tv: Last night the Breaking Bad mid-season finale, Gliding Over All, aired. The creators decided to air the fifth and final season in two installments of eight episodes broken up over this summer and next. This news probably comes as no shock to fans of the show. And with only eight episodes remaining now, and seven episodes that didn't lead to a direct climax like the war with Gus did last year, the show had to find a way to lead into the coming end. That lead in came with a thud as this installment came to an end.
Gliding Over All picked up right where the previous episode left off. Like Buyout, starting with the disposal of the witness to the train heist, this one picked up with the disposal of yet another body. This time it was Mike's. The tension built when Jesse showed up to talk to Walt about the list of names that could be there undoing as Walt tried to hide the body of Jesse's friend (as much as this trio could have been friends). This opening scene set the tone for the episode beautifully, not just because of the growing tension between Walt and Jesse, but to show the viewer that every single scene could be that moment where everything comes crashing down. Which is what everyone is waiting for.
From there Walt heads to see Lydia, one of the season new and best characters, to obtain the list he could not get from Mike. Lydia show's not only why she is a riveting character but, for the first time, why she was involved in the business begun by Gus Fring. She continues her usefulness by giving yet another thrilling and dangerous plan, this time to traffic overseas, while playing Walt beautifully. She pitches not just to him, but to his only weak points: his desire to build his empire, and his ego, stating that no one in the Czech Republic has ever seen anything like what he's making. How can Walt not buy into what she is selling. After all she is selling his drug: power. (I would love to see her pitch this same idea to Gus, which she says she did. I want to see her play Gus and find out what his weakness was. I am sure she found it and that is how she got him to sign off on Prague.)
From there Walt heads out to take care of the problem of the now ten people in prison who could bring about his demise. All there is to say about that sequence is that Walt standing at the window watching the clock tick down(the clock ticking down to the end of it all) on his perfectly executed plan, looking like the kingpin of Albuquerque, while the montage of death plays, is one of the most awesome and chilling things anyone could hope to see.
News of Walt's hit reaches Hank quickly, though he of course has no idea who could have pulled off such a bold move. Hank comes home to find Walt in the living room playing with his baby daughter. It is hard to believe this is at all genuine. To think that Walt cares for anyone, even his baby girl, is almost absurd at this point, not to mention the fact that we have seen him use his family to get close to Hank in previous episodes. Walt is simply there to gloat and enjoy his victory and let the unending appetite of his ego be fed. Hank comes in, pours them both a drink. Then he pours himself a second very quickly and starts talking of better, simpler times when he didn't have to chase monsters. And in that moment staring into the face of the very monster he is chasing, he becomes first person to truly alert Walt to what he has become. Skylar knew it but was too afraid. Mike knew it but only described it. Hank looked him in the eye and told Walt the truth. And in that moment not only did Walt possibly have to accept himself, but he saw his adversary. A man that if he only knew, would hate him and do anything to stop him.
In the wake of all of that comes a "life is good in the drug game montage" that puts Walt in a position where he can cut ties with Jesse, by giving him his five million he was owed from Buyout, and just walk away with untold millions. Aaron Paul gives a chilling performance in this scene as their seemingly awkward friendship and reminiscing is underscored by the fact that when Walt leaves he collapses on the floor and pulls a gun out his pocket in relief of not having to use it against what he thought was coming, showing that he is also aware of the monster in his presence. Walt decides to take the option to walk away and rebuild his family. The kids move home, he has a cookout. And then in the final seconds everything changes. Hank goes to the bathroom and is given his proof of who Heisenberg really is.
For a show that seems to have such an inevitable end, the question of how they would get there has remained as long as possible. But now that Hank knows, and Walt has gone to a frighteningly dark place, the showdown between these two brothers is on. I have no idea how exactly this is going to play out over the final eight episodes but I do know one thing. Nothing will end well for anyone. Breaking Bad has shown time and time again that all of the actions of its main character have horrifying consequences, not just for him but for everyone involved in the world around him. And as this investigation plays itself out, the movies referenced in the earlier episodes of this season, Heat and Scarface, come to mind. Can Walt walk away once that heat comes around the corner? And believe me it will. And if not, will that blaze of glory with the weapon in the back of his Volvo in the flash forward of Live Free Or Die be his little friend. I would have to bet on the latter. And when Walt makes that terrible decision, as is always the case, everyone in his life will suffer for it. No one is getting out alive.
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