5x04 - Fifty-One [**SPOILERS WITHIN**]

evolving_doors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFwP7S2BkZU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5qA9g1jfqw

shrewdness

*5x04

Can't wait, looks like some sh!t is going down.

I mean you can't mess with Walt Jr's breakfast and expect to get away with it!

gnfnrhead

Oh dear, Walt Jr is going to murder Skyler for that!

Madame K

Oh my goodness! I cannot wait. Who is this Ron Forenall? Has he appeared in any of the previous episodes?

JaMarcus Hustle

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Oh dear, Walt Jr is going to murder Skyler for that!

One can hope.

Paully D

Doesn't seem to be much hype this week?

Hande hoche!

Looks like it should be a good episode. Walt seems to be embracing his role.

NoelJ

This episode is quite messed up so far.

Liam O

That ending was very Inceptiony, sounded like something was up with the watch...

Paully D

Liam O wrote: »

That ending was very Inceptiony, sounded like something was up with the watch...

Sure did, although I think it might just be a reference to Mike's ''you're a ticking time bomb waiting to go off'' comment a few episodes ago.

Palo Alto

God I loathe Skyler. She engenders about as much sympathy with me as Lady MacBeth.

Also, I am worryingly attracted to Lydia.

Good episode though, I was one of the few that didn't enjoy episode 3 that much.

Mr.Saturn

Paully D wrote: »

Sure did, although I think it might just be a reference to Mike's ''you're a ticking time bomb waiting to go off'' comment a few episodes ago.

And Skyler's "counting every minute they're away as a victory". Walt's line about Jesse changing his mind about him struck me as a bit chilling, had notions of Walt poisoning his own kids to make inroads in that regard.

Hande hoche!

Nice to see the return of the Heisenberg hat. Had to laugh at Mike comment regarding sexism. Good episode will be interesting to see how they deal with Skyler.

Basq

Slower episode than usual.. but never boring!

Reminded me a little of the episode 'Fly' (and ironically this episode was directed by Rian Johnson who directed that episode.. as well as the excellent movie 'Brick' and the upcoming 'Looper').

Skyler is growing increasingly erratic and things will not end well for her.. it's just a matter of time IMO.

Interesting to hear Walt's comment about Jesse and the watch.. when Walt mentioned about leaving early to Jesse due to his birthday party - for a split second, it almost looked like Walt was going to invite him.. but Walt wouldn't be that stupid - especially with Hank likely to be there.

Already half way through this opening run of 8!

FloatingVoter

A slow burner but still good. Nice to see that equality of the sexes means so much to Mike. I always knew deep down he was a sensitive guy.

Why didn't the DEA put a tracker in the barrels if they're so sure that's the source ?

briany

Skyler will totally crack up now, there's nowhere else for her character to really go at this point. She'd be more sympathetic in her predicament if she weren't such a wreck-the-head generally. :pac:

I think the subconscious suspicions Hank's harboring have been kicked up a notch with wrongly tying the infidelity to Walt's second phone. Add to that, Walt Jr. could let anything slip while staying, that could easily be on the cards but it would be a little bit cheap.

I think it's endgame for the series now as everything is coming to a head. Walt's completed his good to evil transition, Skyler's a basketcase, the DEA are slowly connecting the dots. It's been a great ride and it's still great, never dipping in quality. I wonder now what the flash forward at the beginning of S5e01 was about. I thought it would be Walt again dealing with some rivals but so far this series there hasn't been a sniff of that and we're halfway through this half of the season. I wonder what it'll be? Maybe something to do with Mike?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

i wonder if hanks new promotion will lead to him maybe trying to protect walt later in the series for the sake of the kids

Faiche Ro

It also explained the bacon thing in the flash forward (for me anyway!) letting us know that it's his 52'nd birthday....

DeepBlue

I have to hand it to Skyler - just when I start to feel some sympathy for her she reels me back in to the hate camp.

I'd like to see a bit of Lydia's back story. How did someone so highly strung get involved in this business? Also they seem to be bringing back a bit more of the dark humour with her character.

Handsome Bob

I'm really curious about where Skyler goes from here. As she said herself, she's too much of a coward to go to the police and rat Walt/herself out....and as Walt pointed out, keeping the kids away really is just a short term solution.

There's something about the way that Walt spoke too that made me doubt that he would hurt Skyler physically due to not being able the stand the idea that his kids would think he's a wife beater.

I don't see Skyler lasting until the second part of the season anyway. Perhaps Walt will get to the point over the next few episodes where he sees Skyler as dispensable but won't do the dirty work himself, perhaps ordering Mike to do it.

Liam O

Paully D wrote: »

Liam O wrote: »

That ending was very Inceptiony, sounded like something was up with the watch...

Sure did, although I think it might just be a reference to Mike's ''you're a ticking time bomb waiting to go off'' comment a few episodes ago.

well apparently expensive watches don't tick like that and Walt was looking at it for a while and had just said that Jesse tried to kill him in the past. Mike can't have been happy at Walt's refusal to shut down earlier on and only really needs Jesse to cook so may have planted something in the watch. I'm probably reading way too much into it but I just felt that ending had a lot of significance but they may have just added the ticks of the clock for dramatic effect.

FreudianSlippers

Sponsored by Chrysler.

Madame K

I usually just lurk the BB forum but I have a question that may be a somewhat a

How did Mike know that the DEA was to pay Lydia a visit? I have this nagging suspicion that Gomez is the inside man given how he's been consistently dismissive of Hank's hunches as they relate directly to Gus' enterprise (the laundry, Lydia...)

gnfnrhead

If Skyler hates sharing a bed and house with Walt so much, why doesnt she just move out? Problem solved instead of trying to force Walt out when he clearly isnt leaving.

Basq

gnfnrhead wrote: »

If Skyler hates sharing a bed and house with Walt so much, why doesnt she just move out? Problem solved instead of trying to force Walt out when he clearly isnt leaving.

Would you take risk taking kids from someone like Walt?

That's just the fuel he needs to snap!

gnfnrhead

Basq wrote: »

Would you take risk taking kids from someone like Walt?

That's just the fuel he needs to snap!

Even the bed thing then. It's not a small house. Sleep in a different bed if its that much of a problem to her.

Roanmore

Lydia banjo eyes

Paully D

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Why didn't the DEA put a tracker in the barrels if they're so sure that's the source ?

The DEA didn't put a tracker on the barrel, it was Lydia. She did it so that Mike/Jesse/Walt would think the DEA are onto her and would go elsewhere for methylamine.

Madame K wrote: »

I usually just lurk the BB forum but I have a question that may be a somewhat a

How did Mike know that the DEA was to pay Lydia a visit? I have this nagging suspicion that Gomez is the inside man given how he's been consistently dismissive of Hank's hunches as they relate directly to Gus' enterprise (the laundry, Lydia...)

Mike will have people watching over all 11 people on that list that Lydia gave him and will know every step they take. He'll have had someone watching Madrigal and they'll have rang and let Mike know that cops were just about to enter the building, giving him enough time to make a quick phone call to Lydia before they got to her.

FloatingVoter

I'm well aware Lydia did an amateur job of placing the GPS tracker. Question remains - why wouldn't the DEA do the same as Mike outlined (inside the barrel) ?
It would wrap up the show in the next episode but its a very obvious move in reality.

alanc2003

Is it just me or did it sound like a gun being cocked when the seconds hit 12???

Paully D

EDIT - Ignore me.

alanc2003

alanc2003 wrote: »

Is it just me or did it sound like a gun being cocked when the seconds hit 12???

This is exactly what I thought. I watched it back a few times and there is a sound very like a gun being cocked just slightly out of time with the click of the watch.

johnny_ultimate

There's definitely a gun sound. I was taking it literally for a few seconds, but it's just a clever piece of foreshadowing I'd imagine. A further reminder that Walt is, for lack of a more appropriate word, f**ked.

Probably my favourite episode of the season so far. Beautifully realised by Johnson, and the swimming pool sequence just perfect - with Skylar staring into that crystal (meth) blue abyss the kind of clever visualisation you don't see too often on TV.

Da Shins Kelly

I thought it was a great episode. The pool scene was pretty intense with Hank, Marie and Walt just chatting about the year past and Skylar lurking poolside in the background. Shot beautifully.

The bedroom scene was excellent too. Walt is too clever and too immoral for Skylar. I don't know where she's going to go from here. I don't know that she'll top herself, but I certainly think Walt would have more gall to kill her than she would have to kill him. I do actually feel slightly sorry for her. I sympathize with her position regarding their children. I wouldn't want my kids in a house with someone like Walt either. His illusion of infallibility and invincibility is going to prove lethal. Just because he's at the top now, he thinks that no one can touch him. It's going to be his downfall.

Hank's promotion is going to be important, I think. I wouldn't be surprised to see him covering up for Walt or some such. He's getting closer and closer. It's only a matter of time before the DEA catch up.

Landoflemon

Liam O wrote: »

well apparently expensive watches don't tick like that and Walt was looking at it for a while and had just said that Jesse tried to kill him in the past. Mike can't have been happy at Walt's refusal to shut down earlier on and only really needs Jesse to cook so may have planted something in the watch. I'm probably reading way too much into it but I just felt that ending had a lot of significance but they may have just added the ticks of the clock for dramatic effect.

Watch nerd warning alert! Looking back on the scenes with the watch, it's never clearly shown for too long, but it's a Tag Heuer Monaco (one of the newer ones) so certainly not a cheap watch. I don't think there's any reason for Jesse to give him a fake/cheap watch anyway, Jesse doesn't seem to have much regard/need for the money.

Interestingly enough, I used have a Steve McQueen poster at home, the poster was from Le Mans (1971), in which he wore a Tag Heuer Monaco.

briany

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Hank's promotion is going to be important, I think. I wouldn't be surprised to see him covering up for Walt or some such. He's getting closer and closer. It's only a matter of time before the DEA catch up.

Hard to see Hank trying to protect Walt. It may cross his mind but if it comes to it, Hank is a law man who prides himself in keeping drugs off the street and doing it in a way that has little regard for the feelings of the bad guy. Add to that the realization of all that's really been happening between Walt and Skylar, the change in Walt that's been staring him in the face and the pressure he'll be under to go hard by both Skylar and Marie. Maybe Jr. will have a word but besides that I see Walt getting the full whack from Hank and his subordinates.


And also,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s88JDxazUKo

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

he wont just be protecting walt though, he'll be protecting skylar and probably the kids too especially the youngest

Da Shins Kelly

briany wrote: »

Hard to see Hank trying to protect Walt. It may cross his mind but if it comes to it, Hank is a law man who prides himself in keeping drugs off the street and doing it in a way that has little regard for the feelings of the bad guy. Add to that the realization of all that's really been happening between Walt and Skylar, the change in Walt that's been staring him in the face and the pressure he'll be under to go hard by both Skylar and Marie. Maybe Jr. will have a word but besides that I see Walt getting the full whack from Hank and his subordinates.


And also,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s88JDxazUKo

From what I can see about the show, most characters do eventually cross over to the dark side in some way. Protecting Walt, may be Hank's version of 'breaking bad'. Also, one of his colleagues was sacked for not realizing that Gus Fring was right under his nose. In the first episode we saw something click with Hank when he heard that.

JaMarcus Hustle

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

There's definitely a gun sound. I was taking it literally for a few seconds, but it's just a clever piece of foreshadowing I'd imagine.

The ultimate foreshadowing - Gilligan deliberately hired an actress with the surname Gunn to play Skylar. Coincidence? I think not!

In all seriousness, I'm beginning to think the first ever shot we see of Walter White might be the ultimate foreshadowing.

JohnnyRyan99

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

In all seriousness, I'm beginning to think the first ever shot we see of Walter White might be the ultimate foreshadowing.

If that happened I couldn't find a "mind blown" meme worthy enough!

Paully D

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

In all seriousness, I'm beginning to think the first ever shot we see of Walter White might be the ultimate foreshadowing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyGxROwihHs

mrkite77

I'm really getting the feeling that they are building up to skylar getting a ricin cigarette surprise.

After all, Walt will do anything to protect his family, even if that means protecting it from itself.

BetterCallSaul

Never watching those previews again! They give far too much information away in that 30 seconds and the real scene is always an anti climax then.

Preferred this week more than last week, which I thought was the weakest of the four episodes so far (Not too many seem to agree with that though).

They are dropping more and more clues with Hank every week, I have a feeling that's where were heading to in episode 8.

JaMarcus Hustle

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

The ultimate foreshadowing - Gilligan deliberately hired an actress with the surname Gunn to play Skylar. Coincidence? I think not!

In all seriousness, I'm beginning to think the first ever shot we see of Walter White might be the ultimate foreshadowing.

How so? Will he be wearing a wig and green shirt when he shoots Skylar?

evolving_doors

mrkite77 wrote: »

I'm really getting the feeling that they are building up to skylar getting a ricin cigarette surprise.

Hmm, there isn;t any Ricin Cigarette, just a vial hidden in a socket + the ricin was ment to be ingested in food rather than smoked. although I do notice Skylar smoking a lot more lately?

i think they're changing our attitudes towards some of their characters..Gilligan probably got sick of everyone on message boards saying that they hate Skylar....

Walter - Protagonist - so far becoming up being Antagonist
Skylar - The domineering woman - now becoming the week broken mess (she's going to end up looking like Courtney Love pretty soon )
Mike - Pure evil, hated him at the start but now he actually seems to 'play by the rules' and you're kind of vying for him
junior - Always eating his breakfast - now.. Walt eats his breakfast

Skerries

He has hair on his 52nd birthday as we saw at the start of this season

Our man in Havana

Skylar is headed for a sudden death in the new future, she is a liability to the organisation.

nkay1985

I don't think I posted this yet but I've thought it for the last couple of episodes. I don't buy into the "Skylar is heading for an early grave" thing at all. I think that with all the decisions he is making/has made, his worst will be taking her on.

I've always hated her character but I just thunk she has more to her than resigning herself to being the mess she currently is and that being that. I'm not sure that she'll be his ultimate downfall but she's going to have a part to play in it, I think. She has always been fiercely protective of her children and we see in this episode that, even though she's all over the place, she was able to come up with a scheme to get protect them, even if only briefly.

She's got a brain and she knows Walt better than anyone. He'll have a blind spot where she's concerned because he now sees himself as superior. I don't have it all exactly formed in my head but I think she'd actually eventually be willing to confess all just to protect the children. I'm sure it could be handy having the new ASAC as your brother-in-law if it came to cutting a deal!

Although I just don't see how Hank can give up field work. The Fring (and by extension Heisenberg) case is his Moby Dick.

Thought the whole season has been top class and this just kept things going nicely.

Da Shins Kelly

nkay1985 wrote: »

I don't think I posted this yet but I've thought it for the last couple of episodes. I don't buy into the "Skylar is heading for an early grave" thing at all. I think that with all the decisions he is making/has made, his worst will be taking her on.

I've always hated her character but I just thunk she has more to her than resigning herself to being the mess she currently is and that being that. I'm not sure that she'll be his ultimate downfall but she's going to have a part to play in it, I think. She has always been fiercely protective of her children and we see in this episode that, even though she's all over the place, she was able to come up with a scheme to get protect them, even if only briefly.

She's got a brain and she knows Walt better than anyone. He'll have a blind spot where she's concerned because he now sees himself as superior. I don't have it all exactly formed in my head but I think she'd actually eventually be willing to confess all just to protect the children. I'm sure it could be handy having the new ASAC as your brother-in-law if it came to cutting a deal!

Although I just don't see how Hank can give up field work. The Fring (and by extension Heisenberg) case is his Moby Dick.

Thought the whole season has been top class and this just kept things going nicely.

I don't think Skylar will die either. I think Walt would be more willing to kill her than she would be to kill him, but at the same time I think Walt is underestimating her. He is cleverer than her in a lot of ways, but Skylar is well able to hold her own as we saw with all the stuff with the car wash and the Ted Beneke situation. She has a somewhat logical mind. I do think that Walt is far more willing to do terrible things than she is though. I wouldn't be too surprised if she rats him out in order to just somehow save her kids, or she may up and leave with them?

pappyodaniel

I'm definately not going to second guess the way this series goes. We got a big clue from S05E01 but it's Breaking Bad and just you try predict it at your perril.

Bryan Cranston is without doubt the best television actor at present and Walter White the best character.

tony1kenobi

If Hank's boss was fired for not following up on the Fring theory surely Hank would at the very least be fired for allowing Walt's meth money to pay for his rehabilitation?

Hank having to explain "but my brother in law said he won that playing cards" sounds pretty thin in the cold light of day.

That might be reason enough for Hank to turn.