It has felt strange but then again Walt never really let her on to the full thing and she didn't know how deep he was in it with the type of person Gus was. I think it is a little bit of her naivety of the situation and kind of being blinded by the money and the car wash.
I think it was the way that Gus died. It wasn't just that Walt "beat" Gus. Remember, until that moment, Skylar didn't know Walt outright killed someone (he had before, but she didn't KNOW that). Now she views him differently. Skylar just found out her husband killed three people with an explosive, and he was completely and one hundred percent calm and collected about it. Of course she was petrified. Those are signs of a sociopath.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com</a> They will tear apart show you like, guaranteed.
Awesome episode. Great acting. I cant complain about any of it. This isn't a spoiler, only speculation, but I'll spoil-tag it anyway Spoiler Walt is going to kill Skylar with the ricin that's hidden in the receptacle. Smoking kills.
God damn I really have the feeling that they are pulling a head fake with all the hinting that Hank knows Walt's in on something. The scene where Skylar broke down finally to why she's doing what she's doing has been the stand out scene of the season by far. Anyone else kind of feel the TV'ness of the series since they acknowledged it has only be just over a year since the whole thing started? Not really knocking the series but it's kind of hard for me to believe some of the stuff that they've had to compact for sake of moving the story along. The whole air disaster thing is a distant memory, Hank's super speedy recovery, and Walt's quick battle with cancer.
I feel a little of what you are saying. But when Walt was recalling events from the past year, (as Skyler prepared for her dip in the pool) none of it felt unrealistic to me. You are right, though, much happened in 12 months. I remain curious about the role of Madrigal. We now know for sure that Madrigal is the source of the precurser. I still believe that the German executive killed himself rather than face the wrath of some other, more ruthless, as yet unknown person ("Mr. Big"). Perhaps Mr. Big is a Madrigal executive, perhaps not. It is also clear that Lydia is just a go-between. She lacks the guts and brains to be anything more. There is a GPS device (looks somewhat sophisticated) but attached rather obviously to the precise barrel that Lydia has removed from inventory and is the only one Jesse is allowed to get. Who placed it there? Mike thinks Lydia did it to get our of her deal. But I don't follow Mike's logic. How would Lydia's tracking of the barrel get her out of the deal. Is she working with the Feds? If Lydia was working with the authorities, and obtained the tracking device from the ATF, they would not be so ham-handed as to glue a large GPS device to the outside of a barrel. Moreover, if she was working with the Feds she could simply give them the names of Walt, Jesse and Mike and there are much easier, and less obvious ways to tail them (follow them, put tracking devices on their cars, etc.) Who else would have an interest in tracking the precursor? Someone at Madrigal (Mr. Big)? Was the warehouse guy that got arrested instructed by Mr. Big to track where the precursor was going? Does Mr. Big's prior dealings with Gus motivate him or her to go after Walt and his crew? This seems more likely than Lydia acting alone to get out of her deal (I suppose she could be gathering evidence to later turn over to the Feds, but I don't buy that). If Lydia had attached the GPS herself, before the guy got arrested, she would have know it would have been easily seen when the barrel was lowered. She could have simply directed Jesse to a different barrel. Although, to second-guess myself, the stupid location of the tracking device is consistent with Lydia's lameness.
Please for the love of god stop referring to this possibly nonexistent unknown guy as "Mr. Big." We don't need to be reminded of the guy from Sex and The City every time you post. Mike's logic seems right if Lydia just wants to scare them off using her as a source of chemicals, he thinks she thinks if there is too much heat getting the chemicals from her they'll back off. I know Mike is kind of desperate to keep the money flowing to pay off his guys but even if the Lydia planted the device herself, is it really a good fucking idea to be stealing a major chemical precursor from a company that is being investigated heavily by the DEA? It wouldn't take a genius to figure out doing a simple records check of odd behavior at the company concerning a major component chemical in Meth production. The theory that there might be someone else watching their moves is interesting and we'll see if it plays out. Walt has sort of lost touch with reality as far as the dark side of the drug trade. Up until this point killing was a last resort to immediate threats done under severe duress (Walt being scared absolutely shitless and his actions reflecting it). It appears he thinks he can be the head honcho without much resistance. Him buying the machine gun seems to suggest he'll let it come to a last resort again unlike someone like Gus who had it done quickly and concisely with the help of Mike. Spoiler Also, I was kind of disappointed Skylar has just been hoping the cancer would return to take out Walt. Thinking of it, it would have been a little more layered if she had said she was hoping that he'd be taken out, leaving it up in the air if it was going to be his work or his cancer that kills him. She might not want the violent death because she is concerned about her children but she definitely wants the madness to stop. It kind of struck me in the way I mentioned before as in the series timeline it has only been a year but his cancer has basically been an after thought since what the second, third season?
Point well taken about "Mr. Big." I was in a rush and it seemed an easy shorthand, but on reflection a very off-putting phrase. The Germans must have had a huge financial interest/stake in Gus's operations. As Mike pointed out last week when he divided up the money, and took out a huge chunk for distribution, the chain of chicken fast-food joints provided the trucks for that purpose under Gus. Well that means that the trucks were not being used for moving chicken. Someone (the Germans) were funding that operation (and also supplying chemicals), and taking their cut. That cut is now gone. Given the current DEA scrutiny, I would expect the cautious Germans would wait, and assess, and then make a move.
There have been plenty of scenes showing that the trucks only have one or two buckets of batter with a meth prize in the bottom, marked with a UV-ink star. They were still moving plenty of chicken.
I don't know how you are making either of those connections. One, he was obviously using a fake ID in the dinner scene, saying another year has passed in that scene is a baseless assumption right now. Two, he had grown his hair back which means if the cancer has come back by that scene he isn't doing any chemo or radiation treatment OR the cancer hasn't came back and he's just eating in that diner to meet up with his gun connection (Ellsworth to the Deadwood fans).
No, this part he's right about. They made a whole big deal about how it's tradition to make your age out of bacon on your birthday. That 52 means another year has gone by. But yeah, nothing to indicate he has cancer again.
Also, how the hell is Mike's assumption about Lydia planting the GPS even in question? Mike hit every point correct with his line of logic. Lydia is jumpy, insecure, and afraid to get caught. She put the GPS on the barrel, a "Garmin" at that one, you think the Feds are just going to use a typical bought at Best Buy GPS using more putty than a 6 year old during playtime? Come on, that's not even a rabbit hole to go down. Lydia is not working with the FDA, not yet anyway, she had on mismatched shoes. They have the bank records, and they know most of the guys were working for either Gus directly or Madrigal, so as it specifically outlined in the Hank and Gomez scene looking at the board, they have a lot of pieces pinned. Who they are missing is Lydia, Walt and POSSIBLY another big piece. I think at this point it'd be a little cliche to bring in ANOTHER big bad guy to worry about. Something is going to happen with Walt vs. DEA, or Walt vs. Mike. I'm placing bets on Jesse not dying, he's made it through so much. Walt and Mike probably will though. Also how did you miss all those chicken batter scenes? There were 2-3 of them showing them putting it in the chicken batter, and even that huge shoot out with the guys trying to take over the truck. Mike even got attacked in one! Also I agree, the cold open flashforward was a year later. "Traditions" Walt says in this episode. He would just pull that out of his ass or do it on a fake birthday. The entire show up to this point has been a year. Now a year is going to happen with the remaining episodes, that's going to be some crazy shit.
All good points, Parker. Two things I noticed in the episode.. 1) Did anyone else get the feeling that the DEA honcho that came in and promoted Hank may very well be connected to it all? Hank even had a glimmer in his eye like he noticed he was being taken off of the case because he was getting too close to solving it. And secondly.. 2) Lydia wasn't just making Jesse tell her Mike's last name "because you can never be too careful".. but because her crazy ass didn't know his last name and she is going to try and hire another assassin to have him killed. I hope they find another methylamine source soon because even I want that shady bitch dead.
I like the first one, but there is also that residual shock Hank has from his trip down there and having the turtle explode in his face. There being a mole would be a little too procedural, but who knows where they're going to take it. The second one is right on the razors edge of plausible/implausible, it would be cool if that was the case, but I feel like she must have had everyone's name if she knew "Mike's guys." Mike also doesn't seem to be super worried if someone knows his name or not.
I'm so glad Skylar is a useful character now. There was so much (mostly justified) Skylar hate in the first two seasons, but her current character makes way more sense and is way more sympathetic. The confrontation with Walt was fantastic, and some solid chops by Anna Gunn.
Not to mention way more badass. Sitting there blowing smoke at the guy who she knows blew up 3 people and suspects of another(Gail) in the hopes that it will speed the return of his cancer, while using his brand new birthday mug as an ashtray.
I got a real strong feeling while Skylar and Walt were arguing about the kids that she's going to be the one that's his eventual downfall with the law. She said something about not being able to go to the cops, but I believe if she's pushed hard enough, she will.
I could see either of the two happening. 1) Junior getting killed, or seriously injured in a car crash. 2) Skylar going to jail for the carwash business, or something beneke related. Both would be related in a way to Walt's actions.