Breaking Bad: 10 Scenes That Make Viewers Nervous When Rewatching
Breaking Bad is full of tense scenes but these 10 moments make fans nervous, even if they're rewatching them years later.
Breaking Bad is one of those shows that is a thrill to rewatch countless times. Not only are there plenty of hidden details to catch, but the brilliant writing makes it gripping even when the audience already knows what happens. In fact, there are certain scenes in the show that will make the viewers nervous no matter how many times they have seen it.
Some of these moments use the tension of danger so expertly. Other scenes use awkward domestic situations to make the audience feel uneasy. With five terrific seasons to revisit, there are some unforgettable moments in Breaking Bad that will still make viewers sweat.
Walt Forces Walt Jr.
At the end of season two, Walt gets the supposed good news that he is in remission with his cancer and his health problems seem to be behind him. However, Walt is a changed man now and the news has an unusual effect on him.
During a party to celebrate this news, Walt allows Walt Jr. to drink some alcohol. What starts as a nice father-son moment quickly turns as Walt starts forcing Walt Jr. to keep going. When Hank steps in, Walt drunkenly loses his temper, spoiling the whole party.
Skyler Confronts Walt
For much of the series up to the end of season two, Walt and Skyler had been growing more and more estranged. His constant lying and sneaking around started to take a toll until she finally asks him to move out following his remission news.
Walt tries to convince her to let him stay which is when Skyler finally confronts him about what he is doing. The build-up from two seasons comes to this as Walt’s meth-cooking is finally revealed leading to a moment of relief and nervousness.
Hank Finds The RV
Though Hank is introduced as sort of a dumb macho cop, he quickly proves that he is a very talented lawman and is hot on Heisenberg’s trail. There were many close calls throughout the series, but one of the most nerve-wracking was when he tracked down the RV meth lab while Jesse and Walt are inside.
As Hank tries to figure out a way to legally enter the RV, the only thing standing in between Walt and his dark secret being revealed is a thin door. It is unbearable to watch as there seems to be no way out of this situation, only for a brilliant solution to come at last.
The Twins Attack Hank
Thanks to his stellar police work, Hank becomes the target of Tuco Salamanca’s two twin cousins who come looking for revenge. Following his suspension from work, Hank is unarmed and alone as he gets an anonymous call that two men are coming to kill him.
The sequence builds up the tension beautifully as Hank wonders if the call was a hoax until the twins show up. It is a fast yet intense action sequence that leaves audiences wondering if Hank will get out of this alive.
The Boxcutter Cutter Scene
The working relationship between Walt and Gus Fring had a lot of bumps along the way, but it really came to a boil with the death of Gale. By eliminating Walt’s main cook competition, he ensured that Gus couldn’t kill him. But it was also clear Gus was not going to take this lying down.
The excruciatingly tense scene plays out slowly as Gus silently enters the room Walt and Jesse are being kept. He puts on a hazmat suit and calmly shuffles through the drawers until he finds a box cutter. It feels like anything could happen, but it is certainly going to be bad. Then, without warning, Gus slits the throat of his henchman Victor and leaves the room.
Walt Challenges Hank
Walt proved himself to be a cautious and brilliant man at times, but he also has a huge ego that gets him in a lot of trouble. During one family dinner, Hank discusses his case involving the death of Gale who he assumes was the mysterious Heisenberg.
It seems as though Walt has the perfect fall-guy for his crimes, but when Hank starts calling Gale a genius, Walt simply can’t take it. Watching Walt get drunker as the night goes on puts the audience on the edge of their seat, wondering how he’s going to lash out. Finally, he tells Hank, based on the evidence, the real genius is still out there.
The Awkward Dinner
As Walt’s business grows increasingly dangerous, Skyler forces their kids to move in with Hank and Marie to ensure their safety. This creates an even bigger divide between Walt and Skyler while living under the same roof.
In an attempt to get under Skyler’s skin, Walt invites Jesse over for dinner which results in one of the most uncomfortable scenes in the show. Jesse tries to cut through the angry silence of the meal, but when Skyler brings up her divorce, it is just too much to bear. It is a hilariously cringe-worthy moment.
Hank Confronts Walt
Walt managed to avoid getting caught by Hank on a number of occasions, but the truth finally comes out in the final season. Hank pieces it all together just in time for Walt to figure out that the truth is out.
Walt comes to visit Hank and the two men have an intense conversation. This is another scene that uses silence so effectively as the audience is unsure how bad this is going to get between these two people who once considered themselves family.
Hank Is Cornered
Eventually, Hank is able to get to Walt and place him under arrest only for Uncle Jack and his gang of neo-Nazis to show up. A tense standoff leads to a shootout leaving Hank on his own and surrounded by enemies. Despite Hank arresting him, Walt tries to make a deal with Jack for Hank’s life.
The scene has a sense of doom hanging over it the entire time, but just like Walt, the audience is holding onto the hope that Hank will be able to walk away from this. As the tension builds, that hope disappears.
The Kitchen Fight
Following the death of Hank, Walt takes the money he has left and attempts to make a run for it. He rushes home and manically attempts to gather his family and leave while Skyler keeps asking him what happened to Hank.
Finally, Skyler pulls a knife on Walt and tries to defend her family from him. This results in Walt and Skyler wrestling on the ground with the knife. Quick edits and close-ups of the knife make it an unbearable moment to watch.
