Breaking Bad: “Buyout” Review

Dinner from hell in Buyout.

As the curtain closes on the first act of the half season, the second act is kicked into high gear; all in the same episode. For the first time in a while Breaking Bad had some pacing issues that threw this episode for a bit of a loop. It’s understandable though as Vince Gilligan has only eight episodes this year and he usually takes two to wrap up a season (see “Half Measures” and “Full Measures”, and “End Times” and “Face Off”). This was the first time this season that the eight episode factor really made a difference as content that in a 13 episode season would have been two episodes was jammed into one so we could have that we could a two episode final act. While it definitely left “Buyout” feeling like the individual parts were better than the whole it also could be a necessary sacrifice in order for the endgame of this year’s chunk of the season to work. Only the next two weeks will tell.

That being said there were some great individual moments in this episode. “Buyout” had a great precredit scene which featured the group of Walt, Jessie, Mike, and Todd disposing of the body of the kid they shot last week in the way they have since day one on Breaking Bad, disintegrating the body in strong acid. The scene was heart breaking with only the music and great reactions from all four actors to carry it. Great stuff!

Then the next scene featured the decision whether to keep Todd or not. This was one of those things that in a 13 episode season might have taken a whole episode of arguing and mopping about (in that great way that Breaking Bad allows these characters to do so) but with the shortened episode frame we got it in about five minutes. This was one of those points of the episode that felt a little rushed as the transition between the aftermath of the child killing and the rest of the episode was so quick and a little choppy. We never got those truly great aftermath moments that we usually get on this series because it had to make way for the back half of the episode.

Speaking of in the back half of the episode we got the revelation that everyone except Walt is out! After getting tailed by the DEA for a long period of time Mike says that it’s time to exit and Jessie follows him because of the child shooting. Their plan is to rid of the methylamine by selling it to another manufacturer in Phoenix for a total of five million dollars each. Of course, due to his crime addiction and large involvement in the lifestyle, Walt hates the idea. Unfortunately for him the manufacturer will only do the deal if he gets all of the methylamine including Walt’s share.  So the problems begin.

Another great individual sequence in the episode was Walt, Jessie, and Skyler’s awkward dinner. First off I forgot that this was the first time since episode two of season one that Jessie and Skyler had an interaction, period. This one was no less strange and awkward that the first; perhaps it was worse. The scene started with Walt telling Jessie that he didn’t want to give up the opportunity to have a great investment like he did with Grey Matter. Then Skyler arrived and the dinner from hell commenced. Poor Jessie had to try and make small talk in between the cold stalemate of Walt and Skyler. Then yet again, after Skyler storms out, Walt tries to manipulate Jessie by telling him that the meth business is clearly all he has left (which in a way is true). Again this scene was fantastic but suffered from the fact that it didn’t connect well to the beginning of the episode and further more felt a little choppy.

The last scene was the Mike trying to force Walt to go along with their plan only to have Walt MacGyver his way out of Mike’s makeshift restraint by using wire to burn it, and himself to free himself. So Mike freaks and Walt has a plan that he says will get them out of this whole (but as we know probably won’t) so everyone is happy. This probably won’t end well, just saying.

“Buyout” was good individual parts of an episode plagued by the fact that this really should have been two separate episodes, but due to the final season’s format was only one episode. Despite this I’m confident that Gilligan and crew will provide a spectacular one, two punch final act that the series has been so great at in the past.

Some other thoughts:

• Great acting from Cranston as usual as he had two semi failed attempts to manipulate Jessie and great acting as usual for Paul at the dinner from hell.

• Saul’s Back!

• Ana Gunn does a great job in the scene in which Marie (curse her big mouth) tells her what Walt said about the affair. Great mix of emotions throughout the scene as it went from “I’m a horrible parent” to “Wow that was a pathetic way to get out of telling Marie things Walt”.

• No Flynn this time. I’m sure there is still plenty of angst left from losing his bacon (oh and his parents too)

That’s just me though. What did everyone else think?