Breaking Bad (2008 — 2013)

Breaking Bad (2008–2013), an American neo-Western crime drama TV series, was created and produced by Vince Gilligan and aired on AMC from January 20, 2008 to September 29, 2013. It ran for five seasons and had a total of 62 episodes. Filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the show follows the story of Walter White. He is a high school chemistry teacher who is dealing with stage-three lung cancer and feeling underpaid, overqualified, and dispirited. To secure his family’s financial future before he dies, White turns to a life of crime. His former student Jesse Pinkman becomes his partner as they produce and distribute crystal meth while navigating the dangers of the criminal underworld. According to Gilligan, the title “Breaking Bad” is a Southern colloquialism that means ‘to raise hell’.

Season 1 (2008). Originally planned for nine episodes, the first season was shortened to seven due to the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Airing from January 20 to March 9, 2008, it followed Walter, a man with inoperable lung cancer, as he teams up with his former student Jesse to cook and sell crystal meth. To fund his treatment and secure his family’s financial future, Walter uses unconventional ingredients to create a pure blue product. However, things take a dangerous turn when they encounter the Mexican cartel and Walter adopts the alias ‘Heisenberg’ while trading with Tuco Salamanca. As Heisenberg gains notoriety in the drug trade, Walt’s DEA agent brother-in-law Hank becomes suspicious and begins investigating.

Season 2 (2009). Tuco and Walter become hostile and Tuco meets his demise at the hands of Hank. A failed attempt by Walter and Jesse to establish their own distribution network results in one dealer arrested and another killed. This leads Walter to hire corrupt lawyer Saul Goodman, who later introduces them to high-profile drug distributor Gus Fring and hitman Mike Ehrmantraut. Jesse starts dating his apartment manager Jane, who introduces him to heroin, causing him to become unreliable. When they sell a shipment to Gus, Walt refuses to pay Jesse his share of the money, but Jane uses blackmail as leverage. Despite Walt’s attempt at an apology, he ends up inadvertently causing Jane’s death as she chokes on her own vomit while unconscious. Traumatized by this event, Jesse enters rehab. Walt initially seems content with the outcome until he witnesses a mid-air collision between two planes due to Jane’s father, an air-traffic controller, becoming distraught over her passing while on duty.

Season 3 (2010). On April 2, 2009, AMC announced that Breaking Bad was renewed for a third season consisting of 13 episodes. The season premiered on March 21, 2010 and concluded on June 13, 2010. It was later released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 7, 2011. During this season, Skyler discovers Walt’s criminal activities and files for divorce. Meanwhile, Walt takes a brief break from the drug trade until he is offered a job by Gus to cook meth with an assistant named Gale in a hidden lab. As Hank continues his investigation into Jesse’s involvement in the case, he resorts to violence but is ultimately suspended from the DEA after finding no evidence against him. In an effort to protect Jesse and prevent him from suing Hank, Walt convinces Gus to replace Gale with Jesse as his lab assistant. However, things take a deadly turn when Hank is ambushed by Tuco’s cousins and left paralyzed. Jesse’s behavior becomes increasingly unstable and Walt is forced to take drastic measures to protect him by killing two of Gus’s drug dealers. This leads to an enraged Gus ordering their deaths and puts Walt in a difficult position where he must persuade Jesse to kill Gale before Gus can replace them both

Season 4 (2011). In June 2010, AMC announced the renewal of Breaking Bad for a fourth season consisting of 13 episodes. Production began in January 2011 and the season premiered on July 17, concluding on October 9. Plans for mini episodes prior to the premiere were ultimately not realized. After Gale’s death, security at the lab is heightened by Gus. He and Mike drive a divide between Walt and Jesse, pressuring Jesse into becoming their sole cook while also eliminating the Mexican cartel. Meanwhile, Skyler agrees to Walt’s meth cooking scheme and works alongside Saul to launder their earnings. In recovery, Hank connects Gale’s death to Gus and the drug trade. Walt manipulates Jesse into betraying Gus and convinces Hector Salamanca – the only surviving member of the cartel – to detonate a bomb during a meeting with Gus, resulting in both of their deaths.

Season 5 (2012–2013). On August 14, 2011, AMC announced the renewal of Breaking Bad for a fifth and final season consisting of 16 episodes. This season is split into two parts, each with 8 episodes. The first half premiered on July 15, 2012, and the second half on August 11, 2013. To promote the final season’s premiere in August 2013, AMC released a trailer featuring Bryan Cranston reading Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Ozymandias while showcasing shots of iconic Breaking Bad locations. After Walt and his partners lose Gus as their supplier, they establish their own meth business. However, when one of their associates kills a child witness during a theft, Jesse and Mike decide to sell their share of the stolen product to Declan, another distributor. Meanwhile, Walter oversees production for Declan while Lydia expands distribution to Europe with great success. In the process, Walter amasses $80 million in earnings which he buries in the Tohajiilee Indian Reservation. But tensions rise between Walt and Mike leading to a fatal outcome. Desperate for information on Mike’s imprisoned men, Walter turns to Lydia who supplies him with names then hires Todd’s uncle and his