Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

How the 2007 writers’ strike saved ‘Breaking Bad’

Here's how Breaking Bad almost looked a lot different!

Shawn Laib
By

The WGA writers’ strike could last well into late summer, according to CBS News. Plenty of TV shows — from late-night talk shows to scripted series like Billions, Severance, and Stranger Things are already being affected — and a lengthy strike would mean a dramatically different television landscape in the coming months. The outcome of this strike is undoubtedly important, but there might be a little part of you that’s wondering how your favorite show could be affected — after all, plenty of us remember the shows that were canceled as a result of the 2007 writers’ strike. Well, if your favorite show is anything like Breaking Bad, the strike might actually be a good thing.

Breaking Bad is undoubtedly one of the greatest antihero dramas in the history of television. Charting the moral descent of a meek man, Walter White (Bryan Cranston), into a ruthless and ego-maniacal drug kingpin, the AMC show was a daring and beautifully acted spectacle. Part of the reason the program was able to separate itself from the competition was due to its patience and willingness to let storylines breathe and develop across many seasons. The payoff after the lead-up was always a climactic explosion with many different parts coming together in unison. But what if I told you that the only reason Breaking Bad was successful was because of the 2007 writers’ strike held by the WGA (Writers Guild of America)?

Recommended Videos

The first season of Breaking Bad was supposed to run for nine episodes. Creator Vince Gilligan had massive plans during the ninth episode of the season, plans that would have ruined the future of the show as we know it. Gilligan knew that the margins for success were thin for his little cable drama about meth and a cancer-ridden teacher. He originally thought that a season one finale that featured huge plot turning points would convince audiences and his bosses to give the show a longer leash. Ironically, this would have backfired with catastrophic results.

Two of the most important supporting characters in Breaking Bad are Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and Hank Schrader (Dean Norris). Jesse was Walter’s second-in-command in the drug trade, a former student of Walter’s who gradually fell into depression and drug addiction in the face of adversity. Hank was Walter’s DEA agent father-in-law who attempted to track Walter’s drug empire without knowing his family member was the criminal behind the enterprise.

Gilligan planned on writing one or both of these characters out of the first season finale as a way of creating a wake-up call for Walter. While the idea was sound in nature, it would have dramatically changed the way the ensuing seasons of the show panned out. Jesse and Hank are arguably as important to Walter’s journey as any other characters on the show. Without them, the slow-burn character development and the relationships that formed the backbone of the drama in the series would have never existed.

Fortunately, the writers’ strike gave Gilligan a lot more time to stew on potential plot points, and he decided it would be better to force the audience to be patient and wait for the story to gain more steam, keeping Jesse and Hank in the process. This is potentially the greatest instance of negative intervention (the writers’ strike), symbolizing a blessing in disguise in TV history. The heartbreaking way Jesse’s character took shape and the juxtaposition of Walter and Hank’s morals throughout seasons two through five would have never happened, and Breaking Bad would have simply been a decent show rather than a GOAT one.

With the current 2023 writer’s strike still going on right now, we have to wonder what shows will be forever changed due to the work stoppage. Some lucky show might just become the next Breaking Bad due to the time off that will allow creators to rethink their entire stories!

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Shawn Laib
Shawn Laib
Contributor
Shawn Laib is a freelance writer with publications such as Den of Geek, Quote.com, Edge Media Network, diaTribe, SUPERJUMP…
New on Netflix: 5 must-see shows and movies in July
From Henry Cavill to Patrick Mahomes, Netflix is full of hot content in July!
Netflix logo on tv with red back lighting

 

There are so many different streamers with fascinating and fun content that it can sometimes be hard to choose. Netflix is still arguably the best streaming service available to TV fans due to its combination of original shows and movies, accompanied by legendary favorites from the past. When you consider nostalgia and current tastes, Netflix probably has you covered. Of course, every streaming platform needs to refresh its content to keep us satisfied — this is what will be new on Netflix in the coming weeks.

Read more
10 great movies like Indiana Jones for you to stream next
Nicolas Cage and Johnny Depp give Harrison Ford a run for his money
movies like indiana jones the mummy

We know that if you're as excited for Indiana Jones and the Dial and Destiny as we are, you've probably already taken some precautionary liberties so as to percolate your patience for one of the best movies of the summer. You may have already binged the classic films in the franchise such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Temple of Doom, some of the true greats in Harrison Ford's catalogue. You may have even watched some Star Wars to compare the heroic theatrics of Indiana Jones versus Han Solo.

But even after enjoying all there is to offer from these legendary annals of Hollywood history, and seeing the just-released flick itself, you might be craving a bit more adventure. That's where the best movies like Indiana Jones come in! These films are all defined by their swashbuckling setting, historical aesthetic and backdrop, and masculine explorers who will hustle and tussle their way to the top.

Read more
13 amazing shows you need to watch on Max
Watchmen

HBO Max was one of the most popular streaming services in the world due to its incredibly high-level content and the sheer amount of shows and movies available. You've probably noticed when you log into HBO Max that the platform is now simply rebranded to Max. What does this mean? WarnerMedia and Discovery have merged all of their content into one convenient location. You can still enjoy all of the same stuff like Succession and The Sopranos on Max, and now Discovery+ content like reality shows and cooking competitions, which are now in the library.
From comedy to drama, sci-fi to pseudo-documentary, Max has it all. Other than enjoying some spectacularly produced and acted miniseries entertainment, these shows will also teach you something if you allow them. Let your mind unwind and hope it’s a weekend because some of these are the best shows on Max that will make you want to keep hitting that "Next Episode" button till the sun comes up.

Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000)

Read more