TV Recap: Breaking Bad, Season 5 Episode 12: Rabid Dog

Need a Breaking Bad episode recap for season 5, episode 12?   The rabid dog is Jesse, as Saul refers to him as “Old Yeller”, who may need to be put down.  Did Jesse follow through with his plan to burn down the house?  What progress has Hank made with his case?  What is Walt’s next move?  We have the Breaking Bad episode recap of Rabid Dog right here!  Josh provides the summary of the episode, and both Violet and Josh provide their thoughts at the end of the episode.  If you need a refresher, let’s get into this week’s Breaking Bad episode recap for Rabid Dog!

Don’t need the Breaking Bad episode recap for Rabid Dog? Click here to jump directly to Josh’s thoughts on the episode!
To see Violet’s thoughts on this week’s Breaking Bad episode Rabid Dog, click here to get directly there!

 

Breaking Bad episode Recap: Rabid Dog, the Details

Walt’s search and clean up

Walt pulls up to his house, sees Jesse’s car pulled onto his lawn, and has a look of pain.  He sneaks into his house through some shrubbery by the yard, and he is carrying his pistol.  He enters through a sliding glass door from the backyard, see the gas can on the living room floor, but so far no Jesse.  He slowly checks all rooms, and begins calling his name, and demands that he, “show himself right now!”.    He continues checking rooms. He checks one final room slowly out of camera shot, then walks back out slowly.  He then makes his way to the front of the house, checks Jesse’s car, and finds a DVD in the passenger seat, that is covered in dust. Probably drug dust.  He seems to ponder the DVD, and some kids ride by on their bicycles.

Walt now has to clean up Jesse’s mess.  Literally.  Huell takes away Jesse’s car (which turned out to be Saul’s car).  Walt tells Huell to check on Junior’s school to make sure Jesse doesn’t do anything to his son.  He also tells Huell to find Jesse.   Huell leaves, and Walt calls Jesse.  He leaves a voicemail, and tells Jesse that he wants to fix this, whatever it takes, and tells him to “sleep it off” for now.

Walt then asks the locksmith how the door is coming, and he tells Walt that it is nearly fixed.  The locksmith then asks if he wants a separate key for the new locks or the same key that will work in both locks.  Walt insists that the lock needs to be the same as it was before the break in.  The locksmith seems perplexed by this, telling Walt that most people want to change locks after a break in.  Walt still insists that they need to work.

Inside, carpet cleaners are working to get the gasoline out of the carpet.  Walt gets close to the carpet, sniffs it, and still finds gasoline in the carpet.  He asks them to go over it again, to get the smell out of the rug so that his wife can’t smell it when she gets home.  He begins to offer more money to the cleaners, but they tell him there is nothing more they can do to eliminate the gas smell short of replacing the carpet and padding.

The cleaners leave, and we see Walt on his patio taking off his clothes, and dousing them in gasoline.  He then takes the gas can, and puts it in his trashcan outside.  He has a second thought, takes it out, and puts it sneakily into his neighbor’s trashcan.  He has a third thought, runs back to the neighbor’s garbage can, takes it out and puts a little gas onto the driver seat of his car.

Walt’s Story–That Nobody is Buying

Skyler returns home, and it is evening, likely after her shift at the car wash.  She looks to Walt’s car, where a fan is spinning, to air out the gasoline we assume.  She enters the house, asking, “is that gasoline?”  Junior explains, “That’s Dad”.  Walt then is cleaning the carpet, and then begins to weave his story to Skyler.  He explains to her that the gas pump malfunctioned when pumping gas, and he ended up soaking himself thinking he is done pumping gas.  He explains that he got home, took his clothes off on the living room carpet, and took a shower.  He says then that he realizes that he left his clothes on the carpet.   He explains how he should have hosed off at the gas station, in an attempt to add truth to the lie.

Even Walt Jr. isn’t buying this story, however, demanding, “can’t you just tell the truth?”  Walt carefully asks Walt Jr,  “What do you mean?”  Junior proceeds to explain that he thinks Walt fainted while pumping gas.  Walt adamantly denies this claim at first, but then “admits” he may have gotten “swimmy” at one point, but still insists he did not faint.

Walt then decides that in the interest of their “health” that they can’t really stay in the house with the gasoline smell.  Junior suggests Marie and Hank’s, since they have plenty of space, but Walt has a hotel vacation idea instead.  Walt tells Junior to get some clothes together.  Skyler then decides to pack too.

Skyler “Breaks Bad”–She and Saul Agree-Jesse is “Old Yeller”

In the next scene of Rabid Dog, Saul is sitting in a car with Kuby, and is examining his seemingly broken nose in the mirror commenting, “This is going to leave a scar”.  Walt then enters the rear seat of the car, asking, “Jesse did that to you?”  Saul confirms he did with some witty banter.  Walt asks where they had been looking for Jesse, and Kuby lists off a bunch of places, including Skinny Pete’s and Badger’s place. Walt asks if they are covering for him, but Kuby says their place was bugged and for 3 hours straight they just talked about Babylon 5.  Kuby says he checked with his “gal at APD” and that the cops don’t have him.  Walt thinks perhaps that Jesse changed his mind about leaving, but Saul says that his guy doesn’t give second chances.

Walt tells them to keep looking. Saul then brings up that Jesse is a “bad penny” that is “bound to turn up”.  Walt seems confused by the question. Saul further explains, asking what if Jesse isn’t willing to talk.  Walt asks what they suggest, and Saul asks if it is “Old Yeller” time.  Saul explains the movie premise, and Walt is not happy with the suggestion.  Walt tells Saul to never “float that idea again”, and insists they finds Jesse.   

Walt exits the car, carrying an ice bucket.  He then returns to the hotel room, telling Skyler that the room key wouldn’t open the ice room.  Skyler seems to be drinking quite a bit.  Skyler then abruptly asks “How’s Saul doing?”  She tells him that she saw him in the parking lot.  Skyler demands to know what is going on.  Walt tells Skyler that coming to the hotel is just him being, “overcautious”.  He proceeds to explains that Jesse is upset because of something he did.  Skyler puts together that Jesse was planning to burn the house down.    Walt says that must have been Jesse’s brief thought, but insists that Jesse has changed his mind.  Skyler then proceeds to asks about Jesse’s state of mind, to which Walt explains that Jesse has always been more of a danger to himself than others.  This causes Skyler to ask, “He has never hurt anybody?”  Walt hesitates, but responds simply with, “No”. Walt quickly changes the subject to talking about their daughter.  Skyler asks what the next “course of action” is.  Walt explains Kuby will find Jesse and Walt will talk to him to clear things up.  Skyler thinks “talking” means eliminating.  Walt is shocked by her thoughts.  Skyler then explains her thoughts that someone has finally come to hurt them.  Skyler insists that Walt needs to “deal with this”.  Walt insists that everyone calms down, and tells Skyler that Jesse is not just a “rabid dog”.  Skyler finishes with, “What’s one more?”

We next see Walt sitting outside the hotel swimming pool.  Junior comes up, and they have a conversation.  Walt says that he is thinking about “business options”.  Junior is still worried about Walt’s cancer, but Walt insists that he is “not going anywhere”.  Junior gives him a hug, still very concerned despite Walt’s reassurances.  Junior heads back up to bed, and Walt makes a phone call.

Rewind Time: Jesse Didn’t Really Change His Mind

It is time for a rewind.  The show moves back to Jesse throwing gasoline all over Walt’s house.  He grabs a magazine, and is about to light the fire–when Hank walks into the house, and tells Jesse to stop what he is doing.  Jesse then tells Hank about the poisoning of Brock.  Hank tries to talk him down.  Jesse screams, “He can’t keep getting away with it!”  Hank tells Jesse that they will take Walt down together.

Hank walks Jesse to his car, and Jesse seems to have gone catatonic.  Hank buckles up Jesse, and they drive off.  Moments later we see Walt’s car drive up, where the episode begins.    As Hank drives, Jesse asks if Hank was following him.  Hank confirms it, since Saul’s place.  Hank says they’re going to the DEA.  Jesse hints that him in DEA custody probably isn’t the best idea.

Next is a brief scene of Marie talking to her therapist.    She talks about how wrong she was about this person.  She hasn’t revealed who it is, for Hank’s safety.  She talks about untraceable poisons she would like to use, but she reassures her therapist that she would never actually follow through.  Interestingly she is resigned to saying that Walt “won”.

Hank’s use of Jesse in his Plan to Take Walt Down

Marie arrives home, and Hank has prepared some luggage for Marie.  He wants to send her to a spa, but when Hank tells her about Jesse, she demands to stay.  Hank explains his thought process, but Marie simplifies it asking, “Is this bad for Walt?”  She seems satisfied with Hank’s answer of “very”.  Meanwhile, Jesse’s phone has rang, and Hank hears the message Walt left earlier in the episode.

Jesse wakes up, and sees a photo on the night stand of Skyler and Walt, who is dressed as Santa.  He bumps into Marie when he leaves his room.  He finds Hank, who is setting up video recording equipment.  We learn that Gomez has been brought into the loop with Hank.  Jesse explains to Hank he has  a story, and but no evidence.   Hank then convinces Jesse to record everything, though we do not see exactly what was on the tape, as it cuts away shortly after Jesse begins.  Hank and Gomez have a talk alone on the balcony, and Gomez believes Jesse, but they both acknowledge they have no evidence.  Hank then shows Gomez Jesse’s voicemail, which then provides us with the content of Walt’s second phone call.  Walt reveals he will be waiting for Jesse at a specific time and specific place.  Hank explains the plan to Jesse that he will be wired and talk to Walt.  Hank then explains how much Walt cares for Jesse, and that he will be perfectly safe.  Jesse tells Hank that, “Mr. White is the Devil”, and too lucky and too smart for this plan to work.  Jesse goes to use the restroom, and Gomez and Hank have another conversation.  Gomez asks Hank “What if it is a trap?” and we learn that Hank is not really concerned about what happens to this “junkie”.

Jesse’s Confrontation of Walt

The episode resumes at Civic Plaza, where Walt and Jesse are supposed to meet.  Hank is wiring up Jesse in a van, and Gomez is watching Walt sit on a park bench.  Jesse heads to Walt, but as he approaches he sees a larger man seemingly starring him down.  He pauses a few hundred feet away, and analyzes the situation.  He then turns and begins to walk a different way.  Hank and Gomez begin to freak out.

Jesse calls Walt from a nearby payphone.  Walt answers, and tells Walt, “Nice try a–hole”.  Jesse then says that he is coming for him, and tells Walt he will “get you[Walt] where you really live”.  He hangs up the phone and walks away.  We see Walt get up and walk towards the shady man, but the man was simply waiting for his daughter, unrelated to Walt at all.  Jesse is picked up by Hank, who is none too happy.   Jesse says that, “there is another way, a better way” to get Walt.

Finishing the episode, it goes back with Walt. He makes a phone call, which we find out is to Todd.  He tells Todd that he “might have another job for [his] uncle”.

Scenes from Breaking Bad, Episode 13, To’hajiilee

Here are scenes from next weeks Breaking Bad episode titled To’hajiilee:

Scenes from Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 13 To’hajiilee