Breaking Bad

Well, I totally saw that one coming, both back in July and even moreso during the episode. I thought maybe I was wrong about Mike and he'd get away, and the story there would be that he got away because he was careful and patient, setting up a contrast with Walt, who is neither. But when Walt overheard that they'd found the bank accounts, I immediately knew he was done for after all. I turned to my wife and said "That's it! There's no other way! This is how it happens!" And sure enough...

...gotta say, though, it didn't go down the way I'd expected. I felt he'd wanted to kill Mike pretty much this entire season. And that might be true. But if so, he's doing a little mini split-personality deal, because he seemed a lot more like Heisenberg when he pulled the trigger, and a lot more like Walter White after it happened. Maybe that's the idea: he's really losing the last vestiges of himself now, and doing things he wouldn't otherwise do. Not just awful things, but awful and reckless. The former he's been doing for awhile. The latter is a little newer to him.

Well, I totally saw that one coming, both back in July and even moreso during the episode. I thought maybe I was wrong about Mike and he'd get away, and the story there would be that he got away because he was careful and patient, setting up a contrast with Walt, who is neither. But when Walt overheard that they'd found the bank accounts, I immediately knew he was done for after all. I turned to my wife and said "That's it! There's no other way! This is how it happens!" And sure enough...

...gotta say, though, it didn't go down the way I'd expected. I felt he'd wanted to kill Mike pretty much this entire season. And that might be true. But if so, he's doing a little mini split-personality deal, because he seemed a lot more like Heisenberg when he pulled the trigger, and a lot more like Walter White after it happened. Maybe that's the idea: he's really losing the last vestiges of himself now, and doing things he wouldn't otherwise do. Not just awful things, but awful and reckless. The former he's been doing for awhile. The latter is a little newer to him.

We were debating whether the deposit-box-attorney would be the one to go, or Mike. That attorney felt like such an expendable character right up front that we were sure it'd be another "red shirt" killing.

But as soon as Walt offered to bring Mike his bag, we figured Mike was done for. Remember a few weeks ago, Hank said, in reference to Mike, that even experts make mistakes. Mike's mistake was thinking so little of Walt that he didn't think Walt would shoot him. Oddly, he had a gun on him and even in his hand ... but somehow still turned his back on Walt (literally) and walked away taking that bag. By the time he opened it, it was too late.

The only part I got wrong was that I was yelling (once Walt volunteered to take the bag), "Walt's going to shoot Mike with his own gun and make it look like a suicide!"

I'm surprised Walt the Empire Business guy didn't think any further ahead than simply shooting Mike in his car. I suppose Mike having driven off, even a short distance, threw Walt back into that earlier Walt "panic mode" where he makes the almost funny mistakes.

But he'll recover enough to hide this in his own way. Whether or not he hides it well enough is another story. And he'll hide this from Jesse too ... unless/until they find Mike's body (barrels, anyone?), in which case the news it generates would tip off Jesse that Walt is willing to kill anyone. Showdown?

I predict the half-season ending with Hank finding out something very important ... and we all know that HE NOW KNOWS.

We were debating whether the deposit-box-attorney would be the one to go, or Mike. That attorney felt like such an expendable character right up front that we were sure it'd be another "red shirt" killing.

But as soon as Walt offered to bring Mike his bag, we figured Mike was done for. Remember a few weeks ago, Hank said, in reference to Mike, that even experts make mistakes. Mike's mistake was thinking so little of Walt that he didn't think Walt would shoot him. Oddly, he had a gun on him and even in his hand ... but somehow still turned his back on Walt (literally) and walked away taking that bag. By the time he opened it, it was too late.

The only part I got wrong was that I was yelling (once Walt volunteered to take the bag), "Walt's going to shoot Mike with his own gun and make it look like a suicide!"

I'm surprised Walt the Empire Business guy didn't think any further ahead than simply shooting Mike in his car. I suppose Mike having driven off, even a short distance, threw Walt back into that earlier Walt "panic mode" where he makes the almost funny mistakes.

But he'll recover enough to hide this in his own way. Whether or not he hides it well enough is another story. And he'll hide this from Jesse too ... unless/until they find Mike's body (barrels, anyone?), in which case the news it generates would tip off Jesse that Walt is willing to kill anyone. Showdown?

I predict the half-season ending with Hank finding out something very important ... and we all know that HE NOW KNOWS.

...Hank finding out, but the show not explicitly telling us. For example, he keeps making confused, ponderous faces when certain things are said to him. Two stand out:

1) When his old boss talked about how Fring was "right under his nose." Hank looks pained and starts thinking. Clearly, on some level, his subconscious is wondering if anyone in his life may fit that description.

2) In this past episode, when Mike is ready for their warrant and his house his clean. He definitely makes a "WTF?" face that suggests he may suspect Mike was tipped off.

It looked like these two things may culiminate in Hank finding the bug and immediately realizing that Walt was one of a very small group of people who could have put it there.

I really love the idea that, next week (or even next year, for that matter), an episode ends with Hank's pained face, eyes darting around, searching, looking at the picture frame, thinking about Walt...and then his face softening, as if he's just realized something. They don't need any dialogue. But we'll know that, for the first time, he's figured it out. It would be brilliant if done right, and I really hope it happens.

...Hank finding out, but the show not explicitly telling us. For example, he keeps making confused, ponderous faces when certain things are said to him. Two stand out:

1) When his old boss talked about how Fring was "right under his nose." Hank looks pained and starts thinking. Clearly, on some level, his subconscious is wondering if anyone in his life may fit that description.

2) In this past episode, when Mike is ready for their warrant and his house his clean. He definitely makes a "WTF?" face that suggests he may suspect Mike was tipped off.

It looked like these two things may culiminate in Hank finding the bug and immediately realizing that Walt was one of a very small group of people who could have put it there.

I really love the idea that, next week (or even next year, for that matter), an episode ends with Hank's pained face, eyes darting around, searching, looking at the picture frame, thinking about Walt...and then his face softening, as if he's just realized something. They don't need any dialogue. But we'll know that, for the first time, he's figured it out. It would be brilliant if done right, and I really hope it happens.

Walt retrieving the bug makes it seem like he's in the clear, but I don't think he is. My first thought was that there's a camera in the office he hasn't realized is there, or something of the sort. And right as I thought this the very next shot was a quasi-fisheye (I think) shot coming from the corner of the room. It was very unusual and conspicuous, and exactly the kind of shot you'd expect from a camera. Worth considering.

It would also potentially explain how we could get to the flash-forward within the next episode; if Hank figures him out, Walt might have to go off on the lam for awhile, leading into the scene in the opener where he's buying a machine gun.

Walt retrieving the bug makes it seem like he's in the clear, but I don't think he is. My first thought was that there's a camera in the office he hasn't realized is there, or something of the sort. And right as I thought this the very next shot was a quasi-fisheye (I think) shot coming from the corner of the room. It was very unusual and conspicuous, and exactly the kind of shot you'd expect from a camera. Worth considering.

It would also potentially explain how we could get to the flash-forward within the next episode; if Hank figures him out, Walt might have to go off on the lam for awhile, leading into the scene in the opener where he's buying a machine gun.

Holy crap, Yoda called it! Hank having the big realization (on the pooper, weirdly), looking up, no dialogue. That brief flashback. PERFECT. Little strange they didn't get back to Walt at the diner, but the episode is so tantalizing what with Hank and the way they left Jesse's arc, I can forgive them that. Roll on 2013!

Holy crap, Yoda called it! Hank having the big realization (on the pooper, weirdly), looking up, no dialogue. That brief flashback. PERFECT. Little strange they didn't get back to Walt at the diner, but the episode is so tantalizing what with Hank and the way they left Jesse's arc, I can forgive them that. Roll on 2013!

So glad they did it that way. Both because of the prediction and because, well, it's just an awesome way to do it. Would've preferred it were even subtler, because the point still would've gotten across. Maybe no flashback, for example. Hell, maybe without even showing the inscription. But still, what an awesome way to do it. This totally puts us into the end game. Now that Hank knows (or at least, VERY strongly suspects), the series has to build towards a conclusion. Hank can't jump on it immediately because he needs some proof, but he's going to start snooping around, and once that happens Walt really can't hide from it.

Interestingly enough, this takes us up to the flash-forward, just not explicitly. We know his cancer has to come back and he has to basically be on the lam. We saw him in the MRI, which covers the first part, and now Hank knows, which will almost certainly end up easily explaining the second.

So glad they did it that way. Both because of the prediction and because, well, it's just an awesome way to do it. Would've preferred it were even subtler, because the point still would've gotten across. Maybe no flashback, for example. Hell, maybe without even showing the inscription. But still, what an awesome way to do it. This totally puts us into the end game. Now that Hank knows (or at least, VERY strongly suspects), the series has to build towards a conclusion. Hank can't jump on it immediately because he needs some proof, but he's going to start snooping around, and once that happens Walt really can't hide from it.

Interestingly enough, this takes us up to the flash-forward, just not explicitly. We know his cancer has to come back and he has to basically be on the lam. We saw him in the MRI, which covers the first part, and now Hank knows, which will almost certainly end up easily explaining the second.

Mike being put in a barrel.

Mike being put in a barrel.

... Hank and Mike!

... Hank and Mike!

Halfway through the episode, when Walt was hiding the secret vial, they showed the Whitman book and i said "Wait a minute, is that the book fripping Gale gave him?? Wow, that's a pretty big gaff from Mr. Careful..."

And then BAM, Hank sees it 20 minutes later.

Halfway through the episode, when Walt was hiding the secret vial, they showed the Whitman book and i said "Wait a minute, is that the book fripping Gale gave him?? Wow, that's a pretty big gaff from Mr. Careful..."

And then BAM, Hank sees it 20 minutes later.

I think he stopped being Mr. Careful after killing Fring. He thinks he can do anything now, hence the two ridiculously brazen heists this season.

I think he stopped being Mr. Careful after killing Fring. He thinks he can do anything now, hence the two ridiculously brazen heists this season.

What about Walt suddenly telling Skyler, "I'm out"? Is he really out? We saw absolutely nothing about HOW he got out, what that actually means to someone like Walter White at this point, or who he got to take his place.

We did see that final scene where everyone's socializing around the Whites' pool, meaning the kids have come home. We know Skyler wouldn't have allowed that if she thought he wasn't yet out, but how did he show her he's out? DID he? Would she take his word for it at this point?

Did that big storage locker of money finally convince him (with Skyler's insistence that she wants her kids and her life back)? We haven't seen Walt giving much regard to his wife OR his kids this entire half-season, so how did a big pile of money change his mind?

Or did he get the word that his cancer is back and decided to retire?

He did look astonished to see all that money, I'll grant that much. So, has the operation become too antiseptic and impersonal? When it's about nothing BUT money, is it no longer worth it? He went to see Jesse and reminisced about the crazy early days with the RV. Is he missing that spark in the beginning that he said made him feel alive?

Is it all these things (cancer and nostalgia)?

And did he hand over the reins to Todd and the international dealer woman (sorry, forgot her name!)? Or did Jesse get coaxed back in? (I doubt this last one is true -- Jesse looked unnerved by that bag of money and I doubt a huge operation would win him over at this point.)

OR, could Walt have meant when he said "I'm out" that he's simply out of the big cartel-business? Could he mean that he (along with Jesse?) is going to cook small again, for the thrill?

I see the cancer/nostalgia combo as a good one to get Walt to quit... but that first opening scene on his 52nd birthday with his hair grown back still has me curious as to what happens in the remaining half-plus year of story-time. Numerous ways to get there from where we are, and we know some of them involve Hank now knowing who Heisenberg has been all along.

What about Walt suddenly telling Skyler, "I'm out"? Is he really out? We saw absolutely nothing about HOW he got out, what that actually means to someone like Walter White at this point, or who he got to take his place.

We did see that final scene where everyone's socializing around the Whites' pool, meaning the kids have come home. We know Skyler wouldn't have allowed that if she thought he wasn't yet out, but how did he show her he's out? DID he? Would she take his word for it at this point?

Did that big storage locker of money finally convince him (with Skyler's insistence that she wants her kids and her life back)? We haven't seen Walt giving much regard to his wife OR his kids this entire half-season, so how did a big pile of money change his mind?

Or did he get the word that his cancer is back and decided to retire?

He did look astonished to see all that money, I'll grant that much. So, has the operation become too antiseptic and impersonal? When it's about nothing BUT money, is it no longer worth it? He went to see Jesse and reminisced about the crazy early days with the RV. Is he missing that spark in the beginning that he said made him feel alive?

Is it all these things (cancer and nostalgia)?

And did he hand over the reins to Todd and the international dealer woman (sorry, forgot her name!)? Or did Jesse get coaxed back in? (I doubt this last one is true -- Jesse looked unnerved by that bag of money and I doubt a huge operation would win him over at this point.)

OR, could Walt have meant when he said "I'm out" that he's simply out of the big cartel-business? Could he mean that he (along with Jesse?) is going to cook small again, for the thrill?

I see the cancer/nostalgia combo as a good one to get Walt to quit... but that first opening scene on his 52nd birthday with his hair grown back still has me curious as to what happens in the remaining half-plus year of story-time. Numerous ways to get there from where we are, and we know some of them involve Hank now knowing who Heisenberg has been all along.

If Walt is "out," that's a huge, huge turn for him. Huge. Even if it's "too late," even if his actions won't let him get all the way out (which is clearly the case)...even WANTING to would be a tremendous shift for the character.

My guess, then, is that he wasn't really out, or else wouldn't have been able to stay out. We may never really know, but it would be wildly at odds with everything else we've seen about him over the last couple of years.

If Walt is "out," that's a huge, huge turn for him. Huge. Even if it's "too late," even if his actions won't let him get all the way out (which is clearly the case)...even WANTING to would be a tremendous shift for the character.

My guess, then, is that he wasn't really out, or else wouldn't have been able to stay out. We may never really know, but it would be wildly at odds with everything else we've seen about him over the last couple of years.