Here's the brilliance of Sunday night's episode: the big thing that was "buried" was not the money -- but words -- language. Jesse Pinkman has apparently run out of language that can adequately express the depth of his feelings and last night he did not say one word. The best he can go is in circles -- literally: he is spinning out of control. When Hank took on Skylar in the diner she was virtually mute. To utter even a sound was almost impossible for her. What was ultimately released was a torrent of fear and emotion and very little language. When Marie interrogated Skylar: silence. But when it came to a primitive fight over the baby, all Skylar could do is wail "Give me back my baby."
The language between Skylar and Walt: virtually non-existent. He does not answer her calls. When he comes home: after burying the money in silence, when she interrogates him: he says nothing until he finally breaks and then he can barely whisper. When Lydia takes on the drug dealers her words mean nothing. The only solution is violence -- which she cannot even look at. She needs to divert herself. Violence it seems is losing it's hotboy luster now. Hank can't just go into work because -- what can he literally say? I have suspicions? What can he say to his wife to make her feel better? When he goes to work, his words are halting..stumbling...self conscious. Once again language is useless. The feelings have just become too big. When the cops took on Jesse: words again did not work and all they were met with was stone silence. The show ended with Hank going in to interrogate Jesse and what were we, the viewers met with? Silence right in our face. Keeping with the overall Catholic views of the show, this is a time for contemplation -- even at the highest of stress levels -- this is a time where everything falls apart, where everything is out of control. Who do you turn do? Where do you get your answers from? Scarface is scarred and scared now.
The empire is collapsing and no one can do...or say anything about it. The scene between Saul and Walt? About immediate band aids and solution. Fast conversation. Move along. And yet what was swelling in my throat and heart and soul were feelings that were difficult in the moment to express. And that is I'm sure what the purpose of the show was. I had just watched Dexter which was basically a show of exposition and blather until the very end: too much too late. Newsroom is ALL language ALL the time and I adore it. But the perfect night cap was Breaking Bad. Because that's what we're finally seeing: people breaking, very, very badly. And just like that: I'm out of things to say.