TV Recap: Breaking Bad – 5×15 “Granite State”

Start lighting your Etsy-bought Breaking Bad prayer candles for your favorite characters. Because cockroaches and serpents are starting to crawl their way out of the rubble from Walter White’s fallen empire. And their motivations could spell disaster to our lead cast.

Jack, Todd and the rest of their crew have taken their wretchedness to new heights this episode. They ransacked poor, grief-stricken, Marie’s home and pilfered the tape which held Jesse’s confession. Watching the tape they learn that Jesse fingered Todd to the Drew Sharp mystery. Jack wants to get rid off him but Todd, who is hung up on Lydia, wants to keep him around to continue making meth. Even though they stole practically all of Walt’s money. On Lydia’s orders Todd organizes the gang to break into Skyler’s home- which is under federal watch- and threatens her not to say anything to the Feds about Lydia. Skyler agrees out of free for her family. Lydia, who cares about nothing except for herself, isn’t happy that Todd just talked to Skyler. In her mind the best witness is a dead witness, but Todd placates her by informing her that the newest batch of meth is 92% pure thanks to a little- or a lot of- help from Jesse Pinkman.

Jesse is still being kept in a make-shift cage, but manages to make a crude lock pick from a paper clip and after a few bad attempts he succeeds in freeing himself. Unfortunately, as he runs around the compound Jack and crew catch wind of what he’s up to. Just as he is about to hop a fence to freedom the others catch him. Instead of killing Jesse like he dares them to, they do something far worse. Todd shows up to Andrea’s house and lures her outside under the pretense that Jesse is just outside and he’s waiting for her. Leaving the safety of her house and with her back turned, Todd shoots a bullet into the back of her head. All the while, Jesse is tied up in the back of a SUV and watches as the second woman he’s ever had feelings for is murdered in front of him, and it’s partly his fault. Brock is unharmed but Jack threatens Jesse that should he try something like escaping again Brock will end up just like his mother.

While waiting in some underground bunker for his new identity to come through Walt starts making plans to get revenge on Jack for killing Hank and taking his money. He tries to recruit Saul- who is always getting a new identity- but Saul wants no longer wants to be in any part of Walt’s schemes. His final advise is for Walt to give himself up and return to his family. The time of Heisenberg is over. Walt is unable to agree with him and the two part ways without any other word. Walt makes it to New Hampshire under the new identity of “Mr. Lambert”. He’s taken to a cabin where he will essentially be cut off from the outside world: no TV, no phone, no radio, no internet. Walt bristles at the idea of being incommunicado from everything and everyone, but is advised by his new caretaker that there is a manhunt out for Walter White and to be completely safe he has to stay in the cabin. The caretaker brings Walt news on Skyler and the family and helps set up a homemade chemo station so Walt may continue with his treatment. With a looming trial set against Skyler, Walt figures out a way to deliver money to his family to take care of the rising fees.

Using some grade-school level of trickery, Walt manages to get Walt Jr on the phone. He explains that he plans on sending a package of money to Louis’s house and the package contains $100,000. Walt Jr. rails on his father and proclaims that he doesn’t want anything to do with him. Unable to get over the fact his father killed his uncle, Walt Jr. verbally attacks his father with all of his pain. And just like the the last and perhaps the only constant champion for Walter White is done with him. After the extremely messy phone call with his son Walt, appropriately, decides to drink his depression away. Sitting at the bar he notices that his old associates: Elliot and Gretchen Schwartz are being interviewed on their new multimillion dollar grant for helping drug rehabilitation in the southwest. When questioned if this generous donation is to curb the mud being thrown at them for knowing the infamous Heisenberg, Elliot and Gretchen deflect. Like a pair of snakes, they denounce Walt and claim that they knew very little of him and he had practically nothing to do with their multi-billion dollar corporation: Grey Matter. In fact, they claim the only contribution Walt made was the name itself.

Grey Matter has always been a sore spot for Walt. As he watched the interview continue on, as he watches his former “friends” and partners throw him under the bus and take credit for the company he basically created and was the foundation for, he becomes more and more angry. Fire ignites behind his eyes and his despondent, beaten self has found new drive and inspiration, just in time for the series finale.

Walter White, when he heard Bryan Cranston didn’t win an Emmy this year.

After you’ve dried your Andrea-flavored tears get ready for the final Breaking Bad promo of all time. OF ALL TIME. 5×16 “Felina”

http://youtu.be/jrLxxnN2tLw

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