Breaking Bad Episode review: Confessions

Dear Breaking Bad:

I love you and you gave me a Walt Jr. scene this episode, but uhm, come on here! Keep him under the veil this episode and getting him to go along with whatever game Walt is playing is not the way to do it. Please make some forward momentum on this relationship and on his character. That's all I'm asking.

Thanks;

The Bloody Munchkin

But that's my  only (continuing) complaint on what was otherwise a very strong episode. I mean, how can I can complain when they gave Aaron Paul so much to do? The forward momentum in Pinkman was a long time coming and is part of a fitting story arc for the character. It's more than I could've hoped or wanted from the character and I can't wait to see this play out. Hitting Walt's home was an interesting choice for him and will have deep ramifications for the rest of the season. Will Walt be able to find his money stash with the lottery ticket burned up in the fire? Will it also be the thing that drives the Hiesenburg unveiling? And the thing that led to this was the simplest freaking scene. It was so deceptively simple that I kept looking at my husband and asking 'what just happened there?' It was freaking genius.

The other thing that was so surprising and awesome and has been this entire series, is Hank's complete ineffectiveness at  pinning anything on Walt. How more effectively to you emotionally castrate a character than by making him completely incapable of overtaking the one person he's wanted from the beginning? They put Hank in the most elaborate rat cage filled with blackmail and faked confessions they could possibly design and when he gets let out, there will be hell to pay. And the interesting part is that Marie is backed into a corner with him and she'll probably be the most hellbent, especially after she realizes she'd accepted meth money to pay for Hank's medical bills. Holy crap.

But the best part of all was the intense Gardenio's face off which allowed my husband to complete his Breaking Bad Bingo card of Albuquerque locations not just because he was able to cross it off his list, but because it was the most tension-filled restaurant meeting I've ever seen just shy of the Diner scene from last week. Many do the Whites and Schraders know how to make all meals awkward!

There were a couple of parts I could've done without in this episode. Todd and his skinhead family's small talk in the diner (poor waitress, having to handle all that awkward gawking) was in my view unnecessary, although this show has a way of making unnecessary moments very freaking important, so we'll see.

All in all, this is adding up to be one of the best swan songs of a show in recent memory. Keep up the good work show. A-.