Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 7

In one of my many overly critical blogs of today's television scene I noted how unappealing and uninteresting the supporting cast of Breaking Bad. After watching this episode I still feel that same way, but it seems like the show is making an effort to change things. Double B is attempting to make us care about Hank and Skylar as both characters have been given new jobs, with new relationships and new coworkers. I will take a wait and see approach to see if this develops, but my opinion is still that these two are as dull as dirt.





The song at the beginning of the episode was pretty funny, but it ran for too long. The same could be said about this show as the 47 minute run time (versus 42 minutes on a broadcast drama) leads to some utterly useless scenes.

Besides having one of the weirder and more random cold opens of any episode the show has ever had (and the show has its fair share of strange moments), this episode also came as close to "filler" as possible. If anything, the episode had all the signs of the writers rearranging the pieces on the board, preparing for the head-long drive into the final episodes, which are as good as anything the show has done. Of course, it'd be a shame to overlook any episode of the show, and this one has some nice moments that are at least worth acknowledging.





The basic premise of the episode is that Walt and Jesse are preparing to start selling again, but with Jesse being well known for supposedly crushing Spooge's head with an ATM machine, nobody wants to cross him or the elusive "Heisenburg" anymore. Walt decides that this new found fear in other dealers means that they can expand and increase the price of their product. It's a bit alarming to watch Walt turning into this money-crazed drug distributor, especially considering the way he was in Season 1. He's quickly learning what it takes to be a drug dealer.





Meanwhile, Hank is sent to Mexico to deal with the cartels that are responsible for distributing meth further south. For most of the show at this point, Hank has acted as little more than a source of laughs and the occasional hint that he will eventually discover what Walt's doing. Honestly, if he wasn't a DEA agent, would he be worth watching? But I digress; Hank proves with this episode that he's a character at least worth watching. His (I assume) PTSD seems to be affecting him, and it's disheartening to watch some a jovial man become so distraught by the stuff he sees in Mexico. The scene with the head on the turtle was insane, the type of imagery and shots that Breaking Bad pulls off with flying colors, and Hank's plot seems like something that should be nice to watch unfold.





Skyler's plot, however, risks descending into typical "oh crap, will the wife cheat on the husband?" drama territory that too many shows have gone into before. But I have faith in the show, and since I've already seen up to Season 3 at this point, I know that the show is going to move in a great direction.

An honest to god filler if you ask me, but sometimes it's good to take a break from high octane action, and regardless it was still an enjoyable episode. I mean not a lot happened here. This episode was focused on the side characters if anyone else.





We have Skyler rehashing the past with an old co-worker as she gets a job where she used to work with him, and now he is the boss. Apparently they had a one night thing. To be honest, Skyler alone is not very interesting. Her and Walt's scene are great, but she simply is not that much of an interesting character when she gets shoved center stage with no help from any of the other characters. Then we've got Hank, surprisingly his plot was quite interesting, and we got quite a payoff in the end. With a head on a turtle, a very disturbing scene but that just lets me know that I'm watching a good episode of Breaking Bad. As for Walt & Jesse that seemed to be side characters in this episode, nothing much happened either. Jesse gets a new TV and connects with his neighbor, everyone thinks he killed the guy from the last episode, so now everyone is paying up in fear. Walter takes this to his advantage.





Was it a filler? Definitely. Was it an enjoyable episode of Breaking Bad? Most definitely.

There were so many things to like in this episode, ranging from jolly to horrific.


The opening with Los Cuates de Sinaola singing about the Heisenberg legend and his inevitable run-in with the big players of the Cartel gave a nice insight were this season might be heading. As his illness worsens, his transformation to an aggressive businessman speeds up: “Corner the market, the raise the price.” He looks like he’s actually enjoying the trade now.


Skyler takes actions of her own to secure the family’s financial situation, putting herself at risk of some grabby hands. Has she given up on Walt? She didn’t tell him about her plans, and even comes up with an inanely retarded lie about “green welding” to convince him. He lets it go. The family’s falling apart, and neither of them are determined enough to actually do something about it.


Hank’s being more than uncomfortable in El Paso, not familiar with the idiom (why didn’t his supervisors recommend him to take some Spanish courses?) or the tactics of Shun Tzu. He manages to gets away relatively unscathed after the Cartel retaliates against their stooge and the DEA. Now I wouldn’t put it past people who rig a tortoise to try and fry a fluffy purple bunny as well. Yes, I think the 2 flashforwards show us the aftermath of the Cartel taking action against their new competitor Heisenberg.


Jesse finally gets his flatscreen, and shares a tender moment with Jane. I’m happy for him. For now.

As news begins to spread around town of Jesse's enforcing job people that he was the one who killed Spooge and his buyers are coughing up dough fast and the fear is contagious. Jesse also connects to his landlord who just so happens to be a tattoo artist. Meanwhile, Skyler decides to get her old job back at the company she worked for a little while ago until the baby comes and also to help Walt out financially. Intriguingly enough the boss and her seem to have had an old flame fling or so it's hinted. And also after having successfully done away with Tuco Hank gets a promotion and begins to work in the DEA El Paso division where they try to turn a drug lord witness against his own organization and things don't go too well. A stunning mid season episode full of character development and the signature Breaking Bad subtle dark humor that we all know and love.

"I'm a BLOWFISH!"





After last week's "Peekaboo" episode, I must admit I had a small hint of doubt in me that this show may have taken a turn for the worse. Boy, was I wrong...





In Negro Y Azul, Walt and (a very shaken from the ATM head splattering he witnessed in "Peekaboo") Jesse decide to expand into other dealer's territories after rumors swirl around town that Jesse actually killed the man who crossed them. Walt shows up after Jesse has been ignoring him, and Jesse initially doesn't want to play along. But Walt eventually convinces Jesse otherwise after meeting with the 3 dealers Jesse has working under him. This is what sparks the idea of taking their business to new heights. Hank is out of sorts with his new position in El Paso. Skyler returns to her old job. But, most importantly, this show returns to top-notch form in what is easily one of the best episodes ever in this show to date.

This episode shook me up due to the hank subplot. it was very well done. the alienation he was feeling. the stress levels he's experiencing. and then. omg. the turtle. and then. the bomb. the colleague's lost leg. wow. the sense of shock he experienced was so real. maybe because i was in shock myself! then, there was the continued moral descent, likely a dark self actualization acting out corrupt desires that already very much there within, trajectory of Walt. This is no longer just about paying the cancer treatment bills. this is about power now. last time when he told jesse to 'take care of it' that was bad enough, but now, to see him pushing jesse along this more violent, self destructive path, going into other dealers' territories because he thinks people are afraid of J now, to see the power lust he is on, it is just so repugnant. in a good way, as in good drama. The show continues to make a very watchable story out of a premise i initially coudln't fathom would turn out to fuel such an amazing show.