Breaking Bad re-watch: Season 5, Episode 2: "Madrigal"

The first episode of the season was a good one, but overall, this season (or at least the half that's aired thus far) is a little weaker than what we’ve become used to. A big reason for this, I believe, is that the each episode in the previous seasons was just a smaller part of a bigger story, with few exceptions. In this one, while there is an overall continuing storyline, several individual episodes play out like self-contained, standalone pieces. Also, while the show previously took its time to develop the story and create tension, this season moves faster, as if they’re hurrying to insert every plot point because they know their time is limited. The results, while not bad, aren’t as ruthlessly compelling as the show was before.

In this one, for example, we learn that Gus Fring’s empire was part of giant multinational conglomerate, and that those inside this organization are feeling the heat after Fring met his demise last season. It seemingly ties up the last few loose ends from the last season—both in Fring’s organization and between Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul)—and also introduces us to Laura Fraser’s white collar criminal executive Lydia. Fraser’s adequate in the role, but since the series is in the home stretch, she doesn’t get a chance to fully develop into a major character (at least not yet).

But one thing this episode does well is show us a new side of Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks). The episode establishes that despite his cold exterior and stomach for killing, Mike still has some positive attributes, like an ironclad loyalty, a careful and calculating mind, and a lack of the greed that is now consuming Walt. And yet the show establishes this only the utmost subtlety (possibly because it doesn’t have time to do so directly, with the number of episodes dwindling away), and Banks communicates a range of different emotions and personal quandary without ever dropping the character’s stone-faced expression or tough presence.

Also clear is that the character is in his line of work for the job, and only decides to be a part of Walt and Jesse’s operation (against his better judgment) to have money to leave for his granddaughter. Kind of like how Walt only entered the meth business for his family. In a way, Mike is a better Walt than Walt. Mike may be bad, but he managed to keep his monster at bay and focused on only the right people, whereas Walt’s is consuming every part of him.