Oh Marie

This week's Breaking Bad, "Open House," will probably be considered an in-betweener.  Not much happened, but the pieces have been moved around the board, reading for something bigger.  This episode also gave us more Marie than any other.  She was the lead, as it were.  There's nothing wrong with her, but she's fairly far removed from the main action, so while concentrating on Marier might give the actor a chance to stretch, it makes the audience want to get up and stretch.

We start with Walt coming to work and discovering a camera watching him.  I don't know how to feel about this.  It follows last week's concept that Gus doesn't trust Walter one bit, but a camera?  Does he really want to record (though we don't know if anything is being taped) a criminal conspiracy?  And why would Walt, no matter how weak his position, allow himself to be taped committing a crime?  I guess Gus put it in to make sure there are no shenanigans, but what could really happen?  Also, presumably, he wants to watch the chef at work for future reference, but this is a chef who knows that the boss wants to kill him.  That's the trouble with too many cards on the table--they have to work together out of convenience, but this state of affairs can't last for long.

Now Skyler is at Walt's place, demanding he let her in.  He's been avoiding her since the beatdown.  He's partly humiliated, but he also doesn't want her asking too many questions. She demands to know what happened, and even wants to go to the police.  Really?  I know Skyler isn't completely in yet, but is she still considering the nuclear option?  And does she not get this might not put her out of harm's way?  Last season she asked Walt if they were in danger, and Walt said no--not entirely wrong.  He still insists they're safe--the black eye is just from a bar fight with a co-worker (sort of true)--but in no way is Walt safe, and he can't even be sure about his family.  Skyler actually insists they do something about it it gets dangerous.  She's generally an adult, but does she not know how deep they're in?  Regardless, she still wants that car wash, even after last week's failure. In fact, she wants it more.

Now Marie is at an open house, lying about herself.  And I'd assumed the title was about Jesse's never-ending party (which may be partly correct--BB titles regularly have double meanings).  Some viewers have wondered what happend to the kleptomania Marie had in the first season?  I just figured they dropped it because it wasn't dramatically needed anymore, and we could just assume with Hank (and counseling) she's got other stuff to deal with. Instead, it looks like Hank's problems, and surliness, are driving her back into trouble.  When she returns home from shopping (and lying) we see Hank's temperament has not improved.

(We go to commercial here.  Is it my imagination, or are they putting a ton of commercials in Breaking Bad these days?)

At work, Jesse and Walt prepare to go home.  They discuss the camera like they have a regular job.  Jesse wants to hang out and play with Go Karts.  I was wondering if he really had something else on his mind, but hey, he really wants to drive Go Karts--he's got nothing inside and is living in a world of sensations.  Walt is concerned, but has a meeting to go to.  Jesse also tells him a bit about being beat up (though he doesn't know the details of Walt's shiner, apparently).  I've noted that Jesse is the go-to guy for beatdowns.  Of course, now we see if Walt is beaten, he's got to explain it to his wife and that's a hassle.

The meeting is at Walt's place with Skyler and Saul.  Is Saul afraid of meeting at his place?  He travels with his bodyguard, too. So things aren't back to normal yet?  Saul is still ready to buy the nail salon, but Skyler is insistent.  A car wash. And not just any car wash, that particular car wash.  She's offended at the owner and it's a vendetta.  But she's not willing to try any rough stuff.  Walt also discovered his manhood was questioned and that helps him go along with the deal.  But Saul's methods are unnacceptable to Skyler, not that she has a better way to make a guy sell who doesn't want to.

Marie's at another open house, telling new lies.  She also steals a spoon from a spoon collection.  It's pretty obvious it's missing, and it's fairly obvious Marie took it.  Is this a cry for help?

And there's Jesse driving a Go Kart.  He then goes home. (Is he being watched? Why? Is Gus going to make a move?)  The party continues, and is out of control.  ABQ's verison of The Factory on a Saturday night. I'm still surprised the neighbors haven't complained.  This is a nice neighborhood, after all.

Marie's at yet another open house, but her previous thievery catches up to her. She calls Hank from the police station.  Everyone's dropping charges after he makes some calls (would you turn down an officer who was shot?) but she's not thrilled about going home.  She's tried to be chipper, but she can't take it.  It's hard for Hank to take, too.  Maybe it would be good for her to need him more than the other way around, but Hank isn't yet ready to be motivated again.

Skyler's at home when she gets an idea and figures she better call Saul.  His number is 505-503-4455, by the way.  Dare you to call it.  Anyway, Skyler's figured out how to crack the carwash.  Next we see an environmental official checking the waste water and runoff, etc.  Turns out he's a fake, hired by Saul and Skyler, and Skyler's feeding him the dialogue through an earphone to convince the owner he's in trouble . He'll have to shut down for over a month and pay $200,000 for a new filter system.  Suddenly his business isn't looking so good.

The old cop friend who helped out Marie drops by Hank's place.  He wants some help.  Hank thinks it's out of pity, but the guy says if he asked anyone still working at the DEA it'd become their case and not homicide.  It's Gale's murder, of course.  He's got the lab notebook.  He leaves it with Hank.  Please care about something, Hank, we can't have you moping around for the entire season. (Also seems to be the minerals were a hobby and nothing more.)

At the White residence, it's been five hours since the scam at the car wash.  Walt figures she failed.  Very little patience, though he's probably unhappy with Skyler horning in. (Note he's there, holding the baby.  Crime has brought this couple closer.) Then the phone rings and suddenly the guy is willing to take her offer of $879,000.  Skyler says she'll only pay $800,000 and hangs up.  Walt (who knows chemistry, but not much else) is aghast.  Walt says why fight over a measly $79,000?  He makes plenty.  (They've given various numbers, and it's not entirely clear if he gets a certain amount or if it's split in half with Jesse, but I'd guess he's making around $150,000 a week). And he gets paid in cash, no taxes taken out (though Saul gets a cut).  Sure enough, the owner calls back.  Like Gus, Skyler knows how to run a business.

Jesse's forever party and his alienation continue. And, if I'm not mistaken, his dangerous lab supervisor watches from a car outside.  Is he keeping tabs, or would he make his move if there weren't so many people around? (Can't do anything to a guy surrounded by looky-loos.  Look what happened to Victor.)

At the White's place, Walt and Skyler, close as they've been in a while, toast to the car wash they now own with some bubbly.  Very expensive.  Skyler almost blows a gasket.  Even if it was in cash, you can't be seen buying expensive champagne when you're supposed to be an unemployed teacher.  The pensions aren't that good.  She's smart, Walt, you should listen.  Maybe she's overreacting (wouldn't their cover story cover champagne as well--but no reason to take chances), but as she notes, the devil is in the details.  (She brings up Watergate. So did Richard Lewis on Curb Your Enthusiasm.  A touchstone for a generation.)

Maries sleeps while Hank stays up watching the widescreen.  Nothing new.  But he finally grabs the lab notes.  That's it, Hank.  Get back on Heisenberg's ass.

With all the time spent on Marie and Skyler in this episode, completely missing were Gus and Mike (and Walt Jr.).  I can't help but feel they'll be coming to the fore very soon.