Breaking Bad – “Buried” (season five, episode 10)

Two episodes into Breaking Bad‘s final stretch, we already know where everybody’s loyalty lies. Well, not everyone exactly. There still is Jesse Pinkman.

Opening “Buried” with a Albuquerque homeowner coming out of his house in the middle of the night and finding a bunch of wrapped up dollar bills outside his house, only to discover more and more wrapped up bills and then, eventually, Jesse laying down on a tilt o’ whirl (or at least that’s what I called them when I was younger,) was certainly interesting. Beginning and then topping off “Buried” with Jesse’s whereabouts helped everything in-between set up just why his reveal in Hank’s interrogation room is a big moment for the series along with his reveal not feeling too contrived or calculated. Knowing that Hank has basically run out of rational options in getting Walt arrested because of Skyler’s intent on keeping her mouth shut (only because she fears she’ll be arrested, at least momentarily), there wasn’t much else for Hank to do but tell his superiors and the rest of the DEA of his suspicions. Even if it hurts his pride in finding out who Heisenberg is. Marie assured him that this is the best thing to do. So Jesse being held for questioning doesn’t feel as planned as it might seem on a point-to-point move.

Although the episode revolves around Hank’s next move (or lack thereof), it also finds itself having three important conversations with Skyler. One with Hank, one with Marie, and one with Walt. The former two are generally more one-sided as Skyler is too afraid to speak up when being asked questions about her involvement with Walt. Marie’s conversation ends up the most frantic of them all when she decides to take Holly away from Skyler, causing the baby to cry and the two sisters to fight. Each discussion though reveals just who is where on the spectrum of what to do next. Marie is clearly on Hank’s side, disgusted with her sister’s information and action. Skyler is clearly on Walt’s side due to fear of being named an accomplice whenever the investigation actually happens. And Hank and Walt are, well, you know.

“Buried” is, overall, a necessary episode to happen at this point in the series. A simple thought process after last week’s brilliant premiere “Blood Money” would lead any viewer to think that yes, Marie would completely side with Hank, etc. Nothing absolutely earth shattering occurs save for Lydia’s involvement with taking down Declan and his meth men, with help from Todd. That plot move will surely become of something down the road. Lydia and Todd aren’t going away just yet.
The episode really shines in that last Skyler scene with Walt. After he had just finished digging an entire hole by himself underneath the hot desert sun, he returns home to pass out on the bathroom floor. When he awakes, Skyler treats him sweetly then realizes for herself that Hank was right: the cancer is bank after all. Walt knows their options are dwindling because Hank is on their trail. He tells Skyler that no matter what, she needs to keep the money and make sure that all of what he’s done wasn’t for nothing. Skyler and him agree that their best course of action is to “stay quiet.” Little do they know, Hank intends on doing the opposite with Jesse.

Grade: 4/5 

Loose Ends:

• Huell and Kuby (Bill Burr!) took care of Walt’s leftover money for him. But first, they had to Scrooge McDuck on top of it.
• So Todd is officially bank in the picture. He seems like a gentleman for a guy who shoots children on whim!
• There’s something nicely clever about Walt putting the GPS coordinates of the money onto a lottery ticket.
• Saul tosses his hat into the idea ring of how to get rid of Hank: Send him to Belize. Walt says no and then in a child-like quip, says he’ll send Saul to Belize.
• That being said, I like how panicky Walt became once he left Hank’s driveway. Underneath his Heisenberg guise, he’s still a scared man who had little to no idea what he’s doing.