Entertainment
The 15 Best ‘Breaking Bad’ Quotes, Ranked
Breaking Bad is one of the most iconic TV shows of all time. The series, following a chemistry schoolteacher who is diagnosed with an inoperable lung cancer and decides to cook meth to provide money for his family, instantly became a renowned television success. It has since served as a blueprint not just for the crime genre, but for the small screen as a whole.
Across its five scintillating seasons, it featured some of the greatest characters and most intense moments that the medium has ever seen. It also has a litany of brilliant quotes, ranging from hilarious lines of dialogue to imposing monologues which have only grown more iconic in the years since Breaking Bad finished. These are the best quotes from Breaking Bad.
15
“Stay out of my territory.”
Walter White – Season 2, Episode 10 (2009)
The main reason why Bryan Cranston‘s portrayal of Walter White is easily one of the best TV performances of all time is just how well the actor sells Walt’s transformation. That transformation, of course, begins as soon as the pilot kicks in. It’s Breaking Bad‘s second season, however—particularly toward its final few episodes, “Over” included—that really sees Walt’s most pivotal early moments.
In “Over,” Walt first gives an amateur cook he runs into at a hardware store some tips. Right after the guy runs away, however, Walt realizes the seriousness of the situation. He walks to the parking lot and tells the man and his partner to stay out of his territory. “This is when Walter White became Heisenberg” tends to be a meme on the Internet, but this line truly is the earliest glimpse of Walter beginning to see himself as a kingpin. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
14
“I will kill your wife, I will kill your son, I will kill your infant daughter.”
Gustavo Fring – Season 4, Episode 11 (2011)
Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) tends to be widely recognized as one of the greatest and scariest villains in the history of television, and for good reason. His public persona is that of a polite, law-abiding businessman, while the criminal mastermind mask he chooses to don is that of a quiet, tidy, yet impossibly strict kingpin. In “Crawl Space,” however, even that mask comes off.
When Gus goes so far as to threaten the entirety of Walt’s family, it’s a line and a moment which serve multiple purposes. Fans get to see that there’s someone far more violent and sadistic hiding under Gus’ mild-mannered surface than he typically prefers to show, and Walt comes to understand that there is no version of the story where Gus lives and his loved ones come out on the other side unscathed. — Diego Pineda Pacheco
13
“You’re the smartest guy I ever met, and you’re too stupid to see… he made up his mind 10 minutes ago.”
Hank Schrader – Season 5, Episode 14 (2013)
At no point does Breaking Bad pretend that Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), Walt’s brother-in-law, is a perfect man. As the show’s primary lawman, however, this DEA special agent does tend to serve as Breaking Bad‘s moral compass. Alas, there is no better way of raising the stakes in a drama series’ final season than by killing the moral compass character off, a trope that Hank fell victim to in what many people consider the best TV episode in history, “Ozymandias.”
There are plenty of moments in Breaking Bad‘s final season that can be considered turning points, both for the show as a whole and for Walter more specifically. There is no turning point, however, more vital or pivotal than Hank’s death, a moment that proves why this is the best crime show that gets darker every episode. Hank’s final words exchanged with Walt are both a poignant way to bid farewell to his brother-in-law, as well as a perfect final summary of the contrasts between these two characters. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
12
“If you don’t know who I am… then maybe your best course… would be to tread lightly.”
Walter White – Season 5, Episode 9 (2013)
It’s only for a few episodes that we get to see Walt and Hank interacting as true enemies, but the moments that we do get of their interactions are far and away among the show’s most potent scenes. Case in point: the scene in “Blood Money” where Walt walks into Hank’s garage, leading to a physical altercation and Heisenberg giving his brother-in-law an ultimatum.
Breaking Bad is one of the best thriller shows where nobody can be trusted, and there was no way for Hank to find that out more impactful than Walter indirectly threatening his life. It’s the indirect nature of the threat, and the chillingly emotional way in which Bryan Cranston delivers the line, that makes it one of Breaking Bad‘s most jaw-dropping bits of dialogue. — Diego Pineda Pacheco
11
“I’m in the empire business.”
Walter White – Season 5, Episode 6 (2012)
Perhaps the perfect snapshot audiences get into Walter White’s vindictive personality, his “I’m in the empire business” quote showed how selfish he really was. With Jesse (Aaron Paul) and Mike (Jonathan Banks) eager to sell the stolen methylamine, Jesse must confront Walter to tell him the buyer will only make the deal if Walter’s share — worth $5 million — is included.
Jesse highlights how Walter’s goal was always to make money fast, and that $5 million was far more than he ever hoped to make, but Walter refuses. Monologuing about his past life, Walter hints at his envious disdain for his past associates at Gray Matter and all but announces that his meth operation has become about much more than money.
10
“No more half-measures, Walter.”
Mike Ehrmantraut – Season 3, Episode 12 (2010)
As a no-nonsense enforcer for Gustavo Fring and later Walter White, Mike Ehrmantraut was often a surprising voice of reason. With Walter facing a difficult crossroads, Mike sheds some insight from his past life as a police officer.
His story details a repeat domestic abuser whom Mike tried to scare straight, only for his conservative warning to fall on deaf ears as the thug beat his girlfriend to death two weeks later. The closing of his monologue, simply stating “no more half-measures, Walter”, emphasizes Mike’s cynical worldview, but also highlights that going easy on people isn’t an option in their world.
9
“I watched Jane die.”
Walter White – Season 5, Episode 14 (2013)
Breaking Bad was always a series that had its comedic elements, many of which came from the unlikely though lovable partnership between Walter and his former student Jesse. A major thread in the show’s final season, though, was how that relationship soured, with Jesse’s intent to bring Walter down leading to a spiteful feud between the two.
Walter’s sickeningly cold-blooded confession to Jesse about how he watched his girlfriend overdose and did nothing to prevent it proved to be the absolute final straw in the two going from colleagues to bitter enemies. It also gave audiences an emphatic reminder that Walter White, despite starting the show as a likable though flawed character, had become a cruel and evil villain.
8
“This is my own private domicile, and I will not be harassed… b***h.”
Jesse Pinkman – Season 3, Episode 6 (2010)
In a series full of power-hungry, cut-throat criminals, Jesse was often something of a lovable relief. A surprisingly good-natured meth-cooking drug dealer, Pinkman was often defined by his kind demeanor, which hid beneath his crude presentation; however, Aaron Paul’s performance will be forever remembered for his truly iconic use of the word “b***h”.
A highlight of his foul-mouthed hilarity came when Hank was trying to break into the RV while Jesse and Walter hid inside. Walter tells Jesse what to say to prevent Hank from barging in on them. Jesse added his own inflection to the famous line, with his hesitant “b*tch” the perfect exclamation point.
7
“A man provides.”
Gustavo Fring – Season 3, Episode 5 (2010)
With Giancarlo Esposito’s magnetic presence, Gustavo Fring quickly became a fan favorite even as one of Breaking Bad‘s most imposing villains. A significant reason for that came from the way in which he spoke, with his calm, calculating demeanor almost always on display, but rarely more compelling than when he tried to convince Walter to work in his lab.
With Walter having his own doubts linked to family issues, Gus taps into his core motivations with his dialogue about how a man must provide for his family even when he isn’t appreciated. It proves to be an effective speech too, as Walter agrees to work for Gus later in the episode.
6
“Just because you shot Jesse James, don’t make you Jesse James.”
Mike Ehrmantraut – Season 5, Episode 3 (2012)
The latter seasons of Breaking Bad saw Walter develop a knack for letting his ego get away from him, something few characters were able to sort out as succinctly as Mike. With a deal done, Walt, Mike, and Jesse are sorting out payment, and Walter states his disapproval of the allotment shared.
Commenting on how it is less money than they got when they worked for Gus, Mike, with his flawless, deadpan expression, uses his Jesse James analogy to give Walter the lay of the land. The blunt yet pointed remark alone was enough to tell Walter – and audiences – that any plans he may have had of taking over Fring’s empire would not yield success.
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