Breaking Bad: No Mas

Season three is here, and I admit, I am pretty skeptical that this can beat last season for sheer brilliance. That said, last night's episode was truly awesome. Opening with a disturbing, wordless sequence so surreal that I, for a moment, thought it was a dream. It wasn't, and it pays off nicely. The show returns with Walter and Co. trying to pull themselves together in the aftermath the plane crash. Skyler files for divorce as Jessie finishes his stint in rehab.

Grieving and guilt over Jane's OD, he asks his counselor at the clinic "How do you not hate yourself?" His counselor tells him he must accept who he is. Jessie does, later telling Walt "I'm the bad guy." Walter returns to work and reluctantly tries his own hand at counseling the distraught students. It doesn't go well and the scene is awash in uncomfortable tension as Walter explains the crash could have been a lot worse: The planes could have been bigger. Not exactly a silver lining.

Walter tries to pull himself out of the drug business, turning down Gus's offer of "three million dollars for three months of your time," telling him he has all the money he could need, but he doesn't have his family. Walt may think he's through with the drug business, but the drug business isn't through with him.

Two hitmen are heading his way. The Mexican drug cartel isn't too happy with their new competition.

The most surprising moment of the night came with Skyler's confrontation of Walt. When she hands him the divorce papers, he asks why she's doing this. "You're a drug dealer." And instead of offering a denial, Walter confirms it, going so far as to tell her he isn't selling weed with Jessie, but that he manufactures methamphetamine.

She offers him a deal. She won't tell Hank so long as he agrees to the divorce. Will he? Will she if he doesn't? Maybe this season can beat out season two.