AMC Eyes ‘Breaking Bad’ Spinoff Toplined By Bob Odenkirk

A list of Breaking Bad spinoffs we’d rather see:

• Skinny Pete and Badger trying to get their band off the ground.
• The hijinks of Wendy the prostitute.
• End of list.

Vince Gilligan on Writing Breaking Bad’s Finale

9. Hank’s triumph. It took 54 episodes, but in September’s midseason finale, Hank finally locked in that his brother-in-law was Heisenberg. Hank wasn’t conceived as the man to bring Walt down; Gilligan initially said he needed a boisterous alpha-male foil for the meek meth cook. But Hank revealed himself to be if not smarter than Walt, then more doggedly persistent. And who knows if he’ll really get to take down Heinsenberg, but the playing field has been leveled. “We discovered Hank is very, very good at his job,” Gilligan said. “You know, I love the TV show Columbo. Hank is like a postmodern shout-out to Columbo.”

It’s quite possible everyone has already spent the time looking this bit of information up, but for those of us who are a little lazy or let’s call it busy, I did the googling for you. On this week’s episode of Breaking Bad (Buyout), Walt tells Jesse he can go home while they are making the meth. Jesse collects his stuff and Walt starts getting ready in the tented room and begins whistling making Jesse pause outside the tent. I made a mental note to find out what he was whistling, because Vince Gilligan doesn’t do anything without a reason. Walt was whistling a Queen song called ‘Lily of the Valley’.

It’s been hard to even process this current season of Breaking Bad, let alone attempt to write about it, because a) holy shit and b) holy. shit. If you haven’t caught up you should definitely avoid this post and head straight to your television.

But for the rest of you: How are you feeling? Really, how are you holding up after these last few weeks? Are you okay? Did you refill your Xanax prescription in the week between Todd’s quick trigger and the Meticulous Destruction of the Dirt Bike? Did you rush to Wikipedia to refresh your knowledge of Jesse James? Have you even come to terms with the fact that there are only two episodes left in this half season?  The tension in the last few episodes have been murder, sometimes literally, as the show’s been heading toward a heart attack finale that will most likely feature a classic showdown between Walt and whoever dares to go against him. Mike? Skyler? Hank? Jesse? 

Breaking Bad has always had moments of over the top horror and devastation — an overdosing girlfriend, plane crashes, ATM splats, a half-faced villain in his finest suit — but it’s somehow even more chilling when it focuses on the smaller things. This season almost makes me long for the simpler times when all we had to fear was a poorly placed rug, the “ding, ding, ding” of a bell, or even the unhinged and maniacal laughter of a desperate man in a crawl space. Now there are new levels of terror to worry about: a tarantula in a jar, the ticking of an expensive birthday gift, a pristine pool, easily forgotten ricin hidden in a wall, and the silence at a dinner table. This season has also brought Skyler to the foreground and she’s been perhaps the most debated character of the series. Skyler is a hostage but she’s also rightfully cold-as-fucking-ice and it’s simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying to watch her battle Walter. There is no way that either will come out in one piece. Walter has had plenty of people point plenty of guns at his head within the last year but it’s nothing compared to how unsettling it is to watch Skyler take drags of her cancerous cigarettes, ashing them into her husband’s mug as she waits for the end. 

And then there’s Jesse! Our poor lost little lamb Jesse who has spent most of the season stuck smack in the middle of Mr. White and Mike Ehrmantraut, both in his loyalty and obvious seating choices. Jesse seems to be on an endless search for approval from his elders, for a father figure, and for someone to ride to go-karts with him. Or, you know, maybe he really just wants people to stop murdering children. He wants to wipe his hands clean, take his millions, and spend it entirely on cigarettes and video games.

Is there anyone better on television than Aaron Paul right now? A million Emmys just for drinking water! Emmys for gesturing with a fork and shoving food into his mouth and those hilariously awkward facial expressions and the way his eyes dart between a woman who loathes him and a man who manipulates him while he witnesses the biggest trainwreck of a marriage careen off the rails. 

Also for your consideration: Best delivery of one-liners from Mike! Best fucked up MacGyvering from Walt! Best use of breakfast in a television show! Outstanding guest actress in a drama for Skyler’s comically large wine glass! Most chilling cold open ever! 

Cancel all your plans and marathon Breaking Bad Season 4 available now on Netflix Instant before season 5 premieres tonight.

AMC is starting a late night marathon of Breaking Bad beginning on Monday June 11th with the Pilot episode and continuing to the end of season 4. Check out AMC’s schedule here. Season 5 begins July 15 at 10pm.