Breaking Bad: Some season-ending thoughts...

In lieu of full-blown reviews of the final two episodes of Breaking Bad this season, here's a few overall thoughts on the episodes, and the season as a whole:

• Is it just me, or did Mike's death in episode 5.07 seem a bit hasty, plot-wise? From a scene-work perspective, the episode was magnificent - Mike silently departing from his granddaughter in the park, the gorgeous final scene of Mike and Walt gazing out into the water (especially the final wide shot where Mike plops to the ground). But, for whatever reason, I just wasn't sold on how the story had gotten us to the point where Walt shot Mike. The episode itself made the best case for justifying it, in how Walt belatedly realized how he could've gotten the list of names from Lydia… and besides, Walt has basically devolved to a point where he believes that murder solves everything (as the prison-shanking montage from the finale demonstrated so vividly), so, to an extent, it seems just enough within character. But still, it just seemed so hasty, compared to the show's slow-burn approach towards these matters. Which leads to…
• Would this season have best been served by a full 13 episodes, instead of just the 8 that we received? Although Mike's death seeded this idea in my head, I really started to convince myself of this during and after the "Crystal Blue Persuasion" meth-making montage. For a show that's taken its sweet, sweet time (4.5 seasons!) covering a single year, it felt jarring to have a montage skip past three months of time… and the extra time would've helped to justify the changes that have happened in Walt's life as a result of the extravagant success of the new meth operation. When Skyler revealed the ginormous pile of money in the storage shed in the finale, it was a staggering sight, to be sure… but I would've loved a bit more justification in the show to show how we've gotten to that point. I also realize that we've still got to burn through nine months of time to get to the season-opening 52nd-birthday flash-forward… but the more I wrestle with it, the more it seems contrary to how the show traditionally operates.
• Even in these final two episodes, the sheer filmmaking skill on display was off the charts. I already mentioned the gorgeous scene where Mike dies, but the opening of the episode - the desert meeting between Walt and the prospective methylamine buyers - was a delicious stand-off for this modern Western. The penultimate episode's montage in the safe-deposit room (complete with the awesome wrist-cam!) was a bouncy bit of fun, too! And the finale's two montages were tremendously executed and edited. The stark combination of the brutal violence, the jazzy music, and Walt looking outside, Godfather Part II-style made for a disturbing, yet memorable, montage. And the "Crystal Blue Persuasion" meth-cooking montage was staggeringly complex and deliriously brilliant in terms of editing, scene transitions, and furthering the show's narrative. (And yes, once I realized what song they were using, I couldn't help but think, "It took them this long to finally pull this song out?" What a fun little moment...)
• I'm still trying to figure out what Todd's angle is in this entire operation; I'm simply convinced that there's more to Todd than what we've been let on thus far. Besides, after three months of working with Walt, I'm sure he's pretty skilled at the specifics of the business at this point… almost dangerously so.
• Walt's teary-eyed re-appearance at Hank's office was downright slapstick-y, compared to what we saw earlier this season. I can't say that I liked it, but the episode needed to get down to business, I guess…
• Even a character like Mike isn't immune to the degradation of a barrel of hydrofluoric acid. Frowny-face!
• All season long, the ricin has threatened to come back into play… and although we got so very, very close in the finale with Lydia, Walt hasn't had to use it… yet.
• Bad-ass quote from Walter, in the hotel room with Todd's "connections": "It can be done exactly how I want it. The only question is, are you the men to do it?"
• So, just how much money is in that storage-shed pile? Somebody do the math… quick! :-)
• The CAT scan in the final act of the finale had to have been shown for a reason… has Skyler's wish for the cancer to return come true?
• That tortured look on Jesse's face after Walt left his house said so much… dammit, who doesn't feel bad and sympathetic for Jesse at this point?
• I doubt you'll disagree with me that next summer's first episode needs to pick up immediately from where Sunday's finale left off. It would be a tremendous disgrace if we don't see how Hank reacts to his mind-blowing discovery. (As an aside, I found it darkly funny how Breaking Bad managed to put the "shit" in the season's final "Holy shit!" moment.)
• Some fun ephemera that's hit the Internet in the past couple of weeks:
• Walt's "Say my name" moment from the desert face-off spurred this fun remix of the Destiny's Child song of the same name.
• Entertainment Weekly dug up the first film appearance of Jonathan Banks, who plays Mike: the 1974 educational film "Linda's Film on Menstruation". Skip to the 1:10 mark, and watch in amazement.
• Also, in amazing revelations: Jonathan Banks was also in the finale of the comedy classic Airplane! Skip to the 0:37 and 1:09 marks.
• Finally, since Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass figured prominently into the season finale, I must post a clip of Homer Simpson's thoughts on Walt Whitman, from the episode "Mother Simpson".

Breaking Bad will return in the summer of 2013 with the final eight episodes of the series… we hope to see you then!

Breaking Bad, Episode 5.06: "Buyout"

How far is too far? That was one of the questions raised by the ending of "Dead Freight", the train heist episode that resulted in the shooting of a little boy. Certainly, Breaking Bad has done some more-than-questionable things, up to and including the poisoning and near-death of li'l Brock in Season 4. But, now that the show has crossed that line, viewers have started to cringe at the show's plummeting morality. Fortunately, the show itself realizes it, too, as evidenced by "Buyout", which sees the new meth partnership threaten to crumble in the heist's aftermath.

First off, what to do with Todd, a.k.a. our beloved multi-TV-series serial killer, a.k.a. "Ricky Hitler"? Well, all he gets for his troubles is a punch in the face from Jesse and a very stern warning from Mike: "The next time you bring a gun to a job without telling me, I will stick it up your ass sideways." In a twisted move, however, Todd decides to bring home with him the kid's tarantula… which means that I can only expect the critter to come back into play in the summer's last 2 episodes, perhaps with screamingly funny results. In any case, Mike knows darn well that he's not going to create a bigger mess than is necessary… the kid's disappearance has already become a local news story, and there's no need for him to call further attention to it.

Now, it's not surprising for Jesse to ask to exit the partnership in the wake of this mess: He was about to crumble when Brock was fighting for his life, and as the show's emerging moral center, he no doubt reopened all those emotions in the wake of the dirt bike kid's death. Take the episode's opening, where Walt, Mike and Jesse dispose of the evidence in hydrofluoric acid. We've seen Walt and Jesse do this many times, starting with the series' second episode (where HFl was used to shocking comic effect, no less). But this time, the atmosphere is drenched with silence and dread, even though most of what we see is of them dismantling the dirt bike. When it comes time for the kid (whose hand peeks through under a pile of dirt), and Walt cracks open another plastic barrel, we know we've headed to a very dark place… and fortunately, the show spares us the sight of seeing this play out on-screen. Nonetheless, the cold open is a haunting piece of work, adding moral weight to the series and setting the tone for Jesse's escape.

But as for Mike wanting out? Well, now that's a cause for concern. But his rationale isn't strictly on account of the kid: He's been tailed by the DEA extensively (including our friend Gomez), to the point where he can't even spend some time at the park with his daughter without the cops watching. (To send a signal to the DEA, he makes a "drop" at the park, which is nothing more than a "F*** YOU" note… you gotta love Breaking Bad's desire to infrequently drop the F-word, even though there's no chance it will be heard - or in this case, seen - on basic cable. Bring on the uncensored Blu-rays!)

So, Mike and Jesse decide to pull out, taking their shares of the stolen methylamine with them: a whopping 333 gallons each, leaving Walt with an equal share with which to continue cooking meth. Mike has located a buyer for the methylamine, who wants to pay Mike and Jesse $5 million each for their share. But, Walt attempts to sway Jesse back by stating that the meth, if it's all cooked, will net them a whopping $300 million… and that Jesse would only make pennies on the dollar if he sells out. Walt's greed is in full force here, and here's where the show effectively invokes its past in order to justify his actions; as he later tells Jesse when he stops by the White house, Walt's complicated past with Gray Matter has led him to no longer be part of a company that's worth $2.16 BILLION today. (Also, kudos on Jesse for calling out that Walt needs only $737,000, as he himself calculated in the Season 2 premiere.) As Walt's latest pompous quote indicate, he's no longer in either the meth business or the money business: "I'm in the empire business."

And at this point, the empire is all that Walt has left… as evidenced by the insanely awkward dinner scene between Walt, Skyler and unexpected dinner guest Jesse, who attempts to break the awkward silence between the couple with such Jesse-isms as "Hell yeah, I'm stoked for this lasagna!" and "Yo, whatever happened to truth in advertising?". We already know of Skyler's issues towards Walt from past episodes, but this episode complicates matters even more when she discovers that Walt revealed her affair with Ted to Marie. But, Walt being who he is, he's apt to play Skyler's disgust to bring Jesse to his side, by invoking sympathy from Skyler's wish, "I'm waiting for the cancer to come back."

But, as the episode ends, we've got a bit of a complication: The potential methylamine buyer will only take Mike and Jesse's shares of the chemical if he can get a hold of Walt's share, too. For him, the $15 million doesn't just buy him 1,000 gallons of the chemical: he's also essentially buying the ability to get Heisenberg's blue meth off the street. And with that, the pendulum of power swings mercilessly back to Walt, who attempts to steal the methylamine the night before the big deal. Unfortunately, Mike is there waiting for him: "I bought you might try something stupid." Mike plans on selling Walt's share along with the others tomorrow morning, and to ensure that Walt doesn't screw things up, Mike and Walt spend the entire night together at the Vamanos Pest building. However, Mike has to take care of some business at the DEA - he brings in Saul to announce that's pressing charges for 'police harassment of a senior citizen', and requests a restraining order. To that extent, Mike zip-ties Walt's wrist to a radiator in order to ensure that he doesn't run off… but Walt gets out by yanking the plug from a coffee pot and exposing it to burn the zip-tie open, in a bad-ass display of science, yo!

And so, Walt manages to hide the methylamine… which, when Mike discovers what happened, enrages him to no end, to the extent that he puts a gun to Walt's head. But then the show sets up quite a cliffhanger for next week: Walt has managed to figure out a plan that will ensure that everyone gets their $5 million… and Walt gets to keep his methylamine. ("Everybody wins!") The key to this scene - the one thing that has me excited about the next episode - is Jesse's passioned plea that the plan is, in fact, really that good. I hope this isn't a simple dilution tactic, like we did last week (the fact that they already have the pure sample would be a way to facilitate it), but being Breaking Bad, I hope that there's a more clever solution in play.

Random notes:

• Bryan Cranston is directing an upcoming episode from the final season of The Office! He's no stranger to the directing game: He helmed an episode of Modern Family last season, and he's helmed two episodes of Breaking Bad to date (not to mention seven episodes of his previous series, Malcolm in the Middle).
• "You guys didn't tell me this stuff smells like cat piss."
• The dirt bike kid's name is Drew Sharp. However, at this point, Dirt Bike Kid is a more descriptive name, so I'll probably use that going forward. :-)
• Quote of the Episode, courtesy of Mike: "I would never come to the headquarters of our illegal meth operation dragging a bunch of cops, Walter. It would be unwise."
• Nice shot of the Heisenberg hat by Walt's bed to kick off the home scenes with Jesse and Skyler.
• "You know my kids are gone?" "Thank God."
• "You know, I have never seen anybody work so hard to not make $5 million."
• Next week: The deal goes down! I promise that next episode's review will go up much sooner than this week's did… so come back soon!

Breaking Bad, Episode 5.05: "Dead Freight"

If you're reading this review, you've no doubt watched every episode of the show so far, right? (Sheesh, I would hope so… otherwise, get the bleep out!) So, right now, I ask you to think about the most memorable moments of Breaking Bad up to this point. Most likely, they fall into one of two categories. On one side, you have the edge-of-your-seat moments of tension and suspense that tighten the screws for minute upon minute. Episode 3's basement face-off between Walt and Krazy 8, where a broken plate changes everything. Hank stumbling across the meth lab RV… with Walt, Jesse and the equipment all inside, ready and waiting to be discovered. Jesse's visit to a methhead couple's house, culminating in a most unusual use of an ATM machine. The twins' visit to Walt's house very early in Season 3… and probably the most grueling moment in the series, Hank's parking-lot face-off against the twins in Season 3's "One Minute". And then, there's the "Holy shit!" moments… and uff-dah, there's been a crap-ton of those thus far. Episode 2's bathtub body disintegration gone horribly wrong (which, in all honesty, was the moment that I fell in love with this series). Walt throwing the exploding "meth" in Tuco's office. Danny Trejo's decapitated head atop of an exploding turtle. Walt running over a couple of drug dealer with his Aztec in the penultimate episode of Season 3. And last, and certainly not least, he nursing-home explosion in last season's finale… 'nuff said. I mention all of these scenes because the final 13 minutes of tonight's episode, "Dead Freight" delivered both of those kinds of moments, in a completely grueling - yet absolutely enthralling - sequence. In a nutshell, it's the type of stuff that cements Breaking Bad as one of the best shows on television right now… if not the best. But we'll get to that scene later on in this review… just hold tight. :-)

(Before we get started, I've gotta ask: By any chance, did AMC ask Vince Gilligan, "Hey, so we're going to premiere Hell on Wheels during the middle of your season! Could you cook up a Western-ish episode of Breaking Bad for us? kthanxbye!" And not just any kind of episode, but one that includes a train and a railroad. Synergy, right? But, it ultimately doesn't matter, because the train heist featured in tonight's show integrates so perfectly with the overall storylines of the season that it couldn't have been forced. At least, I'd like to think so… please don't prove me wrong!)

Let's talk about the cold open first, where we meet the ultimately doomed dirt-biking boy, zooming around through the New Mexico landscape and scooping up a tarantula. Now, the cold open would seem like a throwaway scene at first… but again, remember that we've only got eight episodes this season, and that every moment in this season has to count as a result (as I've discussed before in this space). And so, I couldn't help but start piecing things together, especially on account of the tail-end sound of the train in the background. Now, I figured pretty early on that the kid would see something about the train heist, and that it would cause a slow unraveling of the situation. But I certainly didn't expect the kid to be standing right next to Walt, Jesse, and Todd under the bridge. And I certainly didn't expect what happened at the very, very end. But again, we'll get to that.

Chronologically, the episode's first scene is a simple one: Walt visits Hank's office, where we get to see Hank's new ASAC digs. Now, from the moment Walt appears at Hank's door, you (and I) immediately start thinking, "What's Walt's angle here?" Perhaps Walt is trying to "hide in plain sight", as Gus did before him. As the scene plays out, though, Walt starts talking about his and Skyler's relationship, certainly trying to feed on the aftermath of Skyler's weird behavior in the pool in last week's episode. The funny thing is, Walt's essentially telling Hank the truth - that Skyler thinks she's a bad influence and a bad father. (The only fib: that Skyler's seeing a therapist in Rio Rancho… Peter something-or-other.) And yet, since Hank is still oblivious to Walt's actual nature, he essentially serves as a shoulder for Walt to fake-cry on. And so, Walt breaks down in tears, and Hank goes off to grab him a coffee...

…and then, only then, do we see Walt's true intentions: he's trying to bug Hank's office, hiding a mike inside a picture frame of Hank and Marie. (Side note: Don't you think that Walt's clutching onto the picture will be some sort of undoing later on, should Hank figure things out?) Even better, there's a very specific purpose for the bug, at least initially: to figure out what the real deal is behind Lydia's discovery last week of the GPS device on the barrel of methylamine. Just as he was last week, Mike has an itchy trigger finger, and he's ready and willing to take Lydia out if necessary… and Lydia's bursting-at-the-seams nervousness doesn't help matters at all. But, Jesse's talking-down of Mike from last week surprisingly pays off, as we learn during a wire-tapped call between Hank and the Houston DEA office that the DEA planted the device, not Lydia… much to her relief. But there's a catch: the DEA tagged every barrel in the warehouse, essentially killing Walt's supply source.

So, what now? Well, leave it to Lydia to devise the solution: to tap into a veritable ocean of methylamine! Well, actually, we're not going to get to the ocean, mind you… but she offers up a train car full of the stuff, which just so happens to swing through New Mexico en route to Houston. Her suggestion: to rob the train. But, Mike isn't too keen on the idea, and if they do decide to do it, they'll need to off the crewmen: "I have done this long enough to know that there are two kinds of heists: Those where the guys get away with it, and those that leave witnesses."

The long unbroken shot of Walt and Mike fighting it out once again, while Jesse devises the plan, is a wonderfully executed moment. Again, Walt and Mike debate on the financials of the operation, with Walt throwing the payoff of Mike's guys right back in his face… but then Jesse comes through, once again asserting his role as the unsung genius of this season: "What if we could rip off that train, and no one ever knows it got robbed?" The next scene, following the commercial break, shows Walt on the train tracks, giving his response: "Maybe. Just maybe." What follows is a sumptuously photographed sequence in the New Mexico landscape, full of the magical, picturesque moments this show delivers.

The plan is ingenious, and I especially appreciated the script's detailed breakdown of the plan: from the explanation of the methylamine/water replacement plan (especially with regards to methylamine's slightly lesser weight than water), and the hope that the dilution of the methylamine will be blamed on China. (Yay!) It's a pretty fool-proof plan… which made me want to think that something will unravel it further down the road. (Cutting to the chase, do we know if the exact amount of water made its way into the train car during the heist?)

But before we get to the heist, we should discuss the current housing situation, as Hank and Marie are talking care of Walt Jr. and Holly. (Hank's attempt to get Holly to say "ASAC Schrader" and "boss man" as her first words was adorable, wasn't it?) But Walt Jr. isn't responding well to the move, and is upset at his parents for not giving him a reasonable explanation for all of this. After Walt kicks Walt Jr. out of his house to go back to Hank's, Skyler holds her own and states that the kids can't be part of this environment… and that Skyler will do whatever is necessary to assist Walt's operation as long as the kids aren't in the house.

The entire final act of the episode is dedicated to the train heist, beginning with Lydia receiving the train manifest and passing the info along to Mike. From there, we cut to the train tracks, with Mike working surveillance, Walt, Jesse and Todd (a.k.a. Landry) hiding under the bridge, and special guest Bill Burr - once again helping out in Walt's wacky plans - posing as a dump truck driver whose ride has managed to break down right on the train tracks! Convenient, eh? And so, Burr manages to get the train to stop… and that's where the magic starts happening. From the moment that Walt says, "Go!", I was appropriately on the edge of my seat, watching this heist play out. From Bill Burr's clearly blatant stalling, to the convenient Meth Meter gallon ticker, all the pieces are in place to maximize the tension… and boy, do they!

And then we get a complication: a visit from a Good Samaritan with a huge honkin' pick-up, willing to push Bill Burr's truck out of the way. It's an unwelcome visit, yes, and it screws up the plan… but what further complicates the situation is Walt. Again, he's not one who's willing to compromise, and he's darn well going to make sure that he gets his full 1,000 gallons of methylamine. Since we know Walt's attitude, it helps justify the intensity of the situation… and I, for one, am glad of it. The hair-raising nature of how close our crew comes to unraveling the heist - with Jesse unscrewing the methylamine hose right before the train takes off, and Todd hopping off the train just in the nick of time - is absolutely insane, and it certainly made for an incredible moment of relief when our guys shout in celebration, basking in a successful heist. I was cheering along with them, and I would've hoped that you were, too… that's how well-done this scene is, in that you're invested with these characters, even when they're pulling off such ridiculous criminal activities. (Now that I think about it, this is a far cry from Walt and Jesse wheeling off with a barrel of methylamine at the end of Season 1, eh?)

But, in the midst of all this celebration is one unexpected surprise: the kid from the cold opening. It's a credit to the excitement of the scene that preceded it that his appearance, as much as we should've seen it coming, should've come as a surprise. And for a moment there, we're not sure how this situation is going to play off, as the kid waves "Hi", and Todd gently waves back. But notice, if you will, how Todd's instant transformation from warm, waving stranger to cold-blooded murderer occurs within a single camera shot… within mere seconds! It's a disarming moment, yes, but it's made even more disarming by the way that it was filmed and acted. As brutal as that scene is, Todd was simply following Mike's advice about how heists turn out… and he's darn well going to make sure that this is  successful job.

Now, certainly, this is a jaw-dropping moment, and one that viewers may not respond well to. Remember how uneasy you felt about Walt poisoning Brock last year? I'm sure you were very uncomfortable with that season-ending revelation… and this particular situation only makes things worse. You'll notice that we only saw Jesse's reaction to the kid's death at the end of this episode… but we didn't see Walt's, and that will be interesting to gauge as we head into next week. Tonight, Todd just did what Walt was very, very careful to avoid last season… but could Walt succumb to those depths, or even plummet below them? With three episodes to go this year, I think there's a very good chance that Walt will do just that, and become virtually irredeemable. If anything, tonight's episode demonstrates that Breaking Bad still has the power to amaze and shock in grand fashion, and that it's willing to go to some very dark places in order to wrap up its story.

Random notes:

• As soon as Todd shot the child, one of my very first thoughts was, "LANDRY KILLS AGAIN!!!" A little nod for all of your Friday Night Lights season 2 fans. ;-)
• I guess Walt's going with a "treat yourself" cover story for the watch he received from Jesse as a birthday gift. Way to flaunt that gambling money! *wink,wink*
• Mike's conversation with Lydia about the phone-call script was awesome: If she screws up, "I am going to pull out my pistol and shoot you in the head." Even better was Mike's follow-up to Lydia's recitation of his rules: "It's a pistol, not a gun. I'm expecting precision here."
• "Everyone sounds like Meryl Streep with a gun to her head."
• Walt and Lydia managed to connect during this episode, as they both diss Mike for his need to pay off his guys from the old operation.
• "This better be something from a boob!"
• Hey, Hank picked up Heat on Blu-ray! But, in Walt Jr.'s mind, I guess it's no Scarface!
• Quote of the night, from Jesse: "It's all about the weight, yo!"
• Next week: The aftermath. See you then!

Breaking Bad, Episode 5.04: "Fifty-One"

Welcome to our belated coverage of Walter White's 51st birthday, which was delayed in part because I was out celebrating my own birthday earlier this week. (Hey, a man's gotta live it up!) In a sense, I'm kind of glad that I've had the extra time to contemplate this week's episode, because I can't help but feel that it was the least of the season's episodes thus far.  Now, there were certainly a lot of great individual elements that I enjoyed in this week's episode, which I'll discuss in a moment... but in terms of sheer plot momentum, there wasn't much on display here, save for the "signpost" aspect of Walt's birthday and the fact that we now only have 12 episodes with which to cover one year of story, leading up to the season-opening flashback from "Live Free or Die".

The cold open kicks off the episode's unofficial string of callbacks by Walt Sr. and Jr. pick up the infamous Pontiac Aztek, which has been repaired following Walt's late-in-season-4 crash to avoid bringing Hank to the laundromat. (My favorite comment by the mechanic: "Didn't have to replace the windshield this time!") Inside the Aztec is the legendary Heisenberg hat, which triggers Walt to sell the Aztec to the mechanic for a whopping $50. After donning the hat once again, Walt drives home with a newly leased Chrysler... and doubles down by leasing Walt Jr. a Dodge Challenger just like the one he bought (and subsequently blew up) last season. But, just as she acted in response to the Challenger purchase last season, Skyler isn't responding very nicely to these new leases... if only because of The Story.

You recall The Story, don't you? The elaborate backstory that Walt and (primarily) Skyler concocted to explain Walt's influx of cash as a result of an insane gambling addiction? Now, Walt does his darndest to justify it against The Story by noting that they are, in fact leases: the Chrysler as a birthday present, and Walt Jr.'s Challenger on account of "me being a softie!") But then, Walt plops down $20,000 on the bathroom sink, indicating that he's back making meth. His rationale? "We have to make up that $600,000 we lost!" - the $600,000 that, you'll recall, Skyler gave to Ted to help him escape his financial troubles.  And suddenly, Skyler's moral conscience - which you'd think would've all but disappeared on account of Skyler's financial backing of Ted, not to mention her role in the car wash cover business - returns with a vengeance, as she starts talking about shipping Walt Jr. off to boarding school in Arizona, even though he's only one year away from graduating high school. "A new environment might be good for them," she says, but Walt asks, "What's wrong with our environment?"

Skyler's discomfort with Walt has been steadily building over the course of the first four episodes, from Walt's semi-threatening bedside talks to the awkward family viewing of Scarface. But, it all comes to a head on Walt's 51st birthday, beginning with Skyler's reluctance to write out Walt's age in bacon - just as she did in the show's very first episode, and which Walt is left to do himself in the season premiere's flash-forward. But, nothing prepares Walt - or Hank or Marie, for that matter - for Skyler's dip into the family pool during Walt's birthday party.  The pool scene, evocatively directed by Rian Johnson, best known for Brick and the upcoming time-travel extravaganza Looper, stages Skyler slowly descending in the background as the camera pushes in on Walt, who waxes poetic about how far he's come in the past year, in a speech that could easily serve as both a reflection of his criminal life and his fight against cancer: "There were times when I was sure I was done for... but then someone, or something, would come through for me." From the piecing luminescence of the pool water, to the entranced look on Skyler's face as she wades her way across the pool, it's a wonderfully sustained moment of unease that serves as the highlight of the episode.

It leads to a bedroom confrontation between Walt and Skyler, who's not convinced that Walt's rebuilt operation won't bring harm to the family: sure, Walt assures Skyler that Gus was the danger, but Skyler throws Walt's "I am the danger!" line from last season back in his face. Skyler still has guilt from what happened to Ted, and even though she's in this mess for the long haul, she doesn't want the kids to be harmed as a result - and is seemingly willing to go the extra mile to ensure that her children are removed from the White home. It's this control for Walt Jr. and the baby that leads to a disturbing face-off between husband and wife: Walt counters Skyler's self-inflicted bruises by saying that he'll have her committed in order to gain custody of the kids… which prompts Skyler to act as if the bruises were inflicted by Walt when he learned of her affair with Ted.  But as much as Walt tries to poke holes in all of Skyler's plans, and as much as Skyler admits that she's no match for Walt's masterful mind, she lays down the trump card: "All I can do is wait… hold on, bide my time, and wait… for the cancer to come back." (The point is iterated in the episode's final scene, which focuses on the tick-tick-tick of Walt's new watch.)

Meanwhile, we got to view the Continuing Adventures of Lydia, the panicky Madrigal employee from the episode of the same name. This week, we meet Lydia in her Houston office, where she's still barely keeping it together... as made evident by the mismatched shoes she wore to work (and the screaming-into-the-pillow moment). But suddenly, Lydia gets a heads-up call from Mike, indicating that she's 30 seconds away from having some visitors: Hank and Gomez. We then head to the Madrigal warehouse, where the purpose of the DEA's visit becomes clear: to arrest one of the warehouse employees... in fact, the very employee who's been responsible for the methylamine barrels.  Enter Jesse, who makes the long drive from Albuquerque to Houston to pick up a barrel himself... but Lydia just so happens to find a nice surprise under the barrel: a Garmin GPS device. Mike, however, finds the planting of the device quite sloppy - certainly nothing that the DEA would do - and immediately pinpoints Lydia as the likely culprit, saying "Okay, she's dead!" Jesse bargains for her life, ultimately calling on Walt to make the deciding vote. His response - that the meth keeps flowing, no matter what - is presented in another  wonderful and intense shot, the camera slowly pushing in as Walt holds the Heisenberg hat in his hands.

As a viewer, I'm somewhat inclined to side with Mike with regards to Lydia: given the generous pass Mike gave Lydia in the final act of "Madrigal", the GPS act isn't exactly what I'd consider a "thank you".  But even more than that, I'm a little concerned as to how long the show will be able to reasonably involve Lydia in full-on panic mode before things go horribly wrong. More likely than not, something major will come to pass within the final four episodes of this season... the question at this point is, "How soon?"

But, ultimately that plot progression is secondary in "Fifty-One" to the new character dynamics between Walt and Skyler. It's certainly uncomfortable, and it's significant evidence in how insufferable Walt has become this season… something that will no doubt grow as we head into the last four episodes of this summer. (That's right, folks, we're already halfway through the 2012 season! Say whaaaaaaaaa?) Given the enemies he's making this year - and the enemies he's crafted in his mind - we're certainly headed in a position to get Walt to the solitary state that we find him in when he turns 52.

Random notes:

• This weekend, I checked out Bryan Cranston's latest movie, the Total Recall remake, and I was very disappointed. Specifically with regards to Cranston's performance as Cohaagen, I kept waiting for Cranston to make the character as villainous as Walt, but he never gets to that level, which was underwhelming. And as for Cranston's horrible wig? The less said, the better.
• Jesse giving Walt the watch for his birthday was a nice moment: it's probably as sentimental as this show wants to get. :-)
• So what does Hank's promotion mean for the DEA's Gus Fring case? Certainly, the look on Hank's face as he heard about the offer was one of uncertainty... and we all know that Hank would've loved to shut this case down, even though he was stuck at the moment.  My guess is that this is likely a temporary slowdown in the investigation, in order to stretch out these final batches of episodes.
• Next week: Time for a heist!

Breaking Bad, Episode 5.03: "Hazard Pay"

How many episodes should a single season of a serialized drama have? It's a question that's caused plenty of debate for quite some time, and which has become a hotly debated topic in the wake of the slew of successful dramas on premium cable and basic cable. Many of these series - The Sopranos, The Shield, Mad Men, and yes, Breaking Bad - have employed 13-episode seasons, which were primarily a result of the limited financial resources that cable networks had. However, the unintended benefit of this was that the shorter season mandated a tighter narrative, with less filler and more relevance per episode. It stands in stark contrast to the traditional broadcast network TV season, which ranges from 22 to 24 episodes in length. However, it's very hard to maintain a overarching plotline for a full network season. Take 24, which very structure required the show come up with a continuous 24-hour plot line that would stretch the entire season.  However, as fans of the show know, 24's original plot for the season would usually run out of gas after 12 to 15 episodes... requiring a significant plot reboot in order to make it to the season finale.  The other major network serialized drama of the past decade, Lost, often had to incur filler in order to fill out the first few seasons... a move which helped to frustrate fans.  When ABC brokered a deal for the final three-season pickup of Lost, showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse successfully negotiated for shorter, 16-episode seasons (down from an average of 24 episodes for the first 3 seasons), in order to concentrate on plot and higher-quality episodes.  Long story short, even the best and most popular of network series have had trouble maintaining long-term narratives.

I mention all of this because the final two seasons of Breaking Bad have a monumental challenge in front of them: to compact their traditional 13-episode style of storytelling into just 8 episodes, while at the same time heading towards an all-important endgame. Three episodes into this season, it's become very clear to me that, now more than ever, every single scene matters.  Case in point: last week's Mike-specific episode, "Madrigal". Last week, I was just overjoyed to have an episode to showcase Mike's brilliance... which is fine in itself. But, in the light of this week's episode, the purpose for "Madrigal" becomes very clear in terms of the overall narrative: it's very important for us, as an audience, to realize exactly what Mike has brought to the Gus Fring operation, and what he'll bring to Walt's new operation... because, as this episode shows us, Walt himself is too caught up in his own hubris to realize it, potentially creating his new nemesis in the process.

This week's episode kicks off with Mike back "at work"... this time, acting as the "paralegal" for the lawyer who's representing all of Gus' jailed men. Mike's visiting all of them in one day, to make sure that all Gus' men remain quiet about what's going on. The incentive: the luxurious "hazard pay" package which will ensure that them and their families will remain well-compensated for their trouble.  On one hand, the show is apt to make us aware of any and every loose end that could exist as a result of Walt's actions from last season's finale. On the other hand, this "hazard pay" will help to unravel Walt and Mike's relationship... and it's key for us to understand why it's important to the business. Because, after all, Mike runs the business, and nobody will tell him otherwise... and he makes that very, very clear to Walt and Jesse during a meeting of "the four amigos" in Saul's office. But, as the gang leaves Saul's office to tour potential new cooking sites, Walt says, "He (Mike) handles the business... and I handle him."

And with that, we head a bevy of new locales: the box factory, the tortilla factory, and even the old laser tag place from Season 3, but they're all met with rejection for Walt... for predominantly logical reasons.  And then, at the end of the day, we arrive at the Vamanos Pest garage, where Walt figures out a ludicrous, but savvy, way to cook meth: by setting up a lab in the fumigated homes of their clientele.  (Jesse chips in a helpful idea: by bringing in a medical tent similar to the one where Gus and Mike were treated near the end of Season 4.)  Sure, there's a crew that they'll have to contend with (including Landry from Friday Night Lights!!!) - a crew that's accustomed to breaking and entering into the homes they're fumigating... but Saul assures our guys that all is well. (And, to seal the deal, Mike gives a helpful talk to the Vamanos guys, to ensure that there's no stealing.) Plus, brought in to help with the restructuring effort are, of all people, Badger and Skinny Pete (!!!), who are tasked with buying big roadie cases to stash the cooking equipment in. (Gotta love that stencil job!)

With all of that in place, we finally get to go to work, as Walt and Jesse draw up plans for the portable lab. It's a nice bit of teamwork, but things quickly get awkward as Walt tries to implant some feelings of doubt in Jesse with regards to his girlfriend, Andrea, and his desire to make sure that she doesn't know anything about the operation. Then, Andrea swings by Jesse's place... with Brock in tow. Again, Walt's working the situation in order to come off as "the nice guy", remarking that Brock was "very brave" in his poisoning bout at the end of last season.  That uncomfortable silence as Walt and Brock are left alone in Jesse's living room is just great... this is a show that works best when things aren't quite right. (By episode's end, Jesse severs his relationship with Andrea, to Walt's silent satisfaction.)

We then head to Vamanos Pest's first new client, and the wonderful montage of Walt and Jesse back at work.  It's a hypnotic, wonderfully photographed, edited, and scored sequence; I had a smile on my face the entire five minutes or so; who knew that the making of meth would make me so happy? But that's the magic of Breaking Bad for you. (One harbinger of potential doom: the multiple shots of exhaust leading out from the 'fumigated' house. No doubt that will bite them in the end.)

This week also brings us the return of Marie, who meets up with Skylar at the car wash, and finds herself on the receiving end of a Skylar breakdown, complete with a cigarette and 14 increasingly loud utterances of "SHUT UP!!!" Marie wonders what's up, and confronts Walt at the White household to find out the truth. Stuck in a rut, Walt plays a potentially dangerous card: by revealing Skylar's affair with Ted Beneke. Skylar isn't handling Walt's return to the White family home, leading to the twisted scene of Walt, Walt Jr. and the baby sitting in front of the TV and watching, of all movies, Brian de Palma's 1983 remake of Scarface. Now, the symbolism may be a little bit on-the-nose here... especially since creator Vince Gilligan has repeatedly described the show as "Mr. Chips becomes Scarface". But you've gotta admit, the sheer sight of Walt watching the movie with his infant child in his arms is a little bit twisted, eh?

And then comes the big final scene of the episode, as $1,379,500 of revenue quickly diminishes, much to Walt's chagrin. I must credit the writing with making it very clear (complete with lots of figures and mathematics) where all the money is going. Some of the expenditures are sensible, such as the distribution drivers and the Vamanos Pest crew... but then, Mike takes additional money to pay for Gus' guys in jail - the "hazard pay" from the opening scene (and the episode title, natch). Walt isn't very happy that the legacy costs from Gus' operation are being paid from the new revenue... but Mike counters with the quote of the night, "Just because you shot Jesse James doesn't make you Jesse James." And there's more expenses to come... such as an increased cost for methylamine going forward. (For a complete infographic breakdown of the costs, check out this week's Breaking Bad Story Sync.) Caught up in all this mess is Jesse, who offers a larger chunk of his share to resolve the Walt-Mike conflict, but fortunately, Walt ends up chipping in his share. But, in the final shots of the episode, Walt hints at a more dangerous resolution by invoking Victor, the henchman who got his throat sliced in the Season 4 premiere, "Box Cutter"... and surmising that Mike could meet a similar fate.

For Walt to turn on Mike this early in the season is a move that certainly can't bode well... and for Walt to think that he can handle Mike simply because he could handle Gus is a nearly-maniacal thought. Remember, a good chunk of the reason why Walt was able to take out Gus last season was because Mike was out of commission during that time. But already this season, we've seen how truly dangerous Mike can be... and it adds a layer of suspense and tension to what's already a dangerous situation.

Random notes:

• AMC was very nice to air a Bryan Cranston-heavy TV spot for this Friday's remake of Total Recall. (Cranston is playing the role of Cohaagen, essayed by Ronny Cox in the 1990 original.)
• The box factory scene gave me vivid flashbacks to "Bart Gets Famous", the Season 5 episode of The Simpsons where Bart escapes a box factory field trip, only to gain a feature role on Krusty's show.
• Please don't tell me that the Scarface scene was intended to be a tie-in to AMC's Mob Week... especially since the Mob Week commercials featured Scarface clips. (On a side note, when I think of mobsters, I think of... Anthony Bourdain?!?!?)
• "Everyone dies in this movie, huh?"
• Next week: The episode title is "Fifty-One", as in Walt's 51st birthday. (You'll recall that Marie hinted at this in the car wash scene.) That can only mean that we're getting closer to Walt's 52nd birthday... mua-ha-ha-ha!!! Oh, and is that Walt breaking out the Heisenberg hat? :-D

Breaking Bad, Episode 5.02: “Madrigal”

It’s a little hard to believe that, up until this week’s episode of Breaking Bad, we hadn’t had an episode dedicated to our favorite cleaner, Mike.  Every supporting character of note has had their own episode all to themselves: from Gus in last season’s “Hermanos”, to Marie in “Open House”.  But until Sunday night, the most we got for Mike was a single act in the third-season finale, “Full Measure”, in which we got Mike to see in ass-kicking silencer mode.  “Madrigal” delivers on the potential of a Mike-heavy episode, giving us two action sequences, plus several other awesome dialogue scenes for Jonathan Banks to knock out of the park.  For the die-hard Breaking Bad fan, it’s an unqualified recipe for success.

But before we get to Mike, let’s talk chicken nuggets! In the episode’s off-kilter cold open, we’re introduced to Mr. Schuler, who runs Madrigal Elektromotoren, the German-based parent company of Los Pollos Hermanos (and the owner of the laundromat that housed the meth super-lab in Seasons 3 & 4).  He’s in the middle of a taste test of new sauces (including honey mustard, a half-ranch, half-French combination called “Franch”, and “Cajun Kick-Ass”, which is charmingly uttered in a German accent) when his assistant informs him that the police have stopped by to ask some questions about the Gus Fring operation… “Three this time”.  Schuler knows he’s screwed, and so he does the only thing he can do: by committing suicide in a bathroom using a portable defibrillator.  (In true Breaking Bad fashion, Schuler’s death invokes a twisted moment of laughter, as the bathroom toilet flushes after he drops dead.)  Of course, such a move is only going to raise more suspicion… which leads to a meeting at the DEA offices in Albuquerque between Madrigal representatives and the DEA (including an out-and-about Hank).

After the cold open, we’re treated to a moment of Walt at his most calculating: he attempts to reconstruct the ricin cigarette in a hurried effort to appease Jesse’s worry about where it might be.  He then heads over to Jesse’s house to “search” for said cigarette, ultimately planting it inside television’s favorite non-DJ Roomba for Jesse to find.  For starters, I enjoyed Walt’s “What the hell is that?” reaction to the Roomba at the beginning  of the scene… and further enjoyed it when I realized that his reaction was a ploy to get Jesse to open the Roomba up.  And once Jesse finds it, and breaks down crying in a sign of relief, you can’t help but think, “Walt, you sadistic bastard.” The stark contrast between Jesse’s bawling after finding the cigarette and Walt’s meaningless hugs of comfort is a shining example of how far Walt’s fallen, and how much Jesse has usurped him as the moral center of the show… if there is such a thing.  (And let’s give it up for Aaron Paul for selling the heck out of that scene… kudos!)

With that out of the way, Walt and Jesse start building their meth business back up from scratch… in what will certainly be a less lucrative operation than Gus’ structure allowed (albeit with larger profits for all involved.)  First order of business: attempting to get Mike involved as a third partner – for security/logistics reasons, and especially to help acquire the various ingredients needed to make the blue meth.  From the second Mike opens the door and gives that “Aw, crap, not these guys again” look on his face, you know he doesn’t want to be involved with this at all.  In fact, he verbalizes it succinctly, calling Walt “a time bomb, tick-tick-ticking”, and declines their offer.  But Walt and Jesse proceed anyways, meeting with Saul to start getting things into order.  Despite Saul’s best advice, Walt’s hubris starts gleaming through, as he proclaims, “There’s gold in the streets, just waiting for someone to come in and scoop it up!” Even more, Walt’s about $40,000 in the hole as a result of last season’s chaos – in terms of what he owes Jesse and also what he lost to Ted Beneke – putting him in a situation where he HAS to start cooking once more.

But there’s still some problematic aspects towards making this work, namely the need for methylamine… and surprisingly, that’s where Mike comes in.  It’s the long result of a quartet of stellar Mike-centric scenes that make this a top-notch episode:

• Mike and Lydia at the diner.  Lydia, like Mike, is an employee of Gus’ operation… but unlike Mike, she’s extremely uneasy that the Los Pollos Hermanos operation is going to come crashing down.  And so, we’re treated to a comedy of extreme awkwardness, as Lydia meets Mike (or should I say, “DWAYNE!!!”) at one of his favorite diners, and gives Mike a list of 11 guys who she thinks will break... and who should be bumped off.  But, Mike ain’t gonna do that: He vetted every single name on that list – yes, even Chow, the man whose hand Mike shot in the Season 3 finale – and he’s dang certain that none of them will crack under pressure.  And so Mike declines another offer… but Lydia isn’t going to stop there, as we’ll soon find out.
• Mike versus Hank.  Just hearing that character combination should make you giddy inside… and boy, does this six-minute sequence lives up to the potential. The above scene hints that Mike knows enough to keep his mouth shut to the DEA… and Mike demonstrates that he’s a thorough man, as he rattles off the states in which he has P.I. licenses and concealed-carry permits (or in the case of the latter, the states which he’s NOT licensed).  Mike denies knowing anything about Gus’ drug operation, but ultimately, Hank traps Mike: the DEA has found a list of bank accounts – in effect, the list of names that Lydia gave to Mike – and have seized their cash.  Chief among that list, with a whopping $2 million in deposits, is an account registered in the name of Mike’s 10-year-old granddaughter. Mike simply says he doesn’t know anything about it… and leaves.
• A visit to Chow’s house. While playing Hungry Hungry Hippos with his granddaughter, Mike receives a call from Mr. Chow, asking him to come over to figure out what to do, now that the DEA has seized his money.  But, as Admiral Ackbar would say, “IT’S A TRAP!”, as Mike quickly figures out that there’s a fellow hitman there to take both Chow – and Mike – out of the equation.  But, with a sly fake-out, thanks to one of his granddaughter’s toys, Mike gains the upper hand over Chris the hitman.  As it turns out, Lydia hired Chris to work through the list of 11, offering $10,000 per name (and $30,000 for Mike).  But alas, Mike asks, “Are you ready?” and takes him out, making for Corpse #3 this week.  (I must also compliment the show’s cinematography, which has always been one of the series’ strong suits: the wide shot of Mike pointing his gun at Chris, which pans down to display the blown-out back of Chow’s head – complete with flies already buzzing around it – was extremely well-done.)
• 4A visit to Lydia’s house.  Having narrowly avoided death, Mike heads to Lydia’s house to exact his revenge.  But Mike has to contend with the presence of Lydia’s daughter… and her housekeeper.  The trademark Breaking Bad tension is absolutely palpable here, as Mike stands in the nighttime shadows of Lydia’s bedroom, waiting for her to enter… and it only gets more unbearable as Mike grabs Lydia in the bedroom, and as Lydia pleads for her life, asking not to disappear for her daughter’s sake.  And then, Mike makes what might be his fatal mistake, as he lets Lydia live in exchange for acquiring the methylamine… which, don’t get me wrong, is a bit of a groaner, especially for this show.  But, the fact that it’s going to allow Walt and Jesse to start cooking again is also exciting… especially now that Mike has reconsidered and has joined in the operation.

And now that we’ve made it 25% through this summer season, we have to ask: What exactly is going to send things unraveling?  Well, based on what Hank said during the meeting with his now-ousted boss, Walt may have screwed things up: apparently, according to Hank, the laptop from last week was encrypted, and they wouldn’t have been able to pull anything off of it.  But a part of me has to be wondering what Lydia’s presence will affect our “heroes’” future.

Random notes:

• Again, if you’re watching the series live on Sunday nights, I highly recommend using AMC’s Breaking Bad Story Sync feature.  I pulled it up on my iPad during the Sunday premiere airing, and it certainly makes for a fun experience.
• We have Jay Leno to thank for resurrecting this video clip: a 1998 appearance of Jesse Pinkman himself, Aaron Paul, on The Price is Right.  You know you want to see it. :-D

Next week: Walt, Jesse, Mike and Saul in a room together. There’s no way this can’t be good. :-) See you then!

Breaking Bad, Episode 5.01: “Live Free or Die”

In my opinion, Breaking Bad is the best drama on television.  Now, I realize that this could be a controversial statement, no matter how convinced I am of its value. Heck, I'll admit that, at the very least, it’s dangerously hyperbolic!  And sure, you could argue that other TV critical darlings, such as Mad Men or Sherlock or what-have-you, could stand toe-to-toe with the adventures of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.  But when I sit down to watch a new episode of Breaking Bad Sunday evenings at 9:00 PM (Central time, yo!), I can always count on a draining, tension-filled, and positively grueling experience that no other show can provide… and which no other show has provided since The Shield or the early years of 24.  That, combined with a wonderfully dark sense of humor, film-like cinematography, and a top-notch cast led by Bryan Cranston, has made for one of television’s most awesome experiences… which, sadly, started heading towards its endgame tonight, with the first of the final season’s 16 episodes.  (For posterity’s sake, I should mention that only the first eight episodes will air this summer, wrapping up on Labor Day Sunday.  The second half of the season will begin filming in mid-November, and will air on AMC next summer, in what will assuredly be a painful wait.)

And yet, as we head into these sixteen episodes, the question that’s been on most fans’ minds since last October’s incredible finale is: “Where do we go from here?” In that daring October 2011 finale, Walter managed to devise – and successfully execute – a ballsy plan to eliminate his employer, Southwest meth kingpin/fast-food chicken franchise owner Gus Fring, with the help of our beloved bell-dinger, Hector Salamanca.  With Gus out of the picture, Walt triumphantly proclaimed to his wife, “I won”… a moment reprised at the beginning of tonight’s episode.  However, this is not the Super Bowl, and Walt just isn’t going to go to Disney World.  Now, that’s not to say that Walt isn’t going to bask in the moment; in fact, when he gets home, he breaks out the booze for a celebratory drink.  However, Walt keeps thinking of loose ends: first, to clean up the bomb-making equipment from the kitchen… and then, to dispose of the Lily of the Valley plant that he used to poison Brock.  It sets up the foundation for tonight’s episode, as everyone in the cast has to tie up the remaining threads from last year in order to move on.

Chief among the loose ends: everyone’s favorite hitman, Mike, whom you’ll recall was conveniently sidelined during the last few episodes of Season 4, as he was shot and wounded during Gus’ epic poisoned-tequila elimination of the Cartel.  One of the burning questions during the show’s hiatus was how he’d react to the news of Gus’ death, and the show did not disappoint on that front.  In fact, in true Breaking Bad fashion, the show cuts to the chase and gives us the long-awaited, tension-filled Walt/Mike confrontation very early on… at the 18-minute mark, if I’m not mistaken.  The episode sets up the situation wonderfully, with Mike re-introduced feeding chickens at the hospital where has was recuperating. But, in comes the orderly to notify Mike… and before you know it, Mike’s driving to the desert to meet with Walt and Jesse, where’s he’s noticeably pissed.  But, the circumstances of the situation forces Mike to work with Walt and Jesse to resolve one potentially dangerous loose end: that of Gus’ ever-intimidating security cameras.  You see, the camera footage (including that of Walt and Jesse cooking in the underground laundromat lab) was all redirected to Gus’ laptop… and if it falls into the wrong hands, then they’re all screwed.

And where’s the laptop?  In the Albuquerque police evidence room, natch.  Not only have they come in to swoop all the evidence from Gus’ office at the Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant… but the DEA’s investigation has also picked up, as Hank descends, cane in hand, to inspect the burned-out remains of Gus’ lab, where he noticed the torched remains of the lab camera.  It leads to what may be the episode’s most laugh-out-loud moment, as Walt and Mike discuss a ridiculously elaborate plan to eliminate the evidence to get a bomb into the evidence room, while Jesse tries valiantly to be the voice of reason and logic. His solution is simple: Magnets, yo!  Thus, we head to the junkyard, where Walt attempts to acquire a crane magnet to wipe the laptop’s contents clean.  It’s a welcome callback of sorts to the show’s early days, where Walt’s chemistry expertise was used to solve various problems on the meth front.  (Remember the explosive meth from episode 5? Or Walter’s very specific request in episode 2 for a container to disintegrate a body in? Oh, those were the days.)  It leads to another fun sequence: the test run of the magnet, which is stored in the back of a truck with 21 car batteries wired together to make a portable power source.  It's a scene that would make the Insane Clown Posse proud.

You’ll recall at the end of that scene that Walt makes one request: to double the number of batteries in the bank.  It’s the start of a new Walt, one who’s seemingly drunk with power in the wake of his success over Gus.  It comes up again when Walt, Jesse and Mike head to the police department to use the magnet: Walt can’t help but turn up the magnet to full blast when they get there… tipping the truck in the process, ensuring that they’ll have to leave it behind at the police station.  Yet, despite the risk of leaving the truck behind, lest there be prints, Walt truly believes he’s above defeat: in Mike’s car afterwards, Mike asks, “Did all that even work just now?” Walt says yes.  How do we know?  In Walt’s words, “Because I say so.”  It’s a bold statement… and one that ensures that Walt is setting himself up for inevitable failure.  And, if anything, Walt’s efforts may not have helped: even though the laptop might be destroyed, the magnet managed to uncover a juicy bit of information: it damaged a framed portrait of Gus and his partner (whom you’ll recall from last season’s “Hermanos” flashback episode), which contained, underneath the photo, the numbers for a Cayman Islands offshore bank account.

Speaking of ridiculous amounts of money, let’s shift to Skyler’s plot, where she has to deal with a loose thread of her own: her old boss, Ted Beneke, whom she gave $622,000 or so in cash to pay off his back taxes and avoid going to prison.  Now, when Ted slipped and fell near the end of last season, we would’ve thought that his story was conveniently wrapped up.  But that’s not the case, as tonight, Skyler learns via Saul that Ted has woken up.  Now, granted, Ted’s not that well off: he still has severe neck injuries, he’s in a brace, and there are even screws in his head.  But Ted is apt to tell Skyler that he doesn’t plan on saying a word about what really happened.  Saul explains the situation to Walt at episode’s end, but he doesn’t respond very well, on account of the fact that he wasn’t approached when a huge chunk of his money was given to the man his wife was sleeping with.  It leads to a falling out between him and Saul, who says he’s done with Walt.  But Walt says those threatening words, “We’re done when I say we’re done.”  Even more unsettling is what he says to Skyler in the final scene: “I forgive you.” It’s not exactly a reassuring moment for Skyler… and it further sets up Walt as a man who’s not to be messed with.

Which brings us to the scene I’ve held off on discussing until now: the episode’s cold open, which flashes forward to Walt’s 52^nd birthday, as noted by his traditional bacon-and-eggs birthday breakfast.  (You’ll recall that the show’s very first episode opened with Walt’s 50^th birthday, and just so you’re aware, we haven’t seen Walt turn 51 yet… although this season’s fourth episode is conveniently titled “Fifty-One”.)  When we meet Walt – or should I say, “Mr. Lambert” – he’s sporting a new look: a full head of hair, a scruffy beard and wardrobe, and black horn-rimmed glasses.  As it turns out, Walt is at Denny’s to meet up with his weapons guy – the one whom Walt bought his revolver from last season.  This time, however, Walt’s making a wee bit of an upgrade: he’s purchasing an M-60 machine gun (according to the Breaking Bad StorySync feature for tonight’s episode).

The mere presence of a flash-forward sequence alternately excites and frightens me.  Fortunately, Breaking Bad has approached its story architecture in both ways.  For example, Season 2 was intricately structured to lead up to the season finale’s airliner crash… as indicated by the recurring flash-forwards of a pink teddy bear floating in a pool.  For Season 3, however, creator Vince Gilligan decided to take the exact opposite approach: he opted not to write a season-long arc, instead forcing himself and the writing staff to write the season by the seat of their pants… which led to a much more immediate sense of storytelling, and probably one of the most thrilling seasons of television in recent memory.  At best, tonight’s flash-forward signifies that Gilligan and his writing staff have a story mapped out for this summer’s eight episodes, and most likely the rest of the series.  At worst, we have a show that’s locked into an ending, without knowing how to get there.

Given how little time this show has left, I sincerely hope it’s the former… but we’ll have to see.  As we head into this final stretch, nothing is more important to me than knowing that the show has an endgame… which is very important for serialized shows, and especially important for shows that know exactly when they’re going to end.  (For example, Lost knew its end date three years in advance… and yet Lindelof and Cuse couldn’t devise an ending that could pay off that much build-up.)  But Breaking Bad has always had an expiration date on it: either by way of Walt’s potential demise as a result of his actions, or the always-lingering threat of cancer. (Certainly, that cough in the Denny’s bathroom could not have been a throwaway moment.)  Because of the fact that there are only 16 episodes left, Breaking Bad has a tremendous opportunity to stick the landing and give us the ending that the show – and its audience – deserves.  Let’s hope it pulls it off. :-)

Random notes:

• If you’re interested in joining our Breaking Bad journey, you may be happy to know that Netflix added the fourth season to their streaming selection today.  If you can plow through all 46 episodes of Seasons 1-4 in the very near future – plus whatever episodes from Season 5 you’ll need to watch – I will give you a gold star. J
• “He knows.”
• The scene of Hank in the burned-out lab was epically filmed.  I will miss the scenes in the lab, though… that was one heck of a set.
• “Keys. It’s the universal symbol for ‘keys’.”
• Mike’s alias: Inspector Dave Clark, like in the Dave Clark Five. (That may have been before your time.)
• “Did you just use the word ‘ethically’ in a sentence?”
• Saul was on fire with the pop culture references: first by invoking Hogan’s Heroes in front of Skyler, then whipping out “I’m your huckleberry” from Tombstone when Walt came to his office.
• Although I have DVR'ed it, I have not yet fast-forwarded through tonight's post-Breaking Bad premiere of their new reality show Small Town Security to check out the promo for next week's Breaking Bad and the 4-minute preview trailer for Season 3 of The Walking Dead. You think I was going to sit through that in full to get the goods on the shows I actually watch? Nuh-uh, AMC!
• Here’s a sneak peek scene from next week’s episode, courtesy of AMC. See you next Sunday!