Breaking Half: "Hazard Pay"

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*Originally published on July 30, 2012

Season 5, Episode 3

"Hazard Pay"

"We don't need to be the four amigos."

-Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk)

Now that we have the clean up work done for last season, it is finally time to get back to business. Walter (Bryan Cranston), Jesse (Aaron Paul), and Mike (Jonathan Banks) join forces with Saul (Bob Odenkirk) to try and find a new meth lab. They search places such as Lazer Blaze, only to discover that their best bet is to take their show on the road. How? By doing a movable meth lab disguised as a bug extermination business called Vamanos Pest. So far, so good. Also, Walter meets Jesse's girlfriend and son, who he poisoned last season. In a later conversation, Walter tells Jesse that he approves of them, even though Jesse wants to come clean about his business. Sklyer (Anna Gunn) has a mental breakdown and yells at Marie (Betsy Brandt) over plans for Walter's birthday, revealing that it has almost been a year since we began the story. Walter also senses that he is getting weak and questions his motives, though not without calling out Mike on what he considers unfair pay cuts for workers who are bribed to not be apart of their business. Overall, a solid episode with an interesting, if hard to believe, idea for a new meth lab. This show is definitely pulling out all of the stops for this season.

 Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Left to right: Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul

MVP: Walter

After two episodes establishing Mike as this deeper character, we get back to the main character's goal to become the drug kingpin. He steals the show by providing numerous best scenes of the season so far. Whether he's looking at the child he poisoned or yelling at Mike over pay cuts, this was Walter's week to show his dominance. He has played creepy in the past few episodes, but his story has been overshadowed by other characters. While I worry that Jesse is taking a backseat, it feels like things are going to ramp up and maybe it will be greed for more that will eventually tear Jesse and Walter apart. Also, could Mike be an undercover police officer? The opening gives me some inclinations that he teamed up with Hank (Dean Norris) and we just don't know.

Left to right: Jonathan Banks, Paul, and Cranston

Best scene: It was almost hard to determine. It was fascinating to see them set up the new lab inside of the house. It was great hearing Walter and Jesse talk about Jesse's future. Even Skyler's breakdown was rather invigorating. However, if anything preludes to the future decline in such a profound way, it was the final scene in which Mike starts deducting pay for business expenses. We see just how greedy Walter is and how eager Jesse is to please everyone. Most of all, we understand that things may be getting out of control real soon, as Walter will just go wild and try cooking out of his limits. 

Come back tomorrow when we recap "Fifty-One"