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{{Infobox television episode
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Breaking Bad]]
| series = [[Breaking Bad]]
| image = File:Open House Breaking Bad.jpg
| season = 4
⚫
| episode = 3
| caption = [[Marie Schrader|Marie]] hopelessly tries to cheer Hank up, who is bedridden from the [[One Minute (Breaking Bad)|attempt on his life.]]
| season = 4
| director = [[David Slade]]
| episode = 3
| writer = [[Sam Catlin]]
| director = [[David Slade]]
| producer =
| writer = [[Sam Catlin]]
| music = "[[If I Had a Heart]]" by [[Fever Ray]]
⚫
| photographer = [[Michael Slovis]]
⚫
| producer =
| music = "[[If I Had a Heart]]" by [[Fever Ray]]
| editor = [[Skip Macdonald]]
⚫
| airdate = {{Start date|2011|07|31}}
⚫
| photographer = [[Michael Slovis]]
| editor = [[Skip Macdonald]]
| length = 46 minutes
⚫
| guests = *Nigel Gibbs as [[Tim Roberts (Breaking Bad)|Tim Roberts]]
⚫
| airdate = {{Start date|2011|07|31}}
⚫
*Jennifer Hasty as Stephanie Doswell
| length = 46 minutes
*[[Bill Burr]] as [[Patrick Kuby]]
⚫
| guests = * Nigel Gibbs as [[Tim Roberts (Breaking Bad)|Tim Roberts]]
⚫
*[[Jeremy Howard (actor)|Jeremy Howard]] as Sketchy
⚫
* Jennifer Hasty as Stephanie Doswell
* [[Bill Burr]] as [[Patrick Kuby]]
*[[Marius Stan (actor)|Marius Stan]] as [[Bogdan Wolynetz]]
⚫
*[[Lavell Crawford]] as [[Huell Babineaux]]
⚫
* [[Jeremy Howard (actor)|Jeremy Howard]] as Sketchy
⚫
*Ray Campbell as [[Tyrus Kitt]]
* [[Marius Stan (actor)|Marius Stan]] as [[Bogdan Wolynetz]]
⚫
| prev = [[Thirty-Eight Snub]]
⚫
* [[Lavell Crawford]] as [[Huell Babineaux]]
| next = [[Bullet Points (Breaking Bad)|Bullet Points]]
⚫
* Ray Campbell as [[Tyrus Kitt]]
⚫
| season_article = Breaking Bad season 4
⚫
| prev = [[Thirty-Eight Snub]]
| next = [[Bullet Points (Breaking Bad)|Bullet Points]]
| episode_list = List of Breaking Bad episodes
⚫
| season_article = Breaking Bad (season 4)
| episode_list = List of Breaking Bad episodes
}}
}}
"'''Open House'''" is the third episode of the [[Breaking Bad (season 4)|fourth season]] of the American television [[crime drama]] series ''[[Breaking Bad]]'', and the 36th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]] in the United States on July 31, 2011. In the episode, [[Walter White (Breaking Bad)|Walter]] and [[Skyler White|Skyler]] advance their plans to buy a car wash as a [[front organization]], while [[Jesse Pinkman|Jesse]] holds increasingly darker parties to distract from his guilt for having killed [[Gale Boetticher|Gale]]. Meanwhile, [[Marie Schrader|Marie]] starts stealing to cope with the difficult recovery of her husband [[Hank Schrader|Hank]], who is asked to offer his advice regarding Gale's murder investigation.
"'''Open House'''" is the third episode of the [[Breaking Bad season 4|fourth season]] of the American television drama series ''[[Breaking Bad]]'', and the 36th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]] in the United States on July 31, 2011. In the episode, [[Walter White (Breaking Bad)|Walter]] and [[Skyler White|Skyler]] advance their plans to buy a car wash as a [[front organization]], while [[Jesse Pinkman|Jesse]] holds increasingly darker parties to distract from his guilt for having killed [[Gale Boetticher|Gale]]. Meanwhile, [[Marie Schrader|Marie]] starts stealing to cope with the difficult recovery of her husband [[Hank Schrader|Hank]], who is asked to offer his advice regarding Gale's murder investigation.


The episode was written by [[Sam Catlin]] and directed by filmmaker [[David Slade]], marking his first time directing for television. It featured guest appearances by Nigel Gibbs and stand-up comedian [[Bill Burr]], the latter of whom specifically sought to appear on the show. Marie's return to the [[kleptomania]] she demonstrated in the [[Breaking Bad (season 1)|first season]] was conceived early during brainstorming sessions for the third season.
The episode was written by [[Sam Catlin]] and directed by filmmaker [[David Slade]], marking his first time directing for television. It featured guest appearances by Nigel Gibbs and stand-up comedian [[Bill Burr]], the latter of whom specifically sought to appear on the show. Marie's return to the [[kleptomania]] she demonstrated in the [[Breaking Bad season 1|first season]] was conceived early during brainstorming sessions for the third season.


''Breaking Bad'' music supervisor [[Thomas Golubić]] sought to select music for Jesse's party sequences appropriate for the dark tone of the scenes, including the song "[[If I Had a Heart]]" by Swedish musician [[Karin Dreijer Andersson|Fever Ray]]. "Open House" was viewed by an estimated 1.714 million viewers and received a 0.7 [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen rating]] among adults between the ages of 18 and 49. The episode received generally positive reviews.
''Breaking Bad'' music supervisor [[Thomas Golubić]] sought to select music for Jesse's party sequences appropriate for the dark tone of the scenes, including the song "[[If I Had a Heart]]" by Swedish musician [[Karin Dreijer Andersson|Fever Ray]]. "Open House" was viewed by an estimated 1.714 million viewers and received a 0.7 [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen rating]] among adults between the ages of 18 and 49.


==Plot==
==Plot==
⚫
While preparing for his next meth cook, [[Walter White (Breaking Bad)|Walter]] becomes furious after noticing a [[motion detection|motion-detecting]] [[surveillance]] camera has been installed in the lab. Later that day, [[Skyler White|Skyler]] and Walt meet with [[Saul Goodman|Saul]] and Skyler convinces Walt to buy the car wash by mentioning how [[List of characters in the Breaking Bad franchise#Bogdan Wolynetz|Bogdan]] insulted his manhood. She devises a plan to trick Bogdan into selling by having Saul's [[con artist]] acquaintance [[Patrick Kuby]] pretend to be a [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] representative who is shutting down the business out of concern over contaminants. Bogdan begrudgingly sells to her, even agreeing to a lower price than her original offer.
The episode begins as [[Walter White (Breaking Bad)|Walt]] furiously notices a [[motion detection|motion-detecting]] [[surveillance]] camera that has been installed in the lab. The footage shown from the first-person perspective of Gus' camera is actual footage from the real camera.


⚫
[[Jesse Pinkman|Jesse]] is still feeling numb from recent events and attempts to clear his head with nostalgic [[go-kart]] trips. He continues to open his house for all-night drug-fueled orgies, and deliberately throws piles of money in the midst of the chaos. [[Tyrus Kitt]] surveils Jesse's house from a nearby car.
⚫
Later that day, [[Skyler White|Skyler]] convinces Walt in a meeting with [[Saul Goodman|Saul]] to buy the car wash by mentioning how the owner insulted his manhood. She devises a plan to trick the owner into selling by having [[con artist]] [[Patrick Kuby]] pretend to be a water-tester who is shutting down the business out of concerns over contaminants. The owner promptly sells to her, agreeing to an even lower price than her original offer.


⚫
Angry and frustrated by [[Hank Schrader|Hank]]'s continuous cold shoulder, [[Marie Schrader|Marie]] resumes her streak of [[kleptomania]]. After a series of thefts from real-estate open houses, during which she also makes up elaborate stories about her background, she is caught by a real estate agent who recognizes her from a previous incident. A livid Hank pulls strings with his friend [[List of characters in the Breaking Bad franchise#Tim Roberts|Detective Tim Roberts]] to get her out of being charged. Roberts drops by the Schrader residence to seek Hank's help and gives him [[Gale Boetticher|Gale]]'s lab notes. Hank initially shoves the notebook away but begins to read it later that night.
⚫
[[Jesse Pinkman|Jesse]] is still feeling numb from recent events, attempting to clear his head with nostalgic [[go-kart]] trips. He continues to open his house up for all-night drug-fueled orgies, deliberately throwing piles of money in the midst of the chaos.

⚫
Angry and frustrated by [[Hank Schrader|Hank]]'s continuous cold shoulder, [[Marie Schrader|Marie]] resumes her [[kleptomania]]; she starts stealing objects from real-estate open houses, where she also makes up elaborate stories about who she is, but is eventually caught by a real-estate agent. A livid Hank pulls strings with a senior police officer to get her out of being charged. The same officer drops by the Schrader residence to seek Hank's help by giving him [[Gale Boetticher|Gale]]'s lab notes to look at. Hank initially shoves away the notebook, but begins to read it later that night.


==Production==
==Production==
[[File:Sam Catlin by Gage Skidmore.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Sam Catlin]] wrote the episode.]]
[[File:Sam Catlin by Gage Skidmore.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Sam Catlin]] wrote the episode.]]
"Open House" was written by [[Sam Catlin]] and directed by [[David Slade]], marking his first time directing for television.<ref>{{Harvnb|Cranston, Bryan|loc=3:13–3:17}}</ref> Slade was a fan of ''Breaking Bad'' and sought to direct an episode of the show.<ref name="Cheever0802">{{cite web |last=Cheever |first=Emily |title=Interview: Betsy Brandt ('Breaking Bad') |publisher=Ology |date=August 2, 2011 |url=http://ology.com/tv/interview-betsy-brandt-breaking-bad |access-date=October 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/62LMCCZdU?url=http://ology.com/tv/interview-betsy-brandt-breaking-bad |archive-date=October 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Filmed in February 2011,<ref>{{Harvnb|Cranston, Bryan|loc=2:35–2:39}}</ref> the episode was edited by [[Skip Macdonald]], one of a handful of editors who have regularly worked on the series.<ref>{{Harvnb|Dixon, Kelley|loc=6:00–6:15}}</ref> Nigel Gibbs reprised his role as detective Tim Roberts, whom he portrayed in the [[Breaking Bad (season 2)|second season]] episode "[[Grilled (Breaking Bad)|Grilled]]".<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=32:30–33:33}}</ref> Stand-up comedian [[Bill Burr]] made a guest appearance as the man who poses as an environmental inspector for Skyler. Burr was cast after he expressed interest in appearing on the show to ''Breaking Bad'' extras casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. Series creator [[Vince Gilligan]] said, "We just waste so much time here in the writer's room by getting on YouTube and watching some of his routines."<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=16:24–16:59}}</ref> Stand-up comedian [[Lavell Crawford]] reprised his recurring role as Huell, Saul's bodyguard, and Jennifer Hasty also made a guest appearance as Stephanie Doswell, the realtor who exposes Marie's thefts.<ref>{{cite news|last=Maurer |first=Mark |title='Breaking Bad' season 4, episode 3 recap, 'Open House': Marie steals again |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2011/07/breaking_bad_season_4_episode.html |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/60mqK0ZXE?url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2011/07/breaking_bad_season_4_episode.html |archive-date=August 8, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
"Open House" was written by [[Sam Catlin]] and directed by [[David Slade]], marking his first time directing for television.<ref>{{Harvnb|Cranston, Bryan|loc=3:13–3:17}}</ref> Slade was a fan of ''Breaking Bad'' and sought to direct an episode of the show.<ref name="Cheever0802">{{cite web |last=Cheever |first=Emily |title=Interview: Betsy Brandt ('Breaking Bad') |publisher=Ology |date=August 2, 2011 |url=http://ology.com/tv/interview-betsy-brandt-breaking-bad |access-date=October 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123045011/http://ology.com/tv/interview-betsy-brandt-breaking-bad |archive-date=November 23, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Filmed in February 2011,<ref>{{Harvnb|Cranston, Bryan|loc=2:35–2:39}}</ref> the episode was edited by [[Skip Macdonald]], one of a handful of editors who have regularly worked on the series.<ref>{{Harvnb|Dixon, Kelley|loc=6:00–6:15}}</ref> Nigel Gibbs reprised his role as detective Tim Roberts, whom he portrayed in the [[Breaking Bad season 2|second season]] episode "[[Grilled (Breaking Bad)|Grilled]]".<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=32:30–33:33}}</ref> Stand-up comedian [[Bill Burr]] made a guest appearance as the man who poses as an environmental inspector for Skyler. Burr was cast after he expressed interest in appearing on the show to ''Breaking Bad'' extras casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. Series creator [[Vince Gilligan]] said, "We just waste so much time here in the writer's room by getting on YouTube and watching some of his routines."<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=16:24–16:59}}</ref> Stand-up comedian [[Lavell Crawford]] reprised his recurring role as Huell, Saul's bodyguard, and Jennifer Hasty also made a guest appearance as Stephanie Doswell, the realtor who exposes Marie's thefts.<ref>{{cite news|last=Maurer |first=Mark |title='Breaking Bad' season 4, episode 3 recap, 'Open House': Marie steals again |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2011/07/breaking_bad_season_4_episode.html |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230083352/http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2011/07/breaking_bad_season_4_episode.html |archive-date=December 30, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


The concept of Gus installing a surveillance camera into the meth lab stemmed from the idea of Walter and Gus employing what Gilligan called "brinkmanship and gamesmanship" against each other after their falling out at the end of the [[Breaking Bad (season 3)|third season]]. Gilligan commented: "What's one way Gus can amp up the story there? How can he mess with Walt's head a little bit?"<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=5:20–5:35}}</ref> The footage shown from the first-person perspective of the camera is actual footage from the real camera, including the numbers shown at the top and bottom of the screen. This is why that shot is shown in [[pillarbox]] and in lower quality than the rest of the episode, which was shot in [[35mm movie film|35 mm film]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=7:17–7:50}}</ref> The episode features a subplot with Marie engaging in acts of [[kleptomania]], which had been a major part of her character during the [[Breaking Bad (season 1)|first season]]. Catlin said it was conceived early on that Marie would act this way while brainstorming the ideas for Marie coping with Hank's difficult recovery.<ref>{{Harvnb|Catlin, Sam|loc=9:01–9:28}}</ref> Gilligan described Marie's acts of stealing as a respite for her: "She's looking for another life, but she's not actively ready to leave her husband or anything like that. ... We liked the quirkiness of it."<ref>{{cite web|last=VanDerWerff |first=Emily |title=Vince Gilligan walks us through season four of ''Breaking Bad'' (part 1 of 4) |publisher=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=October 10, 2011 |url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/vince-gilligan-walks-us-through-season-four-of-bre,63013/ |access-date=October 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/62LHt8AsA?url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/vince-gilligan-walks-us-through-season-four-of-bre,63013/ |archive-date=October 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Betsy Brandt]] said "Open House" was her favorite episode of the season to shoot.<ref name="Cheever0802" />
The concept of Gus installing a surveillance camera into the meth lab stemmed from the idea of Walter and Gus employing what Gilligan called "brinkmanship and gamesmanship" against each other after their falling out at the end of the [[Breaking Bad season 3|third season]]. Gilligan commented: "What's one way Gus can amp up the story there? How can he mess with Walt's head a little bit?"<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=5:20–5:35}}</ref> The footage shown from the first-person perspective of the camera is actual footage from the real camera, including the numbers shown at the top and bottom of the screen. This is why that shot is shown in [[pillarbox]] and in lower quality than the rest of the episode, which was shot on [[35mm movie film|35 mm film]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=7:17–7:50}}</ref> The episode features a subplot with Marie engaging in acts of [[kleptomania]], which had been a major part of her character during the [[Breaking Bad season 1|first season]]. Catlin said it was conceived early on that Marie would act this way while brainstorming the ideas for Marie coping with Hank's difficult recovery.<ref>{{Harvnb|Catlin, Sam|loc=9:01–9:28}}</ref> Gilligan described Marie's acts of stealing as a respite for her: "She's looking for another life, but she's not actively ready to leave her husband or anything like that. ... We liked the quirkiness of it."<ref>{{cite web|last=VanDerWerff |first=Emily |title=Vince Gilligan walks us through season four of ''Breaking Bad'' (part 1 of 4) |publisher=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=October 10, 2011 |url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/vince-gilligan-walks-us-through-season-four-of-bre,63013/ |access-date=October 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012125632/http://www.avclub.com/articles/vince-gilligan-walks-us-through-season-four-of-bre%2C63013/ |archive-date=October 12, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Betsy Brandt]] said "Open House" was her favorite episode of the season to shoot.<ref name="Cheever0802" />


The idea of Jesse riding go-karts by himself to relax was inspired by Aaron Paul and other crew members who often went kart racing between filming of ''Breaking Bad'' episodes in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], New Mexico.<ref>{{Harvnb|Catlin, Sam|loc=18:57–19:08}}</ref> During one of the party scenes at Jesse's house, Jesse keeps throwing crumpled dollar bills at the mouth of a sleeping man wearing a dress shirt and tie with no pants until he finally gets one inside his mouth. Catlin thought of the idea,<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=27:33–27:58}}</ref> and it was [[property master]] Trina Siopy actually throwing the bills off-screen; she got one into the actor's mouth on her second try.<ref>{{Harvnb|Catlin, Sam|loc=28:13–28:53}}</ref> The scenes in Jesse's house were shot on a set in a sound stage built by production designer Mark Freeborn and construction coordinator William Gilpin. Although scenes in Jesse's house are occasionally filmed in an actual house, these particular scenes could not be shot there because the party was so messy.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=31:04–31:52}}</ref>
The idea of Jesse riding go-karts by himself to relax was inspired by Aaron Paul and other crew members who often went kart racing between the filming of ''Breaking Bad'' episodes in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], New Mexico.<ref>{{Harvnb|Catlin, Sam|loc=18:57–19:08}}</ref> During one of the party scenes at Jesse's house, Jesse keeps throwing crumpled dollar bills at the mouth of a sleeping man wearing a dress shirt and tie with no pants until he finally gets one inside his mouth. Catlin thought of the idea,<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=27:33–27:58}}</ref> and it was [[property master]] Trina Siopy actually throwing the bills off-screen; she got one into the actor's mouth on her second try.<ref>{{Harvnb|Catlin, Sam|loc=28:13–28:53}}</ref> The scenes in Jesse's house were shot on a set in a sound stage built by production designer Mark Freeborn and construction coordinator William Gilpin. Although scenes in Jesse's house are occasionally filmed in an actual house, these particular scenes could not be shot there because the party was so messy.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=31:04–31:52}}</ref>


[[Image:Fever Ray.jpg|thumb|195 px|left|The song "[[If I Had a Heart]]" by Swedish artist [[Karin Dreijer Andersson|Fever Ray]] ''(pictured)'' was featured in "Open House".]]
[[Image:Fever Ray.jpg|thumb|195 px|left|The song "[[If I Had a Heart]]" by Swedish artist [[Karin Dreijer Andersson|Fever Ray]] ''(pictured)'' was featured in "Open House".]]
The party scenes sought to illustrate Jesse's internal guilt and self-hatred for having murdered [[Gale Boetticher]] in the third season finale, "[[Full Measure (Breaking Bad)|Full Measure]]". Bryan Cranston praised these scenes, saying, "I thought it was a great way to show a person going through a private hell. That everybody suffers, deals with their own personal loss in many different ways."<ref>{{Harvnb|Cranston, Bryan|loc=21:47–22:00}}</ref> Although the previous episode, "[[Thirty-Eight Snub]]", also featured similar party scenes, the party was much darker and more decrepit in "Open House", and ''Breaking Bad'' music supervisor Thomas Golubic tried to select music appropriate for that darker tone. Originally he tried using variations of [[punk rock]], [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] and [[dubstep]], but felt it was inappropriate and wanted something that delved "deeper into Jesse's headspace".<ref>{{Harvnb|Golubic, Thomas|loc=23:32–24:45}}</ref> He chose the song "[[If I Had a Heart]]" by Swedish musician [[Karin Dreijer Andersson|Fever Ray]] which was used during a sequence of scenes before and during Jesse's party. Golubic said he liked the "muted loud sort of feel" of the song, which he felt matched Jesse's frame of mind and the "full, heavy darkness" of the party.<ref>{{Harvnb|Golubic, Thomas|loc=25:37–26:10}}</ref> It was chosen by a vote among the writers among four possible songs.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=24:55–25:19}}</ref>
The party scenes sought to illustrate Jesse's internal guilt and self-hatred for having murdered [[Gale Boetticher]] in the third season finale, "[[Full Measure (Breaking Bad)|Full Measure]]". Bryan Cranston praised these scenes, saying, "I thought it was a great way to show a person going through a private hell. That everybody suffers, deals with their own personal loss in many different ways."<ref>{{Harvnb|Cranston, Bryan|loc=21:47–22:00}}</ref> Although the previous episode, "[[Thirty-Eight Snub]]", also featured similar party scenes, the party was much darker and more decrepit in "Open House", and ''Breaking Bad'' music supervisor Thomas Golubić tried to select music appropriate for that darker tone. Originally he tried using variations of [[punk rock]], [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] and [[dubstep]], but felt it was inappropriate and wanted something that delved "deeper into Jesse's headspace".<ref>{{Harvnb|Golubic, Thomas|loc=23:32–24:45}}</ref> He chose the song "[[If I Had a Heart]]" by Swedish musician [[Karin Dreijer Andersson|Fever Ray]] which was used during a sequence of scenes before and during Jesse's party. Golubić said he liked the "muted loud sort of feel" of the song, which he felt matched Jesse's frame of mind and the "full, heavy darkness" of the party.<ref>{{Harvnb|Golubic, Thomas|loc=25:37–26:10}}</ref> It was chosen by a vote among the writers among four possible songs.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gilligan, Vince|loc=24:55–25:19}}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==


===Ratings===
===Ratings===
"Open House" aired on Sunday, July 31, 2011 on [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]].<ref name=ratings/> The episode was viewed by an estimated 1.714 million viewers and received a 0.7 Nielsen rating among adults between the ages of 18 and 49.<ref name=ratings/> This means that it was seen by 0.7% of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast.<ref name=ratings/> The episode was the 22nd highest rated program on the day it aired.<ref name=ratings>{{cite web|last=Seidman|first=Robert|title=Sunday Cable Ratings: 'True Blood,' Shark Week , 'Falling Skies,' 'In Plain Sight,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'Leverage,' & Much More|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/08/02/sunday-cable-ratings-true-blood-shark-week-falling-skies-in-plain-sight-breaking-bad-leverage-much-more/99356/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910053526/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/08/02/sunday-cable-ratings-true-blood-shark-week-falling-skies-in-plain-sight-breaking-bad-leverage-much-more/99356/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 10, 2011|publisher=TV by the Numbers|access-date=February 29, 2012}}</ref>
"Open House" aired on Sunday, July 31, 2011 on [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]].<ref name=ratings/> The episode was viewed by an estimated 1.714 million viewers and received a 0.7 Nielsen rating among adults between the ages of 18 and 49.<ref name=ratings/> This means that it was seen by 0.7% of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast.<ref name=ratings/> The episode was the 22nd highest-rated program on the day it aired.<ref name=ratings>{{cite web|last=Seidman|first=Robert|title=Sunday Cable Ratings: 'True Blood,' Shark Week , 'Falling Skies,' 'In Plain Sight,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'Leverage,' & Much More|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/08/02/sunday-cable-ratings-true-blood-shark-week-falling-skies-in-plain-sight-breaking-bad-leverage-much-more/99356/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910053526/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/08/02/sunday-cable-ratings-true-blood-shark-week-falling-skies-in-plain-sight-breaking-bad-leverage-much-more/99356/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 10, 2011|publisher=TV by the Numbers|access-date=February 29, 2012}}</ref>


===Reviews===
===Reviews===
The episode received positive reviews. [[Alan Sepinwall]] of [[HitFix]] said he was particularly interested in the Marie and Jesse characters this episode, and called it a credit to the show's evolution that the supporting cast subplots can be so interesting without Walt. He also praised David Slade's direction, particularly during the jumpshots in Jesse's scenes.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sepinwall |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Sepinwall |title=Review: 'Breaking Bad' – 'Open House': Makin' it rain |publisher=[[HitFix]] |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/breaking-bad-open-house-makin-it-rain |access-date=August 2, 2011}}</ref> Seth Amitin of [[IGN]] called it a "great episode" and an improvement over the previous two, "[[Box Cutter (Breaking Bad)|Box Cutter]]" and "Thirty-Eight Snub". He praised the way Skyler's character proved herself to both Walter and Saul, and praised Betsy Brandt's performance, claiming her subplot provided much-needed comic relief and reminded him of the works of [[David Sedaris]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Amitin |first=Seth |title=Breaking Bad: 'Open House' Review |publisher=[[IGN]] |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/118/1184931p1.html |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/60mpsTWK0?url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/118/1184931p1.html |archive-date=August 8, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' writer Melissa Maerz praised the development of Skyler's character and said the episode touched upon a common theme in ''Breaking Bad'' about masculinity. With Skyler asserting herself in Walter's work, and Hank taking out his insecurities about being disabled on Marie, Maerz said the script raises the question, "What does it mean to be a strong man?"<ref>{{cite news|last=Maerz |first=Marie |title='Breaking Bad' recap: The Good Wife |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=August 1, 2011 |url=http://tvrecaps.ew.com/recap/breaking-bad-season-4-episode-3/ |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/60nbzVkfg?url=http://tvrecaps.ew.com/recap/breaking-bad-season-4-episode-3/ |archive-date=August 9, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' writer Emily VanDerWerff called it "one of the best episodes this show has ever done", despite diverting the attention from Walter to the support cast members. VanDerWerff said the episode well demonstrated how Walter's actions affected others around him and said Marie's character was more interesting than in the past.<ref>{{cite news|last=VanDerWerff |first=Emily |title='Breaking Bad' recap: Trapped by the eye |work=Los Angeles Times |date=August 1, 2011 |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/08/breaking-bad-recap-trapped-by-the-eye.html |access-date=August 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/60wBQ0YHP?url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/08/breaking-bad-recap-trapped-by-the-eye.html |archive-date=August 14, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[Alan Sepinwall]] of [[HitFix]] said he was particularly interested in the Marie and Jesse characters this episode, and called it a credit to the show's evolution that the supporting cast subplots can be so interesting without Walt. He also praised David Slade's direction, particularly during the jumpshots in Jesse's scenes.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sepinwall |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Sepinwall |title=Review: 'Breaking Bad' – 'Open House': Makin' it rain |publisher=[[HitFix]] |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/breaking-bad-open-house-makin-it-rain |access-date=August 2, 2011}}</ref> Seth Amitin of [[IGN]] called it a "great episode" and an improvement over the previous two, "[[Box Cutter (Breaking Bad)|Box Cutter]]" and "Thirty-Eight Snub". He praised the way Skyler's character proved herself to both Walter and Saul, and praised Betsy Brandt's performance, claiming her subplot provided much-needed comic relief and reminded him of the works of [[David Sedaris]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Amitin |first=Seth |title=Breaking Bad: 'Open House' Review |publisher=[[IGN]] |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/118/1184931p1.html |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111054215/http://tv.ign.com/articles/118/1184931p1.html |archive-date=November 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' writer Melissa Maerz praised the development of Skyler's character and said the episode touched upon a common theme in ''Breaking Bad'' about masculinity. With Skyler asserting herself in Walter's work, and Hank taking out his insecurities about being disabled on Marie, Maerz said the script raises the question, "What does it mean to be a strong man?"<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Maerz |first=Marie |title='Breaking Bad' recap: The Good Wife |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=August 1, 2011 |url=http://tvrecaps.ew.com/recap/breaking-bad-season-4-episode-3/ |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012144433/http://tvrecaps.ew.com/recap/breaking-bad-season-4-episode-3/ |archive-date=October 12, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' writer [[Emily St. James]] called it "one of the best episodes this show has ever done", despite diverting the attention from Walter to the support cast members. St. James said the episode well demonstrated how Walter's actions affected others around him and said Marie's character was more interesting than in the past.<ref>{{cite news|last=VanDerWerff |first=Emily |title='Breaking Bad' recap: Trapped by the eye |work=Los Angeles Times |date=August 1, 2011 |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/08/breaking-bad-recap-trapped-by-the-eye.html |access-date=August 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413214410/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/08/breaking-bad-recap-trapped-by-the-eye.html |archive-date=April 13, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic complimented the performances by Betsy Brandt and Aaron Paul, and said of the latter, "Seriously, does any actor on TV convey more by saying less than Aaron Paul?" He also compared Skyler's increasingly calculated approach to Walter's drug dealing to Gus' personality.<ref>{{cite web |last=Richenthal |first=Matt |title=Breaking Bad Review: Welcome to Waltergate |publisher=TV Fanatic |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://www.tvfanatic.com/2011/07/breaking-bad-review-open-house/ |access-date=August 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105092205/http://www.tvfanatic.com/2011/07/breaking-bad-review-open-house/ |archive-date=November 5, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine writer Logan Hill praised Brandt's performance and said it was interesting to see an episode so focused on Skyler and Marie on a show usually dominated by the male characters. However, he said Skyler's transformation from concerned wife to competent criminal partner felt too sudden.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hill |first=Logan |title=''Breaking Bad'' Recap: Ladies' Night |work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |date=August 1, 2011 |url=http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/08/breaking_bad_recap_ladies_nigh.html |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/60msHOlda?url=http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/08/breaking_bad_recap_ladies_nigh.html |archive-date=August 8, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Not all reviews were positive. [[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] writers June Thomas and [[Jessica Grose]] both enjoyed Marie in "Open House", but both felt the scenes at Jesse's house were too over-the-top and that Skyler's concerns about Walter's safety seemed out of character.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grose |first1=Jessica |last2=Thomas |first2=June |title=''Breaking Bad'', Season 4, Episode 3: "Open House" |publisher=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2011/07/31/breaking_bad_season_4_episode_3_open_house_.html |access-date=August 2, 2011}}</ref>
Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic complimented the performances by Betsy Brandt and Aaron Paul, and said of the latter, "Seriously, does any actor on TV convey more by saying less than Aaron Paul?" He also compared Skyler's increasingly calculated approach to Walter's drug dealing to Gus' personality.<ref>{{cite web |last=Richenthal |first=Matt |title=Breaking Bad Review: Welcome to Waltergate |publisher=TV Fanatic |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://www.tvfanatic.com/2011/07/breaking-bad-review-open-house/ |access-date=August 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105092205/http://www.tvfanatic.com/2011/07/breaking-bad-review-open-house/ |archive-date=November 5, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine writer Logan Hill praised Brandt's performance and said it was interesting to see an episode so focused on Skyler and Marie on a show usually dominated by the male characters. However, he said Skyler's transformation from concerned wife to competent criminal partner felt too sudden.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hill |first=Logan |title=''Breaking Bad'' Recap: Ladies' Night |work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |date=August 1, 2011 |url=http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/08/breaking_bad_recap_ladies_nigh.html |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927184308/http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/08/breaking_bad_recap_ladies_nigh.html |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Not all reviews were positive. [[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] writers June Thomas and [[Jessica Grose]] both enjoyed Marie in "Open House", but both felt the scenes at Jesse's house were too over-the-top and that Skyler's concerns about Walter's safety seemed out of character.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grose |first1=Jessica |last2=Thomas |first2=June |title=''Breaking Bad'', Season 4, Episode 3: "Open House" |publisher=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |date=July 31, 2011 |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2011/07/31/breaking_bad_season_4_episode_3_open_house_.html |access-date=August 2, 2011}}</ref>


In 2019 ''[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]]'' ranked "Open House" 50th out of the 62 total ''Breaking Bad'' episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theringer.com/tv/2019/9/30/20885880/breaking-bad-episodes-ranking|title=The Ringer's Definitive 'Breaking Bad' Episodes Ranking|author=Katie Baker|date=September 30, 2019|publisher=The Ringer}}</ref>
In 2019 ''[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]]'' ranked "Open House" 50th out of the 62 total ''Breaking Bad'' episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theringer.com/tv/2019/9/30/20885880/breaking-bad-episodes-ranking|title=The Ringer's Definitive 'Breaking Bad' Episodes Ranking|author=Katie Baker|date=September 30, 2019|publisher=The Ringer}}</ref>
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===Bibliography===
===Bibliography===
* {{cite video | people=[[Bryan Cranston|Cranston, Bryan]] |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |format=Audio commentary |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Cranston, Bryan}}}}
*{{cite video | people=[[Bryan Cranston|Cranston, Bryan]] |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Cranston, Bryan}}}}
* {{cite video | people=[[Sam Catlin|Catlin, Sam]] |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |format=Audio commentary |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Catlin, Sam}}}}
*{{cite video | people=[[Sam Catlin|Catlin, Sam]] |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Catlin, Sam}}}}
* {{cite video | people=Dixon, Kelley |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |format=Audio commentary |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Dixon, Kelley}}}}
*{{cite video | people=Dixon, Kelley |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Dixon, Kelley}}}}
* {{cite video | people=[[Vince Gilligan|Gilligan, Vince]] |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |format=Audio commentary |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Gilligan, Vince}}}}
*{{cite video | people=[[Vince Gilligan|Gilligan, Vince]] |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Gilligan, Vince}}}}
* {{cite video | people=Golubic, Thomas |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |format=Audio commentary |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Golubic, Thomas}}}}
*{{cite video | people=Golubic, Thomas |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Breaking Bad Insider 403 |medium=Podcast |publisher=Breaking Bad Insider Podcast |ref={{harvid|Golubic, Thomas}}}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.amctv.com/shows/breaking-bad/episodes/season-4/open-house "Open House"] at the official ''Breaking Bad'' site
*[http://www.amctv.com/shows/breaking-bad/episodes/season-4/open-house "Open House"] at the official ''Breaking Bad'' site
* {{IMDb episode|1683090|Open House}}
*{{IMDb episode|1683090|Open House}}


{{Breaking Bad episodes}}
{{Breaking Bad episodes}}


[[Category:2011 American television episodes]]
[[Category:2011 American television episodes]]
[[Category:Breaking Bad (season 4) episodes]]
[[Category:Breaking Bad season 4 episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes directed by David Slade]]

Latest revision as of 16:23, 30 June 2024

"Open House"
Breaking Bad episode
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 3
Directed byDavid Slade
Written bySam Catlin
Featured music"If I Had a Heart" by Fever Ray
Cinematography byMichael Slovis
Editing bySkip Macdonald
Original air dateJuly 31, 2011 (2011-07-31)
Running time46 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Thirty-Eight Snub" 		Next →
"Bullet Points"
Breaking Bad season 4
List of episodes

"Open House" is the third episode of the fourth season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad, and the 36th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on July 31, 2011. In the episode, Walter and Skyler advance their plans to buy a car wash as a front organization, while Jesse holds increasingly darker parties to distract from his guilt for having killed Gale. Meanwhile, Marie starts stealing to cope with the difficult recovery of her husband Hank, who is asked to offer his advice regarding Gale's murder investigation.

The episode was written by Sam Catlin and directed by filmmaker David Slade, marking his first time directing for television. It featured guest appearances by Nigel Gibbs and stand-up comedian Bill Burr, the latter of whom specifically sought to appear on the show. Marie's return to the kleptomania she demonstrated in the first season was conceived early during brainstorming sessions for the third season.

Breaking Bad music supervisor Thomas Golubić sought to select music for Jesse's party sequences appropriate for the dark tone of the scenes, including the song "If I Had a Heart" by Swedish musician Fever Ray. "Open House" was viewed by an estimated 1.714 million viewers and received a 0.7 Nielsen rating among adults between the ages of 18 and 49.

Plot

[edit]

While preparing for his next meth cook, Walter becomes furious after noticing a motion-detecting surveillance camera has been installed in the lab. Later that day, Skyler and Walt meet with Saul and Skyler convinces Walt to buy the car wash by mentioning how Bogdan insulted his manhood. She devises a plan to trick Bogdan into selling by having Saul's con artist acquaintance Patrick Kuby pretend to be a United States Environmental Protection Agency representative who is shutting down the business out of concern over contaminants. Bogdan begrudgingly sells to her, even agreeing to a lower price than her original offer.

Jesse is still feeling numb from recent events and attempts to clear his head with nostalgic go-kart trips. He continues to open his house for all-night drug-fueled orgies, and deliberately throws piles of money in the midst of the chaos. Tyrus Kitt surveils Jesse's house from a nearby car.

Angry and frustrated by Hank's continuous cold shoulder, Marie resumes her streak of kleptomania. After a series of thefts from real-estate open houses, during which she also makes up elaborate stories about her background, she is caught by a real estate agent who recognizes her from a previous incident. A livid Hank pulls strings with his friend Detective Tim Roberts to get her out of being charged. Roberts drops by the Schrader residence to seek Hank's help and gives him Gale's lab notes. Hank initially shoves the notebook away but begins to read it later that night.

Production

[edit]
Sam Catlin wrote the episode.

"Open House" was written by Sam Catlin and directed by David Slade, marking his first time directing for television.[1] Slade was a fan of Breaking Bad and sought to direct an episode of the show.[2] Filmed in February 2011,[3] the episode was edited by Skip Macdonald, one of a handful of editors who have regularly worked on the series.[4] Nigel Gibbs reprised his role as detective Tim Roberts, whom he portrayed in the second season episode "Grilled".[5] Stand-up comedian Bill Burr made a guest appearance as the man who poses as an environmental inspector for Skyler. Burr was cast after he expressed interest in appearing on the show to Breaking Bad extras casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. Series creator Vince Gilligan said, "We just waste so much time here in the writer's room by getting on YouTube and watching some of his routines."[6] Stand-up comedian Lavell Crawford reprised his recurring role as Huell, Saul's bodyguard, and Jennifer Hasty also made a guest appearance as Stephanie Doswell, the realtor who exposes Marie's thefts.[7]

The concept of Gus installing a surveillance camera into the meth lab stemmed from the idea of Walter and Gus employing what Gilligan called "brinkmanship and gamesmanship" against each other after their falling out at the end of the third season. Gilligan commented: "What's one way Gus can amp up the story there? How can he mess with Walt's head a little bit?"[8] The footage shown from the first-person perspective of the camera is actual footage from the real camera, including the numbers shown at the top and bottom of the screen. This is why that shot is shown in pillarbox and in lower quality than the rest of the episode, which was shot on 35 mm film.[9] The episode features a subplot with Marie engaging in acts of kleptomania, which had been a major part of her character during the first season. Catlin said it was conceived early on that Marie would act this way while brainstorming the ideas for Marie coping with Hank's difficult recovery.[10] Gilligan described Marie's acts of stealing as a respite for her: "She's looking for another life, but she's not actively ready to leave her husband or anything like that. ... We liked the quirkiness of it."[11] Betsy Brandt said "Open House" was her favorite episode of the season to shoot.[2]

The idea of Jesse riding go-karts by himself to relax was inspired by Aaron Paul and other crew members who often went kart racing between the filming of Breaking Bad episodes in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[12] During one of the party scenes at Jesse's house, Jesse keeps throwing crumpled dollar bills at the mouth of a sleeping man wearing a dress shirt and tie with no pants until he finally gets one inside his mouth. Catlin thought of the idea,[13] and it was property master Trina Siopy actually throwing the bills off-screen; she got one into the actor's mouth on her second try.[14] The scenes in Jesse's house were shot on a set in a sound stage built by production designer Mark Freeborn and construction coordinator William Gilpin. Although scenes in Jesse's house are occasionally filmed in an actual house, these particular scenes could not be shot there because the party was so messy.[15]

The song "If I Had a Heart" by Swedish artist Fever Ray (pictured) was featured in "Open House".

The party scenes sought to illustrate Jesse's internal guilt and self-hatred for having murdered Gale Boetticher in the third season finale, "Full Measure". Bryan Cranston praised these scenes, saying, "I thought it was a great way to show a person going through a private hell. That everybody suffers, deals with their own personal loss in many different ways."[16] Although the previous episode, "Thirty-Eight Snub", also featured similar party scenes, the party was much darker and more decrepit in "Open House", and Breaking Bad music supervisor Thomas Golubić tried to select music appropriate for that darker tone. Originally he tried using variations of punk rock, hip hop and dubstep, but felt it was inappropriate and wanted something that delved "deeper into Jesse's headspace".[17] He chose the song "If I Had a Heart" by Swedish musician Fever Ray which was used during a sequence of scenes before and during Jesse's party. Golubić said he liked the "muted loud sort of feel" of the song, which he felt matched Jesse's frame of mind and the "full, heavy darkness" of the party.[18] It was chosen by a vote among the writers among four possible songs.[19]

Reception

[edit]

Ratings

[edit]

"Open House" aired on Sunday, July 31, 2011 on AMC.[20] The episode was viewed by an estimated 1.714 million viewers and received a 0.7 Nielsen rating among adults between the ages of 18 and 49.[20] This means that it was seen by 0.7% of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast.[20] The episode was the 22nd highest-rated program on the day it aired.[20]

Reviews

[edit]

Alan Sepinwall of HitFix said he was particularly interested in the Marie and Jesse characters this episode, and called it a credit to the show's evolution that the supporting cast subplots can be so interesting without Walt. He also praised David Slade's direction, particularly during the jumpshots in Jesse's scenes.[21] Seth Amitin of IGN called it a "great episode" and an improvement over the previous two, "Box Cutter" and "Thirty-Eight Snub". He praised the way Skyler's character proved herself to both Walter and Saul, and praised Betsy Brandt's performance, claiming her subplot provided much-needed comic relief and reminded him of the works of David Sedaris.[22] Entertainment Weekly writer Melissa Maerz praised the development of Skyler's character and said the episode touched upon a common theme in Breaking Bad about masculinity. With Skyler asserting herself in Walter's work, and Hank taking out his insecurities about being disabled on Marie, Maerz said the script raises the question, "What does it mean to be a strong man?"[23] Los Angeles Times writer Emily St. James called it "one of the best episodes this show has ever done", despite diverting the attention from Walter to the support cast members. St. James said the episode well demonstrated how Walter's actions affected others around him and said Marie's character was more interesting than in the past.[24]

Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic complimented the performances by Betsy Brandt and Aaron Paul, and said of the latter, "Seriously, does any actor on TV convey more by saying less than Aaron Paul?" He also compared Skyler's increasingly calculated approach to Walter's drug dealing to Gus' personality.[25] New York magazine writer Logan Hill praised Brandt's performance and said it was interesting to see an episode so focused on Skyler and Marie on a show usually dominated by the male characters. However, he said Skyler's transformation from concerned wife to competent criminal partner felt too sudden.[26] Not all reviews were positive. Slate writers June Thomas and Jessica Grose both enjoyed Marie in "Open House", but both felt the scenes at Jesse's house were too over-the-top and that Skyler's concerns about Walter's safety seemed out of character.[27]

In 2019 The Ringer ranked "Open House" 50th out of the 62 total Breaking Bad episodes.[28]

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Cranston, Bryan, 3:13–3:17
  2. ^ a b Cheever, Emily (August 2, 2011). "Interview: Betsy Brandt ('Breaking Bad')". Ology. Archived from the original on November 23, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  3. ^ Cranston, Bryan, 2:35–2:39
  4. ^ Dixon, Kelley, 6:00–6:15
  5. ^ Gilligan, Vince, 32:30–33:33
  6. ^ Gilligan, Vince, 16:24–16:59
  7. ^ Maurer, Mark (July 31, 2011). "'Breaking Bad' season 4, episode 3 recap, 'Open House': Marie steals again". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on December 30, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  8. ^ Gilligan, Vince, 5:20–5:35
  9. ^ Gilligan, Vince, 7:17–7:50
  10. ^ Catlin, Sam, 9:01–9:28
  11. ^ VanDerWerff, Emily (October 10, 2011). "Vince Gilligan walks us through season four of Breaking Bad (part 1 of 4)". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on October 12, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  12. ^ Catlin, Sam, 18:57–19:08
  13. ^ Gilligan, Vince, 27:33–27:58
  14. ^ Catlin, Sam, 28:13–28:53
  15. ^ Gilligan, Vince, 31:04–31:52
  16. ^ Cranston, Bryan, 21:47–22:00
  17. ^ Golubic, Thomas, 23:32–24:45
  18. ^ Golubic, Thomas, 25:37–26:10
  19. ^ Gilligan, Vince, 24:55–25:19
  20. ^ a b c d Seidman, Robert. "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'True Blood,' Shark Week , 'Falling Skies,' 'In Plain Sight,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'Leverage,' & Much More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 10, 2011. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
  21. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (July 31, 2011). "Review: 'Breaking Bad' – 'Open House': Makin' it rain". HitFix. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  22. ^ Amitin, Seth (July 31, 2011). "Breaking Bad: 'Open House' Review". IGN. Archived from the original on November 11, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  23. ^ Maerz, Marie (August 1, 2011). "'Breaking Bad' recap: The Good Wife". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 12, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  24. ^ VanDerWerff, Emily (August 1, 2011). "'Breaking Bad' recap: Trapped by the eye". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 13, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  25. ^ Richenthal, Matt (July 31, 2011). "Breaking Bad Review: Welcome to Waltergate". TV Fanatic. Archived from the original on November 5, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  26. ^ Hill, Logan (August 1, 2011). "Breaking Bad Recap: Ladies' Night". New York. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  27. ^ Grose, Jessica; Thomas, June (July 31, 2011). "Breaking Bad, Season 4, Episode 3: "Open House"". Slate. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  28. ^ Katie Baker (September 30, 2019). "The Ringer's Definitive 'Breaking Bad' Episodes Ranking". The Ringer.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Cranston, Bryan (August 2, 2011). Breaking Bad Insider 403 (Podcast). Breaking Bad Insider Podcast.
  • Catlin, Sam (August 2, 2011). Breaking Bad Insider 403 (Podcast). Breaking Bad Insider Podcast.
  • Dixon, Kelley (August 2, 2011). Breaking Bad Insider 403 (Podcast). Breaking Bad Insider Podcast.
  • Gilligan, Vince (August 2, 2011). Breaking Bad Insider 403 (Podcast). Breaking Bad Insider Podcast.
  • Golubic, Thomas (August 2, 2011). Breaking Bad Insider 403 (Podcast). Breaking Bad Insider Podcast.
[edit]
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