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[Imm0rt4l]

Why would Gus let Gale take a notebook, full of potentially incriminating data, home with him? I'd imagine that cooking meth is not exactly a job where your employer lets you take your work home with you for the weekend.

Loved the episode but that seems like a huge character oversight.

Gus is never their when they're leaving, they barely have any supervision at all.

 

[blame space]

Uh, so is Gus. Gus is fucking CAREFUL with how he operates that business. It's pretty clear with every minute he's on the screen. There is no way he'd let any of those people take written material like that to and from the cook site.

I can look past it and enjoy the show (duh), but nah. It's a huge liability, regardless if he can comprehend what's written or not.

did you see the scene with gale and gus in gale's apartment? he was clearly out of his element.. what a silly thing to even think about.. a chemist's lab notes..

 

[RaidenZR]

I see where you're coming from, but I'd say it's because Gus has such large trust in Gale, as explored at the beginning of the episode.

We all saw the extent to which that cook basement is concealed, both physically and on paper with its facade. Regardless if he trusted him or not, he saw the book and based on what has been established with Gus' character, there's no way that object would have been permitted to leave the premises.

 

[Grimm Fandango]

As far as we know, the notes only have the recipe for Walt's formula and procedure. That doesn't implicate Gus (as of yet) so why would he worry about it?

 

[blame space]

it's not even the recipe.. it's the results from a test he ran..

 

[MightyHealthy]

I haven't seen this before, but it has me dyin' laughing:

Breaking Bad is now on ABC

 

[RaidenZR]

did you see the scene with gale and gus in gale's apartment? he was clearly out of his element.. what a silly thing to even think about.. a chemist's lab notes..

At that point, sure. He was sort of grasping for solutions at that point. But the flashback definitely takes place in a time when Gus had his composure and was thinking clearly.

If this is just an example of an oversight by Gus as a character, sure. It's fine. I'm down for that. It just feels like they did not completely think through how to justify this notebook thing if it's going to ignite events.

 

[blame space]

At that point, sure. He was sort of grasping for solutions at that point. But the flashback definitely takes place in a time when Gus had his composure and was thinking clearly.

If this is just an example of an oversight by Gus as a character, sure. It's fine. I'm down for that. It just feels like they did not completely think through how to justify this notebook thing if it's going to ignite events.

gale's mindset was the last thing i was talking about.. that's the point.

 

[RaidenZR]

As far as we know, the notes only have the recipe for Walt's formula and procedure. That doesn't implicate Gus (as of yet) so why would he worry about it?

He should be concerned because the guy is taking notes while they are doing some grand, illegal shit. If you were robbing a bank and your partner was stopping to write in his journal, wouldn't that bother you?

It's just the fact that he was taking the notebook home with him that bothers me. I don't get why it's a problem that I have a problem with this. Honestly, I don't REALLY care... but the show is always intelligent and almost always super-consistent with its characters so this kind of bugs me.

 

[Grimm Fandango]

He should be concerned because the guy is taking notes while they are doing some grand, illegal shit. If you were robbing a bank and your partner was stopping to write in his journal, wouldn't that bother you?

It's just the fact that he was taking the notebook home with him that bothers me. I don't get why it's a problem that I have a problem with this. Honestly, I don't REALLY care... but the show is always intelligent and almost always super-consistent with its characters so this kind of bugs me.

If he didn't include my name or anything else to associate me with, I wouldn't see the problem.

I think it's a little early to jump the gun here. This show always has something up its sleeve to surprise us later.

 

[RaidenZR]

If he didn't include my name or anything else to associate me with, I wouldn't see the problem.

I think it's a little early to jump the gun here. This show always has something up its sleeve to surprise us later.

Yeah, I know. But they painted this event as having clearly transpired already, and it's not really super pertinent going forward, so it'd be difficult for them to explain why Gus was okay with Gale going home with it. It'll just be assumed that he was oblivious and/or didn't care.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

At that point, sure. He was sort of grasping for solutions at that point. But the flashback definitely takes place in a time when Gus had his composure and was thinking clearly.

If this is just an example of an oversight by Gus as a character, sure. It's fine. I'm down for that. It just feels like they did not completely think through how to justify this notebook thing if it's going to ignite events.

Gus did have complete trust in Gale. I think thats alluded when Gale has the conversation with Gus at the start of the episode. Gale is one of the reasons, if not the main reason, that Walt was hired in the first place.

 

[Drazgul]

It's just the fact that he was taking the notebook home with him that bothers me.

Btw. - was this shown in an earlier episode (been so long since S3, really need to watch them all again) or did I just miss this from the premiere episode now?

 

[Black Mamba]

Why do you assume Gus knew Gale went home with a lab book?

 

[RaidenZR]

Why do you assume Gus new Gale went home with a lab book?

I only assume he knows it exists, based on the opening scene. Based on the established character, I would expect Gus to be concerned about recorded information pertaining to Gus' job, all of which is incredibly illegal. These sorts of things can always happen off-screen, of course, but it's clearly a MUCH more relevant object now.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

So I just rewatched the cold open again.

Gus told Gale "Give the sample to Victor so he can discard it". Gale quickly brings up "the competition". Gus says there is no competition. Gale convinces Gus the importance of the "purity" and wants to meet Walter.

Interestingly enough, if you look closely, Gus never actually looks at the "Lab Notes". There is even a point where they circle around the room in conversation and Gus has his back turned on the lab notes.

 

[Black Mamba]

I only assume he knows it exists, based on the opening scene. Based on the established character, I would expect Gus to be concerned about recorded information pertaining to Gus' job, all of which is incredibly illegal. These sorts of things can always happen off-screen, of course, but it's clearly a MUCH more relevant object now.

I get that, but I don't think he would have a problem with the lab book remaining in the lab. It's not like the book would matter if the lab itself was discovered. The ingredients and equipment make it all too obvious what is going on in there. It shouldn't matter.

 

[Pezking]

oh come on

sopranos used real world products too but they never claimed benefits from the products they used

Wait a minute: Coca Cola didn't pay for the millions of Coke cans shown in "The Sopranos"?

 

[robertsan21]

I have a feeling the lab notes will make the cops think that this is the man behind the super drug, and someone killed him off...

Regarding gus and letting the notebook out of the lab...

We all expect gus to be this super human strict buissnes man that always have it planned, he is methodic and exact all the time and doesnt make misstakes.

Even Gus makes misstakes.

 

[ConradCervantes]

I think I'm on this forum too much. I just visualized a GIF of Gus slitting Victor's throat, but Sam Jackson's face shopped over Gus's face and trollface over Victor's. As soon as the slash is made...BANNED.

 

[joshcryer]

I have a feeling the lab notes will make the cops think that this is the man behind the super drug, and someone killed him off...

He'll probably refer to Walter as Heisenburg in the notes, thus completing the circle.

 

[Buckethead]

Wow www www
GREAT episode.

Best show on TV.

 

[SamVimes]

Great episode, but Gale tooking home the notebook really tried my suspension of disbelief.

 

[Moofers]

Terrific episode. At first, I was mad when the show started with a flashback. I quickly got okay with it though, but then they snap right back to the moment where they left off last season. What a great way to start the show. None of this "6 months later" bullshit or anything, just giving the fans exactly what they wanted. Its going to be an awesome season.

What was up with that shitty first look at Walking Dead Season 2 though? Rick bashing in a couple of zombie heads with a rock is supposed to get me all moist for that show's return? That's some Fangoria shit for jerkoffs, and not at all what makes me watch the show OR read the comic. Of all the things they could have shown, that's the last thing I would have suspected. Terrible job on somebody's part.

 

[RobotNinjaHornets]

Oh man, I am so happy this is back.

WHY ISN'T IT NEXT WEEK? That throat slash, my LORD!

 

[LM4sure]

What was up with that shitty first look at Walking Dead Season 2 though? Rick bashing in a couple of zombie heads with a rock is supposed to get me all moist for that show's return? That's some Fangoria shit for jerkoffs, and not at all what makes me watch the show OR read the comic. Of all the things they could have shown, that's the last thing I would have suspected. Terrible job on somebody's part.

Yeah, I agree. I didn't get it. Thought it was a really lame teaser. It didn't get me excited for this season at all.

But back to Breaking Bad, I really enjoyed the episode. And I'm okay with the lab notes. I wouldn't be surprised if it's explained in a later episode why he was allowed to take it home. Maybe another flashback where Gus says don't take the lab notes home and Gale says okay. Gale doesn't know Gus is a psychotic killer so maybe he would disobey.

And I'm still trying to figure out Jesse. He seemed completely fine 12 hours after shooting a man in the face at point blank range. Is he really okay or is he going to have a melt down later on?

 

[Spire]

Great episode and a great way to set up this season.

Also I didn't even really notice the product placement until I came into this thread and saw people whining about it. Really, who gives a shit? If it gives them the budget to do more cool shit or even keep themselves on the air, then a Denny's sign in one shot is an extremely small price to pay.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Great episode and a great way to set up this season.

Also I didn't even really notice the product placement until I came into this thread and saw people whining about it. Really, who gives a shit? If it gives them the budget to do more cool shit or even keep themselves on the air, then a Denny's sign in one shot is an extremely small price to pay.

Also it was funny as hell. And worked really well narratively as a counterpoint to the blood red horroshow setting they've sat in for the last day. Nothing more American than Denny's.

 

[U2NUMB]

I haven't seen this before, but it has me dyin' laughing:

Breaking Bad is now on ABC

Awesome stuff!

 

[brotkasten]

Great start, but man, Gus really has some anger management issues. :lol

Two things I probably forgot:

Was Skyler always that fat and was Jessie's tattoo always there?

 

[fierrotlepou]

Damn this episode was good and had some really brutal scenes. I think this was one of the most brutal death scenes I've seen in television (together with some scenes in The Wire).

 

[Woo-Fu]

The lab notes aren't the giant smoking gun some of you are making out. The guy was a chemist, he had books of lab notes, notes that are gibberish to 99.9999999% of the police out there.

The notes won't have names of people.
The notes won't have locations.
It doesn't have Walt's formula, it has an analysis of the product.
It probably does have Gale's formula, which will be pretty useless since there won't be any Gale product from here on out.

All it will really do is highlight a particular motive for killing the guy and that is even if the cops pick up on it. Do you really need a book of lab notes to think that the shooting of a chemist might be drug-related?

As far as his cellphone goes, all those numbers will lead to burners.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

The lab notes aren't the giant smoking gun some of you are making out. The guy was a chemist, he had books of lab notes, notes that are gibberish to 99.9999999% of the police out there.

The notes won't have names of people.
The notes won't have locations.
It doesn't have Walt's formula, it has an analysis of the product.
It probably does have Gus's formula, which will be pretty useless since there won't be any Gus product from here on out.

All it will really do is highlight a particular motive for killing the guy and that is even if the cops pick up on it. Do you really need a book of lab notes to think that the shooting of a chemist might be drug-related?

As far as his cellphone goes, all those numbers will lead to burners.

It will tell the DEA that there is a SuperLab in NM, which is huge, literally and figuratively, and they will start looking around for what places in the area have room for that kind of operation.

 

[U2NUMB]

It will tell the DEA that there is a SuperLab in NM, which is huge, literally and figuratively, and they will start looking around for what places in the area have room for that kind of operation.

I agree to something along these lines. They made it the focus to end the episode and I do not think they would have done that if it meant nothing.

 

[Woo-Fu]

It will tell the DEA that there is a SuperLab in NM, which is huge, literally and figuratively, and they will start looking around for what places in the area have room for that kind of operation.

Not really. It isn't like he a) has to go to work every day, and b) can't be commuting a significant distance each way.

It doesn't even tell them that he is actively cooking anywhere. For all they know he made all those notes in New Jersey or wherever he came from before moving West.

You're also making a pretty big leap to involve the DEA in a murder investigation.

 

[Fry]

Started a little slow but then gets really awesome. Can't wait to see what happens next. One week of waiting?

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Not really. It isn't like he a) has to go to work every day, and b) can't be commuting a significant distance each way.

It doesn't even tell them that he is actively cooking anywhere. For all they know he made all those notes in New Jersey or wherever he came from before moving West.

You're also making a pretty big leap to involve the DEA in a murder investigation.

I think you're taking a big leap that homicide detectives when looking for motives won't see a notebook with chemical shit and pass that information over to vice.

 

[Spire]

It will tell the DEA that there is a SuperLab in NM, which is huge, literally and figuratively, and they will start looking around for what places in the area have room for that kind of operation.

Yes, it'll tip them off that there is a lab around but it's not going to give away the whole game.

 

[Drazgul]

Watching it again and you just gotta love Mike's delivery when he finds out about Gale:

Ah shit! Alright... So... Shit!

So good.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Yes, it'll tip them off that there is a lab around but it's not going to give away the whole game.

Of course not, but it's enough of a crumb. Hank found the RV from noticing a friggin ATM in a gas station.

 

[Woo-Fu]

I think you're taking a big leap that homicide detectives when looking for motives won't see a notebook with chemical shit and pass that information over to vice.

Vice isn't DEA. Matter of fact vice probably won't want to share with DEA unless they have to.

DEA already knows there is a lab there somewhere. The blue stuff started locally and started small time. If they're really on their toes they could localize the distribution center by timing how quickly each new batch hits a particular geography. That timing would also tell them that it is most likely being distributed by ground transportation.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

Great episode. Nice to see they've still got it.

 

[bud]

Hey, so that was pretty good.

i know, right?

when gus was walking around with the box cutter (hey, that's the title of the episode!), i never thought he'd cut victor even though it would be the most logical thing for him to do in that situation (victor appearing at the scene of the crime and all). so i was quite surprised when he did.

the tension in that scene is so great with walt getting really desperate and getting all scientific on our ass.

and man... that was a lot of blood.

poor hank.

 

[Al-ibn Kermit]

Wow awesome episode, I'd forgotten that TV could be that great.

Also I do not think you could count a disabled man taking a shit behind a vaio or a couple of drug producers unwinding eating pancakes in a Denny's as being product placement. Hell that seems more like satire than endorsement.

 

[bud]

i didn't even notice the denny's product placement until i read it in this thread. i suppose i was too focused on the characters.

and as for the vaio: ... why wasn't he using a macbook.

 

[brotkasten]

and as for the vaio: ... why wasn't he using a macbook.

It's better than those Windows branded notebooks from How I Met Your Mother.

 

[Vlad]

Anybody else notice Walt's cough when he got out of the cab at the end of the episode?

Could be just a normal cough, but it was also a nice little reminder that his cancer still could return.

 

[gdt]

God. Damn.

What a start.

 

[Wthermans]

I had no problem with the Denny's product placement given the way Jesse has used it in the past. He loves those Grand Slams.

 

[dave is ok]

i didn't even notice the denny's product placement until i read it in this thread. i suppose i was too focused on the characters.

and as for the vaio: ... why wasn't he using a macbook.

Because Sony pays to produce the show