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"Shotgun" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of Breaking Bad and the thirty-eighth episode altogether.

Summary[]

Teaser[]

Speeding through the streets of Albuquerque, Walt contacts Saul on his cell phone and instructs him to deliver all of his money to Skyler if he doesn't return within twenty-four hours. He then leaves a message on Skyler's voicemail, telling her he loves her. Walt is heading into some kind of showdown that he doesn't expect to survive as he places his revolver on the passenger seat of his Aztek.

Act I[]

An armed Walt storms into Los Pollos Hermanos and demands to speak with Gus. Having seen Gus' car parked outside, he doesn't believe the manager when she says that Gus isn't there. Walt tells her that he will wait in the restaurant until Gus comes out. As he takes a seat, Walt takes notice of the several security cameras that are pointed at him. He then receives a call from Mike, who tells him that Jesse will be with him for the day; Jesse confirms that he is okay, but doesn't know where Mike is taking him. As Mike hangs up, Walt once again takes stock of the security cameras before getting up and storming past the kitchen into Gus' office, only to find it empty.

In the desert, Mike drives up a long dirt road. Betraying his aloof demeanor, an on-edge Jesse positions his keys between his fingers to use as an improvised weapon. After Mike exits the car, he grabs a shovel from the trunk. Jesse expects a confrontation, but Mike walks past him and starts digging. He pulls a bag of money out of the ground and tosses it in the trunk after reconcealing the hole. Mike tells Jesse that they have six more collections to make today and that he wants to have it done before dark.

Act II[]

Sgt. Tim Roberts visits Hank's house to discuss the Gale Boetticher case. Hank identifies Jesse and Badger as the only people directly tied to the blue meth that he knows of. He states that Badger wouldn't have killed Gale and admits that while he has "a history" with Jesse, he doesn't think Jesse killed him either. Roberts produces a composite sketch of a "person of interest" seen at the murder scene and shows it to Hank, although Hank doesn't recognize the accurate likeness of Victor. Thinking Gale was Heisenberg, Hank considers the case closed and asks that Roberts should not involve him within it anymore.

Mike makes a pickup at an abandoned warehouse and finds Jesse standing guard when he returns to the car. Jesse says that if he is to serve as guard, he would need a gun. Mike dissuades him of the notion that he's a guard or has any chance of getting a gun. As the pickups continue, Jesse becomes increasingly bored and frustrated. He tries to smoke, although Mike refuses to allow smoking in his car. Eventually Jesse tells Mike that if he's riding shotgun as "the guy" on this assignment, then he should be told where they are going and why. Mike pulls the car over and angrily tells Jesse that "You are not the guy," continuing, "I had a guy, but now I don't. You are not the guy." Mike then insists that he doesn't know why Gus included Jesse in the errand.

In the superlab, Walt struggles to handle the cook by himself. After his watch alarm sounds, he rushes home to sign papers finalizing the loan to buy the car wash. Skyler tells him that if their plan is to succeed, they have to be completely honest with each other. Skyler then plays her voicemail and hears Walt's message from earlier saying that he loves her. Skyler then turns to look at Walt, and she then brings him to her bedroom where they have sex.

Act III[]

Walt Jr. arrives home and realizes that his parents are together in their bedroom. Skyler frets over her son's reaction and suggests that Walt move back home, adding that it would reinforce their cover story. His watch alarms again, reminding him to return to the superlab. Walt then kisses Skyler and leaves to get dressed, electing not to give an answer to her suggestion.

Later, back at the superlab, Walt drops a barrel of methylamine while struggling with the forklift. Fed up, he screams at the surveillance camera that the cook is a two-man job, refusing to continue working until Jesse returns. Without answering Walt's battery of questions and exclamations, Tyrus soon enters the lab and operates the forklift for Walt.

After dark, Mike makes the final pickup of the evening at another abandoned warehouse. While he's inside, a second vehicle arrives, and Jesse notices one of its occupants approaching Mike's car with a shotgun. Jesse, convinced they are about to be attacked, shifts the car into reverse, forcing the the gunman to dive out of the way, and slams into the other vehicle. Jesse then drives away as the gunman gets into the smashed car as they give chase. Mike comes out of the warehouse to see the two cars speeding off. Mike then walks into town and places a call asking for a ride only for Jesse to pull up to him. As he switches to the shotgun seat, Jesse explains what went down outside the warehouse. Mike seems to be respect Jesse and states that he saw what Jesse did. Riding a high of emotions, Jesse pulls out a cigarette but then catches Mike's eye, prompting him to put the cigarette back in its carton. However, Mike then gives Jesse permission to smoke as the pair drive away.

Act IV[]

The following day, Jesse returns to the superlab. He tells Walt that he had spent the day guarding Mike, bristling when Walt makes light of the notion. Jesse explains how he defended Mike from an attack and that from now on, he would work two jobs: guarding Mike on future dead drop pickups while also cooking meth with Walt. Meanwhile, Mike and Gus rendezvous outside Los Pollos Hermanos. It is revealed that the attack at the warehouse was staged by Gus himself as a means of motivating Jesse, who reacted exactly as Gus planned, out of his depression and to be seen as a hero.

That night, Walt, Skyler, and Walt Jr. visit the Schraders for dinner. Discussion soon turns to the Gale Boetticher case; assuming that he was "Heisenberg," Hank states that Gale was a genius. A tipsy Walt, his pride challenged at the idea of someone else taking credit for his work, dismisses Gale's notebook as "simple rote copying ... of someone else's work" and claims that he believes Heisenberg is still at large, a remark Hank takes to heart.

The following morning, Hank warmly greets Marie and tells her that he's resumed looking into the Boetticher case. Looking through crime scene photos from Gale's apartment, Hank seems to notice something unusual. When Marie asks him what it is, Hank states that the evidence file indicates that Gale was a vegan who only ate organic and fair-trade food. He then looks at a photo of a note Gale had drawn on a Los Pollos Hermanos napkin, and wonders aloud why a vegan like Gale would frequent a fried chicken fast food restaurant.

Official Photos[]

Trivia[]

  • The episode title, "Shotgun" is a reference to both Jesse riding shotgun with Mike as well as the shotgun the attacker is holding when approaching Jesse.
  • This episode marks the third and final time Walter and Skyler have sex in the series.
  • There's a slight reference to the pilot episode of the show in this episode. At the table, Hank says "I've got your wipe-down right here." and grabs his crotch; this is very similar to what Walter said and did to Bogdan as he was leaving the job.
  • During the musical cue ("1977" by Ana Tijoux) Jesse, while bored, mindlessly taps Mike's dashboard and sings: "Fallacies, fallacies, one for you, and two for me" a line from Fallacies by TwaüghtHammër. He previously sang this exact same line in the superlab ("I See You") while mindlessly zipping the zipper of his protective suit up and down, also while bored, also during a musical cue ("Shimmy Shimmy Ya" by Prince Fatty feat. Horseman).
  • Mike and Jesse visit several drop sites, including: a deserted windmill, an abandoned warehouse, and a burned down building.
    • The idea of drop sites used by Gus' organization was revisited several times in Better Call Saul, particularly in "Witness", "The Guy For This", and "Namaste".
  • Walt's ineptitude in using the forklift, dropping the chemical barrel and letting it roll, is the mirror of his and Jesse's inability to handle their first drum, which they carried instead of rolling.
  • When sitting with the family and having dinner, Hank Schrader mentions a Greek professional card player, known as Nick Dandolos, commonly known as Nick the Greek.
  • The hand-written notation on the Los Pollos Hermanos napkin found at Gale's apartment was "MI-MB042266-GER."
  • Saul doesn't physically appear in this episode. Although Walt does speaks to him on the phone, his voice is never heard.

Errors[]

Continuity[]

BestBurrito2010

When Walter White walks into Los Pollos Hermanos to see Gustavo Fring about the location of Jesse Pinkman, there is a poster that can be seen on the wall near the door showing an award the restaurant received for “ABQ Votes! - Best Burrito 2010 - Thank You!” at minute: 2:25. However, in the timeline of Breaking Bad, this episode is estimated to have taken place in 2009 (June 18–20, 2009).

Production[]

ShotgunProductionError

When Mike Ehrmantraut is driving Jesse Pinkman in a car through the desert at the beginning of the episode, you can see a camera and a guy behind it shooting the scene at the bottom right hand corner of the screen (undearneath the wind turbine). This can be seen at the 8:57 timestamp and indicates that the final result of this scene was meant to be more "zoomed in" during the editing process in order to cut out the cameraman, but this was never corrected before the episode aired.

Production[]

Credits[]

Featured Music[]

  • "Aztek" by Dave Porter (as Walt drives from the superlab to Pollos Hermanos)
  • "1977" by Ana Tijoux (during the montage of the pickups and that of Walt cooking alone)
  • "The 808 Track" by Bassnectar (when Jesse turns on the radio during the pickups montage)
  • "Fallacies" by TwaüghtHammër, performed by Aaron Paul as Jesse (while he waits in the car during the final pickup)
  • "Corrido de Tiburcio Calderon" by Arturo Salas (playing from Garcia's diner as Mike meets up with Jesse after the attack)
  • "Unknown Track #4" by Unknown Artist (playing in Jesse's earphones as Walt arrives at the lab)

Memorable Quotes[]

Mike: "You are not the guy. You're not capable of being the guy. I had a guy, but now I don't. You are not the guy."
Jesse: "Then what the hell am I doing here?"
Mike: "I don't know! It's not my call! I just do what I'm told and now you're gonna do what you're told, which is to sit here, shut up, and stay in the car until we finish our pickups! You got it?"
―Mike and Jesse
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