Mas

The third-year premiere of Breaking Bad, "No Mas," promises another great season. It looked like it would mostly be setting the pieces in place, catching us up with where all the characters are, but it turned out to be more than that.

First we start with two tough Mexican killers (Tuco's cousins?) who appear to be out to get Heisenberg. The show has hinted at this before, but it looks like it will be a major concern this season. Throughout the episode, we keep cutting back to the duo, as they make their way toward America, and, in case you didn't get how bad-ass they are, shoot up then torch a truck carrying illegal immigrants.

Meanwhile, Albuquerque is still reeling from the double-plane collision, which ended season two. It's been weeks and everyone knows how it happened--but only Walt knows the inside story, the chain of events, started by him, that ended in the death of 167. He's seen some of the damage he's created, but now he can't hide. Either he'll have to admit what he's doing, or start lying to himself.

Of course, Walt's got other things on his mind, in particular the dissolution of his marriage. In fact, Skyler is seeing a lawyer, who will want to go into Walt's finances. Hmm. All those close to Sklyer--son, sister, brother-in-law--can't understand why she's doing this. Of course, she won't tell all the dirty secrets she's found out. From the outside, it does seem pretty weird--no matter what happened, the guy has terminal cancer. Can't she at least wait him out?

At the same time, Jesse is still in the best rehab meth money can buy. He goes to group therapy, where the counselor (who, by the way, is a former addict who killed his daughter) teaches them they have to learn to accept who they are before change is possible.

At Walt's school, a big assembly is held to deal with the students' grief (shades of Heathers). Walt, who due to his condition gets treated tenderly, makes a big speech about how people can move on from tragedy. I guess we see where he's going--better to lie to himself that everything can still be okay.

Then Skyler goes to visit Walt at his new place. This is the scene that changed the show. She wants him to sign divorce papers, but he still loves her and doesn't understand why she's doing this. Okay, they've got problems, he has secrets, but they can work them out. She blurts out he's a drug dealer. Guess you don't have to be a brilliant chemist to figure it out. She's seen him with Pinkman and how else could he get all this money. He seems prepared to lie again, but admits the truth--even tells her the drug of choice.

For the first two seasons of the show, so much time and energy was spent hiding this fact from her, that it's stunning to hear him say it to her out loud. He's also taking an awful chance. Just he and Jesse knowing is bad enough. When they added Saul to the circle, okay. Even Gus, the top dealer who manages Los Pollos Hermanos. But a wife who's divorcing you having the goods? I guess he figures he needs to play it this way to get her back.

She says she won't tell anyone if he agrees to the divorce. The weird thing is I'm not sure if she understands the jeopardy she's putting herself in. Walt would never do anything. Jesse probably wouldn't have the guts. But if anyone else who depends on Walt for product finds out, would they hesitate to do whatever they had to do?

Next Walt is picking up Jesse and bringing him to his temporary lodging. In some ways, Jesse is the only real family he's got. Jesse has seen the news about the plane, and, understandably blames himself. Walt tries to explain how it's not (but can't say the real reason why it isn't). Jesse says he learned at rehab to accept himself, and he's the bad guy. He won't run from things any more. So the new Jesse won't lie to himself, but the new Walt (or the darker Walt--he keeps descending) will.

Walt goes to Los Pollos Hermanos to tell Gus, out of respect, he's done. (If he were really done, would he even show up.) Gus obviously has made a lot of money on Walt, and recognizes the great artist he has here. He has an offer to make, but Walt says it doesn't matter--he realizes he's not a criminal (there he is, lying to himself again) and he has enough money but has lost his family. No mas. The offer turns out to be $3 million for 3 months of his time. This gives even Walt pause, but he turns it down. Somehow, I think he's going to get to Yes for one reason or another. Will it be because he's threatened (by Gus?), because he realizes he needs the money, because it'll somehow get Skyler back? Stay tuned.

There were only two things I didn't like about the show, a cliche at the start and at the finish. In Walt's first scene, he puts all his money on the grill and lights it up. Come on! No matter how much pain he's in, he's worked too hard to get that money. This is a mindless sort of Hollywood moment where the protagonist destroys everything he worked for--I've seen it in too many movies and I never buy it. At least Walt realizes quickly what he's down and throws everything in the pool.

Then at the end, when the two killers torched the truck, they walk away as it explodes in the background, not looking back. Maybe the first time this shot was done it looked cool, but boy is it tired now.