To have Marie (Betsy Brandt) remind us that it's been nearly a year since Walt was first diagnosed with cancer is a bit jarring. This series, and I know my fellow co-writers would probably agree, has always felt like a very long (yet wonderful) movie, and while its timeline is ever-presently tucked in the back of our minds, to think that everything Walter White has gone through over four seasons has only taken place within the span of 12 fictional months, well, it just makes this whole Breaking Bad ride that much wilder.
And not only that, but it seems to heighten Walt's development as a character. I know it's a topic I keep returning to, but this first half of the season so far seems to be placing a heavy focus on Walt's transformation (sometimes not so subtly), and Marie's comments only serve as a reminder of just how quickly that transformation has progressed. Sure, we're only three episodes in, but thus far, each one has contained a little (and sometimes not-so-little) tidbit that makes us hyperaware of who Walt was when we first tuned into the show, compared to who he is now, and I'm starting to wonder whether or not that's deliberate. Sure, the characterization most obviously sets our hero up for a glorious fall, but does it necessarily do so in the way that we think? After all, can a person truly change to that extent in just a year? (Normally, I would argue, yes, perhaps a person can, but for the sake of speculation and this review and to be, well, difficult, I'm risking debate.) What if the season's first scene (the flash- forward, remember?) isn't the culmination of Walt's newly acquired evil and a display of his self-serving tendencies, but rather the acknowledgement of his wrong-doings and an attempt to instead prove himself self-sacrificing (and it was the sneak peek into next week's episode that got me wondering, for the record)? Am I pulling this out of my
y'know? Absolutely. Is this a far-fetched idea? Sure! But the fact that a show can be so beautifully constructed so as to even inspire such thoughts, well, isn't that an accomplishment in and of itself?
If my musings are to be proved correct, last night's "Hazard Pay" certainly lends no insight—if anything, we simply get even more manipulative, evil genius plotting on behalf of Walt that renders my above paragraph pretty ridiculous. This week's episode opens with Mike posing as a paralegal, accompanying a lawyer to a prison housing a Dennis Markowski, one of the "my guys" Mike keeps referring to. He promises Dennis that despite the loss of the Gus income, he'll do everything in his power to make sure his men receive their promised hazard pay— they'll have everything they need to be "made whole," to support their families, and, of course, to keep their mouths shut. That is, after all, Mike's primary preoccupation in seeing all of this out; but despite the fact that Mike's gotten his hands plenty dirty, there's something endearing about his loyalty (as well as his unwavering love for his granddaughter). I think it's safe to say that Mike is certainly a key to this season's puzzle, but in the meantime, he's shaping up to be quite the fascinating character (is it weird to like Mike as much as I do?).
Additionally, he officially agrees to get back into business with Walt and Jesse on the condition that he alone manages the operation. Walt easily agrees, but not without making his own intentions of "handling Mike" known. Finally in agreement to reboot the business, the gentlemen enlist the help of Saul to scout a new location in which to begin cooking again, and after an amusing little hunt (the tortilla and arcade bits are particularly enjoyable), Walt settles on a rather beautifully simple idea. Allying themselves with Vamonos Pests, an exterminating company (who, according to Saul, once bought, stay bought), Walt and Jesse devise a plan to set up a portable mini-superlab inside the infested, tent-covered houses the company schedules for fumigation (a weirdly impressive plan on the part of the writers, so kudos to them); they agree to set up and take down shop after each cook, creating more work for themselves, sure, but ultimately reducing their chances of getting caught.
To read the rest (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/breaking-bad-5-3- hazard-pay/
7 out of 14 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink