Episode no. Season 5
Episode 11 Written by Gennifer Hutchison | Directed by Michael Slovis Running time 47 minutes | |
Original air date August 25, 2013 (2013-08-25) | ||
"Confessions" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad, and the 57th overall episode of the series. Written by Gennifer Hutchison and directed by Michael Slovis, it aired on AMC in the United States and Canada on August 25, 2013.
Contents
Plot
Todd (Jesse Plemons) recalls how he helped steal methylamine from the train to his uncle Jack (Michael Bowen) and one of his men, Kenny (Kevin Rankin), at a diner. Todd says the operation was perfect and "No one even knew they got robbed, just like we planned." He neglects to mention that he killed the child who discovered them after the train rolled away. Agreeing to Todd's new placement cooking meth on his own, Jack and Kenny drive back into New Mexico.
Meanwhile, Hank (Dean Norris) enters the interrogation room with Jesse (Aaron Paul) and tells him that he knows Walt (Bryan Cranston) is Heisenberg. Jesse refuses to cooperate. Saul (Bob Odenkirk) enters and threatens a lawsuit unless Jesse is released. Later, Walt Jr. (RJ Mitte) comes home and informs his father that Marie (Betsy Brandt) has asked him to help repair her computer and invited him to stay for dinner. Walt manipulates his son into staying home by confessing that his cancer has returned.
Walt and Skyler (Anna Gunn) invite Hank and Marie to a restaurant. The Whites try to convince the Schraders to keep their children out of the situation, but the Schraders refuse to comply; Marie even states bluntly that Walt should kill himself to end it all. As the Whites leave, Walt gives his in-laws a DVD of his "confession." Playing it at home, Hank and Marie discover it is really a form of blackmail accusing Hank of being the mastermind of the Heisenberg empire and forcing Walt to cook meth for him. A stunned Hank then learns that the operation and therapy which made it possible for him to walk again were paid at Walt's expense from Marie's unwitting receipt of his drug money, which Skyler had claimed were "gambling winnings." This lends credence to Walt's story and torpedoes Hank's credibility.
Walt meets with Saul and Jesse in the desert, where Walt informs Jesse that Saul can contact someone that specializes in creating new identities. He advises Jesse to start over and have a better life. Jesse reacts angrily, asking Walt to stop trying to manipulate him, and saying "you're acting like me leaving town is all about me and turning over a new leaf, but it's really about you ... you need me gone ... just say so ... just ask me for a favor." In response, Walt simply embraces Jesse, who cries in his arms.
Jesse then agrees to leave, but while packing to do so, Saul scolds him for possessing marijuana for the journey. While Saul makes arrangements for Jesse's departure from Albuquerque, he has Huell take Jesse's marijuana without his knowledge. While Jesse is waiting for the van that will relocate him, he notices the pot is gone, and suddenly realizes that Huell must have pick-pocketed it as well as the ricin cigarette that he previously believed Gus Fring used to poison Brock. Jesse returns to Saul's office and physically attacks him, holding him at gunpoint and demanding to know about his role in Brock's poisoning. Saul admits to his involvement in the plot, but insists he had no idea what Walt's intentions were. As Jesse leaves, Saul calls Walt, who returns in a hurry to the car wash to retrieve a hidden revolver from a vending machine. An enraged Jesse breaks down the door to Walt's house and begins to pour gasoline on the floor.
Production
Millard Drexler, chairman and CEO of J.Crew Group, had a cameo appearance in this episode as a customer at the White's car wash. He stated that his scene, in which he says eight or nine words, took nine takes to film.
Viewership
The episode was viewed by 4.85 million people on its original broadcast, which was an increase from the 4.77 million of the previous episode.
Reviews
The episode received strongly positive reviews, with Walter's monologue particularly praised. TVLine named Aaron Paul the "Performer of the Week" for his performance in this episode.
Accolades
Gennifer Hutchison won the Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Drama for this episode.
Aaron Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2014 for his performance in this episode.