Most of the time, when I comment that an episode of a series or a film felt way longer than it really is, I do not mean it as a compliment. However, in the case of Breaking Bad's "Problem Dog", this serves as a tremendous asset as the series has just got great again and this episode gives you tons of scenes to relish.
Commencing with a wonderful scene of Jesse aggressively playing first- person shooters intercut with visions of dead Gale, "Problem Dog" gives you the first hint that this will be Aaron Paul's episode. Paul, who has been in the background of either Bryan Cranston or Giancarlo Esposito for most of the series, gets various opportunities to shine this time around and got to a new apex in terms of acting quality. With that, I don't necessarily mean his admittedly impressive monologue while visiting (not attending) his former twelve-step program, but more the paramountly portrayed inner fluctuation as he stands between Gus and Walt.
Cue Walt, who uses his screen time to burn a brand-new car most people would have to work all their life to pay for and then charges his lawyer Saul with disguising that this happened, for which he receives a bill most people would have to work a whole year to pay for. While Bryan Cranston did well in the scenes he was in, he was far from being this episode's center due to Giancarlo Esposito and Dean Norris showing off their prowess as well. The latter of these two is currently becoming essential to the plot again and created a great cliffhanger with his revelations just the way he did two episodes before "Problem Dog".
There'd be so much more to list on why this episode is one of Breaking Bad's best thus far, but frankly, I'd enjoy it much more to watch it again than writing an overly long review about it.
Commencing with a wonderful scene of Jesse aggressively playing first- person shooters intercut with visions of dead Gale, "Problem Dog" gives you the first hint that this will be Aaron Paul's episode. Paul, who has been in the background of either Bryan Cranston or Giancarlo Esposito for most of the series, gets various opportunities to shine this time around and got to a new apex in terms of acting quality. With that, I don't necessarily mean his admittedly impressive monologue while visiting (not attending) his former twelve-step program, but more the paramountly portrayed inner fluctuation as he stands between Gus and Walt.
Cue Walt, who uses his screen time to burn a brand-new car most people would have to work all their life to pay for and then charges his lawyer Saul with disguising that this happened, for which he receives a bill most people would have to work a whole year to pay for. While Bryan Cranston did well in the scenes he was in, he was far from being this episode's center due to Giancarlo Esposito and Dean Norris showing off their prowess as well. The latter of these two is currently becoming essential to the plot again and created a great cliffhanger with his revelations just the way he did two episodes before "Problem Dog".
There'd be so much more to list on why this episode is one of Breaking Bad's best thus far, but frankly, I'd enjoy it much more to watch it again than writing an overly long review about it.