Blood Money (Breaking Bad)
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"Blood Money" is the ninth episode of the fifth season of the American television drama series ''
Breaking Bad ''Breaking Bad'' is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan for AMC (TV channel), AMC. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White (Breaking Bad), Walter White (Bryan Cran ...
'', and the 55th overall episode of the series. Written by
Peter Gould Peter Gould is an American television writer, director and producer. He worked on all five seasons of the AMC drama ''Breaking Bad'', and was nominated for four Writers Guild of America (WGA) Awards for his work on the series. After ''Breakin ...
and directed by
Bryan Cranston Bryan Lee Cranston (born March 7, 1956) is an American actor. After taking minor roles in television, he established himself as a leading actor in both comedic and dramatic Bryan Cranston filmography, works on stage and screen. He has received ...
, it aired on
AMC AMC may refer to: Film and television * AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain * AMC Networks, an American entertainment company ** AMC (TV channel) ** AMC+, streaming service ** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company *** ...
in the United States and Canada on August 11, 2013, as the midseason premiere. For his performance in the episode,
Dean Norris Dean Joseph Norris (born April 8, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for playing Hank Schrader on the AMC series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013), James "Big Jim" Rennie on the CBS series '' Under the Dome'' (2013–2015), Clay "Uncle D ...
was called "Performer of the Week" by ''
TVLine ''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs. It covers various topics including the latest news on television, reviews, latest releases, and more. History In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s ...
''.


Plot

In a
flashforward A flashforward (also spelled flash-forward, and more formally known as prolepsis) is a scene that temporarily takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards a ...
, a disheveled Walter White arrives at his abandoned, dilapidated, and fenced-off house. He enters and sees "HEISENBERG" spray-painted on the living room wall. He witnesses teenagers
skateboarding Skateboarding is an extreme sport, action sport that involves riding and Skateboarding trick, performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry Profession, job, and a method of tr ...
in his empty pool in the backyard, and retrieves the hidden vial of
ricin Ricin ( ) is a lectin (a carbohydrate-binding protein) and a highly potent toxin produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant, ''Ricinus communis''. The median lethal dose (LD50) of ricin for mice is around 22 micrograms per kilogram of body ...
from his bedroom. As he leaves, he greets his former neighbor, Carol, who is shocked by his presence. In the present,
Hank Schrader Henry R. "Hank" Schrader Assistant Special Agent in Charge, ASAC () is a central character in the American crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'' portrayed by Dean Norris and created by Vince Gilligan. An agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration ...
reels from finding
Gale Boetticher ''Breaking Bad'' is a crime drama franchise created by American filmmaker Vince Gilligan. It started with the television series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–13), and is followed by a prequel/sequel series, ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–22), and a seq ...
's handwritten dedication in Walt's copy of ''
Leaves of Grass ''Leaves of Grass'' is a poetry collection by American poet Walt Whitman. After self-publishing it in 1855, he spent most of his professional life writing, revising, and expanding the collection until his death in 1892. Either six or nine separa ...
''. Realizing that his brother-in-law was Heisenberg all along, Hank states that he is feeling unwell to excuse himself and his wife
Marie Marie may refer to the following. People Given name * Marie (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name ** List of people named Marie * Marie (Japanese given name) Surname * Jean Gabriel-Marie, French compo ...
from the party at Walt's house. While driving home, Hank suffers a
panic attack Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear and Comfort, discomfort that may include palpitations, otherwise defined as a Tachycardia, rapid, Arrhythmia, irregular Heart rate, heartbeat, Hyperhidrosis, sweating, chest pain or discomfort, s ...
and swerves off the road into a yard. Feigning illness to work from home, Hank reviews the DEA's case files on Heisenberg and
Gus Fring Gustavo Fring is a fictional character portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito in the ''Breaking Bad'' crime drama franchise. Introduced in ''Breaking Bad'' season 2, he serves as the main antagonist in seasons 3– 4 of the series, and a major char ...
, linking people, events, and circumstances, as well as matching the handwriting in the ''Leaves of Grass'' dedication with that in Gale's lab notebook, to confirm to his shock and dismay, that Walt is Heisenberg. Walt, who has left the
meth Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational or performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity ...
business, discusses with
Skyler White Skyler White (née Lambert) is a fictional character portrayed by Anna Gunn in the American crime drama television series ''Breaking Bad''. Skyler is married to protagonist Walter White. For her performance, Gunn received critical acclaim. She ...
ways to expand their car wash business and
launder Launder or Launders may refer to: * Launder (surname) * Launders (surname) See also

* Laundering (disambiguation), several types of washing, literally or metaphorically {{Disambiguation ...
his drug money faster.
Lydia Lydia (; ) was an Iron Age Monarchy, kingdom situated in western Anatolia, in modern-day Turkey. Later, it became an important province of the Achaemenid Empire and then the Roman Empire. Its capital was Sardis. At some point before 800 BC, ...
is at the car wash pleading for Walt's help, as the quality of the meth has fallen below acceptable standards since his retirement. Walt dismisses her, and Skyler firmly warns her never to come back. Walt's
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
returns, but he keeps this from his family and undergoes
chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (list of chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard chemotherapy re ...
again. Meanwhile,
Jesse Pinkman Jesse Bruce Pinkman is a fictional character in the American crime drama television series ''Breaking Bad'', portrayed by Aaron Paul. He is a crystal meth cook and dealer who works with his former high school chemistry teacher, Walter White (p ...
feels guilty over his role in Walt's meth business, and is particularly distraught over the deaths of Drew Sharp and
Mike Ehrmantraut Michael Ehrmantraut () is a fictional character portrayed by Jonathan Banks in the television series ''Breaking Bad'' and its spinoff prequel ''Better Call Saul''. Mike is a private investigator, head of security, cleaner, and hitman who works f ...
. He gives all the money he received from Walt to
Saul Goodman James Morgan Jimmy McGill, better known by his business name Saul Goodman, is a fictional character created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould and portrayed by Bob Odenkirk in the television franchise ''Breaking Bad''. He appears as a major c ...
and asks him to deliver half to Mike's granddaughter and the other half to Drew's parents. Saul refuses, advising it would raise suspicions, and reports this to Walt, who visits Jesse to return his money. Walt lies to Jesse, telling him that Mike is still alive and does not need help taking care of his granddaughter. Jesse is still distressed and later gives a $10,000 bundle to a homeless man. He then drives through a neighborhood, throwing bundles of cash onto front lawns. In his bathroom, Walt finds his copy of ''Leaves of Grass'' missing. Alarmed by the coincidental timing of Hank's apparent illness, his suspicions are deepened when he discovers a
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geol ...
tracker on his car similar to the one Hank used while tracking Gus. He confronts Hank and asks about the tracker; an enraged Hank punches Walt and accuses him of being Heisenberg. Walt tells Hank it would be difficult to prove his allegations; in any case, Walt says his cancer has returned and would probably kill him before he could be jailed. Hank looks at Walt in disbelief, saying that he does not even know who Walt is any more. Walt menacingly replies that if this is true, then Hank should "tread lightly".


Production


Dedication

The episode is dedicated to Kevin Cordasco, a 16-year-old fan of ''Breaking Bad'' who had met several members of the series' cast and crew; Cordasco died earlier in 2013 from
neuroblastoma Neuroblastoma (NB) is a type of cancer that forms in certain types of nerve tissue. It most frequently starts from one of the adrenal glands but can also develop in the head, neck, chest, abdomen, or Vertebral column, spine. Symptoms may include ...
. This was the fourth dedication over the course of the series.


References to other media

In the opening flashforward scene, Walt is seen by his former neighbor Carol, who drops a bag of oranges (which spill and roll across the ground) in fear. Some critics interpret this as a reference to ''
The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American Epic film, epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling The Godfather (novel), 1969 novel. The film stars an ensemble cast inc ...
'', in which oranges represent death. For example, in one scene of ''The Godfather'', after
Vito Corleone Vito Corleone (born Vito Andolini) is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel ''The Godfather'' and in the first two of Francis Ford Coppola's film trilogy. Vito is originally portrayed by Marlon Brando in the 1972 film ''The Godfath ...
(
Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''
) is shot, he drops a bag of oranges, which subsequently roll across the ground.


References to past episodes

Walt's conversation with Lydia at the car wash references Walt and Gus' earlier conversations at
Los Pollos Hermanos Los Pollos Hermanos (English: “The Chicken Brothers”) is a fictional fast food restaurant chain specializing in chicken that was featured in the television series ''Breaking Bad'' and its spin-off ''Better Call Saul''. In addition, the r ...
, with Walt's role being reversed. In another scene, Walt goes to the bathroom to vomit, turning the sink on to mask the noise and laying a towel down on the floor to kneel on, just as Gus had done in " Salud". Hank's neighbor's son's remote-controlled car (as seen in "
Seven Thirty-Seven "Seven Thirty-Seven" is the second season premiere episode of the American television drama series ''Breaking Bad,'' and the 8th episode overall. It was written by J. Roberts and directed by cast member Bryan Cranston who portrays central char ...
") also makes an appearance. The
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geol ...
tracker Hank places under Walt's car is the same one he planted on Gus' car in " Hermanos". When Jesse opens a pack of cigarettes in front of Huell, Huell seems to remember the ricin-filled cigarette he stole from Jesse in "
End Times Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of present age, human history, or the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that negative world ...
".


Reception


Ratings

The episode originally aired on August 11, 2013, in the United States and Canada on
AMC AMC may refer to: Film and television * AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain * AMC Networks, an American entertainment company ** AMC (TV channel) ** AMC+, streaming service ** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company *** ...
. It aired the next day in the United Kingdom on the web
streaming service Streaming media refers to multimedia delivered through a network for playback using a media player. Media is transferred in a ''stream'' of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time; this contrasts with file downl ...
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
. According to the
Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
system, "Blood Money" was watched in the United States by an estimated 5.92 million viewers, the most in series history at the time.


Reviews

For his performance, Norris was named "Performer of the Week" by ''
TVLine ''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs. It covers various topics including the latest news on television, reviews, latest releases, and more. History In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s ...
''. Seth Amitin of ''
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'' called the episode a satisfying preparation and set-up for the endgame of the series. Amitin also praised the confrontation at the end between Walt and Hank and the tense dialogue that fueled it. "''Blood Money'' was an amalgamation of a bunch of little things to love." Mark Berman of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' said the episode paid off plot points set up in previous episodes while simultaneously laying the groundwork for future episodes. Berman was also surprised at how much ground was covered in Hank's plotline in just one episode. David Berry of ''
National Post The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper and the flagship publication of the American-owned Postmedia Network. It is published Mondays through Saturdays, with Monday released as a digital e-edition only.
'' called Walt and Hank's showdown abrupt, menacing and cathartic without relieving any of the tension of the storyline. He also praised the acting. After reading other critics' reviews, Alex Fletcher of ''
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
'' wrote that " Blood Money'exceeded the hype and reached new heights." In 2019, '' The Ringer'' ranked "Blood Money" as the 21st best out of the 62 total ''Breaking Bad'' episodes.


Notes


References


External links


"Blood Money"
at the official ''Breaking Bad'' site * {{Breaking Bad episodes Breaking Bad season 5 episodes 2013 American television episodes Television episodes written by Peter Gould Television episodes directed by Bryan Cranston