Breaking Bad 4x02 Review

Episode Title: Thirty-Eight Snub
Overall Season Rating: A-
Episode Rating: A-

This episode really highlights the two vastly different paths these two men are taking after their most recent ordeal. It's hard to imagine that these are the same two from the first, or even second season of the show. Walt now is a full on mobster wannabe. He talks to men who have done horrible things with true confidence, and power. That is of course until they sock him in the face. Jesse on the other hand, is totally falling apart. He is understandably having trouble with what has happened during the past couple days, and Aaron Paul once again is showing that he'll have another Emmy in his pocket next year. The most interesting aspect of this for me, is that Walt ran two men over, and shot one in the head. He appears to feel nothing about it. Who would have guessed at the beginning of the series that it was Jesse, not Walt who would be emotionally traumatized by their actions. That just proves why this show is the best on television.

Read on for the episode recap.

The episode starts out with Walt buying a gun. The gun has no serial number, and Walt has even got the gun seller concerned. When an illegal firearms distributor is worried you may use a gun in anger, then you are really in a bad place. Walt states though that the gun is for defense. Jesse on the other hand reveals a brand new sound system to his boys. They are very impressed, and proceed to get high and debate zombies in video games. I have to agree that the Nazi Zombies in Call of Duty: World at War are good, but they are even better in Black Ops. This is supposed to be a family friendly blog, so know that those games are both M for Mature.

Jesse then announces "You know what this place needs?" A huge fraking party, that's what! I don't know where all these people come from, but Jesse's house is rocking. I liked these scenes, but the whole time I was wondering, "Is Jesse trying to simply cope, or has he just blocked out any pain from the previous week". It would turn out it's kind of both. As for Walt, we see him practicing his draw. I hate to tell Walt this, but if he's in a situation where he would need to quick draw, he's not going to survive. Although, the fact that he doesn't know this is quite entertaining.

Hank does more in this episode, and this story line is what brought the episode down to an A-. Nothing Hank did really. His purchasing of minerals is basically just something to pass the time, and get his mind off the utter boredom he must be feeling constantly. What bothers me is Marie. I've never really liked her character. She always seemed like a total drama queen, and a gossip. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that she's secretly relishing this. However, seeing her clean up after Hank probably is not fun for her. Specifically in this episode though it was the little moment shared by her and the physical therapist. I have no idea if they intended that scene in that manner, but it really seemed like they are setting up a small fling between them. I think that would be a mistake, and I've always thought of Breaking Bad as above that kind of cliched nonsense.

Skylar this week is ready to buy the Car Wash. I did laugh when Walt freaks out about her mentioning it. I actually was on her side this time. If they are planning on making that their legitimate business for money laundering it would be smart for there to be a record of them discussing the purchase.  Skylar does a very good job on the Car Wash too. She goes in with numbers and facts, but the dude there doesn't care. He's pissed at Walt for quitting, and says the price for him will be $20 million. I'm interested to see how this plays out.

In the lab, Jesse and Walt are back to work, but Jesse has headphones on. More indication that he needs something to occupy his mind 100%. Quiet really must be near torture for him. A new guy shows up who will replace Victor. Mike then appears, and tells Walt he will never see Gus again. This puts a bit of a wrench into Walt's plan to kill him. Walt shows up at Gus' house ready to kill him there, but he gets a call telling him to go home. I wasn't sure if this was Gus or Mike. It sounded like Gus' voice to me, but I can't imagine he would make that call himself. Walt goes to meet Mike in a bar and explain himself. He says that he was just protecting Jesse, and then acting in pure self-defense. Shockingly, he then asks to be put in a room with Gus(so he can kill him). Mike reacts by beating him pretty badly, but I think he got off easy. I loved the "Better Call Saul" commercial by the way.

Back at Jesse's the party is still raging on. They order pizza that isn't cut, and Jesse is not pleased. This was a very strange occurrence. Other than it being funny, it served no purpose. It's an interesting choice to have it, and while I'm not complaining I thought the humor fell a little flat. Then Andrea shows up at the house. If you don't remember, she was the cousin of the little boy who shot Combo. This is another reminder that while it's been over a year for us, the night where the two drug dealers were killed was a few days ago for them. Turns out that Jesse left her a bunch of money, and hopes she uses it to get out of where she was living. Even more proof that while Jesse has done some horrible things, he really is a very decent guy. Jesse's friends eventually leave, and he's all alone. He turns up the music, and curls up to the sub-woofer because that's the only thing that can drown out the demons in his head.

A very powerful, and important episode. I got the feeling that it's setting up more than it's letting on. Which means we are in store for one hell of a season!