Review of Over

Having received the good news about Walt's cancer going into remission Skyler throws a party to celebrate all is going well. Walt, Walt Jnr. and Hank are sitting together chatting when Walt pours a shot of tequila for his son; he isn't too pleased when Walt Jnr. looks to Hank for permission and after he has drunk it pours two more drinks; at this point Hank thinks he's had enough and takes the bottle away leading to a confrontation with Walt which is only defused when Walt Jnr. vomits into the pool. Walt is apologetic the next day and decides to get on with some household tasks; first he replaces their faulty boiler then he sets about treating the rotten wood under the house... seeming more than a little obsessed with the task. Jesse meanwhile feels a little rejected when Jane pretends not to be involved with him when her father visits. This episode is primarily about their personal lives rather than their burgeoning drugs empire but a confrontation in the car park outside the hardware store between Walt and a tough looking guy whose associate has bought gear for making meth shows that he can now dominate people by shear force of will and absolute confidence.

This character driven episode is all about Walt's growing confidence; we see him face down both Hank and another tough looking guy; it is though he now has a sense of invincibility. This works because of Bryan Cranston's fine performance in the role; his character has gone from meek to tough in a believable way because of the way he gradually changed the way he spoke and carried himself to project a much greater confidence. The scenes with Jesse and Jane were much lighter in tone as we see how comfortable they are with each other and how she is sorry for upsetting him when her father was there and her initial outburst when confronted about it.