I just started and finished watching Breaking Bad

[UConn James]

I don't think Ted is going to make it to the end of Season 4.

 

Gus watched Jesse make meth equal to the quality of Gale (96.2%). However, Walt's is still purer (99%). Remember that Gus had thought that Gale's meth would "be fine"? I wonder if he thinks he can then move on with Jesse as the chief cook? Of course Gus, Mike & Jesse still have to make it home.

 

I have no real idea how the rest of this season plays out, but the ride certainly will be fun.

 

The obvious thing being, tho, that there's always surprises --- access to this or that chemical is shut off, this equipment breaks and can't be replaced or a new piece of equipment comes to market and Jesse knows squat about how it can be used. Walt can improvise based on his chemistry expertise. Jesse simply knows the recipe as-is. That said, Walt is a lot more volatile a character than Jesse, has the cancer always lurking, so... it's a judgment call. But, you keep both as long as you can.

 

I could definitely see Ted getting it once Walt and Gus (either through Walt, or more probable, Saul) find out what Skylar's done. Busts of a good many infamous figures in this country have been for taxes, rather than for nefarious criminal activities. Ted seems to have the personality of burning through cash getting people to like him, and he can do one of two things: trade-in the Benz again (notice the contrast that this was the ep when she got Walt Jr. the sensible car?), and pay off the IRS so the story jives and things get quiet, with the possibility of using the Beneke company to launder more of the money.... or he can keep the Mercedes, ask Skylar how she got the money / get nosy, try some blackmail and get fed some of that powder currently reserved for Gus. My guess would go with the second scenario, but then again this is the kind of show where Ted could play ball to everyone's win-win and he could still get axed.

 

That's what's so awesome --- you can see a lot of avenues where the story might go, but you never know which route Gilligan's going to take or, hell, he might decide to veer off-road!

[ajzepp]

I have a feeling the crap with Skylar and that idiot she was bangin' is slowly setting up something.

 

 

I hope so man, cause I don't want to see any more of that soap opera crap where Skylar falls for Mr Big Shot and cant keep her legs closed. Things are too intense to be concerned with infidelity...and clearly Walt doesn't give a crap anymore lol.

 

And I LOVE the way they have written Jesse's character...they took it in a completely different direction than what I had anticipated. Last night's scenes with the Cartel reminded me of my favorite episode where Jesse and Walt were being held captive by that Cartel guy when his uncle wouldn't stop ringing that FARKIN BELL!!!

Edited September 19, 2011 by ajzepp

[/dev/null]

And I LOVE the way they have written Jesse's character...they took it in a completely different direction than what I had anticipated. Last night's scenes with the Cartel reminded me of my favorite episode where Jesse and Walt were being held captive by that Cartel guy when his uncle wouldn't stop ringing that FARKIN BELL!!!

 

We definitely saw a new more assertive side of Jesse in that scene with the Cartel Chemist. Dude was large and in charge.

 

And the Gus/Jesse relationship took an interesting twist during the toast. Gus could have easily let Jesse celebrate a toast with The Don...

[UConn James]

We definitely saw a new more assertive side of Jesse in that scene with the Cartel Chemist. Dude was large and in charge.

 

And the Gus/Jesse relationship took an interesting twist during the toast. Gus could have easily let Jesse celebrate a toast with The Don...

 

You don't think Jesse knew what was up? No way was he drinking that. But yes, Gus did protect him and that might buy some loyalty for a Jesse who's very much up in the air in that regard right now.

[HopsGuy]

We definitely saw a new more assertive side of Jesse in that scene with the Cartel Chemist. Dude was large and in charge.

 

And the Gus/Jesse relationship took an interesting twist during the toast. Gus could have easily let Jesse celebrate a toast with The Don...

 

You mean Morris from 24?

 

I've read a couple of reviews and there seems to be some dispute as to whether Jesse was happy with the 96.2% purity of his blue meth. One thought he was happy (Alan Sepinwall) and another (AV Club) seemed to think Jesse was disappointed that he didn't hit Walt's mark of 99%. I thought he was happy with that number. Then he found out that he was supposed to be re-locating to Mexico.

 

The Insider Podcast was pretty good. Aaron Paul was so happy to play Jesse like that. Steven Bauer was giddy in his two episode arc as Don Eladio. There's a good story that Kelley Dixon tells about how the scene with Jesse doing his Rage impression in taking that guy out and the editing was sort of a happy accident.

 

I like how Mike never lies to Jesse. He said something like, "I assure you this - either all of us are going home or none of us are." Dude delivers the dead-pan really well. I hope he survives that gut-shot.

[UConn James]

AJ, the last number I think I remember hearing WRT purity of Walt's meth was 97% in one of the early Gale episodes.

[HopsGuy]

AJ, the last number I think I remember hearing WRT purity of Walt's meth was 97% in one of the early Gale episodes.

 

I can't find the cold open from "Box Cutter" but in the quiz on the website, they ask what is the purity of the meth that Gus gave Gale (implied as Walt's meth). When you choose 99, the answer is correct and the comment is "Gale's purity is 96 percent whereas Walt's is nearly 100. 'That last three percent,' Gale says, 'it may not sound like a lot, but it is.'"

 

Here's the question page: http://polls.amctv.com//chart/data/2965-question-1.html

 

Here's the answer page: http://polls.amctv.com//chart/data/2965-right-1.html

[/dev/null]

You don't think Jesse knew what was up?

I think Jesse was in the dark

 

I like how Mike never lies to Jesse. He said something like, "I assure you this - either all of us are going home or none of us are."

And this line is why

 

And this was not the first time Mike (Jonathan Banks) and Steven Bauer (Don Eliado) worked together. They worked together on an awful cop show called Wiseguy, which if you're unlucky enough as I was, you just might catch a late night rerun sometime

[KD in CA]

The protocol should be, if you are worried about spoilers, don't go in the thread...

Yup. I've had to avoid this thread all summer since we were away a lot and had to record the whole season. Just caught up last night.

 

 

When the don said that he knew everything that went on in his empire, I was so waiting for Gus to say that evidently, he didn't even know that Tuco's uncle pisses in the don's pool. I suppose that would've been a bit of disrespect, which wouldn't be a smart move.

I think he pissed in the pool because the plan all along between the Don and Tuco's uncle was to kill Gus' cook. They knew they'd have to sanitize everything after that anyway.

 

 

I think Jesse was in the dark

 

And this line is why

 

And this was not the first time Mike (Jonathan Banks) and Steven Bauer (Don Eliado) worked together. They worked together on an awful cop show called Wiseguy, which if you're unlucky enough as I was, you just might catch a late night rerun sometime

I completely agree. Plus, Jesse stood there dumbfounded while Gus was strangling the guy and didn't snap out of it till Gus told him to find a gun.

[The Poojer]

I don't think jesse had a clue. I am sure Mike figured out about the upside down cigarette and lifted it without his knowledge. As soon as Gus took that pill(probably a charcoal pill) i knew what was coming....and walt was having a life changing revelation with walt jr. he was throwing him off the trail as he's done all along....not sure how its gonna play out....but what a great episode. Jesse & Mike are my favorite tv characters in a very very very long time.

 

Yup. I've had to avoid this thread all summer since we were away a lot and had to record the whole season. Just caught up last night.

 

 

 

I think he pissed in the pool because the plan all along between the Don and Tuco's uncle was to kill Gus' cook. They knew they'd have to sanitize everything after that anyway.

 

 

 

I completely agree. Plus, Jesse stood there dumbfounded while Gus was strangling the guy and didn't snap out of it till Gus told him to find a gun.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

In his Vicodin-fueled daze, Walt referred to his son as "Jesse". This isn't just an example of how Walt considers Jesse an adopted son. I assume Walt Jr. is going to confide this little Freudian slip with his dear old Uncle Hank, who is already aware of Jesse as a person of interest in his case. Might get the wheels turning in his mind regarding Walt...

[The Poojer]

i didn't catch that.....yikes

 

In his Vicodin-fueled daze, Walt referred to his son as "Jesse". This isn't just an example of how Walt considers Jesse an adopted son. I assume Walt Jr. is going to confide this little Freudian slip with his dear old Uncle Hank, who is already aware of Jesse as a person of interest in his case. Might get the wheels turning in his mind regarding Walt...

[KD in CA]

In his Vicodin-fueled daze, Walt referred to his son as "Jesse". This isn't just an example of how Walt considers Jesse an adopted son. I assume Walt Jr. is going to confide this little Freudian slip with his dear old Uncle Hank, who is already aware of Jesse as a person of interest in his case. Might get the wheels turning in his mind regarding Walt...

 

 

Hmmm.... I didn't think about that possibility but I like it. Everything that has gone bad has been the result of something Walt said or did, so you have to believe there will be ramifications to that slip of the tongue.

[Buftex]

In his Vicodin-fueled daze, Walt referred to his son as "Jesse". This isn't just an example of how Walt considers Jesse an adopted son. I assume Walt Jr. is going to confide this little Freudian slip with his dear old Uncle Hank, who is already aware of Jesse as a person of interest in his case. Might get the wheels turning in his mind regarding Walt...

 

 

Good catch...I heard the "Jesse" comment, but didn't think of its' implication wrt Hank...

 

Anyway, another great episode... loved all the scenes with Jesse, Mike and Gus...three terrific actors...when Jesse puts the cartel chemist in his place, the look between Gus and Mike was priceless...like they weren't sure of him, until then... also, do you wonder, all along, if Gus's plan hadn't been to send Gale over to the cartel? Walt, with is constant worrying, and "pre-emptive strikes" may have kind of forced all the bad things that happened from Gales' death, on... I always thought Aaron Paul was a little under-appreciated for his acting on this show (like Michael Imperoli on the "Sopranos"), because he was dwarfed by Bryan Cranston...but Cranston was unbelievably good in those scenes with his son, on this recent episode. What a great show...

[KD in CA]

Maybe he was excited because he got some of Walt's blue meth.

[TheMadCap]

Wow, after "Crawl Space" things are REALLY heating up. I literally got goose bumps by that ending...

[K-9]

Another great episode.

 

I get the feeling Walt is gonna get his "Heisenberg" back on and start pressing the issue with Gus. He's been too defensive lately but whenever Walt's been pressed into a corner he goes on the offensive. He's been putting up with too much crap the entire season. Literally getting the crap kicked out of him. Walt is gonna start kicking some ass of his own.

 

I believe Hank gets pissed about being on the hit list and goes after Gus like a pit bull. He's getting closer and closer to the operations.

 

Finally, I have a hunch Mike is gonna get pissed at Gus and decide to help Jesse and, by extension, Walt. There was something empty about Gus's reassurance to Jesse that he'll have someone pick up Mike at that Mexican M.A.S.H unit. Also, something tells me Mike isn't gonna like the idea that families, especially children, get threatened. He's an old school henchman with values.

 

These last two shows of the season are gonna be fantastic.

[/dev/null]

I loved the Mexican MASH unit. Shows exactly who you're dealing with with Gus. He plans and prepares for everything. But I think the one thing he didn't plan on was Jesse's refusal to work if Walt is killed.

 

Anyone else think just for a brief moment when Saul said that Ted didn't own a gun or have a security system, that just maybe Skylar called in a hit on Ted?

 

I agree with K-9's assessment of Mike. Wife and especially kids aren't legit targets and I think Mike has a soft spot for kids. I recall one of Mike's earliest episodes where has a car full of balloons and is letting a little girl (assumed it was his grand daugther) play with the balloons. Then he had to go to work, used the balloons to knock out a power line so Mike could go inside and well, do what Mike does

 

I think the video game scene is setting up a similar dynamic with Jesse. He's got the girlfriend and her kid playing happy family. Gus' threat towards Walt's family might not sit well with Jesse after that little taste of domestic tranquility.

 

And that end sequence with Walt in the Crawl Space was brilliant

[UConn James]

Wow, after "Crawl Space" things are REALLY heating up. I literally got goose bumps by that ending...

 

That was a hell of a final camera shot. Framing it so it's like Walt's in a grave beneath his house. Totally at a loss for what to do, where to go, who he can turn to... and all the stresses of the last year just come erupting out in a strange brew of hysterical crying and laughing.

 

After his own recovery, his money has now mostly gone to the IRS, a car wash, cars and car repair, his apartment, Hank's recovery.... All investments which are now totally worthless when it becomes quite clear that he has to uproot and run.

 

He called the dude, the stuff is ready lickety split and Walt doesn't have the $? Problem! Skylar gave the money to a dude who's now likely a vegetable (how sadly funny was that sequence?). Well shucks!

 

K-9, that's a great point about Walt being put in a corner. While there was the whole guise of 'Well, if I do this carefully, no one will know it was me' mode... and now Walt doesn't have to be careful. He is a volatile chemical himself when placed in certain solutions, don't you know. He is resourceful as all get out when he puts his mind to it. He knows the operations both from the inside and from what Hank's shared.

 

Tell you what... anyone thinking here whether Walt just comes clean and offers to testify against the "big fish" in exchange for a plea bargain and witness protection? Well, of course that can't happen --- this show is titled Breaking Bad, after all.

 

WRT the point about Mike being a softie enforcer. He seemed to be all right with it when the 11-year-old got whacked last season. I'm less convinced of Mike's moral code.

 

Shameless plug here, but if anyone watches the show "Weeds" --- or even if you don't.... One of my best friends from childhood-high school appeared in tonight's episode, and it may be recurring. I have yet to watch it (and I've never watched that show, so that'll be something to check out) but it's been very weird seeing him in movies and teevee. The most prominent so far were the waiter in "In Good Company" and the non-speaking jeep driver (who sees Tom Cruise throw away the evidence) in "Valkyrie." Just thought I'd share.

[HopsGuy]

 

Shameless plug here, but if anyone watches the show "Weeds" --- or even if you don't.... One of my best friends from childhood-high school appeared in tonight's episode, and it may be recurring. I have yet to watch it (and I've never watched that show, so that'll be something to check out) but it's been very weird seeing him in movies and teevee. The most prominent so far were the waiter in "In Good Company" and the non-speaking jeep driver (who sees Tom Cruise throw away the evidence) in "Valkyrie." Just thought I'd share.

 

I'm guessing he was one of the guys with the glasses. I think one of the other guys was in Generation Kill & Glory Daze. It was a funny scene with Mary Louise Parker & Jennifer Jason Leigh.

 

As far as BB goes, the writers have really written themselves into a corner here. It's like this was written when they thought the show might not be coming back or something. Can't wait to see how this plays out.