The Game Of Chicken

Things have clamed down a bit on Breaking Bad. On the latest episode, "Kafkaesque," the characters maneuver around, and show their true character, but there's no high-octant action. I think the show intentionally offered some on the middle of the season, and is now working its way back up.

But Breaking Bad has never been about gun shots and fight scenes. It's as much about small, absorbing scenes where characters play their games.

The show starts with an ad for Gus's fast food chicken franchise, Los Pollos Hermanos. Funny. My other favorite show, Lost, also created a fake fast food chicken ad this season. We cut from the ad to the distribution of Walt's meth. He cooks it, and it goes out in Los Pollos Hermanos trucks to sales posts all across the Southwest.

I thought the show might concentrate on how Walt and Jesse are having trouble meeting their quota with Gus, but no, if anything, they're slightly over weight each week. (The same way 6 hour videotapes last an extra ten minutes, so no one complains.) Jesse is pissed off. He's run the numbers (took him a while) and he's figured out he and Walt make three million for what sells on the street at close to a hundred million.

I was suprised as Jesse's ingratitude. He fought to become a partner and got it, but now he's not happy at making seven figures in a few months? His screwups have doomed them in the past, but now is not the time to get greedy. This is a criminal enterprise, and Gus is assuming most of the risk, which is worth half right there. He also built an expensive lab, keeps it supplied, and keeps it safe. Then he takes care of distribution and sales. Can't Jesse understand this? Furthermore, cooking 200 pounds a week may seem like a lot, but without Gus's help, he probably couldn't cook 20 pounds. This bitterness doesn't bode well.

At the hospital, Hank is getting better, but he's still in great pain and will need extensive physical therapy if he's to walk again. Skyler and Walt are in the room. (Can Walt leave for long periods of time without any explanation?) Skyler must be thinking that Walt had something to do with this. And then Hank admits he was warned before the assassination attempt, or he'd be dead. This gets Walt thinking.

While he's thinking in his car, Skyler wants to know if they're safe. Walt, falsely, I'd guess, tries to reassure her. It seems both Walt and Skyler are making plans for the near future.

Jesse's still going to his support group. He complains (without giving away what he's really doing, of course) how much he hates his job. It becomes clear he's unhappy with his place. Maybe he thought he'd get some respect as a partner, but he's just another fry cook for the owner--who's so important he won't even see Jesse.

Hank gets a gift basket through Skyler from Ted Beneke, so he's still in the picture, and still after Walt's gal. Hank has some feeling in his legs, but even with the best care, it's not clear how things will turn out. However, it seems like his insurance plans will cover decent but not top-notch care. Marie isn't happy. We saw Skyler pining over Walt's money not long ago--what will she do now?

Saul tries to convince Jesse to invest in a beauty parlor. He explains to Jesse (and to the audience) how money laundering work. Once again, instead of Jesse being grateful, he's bitter. He's an outlaw, not an owner of a business who pays taxes. (This image of him being the bad guy is not helping. What if his old girlfried hadn't died--she'd probably like this deal.)

Walt arranges a meet with Gus, who must be pretty happy. He's wiped out the competition and is supplying himself. Walt's always been a smart guy, but he really shows his brains here. He's figured out the whole deal--it's almost too smart. He figures the assasssins were actually sent to kill him, but he's been protected by Gus. Furthermore, Gus sent them to kill Hank, whom he then warned, knowing the colorful shootout will hurt the cartel and gum up the works (which he doesn't need now with his own master chef). So Walt both knows his value to Gus, but also what he owes him. (I think he likes talking to Gus. Gus is a rare guy who's smart enough to deal with, and appreciates how talented Walt is, which is the one thing he's missed most in life.) Most viewers thought Gus would use him and discard, but they make a deal where the contract is open ended, and there's even a pay bump. I might add Gus's strategy of honey over vinegar seems to be paying off here.

Walt drives away and goes faster and faster, almost getting in an accident. Get a grip, Walt. Jesse's the screwup, not you.

At the group, Jesse tells a story of how he made a box in high school and had a sense of accomplishment. The boy wants to build something on his own.

Marie is at Skyler's worried about the future. Ted drops by and Skyler doesn't have the time to see him. She must be considering her options. Poor Ted. Maybe Ted once offered security, but she's got a better source.

Jesse meets with what's left of his old gang. He wants to go back to selling. He wants to be an outlaw, not a businessman. Bad idea, Jesse. Anyway, no more old style cooking. He'll just skim a pound of so off Gus's stash--he won't miss it. Even worse idea.

We're at the support group again. But this time Jesse's crew are there, pretending to be trying to kick meth while describing the awesome blue product out there. Has Jesse ever sunk lower?

In the show's best scene, Marie's with Skyler and Walt in the waiting room. Marie doesn't know what she'll do to get Hank the best care. Sklyer says she and Walt can pay. She then tells the whole story of her and Walt. Okay, she makes one minor changed. He's got the idea when he was diagnosed, he now has a lot of money, and it's not reported to the IRS. The only little change she makes is he got it through a blackjack system. She even gets Walt to admit he's made in the seven figures. (Walt complained to Saul that no one knew what he was doing, and he's more than a little proud to announce how much he's made.) So Skyler's figured out a way to get the money to Marie without too many questions being asked, and Walt is willing to play along since Skyler seems to be getting closer to him, and he certainly owes it to Hank (and he's got a new contract and a bright future--cooking meth, that is).

Marie can't believe it. This not only can solve her money problems (though how will Hank feel when he finds out), it also explains the secret trouble with his sister's marriage.

After Marie leaves, Walt wants to know how she came up with that. She says she learned from the best. Snap! You might think they'd get back together, since she explained (in code) that she understood he did what he did to help his family. But there's one thing. She also feels (correctly) Walt helped get Hank shot. So there's that.

With the Mexicans out of the way and the cartel shut down for the nonce, you might think things would go smoothly. But money changes everything, and everyone's got their own plans. Jesse is an immediate danger (and on one wants to cross Gus) but Sklyer, Hank, Marie and others could be causing trouble, too.