| "Pilot" | |
|---|---|
| Breaking Bad episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Vince Gilligan |
| Written by | Vince Gilligan |
| Produced by | Karen Moore |
| Featured music | Full list
|
| Cinematography by | John Toll |
| Editing by | Lynne Willingham |
| Original air date | January 20, 2008 |
| Running time | 58 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Pilot" (titled "Breaking Bad" on DVD and Blu-ray releases) is the series premiere of the American television crime drama series Breaking Bad. The episode was directed and written by series creator and showrunner Vince Gilligan. It first aired on AMC on January 20, 2008.
In the episode, chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Keeping it a secret from his pregnant wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) and their teenage son Walter Jr. (RJ Mitte), he decides that he wants to spend his last years saving money for his family. After going on a drug bust with his brother-in-law and DEA agent Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), Walt spots his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and later blackmails him into helping him cook methamphetamine in an RV.
The pilot received various nominations at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards, with Cranston winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Gilligan earning a nomination for Outstanding Directing.