"In the back of an RV": When Vince Gilligan opened up about how the idea of Breaking Bad dawned on him

Breaking Bad, one of the highest-rated, iconic crime drama series of all time, premiered on January 20, 2008, on AMC. Created by Vince Gilligan, the series ran for five successful seasons and came to an end in 2013. Owing to its positive reception and insane popularity, the franchise expanded with a prequel series called Better Call Saul and El Camino: A Breaking Bad movie.

More than a decade has passed since the release of the Breaking Bad finale episode, yet it remains one of the most-watched/binged series. Apart from the brilliant cast, including Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and Anna Gunn, credits for making the show successful also go to its creator and showrunner, Vince Gilligan. But do you know how the Emmy-winning director, producer, and screenwriter came up with the plot of Breaking Bad?

In a 2012 interview with Conan O'Brien on his talk show (Conan), Gilligan revealed he came up with the idea of Breaking Bad. He narrated how he was contacted by Tom Schnauz, his co-writer on X-Files, and NYU film school pal, when both of them were desperately looking for writing gigs. Gilligan continued,

"He (Tom Schnauz) mentioned an article he read in the New York Times in which some guy had put a meth lab in the back of an RV and was driving around cooking/making meth like some sort of a demented ice-cream truck I suppose. He said maybe we should do that and as soon as he mentioned that it was the darnest thing the idea for this character who would do such a thing became of great interest."

Vince Gilligan thus came up with Breaking Bad after learning about an actual meth lab operating inside an RV from a New York Times article. This real life some major details shaped the show- Walter White (chronically sick high school chemistry teacher tuned meth cook) and Jesse Pinkman's (former student) mobile meth lab, their desert cooks, the RV's role both as a workspace and crime scene.

"I didn't have a name of this character. I didn't have a name for the show but this idea kind of spun in my head. It seems to me in hindsight a terrible idea for a TV show. You know 50 year old guy dying of cancer, cooking crystal meth. I am amazed to this day"

Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, can't stomach violent films

It's a fact that Breaking Bad's violence drove the story forward. From Gus slitting Victor's throat without warning in season 4 episode 1 to Walt letting Jane choke to death in season 2 episode 12, violence has been a crucial part of the show. How can anyone forget Gus's half-blown face in Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 13, 'Face-off'? But do you know Vince Gilligan, the creator, is quite afraid of violence in real life?

In Conan O'Brien's talk show, when the host admired the breathtaking and dramatic violence scenes of the show, Vince Gilligan revealed how he usually faints during violent scenes. He said,

"I have been known to faint. I don't know it's low blood sugar, I don't know what it is, but I faint in the damnest movies too. You know, like Vincent and Theo."

When Conan asked about how he created such violent and powerful scenes in Breaking Bad, Gilligan thanked the co-writers and continued,

"You write about the things that excite you or horrify you. So if you think on those terms, it kind of makes sense."

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Catch all the episodes of Breaking Bad streaming on Netflix.

Also read: Not Bryan Cranston, but this actor was the first choice to play Walter White in Breaking Bad

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