Breaking Bad (season 2)

Breaking Bad season 2
Season 2 DVD cover
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	13
Broadcast
Original channel	AMC
Original run	March 8, 2009 (2009-03-08) – May 31, 2009 (2009-05-31)
Home video release
DVD release
Region 1	March 16, 2010 (2010-03-16)
Region 2	July 26, 2010 (2010-07-26)
Region 4	February 8, 2010 (2010-02-08)
Blu-ray Disc release
Region A	March 16, 2010 (2010-03-16)
Season chronology
← Previous Season 1 Next → Season 3
List of Breaking Bad episodes

The second season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad premiered on March 8, 2009 and concluded on May 31, 2009. It consisted of 13 episodes, each running approximately 47 minutes in length. AMC broadcast the second season on Sundays at 10:00 pm in the United States. The complete second season was released on Region 1 DVD and Region A Blu-ray on March 16, 2010.^[1]

Plot

After killing one of his deputies, Tuco kidnaps Walter (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul), planning to take them to a superlab in Mexico after the DEA raids his operation in Albuquerque. After an unsuccessful attempt to poison Tuco with a small amount of ricin that Walter had synthesized, the two manage to incapacitate Tuco and escape. Hank (Dean Norris), in his search for Walt, has tracked Jesse's car and comes across a wounded Tuco. A shootout occurs, resulting in Hank killing Tuco. Walter engineers a return home, claiming to have been in a fugue state, but this excuse has numerous holes and creates an uneasy distrust in his relationship with Skyler. The DEA seizes Jesse's "drug" money, putting a strain on his partnership with Walter after he demands half of Walter's meth profit to save himself from homelessness.

Jesse rents a new place and becomes romantically involved with his landlord's daughter, Jane (Krysten Ritter), a recovering heroin addict. With Tuco dead, Walter and Jesse decide to move their business into new territory, but more problems arise as their enterprise expands. One of their dealers, Skinny Pete, is mugged, so Jesse is forced to confront the perpetrators. One of the addicts is killed by his girlfriend, but Jesse receives the credit, earning him fear and respect and further solidifying the reputation of "Heisenberg" in the area. Another dealer, Badger, is arrested by the Albuquerque police, forcing Walter to deal with Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), a crooked lawyer who offers a solution to keep Badger from snitching while also keeping him out of prison. Walter and Jesse attempt to intimidate Saul, but Saul makes a deal with Walter for a cut of the meth profit in return for being Walter and Jesse's legal counsel and advisor in their drug operation.

Considered a hero for killing Tuco, Hank is promoted and sent to El Paso. In private, he suffers panic attacks due to the unexpected shootout with Tuco. El Paso unsettles Hank after he witnesses the severed head of a DEA informant (Danny Trejo) attached to the back of a tortoise explode. The IED also kills a Federale and severely injures three fellow DEA officers. Hank is immediately sent back to Albuquerque by his superiors. Gretchen (Jessica Hecht), Walter's former lover and executive at Gray Matter, discovers Walter has been lying to his family about the money for his cancer treatment. She is horrified when an angry and bitter Walt blames her and her husband, Elliott (Adam Godley), for profiting off his research, although she doesn't disclose Walter's secret for his family's sake. Skyler goes back to work for Ted Beneke (Christopher Cousins), her former boss who apparently groped her at a holiday party when drunk, and caused her to quit her bookkeeper job. She increasingly relies on Ted for emotional support due to Walter's frequent absences and unexplainable behavior.

Walter believes his cancer has worsened when he sees a dark area on the latest PET/CT scan of his lungs. With only $16,000 remaining of the meth money after the numerous setbacks, he and Jesse spend several days in the desert cooking 38 pounds of meth to sell off before Walter dies. Later, at the doctor's office, Walter discovers his cancer has not spread and his tumor has actually shrunk by 80%; the dark area on his lung was only inflammation. Walt plans to end the meth operation after the 38 pounds are sold, but soon finds his mundane life boring and continues to seek out dangerous situations.

When one of Walter and Jesse's dealers, Combo, is killed by rival dealers, Jesse is sent spiraling into a drug addiction that also drags Jane out of her sobriety. With their remaining dealers backing out, Walter and Jesse turn to Saul for help. Saul uses his connections' connections to arrange a meeting at a fast food restaurant with Gus (Giancarlo Esposito), a discreet, cautious, yet successful drug distributor. Unbeknownst to Walter, Jesse, or Saul, Gus owns and manages a number of fast food restaurants and has purposely scheduled the meeting at one of his own restaurants in order to observe Walter and Jesse. Jesse arrives for the meeting late and high on drugs and leaves the restaurant after briefly arguing with Walter. Having seen this, Gus deems them unreliable and chooses not to approach Walter, who initially assumes that Gus has stood them up. Walter eventually deduces that the owner of the restaurant was in fact the man they were to meet, and later approaches him for a second chance. Gus reluctantly offers to buy Walter's product for 1.2 million dollars and offers him only one hour to deliver the drugs. Walter attempts to contact Jesse to complete the exchange, but he and Jane are incapacitated after an injection of heroin. Walter is able to revive Jesse long enough to get him to tell Walter where he has hidden the product. Walter is forced to carry out the trade himself just as Skyler (Anna Gunn) goes into labor. He manages to complete the transaction at the cost of missing the birth of his daughter.

Walter loses trust in Jesse and promises to give him his share of the payout only if he agrees to get sober. Upon learning of the money and Jesse's relationship with Walter, Jane concocts a plan to blackmail Walter and convinces a reluctant Jesse to go along. Jane calls Walter and threatens to turn him in to the authorities if he doesn't give Jesse his share of the money. Walter reluctantly complies and the two agree to go their separate ways, but Walter feels obligated to help Jesse. Coincidentally, he meets Jane's father Donald (John de Lancie) in a local bar. Unaware of their mutual acquaintances, the two men share perspectives on the challenges of raising children, a subject Walter raises by describing his troubled "nephew." He returns to Jesse, only to discover that he and Jane have taken heroin again. After attempting to awaken Jesse, he intentionally allows Jane to asphyxiate in her own vomit. When Jesse wakes up, he tries to revive Jane without success. Unaware of Walter's visit, Jesse believes he is responsible for her death and spirals into a depression. Walter attempts to help Jesse by taking him to a drug rehabilitation clinic. Meanwhile, Gus discovers that Hank is Walter's brother-in-law and that Walter has cancer.

As Walter undergoes anesthesia for his lung cancer surgery, he accidentally confirms to Skyler the existence of his secret second cell phone. This prompts her to leave him several weeks later, after she systematically investigates and uncovers his lies. Walter offers to explain everything to Skyler, but she responds that she is too afraid to know the truth. After Skyler leaves, Walter sees an explosion in the skies above his home. A grieving Donald, an air traffic controller, has mistakenly directed two airplanes into each other in the sky above Albuquerque. In an image foreshadowed throughout the season, a charred pink teddy bear lands in the Whites' pool and floats there until it is collected as evidence by NTSB agents.

Cast

See also: List of Breaking Bad characters

Main cast

• Bryan Cranston as Walter White
• Anna Gunn as Skyler White
• Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
• Dean Norris as Hank Schrader
• Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader
• RJ Mitte as Walter White, Jr.

Guest starring

• Krysten Ritter as Jane Margolis
• Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman
• Steven Michael Quezada as Steven Gomez
• Matt L. Jones as Badger
• Charles Baker as Skinny Pete
• Rodney Rush as Combo
• Christopher Cousins as Ted Beneke
• Jessica Hecht as Gretchen Schwartz
• Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo "Gus" Fring
• John de Lancie as Donald Margolis
• DJ Qualls as Getz
• Sam McMurray as Dr. Victor Bravenec

Special guest stars

• Raymond Cruz as Tuco Salamanca
• Danny Trejo as Tortuga

Episodes

See also: List of Breaking Bad episodes

• The first column refers to the episode's number in the overall series.
• The second column refers to the episode's number in that particular season.

№	#	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (million)
8	1	"Seven Thirty-Seven"	Bryan Cranston	J. Roberts	March 8, 2009 (2009-03-08)	1.66[2]
Having completed their deal with Tuco in the junkyard, Walt and Jesse realize just how crazy and violent he can be. Jesse is convinced that he has seen Tuco's black SUV going up and down his street. Walt puts it down to paranoia—until he sees a black SUV parked just down the block from his house. Jesse's solution is to shoot Tuco before he kills them but Walt has a better idea using ricin. Panic sets in however when they think Tuco is killing his associates. Hank reviews the security surveillance footage of the warehouse break-in without realizing it's Walt and Jesse. Skyler tells Hank about Marie's shoplifting and gets a surprising reaction.
9	2	"Grilled"	Charles Haid	George Mastras	March 15, 2009 (2009-03-15)	N/A
Having been kidnapped by a crazed Tuco, Walt and Jesse are held prisoner by him in a desert shack where he often hides out and takes care of his sick uncle. Walt's brother-in-law Hank and the DEA have rolled Tuco's entire organization, and Tuco thinks that his two prisoners may have been a source of information. Walt unsuccessfully tries to feed Tuco the poison he prepared. Hank meanwhile takes a bit of time off to look for Walt. Skyler is sick with worry and has been distributing handbills with Walt's photo. Hank remembers that Jesse Pinkman was Walt's source of marijuana and tries to track him down. Tuco's wheelchair-bound uncle alerts him to the fact that his prisoners are up to something and it looks like he's going to kill Jesse. Hank shows up looking for Jesse, and a fight ensues in which Tuco is shot.
10	3	"Bit by a Dead Bee"	Terry McDonough	Peter Gould	March 22, 2009 (2009-03-22)	1.13[3]
Having gotten away from Tuco, Walt and Jesse now have to get home and explain where they have been. Walt has a plan and they split up. He goes to a supermarket and takes off all of his clothes while walking around the aisles. He is hospitalized and claims to have no memory of where he has been for the last few days. Jesse returns to his house to clean out the basement and get rid of the RV. When the DEA also track him down, he claims that he has been shacked up with a prostitute for the weekend. The police don't believe him and think they know how to nail him: they bring in Tuco's uncle to identify him. But the "old school" ex-con refuses to cooperate with the authorities. With some of his problems now behind him, Walt is keen to start cooking again.
11	4	"Down"	John Dahl	Sam Catlin	March 29, 2009 (2009-03-29)	1.29[4]
Walt and Jesse appear to be in the clear but Jesse has no money and Walt can't leave the room without Skyler wondering where he is. Jesse's parents are still fed up with him and his drug use so they order him out of the house—it turns out they own it, not Jesse. He finds himself not only without a place to stay but with few friends who will put him up for the night. He ends up tracking down his RV and spends the night in it. Walt's overly correct behavior sets Skyler off on a binge of not telling him anything about what she is up to or who she is seeing. She is fed up with Walt's behavior and wants to know what is really going on.
12	5	"Breakage"	Johan Renck	Moira Walley-Beckett	April 5, 2009 (2009-04-05)	1.21[5]
Walt continues his treatment and is starting to feel better but is concerned at the growing medical bills. Jesse begins to re-establish himself, paying off his debts and getting a new place to live. He develops an interest in his new next-door neighbor and landlord Jane Margolis. Walt and Jesse soon rev up the RV and are cooking again. Jesse's not keen on selling the stuff on the street and suggests he and Walt take over Tuco's role as a distributor. Hank and the DEA have come across the name Heisenberg and aren't sure if he is real or just an urban legend. Hank is promoted and soon appointed to a tri-state drug task force. He may have health issues of his own, however.
13	6	"Peekaboo"	Peter Medak	J. Roberts & Vince Gilligan	April 12, 2009 (2009-04-12)	1.41[6]
Skinny Pete has been ripped off by a drug-addicted couple and Walt has made it plain to Jesse that unless he does something about it, word will get around pretty quickly that Jesse and his crew are an easy mark. Jesse isn't a very effective enforcer, however, and soon finds himself in over his head. Walt goes back to work but not all is going smoothly. Walt's story starts to unravel when Skyler gets a call from Gretchen Schwartz and Skyler thanks her for paying for Walt's treatment. Gretchen doesn't reveal the truth, but Walt's bitterness at their past relationship—personal and business—comes out.
14	7	"Negro y Azul"	Felix Alcala	John Shiban	April 19, 2009 (2009-04-19)	N/A
Walt's been having trouble getting in touch with Jesse who's been avoiding him since his encounter with Spooge. He is also not providing product to his dealers so Walt arranges to deliver it. He learns that Jesse's reputation as a killer has spread and they're having no problem at all collecting payment. Walt decides the time has come to expand their territory and put Jesse's new reputation to good use. Skyler decides to get a job and goes back to her old employer. Hank starts his new job on the task force. He has told his wife Marie it's just a desk job but he is on the front lines and very soon learns just how dangerous it can be.
15	8	"Better Call Saul"	Terry McDonough	Peter Gould	April 26, 2009 (2009-04-26)	1.04[7]
Walt and Jesse have yet another problem to deal with when one of their dealers, Jesse's friend Badger, is arrested by the Albuquerque police. They end up hiring a shady lawyer, Saul Goodman, who has a unique way of ensuring that Badger gets off with a light sentence without having to give away Jesse or Walt's identity. As Walt learns however, it may come at a very high price. Walt's brother-in-law Hank, the DEA Agent, is suffering from post-traumatic stress following the bombing in Juarez. He puts on a brave face but is having trouble just getting out of bed in the morning. Walt has some suggestions for him.
16	9	"4 Days Out"	Michelle MacLaren	Sam Catlin	May 3, 2009 (2009-05-03)	N/A
Walt is convinced that his medical condition is deteriorating. He continues to have coughing fits and is now coughing up blood. After his attorney/advisor crunches the numbers, Walt realizes that there isn't much money left for his family. He and Jesse set off for the desert for a marathon cooking session over an extended weekend. Jesse continues to put his foot in it, this time by leaving the keys in the ignition and inadvertently draining the RV's battery. They find themselves stuck in the middle of the desert, cold and without much water. Walt's knowledge of chemistry again saves the day.
17	10	"Over"	Phil Abraham	Moira Walley-Beckett	May 10, 2009 (2009-05-10)	N/A
Despite the good news about his condition, Walt is feeling out of sorts and is generally unhappy, verging on anger. Skyler decides to throw a party to celebrate the news and thank all of their friends for their support, but Walt gets drunk and then into an argument with Hank that puts a damper on things. He is embarrassed about his behavior and tries to make amends all around but it's proving to be a challenge. He tries to channel his energies but eventually realizes what the problem is. Walt also tells Jesse the good news and tells him that he is finished with their little enterprise. Jesse's relationship with Jane continues to grow but he is taken aback when her father drops in to see her and she doesn't introduce him as her boyfriend. The ensuing confrontation clarifies their relationship.
18	11	"Mandala"	Adam Bernstein	George Mastras	May 17, 2009 (2009-05-17)	N/A
After one of their dealers is murdered by a rival gang, Saul proposes new distribution method for Walt and Jesse's product. Under stress, Jesse tells Jane what he does. Saul puts Walt in touch with a meth distributor named Gus, who agrees to purchase Walt's product. However, Gus expresses concern about Jesse's drug problem, which has escalated into heroin use due to Jane's relapse. Walt receives a large offer for the short-notice delivery of the remainder of their inventory, but at the same time receives a call from Skyler, notifying him of her immediate labor.
19	12	"Phoenix"	Colin Bucksey	John Shiban	May 24, 2009 (2009-05-24)	N/A
Walt delivers the inventory in time, but misses the birth of his daughter. Jesse confronts Walt about his share of the payment, but Walt refuses to disburse the funds until such time that Jesse can prove his sobriety. Jesse and Jane's addiction is discovered by Jane's father, Donald, who agrees to give her one day to settle her affairs before going to rehab. In an effort to minimize the cost of Walt's upcoming surgery, Flynn sets up a website to gather donations for his father's medical expenses. It is quickly used by Saul as a way to forward Walt's earnings without raising suspicion. After the discovery of Jesse's payday, Jane blackmails Walt into delivering his share to Jesse. Later, Walt returns to Jesse's to attempt to help him break his addiction and observes Jane asphyxiating on her vomit while unconscious. He makes the decision to do nothing to help and allows her to die, ostensibly, because he deduces that he is more secure if she were deceased.
20	13	"ABQ"	Adam Bernstein	Vince Gilligan	May 31, 2009 (2009-05-31)	N/A
ABQ is the location identifier for Albuquerque International Airport. Jesse wakes from his sleep, discovers Jane's demise, and contacts Walt; Walt contacts Saul to send his PI to mitigate Jesse's involvement with Jane's death. Subsequently, Walt must rescue Jesse from self-destruction. Walt's funds are funneled into Flynn's website, which attracts the attention of the media. Walt's secretive behavior is made prominent once again when he accidentally references multiple cell phones while under the initial effects of anesthesia moments before his surgery. This prompts Skyler to investigate deeper, thereby revealing many of Walt's lies, which spurs her to leave him. Jane's father, an air traffic controller, distracted by the grief over his daughter's death, causes a mid-air collision, resulting in debris & human remains raining down onto the Whites' residence, as well as the rest of Albuquerque. We finally learn the relevance of the intro-scenes depicting a mutilated toy in a pool.

Production

The writers of Breaking Bad planned the storyline for the entire season in advance of filming and knew how the season would end right from the beginning. That differed from seasons three and four, in which the writers did not have a complete plan and developed the storyline as the episodes progressed. Series creator Vince Gilligan said of season two, "That came about through many, many hours of beating our heads against the wall – very laborious work, which is probably why we haven't repeated that formula since."^[8]

Home video releases

The second season was released on DVD in Region 1 and Blu-ray in Region A on March 16, 2010.^[1] It was released on DVD in Region 2 on July 26, 2010^[9] and in Region 4 on February 8, 2010.^[10] Special features on the DVD and Blu-ray include four audio commentaries—"Seven Thirty-Seven" by creator Vince Gilligan, and cast members Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, Betsy Brandt, and RJ Mitte; "Better Call Saul" by Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, writer Peter Gould, and director of photography Michael Slovis; "4 Days Out" by Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, director Michelle MacLaren, and Michael Slovis; and "ABQ" by Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, and John de Lancie. Behind-the-scene featurettes include "Inside Breaking Bad" on all 13 episodes. Other featurettes include "The Cast on Season 2", "Season 2: What's in a Name?", "Making of Negro y Azul Music Video", "The Tortoise Scene", "A Look Ahead", "The Special Effects", "The Props", "The Sets", "Locked in the Trunk", "Inside the RV with Aaron Paul" and "The Crew". Also included are deleted scenes from various episodes, a gag reel, six original minisodes, season 3 sneak peak, "Better Call Saul" commercial, "Negro y Azul" music video, "Cop Talk with Dean Norris", and "Walt's Warning", a look at the viral video. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is "The Writer's Lab: An Interactive Guide to the Elements of ABQ".^[11]

Reception

The second season of Breaking Bad received universal acclaim from critics, scoring 85 out of 100 on Metacritic.^[12]

The second season received numerous awards and nominations, including five Emmy Award nominations with two wins. Bryan Cranston won his second consecutive award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Lynne Willingham won her second consecutive award for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series. The series received its first nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, Aaron Paul received his first nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and Michael Slovis was nominated for Outstanding Cinematography for a One Hour Series.^[13]

Cranston won his second consecutive Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Series, Drama; and the series won for Best Television Series, Drama. Cranston also won a TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama, with the series being nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Drama. The series received two Writers Guild of America Award nominations, for Best Drama Series, and John Shiban for Best Episodic Drama for "Phoenix".^[13]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} David Lambert (January 15, 2010). "Breaking Bad - Slight Delay for Season 2 DVD and Blu-ray (and also Season 1 Blu-ray)". TVShowsOnDVD.com. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Breaking-Bad-Date-Change/13217. Retrieved November 17, 2010. 
2. ^ Seidman, Robert (March 10, 2009). "iCarly, Burn Notice and WWE RAW top cable charts". TV by the Numbers. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2009/03/10/icarly-burn-notice-and-wwe-raw-top-cable-charts/14228/. Retrieved June 20, 2011. 
3. ^ Gorman, Bill (March 30, 2009). "Sunday Ratings: NCAA Tourney Lifts CBS To Victory, Fox Captures Youth Demo". TV by the Numbers. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2009/03/30/sunday-ratings-ncaa-overrun-lifts-cbs-to-victory-fox-captures-youth-demo/15427/comment-page-3/. Retrieved June 20, 2011. 
4. ^ Seidman, Robert (April 1, 2009). "My Wednesday viewing dwindles with finales of Life on Mars, Damages and Life". TV by the Numbers. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2009/04/01/glut-of-wednesday-television-viewing-winds-down-with-finales-of-life-on-mars-damages-and-life/15745. Retrieved April 1, 2011. 
5. ^ Seidman, Robert (April 7, 2009). "Damages season finale draws few, WWE RAW, NCIS lead cable viewing". TV by the Numbers. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2009/04/07/damages-season-finale-draws-few-wwe-raw-ncis-lead-cable-viewing/16141. Retrieved April 1, 2011. 
6. ^ Seidman, Robert (April 14, 2009). "WWE RAW and Nora Roberts Tribute bookend cable top 20, Rescue Me premieres". TV by the Numbers. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2009/04/14/wwe-raw-and-nora-roberts-tribute-bookend-cable-top-20-rescue-mepremieres/16701. Retrieved April 1, 2011. 
7. ^ Seidman, Robert (April 28, 2009). "Updated: WWE RAW, NFL Draft and Yankees / Red Sox Lead Weekly Cable Viewing". TV by the Numbers. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2009/04/28/wwe-raw-nfl-draft-and-yankees-red-sox-lead-weekly-cable-viewing/17595. Retrieved April 1, 2011. 
8. ^ VanDerWerff, Todd (October 10, 2011). "Vince Gilligan walks us through season four of Breaking Bad (part 1 of 4)". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on October 10, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62LHt8AsA. 
9. ^ "Breaking Bad - Season 2". Amazon.co.uk. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003IHVQTG/. Retrieved November 18, 2010. 
10. ^ "Breaking Bad - The Complete 2nd Season (4 Disc Set)". EzyDVD. http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/809973. Retrieved November 18, 2010. 
11. ^ "Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season (Blu-Ray)". DVDVerdict.com. March 8, 2010. http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/breakingbad2blu.php. Retrieved November 18, 2010. 
12. ^ "Breaking Bad: Season 2". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/tv/breaking-bad/season-2. Retrieved November 17, 2010. 
13. ^ ^{a b} "Awards for "Breaking Bad" (2008)". IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903747/awards. Retrieved November 17, 2010. 

External links

• Official website
• List of Breaking Bad episodes at the Internet Movie Database
• List of Breaking Bad season 2 episodes at TV.com