Seven Thirty-Seven

Lore & Background

The title references the specific dollar amount Walt determines is necessary to provide for his family. It also nods to a Boeing 737 airplane crash shown in the flashforward intro. This episode begins a series of flashforwards featuring a pink teddy bear floating in a pool; when combined with future episode titles, they spell out 'Seven Thirty-Seven Down Over ABQ', foreshadowing the Wayfarer 515 disaster.

In Their Own Story

After Tuco Salamanca assaults his lieutenant No-Doze for speaking to Walter White, Tuco returns demanding Walt save him. Walt performs chest compressions until No-Doze dies. Tuco orders Gonzo to hide the body. Later, Jesse buys a Ruger SP101 handgun from an arms dealer and suggests killing Tuco, but Walt argues against shooting him. Meanwhile, Skyler White sexually assaults her husband after finding him staring at the TV, though she stops when he objects. At the DEA, Hank Schrader sees footage of Walt and Jesse stealing methylamine with thermite but dismisses them as incompetent thieves. As Walt worries about an SUV outside his home, he and Jesse produce ricin from castor beans to poison Tuco. They learn that Gonzo died in a junkyard while moving No-Doze's body. Believing Tuco killed Gonzo, Walt sends Jesse away before Tuco arrives at Walt's house, holds Jesse at gunpoint, and forces Walt into his car.

Reader's Guide

The episode opens with the aftermath of Tuco beating his own men. Watch for Walt's calculation scene where he determines the $737,000 figure. Note the contrast between Jesse buying a gun and Walt planning to use poison. Observe Hank viewing the surveillance footage of the methylamine theft; he recognizes thermite but underestimates the thieves' skill. The climax shifts from a potential shootout to a kidnapping when Tuco captures Walt and Jesse.

Did You Know?

• The episode was directed by Bryan Cranston, who also portrays the protagonist Walter White.
• Walt calculates that he needs exactly $737,000 to provide for his family, which gives the episode its title.
• Gonzo dies accidentally in a junkyard while attempting to move No-Doze's body, leading Walt and Jesse to mistakenly believe Tuco killed him.
• This is the first of several episodes featuring flashforwards with a pink teddy bear floating in a pool that foreshadow the Wayfarer 515 disaster.
• Skyler refuses to answer phone calls from her sister Marie, revealing she knows about Marie's shoplifting.