Walt sitting by another pool he doesn't swim in on Breaking Bad
Photo Credit: AMC TV
A Review of “Rabid Dog” as soon as I cancel that dojo membership….
“He can’t keep getting away with it!”
-Jessie
If the last three
episodes of Breaking Bad have been all energy and suspense all the time then “Rabid
Dog” was an acknowledgement that this fantastic final season needed to take a
bit of a breather to reset the chess pieces. Unlike in previous weeks the pace
of “Rabid Dog” was measured and often focused (or in fact entirely) on
conversations about what happens next. Not to say it’s disappointing or out of
place in fact
“Rabid Dog” was quite the opposite. The pieces are being reset
and the moves seem to be deadlier than
ever in what is turning out to be a
legendary final stretch of a legendary show.
The first main piece that needed to move was Walt’s stance
on Jessie. Throughout the seasons of the show it’s been debatable how much Walt
has truly “cared” for Jessie, as he’s both helped and tortured Jessie on many
different occasions (for example that whole Brock thing that got Jessie only
slightly angry last week). Throughout most of “Rabid Dog” it’s made clear that
Walt does in fact care for Jessie and even as he’s becoming a threat to Walt after
he found out about Brock last week (which on a side not many people were
confused about the events leading up to. To me it worked extremely well and I
was able to follow what was going on but it’s easy to understand the confusion,
it’s not the most cohesive storytelling the show has ever done. Still I love that
Gilligan and crew stuck to their guns on this one) Walt’s still willing to talk
to Jessie and try to work things out. He really wants to fake father Jessie and
keep this relationship going as in his mind Jessie’s more of a son to him than
even his son is.
Then that poor guy (who to Jessie’s defense did look menacing)
had to be at the square to pick up his child and things all go to hell. Jessie
(who again to his defense shouldn’t put it past Walt) thinks that Walt is
trying to once again play him and take him out of the picture and doesn’t go
along with the plan that he, Hank, and Gomez (snuck right back into the fold
didn’t he) had thought up earlier in the episode (more on that in a bit) and
becomes menacing to Walt over the phone. Jessie seems to understand afterwards
how they’re going to get Walt in the end and by the end of the episode seems to
have most of it figured out. Unfortunately for Jessie though he pushed Walt’s
final button and Walt finally ties the rabid dog loose in the form of calling Todd
and his merry band of Neo Nazis. It’s the final step in their relationship
that, from a simple misunderstanding none the less, is going to go out with a
bang.
Really the conversations that lead up to the misunderstood
confrontation are mostly revolving around most everyone other than Walt wanting
to get rid of Jessie. Skyler sees him as just another threat to their family
and asks “what’s one more?” without understanding the full extent of the ins
and outs of Walt’s feelings for the boy. Even when he’s helping out Hank couldn’t
care less about Jessie and ultimately sees him as a disposable tool. Even Marie
seemed pretty nervous about having to make him coffee (ok maybe just awkward
but well). This was again a great episode for Aaron Paul though as he got to
show both just how vulnerable and empowered Jessie can be. It goes from him screaming
“He can’t get away with this!” while pouring gasoline all over the floor at the
beginning to him actually seeming angry and empowered by episode’s end. Paul
continues to be fantastic as usual and his role throughout “Rabid Dog” was Paul
at the top of his game.
Despite its slower
nature “Rabid Dog” was a much needed board reset for the show. Something spectacular
is seemingly coming next week and the showdown may be one for the ages. Boy
this final season just keeps getting better and better!
Only 4 more left!
Some other musings:
- Marie was also prominent throughout the episode as we find out through her therapy that she actually fantasizes of poisoning Walt constantly! She doesn’t even mind having the crazy junkie Jessie in her house as long as it brings down Walt. Viva la Revolution I guess!
- Poor Walter Jr. gets to hear the worst lie ever about where the gas came from. As good as Walt is at lying to others lying to his family seems really tough for him.
- Loved the dual character pairing structure to the episode (Hank and Jessie and Walt and Skyler) gave a cool cryptic structure to it!
- Ice machine POV shot for the win!
That’s just me though. What did everyone else think?
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