Director: Tricia Brock
Spoilers. The first episode not written by creator Vince Gilligan, "Gray Matter" loses the momentum Breaking Bad had built up, but Patty Lin's script is still full of excellent moments and wonderful performances. Here, Walter (Bryan Cranston) reflects on his underachievement when he's invited with Skyler (Anna Gunn) to an old work colleagues birthday party…Elliot (Adam Godley) has become a very wealthy man in the years since he parted company with Walter, but after hearing about his old friend's lung cancer he offers him a top job with comprehensive medical insurance. Unfortunately, Walter is unable to swallow his pride and accept Elliot's offer of help, engineered by Syler in the hope of persuading him that chemotherapy is an essential course of action.
Elsewhere, Jesse (Aaron Paul) struggles to go straight, finding his lack of qualifications an insurmountable obstacle. After learning from a potential employer that he's only fit to advertise on the streets dressed in a stupid costume, Jesse bumps into Badger (an old school friend on a similar downward spiral) and they decide to become partners and resurrect Jesse's crystal meth business. Unfortunately, Jesse's skills at chemistry leave a lot to be desired…
Again, this episode focuses on family reactions to Walter's condition. Skyler remains adamant her husband must choose to fight his cancer, so she arranges an uncomfortable family meeting to try and persuade Walter with unfair peer pressure. Walter Jr (RJ Mitte) is particularly disappointed and upset about the situation, perceiving his father as "giving up" on his family by accepting death so easily. Interestingly, Hank (Dean Norris) and Marie (Betsy Brandt) slowly reveal their true thoughts on the matter, and it certainly doesn't tow Skyler's party line.
At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, this is clearly the best acted television show on-air. Even ignoring Cranston's raw, utterly compelling performance, the rest of the cast are just as strong in different ways. I'm particularly enjoying Dean Norris as the well-meaning but boorish brother-in-law, and Anna Gunn is finally getting a chance to go toe-to-toe with Bryan Cranston. Even Aaron Paul, who I initially wasn't convinced by (mainly because it's like he drifted in from a Kevin Smith stoner comedy) has really found a foothold now -- aided by last week's insight into his family background.
The only slight disappointment for me was Walter's final decision regarding whether or not to fight a statistically incurable condition. I understand a television show needs to travel down narrative roads that can reap the most drama and incident, but I didn't quite believe Walter would reverse his principles. He gave succinct and understandable reasons for opting to accept death "like a man", so the sudden reversal for the benefit of his wife (or some extra time with her) didn't quite convince me. But that's a very minor quibble, in the big scheme of things. And it meant we got to see a glimpse of what chemotherapy entails; a procedure you always hear about, but rarely see.
Overall, while this was the weakest episode so far, the standard is still much higher than most TV shows. "Gray Matter" adjusts direction very nicely, reveals an unexpected skeleton in Walter's closet (he had an affair with his work partner's wife) and prods the series into its next chapter.
26 October 2008
FX, 10pm
Cast: Bryan Cranston (Walter), Anna Gunn (Skyler), Aaron Paul (Jesse), Dean Norris (Hank), Betsy Brandt (Marie), RJ Mitte (Walter White Jr.), Adam Godley (Elliott), William Sterchi (Manager), Marc Mouchet (Farley), Kiira Arai Sniegowski (Server), William Allen (Scientist), Loren Haynes (Music Producer), Kyle Swimmer (Louis), Robert Arrington (Soren), Frederic Doss (Off-Duty Cop), Matt Jones (Badger), Jessica Hecht (Gretchen) & Juanita Trad (Medical Technician)
