Breaking Half: "Rabid Dog"

Bryan Cranston

Are you tired of long, tedious accounts of Breaking Bad episode recaps? Then look no further than Breaking Half: a weekly column that takes the good and bad from each week's episode of Breaking Bad and dilutes it down to the core necessities. Each Monday, Breaking Half will attempt to take a few key moments from the episode and boil it down to one juicy paragraph. 

Season 5, Episode 12

"Rabid Dog"

"We've come this far for us. What's one more?"

-Skyler (Anna Gunn)

Following the events of "Confessions," Walter (Bryan Cranston) tries to cover up the gasoline stains in his house by forcing his family to spend some time in a hotel. Skyler (Anna Gunn) discovers that Jesse (Aaron Paul) is the root of everything and is just wanting to kill him off. Saul (Bob Odenkirk) and his crew is looking long and hard for him with no luck. It turns out that Jesse was being stalked by Hank (Dean Norris) and is now in a plea to rat out Walter and get him arrested. Jesse agrees, as his opinion has shifted rapidly since he discovered the ricin cigarette. Hank decides that the best way to capture him is to follow Walter's plan: to meet up in an open space. Jesse is convinced that Walter plans to kill him, but is essentially talked into it as either way, evidence will be captured incriminating Walter. However, Jesse doesn't go through with it and instead taunts him in order to get him to drive to another location, which he feels will be more fruitful towards the case. The episode ends with Walter calling Todd to take care of some other errands.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Aaron Paul

MVP: Jesse (Aaron Paul)
Now that we know that the former partners are no longer on good terms, it is a fight to the finish. In a way, the reason that Jesse is the real hero is that he put aside his differences with Hank to go after their shared interest. It is a rocky start, but the more that Jesse shares with Hank, the more it turns into a strategy game that is a few steps stronger than sending incriminating confession tapes. There's also this lingering sense that even when he isn't present in the scene, that Jesse is going to kill someone. This plays out for the first 20 minutes or so, and reflects just how powerful his story has become. When the episode goes after the second half, the tables turn and the "rabid dog" that Jesse is becomes more sympathetic and there is this sense that it could all end. What is amazing is how Jesse went from a fearless thug to a player who knows the moves and can easily trap Walter just by taunting him. It also helps that Walter, who has lied to everyone at this point, is almost isolated from everyone and everything to the point that he doesn't know what anyone is doing.

Left to right: Paul and Dean Norris

Best scene: While there is good reason to think that the finale of this episode was intense and full of intrigue, nothing has been more satisfying for me as a viewer this season than the moment when Jesse finally joined forces with Hank. For those complaining that the lack of a burned house in "Blood Money's" opening sequence, this almost makes it so much better. The show was starting to get bold simply by making Jesse go off the rails and leaving us to believe that  he could kill anyone, even if Walter is now lying to everyone and thus shouldn't be a trustworthy character when speaking ill of his former partner. However, now that they are joined forces, my theory can begin to come into more ripe places. We're halfway through this season now and it seems like the next run will be mind tricks and maybe even some old fashioned murder. 

Predictions: I am personally impressed that it has been four episodes in and we haven't had any major deaths in the show. With exception to a rival drug gang, the show seems to be playing slight and while keeping tension and murdering suspense high, it must be saving a combination for an upcoming episode. The next episode is "To'hajiilee," which seemed like a toss-up in terms of episode names until "Buried" revealed that it is where Walter buried the money. I believe that the episode will revolve around some sort of last hurrah in Albuquerque before taking off. I assume that there will be some sort of showdown in the desert with more potential to call back to the show's "Pilot." This could be where Jesse wants to trap Hank, but nothing is certain. What is more puzzling is the final line of the episode in which it turns out that Walter is staying in touch with Todd and for all we know, he's sending his uncle Jack after Jesse. The show's staff has hinted at Walter doing something despicable, and that very well could be trapping Jesse, who has been treated like a son for most of the series, in Jack's trap and killing him off. I would hope that isn't his exit, but Todd is ruthless and who knows if anyone will make it out alive next episode.