Tag Archives: Aaron Paul

Breaking Bad: Season 4, Episode 7 – ‘Problem Dog’ Review

This week was all about Jessie trying to cope with Gale’s death, and Hank once again, about to inadvertently save our meth cooks. Walt, despite his massive amount of screen time is actually for the most part filler here. We start out with Pinkman playing video games, in what almost seems like training for the job. In his head he keeps seeing Gale’s face and it obvious that our beloved meth head isn’t quite right…

As the episode progresses Jessie is being pulled in 2 directions. First by Walt, who wants him to kill Gus, and secondly by Gus, who wants to control Walt. Gus’s influence seems to be taking hold too as we see the hesitation to poison Gus’ coffee. Walt treating Jessie like an idiot vs Gus making him feel important, he is torn.

In the middle with Pinkman is Mike, who seems to see what is happening, and to no real surprise is vocal about it in their talk about ‘loyalty’. Walt’s focus in this episode, other than being a catalyst for Jessie’s problems, is acting rather childish as he and Skyler get the car wash operation up and running. His actions with Junior’s car show just how careless he is becoming. No longer the constant source of worry, Walt seems headed down a path of self-destruction that undoubtedly be thwarted  by…Hank.

As foreshadowed in past episodes, Hank has determined that Gus is Hisenberg, which, while not accurate, is close enough to true and should ultimately prove useful for Walt and Jessie…assuming they both live that long.

Maybe the best scene of the episode is where the title comes into play – the ‘problem dog’. Jessie goes to his old support group as a result of his mixed feeling about Gus. He talks about a dog he killed, obviously referring to Gale, and seems to totally break down about it. He can’t vocalize a reason for the dog to be killed, because the ‘dog’ didn’t actually do anything, but was a problem none the less.  Jere Burns (Justified) returns as Jessie’s group leader and he becomes the focus of Pinkman’s outcry, giving us yet another excellent performance from an under-rated actor.

Overall, very good episode. This is without a doubt, one of the best shows on Television, and it continues to deliver week after week. 4/5 Bears.

Breaking Bad: Season 4, Epidsode 6 – “Cornered” Review

This week we start off in the Los Pollos truck again. It didn’t work out as well this time. It seems like No Mike means a loss for Gus, which is exactly what happened. Not only did Gus’ chicken truck get hit again, and 3 of his men murdered, and product stolen – but most importantly – the spectacle of it all. The truck, covered in blood and dead people, left on the side of the road for the cops to find, and everything pointing at ol’ Gus.


This is bad news bears.

Speaking of Mike, he’s still touring with Pinkman, and this week, it’s up to them to clean up the mess left by the aforementioned events. Word is, 2 meth heads have the stolen BLUE and are pimping it out of there shithole house. While Mike is content to simply wait for the tweekers to pop their heads out, patience has never been a virtue held by Jessie Pinkman. Playing the part of a meth addict looking to score, Jessie tricks one of the dealers out of the house only to encounter Damon Herriman (Justified’s ‘Dewey Crowe’) playing a junkie with a shotgun. But ‘Shotgun’ was the title of last week’s episode, and we’ve moved past that already, and so does Jessie.

 Walt’s biggest story is – no surprise – his difficulties dealing with Skyler. He was feeling a bit proud and let slip something he shouldn’t have, so she took off. After that he took out his frustrations on Captain Eyebrows while he was collecting the car wash keys, and then he didn’t do himself any favors with wifey when he decided to buy Junior a new Dodge Challenger. But hey, he was feeling rebellious. And sticking with that same ‘Devil May Care’ swagger, he tilts a defiant coffee mug to the lab’s ‘eye in the sky’ which results in 3 women being deported. Yet another example of how cautious Gustavo is.

 So while Jessie further endears himself to powers that be, Walt only make peace that much harder. Fight the power Walt, damn the man.

Speaking of the man, Hank didn’t make an appearance at all in this episode (neither did our boy Saul) which means next week should Hank heavy, which can’t be good for Gus.

Hank has to figure out, with the napkin, the truck, and Gale’s notes – he’s gonna start connecting dots…

Overall, good episode but nothing mind blowing. 3.5/5 Bears.

Breaking Bad: Season 4, Epidsode 5 – “Shotgun” Review

Well last week left off with Pinkman in the car with Mike and the intentions of the drive not entirely clear. This week we start off with Walt tearing ass in his ugly Pontiac Aztek like it’s a Jason Statham movie or something, jumping curbs, weaving though traffic and making frantic phone calls. Determined to impose his will on Gus and find Jessie. This brings Walt to Los Pollos Hermanos where he insists on talking to the proprietor, which he does not get to do.

As it turns out Jessie isn’t being taken out to a ditch, but instead with Mike to make pickup of cash. An idea that came from Gus and one that turns out to have a very specific focus. On the last stop Jessie stops to men whom he believed to be making a play for the money. As fate would have it, or at least as Gus would have it, the men were plants and the focus of the whole day was to create some self-worth for Pinkman. And it works.

On the outside of the business, Walt and Skyler finalize the deal to buy the car wash and then bang. After the passionate bang session, Skyler suggests Walt move back in, an idea he no longer seems so keen on.

“Uh, yeah Baby, that was some good sexing and all…but – uh – I don’t know about this moving in stuff….”

Later at dinner, Walt and his fragile ego talk Hank out of believing Gale was Hisenberg, which prompts Hank to delve back into the case. This could be bad news for Gus, and maybe even the beginning of the end for Walt…

Overall, good episode. This should pull Jessie out of his funk, and promises more interaction between him and Mike – which is always good. If I had a complaint it’d be no Saul, but otherwise real good. I love the camera work at the beginning when Walt is driving, and obviously when Jessie is waiting with the car. Just brilliant.

3.5 / 5 Bears. 

Breaking Bad: Season 4, Epidsode 4 – “Bullet Points” Review

Someone really doesn’t like Los Pollos Hermanos.

This episode took only about 5 minutes before it was already better than last week. This starts out with Mike in the back of a refrigerated truck when some competitors decide to turn the back of said truck to Swiss Cheese. Total dick move, and one that results in the attackers slain and Mike’s ear a little worse for wear. It was a pretty sweet way to start an episode before the credit even begin.

 After the sweetass opening and intro are done, we’re hit with some solid levity. Walt and Skyler discuss her quite detailed explanation for Hank where their money came from and how sweet Walt is at gambling. And while Skyler’s script makes Walt out to be some sort of animal, it result in little else than Hank and Walt Jr. being impressed.

Continue reading Breaking Bad: Season 4, Epidsode 4 – “Bullet Points” Review

Breaking Bad: Season 4, Epidsode 3 – “Open House” Review

After a stellar start to the season, tonight’s episode was a bit of a let down. I understand the need to spread things out and rebuild tension, I just found this to be a somewhat mediocre showing, relative to the exceedingly high bar it has set. That being said, a mediocre episode of Breaking Bad is still better than a good episode of most shows on TV.

If there was one thing tonight’s episode did, it was further distance Walt and Jessie up their respective paths. Jessie seems to have given up on any chance of a future and is simply throwing money away. I loved the scene when he was on the Go Karts, trying to grasp onto some lost youth and find something to make him feel alive. I was sad Walt turned down the invitation to go with him…

Walt on the other hand is buying $300 bottles of champagne and working (slowly) towards some sort of reconciliation with his wife. They are planning for the future big time as they finally make the move to acquire the Car Wash from Captain Eyebrows.

You knew who I was talking about…

The actual focus of the episode however, is the ancillary characters, which is probably why it fell flat for me. Too much Skyler, Hank, and Marie – Not enough Saul, Walt, and Pinkman.

Best Lawyer in the Biz!

Now don’t get me wrong, in prior seasons, particularly leading up to the shoot-out in Season 3, I couldn’t get enough Hank. He was my boy…but now, bed-ridden and feeling sorry for himself, he’s just no fun anymore.

The episode is titled however, for Marie – Open House. This of course refers to her newest escape from reality, coupled with one of her old ones. Throughout the show she would visit various open houses, pretending to be a potential buyer. Each time making up an elaborate back story about a husband retiring from NASA or a sick daughter, or even a pottery hobby. And with each house and each alias, she got to escape her life for just long enough to recharge and return home energized enough to deal with Hank. The feeling wasn’t enough though as she also felt the need to return to her klepto roots and steal trinkets like Puerto Rican spoons and picture frames. Reminders for later that for a little while, her life wasn’t so shitty.

That is until she hits up the same Realtor twice. Than her charade is busted, and this is maybe the most entertaining part of the episode. She calls the Realtor fat, and then a struggle for the car keys ensues…

“You know what Fatty? You are so lucky I am late for an appointment…”

Overall, not a super eventful episode. Walt Jr, Mike, Steve Gomez, and most importantly – Gus, are never even seen. Walt and Skyler get their car wash, and Jessie continues another downward spiral, but the biggest thing to actually happen here involves Hank, and it’s triggered by Marie’s arrest. Hank is visited by a friend on the force, who asks him to look at a case file and see if he can’t help out. The file of course is the murder of Gale Boetticher. Hank ignored it as pity at first, but as the credit get ready to roll, he picks up the file. This will no doubt be the thing that brings him out of his funk, something he can immerse himself in and once again find self-worth…

I’d give this episode 2.5/5 Bears, on a sliding scale. I would still argue that a 2.5 rated episode of Breaking Bad is still better than a 4.5 episode of anything on CBS, because it’s relative to expectations…

Breaking Bad: Season 4, Epidsode 2 – “38 Snub” Review

After last week’s near perfect premiere, a normal decline can be expected as they now have the task rebuilding the excitement and tension for this season. So while tonight’s episode was by no means as good as last weeks, I wasn’t the least bit disappointed.

As the episode starts, Walt has decided to take matters into his own hands by buying a gun from his friendly local black market weapons dealer, played by my boy Ellsworth from Deadwood. He chooses a 38 special, snub nose – hence the title.  Jessie is headed down another path entirely, having apparently already accepted his inevitable . He has chosen to live out his last days among friends and squander the money he believes he won’t be around long enough to spend. Jessie and Walt seem to be heading down the same road, but in total opposite directions.

Hank on the other hand is wallowing in a pool of self-pity and resentment – directed at Marie. The more she helps him the further apart they grow, and the weaker Hank feels. His manhood once again challenged. And as Hank feels weaker, Skyler gets bolder. She attempts to buy out the car wash and gets denied as a result of Walt’s Season 1 crotch grab. Continue reading Breaking Bad: Season 4, Epidsode 2 – “38 Snub” Review