Andrew Jones | On 19, Aug 2013

Photo: © 2013 Sony Pictures Television Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

Warning: The following review will have spoilers for the past five seasons of Breaking Bad and a degree of plot discussion of the latest episode.

After the Season Five Part Two premiere made fans freak out at the possibilities of coming episodes, Buried really digs into what we all want: Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) unearthing the dirt on Walt (Bryan Cranston).

The first act of the show is mostly just Hank in a diner with Skyler, who is fast becoming the most intriguing part of the show. Not even playing both sides, Anna Gunn’s wife is simply trying to work out how to survive this collision of two angry, bald men.

Since Breaking Bad began, Walter White has always been the most interesting character. His story drives things in each episode to a point. It’s a rarity, then, to see him take such a backseat. At almost every part of the episode, though, he is in full Heisenberg mode; only in a small scene with Saul do we see Mr. White, nervous and worried.

With the focus away from Walt, we also get another glimpse, albeit briefly, of Jesse’s descent after last week’s throwaway storyline – but most impressively, we see how the other meth cook lives. Lydia stops by the guys who wanted to buy the methylamine from Mike last year and Todd enters the fray once more, being the closest to a replacement for Walter as anyone can find – but will he follow the same path?

One of the great things about the later episodes of the show has been the growing myth of Heisenberg. The story of the 10-man 2-minute prison shanking from last season flows through the criminal underground and solidifies the bad-ass legend that Walt has created. One nice moment sees Saul’s cronies Huell and Kuby lying on the phat cash Skyler placed in storage, pondering whether it’s worth giving it back to Walter. Kuby mentions ShankNado, giving us the giddy thrill of this insufferable, egotistical villain now having his own stories being told – stories that we saw firsthand.

Buried is a cracking chapter in Heisenberg’s story, never showing off but playing events quiet and dark. Where the show goes from here, with the Lydia/Todd storyline and Walter’s evading of Hank will be interesting, especially if it can be contained. Directed by Michelle MacLaren – whose name excites any Breaking Bad fan when it appears in the opening credits – this is close to the end, but still feels like there’s a lot of material to get stuck into.

The episode ends with a glimpse of an exciting prospect: a showdown we’ve seen before, but not like this. Next time, there’ll be more facts, more sadness, more understanding of who is behind what and how and why.

Next time, it all blows up.

 

Breaking Bad is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

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