Bullet Points

Hank and wife visit the Whites. Skyler feels they need to convince them that it was Walt's efforts at gambling that brought them their fortune. Walter finds out that Hank has been asked to help in the drug investigation. Of course, the guy that Jesse killed, the lab rat, is the focus. Meanwhile, Jesse continues his binge until he starts to anger the big boys. He is such a sick character and off the rails. Walter again feels helpless. He feels that he owes Jesse everything because of his inaction, but he is reaching the end of the road.

This is the fourth episode of the fourth season of Breaking Bad. I found this to be a mesmerizing episode and is back on track after two rather slow episodes. We can thank excellent acting and a fantastic screenplay. The chemistry between Anna Gunn and Bryan Cranston is great and Aaron Paul continues his effective acting. Bob Odenkirk actually has a few funny lines as well.

In this episode, "Bullet Points," Skylar decides to using a gambling addiction to tell Hank and Marie about how they are getting all their money, much to the delight of Hank and Walter Jr. Hank shows Walt the work he was given and he declares the dead Gale as Heisenberg. Jesse continues his ways of not caring, and Mike decides to show him otherwise.

Overall, this is a fantastic episode. One that has excellent exposition and tense lines of dialogue. I get the sense that something big will happen soon. But this is a nice change of pace for the season. I rate this episode 9/10.

'Breaking Bad' is one of the most popular rated shows on IMDb, is one of those rarities where every season has either been very positively received or near-universally acclaimed critically and where all of my friends have said nothing but great things about.

Very few shows in recent memory had me so hooked from the very start that before the week was over the whole show had been watched, especially when for a lot of shows now airing watching one episode all the way through can be an endeavour. 'Breaking Bad' had that effect on me, and its reputation as one of the best, consistently brilliant and most addictive shows in many years (maybe even ever) is more than deserved in my eyes. Its weakest season is perhaps the first season, understandable as any show's first season is the one where things are still settling.

Actually everything is established remarkably from the very start, but once the writing and characterisation becomes even meatier the show reaches even higher levels.

"Bullet Points" is not one of the best 'Breaking Bad' episodes and there is better in Season 4. Still consider it great with a good deal of what makes the show so good present. It is a slow-burner and could have been tighter at times, but there are touches of light levity that balanced well with the episode's overall tone and it's absorbing from start to finish.

Visually, "Bullet Points" is both stylish and beautiful, with photography and editing that are cinematic quality and put a lot of films today to shame, where there are a lot of visually beautiful ones but also some painfully amateurish looking ones. The music always has the appropriate mood, never too intrusive, never too muted.

The writing in "Bullet Points" is a fine example of how to have a lot of style but also to have a lot of substance. The dialogue throughout is thought-provoking and entertaining. The story is generally interesting and absorbing, with the pace of it consistently deliberate but not dull.

Can't say anything bad about the acting. Bryan Cranston is phenomenal as one of the most fascinating anti-heroes, or even of any kind of character, in either film or television. Aaron Paul has never been better and his and Cranston's chemistry is a delight. Anna Gunn is affecting and Bob Odenkirk provides some welcome levity. Dean Norris is terrific as Hank. The characters are compelling in their realism, with great chemistry, and the episode is strongly directed.

In summary, excellent. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This episode might not have been huge but it does contain a very important scene between Walt and Hank! As Hank gets information about Gale's murder and is handed evidens material, we are probably as nervous as Walt! The best part og the scene is Hanks ignorance and how important this moment becomes later on as Walt mentions Walt Whitman!

The rest of the episode is great as well as we see Jesse still trying to cope in a deteriorating invironment! Killing Gale was one of the hardest things he had to do and it is clear how much it has affected him! This and the previous episode shows how PTSD looks like!

The ending was tense and makes me wanna watch the next episode right away!

When I first saw this episode on its initial release I remember being engrossed as I had no idea what is coming. I think on a rewatch it very slightly loses the edge it had to be as compelling. However, there are still some incredibly well written and performed exchanges of dialogue between characters and memorable visual scenes.

The opening is an impressive action sequence with outstanding visual storytelling. I love Mike's facial expression just before the opening credit sequence.

Walt and Skyler's long chat is one of their best scenes together in the show. It feels very natural and is brilliantly performed by Bryan Cranston and Anna Gunn. Cranston's mannerisms are excellent and it feels amazing after everything his character has been portrayed as doing, he can still be very amusing in the context of a henpecked husband.

Likewise Walt's scenes with Hank, Jesse and Saul are also very memorable.

Aaron Paul is on great form as always, realistically playing his character in a very dark place.

For me it's an 8.5/10, but I round upwards.