"We tried to poison you. We tried to poison you because you are an insane, degenerate piece of filth and you deserve to die."
As much as I had loved some of the earlier episodes of Breaking Bad, this was an episode that, on first watch, impressed me more than any other I had seen so far.
Once Tio rings his bell to alert Tuco of the poison, things slowly start to go wrong for Walt and Jesse. Tuco gradually realises that Walt and Jesse are trying something, which leads to the amazing final scenes, where Jesse manages to get the upper hand and shoot Tuco, only for Tuco's cousins to arrive moments later. Except that it isn't Tuco's cousins in the car - it's Hank Schrader. Hank and Tuco shoot at each other and for a moment, it looks as though our favourite DEA agent might be in trouble. Hank proves his worth though, waiting for the opportune moment to pop Tuco in the head and finish him. Dean Norris plays Hank so well that he keeps revealing different sides to his character.
It's also testament to the great work Raymond Cruz has done on this show as Tuco Salamanca that his death feels like such a huge moment, despite only featuring in four episodes. He is excellent in his final appearance here, as are Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Mark Margolis as the wheelchair-bound old man we know only as Tio.
It's fitting that the episode ends with Tio's bell - it's one of those great television moments where you sit and watch the end credits in awe, knowing you've seen something special.
10/10
As much as I had loved some of the earlier episodes of Breaking Bad, this was an episode that, on first watch, impressed me more than any other I had seen so far.
Once Tio rings his bell to alert Tuco of the poison, things slowly start to go wrong for Walt and Jesse. Tuco gradually realises that Walt and Jesse are trying something, which leads to the amazing final scenes, where Jesse manages to get the upper hand and shoot Tuco, only for Tuco's cousins to arrive moments later. Except that it isn't Tuco's cousins in the car - it's Hank Schrader. Hank and Tuco shoot at each other and for a moment, it looks as though our favourite DEA agent might be in trouble. Hank proves his worth though, waiting for the opportune moment to pop Tuco in the head and finish him. Dean Norris plays Hank so well that he keeps revealing different sides to his character.
It's also testament to the great work Raymond Cruz has done on this show as Tuco Salamanca that his death feels like such a huge moment, despite only featuring in four episodes. He is excellent in his final appearance here, as are Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Mark Margolis as the wheelchair-bound old man we know only as Tio.
It's fitting that the episode ends with Tio's bell - it's one of those great television moments where you sit and watch the end credits in awe, knowing you've seen something special.
10/10