Reliving The 10 Greatest Moments From The 'Breaking Bad' Pilot
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Reliving The 10 Greatest Moments From The 'Breaking Bad' Pilot

Got some big cow houses way out that way.

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Reliving The 10 Greatest Moments From The 'Breaking Bad' Pilot
Schmoes Know

Spoilers below for those who haven't yet watched one of the greatest shows to ever air on television.

It's been almost three years since the "Breaking Bad" finale aired and collectively tore out the hearts of millions of dedicated fans across the world. Despite its perfect and tragically beautiful conclusion, rare for a modern day drama, many of us still walked away with a deep hole in our hearts after "Felina" aired and brought our adventure with Walter White to an end. Recently, I convinced my family to start watching "Breaking Bad" on Netflix, which means I get to rewatch one of my favorite shows and experience the emotions all over again. One of the coolest things for me, however, was getting to relive the pilot episode and watch all of my favorite characters before their slow down-spirals into the people we know by the end of the series. Here are 10 of the greatest moments from the pilot that I don't think any "Breaking Bad" fan should ever forget about:

1. Walter's confession video

This is a line that Walter reiterates over and over again throughout the series; telling everyone, including himself, that everything he's doing he's doing for his family. Fans know that's not entirely true, and this is the first time we see Walt use this excuse. What makes this scene particularly powerful is that I believe at this point he really was doing it for his family. It's the very beginning of Walt's tragic character arch.

2. The first birthday breakfast

Every fan knows about the importance of the birthday breakfast for the White family. It's a long running motif in that it resurfaces again five seasons later as a way to demonstrate how much the White family has deteriorated in the one year since Walt was diagnosed with cancer. In this scene, Skyler lovingly prepares her husband a birthday breakfast, which we know is not the case a year later when she reluctantly and angrily breaks his bacon into the number 51. This scene in the pilot was one of the last "normal" moments in Walter's life before he "breaks bad."

3. When Walter tells off his boss

One of "Breaking Bad's" most iconic scenes. Not only is this what everyone was thinking the moment Mr. Wolynetz first appeared on our televisions it was also one of the most hysterical moments of the pilot. However, this is also the scene when Walt first goes bad. It's his first act of aggression towards authority and the "breaking" point in his nice-guy persona that makes him go over to the dark side. Thank you Mr. Wolynetz, you created Heisenberg.

4. When Jesse falls off the roof escaping from the DEA

It's our first introduction to Jesse Pinkman, my favorite character in television history. By falling off a roof while half naked while escaping from the DEA, this scene establishes right off the bat that Jesse is the king of screw ups. However, this scene is also important in that this is when Walt's inkling of an idea turns into a real, full-fledged concept, as he knows that his best bet to being a successful meth cook is to partner up with his former student aka Captain Cook. Obviously, this is the very first moment of a relationship that becomes one of the most toxic and heart-wrenching relationships in history.

5. When Walt manipulates Jesse for the first time

After Walt offers Jesse the opportunity to partner up and Jesse laughs and passes on the offer, Walt does what he'll do a lot of for the next five seasons: He manipulates Jesse to get what he wants. Another classic characteristic of Heisenberg, established right here in the pilot.

6. When Jesse drops the title of the show

A great moment because this is when everyone watching for the first time goes, "Oh, that's what they mean!"

7. When Walter beats up the bullies while shopping with Walt Jr.

Just like his aggression towards Mr. Wolynetz was a monumental moment for Walt's moral decline, this scene is his first physical act of aggression towards someone. It's a "hell yeah, you go Mr. White!" moment for us, the audience, but upon second viewing this is a dark reminder of the violent path Walt is about to go down.

8. When Jesse calls barns "cow houses"

Another wonderful moment by Jesse Pinkman. One of my favorite moments in the whole series was this one right here.

9. When Walter creates his first batch of pure crystal

It's the moment we realize that Walt is going to be big in the meth industry, and that he knows what he's doing and that he's good at it. Looking back on the pilot, it's also interesting to see Walt's product before it's his signature blue color.

10. When Walt gets away with it

From the beginning of the episode we're under the assumption that the sirens being heard in the distant desert are from the DEA, coming to arrest Walt for cooking meth. However, it's revealed at the end of the episode, after Walt goes through the trials of grief that come with realizing he's about to go to prison, that the sirens are in fact not the DEA, and not for Walt. He got away with it, as he will for another five seasons of drama, tragedy, and morally skewed behaviors. This is the moment we all realize that Walt can do this, and the moment Walt realizes he's going to do this. An epic end to an epic pilot of an epic series that still lives on in my heart.


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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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