Breaking Bad Recap: The Science Project

Recaps

By Saint Clare of Assisi | Tuesday, July 17, 2012 | 5:50 pm | 11 Comments
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Posted in: Breaking Bad, Featured, Recaps

Anyway, the who in the picture is not important. When the frame crashed against the wall, it caused the picture frame to shatter and the photo inside to slide around. Revealing underneath, handwritten in pencil, details for a bank account in the Caymans.

Another of Gus’s secrets! Wonder where this will lead.

SAUL’S OFFICE

Saul is filling Walt in on what’s been going on in the Skyler storyline. Walt is not happy to hear that Saul has been working with Skyler behind Walt’s back, particularly when he learns Saul helped Skyler give $622,000 and change to Ted, the guy who she was sleeping with. (Remember, this is the source of Ted’s head injure at the end of Season Four).

Also, in a callback, when Saul is telling Walt about how he always thought it was a bad idea to give Skyler control of the money, he takes his own “I told you so” celebratory lap. So where Hank was too wrapped up in the case to give a damn about getting credit, Saul is all too happy to.

Walt’s not so much pissed that Saul gave away so much money, he’s pissed that Saul’s been disloyal. Walt’s primary interest these days is in being in control of things, and this makes him unhappy.

Saul tries to turn the tables on the meeting, and he takes out the poisoned cigarette to give it back to Walt—this is the cigarette Walt used to get Jesse to go against Gus and return to his side. Walt gave the cigarette, poisoned with ricin, to Saul. Saul then had his henchman Huell sneak the poisoned cigarettes into Jesse’s pocket where Brock could find them and get a hold of them.

Saul’s heard about Brock winding up in the hospital, and this is the last straw. Even Saul has limits. He refuses to be involved with plans that harm children. He tells Walt to take the cigarette and fuck off.

And Walt get up and walks around to Saul’s side of the desk. Menacingly. He tells Saul matter-of-factly that they’re through when WALT decides they are.

WALT AND SKYLER’S HOUSE

Walt comes into the house to find Skyler with Baby Grace. He tells her he’s heard about Ted. Skyler tries to be business-like about it, assuring Walt that Ted isn’t going to talk.

But Walt isn’t concerned about that. Walt embraces Skyler and whispers into her ear. He forgives her. That’s some Michael Corleone shit there.

THE END

If you’re new to my recaps, this is where I put all my random thoughts and reflections from the episode…

-I hate to say it but I have mixed feelings about this episode. Sure, while I was watching it, I was hooked. This show is amazingly consistent in its ability to deliver an entertaining half-hour of television. This week, they did it with the ol’ GSU, which readers of the scriptshadow screenwriting blog know is “Goal-Stakes-Urgency”. These are standard plot structural devices that keep a story moving forward and keep the viewer engaged. When you have these three things, you’ve usually got a halfway decent story. In this case, the goal was to erase Gus’s hard drive. The stakes were that, if Walt and Jesse fail to do this, it’ll lead the cops right to them and they’ll be fucked. And the urgency is that if they don’t do this NOW, the longer they wait, the more times the cops have to find them.

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Saint Clare of Assisi attended Boston University and has written for The Onion.  He took his name from the patron saint of television, who was a virgin and saved a boy from a wolf one time.

11 Comments

  1. 1
    Nolongerbre
    Posted July 17, 2012 at 8:26 pm

    Welcome Back! Your absence was very much noted and I enjoyed your recap a lot (but that was to be expected right?). I had a couple of observations/thoughts: The “because I said so” part made me pee a little myself (you are not alone). Its just awesome to see Walt so… idk, GANGSTA this season. Mike and Gus were the most bad ass on the show, they broke bad years ago I’m sure, but now Walt is finally coming into his own. It was a trip for sure, I dont think anyone but Gus could have made Mike shut up in the past (and Im saying this as a BIG Mike fan). This is going to be an interesting final season for sure. About Walt leaving the large tip and showing the waitress his ID- I think that was some foreshadowing of Walt trying to create an alibi of sorts. I mean he would have to know that if asked later, a waitress would remember a guy who made a birthday candle out of bacon, was from out of state, and left a freaking $100 tip ON A FREE MEAL. Yeah theres no way shes going to forget that, I just cant fathom why he would go to all of the trouble to set up that alibi. Interesting theory I am shooting around. Sorry its so long but this is one of my favorite shows ever. I’m with you on the hoping they don’t end an amazing series in a formulaic “Scooby Gang” solve the mystery by end credits kinda way.

  2. 2
    SuburBint
    Posted July 17, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    I LOVE it when they have events in the beginning of the episodes that don’t get explained until the end of the season. Like the detritus and HAZMAT guys at the pool in season 3. Hope Future Walt is a recurring theme as well, building toward the finale. I’m so glad this show is back!!!!

  3. 3
    BLSD
    Posted July 17, 2012 at 10:39 pm

    Enjoyed the recap. A couple of points, nitpicking maybe, but they bother me a little: First, after meeting in the desert, Mike, Jesse and Walt leave one of the cars out there. HUH? They’re desperate to obliterate anything that might bring police attention and they leave a car out in the desert with a door open no less. Hmm, guys, cars have VIN all over them, registrations and so forth. And even out in the desert, the car will be found sooner or later on that pretty well traveled road. Second, Mike and Walt were openly talking in the junk yard about their plan to destroy evidence with the magnet. Don’t you think that was a little careless? Surely the police will canvass every place with a powerful magnet.

  4. 4
    lindaw205
    Posted July 18, 2012 at 6:15 am

    Oh crap! I cannot believe I forgot this was back on and didn’t even DVR it!! ARGH!!!! I’m so disappointed in myself.

  5. 5
    timgunnssister timgunnssister
    Posted July 18, 2012 at 7:06 am

    Love this show. Was discussing it with Mr.timgunnssister. We agree there was something…..lacking…..in this first episode. And I speculate that ‘Walt’ is still missing (remember his fugue state?). I’m not certain Walt ever came back – but Heisenberg did. In the beginning I think we saw mostly Walt with flashes of Heisenberg but now that’s flipped – we see mostly that bad black hatted dude with occasional flashes of Walt – the scene with the baby, for example.

    The opening sequence is definitely one to ponder. Why does he need the big gun? Who is he going to kill next? Just what is Walt/Heisenbergs total body count to date? And does Skye really think Walt will let Ted live? Really?

  6. 6
    MrsMiaWallace MrsMiaWallace
    Posted July 18, 2012 at 11:54 am

    Great recap! It is very impressive to make a recap of a drama funny and you nailed it!

    I loved the baking soda volcano best :)

  7. 7
    mjhhawk
    Posted July 19, 2012 at 10:44 am

    Welcome back!

    I’m not one usually to nitpick, especially on this show where the do a great job of tieing up loose ends…..but with the Gus Fring murder being such a huge deal wouldn’t the police have immediately gone through his computer and not stashed it in evidence?

  8. 8
    maryedith
    Posted July 20, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    St Clare! Awesome recap. And awesome other Gasmi watchers who pick up on all the details. I love it when people “nitpick;” it means they’re as into the show as I am. I look forward to watching this season with you guys.

  9. 9
    SuburBint
    Posted July 21, 2012 at 9:06 am

    @ mjhawk — No, the police would most likely have kept everything in evidence until they had gathered all of the things that they felt were relevant to their case, and then would have started actually sifting through it, piece by piece. It’s all about allocation of resources and the whims of the lead investigator. Also, since Gus is dead now, they probably feel like they can take a moment to breathe before taking down his drugs operation, since his underlings are going to be completely at loose ends now that their boss has so suddenly been all blowed up.

  10. 10
    SuburBint
    Posted July 21, 2012 at 9:07 am

    OMG, did we know about this?! http://youtu.be/risBO1uupRc

    The internet is a magical place.

  11. 11
    Cocodawn Nicole
    Posted July 23, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    “Walt gave the cigarette, poisoned with ricin, to Saul. Saul then had his henchman Huell sneak the poisoned cigarettes into Jesse’s pocket where Brock could find them and get a hold of them.” I’m confused by what you say here, as this is not what happened. Walt originally put the poison in the cigarette and gave it to Jesse to use on Gus. Jesse had it until Huell stole it off him. Walt had him do this to make Jesse think Gus knew about it, stole it, and used it to poison Brock.

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