Breaking Bad re-watch: Season 1, Episode 3: “…And the Bag’s in the River”

The very first shot of this episode places the lens of the camera where the floor should be, as Walter (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul) wipe away the cocktail of chemicals and melted flesh that used to be a meth pusher. This stomach-churning, gory scene, brought upon by their miscommunication and ineptitude the previous episode, brings them both face-to-face with the realities of the drug business. It can be very messy.

The events of this episode not only tests Walt’s stomach, but also his soul, as there’s still the matter of drug dealer Krazy-8 (Maximino Arciniega) held captive in Jesse’s basement. Walt can’t bring himself to kill his prisoner, even though he knows he has no choice. He even strikes ups a conversation with his captive to avoid the issue in hopes that the two can reach some sort of truce. Krazy-8 tells Walt he doesn’t belong in this world, and who can argue?

The scene where Walter pieces together the broken plate, only to find a piece is missing, is one of the most powerful moments of the first season. Just as he thinks he’s reached some sort of agreement with no repercussions, his hopes are destroyed by reality. In the drug world, Walt learns, there is no reason, understanding, or forgiveness. The actual killing of Krazy-8 is more than a foregone conclusion; it’s almost secondary to the quiet devastation of Walt’s realization. This moment is the one that made me decide to stick with the show, so perfectly is it written and acted.

The beginning and the end feature flashbacks to Walt’s better days, as a young scientist alongside ex-lover Gretchen (Jessica Hecht). This fits this episode perfectly for three reasons. One, we get a little bit of info on Walt’s past (of which the show only gives us scraps). Two, young Walt’s discussion of the chemical makeup of the human body is an amusing contrast to current Walt and Jesse’s cleanup as they sift through what’s left of Emilio, finding pieces of bone and other not-quite-dissolved body parts. And three, most poignantly, the ending flashback, where the younger Walt and Gretchen contemplate where the soul fits within the makeup of the human body, so perfectly fits Walt’s moral standing at the episode’s end. He seemingly tries to put his mistake behind him, finally revealing to Skyler (Anna Gunn) that he’s got cancer, but his soul is irreparably stained. The damage is done, and there’s no going back for Walt.