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"Bug" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of Breaking Bad and the forty-second episode altogether.

Summary[]

Teaser[]

In a flash-forward, we hear heavy breathing and see a broken pair of eyeglasses on the floor. Blood drips onto the floor and on to a familiar pair of Wallabee shoes. A man's hand struggles to pick up the glasses. Upon retrieving them, he slowly stumbles away.

Act I[]

4x09 - Bug 2

Hank and Walt view the GPS data

Walt drives Hank to Los Pollos Hermanos. Hank senses Walt's anxiety and attempts to lighten the mood. Walt retrieves the GPS tracker from Gus' car but refuses to enter the restaurant this time. Back at the Schrader residence, Hank curses when the tracker's data reveals that Gus only made trips between home and Los Pollos Hermanos, with nearly the same route each time. Leaving Hank's house, Walt spots Tyrus, who has been following them. He pulls up to Tyrus' car and calls 9-1-1 to report a suspicious man in the neighbourhood, forcing Tyrus to leave.

Outside the laundry, Walt is mildly taken aback when Jesse says that he has already started the cook. Walt bums a cigarette and sees the ricin still in Jesse's pack. Jesse insists that he still intends to poison Gus, but Walt silently doubts his truthfulness.

That evening, Skyler calls Walt from the car wash and reports that the "profits" are so good that Walt could begin preparing an exit strategy from his "second job". Walt, however, knows that there is no way out as long as Gus is alive.

Act II[]

The next morning, Hank calls Walt and proposes that they drive out to what he believes is Gus' meth distribution center. Knowing that Hank means the Los Pollos Hermanos factory farm, Walt feigns illness and convinces him to delay the trip; he then calls and warns Mike. At the factory farm, Mike directs Jesse and other operatives to hide all evidence of their distribution.

Meanwhile, at the car wash, Skyler rings up false purchases between actual customers to help account for the extra money Walt is giving her. Ted shows up and informs Skyler that the IRS is auditing his business. As his company's bookkeeper of record, Skyler realizes that a criminal investigation would permit agents to monitor her mail and phone calls, and probably open the books at the car wash—a disaster across the board.

Screen Shot 2011-09-16 at 4.57

Gus standing before the Cartel's sniper

Back at the farm, Jesse muses to Mike about the potential fallout that killing Hank could give, given his connections to both Walt and the DEA. Outside, a sniper suddenly kills one of Gus' men in front of Jesse. Mike tackles Jesse to the ground and shoves him to cover behind a metal shack. Hearing the commotion, Gus walks outside and straight toward the gunfire as bullets pelt the ground around him. He defiantly raises his arms and stands in plain view. The sniper, Gaff, stops shooting and smirks.

Act III[]

That night, Gus receives a call in his office at his Los Pollos Hermanos office. Mike and Jesse arrive at the superlab to dispose of the shooting victim's body. Walt launches into a diatribe against Gus, whom he assumes ordered the man dead as either punishment or to send another message, until an infuriated Mike orders him to shut up and to just do his job without speaking to him or Jesse about it. Mike then warns Walt against ever calling the police on one of his men again.

Outside the laundry, Jesse asks why Gus did what he did at the farm. Mike explains that he knew the Cartel won't kill him because they need his distribution system. Jesse takes this to mean that he and the rest of Gus' operatives are open season. Mike tires of Jesse's questions and says that he should talk to Gus directly about any further questions.

4x09 - Bug 13

Skyler and Ted Beneke at the IRS building with Agent Picarus

The next day, Ted is being interviewed at the IRS building by an agent, James Picarus. Ted fumbles his way through his audit until Skyler unexpectedly appears. Dressed in a revealing outfit and feigning stupidity, she explains Ted's unreported income: she didn't record electronic payments because there wasn't a physical check. Picarus buys the act. Outside, Skyler tells Ted to pay the back all the taxes and penalties or they'll reopen the investigation. When he questions what money he's supposed to use, Skyler suggests selling personal assets, starting with his BMW. She then sees that he must have already disposed of the car when he drives away in a subcompact hatchback.

That evening, Jesse visits Gus' house. While Gus is cooking, Jesse stands next to a pot of stew with the ricin cigarette in hand but can't bring himself to go through with it. Over dinner, Gus agrees to address Jesse's concerns, but only after he answers if he can cook Walt's formula. Jesse accuses Gus of befriending him under false pretences so that Jesse can take over after Walt is killed; he says that if he kills Walt, he will have to kill him too. Gus calmly responds that is not what he meant, saying that he needs Jesse's help to prevent an all-out war with the Cartel.

Act IV[]

4x09 - Bug 16

Jesse asking for Walter's help

Unable to sleep, Skyler looks pensively at the bags of money under the house. The following day, Walt removes a GPS tracker that he has planted on Jesse's car. He examines the data at his apartment, learning about the trip to Gus' house. Meanwhile, Jesse leaves a message on Walt's voicemail that he has something important to tell him.

Walt drives to Jesse's house, where Jesse in a panic announces that Gus wants him to travel to Mexico and teach Walt's formula to Cartel chemists. Fearing that he'll fail and be killed, he begs Walt to coach him. Walt asks in several ways if Jesse has seen Gus, which he guiltily denies. Walt then grabs the cigarette pack out of Jesse's pocket and finds the ricin still there. Walt then produces the tracker and tells him he knows how long Jesse was at Gus's house. Jesse is furious that Walt was tracking him, while Walt argues that Jesse has betrayed him. The confrontation escalates into a brutal physical fight, knocking off Walt's glasses. Jesse eventually gains the upper hand, pinning Walt to the floor and punching him in the face. When the fight ends, Jesse tells Walt to get out of his house and never come back.

Official Photos[]

Trivia[]

  • The title "Bug" refers to the tracking "bug" placed on Gus' car in Hermanos as well as the tracker that Walt placed on Jesse's car.
  • Skyler is seen creating fake receipts, in order to speed up the money laundering process.
  • This episode features the longest, and roughest fight between Walt and Jesse.
    • Aaron Paul actually grazed Bryan Cranston on the tip of the nose while filming the fight scene.
    • Vince Gilligan stated he wanted to make their fighting look 'sloppy' by having them putting fingers in each others mouths, breathing heavily, grabbing objects to desperately use to hit one another, etc.

Production[]

Credits[]

Filming Locations[]

  • Hank has Walter come over to plant a tracking device on Gustavo's vehicle. Twice in this episode Walter visits Hank's house, located at 4901 Cumbre Del Sur Court Northeast
  • Jesse visits Gustavo's chicken farm where a sniper starts shooting. The main building still exists but the chicken hatcheries are gone (2017). 9615 Broadway Blvd Google Satellite view 2017 you can see where the rows of chicken coups used to be.
  • The IRS Audit Office that Beneke and Skyler visit is actually "One Executive Center" an office building located at 8500 Menual Blvd NE.
  • The time lapse street scene (shown between the body in the barrel at the laundromat scene and the IRS audit scene) was filmed at 4400 Central Ave. The neon archway still exists in 2017 but the island with trees has been removed. Firestone automotive can be seen in the background as well as the bank building in the distance. Loyolas is right behind the sign (filming location for the diner meeting scenes.)
  • 2nd Time Lapse scene is located 1 block down, just past the Firestone. In the shot you can see the Zia Motor Lodge (which appears in many shows). The starburst sign can be seen in front of the skyscraper. The sign is still there, the lot empty in 2017.
  • Jesse goes to dinner at Gustavo Fring's house which is located at 1300 Jefferson St NE. The address 1312 over the door is the actual address & the door is still red (2017).

Featured Music[]

  • "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor performed by Dean Norris as Hank Schrader (as Walt drives Hank to Pollos Hermanos)
  • "Hyperactive!" by Thomas Dolby (in the carwash when Ted visits)
  • "Scrambled Eggs" by Nat Adderley (as Gus prepares dinner for Jesse and himself)
  • "Remembering Section 403" by Patrick Prouty (as Jesse and Gus eat)

Memorable Quotes[]

Walter: "Should I even ask?"
Mike: "I wouldn't."
Walter: "So, what? Is this going to be a regular thing now? Meth cooking and corpse disposal? Jesus..."
Mike: "Just grab us a spare barrel, Walter."
Walter: "What was it this time? What did this poor bastard do to piss off Gus? Or did Gus just need to send another message?"
Mike: "Shut your mouth! You shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you. I don't want you talking to me or Jesse. Just get the barrel. And if you ever plan on calling the cops on one of my guys again, you go ahead and get two barrels."
―Walter and Mike after Mike and Jesse brought into the lab the body of a henchman shot by the Cartel.

Skyler: "Oh, I am so sorry I am late! I got lost. Hey, Ted."
Ted: "Sky?"
Skyler: "Whew, this building is so confusing! There are doors everywhere! Hi. You are?"
James: "Special Agent James Picarus."
Skyler: "Ooh, special."
―Skyler playing the 'dumb blonde' at Ted's IRS audit.

Jesse: "You bugged my car?"
Walt: "7:10 to 9:28 p.m. Two hours and 18 minutes, but you had no intentions, did you? Not the slightest intention."
Jesse: "Everything that I have done for you-- You put a bug on my car?!"
Walt: "I'm sorry. After everything you've done for me? What you've done for me?! You've killed me, is what you've done! You've signed my death warrant! And now you want advice? All right, I'll give you advice: Go to Mexico and screw up, like I know you will, and wind up in a barrel somewhere!"
―Walt accuses Jesse of betrayal and tells him to screw up.
Jesse: "Can you walk?"
Walt: "Yeah."
Jesse: "Then get the fuck out of here and never come back."
―Jesse tells Walt to get out from his house after they fought.
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