TV-Reviewed

I recently heard an interesting theory about those body bags which were shown at the start of an episode a few weeks back. It’s said that Jesse and Jane were in those two, possibly killed by Walt. I was surprised that the identity of the two people wasn’t given in that episode, but it did leave me wondering afterwards if in fact it is Jesse and Jane. I’m leaning that way after seeing “Mandala.”

After one of the few remaining dealers gets gunned down by a child, Walt and Jesse are left reeling. They also lost Skinny Pete who bailed on them after his friend was shot and even Badger has been laying low in recent days. The group no longer has the street cred these days now that the ATM machine incident was correctly blamed on someone else. Jesse is no longer the badass the people thought he was.

With no dealers, Walt and Jesse have no way to push their product. Thirty-eight pounds of crystal meth is a lot to sell so Saul helped them with that aspect of the venture.

Finding and talking to the person who Walt and Jesse were supposed to work with was quite an interesting ordeal. It initially looked like the guy stood them up on their first meet, but he was there and decided Walt wasn’t nearly as careful as he was said to have been. His partner in crime Jesse not only arrived late, but he was also high as a kite.

Walter White (Bryan Cranston)

The conversation between Walt and the new dealer was frankly fascinating to watch. I would have never expected the chicken restaurant owner to be a drug dealer, but that’s what makes him so good at his job. Twenty years of dealing and he’s never been caught!

Meanwhile, Skyler found a huge accounting problem at her new job. It seems her boss has been skimming the books and has been setting aside a lot of money because he claims the company has had a slow year. He doesn’t appear to be keeping it for himself, but for his employees, should the business have to close. This is money that the IRS wouldn’t be able to get their hands on and tax supposedly.

I don’t know where this story is going, but I don’t particularly care for it or for how Skyler’s acting.

The relationship with Jesse and Jane took a sour turn in “Mandala.” Clean for some time, Jane found the only way to stay close to Jesse would be to return to her old way, drug use. Watching people use drugs, even it it’s all simulated isn’t something I feel shouldn’t be on television. Maybe I’m alone, but I have no interest in seeing these to shove needles into one another’s arms.

I would have been opposed to killing Jesse off last year, but he’s become a liability. He is no longer helpful to Walt and is only causing him problems. Jesse also is no longer an interesting character. It’s sad that the character has essentially been written out of the show like this.

I really liked the ending. Walt was forced to choose where he was going to spend his time. Either with his wife who is in labor or deliver the drugs to his new partner. Whatever decision he makes is going to cost him something big.

Rating: 7.7