138 replies to this topic

[TWoP Dietrich]

Hey! Breaking Bad is getting recaps!

TV Guide sez:

In the third-season premiere, Walt faces a new threat on a new front and deals with an increasingly angry Skyler, who must consider what to do next with her life and the kids'. Meanwhile, Jesse comes face-to-face with some startling self-revelations.

[calliek]

Wow, he came clean to Skylar! I'm pretty shocked. I'm also shocked that he's going to such lengths to keep her, but I don't like her, so I'm biased.

Those two dudes are serious. This isn't some crazy-ass middle of the pack dealer like Tuco we're talking about. Walt is in serious shit.

"Your windshield is broken" HAHAH

The previews look tasty!

[Scat]

What was the deal with those twins? I found those segments really boring.
Some pretty funny moments in the show though. I liked when Walt was explaining where this crash ranked among all the others.

[Nightmare Logic]

"you're a drug dealer" and "I'm a bad guy"

Two of truths said to Walter that went way over his head.

[ReadIshmael]

The visual language of this show is so evocative. I'm thinking of the first sequence (so bizarre) and the last one (so gorgeous and disturbing) especially, but also the plastic eye staring at Walt from under the bed when he went to the door. Genius stuff.

Walt's speech at the assembly, his conversation with Skylar, and his attempt to rationalize the planecrash to Jesse all had me cringing and my stomach churning. God, Walt is so compellingly, heartbreakingly loathsome.

I love that the scene with Gus had such clear and unironic "extramaritial affair" subtext. I've been thinking of Walt's relationship with Jesse that way for a while (in a totally Hoyay-free way, I swear).

I went in to this wanting more of Jesse than we got, but I think anymore would have been redundant given his actual story in this episode. And I know I'm overinvested in him, but I started to cry at "I'm the bad guy." Poor kid.

Anna Gunn did some fantastic work this week, and I really feel for Skyler with regard to Walt, Jr. It sucks that she has to be the bad guy to him, and I admire her for seeming determined to bear it for his own good.

[shockey80te]

Way to assuage that guilt Walt. Is it safe to say he's still in the denial stage while Jesse has beaten him to "acceptance"? Or perhaps he's just delusional at this point.


I think it's a bit of a stretch that Skylar so easily put two and two together and arrived at the answer of drug dealer. I thought she should've left Walt all along, yet I still don't like her.


Another season and I'm still annoyed by Hank and Marie.

[calliek]

I think it's a bit of a stretch that Skylar so easily put two and two together and arrived at the answer of drug dealer.

Oh, I didn't think so. He disappears for days, has a whole lot of money out of thin air, a secret cell phone, and was canoodling with Jesse, who she knew as a drug dealer. I think she had enough proof to come to that conclusion.

[Maka]

Those two dudes are serious. This isn't some crazy-ass middle of the pack dealer like Tuco we're talking about. Walt is in serious shit.

Yeah, and to think that those dudes are probably just some henchmen for whichever Mexican cartel honcho is feeling pressed upon. I thought they were pretty scary up until the slow mo walk away from the exploding truck part, then I felt like it was a little too low budg' action movie villain for me.

But the chicken king pin guy suddenly scares the crap out of me! Something's not right with that man, and since he damn well knows Hank is Walt's brother-in-law, why offer Walt that big job at all? Something's not right. I kept expecting him to smile all sweetly and say, "I'm going to kill your entire family if you don't do this job..."

Jesse, still one of the most tragic TV characters I've ever seen. I'm worried about where his new "I'm the bad guy" outlook on life is going to take him.

And I know it's wrong, but I laughed really hard at Walt's horrible, horrible speech at the school grief session thing. Yeah, Ms. Principle lady, maybe don't ask the only murderer on your staff to give the pick me up speech next time?

ETA-

Oh, I didn't think so. He disappears for days, has a whole lot of money out of thin air, a secret cell phone, and was canoodling with Jesse, who she knew as a drug dealer. I think she had enough proof to come to that conclusion.

I agree with this. Also, Skylar must have heard by then how Hank ended up in the desert because of tracking Jesse's car. Walt was missing at the same time, so I don't think it was much of a stretch for her to put together a pretty shady picture of Walt's dealings.

Edited by Maka, Mar 21, 2010 @ 10:26 PM.

[calliek]

I'm posting a lot, sorry.

Anyway, what occurred to me is that up til now, we've seen Walt make choices. He chose to make meth. He chose to miss his daughter's birth. He chose to let Jane die. But he has not made his biggest choice yet...will he choose his family over "the life"? Yes, he told Gus he wouldn't take the deal, but I have the feeling this isn't over by a long shot.

Skyler gave him this ultimatum...cut yourself off from the family and I won't tell anyone about what you've been doing. But if he refuses her offer, he goes to jail and loses his family anyway.

[LethalCandy]

Hmm.. Walt's overly desperate attempts to rationalize the accident gave me the impression that maybe he does feel some degree of personal responsibility, if even just on a subconscious level. I wouldn't think he'd be trying so hard if he truly felt it wasn't his fault. But yeah, he's obviously in serious denial.

I wonder where Jesse's "revelation" about him being the bad guy will take him, or whether or not he'll stay clean? I'm dreading the moment when he finds out that Walt was there the night Jane died. Yikes.

Have to give Skyler a lot of credit for offering not to tell anyone - I was pretty surprised at that. Although I was pretty sure the promos showed her threatening to call the police, so I guess that deal doesn't last too long.

[Vinny Vidi Vici]

The crawling to the altar, dia-de-los-muertos style, was freaky and wondrous both. Too many questions to answer: is Walt's picture there because they want him dead? -or, he's already dead? or they want to worship him? How did those two guys know to stop in a yard with their exact size on the clothesline? Is it going to take all season for the two guys purpose to be revealed (like the plane bits took all of last one)?

I still have no love for Skyler.

I worry that Walt Jr will act out... maybe with drugs, the ultimate irony.

I love how Walt is a flip flopper extraordinaire - first with the money burning and saving, then with the "I quit" and the "three months?" to the distributor guy.

Poor Jesse.

[holly hobby]

That principal lady or whoever at the assembly sure was pushy. That entire scene just made my anxiety go into overdrive - why wouldn't she take no for an answer? She got what she deserved with Walt's speech though.

[calliek]

is Walt's picture there because they want him dead? -or, he's already dead?

Oh no. I just had a thought...didn't the lyrics to that narcocorrido from season 2 go something like "He's dead, and doesn't know it yet"?

[Maka]

Oh no. I just had a thought...didn't the lyrics to that narcocorrido from season 2 go something like "He's dead, and doesn't know it yet"?

Yep. He caught the attention of the cartels last season, and now that his blue meth has spread out to all those surrounding states - they're really frickin' pissed and want him out of their markets all together I bet. Hank said it in season 1, you do not want the attention of the cartels.

I assumed the amazing crawling scene, and Heisenberg's picture being put on the wall, meant those two hitmen were asking that their upcoming death hunt of Walt, be successful.

Another season and I'm still annoyed by Hank and Marie.

Really? Hank's one of my favorites. Marie I could do without, but I'm still worried for Hank and his PTSD that I'm sure he's still hiding.

[gcheckov]

While Hank and Marie certainly aren't my favorites, they function as valuable foils to our venerable hero. In any case, I missed the part where he came clean to Skylar, but I remember certainly expecting that toward the end of last season. While the bs ending of season 2 really pissed me off, I'm back and still hooked.

[bbob]

is Walt's picture there because they want him dead? -or, he's already dead? or they want to worship him?

I think it's there because it is their wish to find him. I took it that the shrine was a place where you went to have a prayer answered, kind of like the votive candles in a Catholic church. You light a candle, drop some money in the box, and your prayer is supposed to get a little "extra" oomph.

That episode was amazing (just like most BB episodes!). Cranston, as usual, knocked it out of the park, and his direction was really good, too. I loved the closing scene where the twins didn't even flinch when the truck exploded. These two are true badasses - it's going to be really interesting to see this season play out. Walt basically has two options - leave his family and not produce any more meth, or, leave his family and make a huge score by continuing to produce. Skyler made it pretty clear that she no longer wants anything to do with him. Since Walt's primary motivation was to make money for the family to live on after he dies, will he take the latter option? His cancer isn't cured (if I'm remembering S2 correctly), just slowed down, so will that give him the motivation to keep cooking? There's also the lure of Heisenberg - Walt loved the feeling that gave him. Since he's got nothing else right now in his life to give him pleasure, will that be an even greater draw for him???

[lurk3000]

Somehow I don't think that Walt is going to walk away from that offer Gus made.
Yeah...that drawing of Heisenberg was an offering at the alter for his death.
Sure do miss Saul. Could have used him.

BTW - That scene at the beginning - they were giving an offering to death. It's called Santa Muerte. Saint Death.

Edited by lurk3000, Mar 21, 2010 @ 11:03 PM.

[calliek]

Could it be possible that the shrine scene was a flash-forward, and they are giving thanks for Walt's death? I guess that's what I was getting at with my revelation about the narcocorrido.

[bbob]

Could it be possible that the shrine scene was a flash-forward, and they are giving thanks for Walt's death? I guess that's what I was getting at with my revelation about the narcocorrido.

With this show, anything's possible!

[isiscloud]

Way to assuage that guilt Walt. Is it safe to say he's still in the denial stage while Jesse has beaten him to "acceptance"? Or perhaps he's just delusional at this point.

Jesse's went through rehab and learned to take responsibility.

I sitll have an unpopular opinion that it isn't just Walt's fault about the airplane crash, but a culmination of bad decisions on many people's side.
Jesse - for bringing meth back in to Jane's life
Her dad for letting her stay one more night and not forcing her to go to rehab; he also didn't have to back to work so early when there was the possibility that he wasn't ready for the stress of the job.
Of course Walt is responsible, too, but Jane could have gone to rehab she could have said no to the meth.

He knows he's responsible, too, but can't face up to it and probably won't. The scene at the high school was creepy.

[Vinny Vidi Vici]

Soooo, Skyler hates that he's a drug manufacturer (loved Walt's parsing); she has to leave before she pukes. It will be interesting to see what becomes of the money after all is said and done. That is, if it gets made and if it doesn't get confiscated. And if Marie doesn't find it.

[lurk3000]

Wow. I didn't realize that the counselor was played by Jere Burns from Dear John. Thought he looked familiar.

[LethalCandy]

Jesse's went through rehab and learned to take responsibility.

It's hard to tell this early, but I wonder how much therapy has truly helped him so far. His deciding that who he is at heart is just "the bad guy" doesn't sound like someone who has made peace with himself and his actions. He's taking personal responsibility for what he's done, but doesn't appear to have forgiven himself for any of it. But, it's only been one episode so far ;)

But I do agree with you that Walt is not solely responsible for the plane crash. I know that's an unpopular opinion though.

[The Herald]

Excellent return! I'm really dying to see what becomes of Skyler, Hank, and Marie. How long can that storyline last, without Skyler either ratting Walt out (which would end the show), or perhaps dying? Last season, I thought there was a chance she would join him if she learned the truth, but I don't think that's going to happen, now.

My only complaint was the incredibly cheesy slow-mo shot of the match being dropped into the gasoline and the evil drug dealers walking away with their backs turned, not even flinching when the truck exploded. That shit is so played out. Boo to Vince Gill!

But I do agree with you that Walt is not solely responsible for the plane crash. I know that's an unpopular opinion though.

He also flipped Jane on her back and then watched her choke to death. He may not be solely responsible, but I'd say his culpability is in the high 90's percentile.

Edited by The Herald, Mar 21, 2010 @ 11:43 PM.

[Egeria]

He watched her choke, but I'm pretty sure he didn't flip her on her back. She was already like that, unless my memory is totally off. At first he was going to help her, but then he realized that she might go through with her blackmail and also she was pulling Jessie down.

[The Herald]

No, he flipped her on her back. She was spooning Jesse and they were both on their sides, and Walt pushed her off, trying to wake Jesse. Remember how she warned Jesse earlier in the episode to never shoot up while on your back? Obviously, Walt didn't know that was going to wind up making her choke, but the fact remains that if he didn't go to Jesse's house that night, she wouldn't be dead.

[SultanOfSurreal]

Excellent return! I'm really dying to see what becomes of Skyler, Hank, and Marie. How long can that storyline last, without Skyler either ratting Walt out (which would end the show), or perhaps dying?

After the big confession, I turned to my dad and said, "well, Skylar's dead."

One of the previews they've been playing all week showed those two cartel guys in the White residence. Wielding axes. She's toast. Maybe Walt Jr. and Holly too. If his family dies, Walt is free to pursue his new life as a drug "manufacturer" without reservation. And of course, he'll want revenge against the cartel too. That could last the show at least a couple more seasons alone.

Edited by SultanOfSurreal, Mar 22, 2010 @ 12:00 AM.

[LethalCandy]

He also flipped Jane on her back and then watched her choke to death. He may not be solely responsible, but I'd say his culpability is in the high 90's percentile.

I'm definitely not disagreeing that he had a very heavy hand in her death, don't get me wrong. I just still can't blame 100% of the blame onto Walt for the plane crash, for all of the reasons somebody else listed before.

I wonder if Jane hadn't died that particular night, where she and Jesse would've ended up - I imagine they both would've OD'ed eventually, at the rate they were going. But the outcome of Walt letting that happen caused Jesse to go to rehab and clean himself up (as far as we can see right now). I don't want to make it sound like Jane's death is justified, it was absolutely a horrible thing for Walt to do and I'm not saying it's excusable. I'm just curious if, in the long run, people would think Walt was also partially responsible for helping Jesse? It's hard to decide how I feel about it, but it's really interesting to me.

This is why I love this show so much, there's just so many layers and so many different ways of looking at it. There aren't many television shows out there that really challenge you like that.

[Vinny Vidi Vici]

Now, having watched it a second time, I am wondering why the two bad guys had to kill the truckload of border crossers. No one knew who they were. It would seem that if they were trying to sneak in, this was a pretty flashy way to do it. Maybe that was the point though.

[vanilladutch]

The weasely way Walt made the distinction between "drug dealer" and drug manufacturer" made me cringe a little bit. He's so oblivious to the consequences of his actions--last season, when he went to go find Jesse in the shooting gallery, I was like, "Look around you, Walt...this is what your "product" does to people." It's not just the plane crash or Jane's death that he's at least partially responsible for, and even those events he's trying to rationalize away. (I did laugh at the speech in the gymnasium. How awkward was that?)

I love the choice that Walt has now isn't really a choice at all. It's not his family or the drug business; it's the drug business or nothing. I'm not sure how the Pollo guy is going to rope him back in, though--maybe blackmail, considering he knows Hank is his brother-in-law?