-The cold open w/ Walt selling the Aztek (RIP) was great and really parallels Gus's hide in plain sight attitude and Walt's IDGAF attitude. The dubstep music being played highlights Walt high on life and on a victory lap now that he's in charge. The fact Jr. got his Charger back is also a slap in the face to Skyler's worries from season 4.
-I hope Gomez isn't a mole for Mike, I feel it's a tired trope of an inside man in a law enforcement agency helping the criminal not to mention Merkert, Hank's old boss was fired and he was long suspected of working for Gus. I also like the Gomez/Hank dynamic so I hope that doesn't change. Good for Hank on his promotion, he got over his PTSD and the fact he wouldn't go to El Paso because of what happened to Tortuga in season 2.
-Lydia is really rattled and all it takes for her to break is just to sit in an interrogation room. I kinda like her nervousness, it's oddly attractive.
-We all knew Marie was gonna tell Hank so no surprise there. Hank still remembers Walt's second cell phone, this might be the start of Hank gathering the mental clues and putting them together.
-In the first episode Walt was genuinely surprised at his 50th birthday party. Here, King Walt is expecting a big party (he checks himself in the car mirror) and only sees Jr. watching TV and Skyler making a quiet dinner. Great reversal. This episode had a lot of continuity and callbacks btw.
-Awkward birthday dinner. Liked Marie's meta joke commenting on how long it's been. I felt Walt was talking about the drug trade/family/cancer in his speech while Marie and Hank only assumed he was talking about his family/cancer. Some people here feel it's implausible that all this would happen in exactly one year and there has only been two time jumps in the show (Walt's operation and Jesse in rehab). Have to refresh my memory.
-I didn't talk about Skyler last week so here it goes: With her family there it was obvious Skyler wasn't going to commit that but it was a cry for help from a confused and trapped woman. I've watched seasons 1-4 three times and by second watch I sympathized with Skyler a lot more.
I was surprised at Walt turning Heisenberg right in front of her and that bedroom scene was excellent yet disturbing. I liked that she owned up to the fact that she is an accomplice but doesn't want her children there which is understandable IMO, they were directly threatened by Gus only a few weeks before, the twins sat on their bed while Walt was in the shower and Tuco kidnapped him in front of his own home. Danger has already been to their doorstep and to think she only knows about Gus. She also mentioned that she won't snitch (you conveniently forgot this) but just wants the kids out of an environment that hasn't been safe since season 1. Saul mentioned that Walt should be happy he's alive, if not for the hazard pay Mike would be gone, and Skyler was
at him resuming his meth business, Walt is pushing his luck and everyone but him seems to know it.
-Jesse getting Walt the watch was awwww, in a fukked up way Jesse is Walt's only ally and short of Jr. and Holly he is probably the person closest to him. So for Walt to show off the watch as a "trophy" to Skyler instead of a genuine (at least to Jesse) token of friendship was
to me. Walt is crazy good and rationalizing and creating a alternate reality. His decision to keep the meth flowing and nothing stops this train was a direct response to Skyler sonning him the night before.
Time is ticking, Walt. The boom is coming.
Good ep 3>2>4>1
@ the car scene. Walt and Junior were shinin'
