Jesse Pinkman has been in high demand recently, probably because he’s been MIA (but not AT MIA) most of the season. After all, he’s been spiraling downwards ever since the events of last season’s “Gliding Over All." So, it was definitely nice to catch up with America’s favorite meth–cooking sweetheart, even if he has gone rogue.
“Rabid Dog” picked up exactly where “Confessions” left off, seeing Walt return home, vending–machine–pistol at the ready for a potential confrontation with his surrogate son. Ever in control, Walt handled the gasoline clean–up perfectly, and came up with yet–another obvious lie to cover up Jesse’s misdeed. While Skyler may finally be able to see through Walt’s painfully told fibs, Jr. (or is it Flynn again? I can never tell) took the bait, even going so far as to throw Walt a line with the cancer defense. At least Jr. has developed beyond his love for breakfast.
When the series commenced, Vince Gilligan described Walter as undergoing a transformation from “Mr. Chips to Scarface.” Yet, this episode saw Walt staying treacherous and once again revealed his soft side. No matter how despicable he may become, Walt’s Heisenberg personality typically recedes when dealing directly with Jesse, something Hank realizes later in the episode. So even as Skyler falls deeper into a Heisenberg mindset, Walt seems to come out comparatively shining. Not a great display from Skyler, especially considering how she had (sort of) redeemed herself for past bitchiness in recent weeks. Seriously, one more move such as suggesting a hit on Jesse places Skyler in more Heisenberg territory than the man himself, though granted her motives may be more pure.
Yet the White family did not star in this episode—no, the odd couple pairing of Jesse and Hank truly stole the day, as did the non–linear nature of their brief adventure. The whole trajectory of “Rabid Dog” followed a beautifully Tarantino–esque path, weaving Jesse and Hank’s narrative from out of Walt’s just passed the half–way point in a nail–biting showdown between the two. Though nothing in “Rabid Dog” quite matched the “oh shit” overload of “Confessions,” Hank’s partnership with Jesse provided some much–needed comic relief. While the situation at the Schraders’ offered up some chuckles and plot development, little truly happened until the end of the episode. Certainly not the strongest episode of the season, “Rabid Dog” suffered partially from slow pacing, mirroring Jesse’s frustration at their inability to take down Walt.
Thankfully the pace accelerated towards the end, as Jesse geared up to meet Walter in the plaza. Walter seemed completely sincere in his attempt to reach out to Jesse, yet Hank’s hatred and Jesse’s paranoia both prevented what could have been a pleasant reunion. Irony permeated the entire sequence, particularly as Jesse saw the leather–clad man as one of Walt’s thugs, rather than an (apparently?) loving father. Now the game is on—Walt’s called on Todd to organize Jesse’s trip to Belize, and seeing as how Walt’s been wearing Jesse’s bomber jacket in the flash forwards, it looks like Mr. White might just win. Here’s to hoping Jesse comes out on top—Todd’s etiquette is just a tad too creepy for him to become the next Captain Cook.
