AMC’s “Breaking Bad” is back, and that’s nothing but good news for fans of smart, cinematic, well-written drama, especially in a summer devoid of “Mad Men,” which won’t air new episodes until early next year. It’s probably true that “Breaking Bad” is a tougher sell than “Mad Men” because the stakes are so much higher. “Breaking Bad” is a challenging show that revels in making viewers squirm. Not all viewers appreciate that edge-of-their-seat nervousness. But those who do recognize there’s no sweeter discomfort than an hour of “Breaking Bad” (10 p.m. EDT Sunday).
When the show ended its third season last year, cancer-stricken (but now-in-remission) chemistry teacher-turned-meth maker Walter White (Bryan Cranston) ordered his flunkie, Jesse (Aaron Paul), to kill his former lab assistant, Gale (David Costabile), to keep their boss, Gus (Giancarlo Esposito), from killing them.
| On TV |
| ‘Breaking Bad’ |
| When: 10 p.m. Sunday |
| Channel: AMC |
The show’s fourth-season premiere jumps back in time for a bit of backstory involving Gale and Gus and then quickly moves to explore the aftermath of last year’s cliffhanger. Much of the hour is given over to Walt and Jesse, held by Gus’ henchman, Mike (Jonathan Banks), as they wait in agony to learn their fate.
“You kill me, you have nothing,” Walt tells Gus, who arrives while Mike is holding them. “You kill Jesse, you don’t have me.”
Once again, the show’s deliberate use of silence — particularly Gus’ slow-moving, no-speaking methodical stalking around the meth lab — is most effective at terrorizing Walt, Jesse and viewers watching at home.
Yes, there is blood in the episode in a tense scene that begins as anxious, moves into terrifying territory before ending in a gross-out funny gag with a smash-cut from mopping up blood on the floor to sopping up ketchup on a plate with a french fry.
Written by series creator Vince Gilligan and directed with the goal of stealing breath from the audience by Adam Bernstein, Sunday night’s episode (titled “Box Cutter”) drags viewers right back into the murky abyss of this particular corner of the New Mexico drug world. It’s a scene- and vibe-setting episode that also revisits Walt’s lawyer, corrupt Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), and Walt’s wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn), who now wants to partner with Walt in the drug trade.
Future episodes show just how much of Walt’s equal Skyler turns out to be when it comes to making illicit business deals. Her eye for details and willingness to dig into research come in handy as she tries to acquire a car wash to use to launder the family’s drug money.
