WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.940 You know, there is a specific kind of nightmare 00:00:02.940 --> 00:00:05.860 that, well, I think everyone has had it at least 00:00:05.860 --> 00:00:08.349 once. Oh yeah. I know the one. Right. It isn't 00:00:08.349 --> 00:00:10.849 the one where you're falling or the one where 00:00:10.849 --> 00:00:12.529 you show up to work and you realize you forgot 00:00:12.529 --> 00:00:14.669 to wear pants. Thankfully. Yeah, thankfully. 00:00:14.970 --> 00:00:17.850 But no, it's the nightmare of just total absolute 00:00:17.850 --> 00:00:21.469 powerlessness. You are cornered. The walls are 00:00:21.469 --> 00:00:23.829 physically closing in on you. There is literally 00:00:23.829 --> 00:00:27.469 a gun pointed at your head and the clock has 00:00:27.469 --> 00:00:30.550 just run out. And most people in that scenario, 00:00:30.550 --> 00:00:34.810 they freeze. Yeah, they do. It's the classic 00:00:34.810 --> 00:00:38.090 fight, flight, or freeze response. And biology 00:00:38.090 --> 00:00:40.070 pretty much dictates that when the barrel of 00:00:40.070 --> 00:00:42.429 a suppressor is pressed against your forehead, 00:00:42.590 --> 00:00:45.070 you freeze. You just surrender to the inevitable. 00:00:45.530 --> 00:00:47.590 The brain shuts down the strategic centers and 00:00:47.590 --> 00:00:50.030 goes into pure panic mode. Exactly, the logic 00:00:50.030 --> 00:00:52.229 centers just check out. But then there are those 00:00:52.229 --> 00:00:54.929 rare, terrifying moments in fiction, and I guess 00:00:54.929 --> 00:00:57.649 maybe in history too, where someone doesn't freeze, 00:00:57.649 --> 00:00:59.789 they don't just panic, they think. They calculate. 00:00:59.950 --> 00:01:04.569 Yes, they calculate. of a single desperate breath, 00:01:04.769 --> 00:01:08.409 they flip the entire board. It is the ultimate 00:01:08.409 --> 00:01:11.650 leverage play. It's like judo, you know, using 00:01:11.650 --> 00:01:13.590 the opponent's weight and momentum against them 00:01:13.590 --> 00:01:16.849 to just snap their neck. And that brings us to 00:01:16.849 --> 00:01:20.409 today. Welcome back to the Deep Dive. Today we 00:01:20.409 --> 00:01:22.090 are not just talking about a television show. 00:01:22.170 --> 00:01:25.909 We are dissecting a total master class in narrative 00:01:25.909 --> 00:01:28.469 tension, strategic game theory, and psychological 00:01:28.469 --> 00:01:31.829 horror. We are looking at full measure the season 00:01:31.829 --> 00:01:34.530 three finale of the American crime drama Breaking 00:01:34.530 --> 00:01:37.739 Bad. This is a big one. It really is. For anyone 00:01:37.739 --> 00:01:40.000 keeping track, it is the 13th episode of the 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:43.180 third season, episode 33 overall. And for the 00:01:43.180 --> 00:01:45.280 listener who really follows the industry, the 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:47.180 credits here tell you everything you need to 00:01:47.180 --> 00:01:50.099 know before the screen even fades in. It was 00:01:50.099 --> 00:01:52.239 written and directed by the show's creator, Vince 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:54.079 Killigan. And that is always a signal, right? 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:55.959 I mean, in TV production, when the creator steps 00:01:55.959 --> 00:01:57.480 out of the writer's room and actually gets behind 00:01:57.480 --> 00:01:59.599 the camera for a finale, they aren't just making 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:01.900 an episode. They are laying down a thesis statement. 00:02:02.219 --> 00:02:04.379 They are saying to you, the audience, this is 00:02:04.379 --> 00:02:08.620 exactly how I see this world. 100%. This originally 00:02:08.620 --> 00:02:11.699 aired back on June 13th, 2010. It's been well 00:02:11.699 --> 00:02:14.719 over a decade now. And our mission today is to 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:18.520 unpack why 15 years later, critics and fans still 00:02:18.520 --> 00:02:21.159 point to this specific hour as the pivot point. 00:02:21.710 --> 00:02:24.590 The moment the show stopped being a quirkily 00:02:24.590 --> 00:02:28.050 dark drama and just fully became a tragedy of 00:02:28.050 --> 00:02:29.810 Shakespearean proportions. Yeah, we're going 00:02:29.810 --> 00:02:32.030 to look at the character shifts, the visual language, 00:02:32.150 --> 00:02:34.629 those incredible strategic chess moves between 00:02:34.629 --> 00:02:37.169 Walt and Gus, and of course that ending. The 00:02:37.169 --> 00:02:39.569 ending that left fans debating for years. Oh, 00:02:39.590 --> 00:02:41.550 the message boards were on fire. They really 00:02:41.550 --> 00:02:43.669 were. We have a ton of sources to get through 00:02:43.669 --> 00:02:45.650 today. We're looking at contemporary reviews 00:02:45.650 --> 00:02:48.629 from the AV Club and IGN, retrospectives from 00:02:48.629 --> 00:02:50.930 The Ringer and Vulture, and even some recent 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:53.539 2025 analysis from Metro. We want to give you 00:02:53.539 --> 00:02:56.000 the complete picture, but before we get to the 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:57.740 gunfire and the panic, we actually have to start 00:02:57.740 --> 00:02:59.860 of all places with a real estate listing. It 00:02:59.860 --> 00:03:01.939 is probably the most disarming cold open in the 00:03:01.939 --> 00:03:04.860 history of the show. It really is jarring. So 00:03:04.860 --> 00:03:07.319 you start the episode and you're bracing for 00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:10.539 impact because of how the previous episode, Half 00:03:10.539 --> 00:03:13.020 Measures, ended with that explosive violence. 00:03:13.139 --> 00:03:15.879 You're expecting a media fallout, sirens, running, 00:03:16.340 --> 00:03:21.069 panic. But instead. We are transported back to 00:03:21.069 --> 00:03:24.689 1993. The contrast is brilliant. It's insane. 00:03:24.810 --> 00:03:26.849 The lighting is completely different. It's warm. 00:03:27.009 --> 00:03:31.150 It's golden. It's almost hazy. And we see a much 00:03:31.150 --> 00:03:34.490 younger Walter White and a very pregnant Schuyler. 00:03:34.569 --> 00:03:37.169 And this scene is vital. I mean, it's not just 00:03:37.169 --> 00:03:38.849 filler to pad the runtime. We really need to 00:03:38.849 --> 00:03:41.330 look at the visual storytelling here. The makeup 00:03:41.330 --> 00:03:43.650 department did an incredible job making Bryan 00:03:43.650 --> 00:03:46.610 Cranston look softer, less jagged. He's wearing 00:03:46.610 --> 00:03:48.960 this slightly oversized leather jacket. He has 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:51.439 more hair. His posture is entirely different. 00:03:51.539 --> 00:03:53.340 He looks, well, he looks hopeful. He looks like 00:03:53.340 --> 00:03:55.000 a man who hasn't been beaten down by the world 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:57.340 yet. They are touring a house with a realtor. 00:03:57.520 --> 00:03:59.319 And if you're a fan watching this, you recognize 00:03:59.319 --> 00:04:01.120 the hallway immediately. Oh yeah, instantly. 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:02.919 It's the White Residence. It's the house we've 00:04:02.919 --> 00:04:05.139 spent three seasons in. But it's completely empty. 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:07.879 It's a blank canvas for them. And this is where 00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:10.500 we get the core psychological insight of the 00:04:10.500 --> 00:04:13.500 entire series, honestly hidden in what feels 00:04:13.500 --> 00:04:16.600 like a throwaway line. Walt is walking through 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:19.129 this perfectly adequate three -bedroom home. 00:04:19.389 --> 00:04:21.529 It has a pool. It's in a decent neighborhood. 00:04:22.509 --> 00:04:25.110 And he's hesitant. But not for the reasons you'd 00:04:25.110 --> 00:04:27.129 think. Right. Not because it's too expensive 00:04:27.129 --> 00:04:29.490 or because he's worried about making the mortgage 00:04:29.490 --> 00:04:31.930 payments. He's hesitant because he thinks it's 00:04:31.930 --> 00:04:34.670 not enough. He literally calls it a starter house. 00:04:34.990 --> 00:04:38.129 That phrase is doing so much heavy lifting. Starter 00:04:38.129 --> 00:04:42.029 house. You have to remember, in 1993, Walter 00:04:42.029 --> 00:04:44.490 White is working at the prestigious Sandia Laboratory. 00:04:44.889 --> 00:04:47.810 He is a crystallized genius. He thinks he is 00:04:47.810 --> 00:04:50.069 on the direct trajectory to be a billionaire, 00:04:50.370 --> 00:04:52.810 a Nobel laureate, an absolute titan of industry. 00:04:53.290 --> 00:04:55.850 He genuinely sees this house as a temporary station 00:04:55.850 --> 00:04:58.449 on his way to a mansion. He worries they aren't 00:04:58.449 --> 00:05:00.170 setting their sights high enough. It's honestly 00:05:00.170 --> 00:05:02.170 heartbreaking when you contrast it with the present 00:05:02.170 --> 00:05:04.290 timeline, because we know as the audience watching 00:05:04.290 --> 00:05:07.250 that he never leaves this house, this so -called 00:05:07.250 --> 00:05:09.879 starter house, becomes his cave. His prison. 00:05:10.379 --> 00:05:12.540 Exactly. It becomes the place where he hides 00:05:12.540 --> 00:05:14.639 drug money in the air vents, where he lies to 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:17.680 his wife every single day, and where he essentially 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:20.060 rots away from cancer. It perfectly explores 00:05:20.060 --> 00:05:22.879 the theme of ambition. But really, it's hubris 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:25.720 in the classical Greek sense, that deeply ingrained 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:28.379 belief that I am destined for more than this. 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:31.680 That is exactly what creates Heisenberg. In 1993, 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:34.740 that ambition looks like optimism. It looks like 00:05:34.740 --> 00:05:37.019 the classic American dream. But in the present 00:05:37.019 --> 00:05:40.139 timeline, that same ambition has just curdled 00:05:40.139 --> 00:05:42.620 into this toxic resentment. He feels the world 00:05:42.620 --> 00:05:44.699 owes him. He feels cheated out of his destiny. 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:46.899 So when we look at the title of the episode, 00:05:47.139 --> 00:05:48.980 Full Measure, it's not just about the violence 00:05:48.980 --> 00:05:51.379 he commits later on. It's about the full measure 00:05:51.379 --> 00:05:53.899 of his disappointment. He wanted a palace. He 00:05:53.899 --> 00:05:56.699 got a starter house. And now, in the present, 00:05:57.040 --> 00:05:59.899 he's willing to burn the entire world down to 00:05:59.899 --> 00:06:02.360 reclaim that sense of importance. It completely 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:04.740 establishes the stakes for what's about to happen. 00:06:05.180 --> 00:06:07.279 He isn't fighting for survival. Well, he is. 00:06:07.379 --> 00:06:09.259 But fundamentally, he is fighting for his ego. 00:06:09.740 --> 00:06:12.439 He is fighting to prove that 1993 Walt was right 00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:14.370 about his own potential. That's a really great 00:06:14.370 --> 00:06:16.310 way to frame it. And the transition from that 00:06:16.310 --> 00:06:18.829 flashback to the present is it gives you whiplash. 00:06:18.970 --> 00:06:23.029 We go from warm, sunny, hopeful 1993 to the cold, 00:06:23.269 --> 00:06:25.629 harsh, high contrast look of the present day. 00:06:25.910 --> 00:06:28.470 And the situation is dire. Actually, dire is 00:06:28.470 --> 00:06:31.110 an understatement. Jesse Pickman is on the run. 00:06:31.670 --> 00:06:33.930 The events of half measures have just blown everything 00:06:33.930 --> 00:06:36.910 up. Jesse went after Gus Fring's dealers to avenge 00:06:36.910 --> 00:06:39.589 a child. Walt intervened to save Jesse. And now 00:06:39.589 --> 00:06:42.250 they have dead bodies in the street. The truce 00:06:42.250 --> 00:06:44.790 is broken. The false peace they had is over. 00:06:45.230 --> 00:06:47.069 So Walt has to go directly into the lion's den 00:06:47.069 --> 00:06:49.629 to fix it. He drives out to the desert. And the 00:06:49.629 --> 00:06:51.850 cinematography here is so bleak. It's desolate. 00:06:51.970 --> 00:06:53.870 The wind is just howling. And he sits down with 00:06:53.870 --> 00:06:56.649 Gus Fring and Mike Ehrmantraut. This scene is 00:06:56.649 --> 00:06:58.910 a master class in corporate negotiation, weirdly 00:06:58.910 --> 00:07:01.430 enough. It's literal life or death. But they 00:07:01.430 --> 00:07:04.509 speak in these hushed, calm, professional tones. 00:07:04.970 --> 00:07:07.269 Gus Fring is the ultimate corporate psychopath. 00:07:07.449 --> 00:07:09.290 I mean, he doesn't yell. He doesn't slam his 00:07:09.290 --> 00:07:11.209 fists or threaten Walt with a knife on the table. 00:07:11.470 --> 00:07:13.949 He just sits there in his impeccable suit, adjusting 00:07:13.949 --> 00:07:17.069 his glasses. Walt is desperately trying to leverage 00:07:17.069 --> 00:07:20.470 his value as a master chemist to buy Jesse's 00:07:20.470 --> 00:07:22.990 safety. He's playing an incredibly weak hand, 00:07:23.029 --> 00:07:25.389 but he's bluffing hard. He essentially says, 00:07:25.689 --> 00:07:27.610 I know Jesse made a mistake, but let me cook. 00:07:28.050 --> 00:07:30.110 Just let me return to the lab. And we forget 00:07:30.110 --> 00:07:33.490 this ever happened. And surprisingly, Gus agrees. 00:07:33.709 --> 00:07:37.779 He exceeds, yes. But Gus Fring never makes a 00:07:37.779 --> 00:07:40.339 deal without a contingency. If you watch the 00:07:40.339 --> 00:07:43.240 way Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Gus, delivers 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:46.300 the line, it's brilliant. He agrees to Walt's 00:07:46.300 --> 00:07:48.560 terms, but he adds a very significant caveat. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:52.319 He politely informs Walt that he, Gus, will be 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:54.240 the one choosing Jesse's replacement in the lab. 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:56.540 And that is a massive red flag. You don't let 00:07:56.540 --> 00:07:58.360 the boss pick your assistant if you want job 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:01.339 security. The illusion of choice is so powerful 00:08:01.339 --> 00:08:03.439 here. Walt thinks he won the negotiation because 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:05.259 he got a yes for an answer, but he actually just 00:08:05.259 --> 00:08:07.360 signed his own death warrant. Because the assistant 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:09.740 guest chooses isn't just some random grunt off 00:08:09.740 --> 00:08:12.040 the street. It is the one person in the world 00:08:12.040 --> 00:08:14.660 who can actually replicate Walt's work. It's 00:08:14.660 --> 00:08:17.660 Gail Boetticher. Gail. The coffee making, eager 00:08:17.660 --> 00:08:20.579 to please, karaoke singing chemist, he's back. 00:08:20.980 --> 00:08:23.060 And let's talk about Gale for a second, because 00:08:23.060 --> 00:08:25.839 he is such a fascinating character in this incredibly 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:28.399 dark universe. He is almost the mirror image 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:31.079 of Walt, but without any of the ego. Precisely. 00:08:31.459 --> 00:08:34.980 Gale is a libertarian, a lever of obscure coffee 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:38.559 brewing methods, a truly gentle soul. He loves 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:40.519 the chemistry purely for the chemistry sake. 00:08:40.860 --> 00:08:42.820 He doesn't want to build an empire. He just wants 00:08:42.820 --> 00:08:44.940 to cook the best product possible and be praised 00:08:44.940 --> 00:08:47.490 for it. When Walt walks into the lab and sees 00:08:47.490 --> 00:08:50.269 Gale has been reinstated, the entire cinematography 00:08:50.269 --> 00:08:53.169 shifts again. The lab suddenly feels incredibly 00:08:53.169 --> 00:08:54.970 claustrophobic. Because they aren't alone anymore. 00:08:55.149 --> 00:08:57.990 Victor Guss' terrifying silent henchman is now 00:08:57.990 --> 00:09:00.610 just standing there watching them. It's the panopticon 00:09:00.610 --> 00:09:03.190 effect. They are being observed every single 00:09:03.190 --> 00:09:06.169 second. It signals the total erosion of trust. 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:08.840 Gus is no longer treating Walt like a partner. 00:09:09.220 --> 00:09:11.740 He's treating him like a captive asset and while 00:09:11.740 --> 00:09:14.399 Walt is trying to make nice with Gale You know 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:16.820 awkwardly asking him about his recertification 00:09:16.820 --> 00:09:18.980 trying to keep things perfectly professional 00:09:18.980 --> 00:09:22.769 Gus is making massive moves in the shadows There 00:09:22.769 --> 00:09:24.409 is a scene that follows this, which I think is 00:09:24.409 --> 00:09:26.269 one of the most chilling, quiet moments in the 00:09:26.269 --> 00:09:28.990 series. Gus visits Gail's apartment that evening. 00:09:29.149 --> 00:09:31.049 Oh man, this scene gives me the creeps every 00:09:31.049 --> 00:09:33.450 time. The way Gus switches from intimidating 00:09:33.450 --> 00:09:36.950 drug lord to polite neighborly guest is terrifying. 00:09:37.549 --> 00:09:39.830 He sits on Gail's couch, politely declining tea, 00:09:39.909 --> 00:09:42.730 and he tells a flat -out lie. He informs Gail 00:09:42.730 --> 00:09:45.269 that Walt's cancer has returned. It is a brilliant 00:09:45.269 --> 00:09:48.309 display of soft power manipulation. He frames 00:09:48.309 --> 00:09:50.690 it to Gale as a necessary contingency plan. He 00:09:50.690 --> 00:09:53.289 says, Gale, you need to learn the formula perfectly 00:09:53.289 --> 00:09:56.129 because Walt might pass away. We need to be prepared 00:09:56.129 --> 00:09:58.389 for the worst case scenario. But the subtext, 00:09:58.490 --> 00:10:00.350 and Gale is smart enough to almost hear it, even 00:10:00.350 --> 00:10:01.850 if his gentle nature doesn't want to believe 00:10:01.850 --> 00:10:04.190 it, the subtext is, once you know the formula, 00:10:04.429 --> 00:10:07.769 Walt will die. It is planned obsolescence. Walt 00:10:07.769 --> 00:10:10.759 is the old buggy model. Gale is the software 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:12.779 upgrade. He's more compliant, he has less ego, 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:15.559 but he yields the exact same quality product. 00:10:15.980 --> 00:10:18.320 Once the data transfer from Walt to Gale is complete, 00:10:18.700 --> 00:10:21.679 you toss the old model in the trash. Gus is preparing 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.740 to dispose of Walt. He needs Walt only as long 00:10:24.740 --> 00:10:27.059 as Walt is the sole possessor of that blue meth 00:10:27.059 --> 00:10:29.230 formula. So the clock is officially ticking. 00:10:30.090 --> 00:10:32.169 And Walt isn't stupid. He can sense the walls 00:10:32.169 --> 00:10:35.090 closing in on him. He notices Gail asking one 00:10:35.090 --> 00:10:37.129 too many specific questions about the temperature 00:10:37.129 --> 00:10:39.809 gauges, the reaction times. He realizes he is 00:10:39.809 --> 00:10:42.409 actively being cloned. But meanwhile, there's 00:10:42.409 --> 00:10:44.590 still the massive issue of Jesse. Mike, who is 00:10:44.590 --> 00:10:46.490 just the ultimate professional hitman, is on 00:10:46.490 --> 00:10:48.730 the hunt for him. And Mike goes to the one person 00:10:48.730 --> 00:10:50.509 in Albuquerque who might actually know where 00:10:50.509 --> 00:10:53.240 Jesse's hiding. Saul Goodman. I love the interactions 00:10:53.240 --> 00:10:55.620 between Mike and Saul in this episode. It is 00:10:55.620 --> 00:10:58.620 a total collision of genres. Mike is walking 00:10:58.620 --> 00:11:02.360 around in a gritty 1970s noir film and Saul is 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:05.240 acting in a legal first. It's the unstoppable 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:07.919 force meeting the incredibly slippery object. 00:11:08.460 --> 00:11:11.419 Saul initially refuses to cooperate. Naturally, 00:11:11.419 --> 00:11:14.159 he's claiming attorney -client privilege, quoting 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:16.500 the law the whole nine yards. But Mike isn't 00:11:16.500 --> 00:11:18.919 a lawyer. He's a cleaner. He doesn't care about 00:11:18.919 --> 00:11:21.460 the Bar Association. He physically threatened 00:11:21.460 --> 00:11:24.940 Saul. He grabs him, gets right in his face. And 00:11:24.940 --> 00:11:27.659 we see that Saul, for all his bravado and his 00:11:27.659 --> 00:11:30.580 commercial slickness, is absolutely not a man 00:11:30.580 --> 00:11:32.460 of violence. He folds immediately, but he does 00:11:32.460 --> 00:11:35.220 it in a very specific, soul way. Right. He lets 00:11:35.220 --> 00:11:37.620 Mike take a peek at a notebook. It's that desperate 00:11:37.620 --> 00:11:40.320 grasp for plausible deniability. I didn't tell 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:41.919 you anything, you just happened to see my private 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:44.600 notes. Exactly. But the notebook contains an 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:47.059 address for a trailer park in Virginia. Which 00:11:47.059 --> 00:11:49.309 is a fake address, of course. It's a stalling 00:11:49.309 --> 00:11:51.610 tactic to buy Jesse some time. So Mike is off 00:11:51.610 --> 00:11:53.649 on a wild goose chase to Virginia. Meanwhile, 00:11:53.750 --> 00:11:55.669 the real location where Jesse is hiding is much 00:11:55.669 --> 00:11:57.590 more local, and honestly much more ridiculous. 00:11:58.009 --> 00:12:01.049 It fits the show's dark, ironic humor so perfectly. 00:12:02.169 --> 00:12:03.730 Yeah. Walt and Saul eventually go to meet with 00:12:03.730 --> 00:12:06.669 Jesse, and he is hiding out in a local laser 00:12:06.669 --> 00:12:10.330 tag arcade. Laser base. Of all the places in 00:12:10.330 --> 00:12:12.870 the world to plan a brutal murder, they're doing 00:12:12.870 --> 00:12:16.090 it amidst neon lights, fog machines, and cheap 00:12:16.090 --> 00:12:18.769 plastic barricades. It really highlights the 00:12:18.769 --> 00:12:21.389 absurdity of Jesse's situation. He's essentially 00:12:21.389 --> 00:12:23.710 a child playing in a man's game, literally hiding 00:12:23.710 --> 00:12:25.909 in a child's playground. The visual contrast 00:12:25.909 --> 00:12:28.330 in that scene is stark. You have Walt in his 00:12:28.330 --> 00:12:31.669 drab, beige dad clothes, Saul in his cheap flashy 00:12:31.669 --> 00:12:34.669 suit, and Jesse in this oversized hoodie, just 00:12:34.669 --> 00:12:37.830 surrounded by glowing black lights. But the conversation 00:12:37.830 --> 00:12:40.129 they have in that arcade is deadly serious. This 00:12:40.129 --> 00:12:42.690 is the strategic dilemma of the episode. Walt 00:12:42.690 --> 00:12:45.289 lays it out for Jesse plainly. He explains the 00:12:45.289 --> 00:12:47.980 grim reality. He says, Gail is learning my cook. 00:12:48.220 --> 00:12:50.159 Once he is confident that he can do it alone, 00:12:50.539 --> 00:12:53.100 you and I are going to be disposed of. Walt correctly 00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:56.259 identifies the exact fulcrum of Gus's plan. Gail 00:12:56.259 --> 00:12:58.159 is the variable. As long as Gail cannot cook 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:00.100 the blue meth to standard, Walt is essential. 00:13:00.659 --> 00:13:03.220 If Gail learns it, Walt becomes entirely expendable. 00:13:03.539 --> 00:13:05.620 And if Walt is dead, Jesse is a loose end that 00:13:05.620 --> 00:13:08.419 Gus will definitely tie up. So standing in the 00:13:08.419 --> 00:13:11.340 neon glow, they come to a brutal, horrifying 00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:14.179 conclusion. The only way for them to survive 00:13:14.179 --> 00:13:18.090 is to kill Gail. It is a purely utilitarian calculation 00:13:18.090 --> 00:13:21.250 for Walt. It's him or us, simple math. But for 00:13:21.250 --> 00:13:24.190 Jesse, this is a massive moral precipice. They 00:13:24.190 --> 00:13:26.730 debate it right there in the arcade. Jesse pushes 00:13:26.730 --> 00:13:29.529 back incredibly hard. He says, I am not a murderer. 00:13:29.929 --> 00:13:32.070 And you really feel for him here. You empathize 00:13:32.070 --> 00:13:34.409 with him. He's a low -level drug dealer, sure. 00:13:34.490 --> 00:13:37.509 He's an addict, yes. But cold -blooded assassination 00:13:37.509 --> 00:13:40.039 of a quirky civilian chemist? That's not who 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:42.100 Jesse Pinkman is. And this is where Walt takes 00:13:42.100 --> 00:13:44.179 a step up or perhaps a massive step down into 00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:46.159 the darkness. He looks at Jesse and realizes 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:49.139 the kid just won't do it. So Walt, in a moment 00:13:49.139 --> 00:13:51.179 of what you might call supreme arrogance or maybe 00:13:51.179 --> 00:13:53.539 just supreme desperation, says, fine, I'll do 00:13:53.539 --> 00:13:55.759 it. Your only job is to find Gail's address. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:58.320 Walt deciding to pull the trigger himself is 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:01.059 a huge character shift. It shows he's finally 00:14:01.059 --> 00:14:03.500 willing to physically stain his own hands to 00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:06.399 protect his life and his position. So the plan 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:10.250 is locked in. Jessie calls Walt later that evening 00:14:10.250 --> 00:14:12.490 and gives him the address. Walt is ready to go 00:14:12.490 --> 00:14:14.690 do the deed. He's got his hat on. He's got his 00:14:14.690 --> 00:14:17.289 gun tucked away. He's literally walking out the 00:14:17.289 --> 00:14:20.289 front door and then the trap springs. This is 00:14:20.289 --> 00:14:22.950 the sequence that just elevates the entire season. 00:14:23.690 --> 00:14:26.590 As Walt leaves his house to go kill Gail, Victor 00:14:26.590 --> 00:14:29.009 suddenly intercepts him in the driveway. Victor 00:14:29.009 --> 00:14:31.389 rolls up in his car and claims there is a chemical 00:14:31.389 --> 00:14:34.330 leak at the lab. He says, come with me, big emergency. 00:14:34.929 --> 00:14:38.360 It is such a flimsy, obvious lie. Walt absolutely 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:40.960 knows it's a lie. You can see the realization 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:43.740 wash over his face. He hesitates. But what are 00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:46.320 his options? He is forced to comply. If he runs, 00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:48.059 Victor will shoot him right there in the driveway, 00:14:48.299 --> 00:14:50.159 potentially in front of his wife and son. If 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:52.919 he goes, maybe, just maybe, he can talk his way 00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:54.679 out of it. He thinks he can outsmart them. So 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:58.460 he gets in the car. And it is a slow, agonizing 00:14:58.460 --> 00:15:01.679 ride to the execution chamber. They arrive at 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:03.460 the industrial laundromat, which is the front 00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:06.200 for the super lab. They walk in, and who is waiting 00:15:06.200 --> 00:15:09.620 there in the shadows? Mike. Seeing Mike confirms 00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:12.200 everything Walt feared. There is no chemical 00:15:12.200 --> 00:15:14.700 leak. This is a sanctioned execution. And this 00:15:14.700 --> 00:15:16.679 brings us back to that terrifying hook we started 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:19.519 the show with. We are now in the scene that defines 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:22.610 the entire episode. Walt is forced to his knees. 00:15:23.210 --> 00:15:25.450 Mike and Victor towering over him. And this is 00:15:25.450 --> 00:15:27.750 the moment where Walt completely breaks. He starts 00:15:27.750 --> 00:15:30.009 begging for his life. It's a pathetic display, 00:15:30.289 --> 00:15:32.789 intentionally so. He's crying. His voice is cracking. 00:15:33.029 --> 00:15:35.350 He offers to give up Jesse to save himself. He 00:15:35.350 --> 00:15:37.570 literally says, I'll give you Pinkman. Now you 00:15:37.570 --> 00:15:40.629 have to wonder here, is this an act or is he 00:15:40.629 --> 00:15:42.990 improvising out of sheer panic? Because right 00:15:42.990 --> 00:15:45.269 in the middle of this humiliating begging, he's 00:15:45.269 --> 00:15:47.610 planting a strategic seed. It's a high stakes 00:15:47.610 --> 00:15:50.620 gamble born of pure adrenaline. He is appealing 00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:52.620 directly to Mike's sense of professionalism. 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:54.919 He knows Mike wants to clean up all the loose 00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:57.419 ends. And Jesse is the biggest loose end out 00:15:57.419 --> 00:16:00.559 there. So Mike pauses. The gun lowers just a 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:03.159 fraction. He demands Jesse's location. And Walt 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:05.440 says, I need to call him. He won't come out unless 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:08.659 I call him. He's paranoid. Mike, being the pragmatic 00:16:08.659 --> 00:16:10.840 guy he is, calculates the risk and allows the 00:16:10.840 --> 00:16:13.360 phone call. He hands Walt the cell phone. And 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:15.940 this, this right here is the pivot point of the 00:16:15.940 --> 00:16:17.820 entire season. It is the moment he takes the 00:16:17.820 --> 00:16:20.129 full measure. Jesse answers the phone. He's expecting 00:16:20.129 --> 00:16:22.409 a status update. He thinks Walt is calling to 00:16:22.409 --> 00:16:24.330 say the job is done. He asks, did you do it? 00:16:24.570 --> 00:16:27.350 But instead, Walt screams at him. And I mean, 00:16:27.450 --> 00:16:29.350 he screams with everything he has. Jesse, do 00:16:29.350 --> 00:16:32.590 it. You have to do it now. The confusion on Jesse's 00:16:32.590 --> 00:16:35.250 face is palpable. Yeah. And if you watch Mike's 00:16:35.250 --> 00:16:37.889 face in this scene, Jonathan Banks, the actor, 00:16:38.190 --> 00:16:40.990 does this incredibly subtle shift. He goes from 00:16:40.990 --> 00:16:43.950 being a bored, routine executioner to a state 00:16:43.950 --> 00:16:47.669 of sudden, chilling realization. He realizes 00:16:47.669 --> 00:16:50.610 he has made a critical, fatal error. Walt yells 00:16:50.610 --> 00:16:52.590 into the phone, I'm about to be killed, kill 00:16:52.590 --> 00:16:54.950 Gail. And then he loudly quotes Gail's address 00:16:54.950 --> 00:16:58.529 so Mike and Victor can hear it. 6353 Juan Tabo, 00:16:58.690 --> 00:17:01.529 apartment six. In that split second, the power 00:17:01.529 --> 00:17:05.009 dynamic in that dingy laundromat shifts 180 degrees. 00:17:05.910 --> 00:17:08.150 Mike and Victor realize they have been completely 00:17:08.150 --> 00:17:11.250 outmaneuvered. Walt has just given a remote order 00:17:11.250 --> 00:17:13.109 to kill the only other person on the planet who 00:17:13.109 --> 00:17:15.589 can cook the product. Because if Gale dies, they 00:17:15.589 --> 00:17:18.210 simply cannot kill Walt. He becomes the only 00:17:18.210 --> 00:17:20.650 asset left to Gus Fring, its absolute checkmate. 00:17:20.789 --> 00:17:23.130 The scramble that ensues is so chaotic, Victor 00:17:23.130 --> 00:17:25.029 rushes out the door to try and race to Gale's 00:17:25.029 --> 00:17:27.490 apartment and stop it. Mike stays with Walt, 00:17:27.869 --> 00:17:30.150 pointing the gun at his head, visibly furious. 00:17:30.490 --> 00:17:33.630 And Walt, he slowly stands up, he straightens 00:17:33.630 --> 00:17:35.730 his jacket, the tears are gone, and he delivers 00:17:35.730 --> 00:17:38.049 that iconic line, you might want to hold off. 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:40.700 Your boss is going to need me. It gives you goosebumps. 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:43.200 He goes from weeping on the floor to swaggering 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:45.019 in the span of 10 seconds. It's the total return 00:17:45.019 --> 00:17:47.759 of Heisenberg. But while Walt has brilliantly 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:50.480 saved his own skin, he has just entirely damned 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:52.920 Jesse because now Jesse, the kid who explicitly 00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:55.299 said, I'm not a murderer, is the only one who 00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:58.019 can pull the trigger. We cut across town to Gail's 00:17:58.019 --> 00:18:00.720 apartment. And the editing here is crucial to 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:02.700 building the tension. We see Gale in this element. 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:05.700 He's listening to music, some obscure, quirky 00:18:05.700 --> 00:18:09.000 foreign jazz. He's boiling water, making tea, 00:18:09.140 --> 00:18:11.259 watering his plants. He's completely innocent. 00:18:11.339 --> 00:18:14.240 He's happy. And meanwhile, Mike is frantically 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:17.200 calling him to warn him. We see Gale's phone 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:19.740 buzzing on the kitchen counter, but the jazz 00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:22.279 music is just a little too loud. The water is 00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:24.299 bubbling. He doesn't hear it. It's that classic 00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:26.700 thriller trope, but it works so incredibly well 00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:28.740 here. You want to reach through the screen and 00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:30.599 turn down the stereo. You're screaming, pick 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:33.180 up the phone, Gale. He is entirely oblivious 00:18:33.180 --> 00:18:35.839 to his impending doom. It creates this agonizing, 00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:38.880 stretching tension for the viewer. And then the 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:41.490 doorbell rings. Jesse has arrived. This is the 00:18:41.490 --> 00:18:44.109 climax. We are at the ending. Jesse stands at 00:18:44.109 --> 00:18:46.549 Gail's door. Gail opens it smiling, probably 00:18:46.549 --> 00:18:48.569 expecting a neighbor or a late night delivery. 00:18:49.250 --> 00:18:52.109 And Jesse just pulls a gun on him. The acting 00:18:52.109 --> 00:18:54.789 here from both Aaron Paul and David Casabila 00:18:54.789 --> 00:18:57.890 is just devastating. Gail realizes instantly 00:18:57.890 --> 00:19:00.609 what is happening. The confusion melts into terror. 00:19:00.630 --> 00:19:03.170 He backs away. He begs for his life. He offers 00:19:03.170 --> 00:19:05.150 money. He offers to leave town. He says, you 00:19:05.150 --> 00:19:07.900 don't have to do this. And Jesse. Jesse is an 00:19:07.900 --> 00:19:10.380 absolute wreck. He's crying. He's visibly shaking. 00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:12.839 The gun is wavering in his hand. This isn't some 00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:15.759 cool action hero moment where the protagonist 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:18.059 dispatches the bad guy with a one -liner. This 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:20.740 is a broken kid who's about to permanently destroy 00:19:20.740 --> 00:19:23.099 his own soul. It connects right back to the conversation 00:19:23.099 --> 00:19:25.740 of the Laser Tag Arcade. I am not a murderer, 00:19:26.059 --> 00:19:28.799 but Walt has forced his hand. To save Mr. White, 00:19:29.220 --> 00:19:31.099 Jesse has to become the very thing he hates. 00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:33.619 The camera work here makes a very specific choice. 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:35.880 The camera shifts and suddenly we are looking 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:38.000 directly down the barrel of Jesse's gun. He is 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:40.440 aiming right at the lens, right at us, the audience. 00:19:40.819 --> 00:19:44.220 That fourth wall break is hugely significant. 00:19:44.539 --> 00:19:46.720 By having Jesse point the gun at the viewer, 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:49.819 the director is implicating the audience in the 00:19:49.819 --> 00:19:53.319 violence. We have been sitting on our couches 00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:56.220 rooting for Walt and Jesse to survive for three 00:19:56.220 --> 00:19:59.140 entire seasons Well, this is what survival actually 00:19:59.140 --> 00:20:01.079 looks like in this world Are we still rooting 00:20:01.079 --> 00:20:03.559 for it? And then the screen goes completely black 00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:06.140 just as the gunshot rings out and that is exactly 00:20:06.140 --> 00:20:09.700 how the season ends BAM cut to black roll credits. 00:20:09.740 --> 00:20:11.779 It was incredibly controversial at the time I 00:20:11.779 --> 00:20:15.079 remember it clearly because Gail's death is not 00:20:15.079 --> 00:20:17.420 Visibly shown on screen in that exact moment 00:20:17.420 --> 00:20:19.839 you hear the shot, but you don't see the impact, 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:22.289 right? The message boards were lighting up immediately. 00:20:22.369 --> 00:20:24.690 People were saying he missed or he moved the 00:20:24.690 --> 00:20:26.890 gun at the last second. He shot the wall to fake 00:20:26.890 --> 00:20:29.450 it. People could not accept that Jesse Pinkman. 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:31.539 actually pulled the trigger on an innocent man. 00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:34.440 They wanted a loophole so badly. There was wide 00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:36.759 speculation for almost a year until season four 00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:39.799 premiered, but Vince Gilligan, the creator, later 00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:42.660 clarified this in interviews. He stated firmly 00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:45.200 that he never intended it to be a cheap cliffhanger 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:48.119 in the did he or didn't he sense. He believed 00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:51.299 the scene and specifically Aaron Paul's performance 00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:54.559 clearly conveyed that Gale had died. He thought 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:57.220 the absolute despair on Jesse's face before the 00:20:57.220 --> 00:21:00.390 cut told the whole story. But as we know, fans 00:21:00.390 --> 00:21:02.250 are always looking for a way out for the characters 00:21:02.250 --> 00:21:04.410 they love. And from an actor's perspective, it's 00:21:04.410 --> 00:21:06.930 fascinating too. David Costabile, who played 00:21:06.930 --> 00:21:09.410 Gail, had a very poignant reaction to the whole 00:21:09.410 --> 00:21:11.670 thing. He stated that he didn't initially know 00:21:11.670 --> 00:21:13.410 his character was going to be killed off when 00:21:13.410 --> 00:21:15.930 he signed on. Oh wow, he didn't know. No, he 00:21:15.930 --> 00:21:18.349 had no idea. He found out about halfway through 00:21:18.349 --> 00:21:20.430 shooting the season, he said... It was quite 00:21:20.430 --> 00:21:22.589 a sadness when I was informed that my doom was 00:21:22.589 --> 00:21:25.390 imminent. But he acknowledged a very profound 00:21:25.390 --> 00:21:28.910 dramatic truth about storytelling. He said, sometimes 00:21:28.910 --> 00:21:32.069 one has to be sacrificed. Sometimes one has to 00:21:32.069 --> 00:21:35.390 be sacrificed. That is, that's incredibly heavy. 00:21:35.710 --> 00:21:38.049 Gore Gale, he was just a weird guy who loved 00:21:38.049 --> 00:21:40.769 pure chemistry and singing karaoke. He really 00:21:40.769 --> 00:21:42.750 didn't deserve that end. But in the world of 00:21:42.750 --> 00:21:46.009 Breaking Bad, innocence is rarely a shield. It's 00:21:46.009 --> 00:21:48.609 usually a target. So let's zoom out and talk 00:21:48.609 --> 00:21:50.910 about how this episode actually landed with the 00:21:50.910 --> 00:21:53.089 public. I mean, obviously, we are still analyzing 00:21:53.089 --> 00:21:55.690 it deeply years later. But at the time it aired, 00:21:55.890 --> 00:21:58.769 was it a hit? Oh, absolutely. Upon its initial 00:21:58.769 --> 00:22:02.190 airing, it drew 1 .56 million American viewers. 00:22:02.849 --> 00:22:05.089 For a cable television show in 2010, that is 00:22:05.089 --> 00:22:07.670 a very solid number. But the critical acclaim 00:22:07.670 --> 00:22:09.829 is where this episode really etched its name 00:22:09.829 --> 00:22:12.029 in history. We have to talk about Bryan Cranston. 00:22:12.170 --> 00:22:14.130 I mean, the man is a legend for a reason. He 00:22:14.130 --> 00:22:16.630 truly is. He won his third consecutive prize 00:22:16.490 --> 00:22:19.049 Time Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in 00:22:19.049 --> 00:22:21.269 a Drama Series, specifically for this episode. 00:22:21.450 --> 00:22:23.789 Three Emmys in a row. That is just absolute domination 00:22:23.789 --> 00:22:25.750 of the category. And reading the reviews from 00:22:25.750 --> 00:22:27.529 the time, it seems like the television critics 00:22:27.529 --> 00:22:30.009 completely agreed with the Academy. They were 00:22:30.009 --> 00:22:32.349 blown away. Tim Goodman of the San Francisco 00:22:32.349 --> 00:22:35.349 Chronicle wrote a glowing review. He called the 00:22:35.349 --> 00:22:38.109 episode an exclamation mark on the torture journey 00:22:38.109 --> 00:22:40.430 of Jesse. And that's such a great way to put 00:22:40.430 --> 00:22:43.170 it. This entire third season was an emotional 00:22:43.170 --> 00:22:46.289 torture act for Jesse. And this final scene... 00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:49.160 was the breaking point. Donna Bowman over at 00:22:49.160 --> 00:22:51.339 the A .V. Club went even further with her praise. 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:54.140 She stated that this episode cements the season 00:22:54.140 --> 00:22:57.099 as one of television's finest dramatic accomplishments. 00:22:57.700 --> 00:23:00.019 That is incredibly high praise from a tough critic. 00:23:00.339 --> 00:23:04.240 Seth Amaitan at IGN gave it a 9 out of 10, specifically 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:06.859 praising the immense depth of the players and 00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:09.539 the intricate plotting. And looking at more recent 00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:12.259 retrospectives, the praise hasn't faded one bit. 00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:14.980 In 2019, The Ringer ranked full measure as the 00:23:14.980 --> 00:23:17.180 second best episode of the entire series. Out 00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:20.680 of 62 total episodes, second best. That is incredibly 00:23:20.680 --> 00:23:22.740 impressive. I know Vulture also ranked it very 00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:25.400 high, coming in at 17th overall on their list. 00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:29.220 And interestingly, just recently in 2025, Milo 00:23:29.220 --> 00:23:31.400 Pope from Metro wrote an article reflecting on 00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:33.819 the show. He called the ending the greatest cliffhanger 00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:38.210 in TV history. In 2025. Wow. So people are still 00:23:38.210 --> 00:23:40.430 writing articles about this specific cliffhanger 00:23:40.430 --> 00:23:43.150 15 years after it aired. Pope went on to say 00:23:43.150 --> 00:23:45.230 it can rip out your heart and dump it right in 00:23:45.230 --> 00:23:47.910 front of you, which honestly feels like a very 00:23:47.910 --> 00:23:49.970 accurate description of watching that final minute. 00:23:50.069 --> 00:23:52.029 It really does. And I think a huge part of that 00:23:52.029 --> 00:23:54.470 lasting impact is what it does to the characters. 00:23:54.690 --> 00:23:56.609 Fundamentally, we talked a lot about Jesse's 00:23:56.609 --> 00:23:59.009 trauma. But what about Walt? That's a great point. 00:23:59.529 --> 00:24:01.910 Critic Amanda Harding noted that the ending of 00:24:01.910 --> 00:24:04.670 full measure. moves Walter completely further 00:24:04.670 --> 00:24:07.650 into his darker persona, Heisenberg. You think 00:24:07.650 --> 00:24:10.390 back to season one. This is a man who couldn't 00:24:10.390 --> 00:24:12.930 bring himself to kill a wildly dangerous drug 00:24:12.930 --> 00:24:15.630 dealer in his basement without making a literal 00:24:15.630 --> 00:24:18.170 pros and cons list on a piece of paper. Now, 00:24:18.289 --> 00:24:20.769 a year later, he's ordering a hit on a harmless 00:24:20.769 --> 00:24:23.390 chemist over the phone without a second of hesitation. 00:24:23.630 --> 00:24:26.329 It really is the definitive death of Walter White 00:24:26.329 --> 00:24:29.130 the family man and the full undeniable birth 00:24:29.130 --> 00:24:32.029 of Heisenberg the kingpin. And for Jesse, as 00:24:32.029 --> 00:24:34.430 the critics noted, this is the ultimate turning 00:24:34.430 --> 00:24:37.089 point in his relationship with Walt. He's no 00:24:37.089 --> 00:24:39.670 longer just a junior partner or a student. He 00:24:39.670 --> 00:24:43.130 is a tool, a weapon that Walt points and fires 00:24:43.130 --> 00:24:45.910 to save himself. It raises such an incredibly 00:24:45.910 --> 00:24:48.549 interesting question about loyalty and manipulation. 00:24:49.390 --> 00:24:51.589 Jesse does this horrific thing to save Walt's 00:24:51.589 --> 00:24:54.789 life. But in doing so, he completely destroys 00:24:54.789 --> 00:24:58.089 his own sense of self. Precisely. Walt exploits 00:24:58.089 --> 00:25:00.490 Jesse's loyalty. So what does this all mean for 00:25:00.490 --> 00:25:03.369 us as viewers? We've got the 1993 flashback, 00:25:03.789 --> 00:25:06.170 the corporate chess game in the desert, the laser 00:25:06.170 --> 00:25:09.549 tag moral debate, the laundromat trap, and finally 00:25:09.549 --> 00:25:11.910 the gunshot. If we try to summarize the journey 00:25:11.910 --> 00:25:14.920 of this hour. We're watching the total irreversible 00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:17.240 disintegration of the starter house dream. The 00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:19.059 ambitious young man who wanted a big house and 00:25:19.059 --> 00:25:22.140 three kids in 1993 is gone forever. In his place 00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:24.299 is a man who will burn the world down just to 00:25:24.299 --> 00:25:26.339 stay in control of his small empire. And the 00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:28.940 title itself full measure. It refers back to 00:25:28.940 --> 00:25:30.980 a really famous speech Mike gave to Walt in the 00:25:30.980 --> 00:25:32.980 previous episode, doesn't it, about taking no 00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:35.940 half measures? Yes, it does. Mike warned Walt 00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:38.359 against taking half measures. He's told this 00:25:38.359 --> 00:25:41.140 harrowing story from his days as a beat cop about 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:45.299 a domestic abuser he spared. He took a half measure 00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:47.279 by just threatening the guy instead of locking 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:50.259 him up. And that guy then went on to beat his 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:52.640 wife to death. Mike's entire point to Walt was, 00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:54.940 if you're going to solve a problem, you have 00:25:54.940 --> 00:25:57.799 to solve it completely. No half measures. And 00:25:57.799 --> 00:26:01.759 in this episode, Walt finally takes the full 00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:04.700 measure. He takes the extreme action that can 00:26:04.700 --> 00:26:07.859 never. ever be undone. He crosses the moral line 00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:10.180 completely. It absolutely traps all of them. 00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:12.039 After this trigger is pulled, there is no going 00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:13.859 back to Gus Fring and pretending everything is 00:26:13.859 --> 00:26:15.500 fine. There is no going back to the safety of 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:17.680 the lab. They are at war now. They have burned 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:19.559 the bridge while they are still standing in the 00:26:19.559 --> 00:26:22.160 middle of it. They are now in open bloody conflict 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:24.079 with one of the most dangerous calculated men 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:25.740 in the American Southwest. And it leaves you 00:26:25.740 --> 00:26:28.859 with that final haunting image, Jesse Pinkman, 00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:31.099 the kid who loved eating Funyuns and drawing 00:26:31.099 --> 00:26:34.319 cartoons and saying, yo. Holding a gun, tears 00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:36.539 streaming from his eyes, killing a man he barely 00:26:36.539 --> 00:26:39.519 even knows. It is the defining tragedy of the 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:42.680 entire series. It's the exact moment you realize 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:45.519 that there is no happy ending coming for any 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:47.680 of these people. They are all doomed. It really 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:50.339 makes you wonder, though, if Jesse had just said 00:26:50.339 --> 00:26:52.640 no in that final second, if he had dropped the 00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:56.640 gun and refused, would Walt have died? Maybe, 00:26:56.759 --> 00:26:59.259 probably. But would Jesse have saved his own 00:26:59.259 --> 00:27:01.579 soul? That is the big question the show leaves 00:27:01.579 --> 00:27:04.519 us to wrestle with. Is physical survival worth 00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:07.519 the cost of your humanity? In the universe of 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:09.579 Breaking Bad, the answer is usually a resounding 00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:12.200 no. But there is one final thought I want to 00:27:12.200 --> 00:27:14.059 leave you with, something that goes beyond just 00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:16.440 Walt and Jesse's choices. Think about the mechanics 00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:19.500 of that final scene. The fourth wall break. Jesse 00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:21.500 pointing the gun at the camera. Right, directly 00:27:21.500 --> 00:27:23.759 at the viewer. We spent three seasons wanting 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:26.519 Walt to win. We wanted him to outsmart Gus. We 00:27:26.519 --> 00:27:29.119 wanted him to survive the laundromat. And because 00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:31.680 we demanded his survival as an audience, Gale 00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:35.059 had to die. In a very real, meta way, by rooting 00:27:35.059 --> 00:27:37.400 for Heisenberg, we pulled the trigger right alongside 00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:40.220 Jesse. Our desire for entertainment demanded 00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:43.859 that full measure. Oh, wow. That is a brilliant 00:27:43.859 --> 00:27:47.039 way to look at it. We are entirely complicit 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:49.920 in Gail's death. We cheered when Walt gave the 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:51.980 address over the phone. Exactly, we cheered for 00:27:51.980 --> 00:27:55.039 a hitman. Well, on that cheerful, deeply existential 00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:57.660 note, we are going to wrap up this deep dive 00:27:57.660 --> 00:28:01.000 into full measure. It is heavy, it is dark, but 00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:03.099 man, it is just a perfect piece of television. 00:28:03.420 --> 00:28:05.640 Absolute storytelling perfection from Vince Gilligan 00:28:05.640 --> 00:28:07.779 and the entire crew. Thanks for joining us as 00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:09.819 we unpacked it all. Keep analyzing the media 00:28:09.819 --> 00:28:12.000 you love, and we'll catch you on the next deep 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:12.220 dive.