Matt Zoller Seitz, writing for Vulture:
“Madrigal” is a housekeeping episode, mainly concerned with setting up future events and clarifying old ones. While it checks in with Walt, Skyler, Jesse, and Saul, its spotlight is on a glorified supporting player, Jonathan Banks’s security guy–hit man, Mike. But I’d still put it on a list of Breaking Bad’s best episodes, because it’s perfect, and because it underlines the show’s distinguishing characteristic: a commitment to clarity.
I couldn’t agree more. Breaking Bad is an already consistently excellent show, but “Magrigal” was a standout, mostly due to Jonathan Banks’s work. Generally I’ve found the episodes near the end of each season to be the strongest, but “Magrigal” is only episode two of this truncated 2012 run. I can’t wait for the remaining six this summer.