Breaking Bad’s Most Memorable Cold Opens, Ranked

The TV show Breaking Bad was known for its clever use of cold opens – the short scenes at the very beginning. While these scenes are usually meant to grab viewers’ attention before commercials, the show’s creators, led by Vince Gilligan, used them in many different and creative ways.

Throughout its five seasons, Breaking Bad frequently used the beginning of each episode – its ‘cold open’ – to show scenes from the past or future, or to introduce a new character’s point of view. These openings were often some of the show’s most memorable moments, including the “Ballad of Heisenberg” music video and the wordless scene of Drew Sharp’s body being disposed of.

Meet Tuco’s Cousins

Season 3, Episode 1, “No Mas”

I remember being so hooked after the second season of Breaking Bad, especially with that cliffhanger plane crash! Everyone was dying to know what happened next. But when season three finally kicked off, it totally threw me for a loop. Instead of picking up right after the crash, the episode started a thousand miles away, introducing us to Tuco’s cousins, Leonel and Marco Salamanca. They were on this really eerie, silent journey to a shrine in Mexico dedicated to Santa Muerte, and it was a brilliantly unsettling way to begin the season.

The cousins visited the shrine, leaving a simple drawing of Heisenberg as an offering. This was a clear signal that they intended to kill the notorious new drug boss. It was a captivating way to meet these frightening criminals.

Walt & Skyler Buy Their House

Season 3, Episode 13, “Full Measure”

Before we get back to the intense showdown between Walt and Gus, the season 3 finale takes us way back to 1993. It’s so interesting to see Walt and Skyler expecting Walt Jr. and looking at the house they’ll eventually buy! Walt actually thinks it’s a little small, but he agrees it’ll be a good starter home until they can afford something bigger. It’s a really sweet, quiet moment before everything goes crazy.

This moment really reveals Walt’s personality. It demonstrates his early ambition and his feeling of being underappreciated. The fact that he still lives in the same house suggests it wasn’t just a temporary place, and highlights his overall dissatisfaction – a key factor in his eventual descent into crime.

The Los Pollos Hermanos Montage

Season 3, Episode 9, “Kafkaesque”

Throughout Breaking Bad, the show cleverly highlighted the similarities between the world of crime and everyday business. For example, the opening scene of “Kafkaesque” shows Gus using his chicken restaurants to move drugs, hiding meth in shipments of fried chicken batter. This illustrates how the illegal drug trade and standard capitalism aren’t as different as you might think.

The scene is visually striking, with quick cuts and beautiful cinematography, but it’s more than just a pretty sequence. While Gus describes his delicious chicken, the images cleverly shift to show falling meth crystals. His closing line, “One taste and you’ll know,” perfectly encapsulates the hidden meaning.

All The Black-And-White Flash-Forwards In Season 2

Season 2, Episodes 1, “Seven Thirty-Seven,” 4, “Down,” 10, “Over,” 13, “ABQ”

Okay, so this is a bit of a cheat, but I have to mention the cold opens from Breaking Bad‘s second season. The season kicks off with this incredibly disturbing image – a burnt pink teddy bear floating in a swimming pool. And then, throughout the season, we keep cutting back to these quick shots of body bags being taken away from the Whites’ house and smoke rising in the distance. It’s a really effective way to build tension and hint at the fallout from the first season.

The season slowly builds to a surprising reveal that isn’t clear until you’ve watched everything. If you put the titles of these four episodes together, they actually spell out the big spoiler: “Seven Thirty-Seven Down Over ABQ.”

Newly Bald Walt Walks Away From A Smoking Building

Season 1, Episode 6, “Crazy Handful Of Nothin'”

The first episode of season one, “Crazy Handful of Nothin’,” begins with a striking image: a bald Walt walking away from a burning building in a dangerous part of town. This immediately makes viewers curious. How did Walt end up in this situation? What happened to the building, and why is he bald?

The show’s opening scene established Walt’s signature appearance and importantly, marked a key moment in his journey to becoming a criminal. His confrontation at Tuco’s office is a particularly bold and memorable scene.

Badger Chats To An Undercover Cop

Season 2, Episode 8, “Better Call Saul”

The creators of Breaking Bad were masters at building tension and drama, even in simple conversations. They could make a dialogue-driven scene just as exciting as a big action sequence. A perfect example is the episode “Better Call Saul” from Season 2, which first introduced the memorable character Saul Goodman. The episode starts with a fantastic scene featuring just two characters, Badger and a prospective buyer.

Badger immediately thinks the man is an undercover police officer, but the man denies it, leading to a long argument about whether undercover cops are required to reveal their identities. The dialogue, crafted by Peter Gould, is brilliantly written and keeps you uncertain – is this man really a cop?

Walt, Jesse, Todd, & Mike Dispose Of Drew Sharp’s Body

Season 5, Episode 6, “Buyout”

One of the most surprising moments in Breaking Bad happened at the end of the episode “Dead Freight.” Following a successful train heist, Todd shockingly kills the sole witness – a young boy named Drew Sharp – without hesitation. This event then set the stage for a particularly unsettling opening scene in the very next episode.

The episode “Buyout” begins with Walt, Jesse, and Mike silently getting rid of Drew’s body. The lack of any conversation during this grim task actually makes it feel even more disturbing.

The Ballad Of Heisenberg

Season 2, Episode 7, “Negro Y Azul”

The second season episode “Negro y Azul” begins with a music video featuring “The Ballad of Heisenberg,” an original song widely considered one of TV’s best. Performed by the narcocorrido band Los Cuates de Sinaloa, the song cleverly illustrates how famous Heisenberg has become within the criminal world, and how much mystery surrounds who he really is.

The video is a spot-on, funny imitation of low-budget music videos, using classic effects like star wipes and shaky camera angles. However, the lyrics hint at upcoming problems for Walt, with the lines: “He’s already dead, he just hasn’t realized it yet.”

Walt Turns 52

Season 5, Episode 1, “Live Free Or Die”

By its fifth and final season, Breaking Bad had become very skilled at using flash-forwards. The writers were masters at revealing just enough information to keep viewers hooked, wanting to know how events would unfold, without giving away the whole story.

The fifth season of the show kicked off with Walt, looking unkempt and sporting a beard, celebrating his 52nd birthday by himself at a Denny’s in Albuquerque. He was pretending to be a tourist from New Hampshire. Shortly after, he purchased a large machine gun from a black market source. It was a brilliant opening – it left viewers completely in the dark about what was happening, but desperate to find out more.

Walt Crashes His RV In The Desert

Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”

The very first cold open of Breaking Bad is probably its most iconic. The show begins right in the middle of the action: Walt, half-dressed, is in the desert with an RV full of dead drug dealers, and he’s getting ready to confront approaching police with only a handgun.

The show immediately cuts to a flashback of the same man waking up in his ordinary suburban house, preparing for his day, and teaching chemistry at a high school. This opening scene was incredibly effective at grabbing the audience’s attention, making us eager to learn how this seemingly normal teacher ended up in such a dangerous situation. And with that compelling start, the intense journey of Breaking Bad began.

2025-12-14 16:31