"Think he's trying to be the anti-thesis of Gus? Or is this kind of bad writing?"

He's simply gone to the phase of not giving a fuck. The cooking in the houses idea, while clever, is stupidly brazen as they're in plain sight constantly. He's cracking up badly. "What is your move?"

So, I've got a theory on his move based on all this so far this year.

Walt is, without a doubt, the smartest person on the show by far, but he's constantly hamstrung and driven by his growing ego and pride.

I suspect Walt is building (that we'll see afterward, based on the New Hampshire license plates and gun & car purchase in the season 5 prologue scene) some master stroke plan to close off all the loose edges and give himself free and clear escape from all of the shit he's triggered since season 1. It's probably genius, and when it's done will involve a lot of flashbacks in rapid succession going back pretty far... Season 2? Season 3? Season 4?

Walt's done with Skylar. He still loves Junior and the baby. He wants his money. I expect everything to go off ace, with Mike, Ted, and Skylar dead and Hank & the DEA somehow permanently thrown off of Walt's trail, and Saul out of the way permanently somehow.

But that pride of his will leave him dead at Jessie's hands in the finale and Jessie finally getting a free and clear life instead. Junior ends up somehow with a chunk of change and a nice life. Hank and Marie raise the baby.

I'm calling it.

@1 that's sort of the point of the whole season. Everything is on the verge of finally spiraling totally out of control for good, as Walt is no Gus Fring.

At least Walt Jr got a good breakfast this week.

I have not seen this episode yet but feel like weighing in anyhow.
My thought is that Walt wants to get caught so he can be credited for being a genius finally. He might not know it but nothing short of being fully recognized as a mastermind will ever satisfy his ego. Walt might think it’s the money or the power but I’m betting it’s the recognition that he craves.
He's felt jilted his entire life which is why he refused Gretchen's financial assistance in Season 1.

@3--Walt is no Gus Fring. Exactly. He's smarter, but the worst kind of reckless. He isn't a long-term planner, he's a Big Ideas Guy and Taskmaster. His Achilles heel is that he thinks he's cautious, and isn't, but when it came down to him vs the Chessmaster, it was the latter who wound up with half a face.

I predict that's going to get a lot of people killed. Skyler's cracking up. She didn't know what she was doing at the time of the dip. No way she's getting out. She's doomed. The kids? I just don't know. Hank & Marie? Hank's an awfully big target. Marie's bound to fall apart without him. Lydia? Dead. Mike? Dead. Badger & Skinny P? Dead. Wendy? I'm thinking only Jesse gets out of all this with his soul intact, but maybe Walt escapes with his life. My current best guess is the cancer comes back, he's back on borrowed time, he winds up all his business with the M-60, is presumed dead, and melts away to die alone and unmourned.

@7, but that would require Walt to change gears & humble himself. That blue meth is his signature and if there's one thing Walt wants it's that bitches recognize his genius.

No matter how depressed you are now, Skyler, you'll feel even worse when you look in the mirror in the morning and notice you didn't take those eyelashes off.

Not sure how they survived the dip in the pool, but I'm no expert in these things.

I sort of turned my sister on to Breaking Bad at the end of Season 2 and boy did she become HOOKED. She has watched it religiously ever since (as I have throughout). But she's not happy with where this season is going and what's happening to all the characters. She kind of sounds angry about it when you get her on the subject.

The opening scene in Episode One this season: How did you know it was a California Denny's? I though it was Albuquerque. I thought he was returning to New Mexico from New Hampshire. And it opens in the present, right? Is all this season a flashback?

I can see my sister's point, but I can't miss an episode, so it means that we still must like it. Really like it, in fact, because it takes A LOT for me to turn TV on these days.

When I read this today I couldn't help if they were looking for the blue stuff, or what might have taken place in the second condo...

"Two Half Moon Bay condominiums that were tented for fumigation were broken into last week, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
Residents of the condominiums located in the 400 block of Oak Avenue had moved out of their homes for four days while the units were being fumigated, the sheriff's office said.
When they returned Thursday, residents reported that someone had cut through the fumigation tent and stolen items from inside.
Gold earrings and a camera were taken from one of the condos, while a second had apparently been broken into but no property appeared to be missing, the sheriff's office said."

The watch is a camera. Note the extra (unnecessary) shutter sound just before the hand strikes 12. Jesse squealed after freaking out about the gps plant...

Somebody remind me why Skyler doesn't just confess everything to Hank? It's the only way she's going to get away from Walt alive, and with the right performance in front of a jury, I bet she could avoid doing time.

Also, that opening scene was the most blatant product placement ever.