Breaking Bad
 
Breaking Bad

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Joe R: A- | 1325 USERS: B
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The Gambler

After Marie ducks out, Hank tells Gomez, "I didn't see it coming." Not enough of it, at least. And the only reason he made it out of the shootout alive is because he got an anonymous phone call tipping him off. Walter, Gomez, even Skyler all perk up at this new information. Gomez is incredulous that a cartel hit would have included a warning call. By the look on Walt's face, he's even more incredulous. Hank cries out in pain, and Skyler -- one eye on Walt -- tells him to hold on.

Walt heads out to his car, so he can take a moment and process this new information. Everything he hears about Hank's shooting has pointed the finger more and more directly at Gus Frings ... which means it's also pointed at Walt. I suppose it's progress that Walt is no longer rationalizing his guilt like he did after the plane crash. He's clearly feeling it all. Skyler joins him in the car, and he tries to assure her that he had "nothing to do" with Hank's shooting. She shakes her head at him, to get him to stop talking. She only has one question: "Are we safe?" "Yes," says Walt, an answer which is too kneejerk (and accompanied by too disbelieving an expression from Walt) to mean anything. Skyler persists: "Are you safe?" Walt at least tries to sell it this time when he says, "Absolutely." Skyler leaves the car, and we cut to an aerial shot of the parking lot -- similar to the parking lot Hank was in when he got shot. Is Walt's life one giant parking lot where his loved ones get hunted down for his sins? And if so, are there adequate handicapped spots?

After the break, we see Jesse meeting with his drug support group. I'd just assumed he blew the group off after getting out of rehab, so this gives me a glimmer of hope for our Jesse. Jere Burns is back as the group moderator, too. He asks Jesse how it's going, and Jesse starts talking about his job. You know, the Laundromat. It's a corporate Laundromat, he says. "Lots of red tape. My boss is a dick. The owner -- super dick. I'm not worthy or whatever to meet him, but I guess everybody's scared of the dude. The place is full of dead-eyed douchebags, the hours suck, nobody knows what's going on." Jere Burns looks like he's fascinated by these working conditions. "Sounds kind of Kafkaesque,: he remarks. Jesse heartily agrees, then looks around the room for context clues. Seeing none, he just repeats, "Totally Kafkaesque."

Breaking Bad

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