First off, have you heard our instant review in podcast form? Now for my review…
Walt is now Scarface.
And not just because he poisoned Brock. He also used his innocent next door neighbor as a decoy to check to see if there were any assassins skulking about his place. And there were, and she could have just as likely got her head blown off as report all is well. Walt was visibly relieved when she was okay, as was he when he got the news about Brock. He doesn’t want people to die for him, but if it’s them or him, or his family. Well…
So long Mr. Chips.
Kudos to everyone who correctly predicted that Walt poisoned Brock. As I said last week, I sort of hung my hat on the fact that he did not based entirely on Walt’s inability to lie worth a goddamn. Where did that come from? Is that part of his transformation into Heisenburg, too? I think in retrospect, the show played fair with us. The gun pointing to the plant seems very obvious, now, doesn’t it? But at the time, it seemed like such a stretch.
For my money, this was just a notch below last season’s cliffhanger. And that might be soley because (as I mention in the instant review) that I was massively spoiled for the show, and saw it coming. It didn’t feel like it affected my enjoyment of the episode and how it played out, but on the other hand, it had to diminish the OMFG aspects of it that seem to have gripped my partner and people messenging us so far.
Other random thoughts…
- Good last episode for Tio! I loved his shine on of the DEA, and how he used it to accomplish two things; smoke out Gus, and give the finger one last time to the cops. And talk about leaving behind a reputation! I loved the look he gave everyone as he got into the elevator with his nurse as well. That man can act the hell out of his face.
- A fitting end for Gus as well. He went out with his boots on, standing tall.
- Jesse now owes Walt for two things. This is not going to end well. I’m feeling good about my prediction that Jesse kills Walt by the series end.
- Loved, loved, LOVED the music in this show! The western inspired show down music was just fantastic. I expect we’ll open tomorrow’s show with that.
- What the hell is Skyler thinking at the end? Where are those two going?
- I love how Jesse is fucked up by all the human carnage, needing to be reminded that it was all necessary, that it had to be done. Walt just was just #winning. If I hadn’t before, I’m officially fully 100% rooting for Jesse now.
- I regret that we didn’t get to properly enjoy the demise of Tuvok. Of all the souls I’ve encountered… his was the least human.
- I loved the reminder of what a pain in the ass Walt is to everybody that was embodied in Saul’s secretary. It’s not just about Walt and Jesse, and his family. The swath of destruction Walt has left behind takes in many people; two 737’s worth, Jane, her father, Eyebrows, the list goes on and on.
- I love it when Walt breaks and enters. Especially his own home.
- So, what happens when Brock wakes up and tells everyone (presumably) that Saul gave him the berries? That has to be the way this plays out, right? It seems like they’ll want to forestall this as long as possible, but how?
- I wanted them to hug it out, but the lingering handshake was appropriately moving, I thought.
- We got one last look at the Dead Man’s Brew. 🙂
- Where I think this is going: Cooking at the car wash, with lots of tense scenes involving Walt and Skyler, and Walt and Jesse, with a very slow build up for next year. Hank is going to be unleashed now that he’s out from the death threat. I know one thing, I have complete confidence in The Villigan. Well played, Vince. Well played.