If there is one thing that is certain after tonight's season premiere of "Breaking Bad" it's that Walter White is very good at knocking on doors. I mean this both literally (seriously, just firm, powerful knocks) and metaphorically in the sense that he's opening doors which lead to some very dire places. But we're just starting off in this final season, so what do you say we eat some potato salad and get into it?
1. Skateboarding is a great metaphor for criminals. It requires an understanding of the basics, but allows for plenty of improvisation. It can be done almost anywhere but anywhere you do it it's basically the same thing. And finally, much of it, or at least the skateboarding we saw tonight, involves a rise and fall. Rise and fall. Are we seeing the fall of the mighty Walter White or maybe just his further ascent?
2. At first I thought the "Heisenberg" graffiti was there inside the home as some kind of taunt, but since Walt is still out there I wonder if "Heisenberg" has become become an even more elevated mythic figure in the drug world than he ever was before.
3. I honestly don't care that much about what happens with the ricin, seems like a small beans item in the scope of all the other deeper thematic issues at play here.
4. Gotta love those rolling oranges in the street. Vince Gilligan loves his "Godfather" references. Whether they mean that Walt or Carol is on the way out remains to be seen.
5. SNEAK ATTACK MIND MELT WITH EXTRA PIZZA FOR SKINNY PETE - Hank is the new Heisenberg. What? When I say that I mean that he is consumed by ego and a thirst for glory. Notice how quickly he shuns the other DEA agents? He wants to be the guy who took down Heisenberg, his shot at glory. It doesn't matter if it is former friends at Grey Matter technologies or the DEA, both Walt and Hank are driven by desire to be recognized. Walt got his recognition, savored it, and legitimately seems to want to live a "decent life." Hank...he wants people to remember him.
6. I guess it's cool that Badger is such a Trekkie, but it is still way cooler that Skinny Pete is a fantastic piano player.
7. Skyler standing up to Lydia was a cool "she is the danger now" moment but I think Skyler has no idea who is she is messing with. Lydia may come across as a high strung bitch, but she is an international criminal who has no problem having people killed. I don't think Skyler can handle her, although pointing out she was washing a rental car was a great pick-up.
8. Jesse was really getting his "You Shall Know Our Velocity...." on when he was throwing that money away, but he needs to reign his shit in. Honestly, considering he was a mess at the start of last season as well, his losing his soul shtick is getting slightly old and I hope the writers find something better for him to do than be mopey as hell all the time.
9. With all it's zany camera angles, striking colors, and expert production design, sometimes the show just wins when it goes the simple route, like the bags of money dividing the two former partners on the couch.
10. For almost the entire show Hank and Walter have been playing this game of cat and mouse. It's clear that Hank is a severely unprepared mouse and Walt is the gigantic demonic Lion who will crush him. I found it interesting that Hank disavowed his family when Walter is begging to try to salvage his. Different people with different priorities at this point in time. Hank will be dead by the midpoint of the season.
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