The “little” enantiomer problem (blog post from Ep 401)

Walter White is a terrible chemist. In episode 401 (“Boxcutter”) while Walt is desperately pleading his necessity to his employer, Gustavo Fring, he revealed some essential procedural steps of his “unique” synthesis. Although largely sound, his synthesis disregards the “little” enantiomer problem discussed back in episode 102.

The colors of “Box Cutter” (scene analysis from Ep 401)

Ep 401 (32:29) – Gus in the lab

The scene in episode 401 (“Box Cutter”) where Gus mercilessly kills his trusted henchmen Victor, is one of the most ruthless and heartless murders in the entire series. The scene is dedicated to Gus’ display of power and dominance over Jesse and Walt after their act of defiance in killing Gale. This exhibition of control is portrayed through a variety of cinematic elements, but I’ll focus on Gilligan’s strategic use of color and it impacts viewers’ interpretation of the scene.

Walt-scores [from fall 2014] for Episodes 311-402

Walt-score question asked of students in fall 2014 for Episodes 311-402:
“How sympathetic are you towards Walt (0=no sympathy and 10=total sympathy) through the most recent episode?”

Mean Walt-score in fall 2014 dropped from 3.8 through Episode 310 to 3 through Episode 402.
Students’ explanations for their Walt-scores (fall 2014):
(0) GALE.

Walt-scores for Episodes 311-402

Walt-score question asked of students in fall 2015 for Episodes 311-402:
“How sympathetic are you towards Walt (0=no sympathy and 10=total sympathy) through the most recent episode?”

Mean Walt-score in fall 2015 dropped from 5.3 through Episode 310 to 4.4 through Episode 310.
Students’ explanations for their Walt-scores in fall 2015:
(1) I want to cry every time I think about poor Gale. I have no sympathy for Walt and I hate Gus.

Episode Resources through Episode 402 are now up:

music, photos, quotes, and summaries.

Discussion questions on Eps 311-402

1. Why is the Georgia O’Keeffe painting used in the teaser of Ep 311 (Abiquiu)?
2. What’s the relationship between Jesse and children in these episodes?
3. Why does Skyler want to get involved in Walt’s business?
4. Who is strong/brave and who is weak/scared in Ep 312 (Half Measures)?
5. What do we learn about Mike, esp. in Ep 312 (Half Measures)? What motivates him?
6. What do we learn about Gale in Ep 313 (Full Measure)? What kind of person is he?
7. What are Walt’s, Jesse’s, and Gus’ motivations in Ep 313 (Full Measure)?
8. Why does Gus kill Victor in Ep 401 (Box Cutter)?
9. How do Walt and Jesse respond to Victor’s death?
10. Why does Jesse start partying in Ep 402 (Thirty-Eight Snub)?