The premiere is to tonight and obviously if you go in this thread and aren't caught up, there's probably going to be spoilers here. With that said, it looks like from the promos that Mike makes his return in the premiere. I wonder how much time has passed since last season.
I feel like a lot of the discussion on this episode will be centered on the opening scene, so I'm curious what everyone thinks what was going on there. My take? That scene is the start of the final scene of the series, where Walter's cancer has returned and he is on a war path of sorts.
I just figured it's like season 2 where half the episodes started with shots of the plane crash fallout and that teddy bear in the pool. I think it's more likely we'll catch up to that in the last episode of this half of the season rather than the end of the series next year. Then again with him having a full head of hair and there only being 7 episodes left they'd have to jump forward in time a bit to get there. He looks like he's half on the run (altered appearance, fake id) and half on the hunt (new toy in the trunk). My biggest question coming into this season has already been answered. Q. How pissed is Mike going to be when he finds out. A. Pretty damned pissed. I do not think that it's over with them either. Almost seemed like Mike took it personally.
I wonder about him spelling out 52 with the bacon. Didn't they do his 50th birthday earlier? That would put the opening scene two years in the future. Then again, the birthday was for the fake ID, so who knows if Walter is 52 or the fake identity is. That was a big gun, and I feel like it might be leading up to a Tony Montana type of ending. I'm going to go on the record now as predicting that Jesse dies this season and Walter goes out in a blaze of glory avenging him.
Goddamn I needed a Breaking Bad fix. That was awesome. I love those cold openings, I just hope we don't have to wait until next summer to catch up to it. At one point I thought Hank was going to find out Heisenberg is Walt in this episode. How crazy would that have been? Just a couple things, even though I thought the episode was great: Why does Jesse's word mean enough to Mike that he won't shoot Walt in the desert? I assumed they were going to have to talk their way out of Mike not shooting BOTH of them. Unless I'm missing some epic bonding between Jesse-Mike last season? I know they were in a shootout together, but Mike seems more ruthless than that. Wouldn't Gus have some fail-safe/back up plan when it comes to his computer with a bunch of evidence on it? Like if he didn't turn it on for 24 hours it wipes everything out, or something like that? Wouldn't the DEA look at the computer fucking IMMEDIATELY? Not sure how much time really passed, but it seemed like a day or two. I get that the van/batteries and stuff are untraceable, but wouldn't a giant fucking magnet be kind of obvious? There probably aren't that many in the entire city, and the wrecking yard guy probably needs to buy a new one. Not a big deal, and I still thought the episode was epic. Seems like killing Gus has completely wiped out any semblance of 'Good' Walt.
My thought was that hank might have already looked at it before they took it out of the office. I could see him having figured out and keeping it under wraps until he can find new tangible evidence now that the computer is destroyed. Though the info being readily available for Hank to see is kind of hard to imagine, kind of like Gus not having some sort of fail safe computer wipe for one of the single biggest pieces of evidence on him. This show does have its plot holes. I have a feeling though that through it all I don't think Hank will go out blazing against the DEA, I'd like to think there will be a new opposing force that'll rise against him, someone connected to Gustav, maybe Mike but I'd think not.
I'm interested in the information that was behind the picture that Walt broke in the evidence room. From the very brief glance I got at it, I was able to make out the word "Cayman" so I'm guessing it has something to do with where Gus kept all his money in a bank account or something. I'm sure that will be a big factor moving forwards if they can trace any payments, etc.
I thought that too, that maybe they'd trace transactions back to Walt. But since he was paid in cash, it wouldn't make much sense since they made an entire subplot about laundering it last season. It probably just opens up another trail of evidence that leads somewhere. Seeing Skylar scared absolutely shitless of Walt was fantastic. During the cold opening, he wasnt wearing his wedding ring...
Could be. I'm more inclined to think that's where Gus is sending money to whoever is above him. Having just re-watched season 4 over the last week or so I wonder if it has something to do with the German Conglomerate that Hank kept talking about last season. I get the feeling Gus wasn't the last stop on the money train. Also in the flashback last season where the Cartel boss kills Gus' partner he say's something like "The only reason you aren't dead on the ground next to him is because I know who you are." Add in Mike with his "Do you have any idea what you've done?" and I think Walt is in worse trouble than just Hank finally catching on.
Yeah I'm thinking something similar. I don't think the Cayman thing will lead to something about Walt, more about Gus' mysterious past, which they've left pretty wide open, and also leaves open the possibility of flashbacks with him in it, which would be more awesome. Nothing about the newest episode, just a general prediction: I think Walt Jr will play a (inadvertant) role in outing his dad. Last season, when Jesse beats Walt up and Walt Jr goes to his place to see what's wrong with him, he gives him the "gambling" story again, then takes medication, and drifts off to sleep...just after saying "Goodnight Jesse". The very next shot is of Walt Jr. standing silently alone in his dad's living room, looking around with a "hmmm" look on his face. I only remember it because I was sure it was going to come out last season. Guarantee they're holding on that nugget.
It is great to have Jonathan Banks back as Mike. My favorite line from the episode is when Mike and our heros meet south of the boarder. Mike holds out his hand: Walt: "What"? Mike: "Keys, scumbag, its the universal symbol for keys." BTW. Banks played Ken Wahl's handler in the late 1980's undercover crime drama "Wiseguy". Don't know if the shows available anywhere but if you have not seen it and you run accross it give it a look. The much younger Banks is wonderful.
Guessing I'm the only one that saw the preview for next week eh? I don't want to spoil it, but yeah...
Prediction: Jesse finds out about Walt poisoning Brock and turns on Walt. I can't see this show being resolved in a Jesse + Walt vs. Hank and/or conglomerate. This show is about Jesse and Walt, and their relationship is going to decide both of their fates. I can imagine Walt and Jesse building up a new operation for some time, dealing with the conglomerate and avoiding Hank. That alone can eat up a number of episodes. This chunk of the last season ends with Jesse finding out about Walt poisoning Brock and deciding to go to Hank for immunity in exchange of turning Walt in. Walt skips town and is on the run, which is what we saw in the opening scene of the first episode. After that point....I have no fucking clue. Whatever it is, it is apparently going to involve a lot of bullets.
I ran across this bad ass piece and thought I'd share. I got turned on after watching this - enjoy. http://www.amctv.com/breaking-bad/videos/a-look-ahead-at-season-5-inside-breaking-bad P.S. I love what "Hank" (the actor who plays him) says, it made me chuckle.
Fantastic. I had no audio for the entire diner scene because of an Amber alert. I'll be sure to watch out for a black man of incredibly average appearance, though.
Don't want to say too much yet fearing spoiler. That may well have been the best episode yet. The opening sequence alone, with the most ingenious use of safety equipment imaginable, had me shaking my head in amazement. The way they are moving the story forward, introducing new characters, and yet keeping touch with last season is simply wonderful. Boy do I love this show.
Do we think that Walt has absolved himself of the kid's poisoning in Jessie's eyes? Will that come back at some point? Hank is uncomfortably close, and there was that scene Spoiler When the chief or whatever was talking about how he had Gus Fring over to his house, and everything was right under his nose, someone he trusted... I believe that was the last shot of Hank in the episode, and in that last second, he looked... suddenly thoughtful...
I think we are done with the kid poisoning. The story was played out almost perfectly and I fully expect that we are moving on. I loved the look on Hanks face but could not tell if he was just in the moment, or having a twinge of an instinct. His character is relentless when he has a suspicion so that look may be the first sign we have that he will suspect Walt. If nothing else it was a terrific piece of acting.
Re: poisioning...If this show has taught us anything, it's to never be too sure of anything. My guess is that it will come up again, but will be a by product of his greater undoing. As in, it will be something that comes out because of Walt getting caught, rather than causing his capture. Remember that Saul knows about it too. I find it kind of weak that Mike is just willing to go back in, with a guy he called a time bomb a day or two earlier, over nothing, basically. Unless I missed his motivation for doing so? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he's going to contniue being a main character, but based on all we know about him, sticking around such a volatile situation doesn't seem like his style. And how fucking cool was it with him and Hank (and other cop) going head-to-head?!
Are we using spoiler tags in this thread? I've read the rules but I've also been through several other threads in the TV Shows forum and it seems like they're rarely followed and no one complains. In my opinion people that don't want to be spoiled should stay out of the relevant threads between air time and when they can watch. Spoilers should be saved for things that haven't aired yet like interviews where they say too much and previews. Personally I try to avoid the previews because I find it more fun to speculate and be completely wrong but I don't get all pissy about it if someone gives it away. I rewatch shows all the time and have never found shows to be less enjoyable because I know what's about to happen. Historically this show has used previews as misdirects anyway. But if we're doing spoilers I'll do spoilers. Spoiler Are we done with the kid poisoning? At some point Walt had to give the berries to Brock right? The possibility still exists that Brock points the finger at Walt, but it kind of seems doubtful at this point. Even if we are done with the poisoning, we're not done with the poison. What is Walt going to do with that capsule he hid behind the electrical socket? I think Hank is going to need to watch what he eats around Walt at some point in the future. Does Hank finally know? He looked like he knows. When they cut to commercial on that shot of Hanks face I said it out loud. "Holy shit, Hank knows!" Then again, I've done that at least three times before. First when Walt got drunk and spilled the beans about Gale being just a lab assistant, then when Hank had him drive out to the Los Pollos restaurant and again with the laundry. Walt is just a completely overconfident jackass now. I think I'm finally starting to root against the guy. Between Skyler looking like she thought she either had to fuck him or he'd kill her, his "If Gus can do it we can do it" attitude about lab location and just that look on his face when Mike finally bought into the new plan I don't think I have a lot of sympathy left for the guy.