Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad is an American neo-Western crime drama television series created by Vince Gilligan for AMC. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an overqualified high school chemistry teacher who, after being diagnosed with stage-three lung cancer, begins producing and selling methamphetamine with former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) to secure his family's financial future. The series also stars Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Giancarlo Esposito, Bob Odenkirk, and Jonathan Banks. Breaking Bad premiered on AMC on January 20, 2008, and concluded on September 29, 2013, after five seasons and 62 episodes. Its first season received generally positive reviews, while later seasons, especially the fifth and final season, received widespread critical acclaim for the performances, writing, direction, cinematography, and character development. The series had modest viewership during its first three seasons, before viewership increased after it became available on Netflix prior to the fourth season. Viewership rose further during the second half of the final season in 2013, and the series finale became one of the most watched cable television episodes of its era. Since its conclusion, Breaking Bad has been widely regarded by critics as one of the greatest television series of all time. It received numerous accolades, including 16 Primetime Emmy Awards, 2 Golden Globe Awards, 2 Peabody Awards, and a British Academy Television Award. Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times, Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times, and Gunn won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series twice. The series has continued to appear in retrospective rankings of the best television programs. The series gave rise to the larger Breaking Bad franchise. Better...