Rewatching Breaking Bad is a reminder of just how good Aaron Paul was as Jesse Pinkman. By the later seasons, he was every bit Cranston’s equal, and it felt like he was set for a huge career. While he’s had strong roles in BoJack Horseman and returned as Jesse in El Camino and Better Call Saul, none of his other projects hit the same way. It’s surprising that an actor with that much talent never became the star Hollywood seemed ready to make him. | © Sony Pictures Television
Breaking Bad doesn’t give much space to its female characters, and it really shows on rewatch. Outside of Skyler, Marie, Lydia, Andrea, and Jane, there aren’t many women with speaking roles at all. Most of them exist to push the male leads’ stories forward, and several are killed off along the way. It makes you realise why fans were so thrilled to see Kim Wexler take the spotlight in Better Call Saul. | © Sony Pictures Television
So many of Breaking Bad’s darkest moments have been memed to death that they lose impact on rewatch. Scenes like Walt’s desperate screams in Ozymandias or his chilling “Someone cooked here” line don’t feel as heavy when you’ve already seen them clipped online a hundred times. Instead of dread, you catch yourself smirking at the meme version. It’s hard for those gut-punch moments to land when the internet has already turned them into punchlines. | © Sony Pictures Television
It’s almost impossible to watch Breaking Bad fresh these days without knowing Walt dies in the finale. That spoiler has been floating around the internet for years, and it takes away some of the suspense the first watch had. The exact details of how it happens still hold weight, especially his final sacrifice for Jesse. But knowing the ending ahead of time also undercuts the tension of Jesse’s arc, since El Camino already spoiled his survival. | © Sony Pictures Television
Breaking Bad set the bar high with villains like Tuco and Gus, so Uncle Jack feels like a letdown in comparison. The Nazi gang never matches the complexity or presence of earlier antagonists. Even with Jesse Plemons giving a great performance, the storyline doesn’t have the same weight. Walt going from battling an international drug empire to a group of ex-cons feels like a step down for the show’s final stretch. | © Sony Pictures Television
The plane crash in Season 2 was meant to show how far Walt’s choices ripple out, but on a rewatch, it feels forced. The buildup with the black-and-white teasers promises something huge, only for the crash to come out of nowhere. Walt isn’t even directly responsible, which makes it feel more like an accident than a consequence of his actions. Instead of adding weight to the story, it lands as one of the show’s more over-the-top twists. | © Sony Pictures Television
Flynn often feels like an afterthought when you go back through the series. His character rarely grows beyond being the moody teenager stuck in the middle of Walt and Skyler’s fights. Whenever the real drama kicks in at home, he’s conveniently out of the picture. Compared to the depth given to almost everyone else, Flynn ends up feeling flat and underwritten. | © Sony Pictures Television
Rewatching Breaking Bad is still a wild ride, but it doesn’t hit the same way it did the first time. Some characters feel underdeveloped, certain storylines don’t hold up, and a few iconic moments have lost their edge. These are the harsh realities that stand out on a rewatch.
