Rabid Dog

"Rabid Dog"

"Rabid Dog" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad, and the 58th overall episode of the series. Written and directed by Sam Catlin, it aired on AMC in the United States and Canada on September 1, 2013.

Summary

Walt (Bryan Cranston) sneaks throughout his house in search of Jesse (Aaron Paul), who broke in and tried to burn it down, but Jesse is nowhere to be found. After a cleaning crew cannot remove the gasoline scent from the floor, Walt douses his clothing and the seats of his car in gasoline, telling a doubtful Skyler (Anna Gunn) and Walt Jr. (RJ Mitte) he was soaked in gasoline after a pump malfunction at the gas station and threw his gas-soaked clothes onto the living room carpet. Walt moves the family into a hotel until the carpet can be replaced.

Walt then meets with Kuby (Bill Burr) and Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) in the hotel's parking lot, as they try to locate Jesse. Saul metaphorically suggests killing Jesse, but Walt rejects the idea and warns Saul never to bring it up again. Back in the hotel room, Skyler confronts Walt over his lies, especially after having seen him with Saul. Walt confesses that Jesse is upset with him and tried to burn down their house, but that he should be of no concern as he decided not to carry it out. A shocked Skyler argues with Walt to kill Jesse, who she views as a threat to their safety, but Walt is reluctant to kill his longtime partner and former protégé.

A flashback reveals that Jesse did not change his mind but was instead stopped by Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), who had trailed Jesse to Walt's residence after Jesse assaulted Goodman previously. Hank manages to talk Jesse out of torching the house and instead work together in bringing Walt down. The two leave mere seconds before Walt arrived.

Marie talks to a therapist about her situation involving Walt, but stops short of revealing the true extent of Walt's criminality. Hank keeps Jesse at their house because he believes that he will be the most protected there from Walt, which Marie agrees to simply as it hurts Walt. Hank brings Gomez in and they videotape Jesse's detailed recital of Jesse and Walt's relationship and activities, from the time they first met. However, because there is no physical evidence and Walt has left the meth business, Hank and Jesse have nothing sufficiently incriminating to take to the authorities. In secret to Gomez, Hank is shown to be derisive to Jesse and simply using him to build up a case against Walt, without any actual concern for him.

Walt phones Jesse, leaving a voicemail asking them to meet in a public plaza to discuss Brock's poisoning and for reconciliation. Hank then coerces the reluctant Jesse to comply, despite Jesse's fear for his own safety. Hank reassures Jesse that Walt's previous attempts to protect him at his own expense, as well as the meet being in a public place, means he will be safe, but privately confides to Gomez that he is willing to risk Jesse's safety if it means exposing Walt.

Wired for sound, Jesse goes to meet with Walt but immediately backs down after mistaking a nearby bald pedestrian for a hitman. Angered, Jesse instead goes to a payphone to call Walt and threatens to get him where he really lives.

A furious Hank berates Jesse for blowing the plan, but Jesse calmly informs him that he has a better strategy in mind. Meanwhile, Walt calls Todd (Jesse Plemons) and says he has a job for his Uncle Jack.

External links

• "Rabid Dog" at the official Breaking Bad site
• "Rabid Dog" at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com episode