Breaking Bad (TV Series) Thirty-Eight Snub (2011) User Reviews

A Filler Episode!

[g-bodyl · 8/10 · 13 January 2015]

This is the second episode of the fourth season of Breaking Bad. From what I see, this may be the weakest episode this season. It's not bad or anything, it's just that this is a filler episode and nothing that exciting happens. However, I loved the opening where Walt buys a gun for some plans he cooked up. Jesse's subplot is kind of annoying and overlong, but I was enthralled by Walter, Hank, and Skylar.

In this episode, "Thirty-Eight Snub," Walter buys a gun from a gun dealer as he cooks up plans to assassinate Gus. Meanwhile, Jesse decides to throw parties to help take his mind off what he did to Gale. Marie throws on a positive attitude much to Hank's irritation. Skylar wants to purchase the car wash in order to launder money.

Overall, this is a pretty good episode even if it doesn't reach full potential. With a series this good, I guess it's okay to have a weaker episode every once in awhile. In Breaking Bad's terms, weak means still good. So this is still a watchable episode with quite a few interesting story lines. I rate this episode 8/10.

Dealing with events

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 29 November 2012]

After the shocking events of the opening episode Walt, Jesse and even Mike deal with what they witnessed in different ways. Walt buys himself an unmarked .38" special even though the seller told him he could by an identical weapon legally for a fraction of the price if he wanted it for self defence as Walt insisted. Meanwhile Jesse is having difficulty being alone so gets Badger, Skinny Pete and a large number of friends round for a party; when time comes for them to go he begs them to keep the party going. Things are different at work too; Victor has been replaced and Mike informs Walt that he won't be seeing Gus again. Hank is finally starting to make progress with his physiotherapy but his relationship with Marie is going through a rough patch as the only thing he seems to care about is his growing mineral collection.

This episode was definitely a calm after the storm we saw in the opening episode; that doesn't mean there was no tension though; Walt clearly wanted the pistol for a reason so it will only be a matter of time before he uses it. As always the acting was top notch; I was particularly impressed by Dean Norris and Betsy Brandt who played Hank and Marie and Jonathan Banks who plays Mike. It wasn't all serious; there were some great laughs to be had when Skinny Pete and Badger get high and start arguing about zombies in various video games. Overall the episode didn't advance the plot greatly but to took the necessary time to show us where all the main characters are now and nicely set things up for the rest of the season.

Thirty-Eight Snub (#4.2)

[ComedyFan2010 · 9/10 · 3 January 2014]

After the gruesome events of the past episode and being trapped in a not very pleasant situation we see our main characters dealing with it in this episode.

Walt tries to find a way to fight Gus. The scene of him and Mike at the bar was pretty good. Well acted and Mike's reaction was a bit unexpected to me. Wonder where it will go now?

Watching Jesse is heart breaking. He tries to forget it all by throwing that 3 day long party, but when everyone is gone it all comes back. He may have a breakdown soon.

Again liked Skylar in this episode. I kind of hope she does something to win against the car wash guy.

.38

[Trey_Trebuchet · 8/10 · 24 April 2023]

Okay so I thought this was great.

Seeing the way Walter, Jesse and Mike all deal with what they witnessed an episode ago was surprisingly compelling and interesting. I'm a little surprised this episode only has an 8.2 as I write this review. It was well written, with some really good moments, such as Walter walking toward Gus's house with a gun and then being told to leave over the phone. Imagine how crappy it must feel to be in his position.

Jesse's final scene in the episode was also really sad. Aaron Paul is such a great performer.

Mike and Walt's conversation at the bar opens up so much potential for what could happen this season. Jonathan Banks is great, and I actually really like Mike (as a character, of course).

I'm not sure how I feel about the Hank and Marie stuff. What's with the minerals collection? Am I missing something here? I'm sure it'll coke full circle at some point this season, it just feels odd for the time being.

Another very good episode. This season is off to a great start.

A comedown, but still watchable

[Leofwine_draca · 9/10 · 17 March 2021]

An okay episode, a big come down after the first one; way too much partying here which drags somewhat but the rest is decent. Jonathan Banks does so much with so little and conveys plenty with his emotions alone, and the scene with him and Cranston in the bar is excellent.

Technically well-made, but mediocre story-wise.

[stillworkingfortheknife · 8 December 2013]

Without any scenes that could actually be described as bad, "Thirty- Eight Snub" is still a bit of a bummer and again spends too much time on monotonic story lines. Jesse's repetitive parties worked nicely in conveying his devastated and confused sentiment, yet after the first couple of shots, I couldn't help myself but get a bit bored.

The same applies to the subplots of Skyler and the Schraders, which haven't changed in any way since the midst of the third season. The slight differences were that Anna Gunn appeared a bit more sympathetic this time around while Dean Norris got his character's likability to a new low. As Walt is plotting to kill his boss Gus, he's switching between Heisenberg and the moustache Walter White, which was nice to see for a moment, but couldn't hold up in all the scenes. The confrontation between him and Mike in a bar was nothing but weird, almost just as much as the critics comparing its directing style to Sergio Leone's. As if!

And that was already it with the plot – the sad remark I have to make is that this isn't even anything new with Breaking Bad, as it almost got me to quit watching it during season three. What kept "Thirty-Eight Snub" interesting, at least partially, were some impressive aspects of the cinematography, such as the Roomba POV or the insanely high crane shot – possibly the episode's best moment. Additionally, the editors have concocted another match cut, although far from the inventiveness that the one in "Box Cutter" brought with it.

Snubs and alliances

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 10 June 2018]

'Breaking Bad' is one of the most popular rated shows on IMDb, is one of those rarities where every season has either been very positively received or near-universally acclaimed critically and where all of my friends have said nothing but great things about.

Very few shows in recent memory had me so hooked from the very start that before the week was over the whole show had been watched, especially when for a lot of shows now airing watching one episode all the way through can be an endeavour. 'Breaking Bad' had that effect on me, and its reputation as one of the best, consistently brilliant and most addictive shows in many years (maybe even ever) is more than deserved in my eyes. Its weakest season is perhaps the first season, understandable as any show's first season is the one where things are still settling.

Actually everything is established remarkably from the very start, but once the writing and characterisation becomes even meatier the show reaches even higher levels.

"Thirty-Eight Snub" is a lesser 'Breaking Bad' episode for me and one of the weaker Season 4 episodes. Still consider it very good with a good deal of what makes the show so good present. It is something of a filler episode and doesn't add an awful lot to the overall concept of the show. It is not as taut, fun or emotional as other episodes before and since either and Jesse's subplot could have done with some trimming.

Lots of great things however.

Visually, "Thirty-Eight Snub" is both stylish and beautiful, with photography and editing that are cinematic quality and put a lot of films today to shame, where there are a lot of visually beautiful ones but also some painfully amateurish looking ones. The music always has the appropriate mood, never too intrusive, never too muted.

The writing in "Thirty-Eight Snub" is a fine example of how to have a lot of style but also to have a lot of substance. The dialogue throughout is thought-provoking and entertaining. The story is generally interesting and absorbing, with the pace of it consistently deliberate but not dull.

Can't say anything bad about the acting. Bryan Cranston is phenomenal as one of the most fascinating anti-heroes, or even of any kind of character, in either film or television. Aaron Paul has never been better and his and Cranston's chemistry is a delight. Anna Gunn is affecting and Dean Norris continues to be great value as Hank. The characters are compelling in their realism and the episode is strongly directed.

Overall, very good but could have been better for a show of such a high calibre. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Walter gets his due

[silverton-37959 · 7/10 · 17 August 2023]

Actually, Walter gets his long overdue comeuppance. Walter is a control freak. He wants to control everything and everyone around himself. The way he talks to Mike, telling him to "get me in a room with him" after Mike has told him that he will never see Gus again, was a direct threat to Gus and to Mike's own well being.

It was satisfying to see Walter finally get what what he deserves for everything he has done so far. Mike told him that he needed to let go of Jesse : "No more half measures", but instead, Walter doubles down and kills two of Gus's scumbag employees to keep them from shooting Jesse when Jesse has come after them for killing their 11 year old runner/hitman.

Naturally, Walter has to keep pushing until Gus decides to replace him with Gale, then he has to get Jesse to kill Gale to keep Walter from being murdered. The aftermath of that killing involved Victor getting himself seen at Gale's apartment and Gus kills Victor because of that mistake.

Way to go, Walter. "You got the job, now learn to take yes for an answer", Mike tells him. That doesn't get through to Walter, and he pushes Mike to set Gus up for Walter to kill him. Walter was lucky that Mike only punched him out and gave him a few kicks. Still, it was good to see Walter get his.

Actually, I hate Walter. He can't die soon enough to suit me, though it would never occur to the showrunner to kill the character off until the last episode.

Walter becomes Pierre from War and Peace

[TheFearmakers · 7/10 · 1 March 2020]

From the novel War and Peace, an average guy sets out to kill Napoleon (Woody Allen parodies it in Love and Death), and it's a ludicrous choice and mission: Walter wanting to shoot Gus right in front of his armed-henchman, including Mike (who provides the only good sequence in a bar)... This doesn't fit a character who'll do anything to stay alive: basically he's desperately seeking a suicide mission...

As for story b... Jesse's partying is really boring, and his otherwise entertaining buddies' dialogue is horrible... mind you, this review is mostly written about when re-watching the series, binging again after so many times... all the Jesse-getting-high-to-forget sequences are just so overly melodramatic, and as great a character as he is, he becomes just pathetically navel-gazing, which, like Walter's drive for Gus, is really not fitting with his character either.

Taxi Driver

[mm-39 · 9 June 2012]

Walter meets actor Jim Beaver and does a scene from the movie Taxi Driver. Walter does an impersonation of De Niro which pays homage to the classic movie. Walter becomes more paranoid, has a gun and a plan which will unravel in later episodes. One sees Walter digress into a harden paranoid criminal in the progression of episodes. Walters criminal plans digress as well as his moral character as the protagonist deals with more unseen events in his criminal activities. Why did Walter not take his friends' job offer? The audience is starting to believe that Walter likes the life and really is breaking bad. I give this episode an seven out of ten.