[Spoiler Warning: If you’ve yet to watch the third season premiere of Breaking Bad, continue on your own accord!]
Taking place a week after the events of the second season finale of Breaking Bad, Donald Margolis, the father of Jane Margolis, Jesse’s one-time girlfriend, is shown to be the cause of the plane crash. As a flight controller, the distressed Mr. Margolis returns to work too soon after the loss of his daughter.
With a declaration of “I am not a criminal,” Walter White decides to get out of drug making trade by cutting ties, burning all his money and telling his wife, Skyler, everything. But his retirement may be short-lived as Gustavo offers Walt $3 million for three months of his work – “then you’re out.”
After finding Walter’s second cell phone, Skyler seeks the advice of a divorce lawyer who tells her to leave “leave no stone unturned” when finding out if Walter is hiding anything, but Walter’s revelations prove to be too much to handle as Skyler decides it would be better if he moves out – despite what Walter Jr. thinks.
While Jesse Pinkman battles his addiction in rehab, he continues to blame himself for the death of Jane and considering it is Walt who ultimately arrives to take him home the newly-sober Jesse, he still doesn’t know that it was Walter who is at fault for the death of his beloved Jane – yet.
If things couldn’t get any worse for Walter, the introduction of two deadly hombres from south of the border may soon prove to be the most severe problem as they’ve got one thing on their mind, killing the illusive Heisenberg.
Review
Upon reflection, I wasn’t satisfied with how things were left at the end of the second season. I felt the plane crash was a heavy handed metaphor for Walter’s life at the time and ultimately, an implausible coincidence. Luckily, at the beginning of the third season premiere, all metaphors were instantly washed away as logic provides the real reason of the deadly plane crash.
As Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul return to their roles of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, things may be a bit different as the premiere slightly touches upon the fact that their personalities are somewhat interchanging. As Walter was the one-time composed leader continuously trying to reign in the irresponsible Jesse, things are now different as rehab and the death of Jesse’s love, Jane, has not only made him more reflective in his actions, but as the coming episodes will show, more methodical in his planning all while Walter, with his life crumbling around him, has trouble keeping his composure during a high-school assembly.
Cranston and Paul’s co-stars also begin to truly shine as their character’s become more pronounced. Skyler’s anger for Walter builds and she becomes more vindictive, Walter Jr. makes his feelings about his mother known – with the use of foul language – and everyone’s favorite DEA agent brother-in-law becomes even more frustrated with those who deal drugs and ends up…. well, you’ll have to wait ’til the second and third episodes to see.
While overall, the season premiere was enjoyable, if AMC wouldn’t have provided me with the first three episodes to watch, I would have been a bit more down on the season premiere as there’s an obvious lack of fluidity in terms of the story. While you may or may not agree, I’m happy say that, as the individual character story-lines being overlapping in the second and third episodes, the problem is rectified.
Also, the return of Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman in next week’s episode doesn’t hurt…
Final Thoughts
While slow at times, the third season premiere of Breaking Bad provides viewers with just a taste of what’s to come as it’s the second and third episodes where things start coming together and series really kicks back into gear.
Discussion
What did you think of the season premiere? Did you agree with me when I said that there could have been more fluidity in the episode?
Where do you think this series will take Walter and Jesse’s relationship? Do you think the cause of Jane’s death will finally be revealed?
Is there any way to repair Walter and Skyler’s marriage? Do you think him telling her about his past drug manufacturing will put Skyler in danger?
Who are these mysterious men that are after Heisenberg? Why are they after him? What will happen when they find him?
Catch the third season premiere of Breaking Bad tonight @ 10pm on AMC.
Follow me on Twitter @anthonyocasio
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I love Brian Cranston, he is such a great actor, and is great in this role. I agree about him shinning through, I can't wait to see what is next for him and hope it continues.
I dont really think that there is a problem with fluidity, although i am only half way through the episode right now! i like how they seem to be explaining things slowly, too. i think that the 2 bald guys are going to play a big part, and maybe open up more opportunities for Walt, but i do not like how they act (just like each other, very symmetrical).
im excited for this seasno!
In the second episode, the identities of the two mystery men as well as the reason why they're looking for Walter will be revealed.
Danny Trejo also returns as Tortuga with a performance you'll lose your head over.
I thought the episode was amazing. Or maybe I'm just so excited that its back on. I can't wait to see whats in store for Walter and Jesse. est show ever!
Haha… there's nothing wrong about being excited. It's been 10 months since the second season finale. That's alot of pent up enthusiasm.
I agree with you about the lack of fluidity in the first episode. I also trust you when you say that things come together in the next couple of episodes. I adore the show, and I am a huge Bryan Cranston fan. In my opinion, as much as I hope I'm wrong, I think that the truth behind Jane's death will eventually come out and things will get bad between Walt and Jesse, especially since I agree with you, that their personalities are starting to change. For some reason, when I saw the two bald Bad Asses I instantly thought they were somehow linked to Tuco, after Walt for revenge. I don't know. I just hope the show keeps coming back season after season with even more interesting plots and turns. Oh and about Skylar and Walter? I really want them to work things out, but I doubt they will. Even if they did I beat Skylar wouldn't act the same around him. Ever.
Great review btw.
Tonight's episode was good, but not great or even on par's with the show's excellent standards. My main gripe was the fact that it completely refutes the ending of Over and makes it seem useless. Walt's mind was showed to be very deeply into the world of crime and drugs, the dull and repetitive normality of being a regular pedestrian Joe Smoe tested his patience. (Stay out of my territory – Best line in the series) and he just refutes Gus offer like he's not interested anymore. Yes, his wife dumped him, but it's unlikely anyways that she's going to return to him now that he knows the truth, it dissapointed me that he seems so disinterested. There should be some sort of conflict within him, between the logical side, knowing it's ruining his life, and the visceral side, knowing the thrills it offered and how it uplifted him from the meek, quaint normal everyday husband/father he was in Season 1.
That and the agree that it wasn't quite fluid. A few scenes long overstayed their welcome (the opening, the gym scene etc.)
Of course Walt finally telling Skylar the truth was great. I would preffered Skylar walking out on Walt as the ending over the walking away from the fire cliche, although the villains seem a little eerie and weird.
It gets a 7 for some great scenes and some interesting eye-brow raising paths it's opened up for future episodes.
It's kind of necessary that the episode is a little slow. Major things happened to these characters in season 2. Surely in their shoes they have a-lot to think about. Walt has become a multiple murderer as well as a manufacturer of death and chaos all for the sake of his family. He may not have the moral guidance that religion could provide but his training surely has made him well aware of the morals that come out of a humanistic ideology. He's committed sins against society that will eventually ruin his families reputation. When his children find out they won't want anything from him, money or whatever, because of the huge stain on it. Not only can't he help them, much of society won't either. He most likely put his family in danger from organized crime and made them susceptible to becoming criminals themselves out of desperation or association.
Walter still riding on a razor with cancer and all the things that has happened to him it makes the whole school thing very understandable. From all angles we are made to feel uncomfortable at the very human reactions displayed and the touch of hypocrisy in trying to encourage the idea that the students have the freedom to come forward to express themselves after cutting Walter off because what he felt was perceived as wrong, upsetting, and politically incorrect as well as perhaps a little hateful for forcing him to speak when it was clear he didn't want to.
Jesse was a walking melt down at the end season 2. Physically and psychologically addicted, accessory to multiple murders blaming himself for his girlfriends death, no family, they've disowned him. He's on the police's radar, drug lords will soon be looking for him because he was the face on the streets, for a time, in the failed mini-gang they tried to create. He's a little stronger coming out of rehab but his admission to Walter of being “the bad guy” is going to be what's going to keep Walter tied to a life of crime. Jesse will need the money to keep ahead of the killers, the cops, his dead girlfriend's father and maybe even some ex-friends. I can imagine even Walter at some point wanting to kill him. They'll be at each others throats by the end of the season.
Look for Jesse to get involved with another girl and perhaps directly killing someone as his life gets more desperate.
Just my impressions I know but it will be fun to see whether the predictions I make have any substance to them…
great irony and symbolism in this episode, truly loved the shot when JP and WW reunite in that POS van with the smashed windshield symbolizing their broken and battered lives. This show redefines TV's guilty pleasure programming!
I'm glad to hear that the coming episodes improve, because I was somewhat disappointed with the premiere. I thought the whole way they tried to make the assassins look like badasses was way overdone — we get it, they are badasses, you don't need to turn the show into a cartoon. I mean the big ending of the premiere was them walking away from an explosion, which is about the cheesiest most cliched thing possible (something the show has used before with walt blowing up the car). Just the whole thing with the 2 guys and how they act like they are straight out of a terminator movie was ridiculous.
I'm gonna guess that they are actually coming not to kill Walter but to try to kidnap him and force him to cook for their boss. I figure it was their boss who actually made the 3 month/3 million dollar offer.
To answer some of the discussion questions in your post, I would first like to address the fluidity issue of the season 3 premiere. I do agree with you that the premiere was frustrating in the way that it left so many enigmas about the future of this season, but at the same time these unanswered questions didn't quite have the “cliffhanger” effect that they were probably going for.
That being said, I am EXTREMELY excited about the rest of the season. Although it is frustrating to have to wait a week to watch each episode. Its so much nicer to have a DVD of the whole season, but I can't wait until thats released to watch the show, it's too great.
Now to answer the other questions and tell you what I think/hope happens as the third season unfolds.
First, where will Walter and Jesse's relationship go? It is hard to say exactly what will happen between them given the fact that they are both in the middle of huge crises in their lives, and that there was very little interaction between them in the premiere to provide hints as to the future of their relationship. However, one thing is clear. The offer of $3 million will bring them both out of retirement from the “cooking” business, but other than that things are very hazy. I do believe that at some point in the season, perhaps closer to the end of the season, Walter will confess to Jesse that he was responsible for Jane's death. This will obviously create some rift in their relationship, but given Jesse's new way of thinking I believe they will eventually overcome this hurdle and remain friends and partners.
Next, when it comes to Walter and Skyler's marriage, at this point I do not see them avoiding a divorce. However, this is still TV and just because a situation in a marriage like this in real life would have almost no chance at redemption, doesn't mean that it can't/won't happen. If anything were to bring them back together it would be Walter's ability to protect Skyler and their children from the hit men that have been sent to kill him.
That leads us to the final question. Who are these mysterious hit men? Well, anyone who has not seen season 2 of this show may have no clue who they are or even what their intentions are, but to those who have seen the entire show up to date know that these two men are looking for Walter, who to them is known as Heisenburg, in order to kill him. This is because Walters superior product (meth) is cutting into the Mexican Mafias profits and it's never a safe thing to come between a mob and their money. Look for this storyline to be the most exhilarating of the season, at least until something else pops up into the story.
I'll end this ridiculously long post now. I'm sure no one has read this far, but if you have, thanks I guess.
maybe I have just forgotten, but when did Walt ever murder anyone? I mean yes he has needed to protect himself and his family from dangerous people who were tying to hurt him and his family, but killing someone because if you don't they will kill you is hardly murder. Also, please don't tell me that you think because he produces the drug that any ODs or murders committed by others who were using his meth are his responsibility, because they are not. Do you hold Budweiser responsible for all of the DUI deaths in the country? And finally, yes, the closest thing that you could possibly think is murder is the situation with Jane. Still, I think first and foremost blame always lies with the drug user. It was her choice to buy the drug, it was her choice to use the drug…. therefore she is clearly responsible for her own death. And as far as Walter not saving her, that can be filed under the same thing as the others who he had to stop who were trying to harm him or his family. Remember that just before Walter saw Jane die, she had threatened to expose Walter if he did not give Jesse the money that he was owed.
Anyways, im just posting this to create a discussion. I would love to hear your thoughts.
I'll tell you this… The two men want Walter dead and Gustavo wants Walter to cook for his own operation.
Don't worry, I read your entire comment.
You have some interesting theories and while I can't really tell you if you're right or wrong, you'll be surprised to see how Skyler handles things.
Nice catch!
I was a bit disappointed with the season premiere… then again, I guess too much information too soon would leave for a disappointing second or third episode. It just seemed that everything in this premiere was a bit too predictable, aside from Walt's admission of drug manufacturing to Skyler. That was surprising. Walt is crumbling and it's almost unbearable to watch (which I'm sure is the point). I didn't like that Jesse's presence was barely seen in this episode. Despite the slight disappointment of this premiere, I'm fairly confident that things will pick up and I'll remember again why I love this show so damn much. With that said, I must admit that I watched the entire first two seasons over a period of three weeks… so I was seriously immersed in the plot to the point of obsession. Can't wait til' the next episode…
Thanks for posting Todd here's my take on the events that happened and my opinion about the law. Just my opinion mind you, I've never been involved in anything like this.
murder- the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought, either express or implied.
The following states of mind are recognized as constituting the various forms of “malice aforethought”:
i.Intent to kill,
ii.Intent to inflict grievous bodily harm short of death,
iii.Reckless indifference to an unjustifiably high risk to human life (sometimes described as an “abandoned and malignant heart”), or
iv.Intent to commit a dangerous felony (the “felony-murder” doctrine).
Under iv.- Walt and Jesse had basically kidnapped Krazy-8, in season 1. He tried to run away from them. They had him bound at the neck to the steel post. Walt just prior to going to see Krazy-8 was deliberating killing him. He had already agreed to do the deed to Jesse. A prosecutor would possibly proceed by asserting that because he was a kidnap victim Krazy-8 had every expectation that his life was in danger and that Walter choked Krazy-8 despite having control of the situation Krazy-8 was bound to the post at the time of his strangulation.
He murdered him by the definition of the law.
In the instance your describing when Jane choked you forget that Walt had disturbed her position while she was in a vulnerable state, in an attempt to wake Jesse. After putting her in that state he watched and did nothing while she choked.
Malice can also be implied when deaths occur by any recklessness especially in process of committing a crime. The break-in for the second time.
The show also very clearly depicts the chaos and violence that people like Walt and Jesse spawn by their actions. By supplying the illegal product to distributors that could very well be sober and commit the murder of someone, makes Walt and Jesse culpable and accessories to any murder that occurred because of their actions. They indirectly and directly played a part in Jane's fathers' state of mind which caused the airplane collision.
Their bad guys Todd, BAD guys… :'-(
I agree it was a little slow, but it had to start somewhere. I know what you mean about Walt. I want him to get back to his Heisenberg self, like when he blows up Tuco's office and when he threatens the 2 guys in the parking lot to 'stay off my territory'!!
Roll on episode 2…
Totally. I started counting the days two months ago. I'm so excited for this season. Everything is in place now, it's time to sit back and enjoy the ride!
I think that there is an obvious lack of fluidity but to be honest I like the way they presented certain details with out much delay. For instance ( I won't spoil ) most people would assume certain events should be dragged out a bit through a few episodes, but at this point I'm glad they didn't. I'm ready to get to the meat of things in this season, and see some real badassery.
I have watched the season opener a couple of times now and found it to be much like most of the sought after openers of popular shows. Slow but full of possibilities. I still loved it. The peanut butter sandwich scene was great!! Half a million in a suitcase and Walt is eating a well trimmed PB&J sandwich. Most of us with that much cash on hand would be having a diferent lunch. Walt is a man with some control despite his out of control life.
I always heard great things about the show, and finally decided to watch from the beginning this week. WHAT A SHOW!..finished the first two seasons in 2 days. I felt this episode delivered just as it always seems to. Seems like a great story upcoming…
The season premiere was fantastic…unexpected would be perhaps the most fitting word. although “fluidity” seems less fitting, i do agree that there were some aspects of the last season that i had hoped to see addressed in this season opener. Walter Jr.'s website for example. All walter's money from his score was being funneled into that website…but there was no continuation of that storyline (in this episode at least). But then again, story telling takes time…and the writers on breaking bad know what they're doing and how to do it. With enough time, i am certain all open-ended plot devices will be tied up by the writers. As to Jane's death…if Walter's involvement in allowing her to asphyxiate on her own vomit were to be revealed to Jesse, that would most certainly be the end of their relationship as partners, a critical part of the show so far (the partnership of these two characters). Walter's relationship with Skyler has certainly been destroyed beyond repair, even though Walter's arrogance will most likely lead him to try and reconcile with her. Her knowledge of Walt's involvement in manufacturing and distributing meth will most likely not put her in danger however, since Walt could never harm her (at least at this point in the series). However, if Gus were to become aware of Skyler's recent revelation, this could certainly put her in danger. Also, the cousins (the two mexican cartel characters) may also be putting Skyler in danger…since they are looking for Walter, who will most likely lead them to Walter's former residence where his wife is now residing alone with Walter Jr. I am sure these two characters would not be above torturing Skyler or Walt Jr. to be enlightned on the whereabouts of Walter.
I thought the writing in the season premiere left a lot to be desired, as far as the dialogue is concerned (it felt awkward, out of place). After waiting so long for this episode, it seemed to fall a bit flat. It was good, but it was lacking. It just didn't have the 'punch' I expected out of this series. The most awkward scene in the episode was in the auditorium at the school, where everyone was speaking about the plane crash. It felt almost forced, and the dialogue from the students was sadly cliche. I understand that the scene was meant to show how Walter was losing touch with his old life, but it just didn't work very well. I expect things will pick up as the season goes on. And, as every episode, it was over far too soon.
Its been interseting to see Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul return's…………. i am so excited with breaking bad season 3…….
“Half a million in a suitcase and Walt is eating … “
“Walt is a man with some control despite his out of control life.”
Very perceptive. Aptly put.
reading the text blip on wiki about a future episode (11), does anybody think it very likely that jesse will find out that walt killed jane? it seems likely based on reading this…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_Bad_%28season_3%29
share your opinions.
Anyone have any idea if there a soundtrack available. There’s some excellent music in the last episode when the the Lab assist is watering plants in his appartment
It does seem that everybody is into this kind of stuff lately. Don
I thought his intention was to try and crash them above the home Jesse was in in an attempt old death by disaster.