I'm Confessin'

This week's episode of Breaking Bad is entitled "Confessions."  So whose confessions will these be?  You'd think Jesse, whom we saw in the interrogation room with Hank when last we left him.  But it doesn't quite turn out that way.

Breaking Bad has always been a show where people have plenty to confess but never quite do.  Indeed, the first moment ever in the series was Walt's confession to his family on a videocamera out in the desert--except he refused to take any legal responsibility even then.

The episode starts with Todd outside a diner in the desert confessing, in a way, to Walter over the phone about the messy fight with Declan and changes in management.  Todd still respects Mr. White, sort of like how Jesse used to.  Next we're in the diner and Todd is telling his slimy relatives about the Great Train Robbery, and how well it worked.  He stops short of telling the true ending, where he shoots an innocent kid.  Either it ruins a good story of Todd doesn't want to confess to murder.  Anyway, Lydia (not in this episode) and Todd now run things, and that can't be good--for Walt or anyone.

Now we're back in the interrogation room with a dazed Jesse barely hearing the feds.  Hank walks in and explains how he was fooled by Walt, too, but now they can help each other.  Jesse may be disenchanted with Walt, but he's not gonna squeal, especially not to the guy who beat him unconcious. (Hank now realized he beat up the wrong guy.)  Before it goes much further, Saul comes in--he heard the story on the news.  He shuts it all down and gets Jesse out of there.

At the White residence, Jr. comes home to see his dead there, not at work.  Flynn gets a call from Marie, who wants him over for something or other.  Walt stops him before he leaves and makes his "confession"--the cancer has returned, but you go help your aunt.  Jr., of course, isn't going to leave dad in his hour of need.  Pretty despicable.  Even when he's telling the truth (partly), Walt is doing it to manipulate his son.

Hank, disappointed he got nothing from Jesse when he felt so close, comes home and tells Marie he hasn't talked about the investigation yet.  Marie doesn't understand, but Hank isn't ready to confess yet.  Back at the White's, Walt tells Skyler a taped confession is the "only way." We see them start the tape, but it's hard to believe Walt is telling the truth.

The White's know something must be done, with Hank investigating and Marie trying to steal their kids.  They meet in a loud, brightly-lit public place--a Mexican restaurant with a chirpy waiter. This is the first time all four have been together since they all found out. (Did Marie grow six inches since the last episode?  When she and Hank walk to the table she towers over him.) Walt tries to get them to drop it, rather than break apart their family. Skyler plays the good crime wife and backs up her husband, explaining how pointless it is.  Hank says he will never stop until Walt pays, and Marie says Walt should just kill himself.  The negotiations ended, the White's exit with Walt leaving a DVD on the table.

At home, Hank and Marie view Walt's "confession." He's using all the evidence Hank has gathered to prove that Hank himself is the head of the meth empire and has forced Walt to cook for him. It all makes sense. His trump card is the six figures they spent on Hank's recovery after his alleged differences with Gus Fring.  Marie had been hiding that she took the money, and now Hank feels sunk.

Glad to see Heisenberg is still thinking, still twisting and turning to get out of every situation.  We expect nothing less.  Last thing we wanted was some teary actual confession, only to be used after his death, or something like that.

Saul and Jesse are waiting for another trademarked Breaking Bad desert meet. Walt pulls up and tries to sell Jesse on disappearing. Jesse says stop playing me, just tell the truth--this is for you, not me.  Walt hugs him in a Good Will Hunting sort of moment, and I guess Jesse is out of there. Pretty extreme (even if the other choice is death).

Now Walt is back working at the car wash. He's put out the various fires so I guess the show's over. Meanwhile, Skyler is distracted. Perhaps thinking of her life after Walt dies.  Who knows, Hank may keep investigating and she's probably lost her sister for life.  But at least Walt got what he wanted.  At the DEA, Gomie asks Hank why his guys have been sent to tail Pinkman.  He and Hank have a history, and Pinkman's criminal problems aren't for the DEA anyway.  Hank has lost his fight and pulls the guys.  (He's also doing a rotten job--wonder if he'll get fired soon.)

Just in time to miss the fireworks.  Jesse's going through with the disappearance, though we're pretty sure he's not leaving the series just yet.  Before he leaves, Saul has Huell lift Jesses' grass so the deal with the finicky guy who makes you disappear goes through.  While Jesse's waiting by the road with a bag full of money, he realizes what Huell did, and of course then knows that they're the ones who took his ricin and poisoned Brock.  Jesse goes ape shit.  He rushes back to Saul's office, easily getting by Huell (Goodman may need to look into hiring a new guard) and forces Saul to confess at gunpoint.  Yes, he did it, but Walter made him--he thought he was helping Jesse, he had no idea it was to poison a kid.

Jesse rushes out to do whatever crazy retaliation he's planning. (He's dangerous, but this is better than the mopey Jesse.)  Poor Jesse. More than once, if he'd run he might have managed to be okay, but this isn't gonna work for anyone.  Saul calls Walt, who rushes to the car wash to pick up the frozen gun he hides in the Coke machine. (He's out of the meth business, but you gotta have a gat lying around somewhere, just like you need a vial of ricin if it comes to it.) Skyler doesn't know what's going on, which is just as well, but it turns out her house--as Marie has predicted--is not safe. (Of course, the reason it's not safe is because Hank has opened up this investigation.) Jesse breaks into the White residence with a big container of gas. End of show.

So we're finally starting to see some hints about the endgame. We can at least see how the house gets boarded up.  Does Jesse also write all the graffiti about Heisenberg? Doesn't make too much sense, actually.

Anyway, Heisenberg, who looked just about safe halfway through the episode, now has his hands full.  Hank is stymied, but it's hard to believe he'll give up.  Jesse, who could blow up the plan a bunch of different ways, is on the loose. (Imagine what he'd do if he found out Walt let Jane die.)  And certainly Lydia, Todd and the gang are willing to do whatever's necessary to get what they want.

Five hours to go, and it's not looking good.