really, really intense episode!

Killer episode, love it

I have to say this was the most intense episode in the series so far! That kid made me very upset about what they are doing. Walt has gone overboard. I have no more sympathy for the man.

Was that Crank Ho gross or what??? .Good episode

Intense, indeed.

1) Walt's "f*** you" to Gretchen
2) Jesse's compassion/intimidation dynamic
3) Spooge's *squish*

Hope that mail lady doesn't pose a problem for Jessie

While I hope there will be more revealed in the Walt/Gretchen/Elliott saga, that end is tied up now and what a way to go!

Spooge and his woman got everything that's coming to them. I just hope there are no stray fingerprints. I think maybe Jesse is realizing that perhaps his childhood wasn't all that bad after all.

Once again, Walt's classroom observations set up the rest of the story. When revealing the information about how Dr. Tracy Hall was paid by General Electric for developing synthetic diamonds, he's really complaining about Gretchen and Elliott's treatment of him.

Can't wait for next week!

Finally showing some of the actual dark side of crank. I was feeling guilty for digging this show so hard because I've seen the abused biker trash kids. The festering hovel was a dead ringer for some of the shooting galleries I've been in. The only thing missing was the kid would most likely have been smacked and told to shut the # up by his syfillitic slit of a mother.

The writers show an amazing ability to make a crank dealer likable. He would have been ruined as a likable character if he had shot either one of the tweekers.

i'm sorry to say i saw what spooge was hittin, but gettin it in the face like that, YIKES!!!

The story just keeps getting better and better. You can feel the intensity that Walt builds up in every episode.

It won't be Jesse's finger prints that will be used to track him. It will be the finger print of the crank. The skank will blame the murder on Jesse who will be connected to the unique chemical signature of the "Eisenburg Crank."

There are kids like that going to sleep hungry all over mid-west tonight.

Jessica Hecht, Gretchen, played her part so well. When she told Walt that she felt sorry for him... I wanted to hit her myself. "F*** you!" That look on Walt's face was soooo real.

Jesse and the kid brought a whole new depth to the show. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul didn't share any screen time this episode, but both were competing as actors. Brilliant!

I love how the writers will parallel Walt and Jesse.

Walt is cruel in refusing money from the wealthiest end of society, a society to which he desperately believes he should be a part. Walt wishes them to fall out of luxury and have the money he think they didn't earn ripped from them.

Jesse is compassionate in demanding money from the filthiest end of society, a society to which he desperately wishes he was not a part. Jesse sits patiently hoping these horrid people will successfully have money they didn't earn fall into their laps.

So beautifully written.

Will somebody please give Aaron Paul an Emmy. Jesse Pinkman is one of the greatest characters on series TV. Bryan Cranston deserves all the attention he's gotten, but every week I'm more amazed by Aaron Paul's performance. Tonight was a wrencher.

I'm wondering if the, (I hate to use the word) "skank" in this episode is the same actress that plays Day Hooker Pattie in "My Name Is Earl". She sure looks the same.

Freakin' great episode....I knew Jesse wouldn't just leave the kid.

There also is an awesome allusion when Jesse walks into the house and picks up the wooden leg. A similar scene occurs in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
It foreshadowed an outcast (Jim/Jesse) protecting a white trash outcast son of a junkie parents (Huck/Lil Red) from seeing the corpse of his dead father (Pap/Spooge). Both Pap and Spooge are killed by vicious blows to the head as they spent the night in a filthy den of drugs, alcohol and prostitutes.

How about how those folks dutifully pushed out what they were "carrying" for Jesse? YUCK!!!

Another excellent ep. Loved the parallels between Skinny Pete's squashing the beetle, and the meth hag's squashing of Spooge. When that kid came into the room for the first time, I thougth Jesse was having a halucination--he almost looked a green alien (at least on my TV). Has anyone kept score on the number of eps where Jessie gets beaten by someone? My guess is at least 80% at this point.

For a time, I wondered if Skyler was being straight with Walt about the phone conversation with Gretchen--when she revealed that they were "cutting off payments for the treatment". At least initially, she seemed like she was really measuring Walt's reaction--which to some degree she was, considering the turn of events and Walt's discussion with Gretchen in the driveway. However, she also seemed to be seeing if he would try to roll with the story (as an obvious lie), or come clean with the fact that they were not paying. Still seemed a bit ambiguous in her motive there. However, given that she was holding his hand at the end, perhaps she mostly bought it.

Can't wait 'till next week. Good to see that Hank is back in action then.

rozi! I agree with you 100% on Aaron Paul's performance. It was awesome. Every week. I started watching for Cranston, but Paul has risen out of his shadow. Bravo!

Let me start off by saying that Vince Gilligan hit the jack pot on this series. I agree that Aaron Paul should get recognition for his work on Breaking Bad. As the plot thickens and the season not even half way though the fans are looking forward not only to the next episode, but to season three. The actors along with all involved with the making of Breaking Bad deserve praise for a job well done.

Agreed on the kudos for Aaron Paul. This cast of characters seems so much stronger now than when we first met them. I'd also include the characters of Skyler and Hank. There's been some great moments for them as well. All that said, the next Emmy needs to go to Aaron Paul.

Somebody please tell me that nasty "skank" didn't pull that bag of meth outta her ass!! I'm saying to the TV "Jesse! Don't touch that dude!"

What really made me sad was showing that little boy living in such squallor, and realizing there are kids for real all over the country living like that. Actually, it made me sick to my stomach to think of it.

Boy, Walt told that Gretchen off didn't he? He pretty much had to, or else she (or Elliot) would be continuing to come around again and again being a pain in the ass and stirring up shit. It was best to piss them off for good to get rid of them.

this is the best show since tony soprano signed out
I'm guessing walt will get more desperate and jessie will show his more human side whle walt wil seem to become more evil;but by the end walts true good nature will show and jessie will learn how to be a good citizen all the clues are obvious. then the network will do a spinoff with jessie living in an apt "think friends" as a good dad and husband with a past

Wow ole' skank and spooge are some nasty characters I would not touch anything they retrieved from their ass area!

I started watching this show a few weeks ago. After tonight's episode I just had to jump into the conversation pool. What an amazing program on so many levels. Great acting, writing, and photography. My only complaint is that it's hard to find credits for the actors who are "guests". For instance, I would love to know more about the actors who played the addict couple. They were fantastic. Please, AMC, make an effort to highlight your occasionals.
And, yes, there are kids who live like that poor kid tonight. I see it every day in my work. Thanks to the producers for putting it out there . It's real.

As I watched the encore presentation I saw that Jesse grabbed what they pulled out of their butts with his sleeve. Plus I wonder what is going to happen in the next episode with Skyler's former colleague. And what is up with the hot principal asking Walt to talk to her if he needs to. I would talk to her without even thinking about what I was saying.

To the cast and crew
I have enjoyed this show from the start. The writing is brilliant as is the acting and directing.

I also applaud AMC for taking a chance and airing a show that is simply reflecting the society we live in.

But I beg you all to please don't sell out.
Don't find a "miracle cure" for Walt and have them become this generation's "Scarface" and run off six or seven season's just "for the money"

If you logically see that you can only realistically write this series to the point where Walt finally succumbs to the cancer, or perhaps he or Jesse (or both) finally get caught and wind up in jail(which to me is the most logical path for the characters), than thats what I think you should do.

After all, despite their situation and reasoning for doing what they do- the bottom line is that the path Walt and Jesse are on is a destructive, dangerous path and there must be a price for choosing that path

By doing right by the concept and the characters,
you will have firmly set yourself a place in television history and you won't find yourself twenty or thirty years from now shaking your head knowing that you went a season or two, too far, and "jumped the shark."

Keep the respect from the fans and the industry that you have earned so far and stay true to the concept and quit "on top"

A fan

tuttle300, Vince Gilligan has stated that Walt will turn into Scarface, but don't forget that Tony Montana died at the end of that movie, too. Give them some credit. They have definitely held up their end of the bargain... they delivered the goods and got you high on this show. As DepraveDave put it, I wonder if Walt will get through his chemo and be a cancer survivor and wind up having to deal with the consequences of his actions.

I live in Kansas City and anyone who is from around here will tell you that there was a meth epidemic here for a few years and they were in business for years before it all came down on them. Several white men with the money to buy many houses were cooking up that stuff. This show is real. That kid on that episode tonight is real. Great job.

"you have a good rest of your life-----kid". Jesse, has so much good just under the surface. Just the way he treated that little boy, how he was so concerned about his well being. The 911 call was made, help was on the way, and Jesse had plenty of time to split, but he thought of that kid, went back to rescue him out of the hell hole he was living in, making sure the little boy didn't see the aftermath of a drug ravaged existence, in reality Jesse is trying to set that little boy free.
I want to cast my vote for the amazing Aaron Paul as well. The character 'Jesse Pinkman' seems to get stronger with every episode, and we're not even half way through this season, and we're guaranteed a third. Life is good. Keep up the great great work.

Laz3000
I agree--
I have read several of his interviews
I just hope AMC doesn't get greedy and beg them to do a season one too many just for the money

I am all for watching Walt's world implode around him over a period of ten episodes and watch him lose everything from the former life and meantime, his "new" life is giving him everything he wanted (financial security for his family)

But at what price?
There are dozens of scenerios this series can explore and I'm there all the way as long as it stays as gritty and realistic as they have been so far

Yes, I meant ten SEASONS--sorry

Breaking Bad does it again -- episode 6 is yet another solid winner, great as a continuation of the saga but also a very memorable single episode unto itself (a bit like episode 2 in that it feels thematically like something of a set piece, especially for Jesse; and I agree with those who laud Aaron's work on this show. The character keeps growing and Paul is doing great.)

1) I wanted Jesse to get retribution and learn to control his turf. I never would've foreseen them turning the entire confrontation into the nuanced mini-saga that we get here. Brilliant work, full of unexpected but genuinely interesting turns. Jesse rambling so loudly outside the door at the beginning was a little goofy, but that's my only minor quibble off the top of my head.

2) I love Walt's handling of Gretchen. Some are complaining that Walt's becoming too unlikable, but I disagree; my only qualm is that he's been so hateful towards Jesse. I want to see some affection for Jesse from Walt. But I love the way he deals with Gretchen, because A) it's entirely unexpected and extremely interesting, and B) it shows him continuing to "break bad" and become more hardened and macho, but in a subtle way as opposed to an over-the-top, cliche way.

It also goes a long way in fleshing out -- maybe even wrapping up, though there's always the possibility of doing more with it -- the Gretchen/Walt backstory. Not everything is completely clear, but we have a slightly better idea now about the pained history there.

Killer episode all in all. I recommend this show to everyone. Best thing on TV in ages.

pf.

This was an episode of yin-yang power IMO. Contrast was inverted from both main characters.

Walt's dealing with his cancer and drug dealing has changed his once soft quiet heart into a cold blooded talking machine. He no longer is capable of decent emotion, we see this between Skyler and Gretchen.

On the other hand, we begin to see Jesse is not of the dregs of society as he was one made to be in the first season.

Great episode.

Great foreshadowing. Jesse couldnt' even kill a bug on the street. How is he going to kill two meth heads that ripped him off? The compassion he showed for that kid was heartfelt. But it also shows that Jesse is still not hardened even after going through what he did with Tuco. This may come back to bite him later on when the boys from Juarez finally show up.

I have to admit the scene with Jesse and the tweakers made my skin crawl. It was both scary and comical at the same time. When they pulled the drugs out of their asses I gagged. I couldn't imagine the stench that must have been on those baggies...LOL.

I don't think the cops will find any evidence linking Jesse to the house. The mail carrier possibly but it would seem a stretch. It was a drug infested shit hole and the cops will leave it that.

Did anyone else catch the awkward glances between Walt and the hot principal? I'm wondering if he played hide the carbon salami with her in the past?

Loved when Walt told Gretchen to Fuck Off. Excuse me, that wasn't Walt that was Heizenbug

Aaron Paul is amazing...again! I am still laughing at the way spooge couldnt say enough 'skank' to save his own life...omg classic episode.

Another fantastic episode of BB...I knew Jesse was a good kid, just mixed up. I really loved it when he took care of the tweeker's kid all day long while he was waiting for them to come home...but it was stupid of him to stay there and try to help them get money out of that damn ATM. It was great at the end when the money came out!!! I was glad when Jesse took the kid out of that mess and called the cops, but I just kept yelling, Jesse get out of there before the cops come!!!! Great writing once again, Vince! Cannot wait til next week!

wow i just finished this episode there is so much to say i thought the part with walt and Gretchen was pretty intense in its self considering all the stuff he said but i dont really feel as walt was the bad guy theres probably more to this that will be shown later on also mannn aaron paul is simply amazing hes such a great charecter actors on tv now a days are complete jokes there so fake i love the cast on this tv show ever since it started and aaron paul is getting better and better as he season goes by i cant wait till the next episode.. man i wish it was sunday again i always hate to see the last 10 minutes of it cause i know then i gotta wait another week but oh well love the show :)

I agree with all of you about this episode and Aaron Paul's work. My soft spot for Jesse is no secret--he's an incredibly sympathetic character. I could add to the other observations here, but I'd rather make one about all of you.

What a privlege it is to read the opinions and insights of bright, attentive people! You either catch things I miss or give me a new POV I hadn't considered. I am so glad to be part of this

Best show on tv!! Open question: Did jessie take any of the atm money? I could'nt tell if he did or not.

This really was a kind of freak-out. Just jumpy seeing Jesse trapped in that hell hole with the two nutcases the whole episode.

I knew Walt was screwed by Gretchen/Elliott and the whole Gray Matter business! All his work and ideas (wasn't he working with Gretchen initially in a flashback episode?), so he splits and Gretchen takes their work and hooks up with Elliott? And Gray Matter offers Walt nothing in copyright royalties or a business percentage? I'd say that was payback from the ex-girlfriend, Gretchen, for his walkout. Walt was right to say f--k you to her, but about 25 years too late.

What's really scary is the blackhearted coldness of Heisenberg is seeping out more and more into Walt's "normal" life, and Walt either doesn't realize it or can't control it. When Walt was talking about revenge with Walt Jr because of the windshield flyer, I thought, boy isn't that kind of extreme? Doesn't Junior think that's a little over the top for his dad? Or in his classroom lecture about the diamond inventor? You can just see the peekaboos of the dark side of Walt leaking out in conversations, thoughts, behavior. Very scary.

Whereas, as everyone has pointed out, the opposite response is holding true for Jesse. His humanity keeps peeking out in the worst situations as a counterpoint to what he's either doing or what's being done to him.

Walt's heart really is the heart of darkness and rage. Whereas Jesse's heart seems at the very core, humane and caring.

They each started at polar opposites as adults. Walt started out the good man who got along, to get along. Jesse started out rebellious, combative, disenfranchised because he didn't belong. Interesting where the twain shall meet.

Walt wants payback for all he feels cheated out of. Jesse wants acceptance and approval, even if it's from someone as coldhearted and messed up as Walt.

I just love Jesse - I hope he makes it. Walt's a goner as a human being as far as I'm concerned. But Jesse, if he can break free of trying to get acceptance/approval from the only adult figure in his life (Walt) may make it.

Even though this was a crucial episode for both characters, I have to say Aaron Paul's portrayal of Jesse was wonderful! Kudos to both actors.

Jesse did take some of the money while he was doing the quick run around trying to wipe his fingerprints off things in the house.

this is simply the BEST SHOW ON TV, the Sopranos was great, don't get me wrong...but they stretched it too thin, and had to many "filler" episodes. Whoever did the casting for this series deserves an ENORMOUS amount of credit...walt, jesse, Tuco, down to the tow truck guy...these were the actors destined for these roles. As this series progresses, it is amazing how it has little, to no predictability. and how every single episode has made me JONES for the next. Aaron Paul is amazing, but I have no doubt that working with Cranston puts the cast at the top of their game...about time in his career he gets a chance to display his talent. please AMC, push this show like skinny p pushes those blue shards, you have a future classic in the making,,,,,,,,,,,,

this episode was really one of the best. so intense, but still brought the twisted humor near the end- jesse still got his money out of that damn atm machine, yo!

Wow. Amazing.

I can't believe they could top the demise of Tuco in drmatic intensity.

I was afraid that Jesse wouldn't clear the premises before the cops arrived. I'm like "say goodbye to the kid and split already."

That had me on the edge of my seat.

What a great ending.

It'll be interesting to see what the authorities will make of the ATM theft and the demise of Splooge.

And how much of this will Jesse tell Mr. White, ha ha!

I don't think what motivates Walt is bitterness or anger. I think Walter is a man with a mission, and he will do whatever he sees as necessary to amass the fortune he think his family deserves. That means he needs to keep the wheels on the Heisenburg syndicate, whether that is best done by telling Gretchen off, hoping she will just stay gone, or lying to Skyler about it--smoothly, flawlessly and without remorse.

Walt doesn't have time for morality. He's dying. He has been cheated by cancer, he has been cheated by Eliot and Gretchen, he has been cheated by Walt Jr's disability. He will not be cheated by rinky-dink junkies.

Jesse, on the other hand, has had a pretty easy time in life. Despite his epic series of seriously poor life decisions, Jesse has always been able to get by without having to do much of anything. He never thinks of himself as a bad guy. He sells recreational products to consenting adults. Only today, when he sees firsthand the damage his product causes and meets one of his very own victims, a little boy living in neglect and squalor, does he see that his hands are not clean.

I see a great conflict brewing between Jesse, who seems to be developing a conscience, and Walt, who is rapidly losing his. This is damn fine television.

zarp - Jesse will indeed be linked by the police to Spooge's (and the store attendent's) death, but it will be via the serial numbers of the ATM money he took and will spend without realizing they are "marked". And here's a hint about where that story line will lead - what is Jesse paying for in cash and who is he paying it to?

Walt's character development continues to blow me away. As his standing as a sympathetic character goes down (and that's just about at zero now) his standing as an interesting one goes off the charts. I was hoping for more with Gretchen and this (unexpectedly) fit the bill....

Great, great work BB cast and crew!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903747/fullcredits#cast

Hey Zulu--
you were wondering who the guest 'junkies' were in the episode- try this link

they have links that go to each actors former and upcoming projects

Very, very informative website

Wow. Wow. Wow. Great episode.
Jesse is clearly not cut out to be a criminal. His compassion for the kid and his strangely comical "rehearsing" outside the house show that this kid has a really big heart and doesn't have the guts to be a big-time criminal.
Walt, on the other hand, keeps showing that he does have the personality to be a criminal. He has murdered, lied, and told Gretchen f--you and, as far as we know, still sleeps okay at night. It reminds me of Michael Corleone. Michael was alwasy supposed to be the Godfather because he was so cold. Maybe Walt was destined for this life because he obviously can handle it.
Walt and Jesse's characters are really converging and switching and evolving in completely opposite directions.
Did you see the smirk that Walt tried to hide when he talked to Skyler at the end. He got away with his lie, he knows it, and he likes it.
AMC and Breaking Bad really deserve credit for being pretty much the only fictional media covering the horrors of meth right now. Watching this episode was almost unbearable, but the country NEEDS to see this.

Is it Sunday yet, because with each episode it leaves me wanting more. Its a shame that Raymond Cruz isn't with the show any longer, that boy most definitely has talent... We must move on though. To all the cast, crew, writers, directors and so fourth, thank you for "Breaking Bad." Thank you also amc for taking a chance and coming out on top with your decision.

Kudos to those who predicted a kid being a big part of an episode named "Peekaboo." Of course it made total sense after the episode but I didn't think a kid would be brought in in such a way. I think it was done tastefully though. They are doing an excellent job showing the evil side of Meth. First with all the drug dealer violence and now the tweaker couple that neglects their young kid and were more worried about their fix. Together out of convenience and necessity. They were both totally gone and the woman had no problem crushing his head under the ATM. She took advantage of her own kid so many times, setting him down with her while she had a gun to her head. That would touch the heart of anybody waiving a gun in your face. Not that I would kill somebody but if I was going to and they sat a kid down, it would make it just a tad bit harder. That bitch put her kid in harms way because she DIDN'T care. The drug fix was all she cared about. Then you have the guy saying "FDIC insuraned, victimless crime," after Jesse said "hey that is my bank." OK, the missing money may be viewed as "victimless," but come on, nice dead cashier where they hauled out the ATM. Crazy stuff.

Like I said the child scene was done in pretty good taste. As good as you could have pulled it off. It is probably the worst family neglect drug related scene I have seen since the dead crib baby in Trainspotting.

Jesse is an excellent actor. Look at Walt too, telling Gretchen to FUCK OFF and his teaching skills we haven't seen in so long. He pulls it off like a real teacher. Watch the preview for next week in the videos section and see the kid asking Mr White to change his grade. I wish more teachers had a little bit of that side of Mr White in them. Good stuff.

Notice how Jesse just took a small stack of $20s from the ATM, probably enough to cover just what was stolen. No more, no less, just what was due to him.

It looks like from the preview that word may have gotten around town that Jesse killed the tweaker and he now has a reputation he doesn't want. I mean, he and Walt wanted the reputation of being somebody not to mess with, but now everyone thinks Jesse killed that asshole. I think it says a lot about Jesse that he took only enough money to cover the loss, and that he took that kid under his wing and told him everything will be OK. I think he sees a bit of himself in the kid. Not so much that he grew up the same way, but that he too felt neglect from his parents and that they never did understand him. I think Jesse, over the coarse of the show from Season 1 to now, has shown us that he is a very compassionate, thoughtful person. Yes, he is easily persuaded by Walt and his friends. If born into a different time and a different place, Jesse may have been appreciated differently and a life to be proud of. But he is stuck in this cycle of old friends, Walt, his old reputation, what he is trying to be, what he wants to become, and money of course.

Jesse and Walt are both evolving or devolving into different people. It is amazing the direction they are taking this. I love it.

So back on the tweakers and Jesse. Yes, Jesse wiped everything he touched, But somehow I think his tracks will not be fully covered. Some have said maybe the tweaker hooker would give him away. I'm not so sure about her giving him up. She smoked herself up pretty good and killed her boyfriend/husband. She may be dead herself, kicked back in that chair all high. It is the kid I am worried about talking. Can't wait to see.

I feel bad for Walt. He is choosing to distance himself from everyone he ever cared about or cared about him. I think after a while he will have no ones sympathy, not even Jesse's. He will most likely die the loneliest man in the world...

I agree with everybody here when it comes to Aaron Paul and his great acting. He deserves the next Emmy. Breaking Bad would not have captivated me if all of the actors weren't so talented. Maybe this is a testament to great direction. BB steers clear of the other popular TV shows that are full of cliches and the occasional bad actor that ruins it for me. I was skeptical at an Original series on AMC but I haven't enjoyed any other television show as much as this one. I can't wait until Sunday nights.

I tried searching and couldn't find anything conclusive but does Aaron Paul have a permanent tattoo on his right hand/arm?

As for the individual (rickyjames) speculating that they link Jesse to the killing by the serial numbers on the dollar bills, I don't think that would be the case but if you DO know what is actually going to happen in the future then please don't *speculate* with the rest of us. I see the *skank* getting arrested and after she comes down off the heroin/meth she runs her mouth and gives a good description of Jesse/and/or skinny Pete. Perhaps she says they were an accompliss in taking the ATM and then killed Splooge over greed.

The mail lady is a loose end but I think the skank will run her mouth to try to get out of trouble and perhaps Walt has to step up as the cold blooded guy he is becoming and save their asses again like he did after Tuco beat Jesse's ass.

I've been telling all of my friends and family about the show and everybody seems to enjoy it. I've pimped the show out so much I think AMC should pay me for advertising =)

I want to say thank you to AMC and I hope the great acting continues and they keep this show intense while maintaining believability.

(btw, my last name is White and i've been using this online *handle* for years now... I'm not copying Walt White)

Jesse really went to the edge of his limits for Walt's request. His sacrificial loyalty and degree of dedication exhibited was very uncommon. There should be no question about Jesse's partnership status and contributions to the "cause".I think that he was prepared to kill the "zoners" if he needed to do so. He has fought and defended his life and taken lives before. But, if we notice, Jesse does not take another persons life lightly. He respects life and does everything he can to avoid killing and harming others. I think that every time he witnesses the death of another it affects him and takes a little bit out of his soul. Recall if you will the moment that he saw Miss Skank tip the atm machine onto Spooge's cranium. He attempted to stop this murder in spite of his circumstances. Anyone else who was trying to escape and recover after having his skull bashed and being held captive, etc., would have cheered her on. Jesse's crying out at that moment displayed his hearts composition, his respect for life and his deep compassion for others. We have witnessed the "coming out" of a new, great actor. Aaron has mad skills yo!!!! Let me be the first to say that he will be a new "sensation" in Hollywood. He can carry a leading role and do so quite well. We will have the pleasure of enjoying his skills for a long time to come. Now, let me get off of his nuts.
These low-life, sores on their face, unbathed, skanky, heavily abusive characters that are showing up in these episodes are repulsive. They vividly and openly display the addictive abuse of the drug, but it will be even more interesting to see who else is abusing the drug(s). I believe were soon to see some folk who look like upstanding, hard-working, well kept, society contributors involved in this drug environment.as well. I bet we see some "freaky deakys", some fine ass "bag hoes" if you know what i mean -jelly bean.
There is so much material for the Producers, Writers, Editors, and Cast and Crew to work with that they must all be very excited as I am and look forward to future episodes. Appreciations shot out to y'all. Thanks for the entertainment !!

I think the Skank will be the one to rat Jesse out, not the mail lady. She will probably try to get some sort of plea bargain if she turns in the new meth distributor. But she's up for some pretty serious crimes, so that may not work out for her.

I really thought Jesse was going to take the little kid with him! I love that side of him. Take him out for a hot bath and a Happy Meal!

I still want to know more on the Walt/Gretchen past - why did he leave, and what what the intellectual property they supposedly stole from him?

This epi. was great, I couldn't believe it when the hour was up so fast.

This is by far the best show on TV from the writing, acting, cinematography blah blahblah.....
Douche 1:"Look at me, I write loooong, drawn out paragraphs in the comments section, I know each characters' motivation".
Douche 2:"Douche 1 is really insightful, but he spelled Skyler with an "a".
---. This show doesn't need an emmy or douches to validate its worth.Best show on TV ........Just enjoy it

This show has me so addicted. I can't wait for Sunday night. I love how Jesse is finding his soul and becoming more human with each episode just as Walt is loosing his soul and loosing his humanity with each act of desperation. I really thought Walt was going to have a coronary when he saw Gretchen's car in the driveway. His heart must have been going a hundred and fifty until he knew that she had not ratted him out to Skyler. He really showed his stuff by telling her off the way he did, but I still think that is going to bite him, Skyler isn't going to let their benefactor "go broke" without sending her some form of sympathy.... it's not over between those girls.
I couldn't believe it when the skank just heartlessly pushed the ATM onto hubby. I guess she really didn't like being called skank huh. That little kid, though, there are so many like him out there, I knew Jesse would do something for him. I thought he'd send Child services or something on their case once he left, but calling 911, getting the kid out, and leaving, that was brilliant. Can't wait for next week.

Wow! I have to concur, that was a GREAT episode - really intense. And whereas last week, I was concerned that the dark humor was receding from the show, this week's episode brought it in spades. The interplay between the meth addicts, Spooge and "Skank" -- was hysterical.

Consequenly, and perhaps this is kind of random, but I can't seem to get out of my head how much the comical bickering of Spooge and "Skank" as a couple reminded me of Billy Crystal and Carole Kane's Miracle Max and Valerie from The Princess Bride. Anyone else see it?

Someone commented that Walt enjoyed getting away with his lie to Skyler, and had a little smirk on his face. Missed that, but a perfect image of the internal shift in Walt's character.

Initially, Walt's motive (to insure his family's financial security after his death) may have been noble, but I think that motive has been lost, somewhat. Walt's really starting to "feed" off his internalized rage at his mortality, life, and circumstances. His morality is truly beginning to disappear.

And Jesse's intentions, in some weird misguided way, may have stuck with Walt once he found out Walt had cancer because he wanted to help Walt with his "plan". But, Jesse's compassion, at least with Walt, may put him in jeopardy in the future. If Jesse ever becomes useless to Walt's plan, I don't think Walt would hesitate to dump him, and by the time something like that could happen, Walt will have changed so much, it could be pretty deadly for Jesse.

Watch your back, Jesse. You're standing close to the tiger's tail and he's not biting you now, but he could......in the future.

Oh...my...God. HOW on Earth do they keep making every episode so mind-blowingly entertaining? Pretty much everything I was gonna say about this episode has been said already. I loved the opening scene with Jesse and Skinny Pete. Jesse didn't want to kill that bug, but Pete squashed it without thinking. A good parallel for how Jesse feels about life. I loved the lines "You got jacked by a guy named Spooge?" and Pete's misspelling of "streat", and his defense, "I'm busy, yo, I can't be all about spelling and shit!" I loved how Walt told Gretchen "Fuck you" so cold-heartedly. I was glad to see that they can still say "fuck" on the show, even though it's (barely) edited. They said it quite a bit in season one, and I think it makes it more realistic. The whole thing with Jesse in the junkie's house...I don't even know what to say. It was the most intense and memorable scenes since they were at Tuco's house. Seeing that little kid almost made me cry, and Jesse's compassion for him was wonderful. He basically saved that kid's life at the end. I couldn't believe Spooge got his cranium crushed at the end by his skank whore girlfriend. Quick thinking by Jesse to wipe his prints off and call 911. So much to say about this brilliant episode. I can't get enough!

When I watched the episode on the encore presentation I did notice that Jesse didn't wipe his prints off the sledgehammer. It may be one of those details that only matters to us the BBs, but it could be used in the future if they wanted. I also wonder about the serial numbers on the money as was stated earlier in the comments.

jamm54, great insight on the peekaboo metaphors.

Can't get enough!

All the actors in this are so good! It's great to see them at the top of their game, because they bring out the best in each other in a scene. Any scene with Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul is always riveting - you just never know how it's going to play out between the two characters. Definitely, none of them are predictable or boring.

In that scene with Jesse and Skinny Pete, wasn't it a crack up that Jesse is correcting Pete's spelling (shades of Mr. White, teacher)?!. LOL. BB is very creative in their episode titles (love them too)! thanks laz!

rejorejo wrote-
"Douche 1:"Look at me, I write loooong, drawn out paragraphs in the comments section, I know each characters' motivation".
Douche 2:"Douche 1 is really insightful, but he spelled Skyler with an "a".
---. This show doesn't need an emmy or douches to validate its worth.Best show on TV ........Just enjoy it"

Some of us really enjoy commenting on one of the best shows on TV. If you don't wish to partake in the discussion, then go away. The rest of us will continue to comment and discuss for the remainder of the season with long drawn out comments and spelling errors. There was no reason for you to comment the way you did. You just enjoy it, with or without our comments.

Looks like this forum could use a moderator

Though the best thing we could all do is ignore the few who seek to disrupt

jamm54-I didn't even think about the fact that Jesse was "teaching" Skinny Pete like Mr. White, lol. The "Peekaboo" episode title IS brilliant. At first I just thought it was because of Jesse playing with the kid, but I saw the comments about Walter and Jesse's other sides "peeking out". I'm glad people were able to pick up on that, even though I didn't, lol. It's obvious that a lot of thought goes into this show, including the episode titles, and I wish more tv could be this brilliant.

I also noticed Walt's smirk at the end when Skyler bought his lie. It's a good thing I always stay glued to the screen for the whole episode, or else I may have missed that. I think that look on his face was VERY telling, and even disturbing to a point, because it showed that Walter is now enjoying lying to his wife, and is excited about getting away with it, whereas before he hated lying, but did it because he had to. He definitely is changing, but with so little time left in life, it's not that surprising. One thing I've been thinking about over these last few episodes, as Jesse has been becoming a much stronger character than before, is that what if the series doesn't end when Walt dies? Is it possible the show could still be about Jesse? Maybe he would somehow take care of Walt's family by providing them with some of his "income". The relationship he's forming with Walter, it wouldn't be too surprising if he wanted to help his family after he's gone. Aaron Paul certainly has the acting chops to pull it off. In fact, this episode seemed like Jesse was the main character, and Walt's story was kind of secondary. I believe this was also the first episode in which Walter and Jesse didn't have any scenes together at all. Both characters are so good, by themselves or together. I know I would definitely still watch BB if it was all about Jesse and his "crew".

another well done episode. it was hard to see that sweet little boy living in such ATROCIOUS conditions! i'm not naive to what drugs can do & i'm glad the writers show every aspect and aren't glorifying or sugar coating drug life.

i'm usually okay with Walt's lies but his lie about Gray Matter going bankrupt seems like it could fall through easily. skylar can easily google it and see what's what. at least that's what i would do especially when i know Walt's been lying.

Aaron Paul does deserve some kind of recognition for his work this season. If doesn't win SOMETHING i'll be highly surprised and disappointed. It seems like Jesse is hot one week then getting beat down the next.

This is kind of off topic, but is it me or does Aaron Paul look like the Carolina Liar lead singer? Everytime I see that video on Vh1 i'm like they could be twins.

I just googled Carolina Liar, and the singer does kind of look like Jesse if he had long hair and a mustache!

james26-- THANK YOU!

You're welcome! :)

After reflecting on the whole Gretchen/Walt conflict, I have a question for all of you. Do any of you sympathize with Gretchen's attitude or her right to be angry at Walt? I myself don't understand her position... If this kind of thing happened to me and I was inadvertently pulled into a lie, I might be a little distraught, but I wouldn't act the way she did as if she's the victim of a villainous deed.

When she ignores Walt's conversation and gives him the evil eye before pulling out of his driveway - what was that about? In the restaurant, Walt conveyed a seemingly sincere apology that I, if in her shoes, would have accepted. Perhaps I'm apathetic to her own feelings, but I think she should have been more concerned and perplexed rather than furious over Walt's lie. He's the one with cancer; he's the one financially responsible for his own treatment. She has no idea why he created this lie involving her and Elliot; there might have been a good reason for it.

Why was she so enraged about this and demanding answers? Maybe I'm so jaded by all the "breaking bad" going on in this drama that I don't see she has a right to be angry.

I just watched the episode again... It is amazing what you miss the first time even though you glue your eyes on the screen.

At first showing, I thought Jesse specifically took less money than all of it, taking only what he felt he was ripped off and perhaps a little for damages. But, I now think he grabbed all of it, with the exception of some of the floor money laying in the food and filth. I mean, he scooped a bunch off the floor but I don't think all of it, and he did pull the accessible packets out of the machine. He grabbed what he could and was less decisive in taking only what he was ripped off, as I first thought.

Also, this time I noticed that Jesse walked away from the kid in the opposite direction of where he parked his car. If you are standing across the street looking straight at the house, Jesse's car is to your left, on your side of the street. When he sat the kid down on the porch, he walked away to what would be your right, if you were standing across the street looking at the house. Was he going to leave the car there and go back for it? I think the cops would look at the cars parked near by. Not to mention that his glass pipe is in the glove box. He wanted to build himself up to go get his money and smoked up in the car before going to the door. He then threw the glass pipe in the glove box and grabbed that pistol (nice gun I might add).

Those sirens sounded pretty close. I can't imagine he made it to his car and got away from the scene after walking off in the other direction.

Also, it is true he did not wipe down the sledge hammer, but that isn't to say he didn't wipe it down after wailing away at the machine. We never saw him stop and set the hammer down. Also, some things don't pick up prints very well. While the dishes he touched might, maybe the handle of a sledge wouldn't pick up good prints. Who knows.

I still think the kid is going to talk when the cops come. I mean, if Jesse took off on foot, they could easily send the dogs to follow his scent. If he got in his car by circling down the block, then the kid may have seen him. I think he is going to be connected somehow, but then again the cops already know he has a taste for skanky hookers and he could just say he was banging her like Windy Wendy. But this skank makes Windy look like a model in comparison.

Great show. We are halfway though the season now approximately and I am happy with what we have been given so far. I can't wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds.

Roslavets, let's take a look at the psyche of this woman. She is wealthy, she flaunts her status with a Bentley, and looks down her nose at Walt. Walt exposes this when he tells her that she is adding to her millions. She is used to being in charge and taking advantage of people. It is plausible that she isn't even aware that something is wrong with someone else, but takes everything personal. Its as if only something happened to her. Walt broke through when he drops the F bomb and possibly made her decide in that instance that she would not take revenge, but give him this severance package.

I thought it was cool when Jesse made them empty their pockets........alot like when Tuco made him and Walt do the same........up until the asshole checks hahahahahaha wow!!!

Walt's definately startin to lose his "cool"......tellin' Gretchin(is that her name? haha killer) "F*** YOU" lmfao......and the way he lies to Skylar......."alot of hem-hawing.....beating around the bush....." hahaha excellent writing as always.

I about died laughing when Spooge uncovered the ATM......
"That's my bank, yo!" or whatever Jesse said hahahahaha
hilarious!!

Skottey, good catch noticing Jesse walked in the opposite direction of his car. I did notice that he took all of the money. He was panicking and frantic, there was no way he could have taken just the right amount. I'm also wondering though, when the cops show up, won't they wonder where the money from the ATM went? They won't find it in the house anywhere. They'll know that someone else was there.

That bit towards the end with Jesse wiping his prints off the ATM ... and the door pops open! About time something went his way. I thought he might be spend too much time on the porch with that kid and not get out before the cops arrived.

Now back to fingerprints. He did a quick wipe-down and any 'strays' could be explained away from the past. Except for the call at the end - prints on the phone receiver, the 9 and the 1 buttons. But that house is none too clean. Don't be fooled by CSI type shows.

One more thing.......after reading all the comments.......I have to say the heaviest scene emotionally for me was when the kid gets Jesse to play peekaboo again in the chair.....and "skank" sneaks up behind and whacks him with the bottle.......jeese the look on that kids face.....WOW!!! That kid deserves an award for that scene!!!

Amazing episode. James26, you said you saw Walt "smirk" after his lying dialogue with Skyler. I saw it differently -- after his improv about GreyMatter going broke, while she was looking away, he shot her a furtive sideways glance that seemed to say, "Are you really buying all this?" Such a subtle thing - a real actor's craft.

I think Jesse needs to watch his back with Skinny Pete.

Body count of how many people have died because one day Walt decided to cook meth: Crazy 8, Crazy 8's cousin, Tuco, now the Addict Guy . . . granted, these aren't nice people, but Walt's negative karma is getting seriously unbalanced.

I see Walt as a man with bottled-up rage. Rage that he got cut out of Grey Matter, rage that he lost his true love, Gretchen, to his former business partner, rage that he's married to Skyler, a former waitress, who is so obviously not his soul mate, rage that his kid has such a crippling disease, rage that he's obviously brilliant, but confined to teaching high school to a bunch of kids who range from apathetic to hostile, and of course rage that after putting up with all that --- he gets cancer. Walt is like a coil that has been wound tighter and tighter for 20 years. He keeps his rage bottled in with his icy, controlled demeaner.

It was really creepy the way that nastier side of Walt would flash out for a moment and then recede. Just a pure evil look on his face in quite a few scenes. Ugh!

Yes, the body count is getting high since Walt's involvement. If they start logging little figures on the side of the RV for everybody they're taking down, it will end up with a new decorative exterior! LOL. Either that or Walt can start notching his belt.

Oh crap, I just thought of another thing. Remember they showed the scene where spooge & douche got the ATM and that guy was killed? Now, the bills from the ATM that Jesse has, anyone know if the S/Ns from each machine are recorded? I doubt it, but.. Just a thought.

starscm-I saw the sideways glance that Walt gave Skyler to see if she was believing him, but also, after that, he sat there with a slight smile on his face for a couple seconds, satisfied that he had fooled her again. There is such a range of emotions simply in Bryan Cranston's facial acting. He deserves more Emmys than James Gandolfini ever got! :)

Also, don't forget that Tuco's "associates" No-Doz and Gonzo also died because of Walter. Sure, Tuco may have beaten one or both of them to death eventually anyway, but it happened then because of Walt's plan.

James26-

I thought that about the cops wondering where the ATM money went too. But, he did leave some of the money on the floor that was lying in the filth and food. Not that they wouldn't be able to get an exact count from the bank. They would know if even a single $20 was gone.

Just to mix it up a little, he should have thrown some cash on the skank in the chair.

I am wondering now if the skank will live and not talk, but rather go after Jesse. She was so high, she may think Jesse killed her husband and not even realize she did it.

Maybe that bunny with the missing eye that has opened the show twice is her blowing up the RV, as opposed to Skyler smoking around the lab or the boys blowing up their own stuff in a bad batch. The kid and the skank are more loose ends. Jesse and Walt keep leaving loose ends.

You know, people keep commenting on the smirk Walt had on his face when Skyler fell for his lie about Gretchen at the end of the show, as if he is starting to enjoy lying to her. I am thinking that he was just happy that that lie of all things has been accounted for. He has probably been worrying all along about Skyler finding out that he turned down the money from Gretchen and Elliot, and considered that a weak link in the chain of the overall cover up. He also may have been smirking because he maintains some control over the all powerful rich Gretchen. She could have easily broken the news to Skyler but cares or is intimidated enough by Walt that she lied and broke the ties, letting Walt deal with it. Walt was happy he could deal with it his own way. I don't think he is enjoying lying, just glad that that specific issue he worried about so much was resolved.

There’ve been a lot of great comments about this series, but something very important hasn't been discussed yet in depth, and that’s IMHO Walt’s deepest motivation for breaking bad. At first he seems to have been forced into it by both a desperate and noble need to give his family financial security after he’s gone. But I think this is just a ruse, a means to justify to himself the hellhole that he starts digging for himself.

But to discover his deepest reasons we have to first look at Walt’s life from the beginning. Once Walt was considered a chemistry genius with a great future. But something yet not fully disclosed in the series went wrong and he ended up instead --- to his way of thinking ---- one of life’s mediocrities. As he himself sums up his life, he works at a job for which he’s greatly overqualified for a salary too little to support his family, with a son who has cerebral palsy and a pregnancy the family hadn’t planned for. And if his chemotherapy is successful, he just may live another eighteen months. And probably the most painful conviction of all is that his once-closest friend Elliot and Elliot’ wife (apparently a past lover of consequence) may have built their great financial success upon an idea stolen from Walt himself.

Everywhere he turns he sees the abject humiliation of his life. His students ridicule his working nights at a car wash. His principal scrutinizes him after his arrest for exhibitionism. He must tolerate the specter of Gretchen and Elliot’s mcmansion and the embarrassing questions from their academic party guests about where he teaches. Even the motherly supervision by his own wife, serving him synthetic bacon and stalking Jessie whom she believes is Walt’s “pot” supplier, is demeaning.

Everything seems calculated to remind him what a humongous loser he is.

Ultimately, the weight of Walt's humiliation blinds him to
reject everything and anyone standing in the way of his
determination to spend the few days he has left on earth recapturing the vigor and self respect he once had in his youth. And when fate comes knocking in the form of lung cancer, for Walt it’s an opportunity and a life-saver. Suddenly a light bulb comes on and Walt finds himself consumed by an activity --- nefarious as it is --- that gives him his first feeling in decades of genuine accomplishment. He’s finally able to put his chemical genius to use as a leading manufacturer of the world’s purest form of crystal methamphetamine. And for that he receives the world’s most satisfying form of material recognition, big bucks!

In the very first episode of the first season, when Jessie presses him on why someone like him wants to cook meth, Walt at first he says "money," but doesn’t really seem to be able to answer, as if he’s hearing the question in his own head for the first time. Then he says, “ I'M AWAKE!

Sorry this is so long!

Skottey-That would have been good if Jesse threw some money on the "skank" (funny that she doesn't have an actual name yet, lol), but he was too scared to think of something like that, after just seeing Spooge crushed to death. Who knows, the skank may not even remember the whole incident with Jesse, or maybe she'll think it was a meth-induced hallucination. The fact that she didn't even care when Jesse jumped up and tried to stop her from killing Spooge when she thought Jesse was unconscious, that says a lot about her state of mind. It will be interesting to see what happens with her.

I'm so anxious to see the significance of the burnt stuffed animal. We may get another glimpse of it next week. I've noticed a pattern of the episodes: The first one started by showing us something that happens at the end of the season (the stuffed animal), the second one started by showing us something that happened at the end of the episode (Jesse's car bouncing after Tuco was shot), and the third episode started out in the present (Walter's naked supermarket plan). Episodes 4, 5, and 6 followed that same pattern: Something from the end of the season, something from the end of the episode, and something in the present. If it keeps with that pattern, episode 7 will give us another hint at what happens at the end of the season.

Jerry-That may have been the most accurate description of Walter White and why he "broke bad" that I've ever read! Kudos! :)

And as far as spooge - he may not be dead. A busted nose and a fuck of a headache, but... who knows.

Unforgiven -

I think it is pretty safe to say he is dead. I am no expert but would be surprised if he survived that.

Lol, yeah. That ATM looked like it was sitting pretty flat on the ground, which means Spooge's head was pretty much gone.

Deprave Dave, I agree, the kid did a fantastic job! When he told Jesse "I'm hungry" it was heartwrenching. It was a great episode.

I too was very confused by Gretchens behavior toward Walter when he asked her to wait for an explanation of his lie?

We know they were in a relationship in the past and seemed to be in love at some point in their lives.

You would think that Gretchen would just do him a solid and say "Okay Walt, I accept your apology and will wait for an answer when the time is right"

But for her to get indignant just blew my mind. I even talked at the TV screen while watching that scene and said "Fuck you you malignant cunt!" right before Walt dropped his F Bomb. She seemed insulted that he wouldn't take her charity

I don't see how Skyler can just take Walt at his word though that Gretchen and Eliot are broke. Skyler is still very distrustful of Walt so I don't see her letting that one slide away so easily.

I see from next weeks previews that Danny Trejo will be starring in it. Maybe he is one of the boys from Juarez that Walt and Jesse will have to be dealing with soon?

Jerry, it was long, but I'm glad I read it. Great insight! I present my kudos as well.

I have watched this since the first episode. I am a newbie on this board. I just want to say that this may be the best series that I have ever watched. Having used meth before and cleaned up, I have seen a different perspective than most. These people are human, just with a awful problem. This show does show their human, but does not glorify Meth. It strikes a good balance, with outstanding acting.

Question! Question! Have you read the main page where it says that "Skyler pursues a new job opportunity that reconnects her with a former colleague"?

What do you think will happen?

We talk and talk on here and regardless of what we think the show comes out even better than I could have imagined. Great talent.

LOTS of great insights and comments! Check out the newest video here for Inside Season 2. It's very interesting.

Unforgiven: Yeah I think Spooge bit it good judging from the size of the puddle of blood under him.

I can imagine when the cops got to that shithole of a house and found one Mr, Spooge smooshed under that ATM machine that was feebly supported up by that kitchen chair, the first thing they'll figure happened was that the chair gave way and the machine fell on him without anybody's help - in other words, it appears to have been an accident. Next thing they will find is that "Skankety-skank-skank-skank" all strung out on heroin and meth passed out on the couch. They'll figure how the hell could she have had anything to do with that mishap in her condition? Are they gonna have any probable cause to completely dust that dump for prints? Why would they? But they may wonder who called 911...

And even if they found Jesse's prints, such as on the sledgehammer and the TV controls he forgot to wipe off, they can't tie him with taking that money. They would never be able to prove that. The smart thing to do with that cash is to use it to pay the rent at Clovis' garage or for his apartment, in other words, get it out of his hands as fast as possible.

Jerry, loved your in-depth observations/reasoning for Walt's breaking bad - dead on! Walt's done a few things he didn't have to (like blowing up the BMW, screaming at his former boss, even screaming at Gretchen - tho I don't blame him). His dying seems to have removed all censors/restrictions off his behavior, and he does some to be relishing alot of those opportunities to just let the suppressed rage flow.....

I thought Spooge was decapitated. I don't know why. Wasn't he using a buzz saw or something on the back of the ATM? When skank lady pushed it, I thought if was a combo of the ATM and his saw coming back on him, and he decapitated himself.

One thing that really surprised me when I rewatched Season 1, ep. 1, was seeing a plaque on the wall in Walt's home office (now the nursery) when he was exercising. The plaque was for something he'd done in chemistry which won a Nobel Prize or contributed to a research that won the Nobel Prize! I'll have to look at that scene again and pause it - but I was shocked. And he ended up a high school chemistry teacher? Why? Truly, why? The guy was/is obviously brilliant to be a part of something like that, so why such a waste of his talent and his brilliance? What happened? It's a big question mark in his backstory that we know nothing about, but it's got to come out in one of the future seasons.

Skyler suffers I think from being viewed by us, at least up to now, mainly from Walt’s viewpoint. Although he tells us (and himself!) right from the beginning that she is “the love of my life,” as someone above knowingly stated, from an intellectual stand point they are highly mismatched. (Gretchen may in fact have been the one that got away!) Skyler has been one of the compromises Walt has had to settle for on his journey through a life full of them. And now Walt’s secret life as a drug kingpin ---- something that, if he told her the truth, his poor wife couldn’t begin to get her conventional and censorial mind around---- has only widened the gap between them.

Our sense is that Skyler has become use to keeping a docile husband on a short leash over the many years. So at first we feel her confusion at Walt’s abrupt embargo on all information regarding his mysterious disappearances. But our sympathy is soon tempered by her incessant snoopiness into his every move. And as she edges ever closer to the truth, our belief in a wife’s right to this information is overtaken by our really not wanting the hard-won privacy of Walt’s epic, fatal new adventure to be invaded. We distance ourselves even further from her when she begins punishing a man dying of cancer and sick from chemotherapy for his failure to communication and especially for that embarrassing episode of public exhibitionism that she suspects as being fake. She’s right of course. But "right" is meaningless here. Like in a Hitchcock film, our wish for the criminal’s success has already been artfully set in stone.

omg this is all coming to a head ... what will happen ...holy cow. jesse needs to be pulled out of this in trainspotting fasion. and walts cancer..what if that the source of his cancer is tied into to the Heisenburg discovery that was rightfully walts to begin with, that could make the wife rich legally if that were the case ..walt dies...they discover some weird exposure ...she sues the pants off the "fu" biatch and the broken family lives well in memory of walt ..that would be to squeaky clean for this crazy path ...lol!

First of all, I have to strongly agree with swedishdwarf.

Especially "Walter is a man with a mission, and he will do whatever he sees as necessary to amass the fortune he think his family deserves...
Walt doesn't have time for morality. He's dying. He has been cheated by cancer.. He will not be cheated by rinky-dink junkies." Well said.

Secondly, I laughed outloud when Splooge said he though he might have a "subdermal hematoner." He was on his way to pronouncing it perfectly-- then he blew the last syllable.

I can't wait to see this episode a second time so I can savor other of bits of subtle humor I missed the first time because I was so engrossed by the storyline.

Great trivia question: Does anyone know how many times the word "Skank" was said in episode 6? (I don't know and I am looking for the answer!)

No, don't know how many times skank was used in this episode, but it ranks up there with the dialog use of yah in Fargo, LOL.

Something that makes this show so interesting are the conflicts. But not just conflicts for their own sake (i.e. protagonist vs. antagonist, standard model). These conflicts are between people who need/are close to the other party. Walt and Skyler are married, so their conflict is bound by that. Walt and Jesse need each other as a division of labor, yet their infighting counters that. Walt and Hank, brothers in law, are on a collision course in the future. Even the antagonism/fear between Tuco and Walt/Jesse was balanced by their mutual need of moving the product. That makes conflict a lot more interesting - because if you win, it can hurt the one you love.

I love this show. I haven't seen anything as brilliant since OZ on HBO. It is so accurate. I can't get enough of this show. I watched the entire first season one night and I was left wanting more.

Did Jesse pick up the gun when he left?

You're right he left the gun.

I believe he did get the gun out of Spooge's pocket before going around wiping his prints off stuff.

First of all, the child in the meth addicts' house is more decay and destruction that Walt's bad choice is leaving behind. I felt so much for Jesse. Imagine the guilt he must have been feeling as he left that house - another dead body and an unfairly screwed up child. I wonder if this could lead to a change of heart.
For Jesse, there's been a lot of conflict lately between continuing down his path of becoming the next Tuco, and quitting the meth business. He wants to take control, but maybe the image of this child and the possibility of a relationship (which I assume is going to happen in the next episode) could be enough to stop him. It's a really difficult decision for him to make, but I really believe that we're going to see a lot of growth, either good or bad, in Jesse by the end of this season.

Willietheg-

Skank grabbed the dope from her husband and Jesse grabbed the gun from his body before he left, along with the money from the floor and ATM.

greentealeaves-

Yes, Walt's bad choice had contributed to the poor child's decay, but keep in mind that they only technically bought Meth off Walt and Jesse's business ONCE. Looking at them, adding in the heroin habit and assumed previous Meth purchases from other dealers, they have obviously been addicts for a while. I am not making excuses for what Walt and Jesse are doing, but you can hardly blame them for the overall destruction of Spooge and his skank and what has become of their child.

The overall havoc caused by Meth is huge, but keep in mind that if Spooge and skank didn't buy from Walt and Jesse, they would have found it someplace else.

I doubt that Jesse and Walt will have a change of heart. They are "hardening" emotionally and will continue on, if for no other reason than to keep the show going until at least a third season.

The destruction caused by Walt and Jesse Inc. and real life cookers and dealers is bad, but pales in comparison to the destruction caused by people like Bernie Madoff when you look at the larger scheme of things. I think people that are money driven and do such damage must emotionally detach from their effects on the world. Otherwise, most sane people couldn't continue on. Walt specifically doesn't give a lot of concern because of his cancer death on the horizon.

Jesse on the other hand is trying to accomplish two things. 1- survival, getting money yo! 2- fitting into society.

Jesse basically saved the kid's life at the end, so in a twisted way, Walt and Jesse's "business" saved a life. The skank probably would have killed Spooge whether or not Jesse was there. He would have tried to crack open that ATM eventually, and she would have gotten pissed off and crushed his head anyway. It just happened sooner because of Jesse. Anyway, it's one less scumbag on the streets now, and a little boy who may get a shot at a better life. I think the outcome was actually pretty positive when you think about it.

Additionally, there was a scene from the upcoming new episode where Skyler gets a job....
Now while they haven't mentioned how many months she's due she sure looks like there's maybe just a month to go (although in TV, with dramatic license, it could take the rest of the season for the month to happen (like they might be waiting to use the happy event for the season cliffhanger- I have no idea)

But I keep expecting the baby to come and then the pressure and parental problems and inevitable arguing that THAT that will bring will no doubt kick the pressure up another notch for Walt.

Thanks so much Jerry for shedding light on Walt's true motivation (you hit the. . .ATM on the head!). I'd forgotten all about that last scene from season 1.

As for episode 6's last scene, Walt took delight in thinking so fast on his feet, but he blew it by expounding on the topic. He had Skyler at first but he kept embellishing so she dredged up all her unanswered questions/fears/suspicions & mentally withdrew from him. He should have steered the conversation towards safe, mutual ground like Flynn.

Jesse is evolving into a more thorough criminal. I think if this situation would have occurred in Season 1 he would have handled it differently. You could see him thinking like a criminal.

Jesse - Desperately wants to be the "top dawg" he has always claimed to be to his friends. He also wants his parents (or maybe even Walts would work, as someone mentioned above) respect, but on his terms. But he can only be one of these things, and that is something he has yet to realize. So he struggles through life, still trying to get both.

Walt - Is blinded by the thought of why should he not get what he deserves. He feels that his life and future were taken from him in the past, and he is owed a chance to be the man he "deserves" to be, with all the riches, respect and glory that comes with it.

I am thinking that maybe Walts treatment of Jesse comes from Walt's past and the way he was treated by either Elliot or Gretchens family (comment made when they were talking about when he left).
So will Walt be Jesse's Angel or Devil in the end?

Walt with be his Devil, I believe. He's no savior in Jesse's life, unless as a cautionary tale of someone really going bad and the consequences of degenerating into a human being without morals, principles, compassion or balance.

It's amazing how the show is becoming just as much about Jesse's life, morals, viewpoints, etc. as it is about Walt's. So much so that they could both conceivably be nominated for Best Actor Emmys. I feel like Jesse is more than a supporting character, especially in this most recent episode. In the end, I actually do think that Walter will be Jesse's saving grace, as jamm54 said, by showing him what can happen to a person when they lose all of their morals and compassion. Last night I had a vision of what the final episode could potentially be like, and it involved Jesse at Walter's funeral, thanking him in his coffin for all he's done for him.

I agree, I think Jesse is going to be right up there with Walt in the storyline. He is a fascinating character. I hated him at first last season, but he has gotten much more depth recentlly.

I'm dying to know the whole backstory on Gretchen, Elliot and Walt's past. What there some sort of love triangle?

I don't know about the love triangle, Pink63, I wondered about that, too.

Damn it - I just noticed last season had 7 episodes and this is #7 coming up for this season. Anyone know when the new season will then start? (Crap, I'm freaking out now!)

And to everyone that assured me that spooge is indeed dead; OK - I'll let go at that. It was just a thought. Obviously, a poor one at that. heheh

Unforgiven-

I believe they are slated for 13 episodes. At the very least 12, but I think they said 13, which is pretty much the norm for a cable series season.

The reason they had 7 episodes in season 1 was because of the writer's strike. It was originally supposed to be 12 or 13.

No worries.... plenty left in this season. I would assume that season 3 will start around the same time next year (March 2010).

skottey - Phew, phew -- thank you. That is good news!

I completely agree that both Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston should both be up for an Emmy. Superb acting on both parts. What has me in a cluster is the thought of Vince Gilligan saying that Walt will turn into Scarface. The dynamic is there between them two, but I recall that Tony Montana killed his best friend and business partner, Manny.

Could you imagine if Walt killed Jesse?

Pink63; I looked back a bit in my archives, and a whole lot isn't told about Walt and Gretchen's past relationship. I think the writers of this fine television series didn't want to play it up with this a whole lot. They simply wanted to show basically that at one time Walt was getting it on with this woman that is now included in the show's storyline. So, he was seeing her, then for whatever reason that wasn't really important, he broke up with her. We all know the rest of the story. All in all, we were just given enough about the two of them to sustantiate the storyline, and we should just let it go at that and not read too much into it.

I'm anxious to see what's gonna happen with this 'Former colleague" of Skyler's at her new job. Any bets from anybody that she was job hunting when she was going "out"?

Gretchen’s importance in Walt’s past was hinted at strongly I think in last season’s episode about her and her husband’s anniversary party.

I really don’t get the same negative vibs from that pair that a lot of commentators here get --- and even that Walt himself gets. They both seemed genuinely glad to see Walt and Skyler that day. And Elliot’s handling of a potentially disastrous situation --- Walt’s gag gift of the Ramin noodles ---- was sensitively handled and he seemed sincerely moved by the intimate nature of the gift. Any embarrassment over financial and social inequalities among Elliot’s guests that day percolated mainly in Walt’s own mind, fueled by Skyler’s officiously revealing Walt’s destitute condition to Elliot without first consulting him.

Later, when Walt informed Gretchen over the phone that he wouldn’t need their financial help with his medical bills after all she seemed deeply upset and begged him to take the offer. She even seemed to sense the actual truth and hinted that his refusal might be connected to their past and obviously intimate relationship.

Her also mentioning in that same conversation that they
owed him the money, and that the company was "half his"
strongly implied feelings of guilt over the past.There's some big news coming for sure!

laz3000- Good point about scarface.......I have to say i'd be bummed if he wasted Jesse........Jesse's quickly becoming my fave!

laz3000 - "Let me introduce you to my little friend!" Gawd, that still cracks me up.

DepravedDave - I agree. The whole Walt thing is getting tireing. Jess is way more interesting.

laz3000-

I could see Walt killing Jesse, but not until the very end. I could only imagine he would do it to cover up their "secret" business. If it means Skyler and Jr not finding out how Walt got the money (later on down the road), and Walt is about dead with the cancer, I could see him silencing Jesse.

I've heard of people being crushed by soda vending machines ,but ATM machines??? ...that was unbelievable!

Nice Bentley Gretchen.......even in THIS economy ;-)

I have really enjoyed reading the different theories people have on how the show might end. I'm glad we are actually at least a year from that happening. Whew!! But if I might, I would like to put my two cents into the mix.
Walt killing Jesse. I don't see that happening at all, even in the end. The reason is mainly because the character of Jesse is becoming so much more an intrical part of the plot than he was in season one. And I think everyone would agree that Aaron Paul has brought about this likability in Jesse. We want him to make it. We are pulling for him to make the right choice, because we like him. We could hang out with him, I mean, Pamela wouldn't mind having Jesse as her own kid. Right Pam?? lol I see Walt dying, probably from Cancer, maybe violently but definitly going bye bye. James26 had the idea of Jesse at his funeral. I agree, a real possability. A tear jerker for sure, if it happens.
intelligent_derreire said: Jesse desperately wants to be "top dawg". I guess I don't see it that way at all. I see Jesse rather being caught up in this flow, tries to get out, fails, brought back in, tries to get out again, fails again. We will see in the up coming episodes that the hot land lord is going to really derail Jesse's focus. If he wants something 'desperately' it is a real relationship of worth.
skottey said: The reason they had 7 episodes in season 1 was because of the writers strike. It was originally suppose to be 12 or 13.
Just to set the record straight (skottey is usually 'spot on'.), they had planned on 9 episodes for season one, and I believe they are going to start shooting season 3 in the first part of July, sometime after the 4th.
In an early interview with Vince, he said he would like to see Jesse/Walt butting heads for 50 or so episodes. They have such great chemistry together. It would be almost criminal to end that prematurely.

richone brought up a great point-

"Nice Bentley Gretchen.......even in THIS economy ;-)"

Keep in mind that as far as we know this season is taking place in the days and weeks immediately following season one, which would take it back to April or so of 2008. The economy wasn't talked about by everybody in April of 2008. Things were going downhill, but it really hit in Sept-Oct of 2008. Note that Walt's handicapped pass for Jr expires in 12/08, so we know this is not taking place in 2009. Walt used the economy excuse about Gretchen being broke in 2008. While this happens even in a good economy, for him to say, "you know, with the economy the way it is." This really was not at the top of everybody's mind in the spring of last year. This could be a show flaw. Not that Gretchen may be broke because Grey Matter is having problems is flawed, but that Walt said "this economy." It was 2008. Am I wrong? A year hasn't passed in show time. It should still be 2008. This isn't The Simpsons where current events and pop culture come into play, even though they haven't aged in 22 years. This is a TV drama. They age. And this was meant to take place immediately following season one. Otherwise Walt would only have about six months left to live (18 months) and we know he is doing a little better after the first phase of the treatment (which would not take 12 months). He is coughing and collapsing far less in season 2 than season 1. I would say start to finish from the pilot until what we are seeing now, maybe six months have passed in show time.

Anybody have any idea on an approximate month that the current shows are taking place. I am over-analyzing again, I know, but it seems the economy just wasn't that big of deal like it is talked about by EVERYBODY today, in April of 2009, as opposed to 2008.

From a writing standpoint, it must be really hard to stay within your timeline. Especially if it is only a matter of a year. It is one thing to do a show or movie set int he 1970's or 1980's, but this one seems harder. I watch the shows at least twice, but the handicapped pass thing, I picked up on the first viewing. I know in Florida, I have had a temporary pass for 3 years for a spinal problem and they make me renew it every 6 months max. I think it is two years with a permanent tag.

I love the show, and I know I am probably being way too critical here.

noah said-

"skottey said: The reason they had 7 episodes in season 1 was because of the writers strike. It was originally suppose to be 12 or 13.
Just to set the record straight (skottey is usually 'spot on'.), they had planned on 9 episodes for season one, and I believe they are going to start shooting season 3 in the first part of July, sometime after the 4th."

My bad... you had mentioned before it was 9. I have trouble with that because it is such an unusual number for a season, even for cable. I keep thinking it was cut short more than 2 episodes. But it doesn't matter, this season will be 12 or 13 episodes and next season will be 12 or 13 episodes, so we have plenty of show left.

You were pretty dead on with the Peekaboo thing Noah and have information regarding them starting filming in July for season 3. Are you an insider toying with us? Maybe you are Vince playing mind games with the fans. HAHA... just kidding.

This morning in bed I said something to my wife, I forget what, but it was something Skank said in the last show. I tend to repeat things from the show and put a spin on it to something that is going on in my own situation. She watches it with me but isn't near the fan I am, and to be honest, I am not the type of guy to remember lyrics to a song or lines to a show or movie. I just don't have that type of memory but I seem to be remembering this show very well. So she called me out and said I am obsessing over this show! She's right. I love it. There is a lot of excitement because I am not used to seeing such good TV. The bar has been set so low, so long ago, that none of us have any real expectations out of Hollywood. Something like this comes along and it is a wonderful thing to look forward to each week. Good stuff. I also love forums and being able to talk with other fans about something I enjoy. It makes TV, video games, and just about anything more enjoyable to be able to discuss it with other people that care about it. I'm not one to give a crap when somebody is talking about who got booted from American Idol (which I unfortunately here a lot of in public), and I don't know too many people in person that like this show and discuss it the way I want to. So this is really cool.

Skottey, I thought the exact same thing about Walter talking about "This economy". He even mentioned the Fannie Mae bank by name. Did that even happen yet last year when this episode is taking place? It would be easy to say that the first season could have taken place this year, but the thing about the handicapped pass expiring in 12/08 throws that all off. Maybe we are overthinking it a bit, but it is kind of confusing when there's a year between seasons of a show, but they're both taking place within the same time frame. I had the same problem with Damages this season.

A few people mentioned the possibility of Walt killing Jesse towards the end of the series. I would certainly be shocked if that happened. It reminds me of when Tony Soprano killed his nephew Christopher in the next-to-last episode of The Sopranos. They had a very close relationship up to that point, much like Walter and Jesse do. I really hope that doesn't happen. I think it would be much more appropriate for Walt to die, and Jesse to live on, either to continue the "business", or to turn his life around, using "Mr. White's" example to live by.

skottey: This season is actually 13 as well as next year is 13. And yes I am Vince Gilligan..............!
Just teasing! :) The reason I thought there would be a little kid because of the title is my granddad used to play 'peekaboo' with me and I in turn played peekaboo with my kids, and now my grand kids. It just seem to fit.
As far as the season. I think last year was at the beginning of the school year. Notice they were shopping for clothes for Jr., and now we are moving into the early fall months. Check out the trees in front of the high school in last weeks episode. They look like 'Sweet Gums', and one of the trees is starting to turn colors. So my guess.........Oct. 6th. lol

I was hoping that Jessie would take the little and run out of the house and turn into a good guy!

Fantastic episode!! the way they show walt becoming more dark, and nasty.....but then show jessie`s nice side! .... i think the mail lady is gonna be a problem...walt saying "&^%$ you" to gretchen was just brutal, that was some great acting! I cant wait till the next episode!
Bryan

OK Ok ok - I was just thinking, "Walt's really tweaking out for not being a tweaker..." Then I'm like, oh crap. Wait a minute...

Remember when he, more than a couple times, just out of nowhere would f*ck the sh*t out of his wife? And a bit of paranoia? And how he's been getting more violent? (More in thoughts than deeds)

My thoughts: Walt has been dipping into the 'product'. He's showing first signs.

Anyone else onto this idea?

Unforgiven-yea, I've suspected Walt of tweaking a time or 2 myself..........and that one episode showed his piss hitting the toilet and it was TOTALLY toxic looking........ofcourse his meds would cause that too..........look what happened to Scarface as laz3000 was saying............he smoked weed in the first season...........

I think the skank and the atm business is over.

I feel that we will see Jesse hook up with the girl who rented him the apartment .

Also some new dealers ... one maybe dea

By laz3000

let's take a look at the psyche of this woman. She is wealthy, she flaunts her status with a Bentley,

She is so typical Santa Fe.

Santa Fe is so flooded with Range Rovers, Bmw & M-Benz Suv's ... that you'd need a Bentley to stick out

I don't think he's using, I think it is just him not giving a crap about basically anything because he isn't going to be around much longer, so he isn't acting with any of his old restraints.

DepraveDave - Yea, thanks. I don't know about the piss (hell, vitamin C will do that). But I just got to thinking about his actions more than anything. All of those thoughts just, kinna, coalesced at once.

Dave, are you that tall, or did your dog take that picture?

By Lparsons7981 on April 16, 2009 9:32 PM

I don't think he's using, I think it is just him not giving a crap about basically anything because he isn't going to be around much longer, so he isn't acting with any of his old restraints.

That statement, actually, answered the opposite of what you intended. Because, well damn-it, just because I said!

LOL, I get what your saying, I could have worded that better. And about Walt's sex life............I see it as simply a way to visually show the change in the characters attitude. At first he is too caught up in things, and to reserved to even get a hj from his pregnant wife on his birthday, and it eventually progresses to having sex in the car in the school parking lot (next to a cop car) to eventually him basically about to rape her.....

Without having had that death sentence of having cancer myself, it's tough to imagine Walt's perspective.

To say he is turning evil, I don't feel is quite fair. He weighed the options of taking treatment and had pretty much decided it was too costly and Skyler sort of pushed him into it.

One can understand her viewpoint, but Walt as the bread winner no doubt sees it in a different light.

As far as statement like Walt doesn't care about anyone but himself.. just ain't right. he gets the wad of money and ciphers up Walt Jr. college , money to take care of Skyler and the new baby.

The depth of issues outside of the drug culture is amazing, truely on of the best show out there. It's real ... reality tv.

In as much as the idea of Walt offing Jesse, I don't think so. Jesse has been more of a standup guy than Elliot or Gretchen.

Walt's a desperate man in between a rock and a hard spot. I see him telling Jesse from his death bed how much he came through for him and how he would be proud to call him his son.

zia-That's a thought.....I can see it totally.......Walt on his death bed thanking Jesse.......

Unforgiven-lol.......ok u got me......i'm not that tall! :P

The more I think about the final episode, the sadder I get. I hope it's a LONG way off. Whenever it does happen, it's bound to be incredibly sad. There's no way this show can have a happy ending, unless Walter goes into remission or something, which I doubt will happen. I guess the happiest ending we could hope for is that Skyler, Walt Jr., and the baby are all taken care of after Walt passes, and that Jesse has a good life too.

I'm a major fan of the show. Loved Episode 6 and wanted to point out something interesting: Jesse tells the "skank" that she is a terrible mother, yet he makes no attempt to admonish the "father". Shouldn't he also have responsiblity for raising the child??? Of course, we don't know if the boy is his child, but even so, they are living together, so he, too, has child rearing responsiblities. Isn't it interesting that young Jesse - someone in his 20s - still links child rearing responsiblities to the mother exclusively. He doesn't address his revulsion to the "father", just to the mother. So...have we really come a long way??

Always an opportunity to LEARN from "Breaking Bad." From now on, we'll be flipping ATMs on their sides to get at their 'weak' spots. Must've just been LUCKY all these years proppin' 'em up like that crackED head. See, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! Thanks..

Maybe Jesse blames the "skank" because he's remembering how he was abandon by his own mother. She just threw him out of not only the house he grew up in but the house he believed he was left by his aunt. She also made it clear that she feels Jesse's younger, over-achiever brother needs to be protected from his evil ways. Since both his parents seem to be sanctimonious a-holes, god only knows what else he holds against her from his growing up years.

I have watched BB since episode one and have "recruited" dozens of viewers but am late coming to the blog. I have enjoyed the comments and insights from most bloggers. I would like to offer one comment on the number of seasons or episodes until "the end" for Walt.As we all know television series are not "real time". Take M*A*S*H
for example.The Korean war lasted 3 years real time but was on CBS for 11 years. There were 251 episodes of M*A*S*H so if Walt had 18 months after diagnosis that is 1/2 of 3 years thus 125 episodes or 5 seasons plus season one 7 episodes. Everyone relax and enjoy this great show.

good point graygoose... they really haven't played in a calendar .

on the mother thing... it seemed Jesse had more convesation with the mother.there wasn't much bondage with the guy , while the child did sit in the mom's lap.

Basically he felt the need I'm sure to be more intimadating to the guy.

I really feel that we are pretty much done with skank.. it seemed to have closure on the charaters.

I don't see any type of DEA tie in, they lost or said they did and they were arguing about it even before they saw Jess was there.. so didn't have a fat bag of blue meth... which might bring in DEA

It's you basic small time drug bust with a murder, so I would think it would only involve APD and CPS... no Hanky :)

graygoose-

We understand the show is not in real time. Season 1 and season 2 are back to back in show time, but we are just wanting a reference point as to how much time has passed in show time and also what year the block of time takes place, whether it be 2007, 2008, 2009, spring, summer, fall, etc. We are relaxing and enjoying the show. The whole point of the forum is to discuss with fellow fans. The fact that it is not real time to our time in the real world is the consensus here and has been said by show's creators to back it up. Nobody questions that anymore and that is not what any of us are questioning. Rather, what I mentioned above is the question at hand.

--

LaLa10-

Let's get real here. Call it sexist if you will. Society views the woman as the nurturer and if society sees something going on drastically wrong with a child, they generally ask the mother how she could let that happen. Men often abandon their kids, work long hours if they are in a loving relationship with the mother, and generally lack the hands on involvement that a mother has. In general. I am the custodial FATHER of a 12 year old and the primary caretaker of him as well as my 15 month old son with my new wife. I work, often from home, and otherwise work onsite with highly billable hours and certainly not 40 hours a week outside the home. When I work, my baby goes to a babysitter, but I spend most of the day with him. My wife is in school and works full time right now. This is a father, a man speaking. Having that said, if it came right down to it and I ran into a dysfunctional scenario like Jesse did, I would have viewed the father as a lost cause and I too would have first questioned the mother, "how could you let this happen? you are a shitty mother." Even though I am the opposite in my own life of both the stereotypes and the majority, where the mom has custody and the mom is the primary caretaker. If you took every mother in America and ever father in the world, the fact still remains that the percentage of mothers in a kids life far outweighs the percentage of fathers in a kids life. It is just how it is. So I can see why Jesse questioned Skank and not Spooge. Just my thoughts.

As the second season goes on it's way: I feel less and less sympathy for Walt, and I'm sure the writers have all that planned out. Compared to where he was in the start of it all (remember when he set that jerks car on fire at the gas station, pre-Tuco madness) now, he just another as***le. His lies pile up and up. It's like a poker player on a winning streak, but only winning becuase he keeps bluffing and going all-in every hand. Now, our new hero Mr. Pinkman, he's showing compassion. With the bug at the start of the episode (skinny p is just a dumbass that can sling) and the meth-kid. From I guess episodes 2-5 of this season with that weird foreshadowing this is my guess of how the series is going to go:

Sklyer and 'flynn"/Walt. Jr. leave the house and he starts cooking there....Eventually they come back, so he moves it....hides it I dunno...but those creepy teddy bear shots look like a bad meth explosion to me.

This is ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS ON TV TODAY. Top ten for sure. Don't ruin it by drawing it out over time simply to have more episodes. Sounds like there is going to be a season three which is great, but I would suggest not letting it go much past that. This season is going to be 13 eps. so maybe another 13 for the third and a short 7 ep final seaon four.

You guys and gals have a great thing going. Don't ruin it by trying to drag it out.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman published by DC was super hot in the 90's and only ran for 75 mags.

ER was good for quite a few seaons, but I didn't bother to watch the last five years of it.

I could go on with many more examples.

Tell your story and tell it well, please don't ever jump that shark.

It's also nice to have a show that sometimes has SILENCE....just showing what is around....the beauty of 'between dialouge and action'.

Peace yall

neworleansdude-

I have been stung so many times by shows that are cut short, as opposed to being drawn out like you talk about. I stood by and watched Jericho get totally ridiculous because they were told to wrap it up in just a few short shows, that they were being canceled. Given five or six more episodes, they could have wrapped it up wonderfully. But they had very little notice and had to rewrite an ending that was quick, and the show was ruined at the end.

Arrested Development, on a lighter note, same thing. Cut short. Great comedy, cut short like so many dramas. But even though it was a comedy, they still had an ongoing story to tell and it was impossible to wrap it up completely, satisfying the base.

So there are two extremes here. One, where a show gets great ratings and they drag it on until it turns to shit and the ratings plummet, or a cult hit with low ratings that people really, really enjoy, that gets the axe and is cut short. Either way people are mad.

Breaking Bad gets excellent ratings for cable, especially for AMC. Right? But would this show survive anywhere else? Can you imagine if AMC gave it the axe and cut it short and they had to wrap it up in four episodes from this point. My God, that would kill it. They couldn't do it properly. I think we are fortunate that it is on AMC because it is a huge ratings boost for that channel but they are more than likely to milk it, which you speak out against.

All we can do is have faith in the team that creates the show that they will keep it great if it goes on season after season. If it is done right, it can. But you are right, it could certainly be done wrong.

I would have to say that if they do go on and on, Walt probably needs to die by the end of season 3 or early season 4 and maybe that is why they are now focusing so much on Jesse. If the whole Walt thing is properly wrapped up and the story evolves into Jesse and his gang, that could be a good show too. Again, this can work if done right. But if they keep Walt going on and on and on and going into remission and getting the cancer back full force and more treatment and more remission and milk it from that aspect, you are right, the show will drag out until the viewers dip so low that it fades away.

I actually have faith in this show that they will do it right (for a change, take note Hollywood and Networks) and that AMC will do right by it too. At first I thought this show should be on HBO or Showtime, but you know what, those channels, especially HBO, wouldn't hesitate to axe it with no wrap up. They would just cut it off on a cliffhanger. I don't see AMC doing that. Thankfully!

I cannot wait for Sunday's show!

Skottey, you're absolutely right. I also hate when they cut great shows short. FX did that last year with The Riches (a great, underrated show). It ended with a cliffhanger, and then they just cancelled it. I really hope that AMC sticks with BB until the end. Hopefully they see how much we all love it. I mentioned the possibility before of Walt dying and then the show becoming about Jesse and his crew. I would definitely still watch it if that was the case!

neworleansdude said: 'This is one of the best shows on TV today. Top 10 for sure.' Just one question, please list for us the shows better than breaking bad, because if they're out there I want to watch them. Thanks n.o.d.

Skottey said: 'Walt probably needs to die by the end of season 3 or early season 4." Question--Why?? Don't you think Vince and his crew have the where with all and talent to take Walt/Jesse and the rest for at least 5 seasons, maybe 6?

P.S. Skottey----------remember who I REALLY am. :)

noah quoted me and said-

"Skottey said: 'Walt probably needs to die by the end of season 3 or early season 4." Question--Why?? Don't you think Vince and his crew have the where with all and talent to take Walt/Jesse and the rest for at least 5 seasons, maybe 6?"

Well, the problem is, the general concept will get old after too long. The premise of the show was a very intelligent school teacher gets cancer and has 18 months to live. He got shit on all his life and watched his peers pass him up in every possible way, even many that didn't deserve the success that he could have exceeded if given the chance (He made some choice along the way, that we don't know of yet, that set him back and put him in the position he is in now). He loves his family, and now is his chance to shine by securing their future. He hooks up with a former student to cook meth and make lots of money. Things aren't as easy as he thought they would be, but he pushes on. His days are numbered.

His days are numbered. Numbered.

We all expect him to die at some point. So how long can they stretch it out? If they can pull it off with Walt and make it good, fine, I am all in favor of that. I love Walt the character. I don't want to see him die. But he is set to die, at some point. So i think going beyond a fourth season tops is pushing an 18 month death sentence. I was just thinking of interesting ways they could evolve it beyond Walt. I don't want to see him go. Nobody does. But I don't want to see the show end either. So the logical step would be to set it up with a new storyline beyond Walt. Walt would never be forgotten.

I can see one way around this. Towards the end of Walt's life, he is in his hospital bed dying, having lucid dream sequences of what went on in his early days. Many of you have brought up how you would really like to know more about the back story. Heck, they could do whole shows of Walt back in the day. Shows about what made him who he became to be able to start cooking meth in the first place. They could mix it up with Jesse and what he is doing, going between current events of Jesse and the gang and Walt dying and dreaming about his past, shedding some light on it for all of us.

But as it stands, I cannot see them going six or seven seasons of Walt. It is too fast paced for that. Even with the slowdown episodes, when the adrenaline is flowing it is right back up there again. It is too go go go to carry on as is for too long.

I don't know what to think anymore. Would it be just better to let the show end with Walts death in season 3 or 4 and then maybe do a movie about Jesse and the gang? I'm talking a theatrical release here, not an AMC original movie. They could pull it off if done right.

I don't know anymore. I do know one thing though. I love this fucking show!

Skottey: Walts days are #'d. But think about it, the show 24 does a 24 episode season depicting 1 day. I'm sure these guys are talented enough to keep all of us on the edge of our seats for another 3 to 4 years. I too, love the show. Can't wait til tonight.

Less than 7 hours.....friends!!!

F*CK YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm with you, Dave! I've never looked forward to Sundays like this before! Only five and a half hours now!!!

Someone on here(I ain't lookin thru all these to see who....lol) said it was like seeing Star Wars as a kid......and they were right on the mark!!!Everything about the show KILLS.......and it gets better each episode..........double that for Season 2............BREAKING BAD is firing on all cylanders, yo!..... and i can't friggin waitttttttttt . . . . . \m/

It's almost hard to believe that in this day of reality shows and other trash on tv, there's something this good that we can look forward to every week. It's like seeing a really good movie, but we get to see it every Sunday! TV doesn't get better than this, yo! Lol, I've actually started saying "yo" in my real life because of Jesse! xD

I'd say the episode where Tuco got popped was the most intense. However this one was pretty good too. It's really cool to watch Walt slowly evolve into a bad-ass. When he told that girl "f*** you", I had shivers. It was really really well done.

I find myself immitating Jesse's talk too - Like when I'm trying to make others understand me, I'll say "Got IT??", and I've did the "TIGHT, tight,tight!!" whenever I taste some really good food (but not meth).

Skottey-------I think you have some really good ideas, I'd like to see some flashback episodes at some point, to slow it down a notch. I could also see the show continuing an episode or two after Walt dies, showing the aftermath+Jesse. A movie though.............Even though I'd love to see it, I don't really see it happening.

bigfreakinnaz-lmfao I find myself saying TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT!!! alot too!!! haha and YO!

ROFL!!! "Tight tight tight" is awesome, yo!!! XD

This is one of the best shows that has **ever** been on television. Yes, the skank from this episode was 'Daytime Hooker' Patty from My Name is Earl. While she is a great actress that is not a face one can easily mistake. I'm loving all the comments you guys have left. Nobody I know watches this show, despite my efforts. My best friend just had a nephew die from a meth overdose and can't bear to watch it. I love the whole cast on this show. Cranston and Paul are amazing. The actor who plays Hank kills me. The character is as obnoxious as he is funny.

Keep writing, everybody!! It's my only way to share this awesome experience! And if you haven't already done so, watch Madmen. It's a universe apart from Breaking Bad, but every bit as good.

Something else I've been wondering about...Lots of you have mentioned how symbolism is used repeatedly in this show. Does Heisenberg represent something that I'm not getting?

Sweetposey-

Werner Heisenberg was a German physicist who studied quantum theory and nuclear physics. He won the 1932 Nobel in physics and worked on the Nazi's nuclear program.

Ray

MOST REPLIES ARE RIGHT ON BUT THE ONLY THING I CAN ADD IS I WAS WAITING TO SEE IF JESSE WENT BACK AFTER THE BOY TO TAKE CARE OF HIM THE SKANK WILL JUST SAY IT WAS AN ACCIDENT TO THE COPS HOPE JESSE SEES THE BOY AND HIS MOM LATER I HOPE JESSIE GETS TO BUY THE KID FROM HIS MOM FOR AN OUNCE OR 2 WE ALL KNOW HE HAS COMPASSION

Like those junkies would have an active telephone service!! Give me a break.