# Breaking Bad 5.10 "Buried" 8/18/13

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 18, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580 "2013-08-18T18:48:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 8

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**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/141 "2013-08-20T01:50:53Z")

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> [@gigi](#):
>
> I was saying to my father how Walt Jr. is the only person on there who is still innocent.

How quickly we forget the attempted underage drinking. 😉

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/142 "2013-08-20T01:54:36Z")

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> [@Stephe96](#):
>
> Yes! The riotous sequel will open with a dying Walt telling a virtual who’s-who of Hollywood’s biggest comedy stars that he buried the money under a giant W (“Remember my name!”).
> 
> A madcap race for the treasure ensues in “It’s a Breaking Bad Bad Bad Bad World.”

Ok, I’d watch that. Which reminds me again that Bob Odenkirk is giving one of the all-time great performances by a comedian in a drama.

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**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 20, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/143 "2013-08-20T02:59:07Z")

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Am I the only one who saw parallels between the Skyler/Hank restaurant scene and the scene from a previous season where Skyler tried to return the tiara that Marie had stolen and nearly got arrested?

Both concluded with her ending the confrontation by threatening a public scene, playing the poor innocent weak female being mistreated by the mean man.

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**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/144 "2013-08-20T03:02:26Z")

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Lydia has great legs and ankles.

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**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/145 "2013-08-20T03:24:40Z")

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> [@BlackKnight](#):
>
> How quickly we forget the attempted underage drinking. 😉

The fact that he almost immediately threw it all up was a testament to his snowy white soul. 😉

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**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/146 "2013-08-20T03:27:10Z")

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Walt digging the hole with a pickaxe to bury the money reminded me of [the opening of _There Will Be Blood_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnRf_jbQ1pg), except Daniel Plainview was digging alone in the New Mexico desert to make his fortune, but Walt was digging to preserve his. Each ends up recuperating on the floor after their digging is done, too. I think the two men have a lot in common.

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/147 "2013-08-20T03:27:55Z")

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> [@Marley23](#):
>
> Ok, I’d watch that. Which reminds me again that Bob Odenkirk is giving one of the all-time great performances by a comedian in a drama.

Yeah I was kind of turned off by the casting of Odenkirk, thought it’d just be too silly. And for a bit I kept poo-pooing his performance, to myself. But now, and looking back, it’s been perfect.

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**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/148 "2013-08-20T03:29:53Z")

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> [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](#):
>
> Walt digging the hole with a pickaxe to bury the money reminded me of [the opening of _There Will Be Blood_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnRf_jbQ1pg), except Daniel Plainview was digging alone in the New Mexico desert to make his fortune, but Walt was digging to preserve his. Each ends up recuperating on the floor after their digging is done, too. I think the two men have a lot in common.

Hmmmm…and I just read a Vince Gilligan quote (can’t recall where) about the finale. He said, “There will be blood.”

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**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/149 "2013-08-20T04:26:12Z")

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The final scene is Walt and Jesse in a diner. Walt reaches across the table takes Jesse’s milkshake and proceeds to drink it. End scene.

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**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/150 "2013-08-20T07:41:04Z")

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Oh maaaan, that was good. The scene in the diner with Skyler and Hank was in_tense_. Could this show actually be peaking in the stretch run? I’m not sure I can think of a single other episode that was clearly better than this one.

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**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/151 "2013-08-20T07:46:31Z")

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I know that technically Skyler is the criminal and Hank is the good guy, but during that scene I kept thinking that Hank was being a bully and I ended up rooting for Skyler to tell him to fuck off. What is wrong with me? :smack:

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**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/152 "2013-08-20T08:08:02Z")

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> [@gigi](#):
>
> The fact that he almost immediately threw it all up was a testament to his snowy white soul. 😉

You’re thinking of the scene in the White’s backyard in which Little Walt hurls into the swimming pool. I think **BlackKnight** was referring to the “run, Forrest, run!” fiasco outside the liquor store when he and his buddies were trying to pimp beer.

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**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/153 "2013-08-20T08:16:09Z")

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> [@HazelNutCoffee](#):
>
> I know that technically Skyler is the criminal and Hank is the good guy, but during that scene I kept thinking that Hank was being a bully and I ended up rooting for Skyler to tell him to fuck off. What is wrong with me? :smack:

I’m right there with ya! There are some fans (not here that I’ve noticed but on other sites) who have stayed stubbornly sympathetic to Walt all the way through. For me, that ship sailed around the time he manslaughtered Jane (ah, Jane, m’love); and of course he just kept getting more and more evil. My sympathies shifted to Hank (who had initially seemed kind of an ass) and especially to Skyler (who had initially seemed an uptight bitch, but oh how I felt for her when she was being sexually violated by an odious Walt in the skin-crawling “it gets easier” scene).

But then when it came down to Hank vs. Skyler, I found myself on her side; when she became tender toward Walt, I felt my sympathies shifting back in his direction. I suspect this may have been intentional on the part of the PTB, and I applaud them for their masterful manipulation of my emotions.

> [@Marley23](#):
>
> Skyler went over to the dark side after Walt convinced her she was trapped, and that she was going to lose their children if she didn’t at least countenance what he was doing.

I disagree with this reading. She went to the Four Corners, and kept rejecting the coin tosses. And she was going to talk to that divorce lawyer and nail Walt, but then decided to go in cahoots with him instead and use the money to help her sister pay for Hank’s preemo PT.

> [@oft\_wears\_hats](#):
>
> Great episode. TV so rarely makes my heart pound these days, but there were several moments this episode that did so.
> 
> Another interesting thing I don’t think has been touched on yet: Walt actually shows restraint with Hank. When Saul suggested that he eliminate Hank, Walt said that Hank was family and it was out of the question. I certainly expected that he would say that, after risking his life to tip off the DEA about Gus’ plans in Season 4. But still, the show is so filled with moments where we see Walt become more and more of a monster, it was notable to see an example of a line he wouldn’t cross. It will be interesting to see whether Walt sticks to that as things become increasingly more desperate (losing his home, being on the run, eating at Denny’s, etc.).

Total agreement with all of that, except that I would have bought it the other way on Hank (that he had gone so far over the edge that he would be willing to kill even him), especially after Hank punched him and promised to put him “under the jail”. But I buy this too, and it was an interesting choice.

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**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 20, 2013, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/154 "2013-08-20T10:20:48Z")

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> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#):
>
> The final scene is Walt and Jesse in a diner. Walt reaches across the table takes Jesse’s milkshake and proceeds to drink it. End scene.

I don’t know if it’s worth five dollars, but it’s pretty fucking good.

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**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/155 "2013-08-20T11:43:03Z")

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> [@Martian Bigfoot](#):
>
> And it still managed to suck donkey balls. I’m not even sure how they did it.
> 
> Thank God for the Insider podcast, as usual.

The rendition of “Yeah Bitch! … Magnets!!” was alone worth the effort.

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**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 20, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/156 "2013-08-20T13:22:24Z")

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> [@HazelNutCoffee](#):
>
> I know that technically Skyler is the criminal and Hank is the good guy, but during that scene I kept thinking that Hank was being a bully and I ended up rooting for Skyler to tell him to fuck off. What is wrong with me? :smack:

It’s not wrong to feel that way, the show revolves around Walt. He’s our Tony Soprano (kinda). I was just waiting for her to say “I think need to get a lawyer before I say anything”. Even someone 100% innocent would be right to say that when they find out they’ve been living with someone like Walt for the last year. Hell, Hank would be wise to lawyer up soon, even just to start documenting what’s happened over the last year so he can keep his story straight.

Hank was just frustrated. All he needed was Skyler to say something, anything “Walt forced me to help him cook”, “I dropped him off at the laundry every day”, “I have more money than I can count in a storage shed that I’m trying to launder through the car wash and he’s forcing me to do it”, “He’s beating me” Anything, he just needed something, and he got really angry when she clammed up and on top of that just when he thought all she needed was a little sweet talking or some coaxing or some time to gather her thoughts she decided she wanted to lawyer up. Once that happened, it was over, she’s not going to say jack once she lawyers up, at least not anything he can use.

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**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/157 "2013-08-20T14:38:48Z")

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Actually, I was thinking that the best course for Skyler is to work a deal for full immunity (and possible witness protection) for flipping on Walt (who won’t be around to face the consequences anyway). The only drawback would be she could never really use the money - they’d surely be keeping tabs on her if she stayed in the area and Walt refused to tell them where it was.

Not that she’ll do that, but if I were her lawyer, I think that’s what I’d be advising.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/158 "2013-08-20T14:56:53Z")

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> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#):
>
> Actually, I was thinking that the best course for Skyler is to work a deal for full immunity (and possible witness protection) for flipping on Walt (who won’t be around to face the consequences anyway). The only drawback would be she could never really use the money - they’d surely be keeping tabs on her if she stayed in the area and Walt refused to tell them where it was.
> 
> Not that she’ll do that, but if I were her lawyer, I think that’s what I’d be advising.

The government doesn’t just hand out full immunity to everyone who agrees to cooperate with an investigation, though. Those determinations are made based on the value of the information the witness can offer and how culpable they are. We don’t know what kind of an offer Skyler would get if she agreed to cooperate. We can say that she doesn’t know many details about Walt’s business. In fact I am not sure she knows anything Hank doesn’t already know, and if that’s true, she has very little value to the DEA. Meanwhile she was actively involved in money laundering for months and she intimidated a witness who almost died (Ted). That would get her into a lot of trouble if the government found out. And why would they put her into witness protection? Depending on what happens next, she’s not necessarily threatened by anyone if Walt’s dead. I’m bad at predictions, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she winds up refusing to testify because she would have to go to prison and would lose custody of Holly in the process on top of giving up the money.

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**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/159 "2013-08-20T15:01:55Z")

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(Never mind, Marley has edited his post now…)

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**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-10-buried-8-18-13/666580/160 "2013-08-20T15:45:44Z")

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> [@Marley23](#):
>
> The government doesn’t just hand out full immunity to everyone who agrees to cooperate with an investigation, though. Those determinations are made based on the value of the information the witness can offer and how culpable they are. We don’t know what kind of an offer Skyler would get if she agreed to cooperate. We can say that she doesn’t know many details about Walt’s business. In fact I am not sure she knows anything Hank doesn’t already know, and if that’s true, she has very little value to the DEA. Meanwhile she was actively involved in money laundering for months and she intimidated a witness who almost died (Ted). That would get her into a lot of trouble if the government found out. And why would they put her into witness protection? Depending on what happens next, she’s not necessarily threatened by anyone if Walt’s dead. I’m bad at predictions, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she winds up refusing to testify because she would have to go to prison and would lose custody of Holly in the process on top of giving up the money.

To expand on this, while a wife can’t be compelled to testify against a husband, she can if she wants to do so. However, she has to have actually witnessed something for the information to be able to be used at trial. Anything that a spouse tells a spouse can’t be used similar to what the accused tells a therapist, medical doctor or clergy member. Skyler can’t use what Walt told her as testimony. She really is pretty much useless to the DEA and doesn’t have any leverage. She doesn’t even know where the money is.

That lottery ticket is going to be interesting. I can see someone finding it in the aftermath of the house raid, realizing that it’s worth $5 and cashing it in.

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