Breaking Bad has a long history of cliffhanger episodes. It is one of the trademarks of the series and one that ALWAYS delivers. The Season 5 midseason finale ‘Gliding Over All’ lived up to that tradition, but in some ways even surpassed it. In fact, if the series ended on this episode alone, I think it would stand up to notable series enders like MASH and St. Elsewhere.
Walt’s solution to the issue with Mike’s Guys is solved by teaming up with some Aryan Brothers who just happen to be related to his latest assistant, Todd. They organize a not so kind end to each man, but Walt insists that it happen at a particular time and within a particular range of minutes. While there is probably a great deal of logic and planning behind this, it is also another example of Walt asserting his control.
At first I thought that Walt had changed at his foundation from the character we met years ago, but the more I think about it, he really hasn’t. There was a great deal of desperation behind Walt’s actions when he was diagnosed and decided to go into Meth production, but one could look at it as a loss of control that the desperation fed into and also from. This need for control seems to have grown into an Id-like monster that has been left out of his cage now that he has power.
Walt is also expanding his business with Lydia’s help into the Czech Republic, finishing a plan that Gus had agreed to and almost went along with before Walt blew half his face off. Walt continues laundering the money through the Car Wash, or so he thinks. Skyler decides to store all of the cash in a storage locker, meticulous tending to it. She uses this mountain of moolah to once again try and persuade Walt to give up the Meth trade and go straight. Shockingly, he agrees. Walt goes to Jesse, who apparently is alone at this point, and leaves him his share like he had wanted.
Everything seems to be going perfectly. The kids have moved back in and both Walt’s family and Hank’s are seen lounging around poolside enjoying their company. Then, Hank has to drop a deuce.
Written in a copy of Leaves of Grass that Gale gave Walt years ago, is a note Gale wrote thanking his other favorite W. W. As Hank sits, dropping his kids off at the pool, he starts to circle through all the hints and near misses he’s had with what he comes to realize is the real Heisenberg.
End scene.
Had the series ended on this note, it may have been questioned much like The Sopranos was, but it also would have been a wonderful exercise in extended storytelling, pushing beyond the limitations of the serial time limit. I cannot wait to see what ends up from Hank’s realization, how they pick the story up after the season break, and what is going to happen to all the players involved. Just when you think Breaking Bad has hit the heights of good writing, they seem to keep kicking on the afterburners and blasting up higher and higher.
– James Zappie
