…And the Bag's in the River

Infobox Television episode
Title = …And the Bag's in the River


Caption =
Series = Breaking Bad
Season = 1
Episode = 3
Airdate = February 10, 2008
Production =
Writer = Vince Gilligan
Director = Adam Bernstein
Episode list = Episode chronology
Prev = The Cat's in the Bag
Next = Cancer Man

"...And the Bag's in the River" is the third episode of the American dramedy, "Breaking Bad".

ynopsis

Walter and Jesse scrub the blood and dissolved remains of Emilio from Jesse's floors, while Walter recalls a discussion he had when he was younger about the chemical composition of a human being. When Walter goes downstairs to clean Krazy-8's toilet bucket, Krazy-8 demands that Walter free him or kill him, since keeping him chained up like an animal is even more inhumane. Krazy-8 warns Walter about Jesse's big mouth - Jesse has already told Krazy-8 numerous personal details about Walter, including Walter's name and Walter Jr's cerebral palsy. Furious, Walter bursts in on Jesse smoking some meth and angrily berates him about revealing so much to Krazy-8. He then attempts to flush Jesse's meth down the toilet. Jesse flees the house to lay low, telling Walter that Walter must kill Krazy-8 because Jesse already did his part in disposing of Emilio's body.

Meanwhile, Skyler asks her sister, Marie, about how marijuana affects people. She tells Marie that she's writing a short story about a pot smoker, although she's really concerned about Walter. Marie sees through the lie, but believes that Skyler is talking about Walter Jr., despite how many times Skyler tells her that she's wrong. While trying on shoes, Marie calls Hank and tells him that Walter Jr. is smoking pot and asks if he could scare him straight somehow. After Hank agrees, Marie steals the shoes she was trying on.

Walter is still struggling with himself about Krazy-8's fate. He calls Skyler and tells her that the car wash has kept him late, but Skyler found out that he quit two weeks ago. She tells him not to come home. Hank brings Walter Jr. to a sleazy motel, explaining that it is a meth palace where addicts live and people come to score drugs. He warns him that marijuana is a gateway drug and then harasses a prostitute named Wendy about her meth addiction. She goes back to her room, where Jesse is hiding out.

When bringing Krazy-8 his dinner that night, Walter passes out, dropping the sandwich and plate it was on. He awakes moments later and explains to Krazy-8 that he has lung cancer. He cleans up the shattered plate and brings down another sandwich along with some beers, hoping the two could talk. Krazy-8 rebuffs him, saying that getting to know each other will not make killing him any easier, but when Walter threatens to leave him chained up longer, he finally opens up. The two begin to bond, especially when Walter finds out that he bought Walter Jr.'s crib many years ago from Krazy-8's father. Krazy-8 says he will not forgive Walter for what has transpired, but he is willing to pretend that it never happened. Walter agrees and goes to get the key for Krazy-8's lock. As he throws out the beer cans, he notices something amiss about the shattered plate in the garbage. He puts the pieces together and realizes that a large jagged piece is missing - Krazy-8 managed to grab the shard when Walter was passed out and will presumably kill Walter once released.

Walter goes downstairs and asks Krazy-8 to turn around so he can unlock him. Instead, he calls Krazy-8 out on the weapon he is hiding and pulls back on the lock. As Krazy-8 chokes, he swings the plate piece behind him madly but Walter is out of reach. To finish him off quicker, Walter puts his leg on the pipe for more force and Krazy-8 manages to stab him several times in the calf. Krazy-8 soon dies and Walter tearfully apologizes. The next morning, Jesse returns to find the RV empty and his entire house clean. Hank and his team are called to investigate the spot in the desert where Walter and Jesse were cooking. Hank is amazed at the quality of the meth sample found in Krazy-8's abandoned car, remarking that someone "croaked their snitch", presumably meaning that Krazy-8 was actually the one who snitched to the DEA in episode one, not Jesse. They take the gas mask Walter left behind as evidence. Walter calls in sick to work and returns home to Skyler, where he prepares to tell her that he has cancer.

Allusions

*The title to this episode and the previous ("The Cat's in the Bag..." and "...the Bag's in the River") form a quote from the film "Sweet Smell of Success" (1957)fact|date=June 2008