When Breaking Bad was only an idea, it could have gone either way. A high school science teacher who learns he has cancer turns to a criminal life, making meth to provide for his family once he is gone. An intriguing idea indeed, but the editing, talent, and direction made the show such a roaring success, leading to a spinoff series following fan-favorite Saul Goodman and a movie, El Camino, following the beloved Jesse Pinkman after he escapes from captivity in the series finale.
The original series lasted for five seasons, with season five split into two parts, and had sixty-two episodes. Of the sixty-two episodes, very few characters had the privilege of appearing in them all.
Gustavo Fring (26 Episodes)
Gus first appeared in season 2, being revealed as the owner of the fast-food restaurant Los Pollos Hermanos. From the start, he was an intriguing character, coming off as a calm and courteous business owner. Eventually, his dark side revealed itself in his business of manufacturing drugs. Gus was the perfect villain, continuously shocking viewers with his sinister actions.
Gus appeared in 26 episodes, his final being in season 4, where an explosion planned by Walt and Gus’ lifelong nemesis, Hector, killed him. Gus appeared in the spinoff prequel series Better Call Saul, where he was a main character in seasons 3-6, giving fans a little more of the villain they came to enjoy.
Mike Ehrmantraut (28 Episodes)
In season 2, fans got a new favorite with the first appearance of Mike, the right-hand man of Gus. Mike quickly became a favorite among viewers with his no-nonsense, taking care of business attitude. Many fans saw Mike as the third team member with Walt and Jesse, making his death one of the hardest to get over.
Mike appeared in 28 episodes of the series before his death in season 5. While Mike’s death was ultimately unnecessary since the information Walt wanted could have been retrieved from another source, fans were able to see more of Mike on Better Call Saul, where he was a main character in all six seasons.
Steven Gomez (34 Episodes)
Gomez is one of the few supporting characters to appear in all five seasons of Breaking Bad. Despite not being a main character, Gomez’s humble but assertive nature makes him a Breaking Bad side character with main character energy. He first appeared in season 1 as Hank’s DEA partner and close friend, and he played the role of a good cop trying to bring down a criminal empire ideally.
Gomez appeared in 34 episodes before his shootout death with Jack and his gang in season 5. Gomez managed to appear in two episodes of Better Call Saul, but his legacy will always be within Breaking Bad. It is safe to say that he is one character that does not get the credit he deserves for the significant role he played in the series.
Saul Goodman (43 Episodes)
Saul first appeared in season 2 as the slimy lawyer used by Walt to hide the massive amounts of money he was bringing in from manufacturing meth. Saul instantly became a fan favorite Breaking Bad character, bringing comedic relief that fans needed. His confidence and nervousness seemed to intertwine, and viewers stayed on their toes in anticipation of what he would do next.
Saul appeared in 43 episodes of Breaking Bad before starring on the prequel series Better Call Saul, following his journey to a life of shady law practice. Season 6 of Better Call Saul premieres in April 2022 and will wrap up the series.
Marie Schrader (51 Episodes)
Marie first appears in season 1 as Hank’s wife and the sister of Skyler. While she is initially considered a fixture character that connects Walt and his DEA brother-in-law, Marie eventually comes into her own as a character, showing a more relatable side and bringing excellent dry humor to the show. Marie’s character shows depth when she is revealed as a kleptomaniac, going to open houses and stealing random knick-knacks she can fit into her purse.
While she is credited for all 62 episodes, Marie only appears in 51 episodes. She is considered a main character of the show and was, at the very least, mentioned in the episodes that she did not physically appear in.
Walt Jr. (53 Episodes)
Walt Jr. is the teenage son of Walt and Skyler and first appeared in season one. Walt Jr. was born with cerebral palsy and was very close with his father when the series began. After Walt’s criminal activity starts taking up his time, Walt Jr. becomes distant from his father and even decides to go by a new name, Flynn, to get back at his dad.
Walt Jr. is another character credited for all 62 episodes but does not appear in them all. Walt Jr. physically appears in 53 episodes of the series, where he precisely plays the role of the typical teenager vying for more attention from his father.
Hank Schrader (53 Episodes)
Hank is married to Marie, making him the brother-in-law of Walt. He first appears in season 1 and immediately intrigues viewers as the DEA Agent family member that will inevitably be in a challenging situation down the road. Hank continuously proved that he was good at his job and made it his mission to find the supplier creating the purest form of meth ever. He eventually learns that Walt is the notorious Heisenberg kingpin, and while he attempts to find proof, Walt stays a few steps ahead.
Hank is killed in season 5 after being shot by gang leader Jack. His death was not easy to digest for fans, but many assumed it had to happen for Walt to continue his work. While he only physically appeared in 53 episodes, Hank is credited for all 62 episodes due to being mentioned, the view of his body, and the use of his voice. Fans got to see a little more of Hank in Better Call Saul, where he had a recurring role in season 5.
Skyler White (61 Episodes)
Skyler is Walt’s wife and plays a vital role in the series. The two seemed to be a happy couple until Walt’s criminal activity changed him. Skyler tried everything she could to get his attention. She cheated, smoked while pregnant, and eventually left with the kids. While she ultimately decided to help Walt in his criminal efforts, her morality got the best of her, and she decided that her children were the most important thing.
Skyler’s character was the perfect wife role. She faced many hard decisions and made some bad choices, making her relatable. Although fans did not necessarily like Skyler, they began warming up to her after realizing that Walt had crossed lines. Skyler physically appeared in 61 episodes, although she was credited for all 62 as her voice is used in the one episode she did not appear in, the season 3 bottle episode titled “Fly.”
Jesse Pinkman (62 Episodes)
When insider information revealed that Jesse was initially supposed to die at the end of the first season, fans were shocked. The death was removed once creators saw the overwhelming popularity of the young drug addict. Considered by Rotten Tomatoes as Aaron Paul’s best role, Jesse Pinkman gave fans a release of tension with his humourous personality and relatable reactions. While he was known to make many mistakes, Jesse proved to be a good-hearted character suffering from a troubled past.
Jesse appears in every episode of Breaking Bad. Fans couldn’t get enough of this character, and Jesse became the star in the spinoff movie El Camino, which followed his life journey after he escaped from captivity in the series finale.
Walter White (62 Episodes)
Walt is the titular character of Breaking Bad. The entire series is based on his relationships and his decisions after learning he has cancer. While Walt started the series as a somewhat relatable character, fans began to turn on him after his decision-making became more questionable under what is considered one of the best aliases in Breaking Bad, Heisenberg. Walt appears in every episode, and his character’s journey is perfect. His arc moves slowly but precisely, going from a lovable husband and teacher to a power-hungry drug kingpin.
Fans questioned what should happen to Walt and had many opinions. Some wanted him to go to prison, others wanted him to go free, and many believed his death was the only possible ending. Walt’s actions catch up to him, and he dies in the series finale, although the character does return once more to make a cameo appearance in El Camino.
