Down

Down
Season	2
Episode	4
Directed by	John Dahl
Written by	Sam Catlin
Running time	47 minutes
Air date	March 29, 2009
U.S. Viewers	TBA
← Previous	"Bit by a Dead Bee"
Next →	"Breakage"

"Down" is the fourth episode of the second season of Breaking Bad and the eleventh episode altogether.

Teaser

We return to the eerie scene as first depicted in the season premiere. The same charred, pink teddy bear floats around an empty swimming pool. A figure in a hazmat suit leans over into the pool and spots the teddy bear, then retrieves it with a pool skimmer. Placing it into an evidence bag, they lay the teddy bear on the ground next to other collected objects, also wrapped in evidence bags, carefully organized along the side of the pool. The line of random objects ends with a pair of eyeglasses, very reminiscent of Walter White's.

Summary

A broke Jesse Pinkman meets Walt on the sly at the Gas 'N Go convenience store, and asks for half of the remaining drug money. "Fifty-fifty partners. That's our business model," he says. Walt argues he shouldn't have to suffer for Jesse's carelessness, but does give him $600.

The next morning, Walt cheerily prepares a pancake breakfast for his wife and son. Attempting to explain away her suspicions about his second cell phone, Walt tells Skyler she might have mistaken his phone's alarm — a reminder, he claims, to take his medication — for an incoming call. His back to Skyler, Walt doesn't notice her slip out of the house.

In a meeting with his parents and their lawyer, Jesse is told he has seventy-two hours to vacate his aunt's house. When his mom tells him a DEA agent came looking for him, Jesse spins the story by claiming he works for the agency. But she calls him on the lie: "I saw your basement," she says. "I found your... laboratory." The lawyer explains that under federal asset seizure the government could take the entire house and so Jesse has to move out.

When Skyler returns home, Walt asks where she's been. "Out," is her only reply. Attempting to bridge the distance, Walt says that he's thinking of rejoining his cancer support group, saying "it's good to, you know… talk about things." Skyler's reaction to this is equally curt.

Jesse's mom enters his bedroom and wakes her sleeping son. Scurrying to hide his bong and other paraphernalia, he pleads for another chance — but movers are already carting away his furniture. Jesse says that the house is his, claiming he earned it helping his dying aunt after his mother abandoned her. She slaps him, then says that she just wants him to turn his life around. Jesse counters, "Yeah, this is gonna help big time with that, bitch!"

Over at his house, Walt makes omelets, but Walter Jr. and Skyler pass on breakfast. As Skyler leaves, again without explanation, Jesse makes the first of three increasingly frantic phone calls to Walt. "My housing situation went completely testicular on me," he tries to tell Walt, but Walt isn't interested in the specifics. "Your problems are just that: your problems," Walt finally tells Jesse, warning him not to make contact under any circumstances.

Later that day, Jesse and Paul — a settled-down and cleaned-up high school pal — reminisce about their old band, TwaüghtHammër, in Paul's kitchen while he attempts to feed his young son lunch. Paul's wife comes home and kicks him out.

Outside the Gas 'N Go, Jesse is on a pay phone begging for a place to stay.  He explains that he's already tried  Badger, that he's tried everyone but is refused. Jesse turns to find that his motorcycle — along with his few remaining possessions — has been stolen. That night, Jesse heads to the repair yard where Badger's cousin Clovis is storing the RV. After scaling the fence, he tries to stand on the roof of a porta-potty but the roof collapses and Jesse falls through. Blue disinfectant pours out of the porta-potty and Jesse emerges soaked in human waste. Gagging from his own stench, Jesse staggers to the RV, dons a respirator, and cries himself to sleep.

The next morning, Skyler leaves the house again without word. Walt suggests that he and his son do something "fun," and takes Walter Jr. for a driving lesson. But the lesson ends abruptly when Walt won't let Walter Jr. use both feet to work the pedals, a technique to compensate for his disability, and he loses control of the car.

Over at the repair yard, Clovis follows the trail of blue sludge from the busted toilet to the RV, and pulls a shotgun on a sleeping Jesse. When Jesse can't pay the towing and repair charges, Clovis threatens to sell the RV's contents and kicks Jesse off the lot. While Clovis is on the phone making a deal to sell the cook stuff, Jesse sneaks back onto the lot and crashes the RV through the locked gate.

Back at his house, Walt apologizes to Skyler "for everything" — for his cancer, for not being a good partner. Worried that she's questioning his fidelity, he tries to reassure her that he's not having an affair. "Congratulations," she tells him. "Shut up and say something that isn't complete bullshit."

When Walt claims not to know what she wants him to tell her, Skyler leaves. He follows her to the driveway, where she drives away as Walt notices the RV parked down the street. Walt pounds on the door and enters the RV, yelling at Jesse for showing up at his house. Walt calls him "a pathetic junkie, too stupid to understand and follow simple, rudimentary instructions," and refuses again to give him any money.

The two begin brawling, and Jesse quickly gains the upper hand, crouching on top of Walt with one hand around his throat and a fist poised to pound him. "Do it," Walt chokes, but Jesse relents. Back inside his house, Walt splits up his money nearly 50-50, keeping an extra stack of bills for himself, and hands Jesse his portion. "Want some breakfast?" Walt asks his partner. Jesse nods.

Skyler, her SUV parked outside the Gas 'N Go, starts to light a cigarette, glaring when the lady parked next to her shakes her head. After pausing a moment, Skyler lights up and takes a long drag.

Credits

Main Cast

• Bryan Cranston as Walter White
• Anna Gunn as Skyler White
• Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
• Dean Norris as Hank Schrader (credit only)
• Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader (credit only)
• RJ Mitte as Walter White Jr.

Supporting Cast

• Tess Harper as Mrs. Pinkman
• Michael Bofshever as Adam Pinkman
• Dan Desmond as Mr. Gardiner
• Tom Kiesche as Clovis
• Drew Waters as Paul Tyree
• Shauna McLean as Sara Tyree
• Liam Ruggles as Henry Tyree
• Caleb Jones as Louis Corbett
• Argos MacCallum as Wino

Trivia

• The episode title is part of the foreshadowing of the season two finale, and also refers to Walt and Jesse being in low places during the episode, Walt facing tension with Skyler and Jesse being homeless and penniless.

Featured Music

• "Into the Night" by Benny Mardones (at the convenience store where Jesse meets Walt)
• "Fallacies" by TwaüghtHammër, performed by Aaron Paul as Jesse and Drew Waters as Paul (at Paul's house)
• "Let Your Love Flow" by The Spokes Men (at the convenience store when Jesse's bike is stolen)
• "Vent" by Dave Porter (as Walt retrieves his money from the vent in his home)
• "It's A Pretty World Today" by Nancy Sinatra (as Skyler leaves the convenience store)

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