Abiquiu

This is the eleventh episode of the third season of Breaking Bad and after the rather slow events of the previous two episodes, the pace is finally being picked up. It's a very interesting episode, especially since Skylar decides to meddle in the affairs of Walt. I was also amused when Skylar and Saul meets for the first time. Some good television gold right there.

In this episode, "Abiquiu," Skylar receives the first hospital bill so she decides to correctly launder the money, so it won't be traced back to Walt. Meanwhile, Hank is told he is allowed to go home, but he is less than thrilled. Jesse wants to sell the meth he has been peddling, but it is going at a frustratingly slow pace. Gus invites Walt over for dinner where he dispenses sage advice.

Overall, this is a great episode and we can start to see the direction of the show. It's a little slow at times, but the pace is being picked up. Great acting and writing are the keys to the show, which is why all the seemingly "dull" episodes end up being great. I rate this episode 9/10.

"Abiquiu" is Breaking Bad's third filler episode in a row, so I guess you can't even call it that anymore, can you? Anyway, this weirdly titled episode seems more concerned with the introduction of an unnecessary character than with actually getting the series in the direction of a good series finale. Here's why I continued to not like Breaking Bad at that point:

As Skyler unexpectedly interferes in Walt's business, she meets his lawyer Saul Goodman which serves for an amusing five minutes. Besides that though, her involvement seems a bit out of the blue and changed some character traits of hers. Walt is the complete background man this time around and has inexplicably lost the paranoid side of his he had just one episode ago, while Bob Odenkirk did a great job as Saul as always, but still couldn't make me enjoy the scenes they shared. The more interesting part for a lot of people was Jesse's arc, in which he encounters a new girl and starts a strange relationship with her, following from his initial attempt to sell meth to her. I personally was very bored by these scenes and not even the aha moment at the end could really impress me.

The only parts I considered to be outstanding in "Abiquiu" were the short but well-filmed meth cooking and, more importantly, Walt visiting his boss Gus at his nicely decorated bourgeois home and the two sharing the most homo-erotic moment in the series together. Giancarlo Esposito is Emmy-worthy as always and was even more fun to watch than usual, while their conversation topic could've been a tad more appealing.

I think this is generally a strong episode, but there are a few aspects that standout for me.

I love Saul's banter with the Whites which is very funny and incredibly well delivered by Odenkirk as always. Having a certain third character in one scene adds another layer of humour as the premise of them meeting him for the first time funny enough. It works right from the opening shot of the waiting room to the end. Plus the follow up scene and resulting "Danny" and "Kevin Costner" related dialogue is great.

On the theme of humour, I also think the concept of what happens with Badger and Skinny Pete is also funny and quite ironic. Their "steps" related banter with Jesse is hilarious.

It has plenty of drama, with the scenes involving Jesse and a newly introduced character being the strongest material for me. The writers cleverly link back to previous episodes and finish it on a pretty tense moment.

All actors excellent as always, with Odenkirk, Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris and Aaron Paul standing out for me.

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

First Jane, now Andrea, tempting them into using his meth. Both ladies cleaned up before they meet him. No mercy for Jesse.

When the episode begins we see Jesse Pinkman and his former girlfriend's museum visit when they discussed about a painting of a door, then we cut to the present. Hank Schrader is starting rehabilitation while Walter White checks on the meth doses produced by Jesse, and Jesse and his friends try to sell meth among the members of the support group without success: during this time Jesse starts going out with a woman of the support group named Andrea but when he discovers that she has a child and is already married he leaves her. Gus Fring will give Walter some advice on how to spend the gained money and Hank has a possibility of leaving the hospital but doesn't want to leave it unless he does it on his own legs.

This was an ordinary episode in the sense that continues the events of the previous episodes, and the writing and acting are good. Not surprises but still good.