Breaking Bad: Half Measures Rewatch

November 21, 2014 9:08 PM - Season 3, Episode 12

Against Walt's advice, Jesse lashes out. Fearing for Jesse's safety, Walt takes drastic action to intervene. A tragic event leads to a shocking confrontation.

Aaron Paul won the 2010 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Emmy for his role in this episode.

AMC video content:

• Talked About Scene: Showdown
• Inside Breaking Bad: Walt's Aztek

"Murder is not part of your 12 step program. It is not some amends that you have to make. This is pointless. It accomplishes nothing."

Alan Sepinwall, HitFix:

There comes a point at which all the blood on your hands starts to become your own damn fault. Walter White doesn't think he's a bad man. He is. He doesn't think he's a destroyer of lives. He is. He doesn't think he's a murderer.

He is.

And holy hell, has it been incredible to watch.

"Run."

posted by We had a deal, Kyle (6 comments total)

Love this episode, one of my favorites, and Jonathan Banks' long soliloquy is so focused and intense by the end of it (and most importantly, believable), it just sucks you right in. Bryan Cranston is the audience and he just lets Banks go and doesn't try to scene steal. Great dynamic there, and incredible delivery by Banks of that whole story, imho.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 7:16 AM on November 22, 2014 [1 favorite]

The dialogue is fantastically written, as well - very tight. "Wrists like little branches" - was that it? Yes! I've known women who have small frames, and this observation quickly conveys her diminutive stature (and drives home how loathsome this guy that beats up his wife is) .

A really nice bit of writing that lends credibility without being overly showy or distracting.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 7:25 AM on November 22, 2014

Mike's monologue reminds me of Quint's Annapolis speech in Jaws; it has a similar sort of quiet rhythm.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:04 AM on November 22, 2014 [2 favorites]

The first time I saw this it was right before I went to work; then for the next nine hours I had a hard time concentrating and really just wanted to get back home to see what happened. That final scene is electrifying.

On another note entirely, every time I see Gus at a meeting I laugh at that vegetable platter; it's such a mundane, unimpressive offering that it seems more at home in an office party than a drug empire. I try to imagine Don Corleone or Hank Hill bringing one to a meeting and can't.
posted by johnofjack at 7:47 AM on November 24, 2014 [2 favorites]

Or Henry Hill, rather; apparently he didn't go by "Hank."

Hank (King of the) Hill taking a veggie platter somewhere, sure. Probably a wedding.
posted by johnofjack at 4:02 PM on November 25, 2014 [2 favorites]

On another note entirely, every time I see Gus at a meeting I laugh at that vegetable platter; it's such a mundane, unimpressive offering that it seems more at home in an office party than a drug empire.

It is also interesting to hear Gus - at least nominally - get involved in a peace making meeting. Given that he is generally somebody who will go to any depth, length and meticulousness in planning revenge against the Salamancas.

The final scene, leading up to Walt's line "Run!" is quite something - but a shout out too the scene between Marie and Hank.
posted by rongorongo at 3:26 AM on August 30, 2022