Breaking Bad
Pilot
Season 1, Episode 1 · Aired 2008-01-20
Synopsis
A high-school chemistry teacher (Bryan Cranston) is diagnosed with a deadly cancer, so he puts his expertise to use and teams with an ex-student (Aaron Paul) to manufacture top-grade crystal meth in hopes of providing for his family after he's gone.
Pilot desk note
From the desk: Breaking Bad opens its catalog run with “Pilot” (2008-01-20). Peak antihero craft; the rewatchable morality machine. Cranston/Paul chemistry lore and the spinoff empire.
In the series
This episode is part of Breaking Bad (2008–2013) on AMC.
Mr. Chips to Scarface — chemistry as destiny.
Key cast
- Bryan Cranston as Walter White
- Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
- Anna Gunn as Skyler White
- Dean Norris as Hank Schrader
- Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader
- RJ Mitte as Walter White Jr.