Although Breaking Bad was closely serialized, and virtually each episode made some sort of contribution to the general story, it was nonetheless a tv present that had its fair proportion of standout hours. Sure episodes have been extra dramatic or establishment shifting than others, whereas additional episodes excelled as a result of they tried one thing somewhat completely different stylistically or tonally, standing out because of this.
Throughout 62 episodes, Breaking Unhealthy was a few highschool chemistry instructor turned meth producer turned drug kingpin; a person who’s identified with most cancers and says he’s turning to a lifetime of crime to assist his household, however then appears extra drawn towards it for a lot much less noble causes. It really works as a darkish comedy (particularly early on), a criminal offense thriller, a drama sequence, and a slow-burn tragedy, with the next episodes representing Breaking Unhealthy at its highest.
10
“Loopy Handful of Nothin'”
Season 1, Episode 6 (2008)
It says one thing about Breaking Unhealthy as an entire that Season 1 was fairly comfortably the weakest season, but it nonetheless made for totally compelling tv. A part of its shortcomings took place due to the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike, which lowered the episode rely considerably, however in these first seven episodes, Breaking Unhealthy nonetheless made a placing impression.
The pilot episode is great and immediately works as a hook for the entire sequence (as all good pilots ought to), however “Loopy Handful of Nothin’” is the perfect single episode of Breaking Unhealthy’s first season. In it, Walt shaves his head for the primary time, establishes dominance over Tuco in a really memorable—and explosive—approach, and in addition adopts the title “Heisenberg” right here. So, to name it a pivotal episode could be an understatement.
9
“One Minute”
Season 3, Episode 7 (2010)
Whereas “Loopy Handful of Nothing’” was the primary season’s finest episode, “One Minute” is debatably the only finest hour of Breaking Unhealthy’s third season. The present had already established itself as certainly one of the great TV dramas by this level, however “One Minute” escalates issues additional, growing additional battle between Hank and Jesse whereas exhibiting the previous’s life falling aside, and itself virtually ending.
Sure, the shootout on the finish of “One Minute” is probably the most memorable a part of the episode, and it’s additionally fairly easy, on the floor. Actually, Hank will get attacked by a few hitmen, and manages to outsmart them, finally surviving, however solely simply. That is about it. Within the second, although, it’s agonizingly suspenseful. The remainder of the episode is actually sturdy, however for the set piece that concludes the episode, “One Minute” is an all-timer.
8
“Felina”
Season 5, Episode 16 (2013)
This one is likely to be ranked somewhat decrease than some would anticipate, however “Felina” is not fairly an ideal finale. It’s an successfully satisfying one, and the best way it leaves little or no by means of unfastened ends is admirable. The story that was left to inform did get wrapped up somewhat later, due to 2019’s El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, and in addition some later episodes in Better Call Saul, with that prequel sequence finally catching as much as Breaking Unhealthy after which ending after it, chronologically talking.
Should you strategy it like a victory lap, “Felina” is spectacular, and once more, it’s satisfying as one thing that ties unfastened ends. Breaking Unhealthy didn’t exit in a difficult or subversive approach, however given it was persistently nice throughout 5 seasons, and simply over 60 episodes, you possibly can actually argue that it earned the proper to conclude with a no-nonsense victory lap of kinds.
7
“4 Days Out”
Season 2, Episode 9 (2009)
In distinction to a few of the aforementioned episodes, and loads of the soon-to-be-mentioned ones, “4 Days Out” stands out with out essentially being a complete uprooting of the established order… not less than not by that includes a loss of life. It’s truly impactful as a result of Walt finds out he’s not truly on loss of life’s doorstep, together with his most cancers having gone into remission shortly after going for broke with Jesse and cooking an enormous quantity of meth within the desert.
This complicates issues, and with the path of Walt’s life altering, so too does the path of the present, not less than somewhat. However “4 Days Out” is most well-remembered for being an episode the place Walt and Jesse sort of hang around throughout their desert misadventures, and it’s a brilliant entertaining and virtually relaxed episode, not less than by Breaking Unhealthy requirements. Perhaps it’s a calm-before-the-storm sort of factor, nevertheless it works nicely in any occasion, and the 2 actors within the episode probably the most by far, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, actually ship (as all the time).
6
“Crawl Area”
Season 4, Episode 11 (2011)
Snap again to (soul-crushing) actuality, right here’s certainly one of Breaking Bad’s darkest episodes: “Crawl Area.” That is additionally certainly one of its best episodes, dialing up the battle between Walt and Gus Fring to near-unbearable ranges, with the latter going as far as to threaten to kill the previous’s spouse, teenage son, and toddler daughter. Walt panics, and units about attempting to deliver down Gus by tipping off regulation enforcement, figuring out that he has cash put aside to get him and his household to vanish.
Properly, he thinks there’s cash put aside. It seems Skyler has given it away, and so Walt loses his thoughts, screaming after which laughing maniacally within the titular crawl area of his home. It’s up there as one of the memorable endings to any episode of Breaking Unhealthy, and the episode as an entire masterfully units in movement Season 4’s last two episodes.
5
“Phoenix”
Season 2, Episode 12 (2009)
Walt had executed horrible issues earlier than “Phoenix,” however this crucial Breaking Bad episode was a brand new low for him, morally talking; one thing tougher to excuse than something he’d executed earlier than. In “Phoenix,” Jesse’s girlfriend, Jane, threatens Walt, and so when the chance arises for Walt to save lots of her life (she and Jesse bought excessive, and she or he’s choking on her personal vomit in Walt’s presence), he does nothing.
He won’t have shot her, however as Walt ultimately admits, he let her die, however he seen it as eliminating an impediment, and so he let the entire thing occur. Little or no is identical after “Phoenix,” and whereas Jane was a reasonably essential character throughout Season 2, what occurs to her casts a shadow over the following three seasons, nicely past her time spent as an lively a part of Breaking Unhealthy.
4
“Lifeless Freight”
Season 5, Episode 5 (2012)
Providing a heist storyline that may stand toe-to-toe with most of the great heist films out there, “Lifeless Freight” scratches an analogous itch to “4 Days Out,” not less than at first. It is because, initially, it’s a relatively “enjoyable” episode of Breaking Unhealthy that largely takes place outside, and revolves round Walt, Jesse, and Mike executing an formidable plan to rob a practice carrying a big provide of methylamine.
It is tense but additionally thrilling, and it looks like issues finish on a surprisingly constructive word, all earlier than wild card Todd sees {that a} younger boy would possibly’ve witnessed the heist, and weapons him down with out hesitation. It’s a stunning word for “Lifeless Freight” to finish on, and establishes Todd as somebody to worry (to place it mildly) as Breaking Unhealthy approaches its finish.
3
“Face Off”
Season 4, Episode 13 (2011)
After the horror of the ending to “Crawl Area,” stress builds earlier than lastly resolving within the Season 4 finale, “Face Off.” Properly, it largely resolves; like “Lifeless Freight,” it appears this manner for the majority of the episode. There’s satisfaction to be gained from Walt taking down Gus for good, however with out a main villain, the stage is ready for Walt to turn out to be just about the primary villain of the present in Season 5.
Additionally, although there’s a sweetness to the victory, the reveal of what Walt was keen to do, as far as endangering a child, sours issues significantly. “Face Off” is among the most intense hours of Breaking Unhealthy, one of the dramatic, after which, ultimately, one of the shocking. It simply does every little thing proper, and proves to be an ideal season finale. Properly, Breaking Unhealthy‘s finest season finale, to be completely blunt.
2
“Say My Identify”
Season 5, Episode 7 (2012)
“Say My Identify” is the episode the place Walt drops one of his most famous lines, positive, nevertheless it’s additionally a lot greater than that. Issues are closing in increasingly on Walt and his complete enterprise, however his conceitedness grows to unmanageable heights right here, sufficient in order that anybody not on board with the concept Walt’s turn out to be a villain by this level needs to be swayed.
After which there’s what he does on the episode’s finish, and the best way that such a bleak factor occurs that didn’t must, and “Say My Identify” actually does really feel like certainly one of Breaking Unhealthy’s finest and most essential episodes. The mid-season finale that follows it is usually nice, with these two episodes additionally working in tandem to set the stakes as excessive as potential for Season 5B. Talking of…
1
“Ozymandias”
Season 5, Episode 14 (2013)
The second half of Breaking Unhealthy’s fifth season was naturally going to be its most dramatic, and of the eight episodes that made up Season 5B, the infamous and highly-praised “Ozymandias” is easily the grandest. With out going into an excessive amount of element, that is the one the place every little thing actually falls aside; the place the issues one would possibly’ve anticipated would occur ultimately, given Breaking Unhealthy’s general narrative, just about all occur right here.
There are nonetheless unfastened ends to tie up after “Ozymandias,” clearly, however this third-last episode of the present seems like a climax to the entire thing. It’s like how a film may need a scene or two after its largest and most dramatic set piece. “Ozymandias” is the equal of that kind of set piece, and even when it’s simple/sort of predictable to single it out as Breaking Unhealthy’s finest episode, it actually actually is simply that nice.
