This series will appear every Monday following AMC's hit show Breaking Bad. I highly suggest watching the episode before reading this column as SPOILERS will abound.
Episode 7: Problem Dog
Ladies and gentleman, please strap yourself down to the couch because Breaking Bad season 4 just entered drama beastmode. This week's episode, as predicted by yours truly, was superb. The plot lines have thicken, the stakes are high, and various other sayings.
We start off where the last episode ended, with Walt having to return the Challenger to the dealer. Except, that just wouldn't be good enough for Wal. Instead, he goes all rebel teenager doing doughnuts at top speed in an empty lot (soundtrack moment: The Pretenders, "Boots of Chinese Plastic"). With the car hopping a curb, Walt takes the sale papers, shoves them in the gas tank, and blows it to high heaven. But, not before calling a cab first, "I think he will see me," he tells the dispatcher. The drama nerd appreciated the raw emotion and stunning visuals of the scene, but the ULTRA MALE in me screamed NOOOOO, as that sweet ride blew up.
Jesse sure is cleaning up his act. He is finally painting his walls after his non stop party, and is four days sober. Walt makes his sales pitch to Jesse that Gus can't be trusted after all the death and destruction he is to blame for. Jesse takes notice, and almost just to shut Walt up tells him that he will kill Gus. Back at the lab, Walt cooks up some ricin poison in secret for Jesse to take out Gus. Jesse empties a cigarette and hides the poison capsule in the middle, covering the top with more tobacco. He is not as stupid as he looks, and this continues the trend of Jesse's creativity being a real asset to crime.
Hank and Walt Jr are at everyone's favorite neighborhood eatery/cover operation, Los Pollos. Gus glad hands with the boys, saying that they should have let him know to ensure free food, and offers Walt Jr. a part time job. Hank plays the role of grateful customer so well, but really he nabs the cup Gus refilled for him to scope it for prints. HANK IS ON THE TRIAL.
There has been so much awesome in this episode and now we get Mike and Jesse running the security for the cartel meeting. As I watched this, I couldn't believe that I had forgotten the cartel angle. Jesse's rules for the meeting, "eyes open and mouth shut." The cartel sends one guy to meet with Gus. There is no deal, no negotiation, just yes or no. Presumably, either Gus stops and lets the cartel take over or WAR. Mike mentions to Jesse later that he needs to learn to shoot because things "might get a little hairy" so it looks like war. Look at Gus now. At one time, we viewed him as the ultimate power in our little story and in one episode he is now the target in a three sided attack on him.
Jesse goes back to Narcotics Anonymous meeting to commiserate and talk. Aaron Paul also locked up next year's "Best Supporting Actor" Emmy with this scene. His vivid, emotional illusory story of having to kill a problem dog, a dog who didn't do anything, didn't bite anyone, but whose existence was a problem, was so stomach churningly intense that you can just feel his aching need to be judged. His soul is really being ripped in different directions by Walt, Mike, and what Jesse wants out of his future.
In the final season this week, Hank is back at the DEA's office laying out the detailed web of Gale's death and drugs that he has crafted. He connects the napkin to Gus's Los Pollos, the part number written on the napkin to a HVAC system that would only be used in a state of the art system, the buyer of the HVAC system to the company that owns Los Pollos. All circumstantial at best, but then, wait for it, connects the fact that Gus's fingerprints were in Gale's apartment. DUN DUN DUN.
Fav Scene: Jesse's problem dog speech at NA
Fav Line: Hank stock answer to people telling him how he looks "Chalk it up to clean living and vitamin pills."
Next Weeks Title: Hermanos
Stonecutter out.
We start off where the last episode ended, with Walt having to return the Challenger to the dealer. Except, that just wouldn't be good enough for Wal. Instead, he goes all rebel teenager doing doughnuts at top speed in an empty lot (soundtrack moment: The Pretenders, "Boots of Chinese Plastic"). With the car hopping a curb, Walt takes the sale papers, shoves them in the gas tank, and blows it to high heaven. But, not before calling a cab first, "I think he will see me," he tells the dispatcher. The drama nerd appreciated the raw emotion and stunning visuals of the scene, but the ULTRA MALE in me screamed NOOOOO, as that sweet ride blew up.
Jesse sure is cleaning up his act. He is finally painting his walls after his non stop party, and is four days sober. Walt makes his sales pitch to Jesse that Gus can't be trusted after all the death and destruction he is to blame for. Jesse takes notice, and almost just to shut Walt up tells him that he will kill Gus. Back at the lab, Walt cooks up some ricin poison in secret for Jesse to take out Gus. Jesse empties a cigarette and hides the poison capsule in the middle, covering the top with more tobacco. He is not as stupid as he looks, and this continues the trend of Jesse's creativity being a real asset to crime.
Hank and Walt Jr are at everyone's favorite neighborhood eatery/cover operation, Los Pollos. Gus glad hands with the boys, saying that they should have let him know to ensure free food, and offers Walt Jr. a part time job. Hank plays the role of grateful customer so well, but really he nabs the cup Gus refilled for him to scope it for prints. HANK IS ON THE TRIAL.
There has been so much awesome in this episode and now we get Mike and Jesse running the security for the cartel meeting. As I watched this, I couldn't believe that I had forgotten the cartel angle. Jesse's rules for the meeting, "eyes open and mouth shut." The cartel sends one guy to meet with Gus. There is no deal, no negotiation, just yes or no. Presumably, either Gus stops and lets the cartel take over or WAR. Mike mentions to Jesse later that he needs to learn to shoot because things "might get a little hairy" so it looks like war. Look at Gus now. At one time, we viewed him as the ultimate power in our little story and in one episode he is now the target in a three sided attack on him.
Jesse goes back to Narcotics Anonymous meeting to commiserate and talk. Aaron Paul also locked up next year's "Best Supporting Actor" Emmy with this scene. His vivid, emotional illusory story of having to kill a problem dog, a dog who didn't do anything, didn't bite anyone, but whose existence was a problem, was so stomach churningly intense that you can just feel his aching need to be judged. His soul is really being ripped in different directions by Walt, Mike, and what Jesse wants out of his future.
In the final season this week, Hank is back at the DEA's office laying out the detailed web of Gale's death and drugs that he has crafted. He connects the napkin to Gus's Los Pollos, the part number written on the napkin to a HVAC system that would only be used in a state of the art system, the buyer of the HVAC system to the company that owns Los Pollos. All circumstantial at best, but then, wait for it, connects the fact that Gus's fingerprints were in Gale's apartment. DUN DUN DUN.
Fav Scene: Jesse's problem dog speech at NA
Fav Line: Hank stock answer to people telling him how he looks "Chalk it up to clean living and vitamin pills."
Next Weeks Title: Hermanos
Stonecutter out.
now comes the fun part of the week, in between BB episodes! i like to watch the episodes twice on Sunday night to see if i catch something i missed the first time around. Things i noticed/predictions: first off, Hank's boss, and Gomez are crooked, mark my words. Ever notice how in early seasons, they try to get Hank to stop his investigations into the blue meth when he is getting real close? They even send him to El Paso to get him out of their face. Watch the two of them when Hank points his cane up at the picture of Gus on the wall, shaking hands with the Cpt. and says "maybe he's the guy." the two of them look at each other in an oh shit! expression. you might say, it's an expression that says Hank has lost it, but i still stand by my prediction. I think this season will end with Hank getting killed, that's my prediction, and then Walt will go through a major change and Skyler will probably lose it, knowing that her husband (and her by association/knowing) is involved in what kills her sister's husband. Just a thought, anybody have any other opinions or thoughts which support/oppose these predictions?
ReplyDelete