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"I See You" is the eighth episode of the third season of Breaking Bad and the twenty-eighth episode altogether.

Summary[]

Teaser[]

A heavily-bruised Jesse is wheeled out of the hospital by an orderly. As he waits outside for his ride, an ambulance arrives carrying a critically wounded Hank. Jesse watches as two emergency room doctors work with paramedics to unload Hank, and follows them as they wheel Hank into the operating room for immediate surgery. Jesse returns outside, where he is eventually picked up by Skinny Pete in his Thunderbird. When Skinny Pete sees Jesse's injuries and asks if he's okay, Jesse smiles and replies, "Actually, I'm great."

Act I[]

In the superlab, Walt tries to fire Gale without hurting his feelings. When Gale pushes for an explanation, Walt tried to use a musical analogy, saying that he is "classical" while Gale is "more jazz." At that moment, Jesse arrives and loudly marvels at the setup in the lab, leaving Gale more confused. When Walt wants to get right to work, Jesse realizes that Walt is unaware that Hank has been shot.

3x08 I See You

The Whites and Schraders with the DEA in the waiting room.

Walt rushes into a hospital waiting room where Skyler, Marie, Gomez and ASAC Merkert are assembled. Merkert explains that all the DEA knows is that Hank was attacked by two cartel hitmen, and that he killed one of the assassins and critically wounded the other despite sustaining four gunshots. Marie denounces Gomez and Merkert for making Hank surrender his gun before the shooting. She further blames Walt, saying the entire situation wouldn't have started if he hadn't supposedly bought pot from Jesse. Skyler comes to Walt's defense, insisting it wasn't his fault. Crying, Marie apologizes.

Act II[]

At the hospital, a crowd of DEA agents and police officers donate blood in support of Hank. An impatient Jesse pages Walt, who tells him to sit tight and not cook until he gets to the lab. When Skyler nears, Walt pretends that he's talking to a well-wisher. After Walt hangs up, Skyler suggests they all get breakfast. Walt asks if she knows who was on the phone; Skyler smiles sadly and walks away. In the cafeteria, Marie complains about the dirty silverware and declares the hospital a deathtrap. Sensing she is about to spiral out of control, Walt intervenes. After relating his own anxieties before his surgery in the same hospital, Walt tells Marie, "I survived this place, and I'm not half the man your husband is."

At Los Pollos Hermanos, Gus receives a frantic phone call from Juan Bolsa, who contends that the Cousins would never have shot Hank without approval. Bolsa concedes the next drug shipment it will be delayed indefinitely, vowing that he'll learn the truth about the attack from Leonel, the surviving Cousin. Gus, learning that Leonel has survived, plots a way to tie the loose end.

A doctor announces that Hank is out of surgery. On the way out to run errand for the family, Walt walks into the lobby to find Gomez and other DEA agents holding vigil. Gomez invites Walt to join them in visiting Leonel's ICU room. There, Walt sees that the injuries Leonel sustained during the shooting have caused both of his legs to be amputated. Sensing the group's presence, Leonel turns to look at them, and recognizes Walt. He sits up, tears at the tubes attached to his body, and pushes himself onto the floor, his glaring gaze never wavering from Walt. Leonel drags himself toward him, trailing blood from his stumps, before doctors subdue and drag him back onto the bed.

Act III[]

Stuck in the superlab, Jesse becomes bored and amuses himself by playing with the equipment, such as inflating a hazmat suit with an air hose. However, his fun is cut short when Victor catches him and asks why there isn't any cooking. When Jesse contacts Walt about Victor's visit, a distracted Walt asks if he remembers Tuco mentioning his cousins coming up from Mexico during their captivity in the desert. Jesse thinks he does, but presses Walt about their approaching deadline.

Walt delivers toiletries to his to his family in a waiting room, as well as a book that Hank gave to Junior about the agents who pursued Pablo Escobar. Walt is distracted by a phone call from Gus, lying to him about being "hard at work" and blaming his inability to meet the week's meth quota on Gale's mistakes. He promises to deliver 400 pounds by next week. Later, Walt asks Gomez if the DEA knows who was behind the shooting, and whether other assassins could be on their way. Gomez assures Walt that the attack on Hank was their one attempt and they failed. Gomez's cell rings, and he spreads the word that food is on it's way: Gus is personally delivering Los Pollos Hermanos fried chicken for every cop in the building. Walt turns pale at the turn of events.

Act IV[]

In the waiting room, Walt watches Gus console Marie, knowing that Gus is now aware that he lied about his whereabouts. Walt's family and ASAC Merkert thank Gus for offering a $10,000 reward for information about the shooting, while Gus mentions that he previously met Hank during a visit to the DEA field office and that he saw Walt's photo on the donation jar there. Walt approaches Gus as he walks out, realizing that he knew all along about his brother-in-law being a DEA agent. Gus replies that he investigates everyone with whom he does business. When Walt asks if Gus's presence is a message to him, Gus says, "I hide in plain sight, same as you." Walt expresses fear for his family's safety, but Gus assures him that the remaining gunman is unlikely to survive.

It is revealed that Gus's fried chicken delivery was just a distraction. While the cops are preoccupied, Mike sneaks into Leonel's room and administers him a lethal injection. Leonel flat-lines, and despite the efforts of doctors and nurses to revive him, he dies just as Walt, Gomez and others show up at his room. Amid the commotion, Mike slips away unnoticed, discarding the syringe he just used to kill Leonel in a nearby sharps collection box.

3x08 I See You 2

Gus smiles as he listens to Juan Bolsa's death.

Upon returning to Los Pollos Hermanos, Gus receives another call from Bolsa, who complains that pressure from the U.S. government in the wake of Hank's shooting has brought the Mexican Federales to his residence. Bolsa accuses Gus of betraying him, threatening to pay a visit when things calm down. While still on the phone, there is a commotion, during which Bolsa tries to flee but is gunned down by machine gun fire when he opens a door. Gus listens impassively to Bolsa's demise, smiles, then destroys and disposes of the cell phone.

Walt sits with his sleeping family in the waiting room, with Skyler's head on his shoulder. The doctor enters to inform Marie that she is finally permitted to see Hank. Marie insists that Walt, Skyler, and Junior accompany her. The family solemnly enters Hank's room. As the Whites look on, Marie kisses Hank's forehead and takes his hand.

Official Photos[]

Trivia[]

  • This episode title is a play on words, as both Hank and the surviving Cousin are both rushed to the "I.C.U." (Intensive Care Unit).
    • The title also alludes to the scene in which the surviving Cousin stares down, i.e. 'sees', Heisenberg as he drags himself towards him, when Walt accompanies Gomez to his room.
  • The "thin blue line" that Gus mentions is a common nickname for law enforcement since the 19th century and is meant to evoke the image that police are on the front lines of a war between civilization and criminals. It's analogous to the "thin red line" originally describing red-coated British soldiers.
  • During the musical cue ("Shimmy Shimmy Ya" by Prince Fatty feat. Horseman) Jesse, while bored, mindlessly zips the zipper of his protective suit up and down and sings: "Fallacies, fallacies, one for you, and two for me" a line from Fallacies by TwaüghtHammër. He will later sing this exact same line in Mike's car ("Shotgun"), also while bored, while mindlessly tapping on Mike's dashboard, also during a musical cue ("1977" by Ana Tijoux.)
  • While in the waiting room of the hospital waiting for Hank, Walt is shown fixing an uneven leg of the table in front of him. While it may seem innocuous, it actually illustrates a long running thematic thread of Walt's obsessive attention to minor or even non-existent details: the mustard stain on the doctor's shirt ("Pilot"), the Fly ("Fly"), the "rot" in ("Over"), and when Walt is at his apartment complex he takes the time to fish some trash out of the pool ("Caballo Sin Nombre").
  • Hank gives Walt Jr. a book about the agents who caught Pablo Escobar. Bryan Cranston would play one of those agents in The Infiltrator.
  • Leonel's final appearance, dragging his legless body toward Walt on the I.C.U. floor, is reminiscent of his very first appearance when he was crawling on his belly during the sacrificial procession in the dusty, adobe-lined desert, towards a drawing of Walt. ("No Más")
  • This is the only episode in the franchise to feature only one of the twins, and not the other.
  • When the ambulance crew is wheeling Hank's stretcher into the emergency room, one of the hospital staff orders "Let's get him 2 grams of oxygen," which is incorrect. Oxygen is not delivered by mass, but rather by volumetric flow rate in liters per minute. A severe trauma like Hank's would get a high concentration of 15Lpm.

Production[]

Credits[]

Co-Starring

  • Brian Lax as EMT
  • John Welker as Lead Doctor
  • Kevin Brown as APD Officer
  • Ken Thomas as Friendly Agent
  • Rosa Estrada as Doctor

Uncredited

  • John Augustini as Tim
  • Angela Blake as Nurse
  • Joe Freeman as The Assassin
  • Timothy Holmes as DEA

Featured Music[]

  • "Waynedale" by Left Lane Cruiser (playing in Skinny Pete's car as he picks Jesse up in the teaser)
  • "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" by Prince Fatty (feat. Horseman) (while Jesse goofs around in the lab)

Memorable Quotes[]

"Marie, I survived. I had my lobectomy at this hospital. Remember that? Remember how scared we all were? I didn’t want to act like it, but I was terrified. All that week, all I could think of was how they were actually going to cut me open and take out a part of me that was with me my entire life. I couldn’t get that image out of my head. I think the scariest part was when they took me into pre-op–lying there, waiting for them to anesthetize you, knowing that you may never wake up again. Actually, what I really remember about that day is driving to the hospital. Skyler, you remember me wanting to drive that day? Anyway, there we are–driving up Central and we hit every green light. I mean, every single light that we hit–green. It’s just–When does that happen? Just like, bang, bang, green the entire way. And the whole time, all I could think about was–Why today? Why? Why can’t I just spend a few extra minutes in the car with my family? I never wanted to be stuck in traffic so bad in my life. At least I was with my family. I had that. Anyway, I survived this place. And I’m not half the man your husband is."
―Walter, reassuring Marie about Hank's chances of survival.

Walt: "You knew. You knew my brother-in-law was with the DEA."
Gus: "I investigate everyone with whom I do business. What careful man wouldn't?"
Walt: "He is not a problem for us or our business, but you being here...is this some sort of message?"
Gus: "I'm supporting my community. I hide in plain sight, same as you. Are we done?"
Walt: "No, listen, I, uh...this attack on my brother-in-law, I don't understand it, I don't know what it means. Please, if you may have some knowledge that you can share with me. I fear for my family."
Gus: "I'm sure they'll be fine. I am told the assassin that survived is gravely injured. It's doubtful he'll live. Now thank me and shake my hand."
―Walt confronting Gus in the hospital lobby
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