That's horrible! Jesse is the heart of the show. Still! Somewhat Inexplicably! But then again, in another few episodes, it's hard to say where the road will take him. It's possible the balance of sympathize-ability will shift back in Walt's favor by the end, but I still wouldn't want Jesse to die.

Exactly! I predict he will perform brilliantly, giving him a reason to feel proud all on his own, no Mike-/Gus-manipulation this time.

Last season was not bad! It had so many memorable episodes and jokes — the wood respect, Jason Alexander's pamphlet, 90% of Jerry Seinfeld's appearances (i.e. all the exposed midriff jokes in that one episode), and not to mention: the most hilariously inappropriate Larry/child interaction to date: the rash on the…

I sort of remember them discussing that after the fact, particularly in a plot involving Cameron and her guilt over having cut his brain open, then Foreman says he forgives her but is still really resentful or something… Am I totally mixing up my memories of this show? SO MANY EPISODES!!!

I had such a crush on Brendanawicz!

BEADS!

In this business of law enforcement, you must have the heart of an angel and the hide of an elephant.

Well said, Firewalkwithme. The moral ambiguity implicit in the Walt character is his only saving grace in that it keeps him still interesting and complex, but he is no longer a hero for me, not even an anti-hero. He's just a petty, sad little man who has damaged those around him way more than he's helped them.

Last week I had to explain to my father that the two tweakers at the meth house were in fact not part of another Gus/Mike setup targeted at Jesse.

This is why I no longer watch 22-episode seasons of inferior shows.

Hank would have found another way to get them.

Yes, I'm pretty sure Gus was the one who made the call. They went over all of this in Season 3. Unless Walt's interpretation was incorrect or incomplete.

Exactly! Look at how lame Nancy Botwin has gotten without a worthy and sympathetic adversary in his/her own right.

It's not the fact that he's morally reprehensible that makes Walt hard for me to root for, it's that he's often a dick on an interpersonal level.

Wow, good eye! What a cool observation and bit of continuity. This is why I love this show, sometimes more than Mad Men.

Yeah, they should stick to going after the Bluths by sea.