Breaking Bad is a groundbreaking show.
Created by Vince Gilligan, it quickly became a sensational hit when it first aired in 2008. Throughout five critically acclaimed seasons and 62 episodes, the show hooked audiences, but ultimately ended in a series finale in 2013 that drew 10.3 million viewers and earned an incredible 9.9/10 rating on IMDb.
The story follows Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston, a broke high school chemistry teacher who, after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, turns to cooking methamphetamine in a desperate attempt to secure his family’s future.
Walter eventually teams up with his former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), a small-time drug dealer. Together, they form a partnership that, over time, spirals into chaos. As their drug dealing intensifies, it leads to increasing corruption and violence.
The show’s stellar cast includes Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, RJ Mitte, Giancarlo Esposito, and Bob Odenkirk, who helped make Breaking Bad one of the greatest television dramas of all time.
Here are some facts about the show you probably didn’t know about.
How did the early script for Breaking Bad develop?
The iconic show almost took a different form entirely. Its original title was Chemistry, and the pilot script had the RV driving through a California cow pasture instead of a Native American reservation in New Mexico.
Series creator Vince Gilligan envisioned the transformation of Walter White, describing the character as a “nerdy Mr. Chips type” who would evolve into a “Scarface” figure.
What were the casting choices for the show?
Bryan Cranston was Gilligan’s pick for Walter White after their work on The X-Files, and his performance remains iconic.
Aaron Paul, who ultimately played Jesse Pinkman, almost lost the role to Penn Badgley. Jesse’s character was originally set to die in episode nine of season one. However, a writers’ strike gave Gilligan time to rethink the plot. He decided to rewrite Jesse’s fate, turning him into a fan favorite.
Giancarlo Esposito’s Gus Fring was originally meant for just a few episodes, but Esposito negotiated a larger role, becoming one of the series’ most memorable villains.
Breaking Bad – Acting Firsts
The show’s focus on chemistry extended beyond its plot. Marius Stan, who played Bogdan, holds a Ph.D. in chemistry and continued his work in the field while making his acting debut.
Iconic References and Symbolism
Breaking Bad paid homage to classic gangster films like Scarface and The Godfather. Walter’s transformation echoed these stories, and references to Scarface appeared throughout the series. The show even cast Steven Bauer, who starred in Scarface, as Don Eladio.
Colors also had meaning, with yellow often representing danger or characters “breaking bad.” Albuquerque’s yellow fire hydrants and engines echoed this theme.
Breaking Bad Behind the Scenes Trivia
The blue meth seen on the show was rock candy. Walter White’s famous line, “I am the one who knocks,” became a cultural touchstone.
Mark Margolis, who played Hector “Tio” Salamanca, said his character’s mannerisms were inspired by his mother-in-law, who made similar facial expressions in a nursing home.
Breaking Bad: A Cultural Legacy
The series finale, aired in 2013, was watched by over 10.3 million viewers. It earned a near-perfect 9.9/10 rating on IMDb. The show’s use of chemistry also extended to its title. It incorporates the periodic table symbols for bromine (Br) and barium (Ba).
Inside the Mind of Vince Gilligan: How Breaking Bad could have ended
Spoiler Alert: This section contains spoilers on the ending of Breaking Bad.
Vince Gilligan loves to talk about the ending of Breaking Bad, and for good reason—it’s one of the most talked-about finales in TV history.
For him, it was all about staying true to the characters while delivering heartbreak and hope. Talking about Walter White’s final moments, Gilligan said the ending was carefully crafted to wrap up the big storylines but still leave a little wiggle room for interpretation.
In the Breaking Bad finale, Walt returns to Albuquerque, eliminates the neo-Nazi gang, and frees Jesse. Jesse escapes, finally breaking free of Walt’s control. Walt, fatally wounded, dies in the meth lab, symbolically surrounded by the empire he built and destroyed.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said: “We didn’t feel an absolute need for Walt to expire at the end of the show. Our gut told us it was right. As the writers and I worked through all these different possibilities, it felt right, but I don’t think it was a necessity for us.
“There was a version we kicked around where Walt is the only one who survives, and he’s standing among the wreckage, and his whole family is destroyed. That would be a very powerful ending but very much a kick-in-the-teeth kind of ending for the viewers.
“We talked about a version where Jesse kills Walt. We talked about a version where Walt more or less gets away with it. There’s no right or wrong way to do this job—it’s just a matter of: You get as many smart people around you as possible in the writers’ room, and I was very lucky to have that.”
On Jesse Pinkman’s escape in the finale, Vince added: “In every which way, he’s just been paying the piper, and we just figured it felt right for him to get away. It would have been such a bummer for us, as the first fans of the show, for Jesse to have to pay with his life ultimately.”
What did you think about the Breaking Bad finale? Let us know in the comments section.