Now We're Not Cooking

The latest Breaking Bad, "Green Light," seemed more interstitial than major. The characters continued on their course, but there were no major turning points. Though there are only thirteen episodes a season, the show has always been willing to take it easy every now and then.

Walt has been falling apart this season, but finding out last episode that Skyler is cheating on him really drove him around the bend. He made a loud trip to Skyler's workplace, but was escorted out before he could see Ted, who cuckolded him. Then Mike the fixer shoved Walt into his car and drove him to Saul, who tried to work things out. But Walt still can't handle his anger, and when he found out he'd been bugged (which saved his life, but he doesn't know it), he attacked Saul. Usually a bad idea to attack a plaintiff's lawyer, but if Walt would start cooking again, I bet all would be forgiven.

Walt's also falling apart at work. He's not only failing to teach the students, he made a pass at the principal. So they put him on sabbatical. (You know how hard it is to fire a teacher). Just then he meets Jesse.

Ah yes, Jesse, the bad man who has decided to cook for himself. (BTW, the air traffic controller's tried to kill himself. I suppose Jesse will blame himself for that, too.) In maybe the best scene of the show, Walt starts out fatherly, but as soon as Jesse shows him his own blue meth, the darker side comes out--another guy horning in on his territory. In any case, Walt's professional pride can't handle it--he won't cook himself, but damn if he'll hook Jesse up to his guy with this inferior product.

But Jesse won't give up, and sees Saul. Saul talks to Mike, who talks to Gus. (They meet at a parking lot. The meets are getting fairly colorful on the show. What happened to the season one idea of keeping it simple and meeting at the mall or a taco stand?) At this point, Saul has removed the bugs and been told to move along by Walt, who doesn't understand the only thing between him and getting hacked to death is Gus. But Gus doesn't want to run Walt through threats, but by a sense of achievement. He okays a buy from Jesse, but apparently to get Walt's goat.

Jesse does the buy (another fancy, deserted meeting place underneath a bridge) but only gets half the money. The other half is thrown over to a surprised Walt. Obviously Gus wants a reaction that ends with more cooking. I'm sure Saul wouldn't mind, either. There are millions to be made, it's just that it all depends on a crazy guy in the middle. (Sounds like some Hollywood movies.) Perhaps that's why this seemed like an in-betweener. Until Walt gets cooking again, everything seems stalled. But he's got issues (more mental than physical) to deal with first.

Issue number one is Skyler, of course. Suddenly, Walt Jr. is the adult of the house. Skyler even gets an offer from Ted to move in. What's she got to lose--she's already the office skank. In fact, if it weren't for her son, I'm sure she'd be out of there already. I'm not sure where the Ted stuff is going, but if anyone ever seemed likely to get caught in the crossfire, it's him.

Then there's poor Hank. He really is a good cop, but he's scared to go to El Paso. It's a stepping stone, but one where people get blown up. To buy time, he starts investigating this new blue stuff on the street (thanks, Jesse). He even gets a great lead. While Hank's storyline has never been as interesting as the Jesse and Walt show, when they intersect, good things happen. Now it looks like he's actually closing in on Jesse, and even Heisenberg. Sooner or later (though maybe not this season) they've got to confront each other, and I'm far from certain that encounter will go Hank's way. Especially considering Walt has friends.

So it looks like we're set up for big things. Gus is making his play, while, temporarily, holding off the Mexicans. Jesse is ready, Saul is ready, Mike is always ready, but Walt is crazy. He can't stay out forever, though. The question is what could make him come back. He's already lost everything he cares about. He sure doesn't need the money. Does he need the respect? Or is there some way to convince him there's more he can lose? And more he can gain.