walt state his side of the story? Nope. He's right and she's wrong, no matter which way it went down.

Walt's final act in the episode sums up who he has become, a lying bastard who has strayed far from his original path. After Skyler tells Walt that Gretchen told her that she and Elliot could no longer pay for Walt's treatment, Walt the mastermind comes up with a set of lies to fit the situation. He drove to Santa Fe earlier in the day to talk to they and found out they have no money. It perfectly explains Walt's long absence and why Gretchen didn't want to elaborate.

Score: 9.5/10

"Negro y Azul" 

After a half season of the drug trade slowly getting back on its feet and expanding, "Negro y Azul" sows the seeds for further expansion and the very real perils it brings, tying together Walt and Jesse's plot on the American side of the border, and Hank's plot on the other side of the border. It's a volatile mix--one that Walt indirectly continues to push for.

Walt's initial dismay over Jesse's attitude fades once he learns that people actually think it was Jesse who squashed Spooge. Cunning as ever, Walt sees this as an opportunity: if people think Jesse is a big badass, everyone will be scared of him, even drug dealers currently controlling other parts of the city. Jesse is the blowfish! At the end of the episode, Heisenberg meets up with Jesse's three dealers and Jesse later tells them to start hiring more people to expand their empire.

Hank is off in El Paso and out of his element, unable to speak Spanish and still reeling from his experience with Tuco. It doesn't help when he and others go down to Mexico, only to find the head of their informant Tortuga on top of a tortoise. Yeah, freaky stuff and well-directed. Then the tortoise blows up, not harming Hank who thankfully walked away to the car but killing several and gravely wounding others. In the chaos, Hank runs out to help and, along with the viewer, sees the absolutely gruesome sight.

The implication of all this is that the growing elements of Walt's drug trade in New Mexico is not just local, but also international, where the gangsters are not mindless hardasses like Tuco but smart, sadistic killers who can pinpoint targets from far away. Walt has no idea what he's stepping into, believing Jesse's new reputation of head-stomper is enough to protect the trade. Those who rigged the tortoise would probably laugh off Jesse and his supposed exploits.

Without an A-plot that really drives the episode, there is a lot of other stuff going on in the episode. Jesse befriends his landlord Jane and by the end of the episode, they hold hands in front of a blank television. Of course, since this is Breaking Bad, we have to wonder when this cute stuff will descend into madness. Skyler, thinking the family needs money, gets her old job back very easily. It's clear something was going on between her and her boss before she quit and it makes her uncomfortable, but it also seems like she enjoys the allure of having a boss that caters to her.

The narcocorrido at the end of the episode was pretty catchy, I guess, just as long you don't pay attention to what's being depicted.

Score: 9.2/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 4 Down / 5 Breakage

"Down"

As Breaking Bad moves forward, the events with Tuco remain a major force, the consequences reverberating through each character. It is at this point when the show is its darkest and most powerful, when the character drama comes to the top, transcending drug dealing or cancer.

Up until "Down," almost everyone could sympathize with Walt for what he had to deal with--cancer, drugs, Tuco, pregnant wife, son with cerebral palsy. But here, we see what a real asshole Walt has become. He treats Jesse-once an equal partner--like crap, and expects his family to reciprocate to whatever he does. Walt wants everything to be fine, but in his self-centered world, other should respond to him, not the other way around. So, when he continually wants to do things with Skyler or Flynn (I guess I wouldn't want to be named after Walt either), they reject him and his bizarre behavior.

Skyler wants answers, and when Walt refuses to provide any, she becomes fed up. She eventually smokes some cigarettes--over the glaring eyes of the public--and we begin to lose a bit of sympathy with her as well. It's understandable what drove her to this place, but it still doesn't excuse her actions. In any case, Breaking Bad has never been about virtuous people always doing virtuous things, or even having characters act consistently, and Skyler's exemplifies this uneasy tension that exists for every character.

While Walt inadequately deals with his problems, Jesse hits rock bottom and practically has no options. His parents take their home back after seeing Jesse's lab, leaving their son out on the street. Jesse tries to room with a friend who is now married with a child, but finds himself woefully out of place, out again showing Jesse's descent from nice suburban kid to low-life junkie with no home. Then he tries to get back to his trailer and falls in a porta potty. He ends up in his trailer, doused in blue chemical and excrement, curled up on the floor with the gas mask and crying. It's truly a pathetic sight and Aaron Paul plays the role perfectly.

The burnt pink bear returns this week to be placed into an evidence bag. Now we know Walt's house is a crime scene, but we don't have any indication why. On another note, I know happens with the bear and it's simply brilliant whenever I think of  how Vince Gilligan planned everything.

Score: 9.6/10

"Breakage"

After dealing with the aftermath of Tuco for two episodes, Breaking Bad begins to move forward again, setting the table plot-wise. We see the beginnings of Walt and Jesse's drug operation, Hank getting a promotion, and a possible new character in Jesse's landlord. It makes for a episode that moves relatively fast, though without the tension of some previous episodes.

Jesse is very active in the episode and cobbles together a crew consisting of Badger, Skinny Peter, and Combo to sell the meth Walt is cooking. It goes fine for the most part, but Skinny Peter is robbed by Spooge and looses a thousand dollars, which angers Walt. Immediately, there are problems in this plan--people can steal from them and they don't exactly have the muscle Tuco had. Walt poses a solution at the end, handing a gun to Jesse to deal with the problem. Along with potential thieves, the operation is in danger of DEA scrutiny, as the DEA is already focusing on Heisenberg, blue meth, and whoever Tuco's replacement will be.

Hank has gotten a lot to do this season, and we see more cracks in his armor. He is having panic attacks over Tuco, and being assigned to a border taskforce has him on edge. In a way, Hank is a mirror of Walt. In his private life with his family and friends, Walt is the poor guy with cancer who is timid and mild. But in his work life--and in his mind--Walt is tough and unforgiving. On the other hand, Hank is the tough guy with family and friends, but is dreadfully scared in his mind and when he is by himself.

On top of the pink bear mystery, we see some illegals at the beginning of the episode find Tuco's grill in what appears to be the Rio Grande. This mystery is solved soon enough, though, when we see Hank toss the grill into the river at the end of the episode.

RIP Kim Manners, one of the great television directors.

Score: 9.2/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 2 Grilled / 3 Bit by a Dead Bee

"Grilled"

"Grilled" takes Breaking Bad to new heights with one of the most choking experiences ever. Walt and Jesse are trapped with Tuco and Tio for almost the entire episode and the plot is draining every step of the way. Tuco is such a weird character that his mere presence is frightening--to Walt and Jesse, and also the viewers. We don't know when he'll snap, or even what he wants. But one certainty is that he is crazed and can inflict severe damage to anyone.

As the plot moves ahead, Walt and Jesse are left with fewer and fewer options while Tuco is going crazy about Gonzo. First they contemplate attacking Tuco, but there is nothing to use. Then they try to poison Tuco, but Tio stops them by knocking the plate onto the ground. The scenes with Tio are scary in that their fates lie in the hands of this bell, which also makes it a little funny. And as much as Walt and Jesse try to talk their way out, Tio is still a sharp guy who knows what's going on.

Finally, Tuco takes them outside and begins beating on Jesse before Jesse manages to shoot Tuco. The situation is resolved when Hank, looking for Jesse, arrives and is surprised to find Tuco but kills him nonetheless. I could certain see where one could be miffed by this easy resolution, Hank of all people saving Walt and Jesse from Tuco without actually seeing them, but Tuco was a loose cannon ready to go and he would have to go eventually. And it's not like the story is over right there. Walt still has to explain his whereabouts for the past few days and his other cell phone, and those explanations could drudge up even more questions.

Meanwhile, Skylar, Marie, Walt Jr., and Hank all go out to look for Walt and we see how much of a toll it puts on all of them, especially Skylar. It also doesn't help that Marie is still in denial about the tiara. Again, the secondary characters are used effectively to balance the tension of Walt and Jesse's scenes and it works nicely.

Like the season premiere, "Grilled" begins with an ominous set of images, though no in black and white, depicting Jesse's low-rider, windshield blown out, bouncing up and down. This is explained at the end of the episode, but we don't get any new information about the pool or charred bear.


Score: 9.3/10

"Bit by a Dead Bee"

"Grilled" sets up an exceedingly tense situation for Walt and Jesse to get out of, and "Bit by a Dead Bee" immediately follows up on that with their explanations. Breaking Bad once again proves it shift gears in an instant and set its character on a new path.

Walt's explanation is filled with deception, layers upon layers of lies. He shows up in the middle of a grocery store naked as part of the plan to show how messed up his mind was, backing up his statement that he doesn't remember anything. It all makes for a convenient yet plausible explanation. Here is a guy with cancer, with bills to pay, a pregnant wife, and cerebral palsy. When he lies to the psychiatrist about the actual "truth," it sort of fits together. Only Walt is hiding something much, much darker. Walt proves himself to be a master liar, fooling his wife and doctors, and it's very convincing with Bryan Cranston behind the wheels.

Since Hank was originally looking for Jesse when he found Tuco, Jesse is the focus of Hank who quickly catches Jesse. But Jesse has a tight alibi which the hooker confirms, and Tio refuses to cooperate. Just like that, with Jesse is free, the trailer in a safe place, and Walt itching to cook and earn money, they can go right back into the business.

Left out, of course, is Walt's family. They don't know what's going on with Walt and are disturbed by his indifference. Walt sneaks back home to retrieve the money and spots Skylar and Walt Jr. trying to deal with the situation. Alas, he says nothing and sneaks out to enter the drug world again, leaving them to suffer. It's difficult to put any blame on Walt other than his inattention to his family. He has to lie or else he'll be thrown in prison, and he wants money for his family. At this moment he's still on the path he set out on in the first episode.

Score: 9.4/10

Review - Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 1 Seven Thirty-Seven

Perhaps the most memorable part of the second season of Breaking Bad is the opening scene and its later follow-ups. The season begins, quite ominously, in black and white--a hose dripping, wind chime moving, sirens blaring. We have no clue what's going on, but the writers are obviously telling us this is important, even if don't know why. Soon, something more ominous enters the screen, an eyeball floating in a swimming pool, before seeing where it came from--a pink teddy bear that is slowly revealed to be charred on one half. With that, the second season of Breaking Bad begins with a clear message: there will be scary shit going down. As always, there is incredible directing and imagery, using only a minute to convey a very powerful feeling.

"Seven Thirty-Seven" takes no time reintroducing the immediate concerns for Walt and Jesse, first replaying the last scene from the first season and then adding further content, more of Tuco being crazy and his henchman actually dying. The whole time, Walt and Jesse are shocked, staring at this dead guy and Tuco, realizing how fucking insane everything is. But money is money, and Walt needs about $700,000 for his family after his death, only 10 weeks worth of meth.

The rest of the drug plot for the episode doesn't advance too much until the end. Jesse believes that Tuco wants them killed and Walt soon follows. This is confirmed when Hank, in a too-big-to-believe coincidence, sends Walt a photo of some dead bodies--Tuco's dead henchman and Gonzo, the fat henchman. Their is lots of fear going around, but also resolve. Walt concludes that the only course of action is to strike back and hopefully kill Tuco. Before that can happen, though, Jesse pulls up in front of Walt's house--with Tuco in the backseat holding a gun.

The writers have done a good job incorporating the other characters sicne the middle of the first season, and it really shows in "Seven Thirty-Seven." Skylar is a major character in the episode, and all the weight is on her. She has to deal with Walt's increasingly erratic behavior, Walt Jr.'s behavior, Marie's overall bitchiness, and Hank's denial about the extent Marie's problems. By the end of the episode, she's just at her wits end, exhausted by all these things swirling around her.

The first, shortened season of Breaking Bad was a highly successful season of television that was funny (in a dark way, of course), harrowing, and deeply sad. Now with a full 13-episode season ahead, Breaking Bad continues to tap into these elements with great result.

Score: 9.3/10