Say My Name: Behind The Scenes Look At Breaking Bad
Since its inception back in January 2008, Breaking Bad has racked up quite a number of awards, a cult following, and a rumored movie that continues Jesse Pinkman's story. There's not a thing, or drug, that this series can't do.
Check out all these behind the scenes facts about the series and discover some of the easter eggs littered throughout its episodes. These peeks into the production will have you saying "yeah Mr. White!" all over again.
The Show Barely Made It To The Pilot
Producer, writer, and director Vince Gilligan is most well-known for his work on Breaking Bad, but the iconic series almost didn't get off the ground. Gilligan pitched it to HBO, TNT, Showtimes, and FX who all rejected the idea.
The meeting with HBO was the "worst meeting" of Gilligan's life. He recalls that, "the woman we [were] pitching to couldn't have been less interested—not even in my story, but about whether I actually lived or died.” Thankfully, AMC picked this multi-million dollar series up.
The DEA Actually Showed Them How To Cook Meth
What better way to ensure the accuracy of a show about meth wheeling and dealing then go to the drug authorities themselves? The show's producers wanted a realistic show that wasn't going to land them in prison so they reached out to the DEA themselves.
Instead of turning a blind eye to the production, the DEA jumped right in as consultants for the show. Against all odds and logic, DEA chemists taught Cranston and Paul how to make crystal meth. Now that's method acting.
Jesse Almost Got The Axe
Honestly, thank God he didn't because this wacky meth cook gave the show some of its most memorable lines. Before filming, it was decided that Pinkman was going to be killed off episode 8 or 9. Many think that the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike gave producers time to think it over.
Gilligan squashed this rumor saying that he “knew by episode two—we all did, all of us," that Pinkman was here to stay. Whew. What would we do without the antics and delicate artistic touch of a meth cook who puts chili powder in his ice?
The Strike Made The Show More Interesting
Other than the 2007-2008 writing strike solidifying Pinkman's spot as the gutter Robin to White's domestic Batman, it also played a role in altering the way the Breaking Bad story was told. The strike made producers and writers shorten the 1st season by two episodes.
Turns out, this was a good thing. Those two episodes saw Walter more quickly becoming Heisenburg. The slow build helped keep the show interesting says Gilligan, "we've all had our favorite shows that were really interesting up to a point, but maybe they just go too far, and then there's no going back from it."
There's A Movie In The Works
In July 2019 members of the Breaking Bad cast reunited at Comic-Con to celebrate the show's 10th anniversary. To a question about a possible movie, Gilligan said that “anything’s possible."
Well, Gilligan, we challenge your vague response with a quick Google search and voila, there's a movie called Greenbrier apparently in the works that tells the story of Pinkman's life after the drama with Heisenberg comes to a close. They're even shooting in Albuquerque where the original movie was shot, a fact deduced by local paper Albuquerque Journal.
"But We Got Dipping Sticks?"
When you try and make amends with your spouse by buying a delicious pepperoni pie and accompanying dipping sticks the last thing you want is a door slammed in your face. When that happens just pull a Walter White and throw it on the roof. Apparently, this iconic scene happened in one take too.
The house has become a regular pilgrimage spot for Breakin Bad fans who go to participate in the pizza toss. The homeowner has begged people to stop, and even Gilligan called for the annulment of the sport.
Heisenberg Wore A Hat Because His Head Was Cold
Everyone knows that supervillains wear hats and eyepatches because they're evil. That's just the way it is. This particular fashion choice came around not because of an evildoer stereotype but because Cranston's head was cold after he shaved it.
Kathleen Detoro, the show's fashion designer said it was a back and forth between her, Cranston, and Gilligan before it was finally decided that Heisenberg could wear a hat. Thankfully too, because we can feel dangerous ourselves by buying this statement from Goorin bros.
"Frings" Are A Delicious Deep-Fried Treat, But Gus Fring Was A Super Scary Guy
Gus Fring's character didn't start out as the Los Pollos Hermanos owner who would gleefully stick your head in the deep frier while he took chicken orders. The character was originally much smaller and less poignant. Giancarlo Esposito who played Gus had to negotiate for a bigger role.
Gus was originally a guest spot character, but Giancarlo got Gilligan to up Gus' episode count to 21. A move that Gilligan didn't regret, as Gus says that the showrunner told him that his presence "changed the game and raised the bar for the show."
Esposito Looked To Miami Vice For Inspiration
Inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere right? For his tense meth-slinging character, Esposito drew on Miami Vice's Lieutenant Martin Castillo as a blueprint for the character. When watching clips of these two side by side you can really see the similarities in their portrayal of controlled but intense anger.
Esposito said he was attracted to actor Edward James Olmos' subtlety when he played the role. When Esposito took to the screen with this approach it really got scary, especially when his "do it" makes the Nike ads pale in comparison.
This Iconic Walking Dead Moment
For one of the series' most gruesome reveals, the Breaking Bad team called for the help of a little show you may have heard of - The Walking Dead. Yeah, that small indie production.
For the epic reveal of Hector's takedown of Gus, Gilligan got special effects veterans and team responsible for The Walking Dead's gore, Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger at KNB EFX to make Gus gruesome. The special effects were complimented by the VFX work of Bill Powloski to make Gus' burned head almost transparent.
The Nearly Exact Science Behind Breaking Bad
Gilligan once again shows he wasn't afraid to reach out to industry professionals to get this show as accurate as possible. Gilligan recruited Dr. Donna Nelson, a chemistry professor at the University of Oklahoma as the science advisor.
The science isn't supposed to be exact down to the line though. Dr. Nelson said, "the goal is not to be a science education show; the goal is to be a popular show." Looks like we're going to want to go elsewhere if we want to learn how to make meth. Although you probably shouldn't.
There's No Such Thing As Blue Meth
What you're seeing is not some super pure, super techy, 21st century, top of the line CEO grade meth - you're seeing blue rock candy. The candy is from The Candy Lady candy store in Albuquerque that made a whole Breaking Bad candy line on the heels of the show's popularity.
Dr. Nelson says that real pure meth would be "colorless." Thinking about it now, we're glad it was this iconic blue and not boring old clear. Dr. Nelson calls Gilligan a "genius" and we definitely agree.
Jesse’s Got His Bell Rung After This Fight
If you thought Aaron Paul was acting really well during his fight scene with Raymond Cruz who played Tuco in the episode "Grilled" then you would be incorrect. Paul actually passed out when Cruz threw him through a screen door. Cruz thought he was acting really well too, so he continued the fight scene by kicking Paul as he lay on the ground.
When Paul woke up he was heavily concussed but he kept saying "let's finish the scene" like a drunk person. The Breaking Bad team decided he needed to go to the hospital.
There Was Another Chemist In The Building
Who better to play a car-wash boss than the only on-set chemist? Mauris Stan and his fantastic eyebrows made their acting debut on the show. Stan was born in Romania and has a Ph.D. in chemistry.
Stan currently works at Argonne National Lab as a Senior Computational Energy Scientist. After the show, he starred in the 2009 T.V. series Crash as Imran. Maurice, you're a boss in our hearts, in the lab, on the screen, and in the car wash. What a king.
Ferris Bueller Was Almost Walter White But Instead They Went With Hal
Originally, AMC was reluctant to cast Cranston in the lead. They apparently still had the "the image of Bryan shaving his body in Malcolm in the Middle" stuck in their heads. They were considering Matthew Broderick before Gilligan convinced them that Cranston had what it takes and they cast him.
Good thing they changed their minds because Cranston would win 4 Emmys, a Gloden Globe, 2 Screen Actor's Guild awards, and numerous other best actor awards for his categories. We agree with Gilligan who says "Bryan nailed it."
Jane's Was The Hardest Death To Film On The Show
We were all saddened and shocked by Jane's sudden death on the show. Her's was a particularly hard one to watch because her overdose seemed more real than the gory and violent deaths on the show.
Paul said that this scene was the hardest one emotionally for him to shoot. He said that, "looking at Jane through Jesse's eyes that day was very hard and emotional for all of us. When that day was over, I couldn't be happier that it was over because I really, truly felt I was living those tortured moments with Jesse."
Gilligan Regrets Jesse's Teeth
Experienced actor Aaron Paul may have great teeth that fit his lifestyle, but drug addict and frequent brawler Jesse Pinkman shouldn't have the same pearly whites. Gilligan stated that he regretted not changing Paul's teethe for the shooting.
Gilligan said that "Jesse's teeth were a little too perfect. There were all the beatings he took, and, of course, he was using meth, which is brutal on your teeth. He'd probably have terrible teeth in real life." Don't worry Gilligan, between the violence and the meth, Jesse's teeth may have been the last thing people were paying attention to.
Warren Buffett Approved
Even the 3rd-wealthiest man in the has to have something to enjoy in his free time, why not Breaking Bad? The Berkshire Hathaway CEO even walked the red carpet with the stars at Breaking Bad's season 5 premiere.
Buffet called Walter White "a great businessman," and said, "he's my guy if I ever have to go toe-to-toe with anyone." He was definitely ignoring the murders under White's belt, Buffett is a notable humanitarian and philanthropist.
The Reason There Are 62 Episodes...It's Not A Random Number
62 isn't normally considered a special number, but here it might be. Fans noticed that the series has 62 episodes and that 62 is the periodic table number for Samarium. Samarium is used to treat lung cancer, which Walter White has.
Another fan @avatar_roku on the 9Gag thread also points out that the last episode "FeLiNa" is comprised of elements Fe, Li, Na. Which is iron, lithium, and sodium and these elements are found respectively in blood, meth, and tears. This show has even more layers than we thought.
Spoiler Alert: There Were Alternate Endings
When Gilligan and Breaking Bad's writing team gave Walt the fabled Nazi killing m60 machine gun, they didn't know how it would play into the final episode. So, like any good writing team, they came with a few alternate endings for the series.
They toyed with the idea of Walt going wild with the gun but nixed it because his cancer would've been advanced. They then thought Walt could train the gun on the police, or that Walt could break Jesse out of jail and lays waste to the prison. We're glad they chose the ending they did.
Amazing Breaking Bad Easter Eggs
We know Vince Gilligan did his research for the show, so it's not surprising he paid the same kind of attention to detail to even the most minute of Breaking Bad's details. That includes weaving in a few easter eggs for all us super fans to ogle over.
A great example is the season 5 moment where Walt is rolling his money barrel across the desert and a tumbleweed blows by. Wait, that tumbleweed was a pair of pants. These pants look familiar too...they were the very ones that blew away in the wind episode 1 of the series.
Poor Gale
Gale was kind of doomed from the start because he was Gus Fring's primary meth manufacturer before Walt held that honor. Oh, and because he dared to learn Walt's recipe so he could use it for himself. Like everyone else who tries, he pretty much sealed his fate the moment he messed with Walt.
Jesse however, feels guilty over Gale's death, and his character's inability to move on is hinted by Gilligan who throws Gale's name into random spots. Gale's name can be seen in the video game Jesse plays and in the signage of Lydia's office.
This Hospital Tile Easter Egg
Poor Brock. The poisoning of this 8-year-old just shows definitively that nobody should be messing with White and his master business plan. Even if that means just being a kid and distracting Jesse Pinkman from cooking meth with your cuteness.
The same hospital tiles that Jesse walks to go visit the poisoned Brock also appear behind Walt later. Coincidence? Probably not considering this show is constantly reminding you how nefarious White is becoming. There's even a shot of the Lily of the Valley plant on his porch that he uses to kill Brock with.
It's Not That Difficult Mom
While everyone else was dying, dealing, or making meth, Walter White Jr. was juts chilling at home like a regular kid. Regular kids have regular kid struggles, like mom buying the wrong snacks. God Skylar, can't you do anything?
In season 2 episode 7, Skylar and Jr. are sitting eat breakfast when he turns to her and complains that she bought Raisin Bran instead of Raisin Bran Crunch. In season 5 episode 2 the Crunch appears. We're all glad this primary arc was tied up neatly.
Jesse's Catch-Phrase Wasn't Said That Much
"Yeah science, baby!" Except you know it wasn't really baby because you probably hear him saying this iconic line in your sleep or every time you watch National Geographic. Jesse's catchphrase got so popular that it even became an internet meme and Paul created an app that says it for you.
In total, he said it only 54 times of the 62 episode series and largely said it mostly towards the beginning. You can chalk that up to character development, Jesse growing up, or maybe hanging around his former high school chemistry teacher made him censor himself a little.
This Funny Money Easter Egg
Gilligan was just showing off here. During a meth montage of Jesse and Walt cooking up a storm in season 5's 8th episode, there's a cut shot to all that cold hard cash they're making. Unfortunately, not all of it is legit.
The internet spotted someone on the bill face that's not supposed to be there. Alongside Ulysses S.Grant is none other than the show's very own creator Vince Gilligan. What's the value of a Gilligan buck? Maybe it's redeemable for one slice of roof pizza.
Jane's Death Was Hinted At Numerous Times
Walt technically was to blame for Jane's death since he didn't do anything while she choked on her own vomit, and in a butterfly-effect-esque coincidence, he's at fault for the plane that Jane's grieving air traffic controller father let crash in the sky too. Those two bodies that hit his driveway were karma.
Jane's death was often alluded to. She once joked that she threw up in her own mouth, she rolls Jesse on his side when he's high so he doesn't choke, and Skylar does the same to baby Holly.
Jesse Actually Predicted How The Series Would End
Chemists are basically robotic engineers, right? At least to Jesse, they are. In Season 2 when he and Walt are stranded in the Winnebago in the desert, Jesse says that Walt should make a robot to help them out. Okay, Jesse, robot tinkerer isn't in Walt's meth-cooking job description.
Until it is. In Season 5 with the infamous m60 machine gun, Walt builds an automated oscillating rig in the back of his trunk to mow down the people who captured Jesse. It seems like Jesse knew all along.
RJ Mitte Has Cerebral Palsy But He Had To Make It Seem More Severe
Like the character he portrays, RJ Mitte also has cerebral palsy. However, Mitte's is more of a mild case compared to Walter White Jr.'s. So to complete the character of Walter Jr. he had to exaggerate the symptoms of his CP.
Mitte hadn't used crutches to walk since adolescence but he relearned the skill for the character. Additionally, Mitte had to put a pause on all his years of speech therapy to learn how to slur his speech.
Life Imitates Art, And Many Have Imitated Walter White
These guys really were superfans if they were willing to dedicate their lives to living out the Walter White fantasy. If your favorite character is a meth cook and you decide to cook meth, do you think you can explain it away as cosplay to the police?
In 2016, a 55-year-old man named Walter White became one of Alabama's most wanted meth manufacturers and sellers. In 2012, a chemistry teacher named William Duncanarrested for selling meth, and in 2011, a 74-year-old math professor was arrested for the same crime.
They Got Commemorative Tattoos
We've all gotten tattoos to mark and occasion. We usually get them at a boardwalk tattoo parlor on that really stellar vacation you took in Palm Springs with your cousin. The Breaking Bad actors got them for an award-winning T.V. show. Same thing really.
Paul got a tattoo that says “No half measures," a line and episode title from the show. Cranston got the show’s logo, “Br” and “Ba” tattooed on his finger. Cranston says that he "look[s] at it often, and it makes me smile every time I see it."
We All Like Mike
When Mike died we all were a little sad inside. Sure we love to see White go full Heisenberg and really tear into somebody, but when our favorite fixer was gunned down after he insulted White we were all kind of sad. It's tough not to miss one of the coolest characters.
It was hard to shoot on set for everyone too. Jonathon Banks, who played Mike, said that "it was an emotional day" and that many on the crew "wore black armbands all day long."
The Death Count Is Impressive
Don't start watching Breaking Bad if you're not prepared for your favorite character to die - because chances are they will. The actual death count is 270 people which is pretty impressive for a show with 5 seasons. The show that currently holds the title for the highest body count is The CW's The 100 with 4,411. That's a lot of meth cooks.
Let's all pour one out for the most memorable victims: Krazy 8 with a bike lock, Spooge with an ATM to the head, and Todd Alquist via Jesse's handcuffs. Yeah, science!
The Notorious “Fly” Episode Was Made For Budgeting Reasons
“Fly,” the 10th episode of season 3 took a notable break of the series' fast-paced cartel battles and DEA showdowns to offer an episode based entirely on Walt and Jesse's Food Network-level meth cooking.
“Fly” is a bottle episode, meaning that it's cheaply made so other more expensive episodes can take place later. The episode features solely Walt and Jesse and is well known for its camerawork directed by Rian Johnson where he included many POV shots from the fly's perspective
It Wasn't Always Supposed To Be Filmed In Albuquerque
If you were surprised to know that Breaking Bad was shot in Albuquerque don't feel too bad about it - the not oft-shot in town was number 2 on the list of filming locations originally. The original plan was to film the series in California.
But the crew eventually decided to switch the location to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Good thing they did - Albuquerque's desert landscape gave the series a unique look that set it apart from other primetime shows. Bryan Cranston said that he, "can’t imagine Breaking Bad being anywhere else.”
Walter White's Outfits Got Darker To Match Heisenberg's Rise
Just like he knows that bad guys wear hats, Gilligan knows that bad guys also wear dark colors. When Walt White completely transforms into his alter meth-ego Heisenberg his outfit color scheme also gets an overhaul.
From season 1 to season 2 you can really see this transformation as his clothing choices move from yellows and neutrals to the dark browns and blacks at Heisenberg's first appearance. By the end of season 2, he's almost exclusively dressing in dark somber colors.
Bryan Cranston Was The Set's Class Clown
What do you do when your friends are sad? You drop trow in the middle of filming to cheer them up of course - which is exactly what Cranston did to Paul. When Paul was getting misty-eyed on the set of the last episode, Cranston cheered him up by showing his rear. Obviously, that made Paul crack up.
Apparently, this was a pattern for Cranston since he said he would "often try to crack him up throughout the show. He was really dreading that last day, and it was nice to see him have a good moment."
Baby Holly Isn't Named After Buddy Holly
Gilligan basically trained fans to always keep an eye out for symbolism and easter eggs, so it's no surprise we were all speculating over the wee little Holly's name. She's actually named after Gilligan’s real-life girlfriend Holly Rice and not the 27-club rock and roll legend Buddy Holly.
However, not even baby Holly was considered safe. Gilligan actually said that "everybody was on the table" for a potential kill-off in the series. With a body count like 270, that's not really surprising.
Aaron Paul Almost Worked With Bryan Cranston On Malcolm in the Middle
As fate would have it, even though these two worked so well together on Breaking Bad, they didn't end up working together at Cranston's second most memorable gig - Malcolm in the Middle. Aaron Paul actually auditioned for the role of Francis, Malcolm's narcissistic older brother, but didn't even get an interview.
Paul said, “I read the pilot of Malcolm in the Middle because it was sent to me, and I desperately wanted to audition, but they kept passing (on) me." We guess that means good things really do come to those who wait.
Dean Norris Thought Breaking Bad Was A Comedy When He Auditioned
Dean Norris who played Hank Schrader was slightly confused when he auditioned for the role. He walked into the audition thinking that it was for a comedy show. Whatever monologue he prepared or character he read for must've been serious enough because he ended up landing the part.
Norris believes that the show does have its funny spot. He said that "When Walt says, 'Hi, Carol,' and she drops the groceries - that was a great line! Before Saul Goodman came along, they needed Hank to be in scenes people laughed with. Otherwise, it would've been just too depressing."
