List of Breaking Bad episodes
Breaking Bad, an American television drama series created by Vince Gilligan, premiered on January 20, 2008 on the cable network AMC in the United States. The first seven-episode season ended on March 9, 2008. The second 13-episode season of Breaking Bad premiered on March 8, 2009 and concluded on May 31, 2009. The show has been renewed for a third season.
Breaking Bad revolves around 50-year old high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After Walter is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, he turns to a criminal life, and starts producing and selling methamphetamine with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in order to secure his family's future finances.
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | DVD Release | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | Discs | |||
| 1 | 7 | January 20, 2008 | March 9, 2008 | February 24, 2009 | — | May 20, 2009 | 2 (3 on region 4) | |
| 2 | 13 | March 8, 2009 | May 31, 2009 | — | — | — | — | |
Seasons
Season 1: 2008
| Season # | Series # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Vince Gilligan | Vince Gilligan | January 20, 2008 | |
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Walter White, a 50-year old chemistry teacher, secretly begins making crystal methamphetamine to support his family when he finds out that he has terminal lung cancer. He teams up with a former student, Jesse Pinkman, who is a meth dealer. Jesse is trying to sell the meth but the dealers snatch him and make him show them the lab. Walter knows they intend to kill him so he poisons them while showing them his recipe. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "The Cat's in the Bag…" | Adam Bernstein | Vince Gilligan | January 27, 2008 | |
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Walter and Jesse try to dispose of the two bodies in the RV, which becomes increasingly complicated when Krazy-8 wakes up. They eventually imprison him in Jesse's basement. Meanwhile, Skyler grows suspicious of Walter's recent behavior and discovers that their baby is a girl. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "…and the Bag's in the River" | Adam Bernstein | Vince Gilligan | February 10, 2008 | |
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Walter cannot decide whether or not to kill Krazy-8. Meanwhile, Marie believes that Walter Jr. is smoking marijuana and asks Hank to scare him straight. Walter brings Krazy-8 something to eat, but things turn bad when Walter collapses while descending the steps into the basement. When Walter wakes up, he tells Krazy-8 that he has lung cancer and they get to know one another better. Eventually, Walter decides to release Krazy-8 but is double-crossed so he strangles the young man. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Cancer Man" | Jim McKay | Vince Gilligan | February 17, 2008 | |
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Hank starts looking for the new drugs kingpin around town (unaware that it is Walter). Walter reveals that he has cancer at a family barbecue. Jesse goes to visit his family, and finds out that his young brother is smoking marijuana. Jesse covers for him and is forced to leave his parents' house. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Gray Matter" | Tricia Brock | Patty Lin | February 24, 2008 | |
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An old friend of Walter offers him a lucrative job, but he turns it down. Jesse attempts to cook meth on his own, meanwhile Walter Jr. gets in trouble when a cop catches him trying to buy beer. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Crazy Handful of Nothin'" | Bronwen Hughes | George Mastras | March 2, 2008 | |
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Walter and Jesse come to an agreement: Walter will cook the meth while Jesse is the one who sells it on the streets. Skylar asks Walter about his missing hours and he explains that he just wants to be alone sometimes. Walter faints while cooking meth and Jesse discovers that the real reason why he's cooking meth is that he has lung cancer and is trying to help his family. Hank tells Walter the truth about Krazy-8. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "A No-Rough-Stuff-Type Deal" | Tim Hunter | Peter Gould | March 9, 2008 | |
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Walter and Jesse face difficulties producing the large amount of meth promised to Tuco. Skyler confronts Marie about her shoplifting. | ||||||
Season 2: 2009
| Season # | Series # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | "Seven Thirty-Seven" | Bryan Cranston | J Roberts | March 8, 2009 | |
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Having completed their deal with Tuco in the junkyard, Walt and Jesse realize just how crazy and violent he can be. Jesse is convinced that he's seen Tuco's black SUV going up and down his street. Walt puts it down to paranoia - until he sees a black SUV parked just down the block from his house. Jesse's solution is to shoot Tuco before he kills them but Walt has a better idea. Panic sets in however when they think Tuco is killing his associates. Hank reviews the security surveillance footage of the warehouse break-in without realizing it's Walt and Jesse. Skyler tells Hank about Marie's shoplifting and gets a surprising reaction. | ||||||
| 2 | 9 | "Grilled" | Charles Haid | George Mastras | March 15, 2009 | |
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Having been kidnapped by a crazed Tuco, Walt and Jesse are held prisoner by him in a desert shack where he often hides out and takes care of his sick uncle. Walt's brother-in-law Hank and the DEA have rolled Tuco's entire organization and he thinks that his two prisoners may have been a source of information. Walt tries to feed Tuco the poison he prepared. Hank meanwhile takes a bit of time off to look for Walt. Skyler is sick with worry and has been distributing handbills with Walt's photo. He remembers that Jesse Pinkman was Walt's source of marijuana and tries to track him down. Tuco finally realizes that his prisoners are up to something and is obviously going to kill Jesse. After a fight in which Tuco is shot, Hank shows up looking for Jesse. | ||||||
| 3 | 10 | "Bit by a Dead Bee" | Terry McDonough | Peter Gould | March 22, 2009 | |
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Having gotten away from Tuco, Walt and Jesse now have to get home and explain where they have been. Walt has a plan and they split up. He goes to a supermarket and takes off all of his clothes while walking around the aisles. He's hospitalized and claims to have no memory of where he's been for the last few days. Jesse returns to his house to clean out the basement and get rid of the RV. When the DEA also track him down, he claims that he's been shacked up with a prostitute for the weekend. The police don't believe him and think they know how to nail him: the bring in Tuco's uncle to identify him. With some of his problems now behind him, Walt is keen to start cooking again. | ||||||
| 4 | 11 | "Down" | John Dahl | Sam Catlin | March 29, 2009 | |
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Walt and Jesse appear to be in the clear but Jesse has no money and Walt can't leave the room without Skyler wondering where he is. Jesse's parents are still fed up with him and his drug use so they order him out of the house - it turns out they own it, not Jesse. He finds himself not only without a place to stay but with few friends who will put him up for the night. He ends up tracking down his RV and spends the night. Walt's overly correct behavior sets Skyler of on a binge of not telling him anything about what she's up to or who she's seeing. She's fed up with Walt's behavior and wants to know what is really going on. | ||||||
| 5 | 12 | "Breakage" | Johan Renck | Moira Walley-Becket | April 5, 2009 | |
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Walt continues his treatment and is starting to feel better but is concerned at the growing medical bills. Jesse begins to re-establish himself paying off his debts and getting a new place to live. He's interested in the renter however, Jane Margolis who next door. Walt and Jesse soon rev up the RV and are cooking again. Jesse's not keen on selling the stuff on the street and suggests he and Walt take over Tuco's role as a distributor. Hank and the DEA have come across the name Heisenberg and aren't sure if he's real or just an urban legend. Hank is promoted and soon appointed to a tri-State drug task force. He may have health issues of his own however. | ||||||
| 6 | 13 | "Peekaboo" | Peter Medak | J Roberts & Vince Gilligan | April 12, 2009 | |
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Skinny Pete has been ripped off by a drug addicted couple and Walt has made it plain to Jesse that unless he does something about it, word will get around pretty quick that they are an easy mark. Jesse isn't a very effective informer however and is quickly in over his head. Walt goes back to work but not all is going smoothly. Walt's story starts to unravel when Skyler gets a call from Gretchen Schwartz and she thanks her for paying for Walt's treatment. Gretchen doesn't give him away but his bitterness at their past relationship - personal and business - comes out. | ||||||
| 7 | 14 | "Negro Y Azul" | Félix Enríquez Alcalá | John Shiban | April 19, 2009 | |
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Walt's been having trouble getting in touch with Jesse who's been avoiding him since his encounter with Spooge. He's also not providing product to his dealers so Walt arranges to deliver it. He learns that Jesse's reputation as a killer has spread and they're having no problem at all collecting payment. Walt decides the time has come to expand their territory and put Jesse's new reputation to good use. Skyler decides to get a job and goes back to her old employer. Hank starts his new job on the task force. He's told his wife Marie it's just a desk job but he's on the front lines and very soon learns just how dangerous it can be. | ||||||
| 8 | 15 | "Better Call Saul" | Terry McDonough | Peter Gould | April 26, 2009 | |
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Walt and Jesse have yet another problem to deal with when one of their dealers, Jesse's friend Badger, is arrested by the Albuquerque police. They end up hiring a shady lawyer, Saul Goodman, who has a unique way of ensuring that Badger gets off with a light sentence without having to give away Jesse or Walt's identity. As Walt learns however, it may come at a very high price. Walt's brother-in-law Hank, the DEA Agent, is suffering from post-traumatic stress following the shooting in Juarez. He puts on a brave face but is having trouble just getting out of bed in the morning. Walt has some suggestions for him. | ||||||
| 9 | 16 | "4 Days Out" | Michelle MacLaren | Sam Catlin | May 3, 2009 | |
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Walt is convinced that his medical condition is deteriorating. He continues to have coughing fits and is now coughing up blood. After his attorney and new business partner crunches the numbers, he realizes that there isn't much money left for his family. He and Jesse set off for the desert for a marathon cooking session over an extended weekend. Jesse just continues to put his foot in it, this time by leaving the keys in the ignition and inadvertently draining the battery. They find themselves in the middle of the desert, cold and without much water. Walt's knowledge of chemistry again saves the day. | ||||||
| 10 | 17 | "Over" | Phil Abraham | Moira Walley-Becket | May 10, 2009 | |
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Despite the good news about his condition, Walt is feeling out of sorts and is generally unhappy, verging on anger. Skyler decides to throw a party to celebrate the news and thank all of their friends for their support, but Walt gets drunk and then into an argument with Hank that puts a damper on things. He's embarrassed about his behavior and tries to make amends all around but it's proving to be a challenge. He tries to channel his energies but eventually realizes what the problem is. Walt also tells Jesse the good news and tells him that he if finished with their little enterprise. Jesse's relationship with Jane continues to grow but he's taken aback when her father drops in to see her and she doesn't introduce him as her boyfriend. The ensuing confrontation clarifies their relationship. | ||||||
| 11 | 18 | "Mandala" | Adam Bernstein | George Mastras | May 17, 2009 | |
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Saul proposes a new business partner. Jesse tells Jane what he does. | ||||||
| 12 | 19 | "Phoenix" | Colin Bucksey | John Shiban | May 24, 2009 | |
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The Whites welcome a new addition. Jesse's addiction begins to get out of control. Jane and Jesse's relationship causes friction with both Walt and Donald. They consider starting a new life together until their plans unravel. | ||||||
| 13 | 20 | "ABQ" | Adam Bernstein | Vince Gilligan | May 31, 2009 | |
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Skyler and Walt collide in the season finale as her frustration with his secrecy finally comes to a head. Jesse self-destructs after a personal blow, forcing Walt to come to his aid. The grief of Jane's dad, Donald, leads to tragedy. | ||||||