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Breaking Bad season 2

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Breaking Bad (season 2)
Season 2
Season 2 DVD cover
No. of episodes13
Release
Original networkAMC
Original releaseMarch 8 –
May 31, 2009 (2009-05-31)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 1
Next →
Season 3
List of episodes

The second season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad premiered on March 8, 2009 and concluded on May 31, 2009. It consisted of 13 episodes, each running approximately 47 minutes in length. AMC broadcast the second season on Sundays at 10:00 pm in the United States. The complete second season was released on Region 1 DVD and Region A Blu-ray on March 16, 2010.[1]

Plot

Walter (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul) are kidnapped by Tuco Salamanca (Raymond Cruz) and his uncle Hector (Mark Margolis), lead figures in the rival Mexican drug cartel. They manage to escape before the DEA, led by Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), arrive and kill Tuco and capture Hector. Walter and Jesse expand their meth dealing into the areas formerly controlled by Tuco, and later are forced to partner with sleazy lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) to help protect them legally from the DEA. Skyler (Anna Gunn) becomes more suspicious of Walter's current activities particularly after learning that he refused money for his medical payment from his former partner Elliot (Adam Godley) and wife Gretchen (Jessica Hecht). Jesse moves into a duplex owned by Donald (John de Lancie), with Donald's daughter Jane (Krysten Ritter), a recovering heroin addict, living in the neighboring unit. Jane and Jesse become romantically involved. Hank's actions in the Tuco shootout lead to a promotion at the El Paso office, but he suffers from a panic attack after witnessing the death of a Federale during a IED attack by the Mexican cartel, and returns to Albuquerque.

Walter learns his cancer may be spreading, and decides to cook up one last batch of meth over a weekend with Jesse, anticipating to leave the profits for his family after he dies, only learning afterwards that his health condition is improving. However, he is still compelled to leave the meth cooking business after finishing the current batch. When one of Jesse's friends and dealers is killed by a rival gang, Jesse falls back to taking drugs, dragging Jane down with him.

Meanwhile, Walter worries about further trouble with the rival gang and has Saul arrange a meeting with Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito), the owner of a restaurant chain used as a cover for a large-scale drug distribution. Gus offers to buy the remaining meth batch for more than $1 million, but requires the product to be delivered immediately. Walter forgoes his daughter's birth to retrieve the meth from Jesse's place. Donald arrives to find Jesse's place a mess and Jane's relapse, and orders her to put her affairs in order before he takes her back to rehab. Jane, aware of Jesse's role, demands Walter give Jesse his share of the drug money, but he refuses. She thus threatens to expose him, which gives him reason to reconsider, and he returns to Jesse's that evening to hand over his share. Later, Walter shares a drink with Donald, unaware of his relationship with Jane. Donald's talk gives him reason to reconsider, and returns to Jesse's the next day to have a talk with Jesse, but again finds Jesse and Jane passed out from drug use. In an attempt to wake them, he turns Jane onto her back, causing her to suffocate on her own vomit. Believing Jane will have a bad influence on Jesse (and that Jane may still expose Walter's identity), Walter leaves without trying to help, and Jane dies. Jesse believes himself to be at fault, and enters rehab.

Walter prepares to undergo surgery to remove the cancer, but while sedated, reveals the existence of a second cell phone to Skyler. When Skyler, who has exposed the other lies he has told her, confronts him on this after he recovers, he offers to tell her the truth, but she refuses to listen and leaves with the children. As Walter contemplates his situation by the pool, he witnesses two aircraft collide over Albuquerque, a result of mis-guidance given by Donald, shown now to work as an air-traffic controller and still grieving at the loss of his daughter. The wreckage falls across the city, including a pink teddy bear that falls into Walter's pool - an image used throughout episodes of this season.

Cast

See also: List of Breaking Bad characters

Main

Recurring

2

Episodes

See also: List of Breaking Bad episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
81"Seven Thirty-Seven"Bryan CranstonJ. RobertsMarch 8, 2009 (2009-03-08)1.66[2]
92"Grilled"Charles HaidGeorge MastrasMarch 15, 2009 (2009-03-15)1.60[3]
103"Bit by a Dead Bee"Terry McDonoughPeter GouldMarch 22, 2009 (2009-03-22)1.13[4]
114"Down"John DahlSam CatlinMarch 29, 2009 (2009-03-29)1.29[5]
125"Breakage"Johan RenckMoira Walley-BeckettApril 5, 2009 (2009-04-05)1.21[6]
136"Peekaboo"Peter MedakJ. Roberts & Vince GilliganApril 12, 2009 (2009-04-12)1.41[7]
147"Negro y Azul"Felix AlcalaJohn ShibanApril 19, 2009 (2009-04-19)N/A
158"Better Call Saul"Terry McDonoughPeter GouldApril 26, 2009 (2009-04-26)1.04[8]
169"4 Days Out"Michelle MacLarenSam CatlinMay 3, 2009 (2009-05-03)N/A
1710"Over"Phil AbrahamMoira Walley-BeckettMay 10, 2009 (2009-05-10)N/A
1811"Mandala"Adam BernsteinGeorge MastrasMay 17, 2009 (2009-05-17)N/A
1912"Phoenix"Colin BuckseyJohn ShibanMay 24, 2009 (2009-05-24)N/A
2013"ABQ"Adam BernsteinVince GilliganMay 31, 2009 (2009-05-31)1.50[9]

Production

The writers of Breaking Bad planned the storyline for the entire season in advance of filming and knew how the season would end right from the beginning. That differed from subsequent seasons, in which the writers did not have a complete plan and developed the storyline as the episodes progressed. Series creator Vince Gilligan said of season two, "That came about through many, many hours of beating our heads against the wall – very laborious work, which is probably why we haven't repeated that formula since."[10]

Music

Breaking Bad's original score is composed by Dave Porter. The show also uses music from other recording artists with music supervision by Thomas Golubić. Select songs from Season 2 are featured on the Breaking Bad Soundtrack available through iTunes and Amazon.com.[11]

Home video releases

The second season was released on DVD in Region 1 and Blu-ray in Region A on March 16, 2010.[1] It was released on DVD in Region 2 on July 26, 2010[12] and in Region 4 on February 8, 2010.[13]

Reception

Reviews

The second season of Breaking Bad received very positive reviews from critics, scoring 85 out of 100 on Metacritic.[14] Entertainment Weekly critic Ken Tucker stated "Bad is a superlatively fresh metaphor for a middle-age crisis: It took cancer and lawbreaking to jolt Walt out of his suburban stupor, to experience life again—to take chances, risk danger, do things he didn't think himself capable of doing. None of this would work, of course, without Emmy winner Cranston's ferocious, funny selflessness as an actor. For all its bleakness and darkness, there's a glowing exhilaration about this series: It's a feel-good show about feeling really bad."[15] San Francisco Chronicle's Tim Goodman claimed "The first three episodes of Season 2 that AMC sent out continue that level of achievement with no evident missteps. In fact, it looks as if Gilligan's bold vision for Breaking Bad, now duly rewarded against all odds, has invigorated everyone involved in the project. You can sense its maturity and rising ambition in each episode."[16] Horror novelist Stephen King lauded the series, comparing it to the likes of Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet.[17]

Awards and nominations

The second season received numerous awards and nominations, including five Primetime Emmy Award nominations with two wins. Bryan Cranston won his second consecutive award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Lynne Willingham won her second consecutive award for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series for "ABQ". The series received its first nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, Aaron Paul received his first nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and Michael Slovis was nominated for Outstanding Cinematography for a One Hour Series for "ABQ".[18]

Cranston won the Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Drama, with the series being nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Drama. Cranston won his second consecutive Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series, with the series winning the award for Best Drama Series. Aaron Paul won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television, with the series winning the award for Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series. The series received two Writers Guild of America Award nominations, for Best Drama Series, and John Shiban for Best Episodic Drama for "Phoenix".[18]

References

  1. ^ a b David Lambert (January 15, 2010). "Breaking Bad - Slight Delay for Season 2 DVD and Blu-ray (and also Season 1 Blu-ray)". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  2. ^ Seidman, Robert (March 10, 2009). "iCarly, Burn Notice and WWE RAW top cable charts". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  3. ^ Crupi, Anthony (April 2, 2009). "AMC Renews Breaking Bad". Mediaweek. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  4. ^ Gorman, Bill (March 30, 2009). "Sunday Ratings: NCAA Tourney Lifts CBS To Victory, Fox Captures Youth Demo". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  5. ^ Seidman, Robert (April 1, 2009). "My Wednesday viewing dwindles with finales of Life on Mars, Damages and Life". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  6. ^ Seidman, Robert (April 7, 2009). "Damages season finale draws few, WWE RAW, NCIS lead cable viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  7. ^ Seidman, Robert (April 14, 2009). "WWE RAW and Nora Roberts Tribute bookend cable top 20, Rescue Me premieres". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  8. ^ Seidman, Robert (April 28, 2009). "Updated: WWE RAW, NFL Draft and Yankees / Red Sox Lead Weekly Cable Viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  9. ^ Levin, Gary (June 5, 2009). "Nielsens: 'Jon & Kate' plus big ratings". USA Today. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  10. ^ VanDerWerff, Todd (October 10, 2011). "Vince Gilligan walks us through season four of Breaking Bad (part 1 of 4)". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on October 10, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  11. ^ "Music From Breaking Bad Season 2". AMCTV.com. January 18, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  12. ^ "Breaking Bad - Season 2". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  13. ^ "Breaking Bad - The Complete 2nd Season (4 Disc Set)". EzyDVD. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  14. ^ "Breaking Bad: Season 2". Metacritic. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  15. ^ Tucker, Ken (March 8, 2009). "Breaking Bad review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  16. ^ Goodman, Tim (March 6, 2009). "TV review: 'Breaking Bad' proves anything but". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  17. ^ King, Stephen (March 6, 2009). "Stephen King: I Love 'Breaking Bad'!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  18. ^ a b "Awards for "Breaking Bad"". IMDB. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
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