Breaking Bad 3x03

We’re in Mexico, saturated in oily yellow, in some “burro’s asshole” of a town. The “snitch,” Tortuga (who ratted to the DEA in El Paso last season), is still alive. But not for long. His boss takes him to the back of the bar, and right there Tuco’s Cousins hack his head off before they glue it to a tortoise and turn it into the explosive device that will kill one of Hank’s new colleagues and sent him back to New Mexico in panic. Back in Albuquerque, Walt has no idea he narrowly escaped with his life from those hell-bent Cousins. Sklyer is angry to find Walt back at the house. “I’m not coming in there until you get out,” she says. “Well, suit yourself,” Walt replies. He is calling her bluff about the restraining order and telling the authorities about his criminal activities. She does call the police, but for a “domestic disturbance.” With the officers there, Walt tactfully uses the children to make himself look better and lay the blame on her. In the end, Skyler doesn’t dare telling the officers about Walt’s drug dealing and there is no legal basis on which they can remove Walt from his own house.

Saul pressures Jesse to get Walt back to cooking crystal. Instead, Jesse continues listening to listening to his dead girlfriend’s outgoing voicemail message. But that night, her number’s no longer in service. He’s lost the last thing that bound him to her. The next morning he decides to take the camper and manufacture meth on his own in the desert. Together with a cartel honcho, the Cousins take their uncle Tio Salamanca to Gus, the secretive businessman, to inform them they demand vengeance. But Gus cautions them that they are on his territory and that he decides who he does business with. After he is done, it’s of no concern to him if the exact revenge. Walt shows Skyler the cash he’s saved to put their kids through college, pay for mortgage, and everything else. But she wants nothing of it. At work the next day, she kisses her boss Ted. They go to his house. When she comes home in the evening, Walt asks if she thought about their talk that morning, and tells her he’s glad he could be honest. She replies, “I fucked Ted.” Walt got what he wanted, to live with his family, but he didn’t get what he needed, which is Skyler’s love and understanding – not that I’m saying he deserves as much. But I’m wondering how long it will take him to realize he’s in a hopeless situation. Everything he fought for, all that he went through to protect his family, is gone.