What I Watch: Breaking Bad 5.15 - "Granite State"

If "Ozymandias" felt like being creamed by a runaway Pontiac Aztec, then "Granite State" was the equivalent of Peter Gould (the writer AND director of this episode) backing that car over us, grinding our guts into the pavement. I fully expect the finale will feature Mister Gilligan himself stepping out of the vehicle and putting a bullet in our collective brain pans.

Last week dealt with the immediate impact of Walt's choices. But this penultimate episode of BREAKING BAD was more about the long-lasting and lingering effects of what Walt has done....those consequential echoes that either literally or figuratively continue to imprison Jesse and Skyler. And fittingly enough, it is Walt's own skewed perception of his "lasting impact" that will lead him back to Albuquerque.

Walt Is Mad (cough cough)

Walt is in full-on rage mode. He's compartmentalized the recent horrors he's essentially responsible for (the death of Hank and Gomez, the betrayal by his surrogate son Jesse, and the deeper cutting betrayal and loss of his actual family), reducing it all to wanting revenge on the Jack Welker and the Neo-Nazi gang for their betrayal -- stealing his money. One could say there's no honor among thieves, especially those who brandish swastika tattoos all over their bodies.

Walt's bloodlust is countered by some solid points from Nebraska-bound Saul. True, Walt's phone call may eventually lead to a mistrial for Skyler, but that's many months from now. In the meantime, she will be forever linked to the meth-manufacturing murderer Heisenberg.  Which means she loses the car wash, loses the house, their assets are frozen and good luck getting a decent job. But since Walt is likely to eventually succumb to the cancer, why not give himself up?  That's the best chance to completely exonerate Skyler, and it's also what can finally "free his family".

And at this point, going down that road may even feed into Walt's ever-present ego problems and his need for acknowledgement, for respect, for significance. Remember, this is the man who couldn't stand the idea that Hank thought that Gale was Heisenberg. Saul even picks at that scab by saying that Walt could be the "Dillinger of the Metropolitan Detention Center".

But in one the ever-present running themes of the series, Walt has tunnel vision that's further blinded by emotion. And while he's slotted away all the family tragedies, it always comes back to the money. As Jesse said, that was the way to get to Walt, and his consistent self-denial of his culpability in everything else leaves those remaining six barrels of money as his sole focus. Interesting that Walt's most common way of disposing of his enemies also involved barrels -- only those filled with acid, not money.

However, Walt's impulse to once again act upon his anger is restrained by both his failing health (which affords Saul the opportunity to finally sever their relationship) and his limiting circumstances (he's in no position to be dialing up hit squads -- or anybody, for that matter). Walt has been neutered, and even with millions at his disposal, he's as powerless as he was when he first learned he had the big "C".

Jesse is Smart...Wait, Maybe Not-So Smart

Jesse gets his inner MacGyver (or is it his inner Walter White) going when he uses a paper clip to pick the multiple handcuff locks. Of course, I wondered if Jesse discreetly took the photo from the lab during one of the cooks? Maybe Todd would have let him have the picture of Andrea & Brock, but certainly not the paper clip. Jesse stacks his folded up paper-thin mattress and his piss bucket, and after exhibiting an America's Got Talent-worthy sense of balance -- he leaps and grabs the grating. Slides the bolt and he's free...smart kid.

...or is he? After hiding in the shadows for all of ten seconds, he then breaks for the barbed wire fence (instead of discreetly checking out the entire perimeter) while running past a camera (which one can assume is in working order, or else why show it at all). So OF COURSE his escape is going to be short-lived. Dumb. 

And then he eggs on his captors, declaring he'd rather die than ever cook again. Meaning he's already forgotten that photo he was clutching in his hand earlier that evening. The one thing that the Neo-Nazis were using to compel him to work for them. He forgot about the safety of Andrea and Brock. Double dumb. Remember, he's already witnessed Todd coldly execute an innocent child, so why would he ever think the threat against Andrea and her son would be an empty one?

One cannot deny that every tragic death does ultimately lead back to Walt, but this is one that didn't have to happen. It may be a notion most of us won't want to admit, but despite the fact it was the Dead-Eyed Opie that pulled the trigger, the lion's share of blame actually lands on Mister Pinkman's shoulders.

Todd and the Ladies

This may have been the best work by Jesse Plemons (Todd) on the series to date. Witness:

~His prideful smile while watching Jesse Pinkman recount his murder of Drew Sharpe is nothing short of chillingly creepy. 

~His "aw shucks" embarrassment when his Uncle Jack chides him for his crush on Lydia as well as his noticeable ire when Jack continues to insult her. 

~His treatment of Jesse like a pet, rewarding him with ice cream (Stephen Colbert shout-out with "Americone Dream").

~His taking the scary meter up a few notches by threatening Skyler and the insinuation that her family is at risk as well

~His schoolboy crush when he meets Lydia. Unlike Mike, he totally goes along with the "sitting back to back in a public place" plan that ever-skittish Lydia prefers.

~And finally, his cold, flat, "this isn't personal" execution of Andrea. 

I've said before that BREAKING BAD constantly reminds us that nothing is as it seems and things are rarely black and white (the "Grey Matter" name of the corporation has always stood as a metaphor for the series as a whole).  However, Todd and his Uncle Jack are about the closest we get to the dark abyss of "black" since Tuco, and at least he was demonstrably insane and often in a drug-induced frenzy. 

My friend/producer said to me this to me last night, and it rings truer than Uncle Tio's bell: 

How do you make us root for a villain? By giving us a worse villain. 

So how can anyone possible ever root for Walter White? By making HIS antagonists even worse. It's no accident that Uncle Jack and his crew all have prominently featured swastika tattoos, as that is universally recognized as THE symbol of evil.

Walt is Sad (cough cough)

The months go by, and Walt's now sporting the Unibomber look we saw in those flash forwards. But his existence has been a lonely and sad one.  Outside of the bundles of newspapers and family updates that Robert Forster* brings, Walt has no connection to the outside world. No TV, no phone, no internet, nothing.

*I realize that as of yet, the character that Robert Forster plays is unlisted on IMDB. I was told that Gilligan has been referring to him as "The Disappearer", and perhaps I'll use that term on the two podcasts later tonight and tomorrow (more on that later).  I originally referred to him as 'The Mini-Van Man", but that makes little sense after the first few minutes of the episode. He's not exactly "The Wolf" or "The Cleaner" (though working out of a "Best Vacuum Service" front makes that last one somewhat appropriate). Anyway, back to Walt...

Still, this is the life Walt has chosen instead of giving up, even if he is still a prisoner. He hasn't given up on living just yet, as he continues to receive chemo treatments administered by Forster. But how effective getting such treatments on a monthly basis as opposed to weekly -- I suspect this is only delaying the inevitable. Walt's diminishing health is made clear not just due to his coughing jags or his weight loss, but by what he says to Forster after pleading with him to stay for just two hours (and Forster cruelly negotiates him down to just one hour)

"One of these days, when you come up here...I'll be dead. 

My money over there -- what happens to it then? 

What if I ask you to give it to my family? Would you do it?"

Even if he hasn't quite given up. he has accepted the fact that due to the circumstances (unable to get regular medical treatment), he IS going to be beaten by cancer after all.

But when he he finally makes his way to a local town bar and contacts Flynn, the last light in Walt's decayed soul is then snuffed out. His son not only rejects him, but wishes he were dead. Walt's scheme, an ill conceived salve of a $100,000 care package -- is rendered pointless. And that's when he truly gives up. He calls the Albuquerque DEA office, identifies himself, and leaves the receiver dangling as he sits down at the bar for one last drink...

Walt is Mad Again

And here we're beaned by the curveball we never saw coming, even as it harkens all the way back to Season One. In fact, it's tethered to the events that began the rotting of Walt's soul long before that ill-fated medical diagnosis.  When the metaphoric cancer in Walt's life first metastasized: Grey Matter.

As he watches the Charlie Rose interview with Gretchen and Elliott Schwartz, Walt's pride and ego don't just take a Pinkman-esque beating; every accomplishment, every aspect of his legacy good and bad is dissected and made to seem trivial and unimportant. His contribution to the creation of Grey Matter was nothing but helping to come up with the name. He's just a criminal whose product is still being produced without him, and he's seen as little more than a sad, sweet little schmuck who gave into his baser urges and broke bad.

As this goes on, Walt's long empty tank of rage (like the very tanker he was hidden inside when transported to New Hampshire) is finally refueled. The dormant side of his nature truly rises once again. Several months ago, it was only but a glimmer when he put on the infamous hat. But this proves that "clothes don't make the man (or in this case, "Heisenberg")" -- we're responsible for our own decisions and those consequences.  

Mere moments after telling his son things happened that he never intended -- the time has finally passed for reaping what he has sown. His life, his legacy -- adding up to nothing?  That's more than simply pride and ego, it's the need to have mattered ("Grey Matter"-ed). 

And for what I believe is the first time in all 61 episodes, the actual Breaking Bad "theme" is used in the show, as the final shot is accompanied by those familiar twanging guitar chords. From an unfinished drink to unfinished business...

Up until this episode, we have been speculating as to why Walt returns to Albuquerque. Was it revenge, was it for his family, was it for the money, was it for Jesse...was it for something else entirely? Turns out we were all right and we were all wrong. Walt's not returning for any ONE specific reason.   

Now, it's all about settling scores. 

PS: Some of you may know that I've been a featured guest on the Breaking Geek podcast. It's a fairly free-spirited, occasionally ribald and always entertaining conversational podcast with the gang from Geek Girl Soup. We've been recording Tuesday nights, and they're usually available to feed your ears the next day. You can find them here: http://www.geekgirlsoup.com

However...I am ALSO going to be co-hosting a LIVE Breaking Bad podcast with Jack (of the Jay & Jack Podcasting Empire) for the next two Monday nights starting at 9 PM Eastern Standard Time. 

Not only will you get the full recap that I've largely abandoned in these blogs, but there should be some LIVE-ly discussion, especially when we open it up to the listeners to call in with comments, questions and whatever heck else they wanna say (but without cursing). Here's a link with the information on how to access that podcast tonight and next Monday as well: http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=130439&cmd=tc#.Uj-FAfQ8xwU.facebook

That's all for this week. Until next time, be good, even if BREAKING BAD is better!

What I Watch: Breaking Bad 5.14 - "Ozymandias"

Without a doubt, this was the most gut-wrenching episode of BREAKING BAD to date, and in a series that deals regularly in the consequences of lies, deceit and death, that's really saying something. It feels wrong to try to chop my coverage of this episode into my precious little categories, so I've decided to freestyle it a bit and see what spills forth. What could go wrong?

The poem "Ozymandias" tells the tale of how a once all-powerful king has been brought down, his empire destroyed, and all that remains is the stony debris of dust and decay. All leaders, be they benevolent or ruthless -- eventually decline. Kingdoms rise, but they inevitably fall. And that's the story of Walter White. I remember how the title of every Friends episode begins with "The one where..." So the alternative title for Episode 5.14 could easily be "The One Where Walt Loses Everything". 

The opening flashback takes us back to when & where it all it began. The beginning of Walt & Jesse's relationship: the former student and the chemistry teacher in his smock and undies.  And Walt and Skyler were still the sort of couple that said "Love you" when they ended a phone conversation.

But the significant thing about this scene is not the naming of the as-of-yet unborn Holly (though one can say mentioning the child foreshadows the final act of the episode); it's the first time Walt has to fabricate a lie about his new "line of work". We see him practicing his cover story, choosing the right words, adding details that (as always) are unnecessary. Of course, he barely gets a sentence out when Skyler cuts him off with a blithe yet blissful acceptance of his delay.

Forget the foreshadowing of the baby; THAT's the real hint of what's to come in the final act.

And when Walt, then Jedi Master Jesse, and finally the RV each fade out of existence, there is a certain poignancy, as we remember how comparatively innocent the beginnings of this tragic saga truly was.

Sixteen months later, To'hajiilee is once again the site of buried secrets and murder.  Uncle Adolf and the Aryan Brotherhood have already shot and killed Gomez, and now Walt is pleading for Hank's life, even offering his entire fortune in exchange for his brother-in-law's safety.

But Hank knows what the "deal" really is, even if Walt's again in denial:

"What? You want me to beg? 

You're the smartest guy I've ever met, and you're too stupid to see he made up his mind ten minutes ago."

Uncle Adolf punctuates Hank's last words ("Do what you're gonna do-") with a bullet to the brain, and that causes Walt's own brain to short out. He collapses in a state of whimpering near-catatonia, very closely resembling Gus Fring's reaction to seeing his partner killed back in Season Four.  Of course, characters falling into a state of speechless shock is nothing new on BREAKING BAD.

But even though the Aryan Brotherhood is about to make off with most of his money, Walt is still seething far more over Jesse. Because as far as he knows, EVERYTHING that has happened is Jesse's fault. He knows that Jesse is a traitor, betraying him to Hank. And that alliance is what led to the ultimately tragic standoff at To'hajiilee. 

It doesn't matter if one can say the blame is truly Walt's. Of COURSE it is (duh). The entire story of Walter White is about the decisions he makes, which are often times bad, poor or immoral -- and what the eventual consequences of those crossroad moments are. One can play the "If Walt Had Only..." game going all the way back to the very first episode.

And if we're going to be silly about it in our attempt to absolve everyone BUT Walt, then I have to point out the fact that if Hank hadn't been the self-aggrandizing goofball that puts on the local TV news at someone else's 50th birthday party, none of this ever would have happened. Forget the ride-along; THAT's when Walt gets the idea in the first place!

However, since Matt Damon with a missing chromosome steps in to give Jesse a stay of execution (and beyond finding out what Jesse said and to whom, it's a clear sign that Jesse's going to be cooking again -- see last week's blog), Walt is robbed of his cathartic revenge. But as he wants Jesse to suffer the way he just did, he hits him with the darkest secret of all:

"I watched Jane die. I was there, and I watched her die. I watched her overdose and choke to death. 

I could have saved her, but I didn't."

The fleeting moment of sympathy some may have felt for Walt vanishes like the tail end of the flashback. But Walt's a wounded animal, lashing out the only way he can. Again, he holds Jesse responsible for Hank's death (not to mention losing close to $70 million dollars). So this verbal kick to the gut is not merely justifiable in Walt's mind, it's justice.

~Walt's car running on empty is a nod to the RV running out of gas in "Four Days Out".

~Walt rolling the barrel of money shows he learned from his previous method of barrel transportation back in "A No Rough Stuff Type Deal".

~And eagle eyed viewers might have spotted a pair of pants, crusty and stiff in the foregrounds - recalling the iconic image that led off the entire series in the "Pilot".

Whenever anyone allows their emotions to get the better of them, to give in to baser impulses such as anger, revenge, spite and so on -- it invariably leads to no good. That has been one of Walt's biggest weaknesses and flaws, from his stubborn stance of remaining in the meth business (despite a number of opportunities to get out) to killing Mike Ehrmantraut.  The same can be said of Jesse (be it going after the drug dealers in "Half Measures" or trying to burn down the "White House" in "Confessions"/"Rabid Dog"), Gus (how else does he fall for Walt's scheme in "Face Off") and even the way Hank has operated as a rogue DEA agent for the past several episodes.

And now, it's Marie's turn. Logically speaking, she absolutely should have waited for Hank to return home before forcing Skyler to tell her son the truth about his meth-making murderer of a dad. She would want Hank there to not only fill in any gaps in Skyler's story, but to provide support for the sure-to-be devastated kid. Hank would (yet again) be the surrogate dad for him. 

But Marie has the need to rub it in her sister's face, even as she talks about forgiveness.  Forcing Skyler to tell Walt Junior/Flynn NOW -- is nothing short of malicious.

The writers make yet another canny move by sparing us needless (and possibly endless) exposition. Much the way we didn't need to see Jesse's confession -- we don't see Skyler telling her son the whole story, we only see the awful aftermath. The pain of learning what his father truly is (and by extension, his mother as well) is the next biggest crime after murder in this episode -- as the kid has his innocence ripped away from him. His family of liars...lies in ruins.

But this merciless episode presses on, and the sight of a bruised, cut and swollen Jesse is all too familiar and sad. The knowledge that it's been Todd delivering the punishment (perhaps recalling how Jesse decked him back in "Buyout") makes it even worse. As expected, Jesse will be forced to cook once again.  He's even chained up like some sort of puppet, which is appropriate, as Jesse has been one often enough (for Gus Fring and Walter White).  

But what even I didn't predict was the true method of coercion: a photo of Andrea & Brock.  Jesse won't be cooking to save his OWN life but to keep his last remaining loved ones safe. Of course, I'm not sure how he gets the hazmat suit on over that puppet wire...but maybe Todd doesn't think Jesse will need protection since they're eventually going to kill him anyway. Eventually...

Walt's showdown and actual physical fight with Skyler is more than a little reminiscent of Tony vs. Carmela Soprano, but taken two levels beyond. First, the setup shot of the knives and the phone.  Fight or flight, take matters into your own hands or call for help. As Skyler slides out that butcher knife, the death of a member of the White household feels inevitable.  

When Flynn (as I can't imagine he'll ever call himself Walter Junior again) jumps into the fray to protect his MOTHER, I was all but positive that blade would soon be protruding from the boy's chest.  Hell, I even had a sick and macabre thought that the knife would be sent hurtling through the air and through Holly's eye socket (and then she'd really look like that teddy bear). But much like Walt, the writers don't take the easy and obvious way out.

"What the hell is wrong with you! We're a family! We're a family..."

And THAT's when Walter realizes he has LOST his family: when he sees the fear and loathing in his son's eyes as the kid calls the police. Again Walt is betrayed.  First Jesse (telling Hank), then Skyler (telling his son), and now finally Flynn (calling the cops on him). Now there is no escaping and no denying this incontrovertible fact: everything Walt has ever done is now completely for naught. Acting again on emotion rather than rational thought, he snatches up Holly.

However, when Holly later says "Mama" (first time we've heard the child speak as far as I know), that's when Walt realizes not just what he has done, but what he has to do. And THIS is the biggest reason for that opening flashback, because even if we don't see it (like other bits of exposition I cited earlier), one can almost guarantee Walt is about to spend the next couple hours crafting and rehearsing his biggest and most important performance since a certain videotaped confession.

There are some who didn't "get that"upon their first viewing of this episode.  Those people need to go back and watch it all over again. This is not just an interpretation, it's clearer than the purest crystal meth. Walt knows his son called the police when he ran off with Holly, so he also would know that they MUST be there and listening to the call.

Still, it's possible one might not pick up on the mention of the police being an indicator that Walt KNOWS they're listening. Who's really thinking THAT clearly when watching this for the first time? 

However, when he states he "warned her for a solid year" there would be consequences if she crossed him, even the most casual viewer must realize what Walt is up to, since that never happened.

As Walt mocks Skyler for all her whining and complaining, that also functions as a slight knee to the groin to the "I Hate Skyler" crowd. But that's also the moment when Skyler catches on to what's happening.

Jesse never gets to say "Bitch" in this episode, but he also never said it with such cruelty the way Walt spits out "Stupid bitch." Even if it is an act, it's a very convincing one. 

And when Skyler responds, "I'm sorry", THAT's when Walt knows that SHE knows what he's doing, and that's when he cries throughout the rest of his latest not -altogether true "confession". 

Last time, it was all about self-preservation; this time, it's to protect Skyler so she can still raise Flynn...and Firehouse Holly. As the sun rises on the end of this tear-filled stomach ache of an episode, Walt boards a minivan to his new life in (presumably) New Hampshire.

~ Where was Saul? I've gotten so used to Mister Goodman showing up in every episode this half-season, I was initially shocked by his absence. Then I realized this was about as laugh-free an episode as has ever been done for BREAKING BAD, so maybe his exclusion was necessary. We do know Walt must have used Saul to contact the minivan man.

~ Speaking of Saul, whatever happened to Huell? Is he still sitting in that motel room guarded by an agent who doesn't know what's going on?

~ Did Walt leave the To'hajiilee coordinates on the note pinned to the sadly crying Holly? Or will Hank  (and Gomez) forever be buried out in the desert?

~ Would Skyler and her brood qualify for WITSEC? Do they remain under police protection for an extended period of time?

~ Is everything Saul knows protected by attorney-client privilege? I think it is, but I'm no legal expert.

~ Does the Aryan Brotherhood plan to keep Jesse alive forever as their cook, or will Todd eventually feel he can handle it on his own?

~ Will Lydia find out about Jesse?  Remember, since he actually saved her life (or at least spoke out for her when Mike was about to blow her away), she may feel indebted to him.

~ The Aryan Brotherhood has $70 million plus a guy who's as good a cook as Heisenberg, so is there any reason they'd want to track down Walt or menace his family?

~ Which brings us back to Walt: we know about eight months later, he arrives in town with a (supposedly) full head of hair and a beard.  He buys an M60 machine gun and goes back to his now abandoned house to get that vial of ricin. 

If the gun is for the Neo-Nazis -- then why?  For revenge?  For the money?  I espoused a theory last week about going back to save Jesse -- but what causes a change in Walt's conscience regarding Jesse? The realization that the blame for all his misfortunes is his and his alone? Or is his family in danger?  But why WOULD they be in danger, and HOW would he know? I initially thought even Saul wouldn't have a way to track down Walt, or else it defeats the purpose of what the minivan man can do. However, maybe Saul would have such info. Just in case...

Based on the first 60 episodes of this series, I'm confident that practically all of these questions and many more will be tackled and answered in the final two episodes. We may not ever get a happy ending (barn door open), but I'm damn sure we will get a satisfying ending.

That's it for this week's episode.  Until next time, be good even if BREAKING BAD is better!

What I Watch: Breaking Bad 5.13 - "To'hajiilee"

One key to writing a story that's laden with drama and suspense is to create situations from which the solution or escape is not readily apparent. It's a tradition that harkens back to the movie serials of the 1930's and 1940's all the way to the prime time soap operas of the 1980's. In more recent years, it was the hallmark of season enders for shows like THE X-FILES, OZ and especially LOST. Those last few minutes where the viewers' jaws are left unhinged while the same thought is blazing through brain waves across the country: "How the hell do they get outta this one?"

This final stretch of episodes -- in fact, even going back to LAST summer -- have managed to achieve this "finale effect" with nearly EVERY episode. Mouths agape and eyes wide, we're no longer focusing on what will happen in the final episode -- we're consumed with what will occur in the first five minutes a week later. Hence why the delayed gratification of last week's "Rabid Dog" was so deviously ingenious.

Perhaps more than any previous episode, after last night's whirling dervish of drama, people are theorizing up the ying-yang.  Be it the next few minutes to the last remaining ones on September 29th, everybody's all abuzz with predictions. So, I'm going to add a new segment to this week's blog in deference to such speculation. 

But I'm going to "delay a little gratification" myself here. Let's see what else there was to learn and discern from "To'hajiilee" (beyond how to pronounce "To'hajiilee").

Todd's a Sociopath with a Crush

Watching Todd invade Lydia's personal space while suggesting Uncle Adolf "smooth things over" with those Slavic buyers was creepy enough. Running his finger around her lipstick imprint on the mug, and after nonchalantly discussing his Uncle's next murder-for-hire -- drinking from that very cup -- was as skin crawling as it gets. 

Follow the Money, Find the Money...
Either Way, it's All About the Money

When Jesse said he was going to hurt Walt "where he lives", I knew it wasn't about family.

Everything had always been about building that pterodactyl sized nest egg. This is Walt the Empire Builder, remember? 

Plus, even though I believe Hank officially "Broke Bad" by going rogue and not caring whether his informant lived or died, he still would never go along with a plan that would have used Walt's kids. Although there's a slight "leap of faith" in Jesse thinking Huell would have ANY information about Walt's money.  If this had been just a couple days earlier -- Huell would have nothing to tell them. At THIS point, Hank's the one who gets lucky. But more on luck later...

We Kill, You Cook

Uncle Adolf continues to be UN-impressed by Walter White, and his sneer is more prominent than his swastika. They'll keep Walt's hands clean from Jesse's murder, but he has to slip the hazmat suit on once again to give Todd a refresher course on how to cook the blue.

You Trap Me? Oh No, I Trap You

Walt's plan to lure Jesse out by showing up at Andrea & Brock's casa goes awry.  But Hank & Jesse's scheme to trick Walt into leading them to the money goes just fine.  Well, almost...

Foreshadow much?

Fear and Greed Leads to Blabbing

First Huell folds like one of Saul's cheap suits because he's scared of The Wrath of Walt. Then later Walt admits everything outside of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping on the phone with Jesse (and presumably Hank).  Now, the wire Jesse wore at the park was legally obtained, but if this call was recorded, it doesn't appear Hank and Gomez had time to go through legal channels for it to be admissable in court. 

Even as I yelled at the TV screen, thinking Walt should STFU (yes, I may be the only person on the planet still rooting for Walt -- even Gilligan & Cranston aren't on his side)...even as I was later steadfast in my belief that the call HAD to be recorded -- I now realize it might not have been, as the objective of THIS plan was finding the money.

I also want to point out that this was the moment when Walt FINALLY explains how he poisoned Brock, and now it FINALLY makes sense as to why he didn't use the ricin. Of course, we're assuming Walt is being honest and sincere, which is usually a mistake.

Remember...He's LUCKIER than You

Walt's meth-addled goose is cooked. He's in cuffs; hell, he's got Jesse's gob of spit dribbling down his face. Hank even calls Marie to let her know he won (much like Walt's call to Skyler after he took care of the Fring problem, only with a much different reaction from HIS better half). The poignancy of that call cannot be overlooked...

But like Jesse said, Walt is not just smarter than Hank and Gomez (as one can say he certainly wasn't in this episode), he's LUCKIER than they are as well.  And Walt's luck takes the form of Uncle Adolf and the other Neo-Nazi Nitwits rolling up for the rescue despite Walt telling them explicitly NOT to come once he saw Jesse's back up was actually Hank & Gomez. 

Which also means at this point, Walt had genuinely given up. His last bit of Heisenberg-ian rage was spent when he seethes the word "Coward" at Jesse.  As Saul pointed out earlier -- he underestimates his former student, as it turns out the "Angry Non-Rat" does have a taste for cheese after all.

Oh, You Did NOT Just David Chase Me!

I've sat through hundreds of thousands of hours of television in my lifetime. I don't recall EVER seeing an episode stop short in the midst of a high intensity shootout. That sudden smash-cut to black had me thinking of ordering onion rings in a New Jersey diner. Interesting how the episode starts with a Steve Perry song, and the end reminded me of a classic TV moment that famously featured a Journey song.

This was about as laugh-free an episode as I can remember in quite some time. 

So what I choose to note is more mildly amusing than anything else.

- We get not one, but TWO 80's classics during the Cold Open of the show: Steve Perry's "Oh Sherrie" AND Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science". First time Breaking Bad's has ever put me in a karaoke mood.

- Hank may have unintentionally converted thousands of viewers to vegans when he dumped those brains on the floor. Not sure if they were cow, pig or lamb -- I'm no Hannibal Lecter.

- Junior's incredulous reaction to seeing local late night TV spot celebrity Saul Goodman, and Saul's line: "Don't drink and drive. But if you do, call me!"

Let's run through a few possible scenarios just for shits and giggles (pun most definitely intended)...

Hank and Gomez are Gonna Be Buried Deeper Than Walt's Money

Right now, it's still hard to believe that not one of those thousands of bullets was able to hit a paunchy dude with a gimpy leg. Still, barring a Hellmouth opening in-between Hank, Gomez and the Klinksters -- it's difficult to conceive of how they DON'T die. Jesse himself said -- it's always the reverse opposite of what you expect.  But, since that's NOW what many of us believe is now an inescapable fate for Hank (hence that last phone call to Marie), let's assume that IS the outcome of this firefight.

First the Cartel, Now the Neo-Nazis...Poor Jesse

Seconds before the shooting begins, we see Jesse slowly opening the car door -- and we never see him again during the bullet-ridden chaos. So let's say he's hightailing it thought To'hajiilee, running for his life. But what safe refuge is there in the middle of the desert? An old cave or mineshaft?

Assuming there isn't some divine intervention, no deus ex machina moment where Jesse conveniently hails down a passing truck or beamed aboard the starship Enterprise -- we can then edge a little further out on a limb and say Uncle Adolf's boys catch him.

But with no Hank or Gomez, Jesse's got no leverage since outside of Marie, no one knows about this. Even the DEA guy who's babysitting Huell knows NOTHING about the case.

So instead of being executed, Walt and Uncle Adolf make a deal. Jesse's life is spared, but HE has to educate Todd for the meth cooking. After all, who's the ONLY OTHER GUY who can cook meth the way Walt can? He said it himself: Jesse.

And maybe that big Rambo-sized gun is indeed to take on the Neo-Nazi brigade several months later, but perhaps it's also to rescue Jesse? Maybe THAT's Walt's last shot at a tiny shred of redemption?

Could the Other Whites Be Wiped Out?

The death of Hank may be enough to permanently drive a wedge between Walt & Skyler.  That video confession was bad enough, but while she was willing to be complicit in the removal of Jesse -- she would never be able to go along with the murder of Hank. 

And THAT could prove to be a problem for Uncle Adolf -- which could lead to an attempt on HER life -- but more likely result in the death of one or both of her children. The death of either Junior or always in pink Holly has been hinted at any number of times - to the point where I'll be genuinely shocked if they both survive by the end of this series.

As For That Pesky Ricin...

There are some who'd say "Who'd trust anything they eat or drink near Walt for him to use such a thing?" After mocking those people with some choice curse words and general intelligence disparagement -- I'd point out that outside of Jesse, Saul and his men and the presumably dead Hank & Gomez -- who else would know Walt had even considered poisoning anybody? Why would Lydia, Todd or Uncle Adolf ever suspect such a thing? 

Poisoning is also traditionally a woman's method of murder, so it's the near polar opposite of an M60 machine gun in terms of murder weapons. Yes, Walt's a chemist, but the murders everyone DOES know about have involved bullets and bombs - they simply wouldn't think poison would be "his style".

That's it for this week's episode.  Until next time, be good even if BREAKING BAD is better!

What I Watch: Breaking Bad 5.12 - "Rabid Dog"

Loyalties shift like tectonic plates in the universe of BREAKING BAD, and as the landscape undergoes these chaotic koyaanisqatsi-esque transformations, it becomes apparent that these changes also influence the viewer. We shake our fists in imagined fury at the million and one manipulations employed by Walter White, while we have been entranced by the show's machinations before he ever even got that fateful diagnosis. Perhaps we are Jesse, and Vince Gilligan is the true Heisenberg?

The series has long been a test of our own loyalties. How long do we stick with Mister White before we realize he's become more monster than man? From the second season on, that train has stopped at several stations, daring us to disembark. For some, it was the depraved indifference of allowing Jane to die. But those who stuck with Walt could point out it was hardly either depraved or indifferent.  The tears that rolled down his face as it happened were for no audience other than us, and the guilt that steadily ate away at him and almost led to a confession of his sins to Jesse the following season was also not staged for anyone else's benefit.

Then there was placing Jesse in a situation where he had to kill an essentially innocent man. I use the word "essentially" due to the inescapable fact that Gale WAS still involved in a criminal enterprise that does have an end result of ruining people's lives -- I think the impact of crystal meth on users has been forgotten since Spooge's head was crushed by an ATM. 

But one could say it was a necessary evil. And didn't Walt save Jesse's life days earlier by mowing down and shooting two dealers who almost certainly would have gotten the best of Jesse that night?

The increasingly diabolical nature of Walt/Heisenberg is more evident from that point on. His relationship with his family and especially Jesse often seems more about his own self-preservation than anything else. Lies are layered like a bologna sandwich, and even though we may root for Walt against Gus Fring (especially after Gus threatens to murder his infant daughter), we become increasingly appalled by the Machiavellian lengths Walt will go to in order "to win".

While Walt's unabashed arrogance and pride (that ego of his has been a greater enemy than Crazy Eights, Tuco and Gus Fring combined) also led to viewers hopping off the Heisenberg Unlimited, many felt the locomotive took a merry-go-round broken down lurch when we learn that Walt poisoned a child simply as a way to get Jesse's assistance in vanquishing Fring. 

A truly despicable act, made even more so by one more overlooked fact: other than telling Walt about Hector Salamanca, once the original plan to blow up Fring's car goes awry -- Jesse has no involvement in the final denouement of Season Four. So one can wonder if Walt might have been able to get that one piece of information without resorting to such a heinous act.

By the beginning of Season Five, Walt's conversion to a true villain seems apparent to even the most loyal disciple of Heisenberg. From his interactions with an increasingly horrified Skyler (who has the earth shift right out from under her with the realization that her husband is not merely a manufacturer of an illegal substance, he's now a mass murderer with little indication of remorse or guilt) to his implied threats to Saul Goodman to his further string-pulling of Jesse -- there is little trace of the man many felt such empathy for when this journey to Hell began. The needless murder of Mike Ehrmantraut shows that no matter how smart and calculating Walter White may be, his emotions and ego will still get the best of him. Perhaps that which makes him human is also what often leads to such acts of inhumanity?

As we delve into the final eight episodes of BREAKING BAD, we are reminded of the man Walt once was. His cancer has returned, and in one of his few sympathetic moments since Season 1, we see that his fractured relationship with his wife is on the mend. His original motivation that was shoved aside due to realized delusions of empire-building -- has returned. All that work, all those horrible decisions and all those lies -- it comes back to his family. 

Of course, at this point, we catch ourselves.  Is he just trying to manipulate Skyler?  Or are Gilligan and the gang trying to manipulate us?

But that train is now a roller coaster, and just when we're ready to allow a little Heisenberg back into our hearts, we again see what he is truly capable of with the video he gives to the Schraders. As Walt ticks off fact/lie after fact/lie, it's not simply fascinating because the lie is far more plausible and believable than the truth; it's hypnotic because one has to wonder if this had been a contingency plan all along. To think everything was a matter of coincidence and happenstance -- may mean we were played like a grand piano by the Maestro Gilligan. And we like it.  No, we LOVE it.

By the end of "Confessions", Jesse's unswerving loyalty to Mister White is finally shattered by the realization that Walt was behind Brock's poisoning. Let's take a quick look at what Jesse does:

~He attacks Saul, leaving him bloodied and bruised.
~He nearly burns down Walter White's house.  Bear in mind, such an act wouldn't only impact Walt, but his wife and two children.
~He turns snitch. Rat. Squealer. There is no honor among thieves. Then again, Mister White hasn't exactly been Mister Honorable either.

But at this point, Jesse has become the last great hope for the viewer. Many who had flocked to Hank's side were undoubtedly dismayed by his callous disregard for Jesse. Calling him a nutjob meth-head junkie murderer is one thing; not caring if he becomes collateral damage in his war with Heisenberg is another. Say what you will about Walt, up until the final minute of "Rabid Dog", Walt cares about Jesse.

So as allegiances change like a dog turning on its master -- so does our perspective.  Some of us may be recent converts and others may be longtime loyalists, but most of us have now shoehorned our hopes into Jesse. The truly terrifying but inescapable notion must then be voiced: if Jesse dies, what then?

- As smart as Walt is, his attempts to hide the truth from Skyler take on delightfully ludicrous and comical proportions. Once again, she's the one person he can't lie to. Only now, his son is catching on as well. But what's heartbreaking is Junior's assumption that this is all about the cancer. That poor kid. Four episodes remain to see when his heart gets truly broken.

- So Hank left to take over the Pinkman surveillance himself.  Of course, why didn't I think of that?  Major kudos to most people who correctly guessed it would be Beermeister Schraderbrau who would stop Jesse after he went all smashy smashy splashy splashy. 

Aaron Paul's Emmy sizzle reel time:
"HE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH IT! HE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH IT!"

- Saul suggests Jesse may need to be put down like Old Yeller.  Later, Skyler implies the same thing. And Hank makes it clear he doesn't care if Jesse takes a bullet if he can catch Walt pulling the trigger. Until the closing minute, the bizarre truth is that Walt might have been Jesse's best ally.

My vote for favorite piece of dialogue was one that veers from funny to downright scary:

"You're full of colorful metaphors, aren't you Saul?  Belize, Old Yeller…just brimming with advice.  DO NOT FLOAT THAT IDEA AGAIN. Find him."

- Marie's spending more time dreaming up ways to poison Walt.  Hey Marie, there are these beans called Ricin, and...

- Speaking of Marie -- we get the very first Marie/Jesse scene EVER on the series.  Still expect Jesse and Junior to meet.  Perhaps that's part of Jesse's new plan, using Junior against his dad? 

- Of all the family photos to catch Jesse's eye, it's the one where Walt is dressed as Santa that grabs his attention.  Perhaps because that's such a "dad" thing to do, and Jesse is mourning the loss of yet another father figure?

- Another videotaped confession, only this time, it's Jesse, and it's the truth, the whole truth and nothing but. But as he points out -- just his word against that asshole Mister White.

"Look, you two guys…are just guys, OK?  Mister White -- he's the devil. You know, he is smarter than you.  He is luckier than you. Whatever, whatever you think is supposed to happen, I'm telling you the exact reverse opposite of that is gonna happen, OK?"

- As Jesse slowly makes his way across the plaza to meet Walt, it's hard not to notice that he's literally caught in-between two titanic forces that are both using and manipulating him. One can only wonder what may have happened if he hadn't erroneously assumed Walt had a goon waiting a few yards away. Although in a rare telegraphed moment for this series, it was obvious the guy was not a new Heisenberg-ian henchman. 

- Also, it was a mite frustrating for Jesse not to simply say something into the wire so Hank & Gomez would know what was happening. But Jesse's running on pure adrenaline, fear and rage, so he chooses to give Walt a call from a pay phone instead.

- The final minute: Jesse's got another way to get Walt, "a better way".  Meanwhile, Walt may have another job for Todd's uncle -- so much for loyalties and allies.

There were a LOT of laugh-out-loud lines in "Rabid Dog".  Here's a few:

- "Jesus…Jesse did that?' "Yeah, but you gotta understand.  Deep down, he loves me."

- "For three hours straight all he did was talk about was something called Babylon Five."

- "But say, you know, just for the sake of argument, the kid's not in the mood for a nuanced discussion of the virtues of child poisoning. His plans are running more towards stabbing you to death with a pointed stick. In THAT scenario, then what?"

- "I'm sorry, were you spying on me?" "Yes, and I feel just awful about it too."

- "Just answer me this one question: is this bad for Walt?" 
- "Yeah, very." "Good. I'm staying. I'll heat up lasagna."

That's it for this week's episode. Until next time, be good even if BREAKING BAD is better!