Breaking Bad’s Most Surprising ‘Worst’ Episode Revealed!

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Widely considered to be one of the greatest shows to ever grace the small screen, Breaking Bad has undoubtedly cemented itself as a nearly flawless series. It premiered on AMC in January 2008 to generally positive reviews. However, it wasn’t until the show’s following seasons that critics really began to praise the series. As one of the most critically acclaimed shows of all time, it’s no wonder the series won numerous awards over its five-season run. With 16 Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Peabody Awards, and many others, Breaking Bad is undoubtedly a phenomenal series.

Set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the show follows a high school chemistry teacher named Walter White (Bryan Cranston). In the wake of a devastating stage-three lung cancer diagnosis, Walter seeks out a former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), to help him produce and distribute methamphetamine. With his wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn), pregnant with their second child, and his son, Walter Jr. (RJ Mitte), living with cerebral palsy, Walter believed cooking crystal meth would secure his family’s financial future before his eventual death. While he might have begun his life of crime with relatively good intentions, it doesn’t take long for Walter to ultimately become a product of his new and very dangerous environment.

With a total of 62 episodes, Breaking Bad rarely had a bad one during its groundbreaking run. That being said, “Fly” is considered by some to be one of the worst. Episode 10 of Season 3, the episode almost entirely unfolds inside the lab and delves into Walter’s psyche more so than his actions, which certainly isn’t as flashy. However, it shouldn’t be considered the “worst.” Instead, Episode 3 of Season 4, titled “Open House,” may take the cake for the show’s “worst” episode. However, there’s something to be said about being last in a series with some of the best episodes ever to air on television.

Are There Really Any Bad Episodes of ‘Breaking Bad’?

Time and again, “Breaking Bad” is hailed as one of the best, if not the greatest, TV shows ever produced. It gave birth to a highly acclaimed spin-off, “Better Call Saul,” along with a 2019 movie, “El Camino,” which delved into Jesse’s life after the series ended. It’s safe to say that the show boasts some fantastic episodes, and even those considered the weakest are still quite impressive. Essentially, there aren’t any truly “bad” episodes in the series; they’re merely ranked lower among their peers.

An episode might be at the bottom, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth watching or that it has nothing important to offer to the overall narrative of the series. The show wouldn’t have the type of legacy it has today if there were even a handful of bad apples scattered throughout its 62-episode stint. Since its series finale in September 2023, nothing else has successfully made the same kind of impact as Breaking Bad and its antihero, Walter White. It’s one of the reasons the series continues to be considered such a phenomenal piece of television.

What Makes “Fly” a Bad Episode of ‘Breaking Bad’?

Is “Open House” Worse Than “Fly” in the Series?

Because it’s a bottle episode, “Fly” is often regarded as the worst Breaking Bad episode. However, the way it unfolds actually makes it a rather poignant episode, albeit a slow one. Given how scaled down it is, it’s often thought to be a boring filler, but that disregards the insight “Fly” provides into Walter’s psyche. Also, the episode further highlights the dynamics between Walter and Jesse, or at least how Jesse is viewed from Walter’s perspective.

Simply put, “Fly” is certainly not the worst episode of Breaking Bad. Rather, that moniker should go to “Open House,” which delves into Marie’s (Betsy Brandt) return to kleptomania. A storyline from the show’s first season that never seemed to fit into the overall narrative, “Open House” reintroduced Marie’s propensity for stealing. However, this time around, she gets caught after hitting up a slew of local real estate open houses while making up elaborate stories about her background.

While she isn’t the main focus of the episode, Jesse and his open house parties are, and Marie’s kleptomania does nothing for the show. Sure, it’s a source of tension for Hank (Dean Norris) and Marie, but it doesn’t really affect the overall story or the characters in any meaningful way. As such, it feels out of place and odd for the series. As a result, it makes “Open House” the worst Breaking Bad episode. However, being the worst of the best is still pretty great. Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and El Camino are all currently streaming on Netflix.

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2025-03-16 17:05