Whatever business relationship that Walt and Jesse were attempting to develop with Tuco goes right down the toilet in rather quick order. One minute they're all about to make a lot of money and then the next the pair are calculating how much they would need to get out for good. It isn't long before they find themselves being followed, forcing them to come up with a plan to take Tuco out.
I'd comment on how there's no reason for the downturn, but overreacting to minor offenses is kind of Tuco's thing.
While Jesse gets a gun, Walt has a more subtle plan in mind. I do so love watching him scheme. He's quite good at it and it's fascinating to watch. I kind of wish that we had seen his plan come to fruition because it would have made for a great sequence.
We do get a scene where Walt nearly assaults Skyler. This new career path was always linked to a sexual awakening, but where it had been shown as a good thing before; it's presented in a much darker light. Had Walt kept his head on straight, he might have been able to vent some of that pent up pressure. I mean, Skyler wasn't even averse to the idea until he got too intense.
On a lighter note, we see that Hank gets an odd kick out of his job. I enjoyed seeing him heckle the security footage of Walt and Jesse's heist. He's both impressed with their resourcefulness but makes a point to mock them for attempting to carry a heavy barrel that would easily roll. His humor even extends to gruesome crime scenes as he poses for photos with the corpses of Tuco's associates after they turn up dead. Even then, the character has an odd charm to him. It's a compliment to both the writing and Norris' performance that Hank remains as likable as he is despite his obvious and glaring character flaws.
Sadly, he's not so good with the intermediating. He does make an attempt to help Skyler and Marie mend fences after the prior cuts off ties only to get a verbal reaming. I've stuck up for Skyler up until now, but I think this might be the seeds of the traits that lead to the distaste for the character. I can see why she'd be frustrated, but I do think she overreacted and took it out on the wrong person. I'll grant you, Hank could have worded his statements better, but it seems like she made a mountain out of a mole hill.
One of the things I've heard about the show is that it's immensely addictive. While I've been enjoying the show quite a bit, I haven't felt that yet. Lost was addictive. I tore through the first season of that sucker in 2 days because every episode ended on a wham moment that made you anxious to find out what happens next.
With this episode, we get one such ending. Tuco manages to nab Jesse and gets him to drive them to Walt's house. When Walt comes out to find out what's going on, the drug lord forces Walt into the car and the trio drive off to locations unknown. Could you imagine if this were the season finale? That was a hell of a cliffhanger.
This was a quieter episode, but it kept things moving. The episode did a great job of building up the tension that comes from such an imminent threat and while the family stuff may not be as gripping, it is still done well enough that it doesn't feel like a chore to sit through before you get back to Walt's shenanigans. It was a very strong start to the second season.
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