# Breaking Bad 5.04 "Fifty-One" Aug. 5, 2012 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576 "2012-08-06T02:10:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/161 "2012-08-08T14:49:05Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > Doesn’t Skyler have another weapon against Walt? She could tell Walt jr about his father’s abhorrent activities, turn him against his father? Jr is pretty easily manipulated and Walt is pretty manipulative. Adding in the fact that Sky has no actual proof of Walt’s cooking (she doesn’t know where or when, he doesn’t do it anywhere where she could photograph him and she’s certainly not going to let Jr tail him) and I think Walt could pretty easily spin it into “Mom, why do you always have to say these things about Dad. He has a problem and he just needs our support. Don’t worry Dad, I still love you, even if mom doesn’t any more.” “Son, sometimes when parents hit a rough spot they lash out against each other and lie to the kids to try and turn them against the other” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/162 "2012-08-08T14:53:28Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > “Son, sometimes when parents hit a rough spot they lash out against each other and lie to the kids to try and turn them against the other” Walt doesn’t even have to say it. Walt Jr. already assumes that as the starting position with Skyler. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/163 "2012-08-08T15:08:35Z")
There is no way Skyler could use the truth against Walt with Walt Jr. without exposing her own complicity in laundering the money. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/164 "2012-08-08T15:25:09Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > Doesn’t Skyler have another weapon against Walt? She could tell Walt jr about his father’s abhorrent activities, turn him against his father? I think that many 17 year olds would think… fuck yeah, you’re a way cooler dad than I thought. Skyler doesn’t actually know any of the really abhorrant stuff he’s done, dissolving bodies in acid or anything, she knows that he cooks meth and that he somehow killed someone that was a direct threat. I can actually see a possibility where walt directly tells walt jr the truth about where the money comes from. The gambling story has never sat well with Walt, he is proud of how he earnt the money and I think he wants walt jr to know the truth (eventually). ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/165 "2012-08-08T15:27:31Z")
A 50th birthday is a special celebration. 51 not so much, so I would not expect the same kind of party ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/166 "2012-08-08T15:42:48Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > A 50th birthday is a special celebration. 51 not so much, so I would not expect the same kind of party Especially after your wife found out you’re the meth kingpin of the Southwest and you just expanded into Mexico…and she cheated on you. The tends to put a damper on things. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/167 "2012-08-08T15:48:31Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > I think that many 17 year olds would think… fuck yeah, you’re a way cooler dad than I thought. Nobody at any age is saying, “Fuck yeah! Rock on, Dad!” when told that their father is a murdering meth manufacturer. There’s never a point at which that’s the cool thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/168 "2012-08-08T16:03:03Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > A 50th birthday is a special celebration. 51 not so much, so I would not expect the same kind of party There’s a difference between just expecting a big party to happen on its own on the one hand and what Walt did. He specifically told Skyler he wanted a celebration, and implied that he wanted it to be a good one. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/169 "2012-08-08T17:44:31Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > A 50th birthday is a special celebration. 51 not so much, so I would not expect the same kind of party Well, I think everyone one else (like Marie) was expecting a big one, seeing as they all thought he would be dead by now. ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/170 "2012-08-08T17:58:10Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Especially after your wife found out you’re the meth kingpin of the Southwest and you just expanded into Mexico…and she cheated on you. The tends to put a damper on things. What a difference a year makes… 😉 The 50th party Skyler had for Walt was a surprise party, and at the time Walt was feeling pretty much the nervous loser amongst his hot shot brother in law talking about his gun and his meth take down. I think the 51st birthday was all Walt’s narcissicist need to celebrate how far he came from being the loser in a job he hates with mounting debt, to the Meth boss. He maybe in control, but he really lost so much more. He may have tried to convey it’s the year of cancer remission, but he thinks he’s invincible at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/171 "2012-08-08T20:17:30Z")
> [@pilot141](#): > > Re: the watch. > > It looks like a [TAG Heuer Monaco.](http://us.tagheuer.com/uploads/collection/000c162c864a8655319c14ce9e3f4251542ef9f6.png) > > Nice watch, about $5-6K retail. > > And yeah, I took the last scene as a metaphorical countdown on Walter’s life. I think the TAG Heuer people are thrilled to have their watch featured so prominently, but also dismayed that people might think that their watch makes SO much noise. 😉 And there seems to be some significance to that exact watch. From the BB Wiki Trivia: > [@](#): > > The watch that Jesse gives Walt is the Tag Heuer Monaco, a watch forever linked to and made famous by Steve McQueen in the movie Le Mans (1977). Steve McQueen died of a rare, inoperable lung cancer. In the IMDB, [Le Mans](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067334/) was actually released in 1971, and he died of a heart attack following surgery to remove the cancer (mesothelioma). ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/172 "2012-08-08T20:44:18Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > Skyler doesn’t actually know any of the really abhorrant stuff he’s done, dissolving bodies in acid or anything, she knows that he cooks meth and that he somehow killed someone that was a direct threat. On that last point, she _does_ know about the bombing in the nursing home, and that it killed three people, including Gus Fring. All of that information was on the news. She also knows Walt is responsible for the bombing, and that Gus was the big threat to the family, because he’s been making a point of it. But yes, aside from that one spectacular triple-murder and the meth cooking in general, she isn’t aware (yet) of his other crimes and gruesome deeds. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/173 "2012-08-08T21:47:33Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > On that last point, she _does_ know about the bombing in the nursing home, and that it killed three people, including Gus Fring. All of that information was on the news. She also knows Walt is responsible for the bombing, and that Gus was the big threat to the family, because he’s been making a point of it. > > But yes, aside from that one spectacular triple-murder and the meth cooking in general, she isn’t aware (yet) of his other crimes and gruesome deeds. And she knows that he’s the one who knocks. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/174 "2012-08-08T23:36:26Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > And she knows that he’s the one who knocks. “Your honor, I was merely trying to tell my wife that I had joined the Jehovah’s Witnesses. If she misunderstood me, well, that’s not my fault.” ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/175 "2012-08-08T23:45:30Z")
> [@Tarwater](#): > > Nobody at any age is saying, “Fuck yeah! Rock on, Dad!” when told that their father is a murdering meth manufacturer. There’s never a point at which that’s the cool thing to do. The one murder that skyler knows about was of a drug kingpin who was trying to kill Walt. Walt can make a convincing claim to Walt jr that it was kill or be killed. I’m going to make the prediction now, Walt is going to tell Walt jr the truth at some point possibly to preempt skyler and to make sure his side of the story is told. He’s proud of his ability to provide for his family at all costs, after what skyler said about waiting for the cancer to come back there is No way Walt will let skyler tell them whatever she wants after he’s dead. ---
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/176 "2012-08-09T00:27:14Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > And there seems to be some significance to that exact watch. From the BB Wiki Trivia: > In the IMDB, [Le Mans](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067334/) was actually released in 1971, and he died of a heart attack following surgery to remove the cancer (mesothelioma). Now that is exactly the level of detail that I love and have come to expect with this show. Of course Jesse just thought it was a bitchin’ watch yo. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/177 "2012-08-09T00:54:50Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > The one murder that skyler knows about was of a drug kingpin who was trying to kill Walt. Walt can make a convincing claim to Walt jr that it was kill or be killed. Well, I would change “one murder” to “killed three people by detonating an explosive in a nursing home.” It’s already been shown that Walt Jr. looks up to Hank more than his own father, so I doubt he’s going to be that impressed when he discovers that Walt is the person Hank has actively been hunting. And I \*really \*doubt there’s anything Walt could say that would convince Junior it’s okay to kill three people to protect your family against your drug-dealing associates. Your father protected you from three random thugs? Pretty cool. Your father’s involvement in the drug trade necessitated blowing shit up at a nursing home? Well, what the fuck Dad? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/178 "2012-08-09T01:06:37Z")
I don’t think Skyler plans to tell Walt Jr. Anything about Walt’s drug life. Covering it up is one of her primary motivations. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/179 "2012-08-09T01:25:09Z")
Anyone else foresee Lydia becoming the Yoko of the group? I can see her putting sexual moves on Jesse, and possibly Walt as well. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576/180 "2012-08-09T01:47:34Z")
Remember Jr. trying to score some beer with his friends? What if they decide to try to score something harder? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-04-fifty-one-aug-5-2012/630576.md?page=10)