Breaking Bad: The 20 Best Episodes (According To IMDb)

Who would’ve thought that Breaking Bad would become the phenomenon that it is? It was just supposed to be a small show on cable television about a chemistry teacher who begins cooking methamphetamine with a former student in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It became a huge hit and has a solid argument for being the greatest TV show of all time.

Throughout five seasons, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and the rest of the cast were are the top of their game in bringing these characters to life. Creator Vince Gilligan crafted an incredible story that kept audiences on the edge of their seats. Over on IMDb, almost every episode of Breaking Bad has a high rating, but we’re here to rank the 15 best.

Updated April 24th, 2020 by George Chrysostomou: With Better Call Saul coming to an end, it’s a great time to look back on all the best episodes of the series that inspired the prequel show. 

Updated March 24th, 2022 by Kevin Pantoja: Although the show may have ended nearly a decade ago, there are still fans who are finding the series today. Thanks to its availability on streaming platforms, audiences everywhere are discovering the show for the first time. However, there are also others who are just trying to check out their favorite episodes again. Thankfully, the ratings given out at IMDb can help find Breaking Bad episodes ranked from worst to best. To see the cream of the crop, you can simply look at these scores to find the very best episodes of Breaking Bad.

20 Live Free Or Die (9.2)

There are actually several episodes tied with a 9.2 rating on IMDb but “Live Free or Die” earns the spot by having more overall ratings than the rest. That makes sense given that this is the season 5 premiere and by this point, the show’s popularity jumped significantly.

After the death of Gus, everyone was wondering what would happen in the final season. This installment gave fans a flash-forward to a totally different-looking Walt and also dealt with Mike’s reaction to the death of his boss. It was exciting on its own while also setting up the rest of the series.

19 Sunset (9.3)

Long before the show was nearing its conclusion, Breaking Bad was still delivering intense moments in a big way. That was never more evident than in season 3’s “Sunset,” which sees Hank come closer than ever to discovering the truth about Walt.

The nerve-racking scene where Hank is outside of the RV trying to get in and arguing with Jesse, all the while Walt is quiet inside, is one of the show’s greatest. Also, seeing the lengths Walt was willing to go to keep his secret hidden showcased just how bad he was truly breaking.

18 Grilled (9.3)

Fans had no idea what they were truly in store for when it came to antagonists on this show but their first taste came in the form of Tuco Salamanca. This unhinged drug dealer took things to the next level early in season 2 when he held Walt and Jesse prisoner.

That alone was intense enough to make it a great episode but the arrival of Hank put it over the top. The firefight between them was one of the show’s most iconic scenes and while it marked the end for Tuco, it was pivotal in setting up the rest of the storyline.

17 Crazy Handful Of Nothin’ (9.3)

When most people got into Breaking Bad after it was already popular, they likely knew about Walt’s iconic bald head look. He didn’t debut it until the penultimate installment of season 1 here though and it wasn’t simply a makeover.

It marked a change in Walt’s attitude. He was no longer acting as the meek man who was in over his head. In this episode, he confronted Tuco about money he was owed and went as far as to used his chemistry skills to make a bomb that allowed him to get his money. It was a true look at the changes Walt was going through.

16 Blood Money (9.4)

This episode is full of tension as Jesse tries to get rid of his money and Walt removes himself from dodgy dealings. The big issues of this episode certainly involve Hank’s realization of Walt’s movements, however.

Hank’s emotional response to the discovery is certainly heartbreaking. As audiences see the consequences on White’s family, Jesse is trying to do good by sharing his corrupt money with some of the families the pair have affected. That hammered home how bad Walt now was and how Jesse was the good guy.

15 End Times (9.5)

The race to the end of season 4 was a wild time to be a Breaking Bad fan. Everything was coming to a head in the battle between Walt and Gus and Walt seemingly had his best chance to win as this episode came to its conclusion.

Walt planted a bomb under Gus’s car and watched from across the street to see the results, only for Gus to sense something was off and walk away instead. Fans really wondered if Gus could ever be beaten because of this and it added another intense layer to this rivalry.

14 Half Measures (9.5)

This season 3 episode is a major point of conflict between Walt and Jesse. While there are other side stories, including Hank refusing to leave the hospital, the main tension is surrounding the two partners.

Jesse has made a discovery that kids are being used in the dealing of some of their products. He wants out, but Walt won’t allow him due to how far they have come. There are powerful performances throughout and a stunning conclusion where Walt runs over dealers with his car before shooting one in the head.

13 Say My Name (9.5)

This episode gains its title from one of the most iconic lines in the history of the show. The quote is one that defines the complete shift of Walter White, from his humble beginnings to becoming the crime lord known as Heisenberg.

The episode also sees Hank struggling with his hunt for Mike, as his superiors order him to stand down. It’s the tense confrontation and new deal in the desert that really makes this episode though.

12 One Minute (9.6)

This episode is driven by the fact that Hank beats up Jesse. This finally puts some power in Jesse’s hands as he threatens to press charges. However, with a failing cook, Walt can manipulate the situation to get Jesse on his side and working for Gus.

It’s a complex episode with a lot of moving pieces and sees the need for the Cousins, who famously take out Hank in a violent display of action. It’s an episode that stands by itself but shapes the rest of the season. The fight between Hank and the Cousins is one of the show’s most memorable moments.

11 Salud (9.6)

While Walter is dealing with the fact that he has to heal after being beaten up himself, the bulk of the drama in this episode is with Gus, Mike, and Jesse. In order to prove their new plan works, Jesse must cook for Don Eladio.

It luckily goes well and sets up the status quo as to how the business will operate moving forward. It demonstrates the larger threats that loom over Gus and the other cartels, with Don Eladio in charge. However, his death completely changes the playing field and showcases how ruthless and cunning Gus can be.

10 Gliding Over All (9.6)

“Gliding Over All” was the eighth episode of the final season and this mid-season finale ended on the greatest of cliffhangers. It changed everything about the show.

It was something viewers expected since way back in Season 1 as Hank finally discovered that his brother-in-law was Heisenberg. Reviews were sterling, praising the episode for taking Walt to a new place. It was good enough to earn Michelle MacLaren an Emmy nomination for directing.

9 Confessions (9.6)

“Confessions” truly set the tone for the final stages of this wild tale. The cat-and-mouse game between Hank and Walt was heating up and getting more intense by the moment. That included the infamous confession tape.

Walt played a tape confessing to being Heisenberg, but only because Hank forced him to. He also revealed that Hank’s physical therapy was paid for by Walt’s drug money. It was one of the best scenes of the entire series and then it was bested by Jesse finding out that Walt was behind the poisoning of Brock. It all made for incredible drama.

8 Full Measure (9.6)

Season 3 ended on the highest of notes with “Full Measure.” This brought to an end another stellar season of Breaking Bad and really got the Gustavo Fring storyline kicked into the next gear. Walt and Jesse realized that they were in danger of being taken out by Gus at some point, so Walter hatched a plan.

He suggested that Jesse kill his replacement Gale, which would keep them in business. The season ending with Jesse pointing a gun at Gale and a trigger being heard is a chilling way to close things out. This episode was met with heavy praise and earned Cranston his third straight Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

7 Dead Freight (9.6)

The fifth installment of season 5 might as well be known as the train heist episode. Walt and his gang plotted to steal methylamine from a train out in the desert. It led to a thrilling episode with a wild conclusion.

Even though Walt put Jesse and Todd’s lives in danger for the sake of the meth, they still succeeded. A young boy rode his dirtbike up to them and waved, only for Todd to shoot him dead and give us a chilling ending to the episode. The kid was shown earlier in the episode but by the end most viewers had forgotten, making this all the more shocking.

6 Granite State (9.6)

The penultimate episode of a season is often a big one and that’s especially true when it is the episode before a series finale. “Granite State” was the last installment before the show wrapped up for good. It was titled as such because that is the nickname of New Hampshire, which is the state where Walt was hiding out.

This episode saw Walt struggle with his new life away from everyone, while also showing us Jesse getting held captive by Jack and his crew. Walt nearly gave himself up to the police only to change his mind when he heard the Grey Matter owners downplay his contribution. It was the perfect way to end the episode and send Walt into the finale because his ego drove a lot of his actions.

5 Crawl Space (9.7)

“Crawl Space” had Jesse driving an injured Gus and Mike to a makeshift emergency room, and Hank making Walt drive him to the laundromat/meth lab to investigate Heisenberg. Skyler also went to Saul Goodman for help, bringing the worlds of the show together brilliantly.

And that ending. With Walter, Hank, and his whole family being in danger, Walter needed $500,000 to go into hiding. When he discovered they didn’t have enough money because Skyler had to pay some of it to Ted, Walter had a mental breakdown in the crawl space where the cash was held. Fans will never forget the image of Walt in that crawl space.

4 To’hajiilee (9.8)

This show truly saved its best for last. There are so many episodes ranked high from the final season and “To’hajiilee” is no different. The rift between Jesse and Walt was at an all-time high and there was no coming back from it. Jesse even worked with Hank to try and take Walt down.

Yet by the end of this episode, it was Walt and Jesse taking cover from a gunfight together. This was the episode that led right into one of the wildest hours in television history. Critics praised the plot twists and the direction of Michelle MacLaren, with some even calling this a perfect episode.

3 Face Off (9.9)

“Face Off” is the appropriately named Season 4 finale. Walt vs. Gus was the driving force of the series for a long time, with their first meeting coming back in Season 2. Many called this episode, their final confrontation, a masterpiece. Walt teamed with Hector Salamanca to set off a bomb that killed Hector and Gus.

There was also an incredible fake-out where it looked like Gus walked out unscathed, only to reveal that half of his face had blown off. But that wasn’t even the biggest moment. This was when it was revealed that Walt was the one who poisoned Brock. It let everyone know that with Gus gone, Walt was officially the new Big Bad for the show entering the final season. This episode was nominated for seven Emmy Awards.

2 Felina (9.9)

When a show is considered to be great, it can be easy to deliver a disappointing finale. Think about Game of Thrones or Dexter. Thankfully, Breaking Bad had one of the best series finales in history. “Felina” felt like a movie that wrapped everything up perfectly, even if fans did eventually get a movie that continued the story. It saw Walt return to New Mexico to deliver the rest of his money to his family.

While back in New Mexico, he also targeted the Aryan Brotherhood gang. Walt got revenge for them killing Hank, kidnapping Jesse, and double-crossing him. Knowing the cancer was about to kill him, Walt did everything he had to before dying on his own terms. This episode got overwhelmingly positive reviews and drew in over 10 million viewers, which was easily the most in series history.

1 Ozymandias (9.9)

“Ozymandias” is widely viewed as the best episode in series history. Directed by Rian Johnson, this episode was the definition of “all hell breaking loose.” Everything that Walt had done to this point came to a head and it resulted in the brutal death of his brother-in-law Hank.

Major plot points came out like Walter Jr. finding out about his parents and Walter admitting that he watched Jane die back in Season 2. Walt kidnapped his own daughter only so he could lie on the phone and exonerate his family from his wrongdoings. It drove home the show’s theme that he was doing everything so his family could be secure. This episode earned Cranston another Emmy, as well as one for Anna Gunn and another for the writer, Moira Walley-Beckett. Many consider this to be one of the best episodes of television ever crafted.

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