I love the description of this episode on my onscreen guide: "Everyone tries to cope during vastly changed circumstances".

Yes, I'd say that's an accurate description of the audience this morning.

It's making me feel better to see Dean Norris all alive and whatnot.

Heh, I bet. That's twice now Hank's gotten himself shot in the head because he just HAD to stop and call Marie with good news.

I didn't know that Norris had gone to Harvard!

Me neither, Theo!

I do have to say, I found the CGI/ADR on baby Holly during the bathroom scene incredibly distracting. (Holly's audio in general has been incredibly sloppy and badly done throughout the series, but last night was the worst by far.)

I was just reading people rhapsodising about her acting, and I was wondering when they meant.

Well, she did look really sad, but the CGI mouth was just awful.

[edit: And also, acting? She's a baby. She's a prop with facial expressions.]

She's a prop with facial expressions

Hey, some of the noises are her too, surely? She's totes Mark Wahlberg equivalent.

I'm reading people saying that Walt took Holly only to ensure an Amber alert to make sure the cops would be listening in on the absolution of Skylar call, and that he'd never intended to try and keep her for any time.

Doesn't that take away from the impact of the "Mama" scene? I thought that was why he gave her back--he'd already planned the Skylar call, though.

Thoughts?

Huh, I hadn't thought about that. I think he just took her because, well, Skyler had turned his son against him so he was going to salvage his daughter...even though he didn't have too much longer to live. Abandoning her at a fire station was actually responsible parenting.

You never know with Walt, though. I don't think he knows why he does the things he does.

My guess is that he wasn't thinking much ahead of taking Holly -- it was sheer panic, to grab a bargaining chip.

But when he'd had time to cool down, and admit to himself that Holly needed her mom, and that he was putting his family in big heaps of trouble, he manned up.

I'm sure the Amber Alert helped his decision along, though.