Mad Men Season 6, Episode 7 review - "A Man With A Plan"



Eased into this season, after the merger Ted Chaough is taking center stage. How opposite Don and Ted are was seen through Peggy’s eyes in previous episodes, but as partners in "A Man With a Plan" the contrast truly shines. Ted is a hero. He’s honorable, flies a plane, doesn’t drown himself in liquor, cares about friends and treats women well. Last week implied for his honorable intentions Arnold wishes for self-gratification, but does Ted? Or is he really in it for the right reasons? A good guy like Ted is just fun to watch in this season, among such bleakness coming from Don, increasingly resembling a devil.

Don’s game ordering Sylvia around feels like one he didn’t believe to work, knowing her independent nature. And it’s not about turning himself on. So why drive that figurative plane into a mountain? Is Don’s jealousy of Arnold so great that he he wanted Sylvia to tell at him with the same anger? But Sylvia did just the opposite. She calmly exits with the upper hand. For years Don has been having affairs that meant more to the mistress, while for him it’s sexual escapism. Unknowingly to him, this is all he meant to Sylvia. Her heart is with the Arnold marriage and her life outside the room. That’s what can make her enraged, not Don. However for Don Sylvia now means more than Megan, increasingly fading out - unable to be a part of her life even at the breaking of Bobby Kennedy’s death, just as during the Martin Luther King riots, Don’s mind was with Sylvia’s safety. When seeing Sylvia leave, Don after his false bravado and games, looked like the lost, sick puppy he is.

Ted and Don’s plane ride contained gleefully obvious symbolism. A pilot believe they are right-side up when they are upside-down, making trusting the controls saying the opposite a must for survival. Ted trusts his controls, his morals, integrity and worldview. Don sees the controls telling him he’s upside down but ignores them in favor of what his misleading instincts are telling him.

Bob Benson also plays the part of a hero, to Joan. Although the context is there to believe Bob may be in it for himself, it’s a comforting feeling to think otherwise. Pete would have taken Joan to the hospital to save his job. Harry to save his job. Don to get laid. Roger to get laid. Ted out of real generosity. Ken out of generosity. Ginsberg out of generosity. I doubt we’ll ever found out Bob’s true motivation, but chances are it’s a combination of saving his job, wanting to get laid and generosity. Maybe he's not a pure hero, but it’s good enough.

Right now Pete can’t see the humor in his predicament with his mother with all the stress in his life. But perhaps she’s what he needs to be able to. Pete’s fear about getting dropped by the company seems rash when he’s a partner, but he’s too over his head to use logic right now.

Peggy lets it slip she believes Don merged to get her back, another less than logical thought. In reality Don is too absorbed in other matters, himself and his affairs, to likely consider Peggy’s part in returning or why she left.

This is my favorite Mad Men episode of the season. The Ted and Don contrast is a colorful ride and Joan, Pete, Peggy had their moments. In this episode Mad Men’s dialog and character interactions are at full throttle in a season that felt in danger of losing what makes the show great.

Mad Men Season 6, Episode 8 - "The Crash"



Whether it’s intentional or not, “The Crash” is partly meta in how the characters arcs compared to the season, represents this episode compared to to it. At times the season has felt repressed and stalling in one gear. Likewise its characters with the help of the energy drug, burst out of the internalized box that’s been squeezing them most of their lives, if only for a moment. Before the inevitable crash.

Don literally crashes after coming home to see Betty, Megan, the kids. The summing up of his married life is like waking up to a nightmare. Betty and Megan were likely a drug induced high once. But eventually, that high crashed and he saw what’s really there. Two damaged women who’s need to appease what others think make them a boring attraction to Don. Eventually if he had been successful wooing Sylvia in a permanent relationship, she may have similarly worn off on him. Or not, because Sylvia isn’t Megan or Betty. She’s emotionally stronger and more able to see understand her own needs. Perhaps that’s why Don senses the chance of a real relationship with her. A few years ago he couldn’t recognize that in Dr. Faye Miller, who’s strength was similar to Sylvia’s. Don’s puppy dog enthusiasm running after Sylvia shows he senses a chance to fix himself. His flashback to his first time with the prostitute is interesting because the prostitute arguably has her head on straight and more self confidence than Megan or Betty. Her kindness to the young Dick seems from the heart, possibly costing her in the end. That memory to Don is real. Or so he believes. It’s tainted by nostalgia. In his drug high, he convinces himself that he’s struck on creative gold, when he hasn’t. Likewise he puts importance in that memory and on the Sylvia relationship, that may just be delusions and hope.

Wendy tells Don his question “Does somebody love me?” because that’s everyone’s. While that may not be literally true, it may as well be for every Mad Men character. After taking the energy drugs, everyone in the office seemed to be enjoying their company as kindred spirits more. If open like this all the time, they may feel more loved by each other.

The fake Grandma intruder scene, certainly was fearsome. A part of me wondered if it would all end in shocking bloodshed. Luckily it didn’t. Although Don, Megan, Betty were self-absorbed in the consequences of the intruder, little attention is paid to what it means for Sally’s development. Sally was already inching towards “adult in child’s body” status. She reacted to the fake Ida as a child, perhaps because she liked the idea of a real loving relative. In the embarrassment of her mistake, this may be the end of Sally’s childhood, buried by the pressured need to act like an adult. Arguably this is analogous to her father losing his cherry.

“The Crash” is a great episode of Mad Men, bursting with unleashed energy, character layers and momentum. This season is heating up.

Mad Men Season 6, Episode 9 review - "The Better Half"



The days of the Don and Betty marriage on Mad Men feels like a distant, foreign memory. I can’t even distinctly remember the episodes or plot events that led to its end, it’s a haze. This echoing what it’d be for Don, perhaps.

Over that time Don has lost his creative and control fastball, before getting it back, before starting to lose it again. Betty’s looks, seductiveness and confidence likewise slipped, but this is her finest form in those areas in years, if not a decade of off screen time for her character. Perhaps the man hitting on her at the party is what she needed to at least carry that momentum for a day. The Don-Megan and Betty-Frank marriages are failing because Megan can’t quite the extent of the emotional damage in Don and Frank can’t see that far in Betty. Arguably, Don can’t see the emotional damage in Betty either just like he can’t in Megan. But Betty may be able to see Don’s. That is why Betty holds the balance of power in this episode.

The concept of a power dynamic as alluded to in the title “The Better Half” is throughout the rest of this episode. Abe has long felt Peggy holds the power in their relationship, as she pulls the financial cart. Abe tells Peggy in the ambulance he’s not breaking up with her because of the stabbing, but because his liberal, on the streets idealism contrasts with dating someone in advertising with money. But one gets the sense this is just a reason he aspires to for dumping someone. When what really led to the animosity, is Peggy’s power in the relationship emasculating him in a late 60s time period with far less relationships with the weight on that side than there are today.

Peggy is also caught in a balance of power between Ted and Don, emerging as something of a tiebreaker when they are at odds. Peggy prefers Ted personally, but Don is more talented and she owes more of her career to Don. Peggy would like to believe she’ll make every decision based on which of their ideas are better, but of course, it’s near impossible to be objective and without sub-conscience bias in a situation like this. In the last scene of the episode Peggy looked perhaps the most disheveled we’ve seen her. Maybe it’s a stretch, but the jump from Ted closing his door to looking at Don’s, made me wonder if they were alluding to a never-happened Peggy and Don affair, after he never made the move he’d done with almost every other secretary. Perhaps if Don’s door was figuratively open after Ted and Abe’s shut, she’d have been interested.

On a final note, Bob Benson in his scene in Joan’s apartment, seemed for once normal. Perhaps it’s because instead of bowing to worker’s needs, he has some power now, in having a stronger apparent relationship than Joan than Roger does. For Roger there is a power in youth and freshness that he cannot grasp anymore.

"The Better Half" is an excellent episode from Mad Men’s excellent season half to this season.

Arrested Development Season 4, Episodes 1-5 review



Arrested Development’s 4th season is affected by the key decision to do character centric episodes. The need to change the turn creatively is understandable after 3 seasons full of the traditional way. However it’s also a risky choice. In Arrested Development as all comedies, characters playing off each other is key to their value. How does the straight man hold up without his looney counterpart, or vice versa? What about the chemistry and jokes carefully built up between characters?

The first episode, “Flight of the Phoenix” shows these worries are founded. There just aren’t enough jokes tried or hitting between Michael and George Michael. It’s a plot and character centric episode, but it’s tell-all style feels like a chore. The highlight is the vote-out plan and the funniest line the airport security man giving his opinion about where Michael’s plan went wrong. But for the most part, it has to be one of the least interesting Arrested Development episodes. The funniest and out of this world characters are sorely missed.

The second episode “Borderline Personalities” is when this season really starts for me. The George and Oscar dynamic is outstanding as always and the sweatlodge plot is a great place to “squeeze” out that humor. Lucille is also her classic self in this episode, especially in the glorious drawn out smoking joke. I wish I could’ve watched 2 hours straight of this plot.

The third episode “Indian Takers” is stronger than the first, but weaker than the second. The episode relies on the mostly single joke about Lindsey’s spoiled naiveness. Arrested Development squeezes out the juice of single jokes more than any show ever has, so that’s not a bad thing. The gagging of the “face-blind” liberal is relatively well done, while it borrows the great humor from Tobias’ upcoming episode. This is a good episode. By focusing on one character, episodes like this can move the plot with an energy and directness normal episodes aren’t accustomed to. That in a way is refreshing.

When realizing the fourth episode “The B. Team” was a second Michael episode, I groaned after the disappointing first episode. But this episode is far better thanks to its superior plot with Michael kick starting his movie. The wide array of big name guest stars and reoccurring characters from the past, help the episode’s humor and is a treat for fans of the show and take the comic burden off Michael’s shoulders. Like “Borderline Personalities”, this is a plot and episode I wanted to go on much longer than it did. The big plot in this episode and longer episode length compared to the initial run of episodes, made it feel like the first act of a mini-movie.

The fifth episode “A New Start” and Tobias’ first of the season, unsurprisingly is the funniest of this group. Tobias and his comedy partner Debris do great work playing off each other throughout the episode and the closet, word puns for Tobias will still never get old. David Cross is at his absolute best this episode. Like the the previous 3 episodes, that it’s a character centric episode, make the scope of its plot feel fresh and exciting and unlike the initial run’s episodes. “A New Start” is a great episode of Arrested Development compared to any season.

Despite the slow start, I’m finding myself in love with the last four episodes of this season. The decision to go with character centric episodes, now seems a wonderful choice that both gives the show new comic possibilities, new plot opportunities and makes the season feel as if a long movie adaptation.

Mad Men Season 6, Episode 10 review - "A Tale of Two Cities"



This episode of Mad Men "A Tale Two Cities" reminded me of an underrated line by George Carlin: “California is a small woman saying ‘Fuck me!' New York is a large man saying ‘FUCK YOU.' "

In California its inhabitants may be living looser and lighter lives than their stressed and boxed up New York counterparts, but it’s on the surface. Underneath there is as much insecurity and fear of emptiness. The conversation between Roger and Danny showed this. Roger’s jabs hit Danny where it hurts, but Roger’s reveals his insecurities just as much.

Don’s vision anchors the trip. A brush with mortality is nothing new for Don’s arc, but I did find the Megan segment of his dream to be interesting. The dream Megan is care-free, having left behind both her job and the weight her life puts on her, in favor of the escape to California. Megan’s release is similar to Don’s in previous trips here. But the real Megan will never escape the weight of people like her mother and Don on her, or the weight of expectations she’ll never meet. Don’s sub-conscience knows Megan is damaged and he’s at fault, even if he won’t look that far in his conscience state. Another important aspect of this trip for Don is he no longer finds peace in California. This hurts him, he needed that release to stay afloat mentally.

Joan’s powerplay brought tension with Peggy to the surface. More important to her than putting her job on the line, Joan’s respect in the office was at stake. Joan has respect for Peggy and how her career has risen, while Peggy has envy about Joan showing the balls to make such a move standing up for herself. While out of fear as Abe told her, Peggy is used to coloring in the lines. Pete’s anger about the breach of trust Joan had is warranted and this will hurt their ability to work together in the future. It stings Pete that Ted may have sided with Joan simply because she’s more likable. If Harry Crane had stepped out like that, Ted and Peggy likely deride him. But the biggest hit to Pete is during the discussion about shortening the company name to Sterling, Cooper & Partners. The hit isn’t that Pete lost his name in the title, though that doesn’t help. It’s that they didn’t even ask him whether he’s willing to make that sacrifice, while treating Don’s approval as essential. Pete is increasingly seen as next closest to Joan at the bottom of the partner’s food chain and she’s moving up towards him. Pete as always, just can’t buy respect as a real man with authority. He can’t be Don, Ted or even Cutler, who received his biggest spotlight so far setting up his Game of Thrones-like chess pieces in the company.

The most memorable part of the episode may be Bob Benson’s inspiring lift of Ginsberg. That showed real leadership, passion and skills. Benson’s motives and future is unclear, but that scene made me believe he’s headed towards power from his humble beginnings.

This season’s overall drive to its plot feels a little lackadaisical, but there’s a lot to like in this episode “A Tale of Two Cities”

Breaking Bad Season 5, Episode 9 review - "Blood Money"



Breaking Bad’s second half of its fifth season begins with another flash forward of Walt, this time revealing that Heisenberg is now an infamous drug dealer and that he needs the ricin. That he also has a gun in his car, seems to rule out taking it to kill himself. Unless he pops the ricin before doing this dirty business, ensuring his death one way or another.

“Blood Money” is Breaking Bad back in a groove, as if it never left. The execution and writing are sharp as a tack. The delivery of the Badger Star Trek story while unconnected to the rest of the story, is a great example of how this show can just cook.

Walt and Hank’s final scene is naturally the highlight. The expression in Bryan Cranston and Dean Norris’ faces in this scene, really makes it. Walt changes from Walt to Heisenberg when turning around and when saying his final lines, mid scene. Hank has a darker glare than he ever has. It's Norris’ best episode to date, starting with his sickening reaction when getting off the pot.

Walt and Jesse’s talk is reminiscent of others before it, but that’s the point. Walt has lied and manipulated Jesse so many times, that he can finally see through it. It kills Jesse just how little all the suffering and death he’s caused, has meant anything. Enough that when he throws the money out the window, it means nothing for him. For Jesse it’s all cost and no reward.

Lydia revealing she’s boxed in by Walt, is one more danger falling upon him. Walt tried to pull all the chords out of his Heisenberg life, but it created more damage than staying in the business. Walt had opportunities to walk away from his cooking and passed on them. Then when he walked away, it was too late - he’d passed the point of no return.

“Blood Money” meets expectations and more for Breaking Bad’s final half season premiere.

Breaking Bad Season 5, Episode 10 review - "Buried"



The title of this episode “Buried” has a figurative meaning along with literal, that Walt is increasingly buried by all the loose wheels he left behind – Skyler, Hank/Marie, Jesse, Lydia have spiraled out of his control. His fate was sealed before the show confirmed it. Yet for Skyler is not as easy to see she is doomed, nor does she accept she deserves to be. That she cannot see or accept how dire her situation is, may be what does her in.

Skyler’s scenes with Hank and Marie are fascinating because it tests how much she has broken bad. It tests how much the virus of Walt has infected her. By refusing to confess and by siding with Walt, it’s not because Skyler considers him any less of a monster. No doubt she blames him for what he’s done and wants him gone. Skyler sides with Walt for self-serving purposes. What scares her away from the confession to Hank is that she may go to jail for the laundering, without enough evidence to trade to the police for immunity. It’s Skyler’s own skin that makes her blink. She becomes self-serving and her survival instinct kicks in, like it increasingly has for Walt throughout the show. Yet the reality is, if able to see the situation clearly, Skyler would realize the benefits of giving up what she knows to Hank. The lives of Hank, Marie, her two kids, herself and others, would be safer if Walt is off the streets or very closely monitored. The cost? She goes to jail, but for how long considering testimony and cooperation against Walt? One can imagine 5 years for Skyler once cooperation and testimony against Walt helps her. For the hole she’s in, 5 years in the can isn’t the end of the world. Holly would be barely starting kindergarten when she got out. Walt, Jr. still a young man. She’d still be in her 40s. Losing the money and the damage to her reputation forever also hurts, but there are more important things. If Skyler could see with clear eyes, she’d realize the jail time and other costs facing her, are worth taking in return for giving up Walt. She’d realize it’s time to fold her cards and walk away from the table. Unfortunately Skyler cannot see the dire predicament she’s in, the size of the hole she’s buried in. She’s been blinded by the virus that took Walt.

Hank also has self-serving desires playing on his mind, in that he knows if he reveals his information now, it could cost him his job – along with the personal glory of catching Heisenberg himself. But neither Hank or Marie have broken bad and together, it leads to Hank resigning himself to turning in Walt. Or so it seems, Jesse’s interrogation could lead Hank to fall prey to his desire to keep Walt secret.

Marie has her most memorable scene of the series with her confrontation with Skyler, in a way the show’s most intense scene ever despite all the criminal play that’s gone on. Skyler and Marie had the strongest familial connection on the show and now even Marie is against her. Marie can see that Skyler is infected by selfishness and survival mode and not safe for Holly or Walt, Jr. That Hank wants Skyler to keep Holly, along with Marie needing to push him into turning in Walt, perhaps shows that Marie is the most pure and least bad infected character on the show, after she stared down kleptomania and won. Everyone else has varying degrees of what Walt is full of right now.

“Buried” is one of my favorite Breaking Bad episodes to date. Other than putting its characters in a fascinating dilemma, it’s a beautiful episode from a visual and audio perspective – scenes like Lydia with her hands over her ears in the lab and Walt’s digging of the hole, along with Skyler’s confrontations with Hank and Marie, are all classic Breaking Bad and Vince Gilligan. In the execution of scenes like those, Breaking Bad hits a level other television shows can’t match.

Breaking Bad Season 5, Episode 11 - "Confessions"



Facing a tough follow-up to last weeks’ “Buried” – in my opinion one of Breaking Bad’s best episodes, “Confessions” is another great episode to start this season, albeit more of a hammer to the former’s paintbrush of character complexities. But an exciting hammer it is.

Walt’s confessions and even moreso, Hank and Marie’s reaction, is the standout visual of the episode. Yet the person for whom the tape is most fascinating for me, is the one neither on camera or watching, Skyler. Her involvement in this is her darkest act yet and buries any chance of a reconciliation with Marie, acknowledging that Marie’s attempt to take Holly means war. Skyler has to an extent broken bad, but how much? Could Walt be risking his last ally by pushing her into the dark too fast? Her stone cold face staring into the abyss in the car wash, stands out. It’s a face of one who recognizes what she’s done, but must press on.

A great part of the Jesse scenes this week, is his mortality is on the line. His hug with Walt is heart-stopping because it’s unclear whether Walt’s affection is real, or if he’s luring Jesse into a killing position.

For his rage about Brock, Jesse is doing himself no favors by turning away from his Alaska getaway. A chance to get away for himself. He’s letting Walt win by falling back into the trap he’s created. What Jesse doesn’t realize is the best way to hurt Walt is the police, not personal revenge. Jesse can’t beat Walt at planning, violence and killing. He’s at a disadvantage on that board that will cost him. But like many characters this season, he can’t see the whole board.

Breaking Bad’s pace this season is breakneck and breathtaking. If a feature character doesn’t make it to episode 5, it will be no surprise. The halfway point of this half season, could explode into a climax.

Breaking Bad Season 5, Episode 12 - "Rabid Dog" review



Breaking Bad’s last half season, continues at an unbelievably breakneck pace. In “Rabid Dog” the lack of breathing began to wear on me. While still having highlights, it felt the weakest of the four episodes so far perhaps because its action comes on the heels of equal tension.

Perhaps this is why Marie’s scene with the therapist stood out to me as the episode’s best. Betsy Brandt has her best scene to date, showing the darkness behind her sunny exterior. Marie’s self-control developed through therapy, may save her from violence. Her moral filter wins out. Skyler’s does not. Skyler has now crossed a line of no return by calling for Jesse’s head. Like early Walt, she justifies it by looking out for her family, but there’s always a choice. It now seems inevitable Skyler goes down with this ship in one form or another, with the man she hates most. Hank likewise has his darkest moment by O.K.-ing Jesse’s death, only a step away from Walt watching Jane die. Whether it’s because he lacked Marie’s therapy or ego and embarrassment from his professional position, Hank’s self-control doesn’t stop him. Even if Hank wins in the end, he may cross a line that taints him forever.

Saul proposing killing Jesse as he did Hank, is relevant to me. Saul likes Jesse, but understands to survive in his business, cutting cords needs to happen. If Saul is willing to kill Jesse or Hank, why not send Walt to Belize, the source of all these problems? Now by Walt surviving to the flashforward, if this happened, he’d have survived – or Saul pulling the ripcord would come after his return. Walt’s ego is too big to see a Saul as a threat to the great Heisenberg, or even Lydia – But while not as scary on the surface as a Gus Fringe, both will cut your throat when you’re not sleeping if they have to and both have the connections to do it. Walt should be wary of ignoring those threats, among his others.

What to make of Jesse threatening to burn down where Walt truly lives? I can’t take credit for this theory, rather I read it online – But could Jesse turn himself in and take credit for Heisenberg? Now Walt’s ego is driven mad by his genius blue meth and empire credited to someone else, like Gray Matter 2.0. Perhaps Jesse banks on Walt turning to cooking to show Jesse can’t be Heisenberg, setting him up for Hank to catch him with the evidence needed to finish him.

On a final note, while it’s been the up front goal of the show, I’m still surprised by how much of the villain Walt now is. Walt is as much villain as Gus Fring was in Season 4. Jesse, Hank and Marie are the heroes of this piece now, there isn’t a sliver of empathy for Walt anymore.

Breaking Bad Season 5, Episode 13 review - "To'hajiilee"



Breaking Bad’s fourth last episode is defined by its final shootout in numerous ways. Other than the cliffhanger dominating the discussion, this episode FELT like guns firing off into existence. For both good reasons such as the exciting pace, but for as much the wrong reasons.

Last week, I found Marie’s confessions to the therapist and Skyler telling Walt it is ok to kill Jesse, as more exciting than Jesse wearing a wire to entrap Walt. These action scenes are not as unique compared to movie and television history, as when Breaking Bad embraces psychological complexity and characters weighing dilemmas. It is the complexity I am in it for most. This week of course, is even more of one long suspense and action sequence and for that I found it the half season’s least interesting episode.

I felt Huell spilled the beans too easily, when Saul would have told him repeatedly that cops lie. Likewise I feel Walt acted like he had no alternative but to hire the Aryans at the cost of coming back to cook, when Saul has connections that could send Jesse to Belize instead, as he had offered. In the final shootout scene the Aryan leader Jack felt too much a flat, snickering bad guy for my tastes, considering the regular moral ambiguity of the show. Hank’s call to Marie also felt calculated to make the audience feel he will die. Whether he will die, or whether it’s an unnecessary trick and it will be revealed he will not.

As for the cliffhanger, it also felt a storytelling trick by Gilligan, instead of showing Hank’s fate this episode or waiting until next to let the guns go off. My initial reaction is its purpose may be for Hank to die off screen, with next episode starting with Walt getting pulled out of the car to see his and Gomez’s body and the carnage he has wrought. This would be a daring and shocking moment that would redeem the cliffhanger.

I found “To’jahilee” to be one of the weaker episodes of the series. After the outstanding first three episodes of the half season, it is increasingly becoming a shootout that’s unfamiliar to the rest of the show’s character boil. The season is still better than all but a handful of shows in television history, but I am hoping the last three episodes are a more psychologically, emotionally and poetically complex end to the story. For example, it would disappoint me if Walt’s last act in the flash forward, is as shallow a motive as firing upon the Aryans to get revenge for this.

Nigga yer cray.

But i love your reviews

Breaking Bad Season 5, Episode 14 review - "Ozymandias"



The poem “Ozymandias” is such a fitting pair with Breaking Bad’s story, that it could have been the title of the series finale.

But perhaps this episode is as much an end for Breaking Bad. Walt’s life with Skyler and Walt Jr. crashing away from him, the end of his journey in Albuquerque and the end of hope of an escape. While Walt will get away to New Hampshire, the ramifications have already been felt with Hank’s death. Up to this point Walt has been able to justify his crimes with their result, the money he’s gotten for Skyler and Walt, Jr. But there’s no way for Walt to justify his last year anymore after taking Hank’s life. By that fateful phone call, he knows he’s the villain, not the hero.

While Walt caused Hank’s death, his mistakes played a part as well. Hank wasn’t transparent enough with what he knew about Walt, even when Marie or Jesse warned him of this danger. Although Walt’s video helped force his hand, individualist desires to save himself and his job, helped push Hank’s hand. In doing so he cost Gomez his life in addition to his own.

“Ozymandias” may be both Bryan Cranston and Anna Gunn’s best performances. The knife fight and the phone call designed to let Skyler off the accomplice hook, are two of the show’s most powerfully played scenes. Two other moments I loved by these great actors, were how Heisenberg Walt’s face is after pointing out Jesse’s location and Skyler listening to Marie tell her it’s over. If this is the end of Skyler and Walt’s interaction, it’s been one of television’s most devastating relationships. Perhaps future generations will appreciate the greatness of the Skyler’s character more than today’s online community has.

With that said, counting these 8 episodes as if its own season, this is still my least favorite Breaking Bad season. This half season has been more about good guys taking on bad guys than the rest of the show. It’s action is that of a paperback novel more than literature. That’s fine as there’s quality in paperback fun, especially when packing its biggest punches, but I don’t feel it’s reached the consistent greatness of the first four and a half seasons.

On that, you may very well be the only person in the world.