(yes, this is the entry that either launches the blog onto a national stage or gets me committed. Right now, it's a toss-up).
Quick overview if you've never watched the show:
Walter White is a high school chemistry teacher who finds out he has terminal brain cancer. Knowing death is imminent, he decides to "provide for his family" (the over-arching theme of the whole show) by becoming the best meth cook New Mexico has even seen. He recruits a former druggie student named Jesse Pinkman to help him sell his product. Walt and Jesse quickly realize that in order to be successful in the drug trade, they have to think like a criminal - something that does not come naturally to either of them. They both have too much conscience. But slowly, over time and with lots of money at stake, they continue to compromise their morals and start doing really, really, really bad stuff. It's like a slow progression into the darkest recesses of the soul, and watching them "break bad" is both fascinating and horrifying. Walt's meth is eventually discovered by the biggest drug kingpin in all of the Southwest, the Chicken Man, and in order to make the big money, they find they have to play by this guy's rules.
At the end of last season, the Chicken Man wanted to kill Jesse (mainly b/c he's a massive screw-up), but Walt ended up convincing Jesse to kill his future replacement, another meth cook (and brilliant chemist) by the name of Gale Beticker.
All of this is further complicated by the fact that Walt's wife Skylar (who just found out about the meth and is none too happy, but swayed by the money) has a sister (Marie) who is married to Hank, a DEA agent.
Jesse shot Gale in the face in cold blood, thereby ensuring his survival (since I guess it takes two people to cook meth) and Hank was gravely wounded by two Mexican drug cartel guys.
All of that brings us to this season.
Anyways, this is Walt.
He separated the two of them frequently, so Walt was left alone in the super-lab while Jesse was out playing hero with one of Gus's henchman (Mike.) Jesse, clearly dealing with unresolved father issues, begins to feel better about himself and starts to align with the Chicken Man. Walt tells Jesse the only way out of this for both of them is to kill the Chicken Man. This results in lots of arguments between Jesse and Walt.
Meanwhile, the Chicken Man drags Jesse to Mexico to show the drug cartel that Jesse makes good meth. (He's now had a few years to practice with Walt). It's becoming increasingly obvious that Walt is on his way out - but is Jesse okay with this? Despite their disagreements - and one very contentious fist fight -
While in Mexico, the Chicken Man manages the coup of all coups. He met with the head of the cartel, Don Elidas, and through a series of flashbacks, you learn that the Chicken Man was once a young man (hard to believe) who had just started the chicken/meth business. Don Elidas, a sociopath through and through, felt as though the Chicken Man disrespected him and shot his meth cook (and good friend) in the head in front of him.
In present day, the Chicken Man has a bone to pick with Don Elidas (pictured here)
Close one, Chicken Man.
With Hank investigating the whole operation - and Walt charged with getting him off the trail - the feds are getting closer and closer. Jesse has shown himself to be a good meth cook, prompting the Chicken Man to take Walt to the desert and scare the crap out of him. He can't kill him, or Jesse will stop making meth, but he can threaten him.
Oh heavens.
With the final episode titled "Face-off," I think Walt and the Chicken Man will finally have their showdown. But at what cost??
Tune in on Sunday night's to AMC's award-winning Breaking Bad. Check your local listings for show times. And then comment on the blog and let me know what you think!
Credits
I would like to thank Deana for providing additional green play-doh and childcare (in addition to the creation of the best tadpole I've ever seen). To my child, for letting Momb play with play-doh for most of the day, and to my husband, for supporting all my very silly ideas (including this one.)