"Green Light" Review
Walter White is angry… and that’s pretty terrifying. I thought it was really clever how we see Walt’s reaction to Skyler’s admission (from the end of “I.F.T.”) in Saul’s office. It’s great how we hear him yelling and screaming and can just imagine his facial expressions and body language. I think that’s a testament to how wonderful Bryan Cranston is and why he’s won two Emmy’s.
The scene that follows is insane. Walt goes to Skyler’s office demanding to speak with Ted. It gets to the point where Walt is trying to smash through the office window with a giant plant. Mike comes in (I don’t care what you say - he’s the most badass character on the show) and saves Walt from getting arrested. I think it’s pretty clear that Walt and Heisenberg are no longer separate egos… and it looks like Heisenberg has taken over for good.
It’s a little scary now that Mike has debugged Walt’s house. He can no longer save the day if (and probably when) Tuco’s cousins return. Like Mike says, it’s not a bad thing to have someone watching your back. At this point, we see that Tuco’s cousins have marked Walt’s house with a scythe drawing by the front curb. Everything they do is terrifying. They can still freak me out without even being in the episode.
Jesse has a much larger role in this week’s episode and he’s really embracing that whole “I’m the bad guy” thing from “No Mas.” The first scene of Jesse selling (well, it’s more like trading) meth with that young girl is disturbing. The whole thing plays out like a seduction scene and changes Jesse from being a dealer into being a corrupter. He’s pushing drugs on people now - to kids who have never even used meth and probably don’t want to in the first place. That girl seemed so nice, too! I’m glad she didn’t like it.
I’m a big fan of the scene between Jesse and Walt. It comes after Walt gets fired from school, in a seriously awkward scene of Walt trying to seduce the attractive principal. I saw it coming, which made it so much worse - I was cringing the whole time. Skyler and Ted are able to have a relationship because they’ve always been close. Walt and the principal (I don’t even know her name) have no history and she’s so much more attractive and younger than he is. At least Skyler and Ted are the same age and all.
Anyway, the scene between Jesse and Walt in the car was one of my favorites in “Green Light.” We see how Jesse wants to get back in the business and Walt still maintains his “no mas!” frame of mind. Still, Walt gets angry at Jesse for cooking his product and not doing so perfectly. This is typical Walt - hot tempered and easily angered. But it was nice to see the two in a scene together. It’s felt like a long time.
The whole Hank storyline has me on the fence. I miss him as the comic relief, although Saul fills the void nicely. I get why he’s having panic attacks and it led to some nice character moments. Still, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think Hank does serious well. I did like the end scene, though, where Hank decides he’s not going to El Paso. I can’t blame him, but his boss doesn’t seem as understanding as I would be.
Also, I just want to say, it really bothers me that Skyler is continuing her affair with Ted. I really thought she was going to break it off - that it was a one time thing. That’s not the case. The scene with the two of them at Ted’s house was a little strange, considering it was right after Walt tried to attack Ted. You’d think Skyler (or Ted!) would be like, “well, maybe this isn’t the best time?” But nope, they continue their affair to the dismay of everyone at the office.
“Green Light” serves as more of a set-up episode than one with major revelations. It’s a transition, giving Walt the figurative green light to get cooking again. I like that Breaking Bad has gone without cooking meth for such a long time. The writers aren’t afraid to break away from the synopsis of the show (a chemistry teacher and his former student cook meth together!) if the story doesn’t call for it. The drama of the White family is just as interesting as two men cooking meth in an RV.
-MP