History Trivia / BREAKINGBAD

* TheWikiRule: A Wiki about the show can be found [[http://breakingbad.wikia.com/ here]].

** The Hoover Max Extract® Pressure Pro™ Model 60, aka the thing you ask the Vacuum Cleaner Shop for a dust filter for to let him know you need a disappearance, is an actual vacuum cleaner. However as [[Fridge/BreakingBad fridge brilliance]], it's a ''wet carpet cleaner'' that doesn't use a dust filter, meaning that asking for one is a deliberate and specific tell that the request is bogus.
** In the fifth season Lydia helps traffick Walt's metamphetamine to the Czech Republic. While that may seem like a random destination to pick, in reality it is one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to rate of metamphetamine abuse.

** While they still find him a great character, the more years go on Vince and Peter find themselves deeply unsympathetic to Walter White, as he did so many terrible things and yet the audience rooted for him anyway, while of course despising anyone (especially Sky) who stood in his way.

** RJ Mitte has Cerebral Palsy as does his character Walt Jr. However, Mitte's palsy is far less severe so he had to alter his speech and learn to walk with crutches.

** Saul's comb over was the first thing Creator/BobOdenkirk suggested when he was invited to play the character.

** Creator/VinceGilligan actually asked Creator/GiancarloEsposito what he personally believed Gus would do [[spoiler:as he was dying,]] so Gus [[spoiler:straightening his tie just before he falls over dead]] was entirely his idea.

** Similar to how ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' turned the obscure and worthless [=DeLorean=] into one of the most iconic cars of its era, ''Breaking Bad'' has created a new wave of interest and enthusiasm for the Pontiac Aztek due to its association with the Walter White character; it has gone from being probably the biggest ButtMonkey in the automotive world for its ugly design, to somewhat of a CoolCar, due to it being "Heisenberg's Ride". An Aztek used in filming of the series, which was wrecked and completely undrivable, sold for $7,500 on eBay after the series ended. Prior to ''Breaking Bad'', it would have been a miracle to get that much money for a serviceable Aztek.

** At no point does Gustavo Fring ever utter the phrase "We are not the same". It was a completely independent phrase unrelated to ''Breaking Bad'' as a whole, and only began to be associated with Fring in September 2021 for unexplainable reasons.

* HideYourPregnancy: Done in Season 2 to conceal Betsy Brandt's pregnancy. Interestingly, Brandt's pregnancy ''was'' actually seen on the show, as when close-up shots of Skyler's pregnant belly were called for, Brandt stood in for her onscreen sister.

** Creator/AaronPaul went from a bit actor to being a three-time UsefulNotes/EmmyAward winner and one of the biggest stars on television with his portrayal of Jesse Pinkman.
** Creator/GiancarloEsposito was at the time fairly well-known for his role in ''Film/DoTheRightThing'' and his recurring part on ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet.'' His role as Gus, however, brought him mainstream recognition.

** The Hoover Max Extract® Pressure Pro™ Model 60, aka the code for the Vacuum Cleaner Shop to let him know you need a disappearance, is an actual vacuum cleaner.

** In the fifth season Lydia helps traffick Walt's metamphetamine to the Czech Republic. While that may seem like a random destination to pick, it is in fact one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to rate of metamphetamine abuse.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: The Hoover Max Extract® Pressure Pro™ Model 60, aka the code for the Vacuum Cleaner Shop to let him know you need a disappearance, is an actual vacuum cleaner.

** While Creator/BryanCranston was already fairly recognizable for his appearances in ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' and ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', his four-time Emmy winning role as Walter White made him all but a household name.

** Creator/KrystenRitter got some exposure as Jane, Jesse's girlfriend, early on, but became better known for playing the title character ''Series/DontTrustTheBInApartment23''. Once that show ended, it was quickly forgotten about and Ritter was once again mostly associated with ''Breaking Bad'' until ''Series/JessicaJones2015'' premiered.

* CreatorChosenCasting: Creator/VinceGilligan cast Creator/BryanCranston having worked with him on ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "[[Recap/TheXFilesS06E02Drive Drive]]".

** The show was initially set in Riverside, California but the studio wanted it to be filmed in Albuquerque for tax reasons, so the writers just changed the setting to Albuquerque rather than have to do Reverse CaliforniaDoubling. This ended up working fabulously for the show's narrative.

** On Aug. 16, 2012, the Tuscaloosa County, Alabama Sheriff's Office announced its new Most Wanted Fugitive as [[http://www.tcsoal.org/wanted.php?id=616&start=0 Walter White, an accused meth cook.]] Such a guy would normally go unnoticed in the media had it not been for his name.

** On Aug. 16, 2012, the Tuscaloosa County (Ala.) Sheriff's Office named a new Most Wanted Fugitive. That person? Accused meth cook Walter White. (Not the hero of this show, but [[http://blog.al.com/tuscaloosa/2012/08/man_named_walter_white_wanted.html this guy.]])

* SerendipityWritesThePlot: Mike Ehrmantraut's first appearance in the season 2 finale was originally supposed to be Saul Goodman coming to handle things in person. Bob Odenkirk was unavailable to film that, so a new character was created for the purpose.

* DyeingForYourArt: Bryan Cranston lost some weight and shaved his head to play Walter. To portray Walt Jr., RJ Mitte quit taking physical therapy for his cerebral palsy so that it would regress enough to convincingly play the part of someone who needed crutches to walk and had slurred speech.

** The scene where Walt finally shaves his head and goes to eat breakfast with Skyler and Walt Jr. Anna Gunn and RJ Mitte were seeing Bryan Cranston's shaved look for the first time, so their reactions are genuine.
** The scene with Don Margolis freaking out over Jane's dead body caused Creator/JohnDeLancie to actually freak out mentally and think that one of his kids had died.
*** Related: according to his memoir, while filming the scene where Jane dies Bryan Cranston suddenly had a vivid image of his then-teenage daughter dying instead, leading to real tears in the take that was used. He was so distraught afterwards that Anna Gunn had to hug him for a while to calm him down. Cranston has said several times that it was the hardest scene he ever shot on the show.

* HideYourPregnancy: Done in Season 2 to conceal Betsy Brandt's pregnancy.

* VindicatedByReruns[=/=]ViralMarketing: The show is being held as a huge example of the impact internet streaming can have on a show. While it became a massive critical success very quickly, it always struggled in the ratings until its last eight episodes. The show took five years to go from under a million to 2 million viewers, only to jump to 10 million and become an internet phenomenon by its final episode a year later, thanks to excellent word of mouth and Netflix, seeing the show go out in a blaze of glory, both critically and commercially.

** Laura Fraser as Lydia Rodarte-Quayle. On the DVDCommentary, the other actors describe her as "very Scottish" and compliment her accent.
** Walt's former friend Elliot Schwartz is played by English Adam Godley with a flawless accent.

** Creator/RaymondCruz did not particularly enjoy portraying Tuco Salamanca in this show, as he was incredibly disturbed by the character's violent, uncontrollable personality. As such, [[KilledByRequest he was killed off early in Season 2 so he could be free from the role]] (though he did reprise it in ''Series/BetterCallSaul'').

** Creator/VinceGilligan has openly criticised people that [[http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/breaking-bad-vince-gilligan-warns-fans-to-stop-throwing-pizza-onto-walter-whites-roof-10102784.html throw pizzas on the house which was used for filming]] the White family, saying that a retired couple have lived there for some forty-odd years and don't deserve to be rudely harassed.

* WrittenInInfirmity: RJ Mitte has Cerebral Palsy as does Walt Jr. However, Mitte's palsy is far less severe so he had to alter his speech and learn to walk with crutches.

* PromotedFanboy: Creator/BillBurr was a big fan of ''Breaking Bad'' and asked his agent to get him on the show. Aftwr watching for three seasons, Burr finally appeared as Patrick Kuby in season four.