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"Thirty-Eight Snub" is the second episode of the fourth season of Breaking Bad and the thirty-fifth episode altogether.

Summary[]

Teaser[]

In a motel room, Walt tries out a .38 snub-nosed revolver from Lawson, an illicit gun dealer procured by Saul. Watching him awkwardly draw the weapon, Lawson tells Walt that as long as the gun is for defense, there is little sense in him carrying an illegal firearm since Walt is not a convict and thus could legally purchase the gun. Walt counters that buying on the black market would be better as it would be untraceable and purchases it.

Act I[]

Mike has coffee in a bar and notices Victor's dried blood on his jacket sleeve; he wipes it off, unsettled. Meanwhile, Jesse has purchased a large home sound system and shows it off to Badger and Skinny Pete. He then successfully tempts his friends, who are in recovery, to snort cocaine. Skinny Pete initially declines, citing his rehab recovery, but gives in once Badger agrees. As the three of them get high, Jesse decides to throw a party. His house quickly becomes crowded with people. Elsewhere, at his condo, Walt practices drawing his revolver.

Act II[]

Marie Schrader wakes in the middle of the night to find Hank Schrader examining his minerals. When she mentions how late it is, he pointedly notes that the house has other bedrooms she could sleep in if he is keeping her up.

The next morning, Walt chastises Skyler White for discussing their intention to buy a car wash over the phone. They're not talking about purchasing a brothel, she counters, adding that if Walt isn't willing to pull the trigger on the deal, then she would contact Saul Goodman directly. Walt tells her not to call Saul and claims they will discuss this later.

Jesse, meanwhile, tiptoes through the passed-out partygoers. He wakes up Badger and Skinny Pete, telling them that he has to go to work. The pair apologize for the mess and offer to clean up. However, Jesse gives Badger a large wad of bills and instructs him to buy everyone breakfast and keep the party going until he returns. At the lab, Walt tucks his gun in his belt, waiting for Gustavo Fring to arrive. When someone enters the laboratory and appears at the top of the stairs, Walt prepares to draw, but instead of Gus, it is actually Victor's replacement, Tyrus Kitt, who is there to pick up the latest batch. When Mike demands a second weighing as part of a "new policy," Walt asks to see Gus to "clear the air." Mike simply responds that Walt will never see Gus again. Mike leaves as Tyrus weighs the batch, leaving Walt unsettled.

Act III[]

Surveilling the car wash from across the street, Skyler tallies the cars and services each customer receives, making a detailed accounting of the business. At the Schrader house, Hank pushes himself to "soldier up" through a tough physical therapy session. Marie is elated by Hank's progress, but after the therapist departs, Hank coldly orders her out of the room.

The party is in full swing at Jesse's house when he returns from the lab. Andrea rings the doorbell, but waits outside to speak with him. She asks Jesse if he sent her an envelope of cash the night her brother's killers were murdered. Jesse acknowledges he did, then urges her to use the money to move her son Brock to a better neighborhood, trusting that she won't relapse by spending it on meth.

Late that night, Walt approaches Gus's house, gun in hand, but when crossing the street, his phone rings. Tyrus tells him, "Go home, Walter." Surprised, he looks all around and sees nothing, but realizes his every move is being watched.

Act IV[]

The next day, a deliveryman arrives at the Schrader home with dozens of boxes of minerals. Hank instructs Marie to check each box for damage. "They're rocks," she replies, bristling. "They're minerals," he corrects her, and that some of them are very delicate. Marie begins to feel like she is being mistreated by Hank's bristly attitude.

At the car wash, Skyler approaches Bogdan Wolynetz with a proposal to buy his business. Knowing that Walter is behind the offer, he derisively asks for $10 million; Skyler counters with $879,000 then shows him detailed research of his revenue and expenses. Bogdan counteroffers with $20 million as the "Walter White price," still angry about the manner in which Walter left his employ. He then asks Skyler to leave because he believes Walter is too much of a coward to buy the car wash "man-to-man" and is instead "hiding behind his woman."

Walt approaches Mike at the bar, offering to buy him a drink. He explains that his recent actions were motivated by loyalty to Jesse, then self-defense. Walt says that he believes that Mike was just following orders when he tried to kill him, but insists that he and Mike are in "the same boat," and that Gus could easily kill either of them, since Victor's murder proves Gus's employees are expendable. Mike reveals that he knows about Walt's gun, and asks Walt if he is done with his speech. When Walt admits that he is, Mike knocks Walt to the floor with a savage punch, and kicks him twice in the gut before leaving.

As Jesse's party finally breaks up in the morning, he asks Badger and Skinny Pete to stick around. Badger and Skinny Pete apologetically decline, as they have stayed awake for three days and have other matters to attend to, disappointing a depressed Jesse who's desperate for the distraction. Alone in his house for the first time in days, Jesse turns up the music volume and sits against the shaking speaker, shaking. With fingers digging into his temples, Jesse starts to panic at being left with only the mess, the music, and his thoughts for company.

Official Photos[]

Trivia[]

  • This episode was filmed in February 2011.[1]
  • Some of the music featured during Jesse's party has strong language and is uncensored on home video. In the edited version, this language was muted.
  • The subtitles on TV commercial of Saul Goodman says: 'Settlement figures quoted are for illustration purposes only... Does not constitute a promise of results... Amounts referenced are before fees and expenses... Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits...'
  • The scene where Jesse, Badger and Skinny Pete discuss why the pizza place (Venezia's Pizzeria) does not slice their own pizza comes from the scene in the episode "Caballo Sin Nombre" of Season 3, where Walter throws a pizza onto the roof of his house, also unsliced. This caused a fan discussion of why the pizza was not sliced.
  • The title "Thirty-Eight Snub" refers not only to the type of gun Walter buys, but also to the various characters being snubbed throughout the episode:
    • Gus snubs Walter when Mike says Walter will never see Gus again.
    • Bogdan snubs Skyler when she asks to buy the carwash.
    • Mike snubs Walter when Walter asks him at the bar to get him alone in a room with Gus.
    • Hank snubs Marie during his treatment.
    • Badger and Skinny Pete snub Jesse when they leave the house at the end of the episode refusing to party any longer.
  • Combinations of 3's and 8's occur often in the series. The White Residence is 308 Negro Arroyo Lane. In "4 Days Out" they cook 38 pounds of meth, which they eventually end up selling to Gus in "ABQ". In "One Minute", the time on the clock is 3:07 when there is one minute left, and it then turns to 3:08 when the minute is up. In this episode Walt buys a .38 caliber snub nose revolver.
  • This is the first appearance of Lawson.
  • In the scene where Walter and Mike are drinking, Mike always sticks his pinky finger out when he takes a sip. It's unclear if this is intentional or a habit of the actor, Jonathan Banks.
  • When Marie is organizing the boxes for Hank's minerals, there are 16 boxes which can be seen in the frame.
  • Whilst high, Skinny Pete and Badger talk about the video games Left 4 Dead, Resident Evil 4, and Call of Duty: World at War.
  • The scene in which Walter practices drawing his gun uses camera angles similar to the opening scene of the "Pilot".
  • When Jesse yells "Wake up and party!" the morning after the party at his house, the guest waking up in the frame is Bryan Cranston with a wig and different glasses.
  • When Jesse steps outside to talk to Andrea, the house's actual street number of 322 can be seen next to the window.
  • Walt's attempt to kill Gus in this episode is mirrored in the Better Call Saul episode "Point and Shoot" where Kim Wexler tries to kill Gus in a similar manner, by walking up to his front door and shooting him with a revolver.

Production[]

Credits[]

Featured Music[]

  • "Money" by D/R Period (feat. Fly Ty) (as Jesse shows off his new sound system)
  • "Up in the Club" by The Trak Kartel (while Jesse pressures Badger & Skinny Pete to take drugs)
  • "Hoochie Mama" by 2 Live Crew (while Badger & Skinny Pete discuss zombie video games)
  • "Unga Bunga Bunga" by Flavor Flav (during the party montage)
  • "Raise Hell" by M.O.P. (Mash Out Posse) (played by Jesse on his sound system to wake up his guests and in his earphones at the lab)
  • "Get Down" by Dub-Boro (Ed E. Ruger, DJ Phillie Phresh, Dubkiller & JJ the Jenius) (at the party after Jesse has left work)
  • "The Long Walk Alone (Heisenberg's Theme)" by Dave Porter (whilst Walt prepares to shoot Gus only to realise it's Tyrus and as Walt approaches Gus' house and during the end credits)
  • "Unknown Track #2" by Unknown Artist (in the carwash as Skyler introduces herself to Bogdan)
  • "Digital Animal" by Honey Claws (at the end of the episode)

Memorable Quotes[]

Marie: "They're rocks, Hank."
Hank: "No, they're minerals. Jesus, Marie!"
―Marie and Hank about rocks, uh, minerals.
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