Vince Gilligan Reveals His 5 Most Unforgettable ‘Breaking Bad’ Moments
Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, knows the show better than anyone. Over five seasons, the series gave fans many unforgettable moments.
From tense confrontations to shocking surprises, some scenes stayed with viewers long after the show ended. Gilligan recently shared the five scenes he thinks are the best, giving fans a peek behind the scenes at what made Breaking Bad so memorable.
5. The severed tortoise
In season two, episode seven, a cartel member named Tortuga, who helps the DEA, is killed by his own gang.
They put his head on a tortoise and leave it in the desert where the DEA plans a raid. When an agent lifts the head, a hidden bomb explodes, killing one agent and injuring three others. The scene is shocking, full of meaning, and one of the most unforgettable moments in the show.
4. The literal face-off
In season four, episode 13, Gus Fring, a dangerous meth kingpin, meets a shocking end. Walter lures Gus to visit Hector Salamanca in the hospital, not knowing there’s a bomb hidden on Hector’s wheelchair.
The explosion kills both Hector and Gus. After the blast, Gus walks out with half of his face blown off before collapsing and dying. The scene was carefully directed and is one of the most unforgettable moments in the series.
3. The real Walter
In season one, episode five, Walter White faces an important choice. His old friend Elliott Schwartz, now wealthy and running a science company, offers to pay for Walter’s medical treatment and give him a job to help his family.
Walter turns him down. His pride is too strong, and he wants to handle things on his own. Vince Gilligan said this moment reveals the real Walter: a man driven by ego and pride, willing to take risks instead of accepting help. This is when Walter truly “breaks bad,” and the show becomes darker and more intense.
2. ‘Better Call Saul’
A top list of Breaking Bad episodes wouldn’t be complete without Saul Goodman, one of Vince Gilligan’s favorite characters. Saul became so popular that he even got his own spin-off show. In season two, episode eight, we see the first time Saul meets Walter and Jesse, setting up his role in their drug business.
When one of their street dealers is caught by the DEA, Walter and Jesse send him to Saul. In his office, Saul spends several minutes explaining how payments will work—cash, money orders, but definitely not American Express.
The scene is funny and shows Saul’s flashy, over-the-top personality. It also starts one of the best character arcs in the series.
1. Mike down
Another fan-favorite is Mike, who works for Gus Fring as a private investigator, head of security, fixer, and sometimes hitman. Viewers only really meet him at his death in season five, episode seven.
Mike and Walter have worked together before, but their relationship falls apart after Gus dies. Walter catches Mike trying to leave town and demands he reveal the names of his imprisoned associates.
Mike refuses, and in a sudden burst of anger, Walter shoots him. Even Walter didn’t expect to do it, according to Vince Gilligan.
This scene shows Walter fully turning to the dark side and has a big impact on Jesse. It was written and directed by Thomas Schnauz, a close friend of Gilligan, and it was Schnauz’s first time directing professionally. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house that day,” he said.
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