AMC’s Breaking Bad
Season 4, Episode 2: “Thirty-Eight Snub”
Directed by Michelle MacLaren
Written by George Mastras

* For a recap & review of the Season 4 premiere, “Box Cutter” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Open House” – click here
We find Walter White (Bryan Cranston) out shopping for weaponry. He meets a man called Lawson (Jim Beaver) in a motel room, where they look through a bunch of merchandise. Lawson knows guns and what’s best for which job. There’s “no substitute” for a snub-nosed handgun. This is Walt’s method of remaining safe in a post-Gale landscape, unsure of what Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) will do.
In a bar, Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) sits reading a paper and having a coffee by himself. Things have changed for him, as well. Seeing Victor die was a shock, and one that illustrated he’s not necessarily 100% safe just because he works for Fring.
At home, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) does his best to fill the dark hole in his soul with materialism. He’s invited Skinny Pete (Charles Baker) and Badger (Matt Jones) over to his place to hang and check out the new sound system. He discovers his buddies have been clean for a bit, actually going to meetings where Andrea (Emily Rios) continues wondering where Jesse’s been.
Rather than be a good friend, Jesse’s pulling his friends back into the lifestyle and keeping them stuck in a cycle of addiction and drug abuse. He’s becoming lonelier by the day, which only makes him more dangerous to himself and others. He fills his house with people partying non-stop just so he doesn’t have to be lonely and feel all the the emotions pent up inside him, like the guilt of murder.
Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) does nothing other than examine minerals, buy new ones online, repeat process. He’s another person not entirely dealing with his emotions. He’s putting them all into those goddamn minerals. In the middle of the night, Marie (Betsy Brandt) wakes to her husband “looking at a rock” at 2:30 am. She continues to be there for him while he goes on pushing her away. His physical therapy goes pretty well during the days, not enough to make Hank happy with himself more than momentarily.
Leaving the partiers to party, Jesse goes back to the lab to work. He and Walt put in the hours, as if nothing ever happened. Walt says nothing to his partner about the new purchase of his at the motel, he only tucks it inside his jacket in its holster. He’s hoping to get a shot at Gus. But he won’t be seeing the boss anymore. Plus, there’s a new henchmen, Tyrus (Ray Campbell), along with Mike to enforce the “new policy.”
Over at the car wash, Skyler (Anna Gunn) is paying attention to all the various comings and goings. She’s marking down various waxes and washes, figuring out the place’s finances. Got to give it to her— she puts in the work. When she meets with owner Bogdan (Marius Stan), she sticks it to the cranky, furry browed asshole on a potential price for the business.
Andrea goes to see Jesse, wondering why he hasn’t been around. She asks about the big stack of money dropped in her mailbox. She knows it was him, but she also realises there was some connection between her brother’s killers and Jesse. All she cares about is if the money’s going to cause problems. He wants it to be penance for what happened to Tomas. It won’t bring him back, but it could help keep Brock out of a neighbourhood crippled by drugs and gang violence. It’s not nothing.
We’re witnessing Walt go for broke. He’s headed to Gus’s house, prepared to do the worst. He gets into Heisenberg persona with his hat on and gets out of the car to get the job done. Right as he crosses the street, he receives a call on his cell— it’s Tyrus, watching from somewhere nearby. Tyrus advises Walter to “go home.” Shit, they run a tight operation.
Oh, and we get the “Better Call Saul” phrase here in this episode, while Mike sees the ad on TV sitting in a bar. Walt soon shows up to talk, wanting to explain himself about what’s occurred in the last little while. He does his explaining, though it doesn’t do much. Mike isn’t interested in it, preferring not to involve himself with Walt’s scheming. The hitman stresses he should “take yes for an answer.” This doesn’t settle the chemist’s worries. Then, Mike beats the shit out of Walt a little before leaving.
At Jesse’s place the party has finally stopped. Even Badger and Skinny P need a break. This means Jesse has to be alone for the first time in days. It’s just him and his thoughts, his guilt, his conscience, and all those bad memories. He turns the music up loud in hopes it’ll drown everything out. But nothing can make it all go away.

Another solid episode. So many characters juggled so well with expert writing. Like always, pacing is the key to much of Breaking Bad‘s success. We’re never inundated with expository dialogue, instead everything comes out in time.
“Open House” is next time.