<p>Jesse’s ex-girl friend killed (and need I say, the real beginning of the end for Jesse. As soon as he’s done with this methylamine and this cook, he’s toast. They should just kill the poor guy now.) </p>
<p>Skyler and her children terrorized by Todd. </p>
<p>Walt hustled away to NH, where he’s dying before your very eyes.</p>
<p>But to me, the “holy c***” part was the revelation - once again - of what really drives Walt. It’s not really his family (despite his collapse on the phone with Walt Jr. Good for Walt Jr!!) He’s not a “good guy” trapped in bad circumstances. No, really all he cares about is his reputation and his empire, as broken as it is. It’s not Skyler and his family that pulls him back to New Mexico; it’s the audacity of Todd and the neonazis, who are cooking his blue meth again. </p>
<p>… or maybe I’m just easily awed. I think Bryan Cranston and Vince Gilligan are awesome.</p>
^ and the denial by his former partners, by whom he’s always felt scr3wed, that he had anything to do with the creation of the company. One of his primary motivators from the start was to make up for the loss of his share of the company.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I sympathize with Walt, but I do find the character compelling. Think of the characters in “Requiem for a Dream” or many gangster films, or as previously referenced, Shakespeare. They can do horrible things, but they are very human, and for that reason fascinating. Sometimes I hate him. Sometimes I hold my breath, hoping that this completely bad guy gets away with it.Sometimes I’m afraid of him and sometimes I fear for him. That’s what I love about this show.</p>
<p>I feel like there is way too much time spent on Todd. He’s a total psycho, we get it. So is Lydia. I’m interested in the characters I’ve come to care about. </p>
<p>Andrea’s murder was brutal but unsurprising. That’s why they had her photo up on the wall for Jesse. </p>
<p>If I recall correctly, Walt didn’t get screwed out of his company. He was bought out for a pittance but it was his own choice. Kind of like the guy who sold his share of Apple back to Steve for $2000 or so because he needed the money at the time. The difference is that guy says he’s not bitter.</p>
<p>Maybe the flash forward scene we saw at the beginning of the season is what Walt dreams as he is dying. He’d like to return, he like to recover that ricin pill, he’d like to go after (someone) with a gun, but maybe he just dies alone, unloved, unwanted in that cabin.</p>
<p>Snowdog-
Walt sold out because Skyler was pregnant with Walt Jr. and he couldn’t afford not to have any money coming in. I think he feels life scr3wed him over, but he’s also angry with Elliot and Gretchen for taking all the credit for what was essentially his idea.</p>
<p>I think there was too much of Todd and his cronies in this episode. I don’t think Marie spoke a word. There was not enough interaction between characters. Other than a scene with Saul and Walter, the only real interactions involved secondary characters and Jesse and Todd. The scene between Walt Junior and Walt was good though.</p>
<p>^^ because after that disastrous phone call with Walt, Jr., he had finally decided to turn himself in… until he saw that interview with the Elliots on Charlie Rose. Now he has revenge on his mind.</p>
<p>I too thought it was a “holy @#$%” kind of episode, though admittedly at a less breakneck pace than we’ve had. I’m glad the pace slowed for us so we could imagine what it’s like for Walt in that cabin, the hours he spends feeling frustration, anxiety, and utter loneliness. That’s part of the punishment he so deserves.</p>
<p>I did cry for Walt during this episode, though. When he was talking to Walt Jr. (I guess I should start him calling Flynn) and the son so completely rejected the father that Walt was ready to surrender - that’s exactly what I wanted to happen, but I still felt pity for Walt. And then I thought, “Vince, you genius” when we saw that Walt’s fatal flaw was still going to bring him down.</p>
<p>I think there’s a lot of Todd and Co. in part to illustrate that, when you go into a criminal enterprise, even with good intentions, part of the price is dealing with thugs you can’t control. Another BB motif - Walt believing he can control the world around him despite the fact that he’s been on react mode since the beginning.</p>
<p>Great moments for me: thinking we were picking up immediately after “Ozymandias” with the red van, then realizing that Saul was also disappearing (goodbye, fella); the phone call between Walt and Flynn; the suspense of Jesse frozen against the fence; everything Robert Forster.</p>
<p>I initially was skeptical that the Nazis would really let Skyler off with a warning. I about fainted when she went into the bedroom and saw Jesse and friends there, and I was convinced that her time was up. I think the writers have it set up so that Todd respects and maybe even hero-worships Walt (the guy gave him a trade!), and Uncle Jack indulges Todd. So I talked myself into buying the scene.</p>
<p>And what a devious, heartbreaking twist on that scenario the writers gave us when Todd went to Andrea’s house. I think that Jesse, who obviously has an impulse control problem, thought he could scale the fence and get to Andrea and Brock in time get them away from the bad guys. Now that Andrea is gone, I can’t believe Jesse will make it out alive.</p>
<p>Correcting my post - it’s obviously “Todd and friends” who were in the bedroom, not “Jesse and friends.” I guess I’m always thinking about poor Jesse, and no one should confuse him with Todd!</p>
<p>Yes, the phone call to Flynn…heartbreaking. Suddenly, Flynn’s not all about the breakfasts anymore.</p>
<p>As much as I’m a fan, I think the Skyler/Todd scene could have been done better. After all the events, I don’t think a mom leaves her baby in the back bedroom to stare out the front window. So I knew something was up there. I can only surmise Todd has a greater scheme of using Skyler later if he needs to. He seems to have a habit of letting some people of the hook…by that I mean, live. And then use them later to get what he wants, perhaps. Can he really be smart like that? I told my son, “Todd needs to come to a bad end!”</p>
<p>I never thought Jessie would make it, no surprise to me that he’d pay a price for trying to escape, but what a price. Ugh.</p>
<p>In the end, I think Walt has to not come out a complete loser. To my way of thinking, as warped as that may be, it can’t all be for nothing. I won’t be happy if all his efforts leaves simply everyone dead. Well, I should prepare myself tho!</p>
<p>If Jesse kills himself that could protect Brock. Todd and company are cold but practical. </p>
<p>The Gray Matter interview brought back a nagging concern, Walt going from Nobel level research high school chemistry and moonlighting at a car wash. Sure, there seems to have been some kind of love/professional triangle where Walt seems to have been odd man out, but wouldn’t there be something else, more high level and remunerative for a chemist of his caliber than drug kingpin or school teacher? (I’m a nitpicker. I even checked to Albuquerque teachers’ medical plan, and it provides good coverage.)</p>
<p>I’m expecting to see reports of people planning BB finale viewing parities–kind of like the Super Bowl, except you have to be quiet.</p>