If you loved
Breaking Bad
Vince Gilligan · Series · 2008
What hooked you in Breaking Bad was the way an ordinary person’s descent into moral compromise spirals into irreversible, catastrophic consequences.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Better Call Saul
Vince Gilligan · Series · 2015
Adaptation
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Film · 2019
Books on the same thread
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 2004
Shares 2 threads with Breaking Bad: American Dream, Moral Decay.
Much like Walter White in Breaking Bad, Gatsby chases an elusive version of the American Dream, only to find that his obsession leads to a tragic and inevitable undoing.
Dope Sick
Walter Dean Myers · Book · 2009
Explores: Drug Addiction, Redemption, Violence.
If the cycle of addiction and crime in Breaking Bad resonated with you, this narrative offers a raw exploration of the violence and redemption found within that same world.
The Road
Cormac McCarthy · Book · 2007
Explores: Parent-child bond, Moral ambiguity, Existential dread.
The intense focus on a father's desperate actions to protect his child mirrors the core motivation of Breaking Bad, stripped down to its most haunting and survivalist essence.
Brave New World
Aldous Huxley · Book · 1932
Explores: Social Engineering, Loss of Individuality, Technological Control.
Breaking Bad explores how societal structures crumble under individual ambition, a theme Huxley mirrors by showing how the loss of human agency leads to a cold, controlled existence.
Films on the same thread
No Country for Old Men
Joel Coen · Film · 2007
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Fate vs. Free Will, Existentialism.
This film captures the same grim atmosphere of moral ambiguity and sudden, violent turns of fate that defined the most suspenseful moments of your experience watching Breaking Bad.
Batman Begins
Christopher Nolan · Film · 2005
Shares a thread with Breaking Bad: Neo-Noir.
Just as Walter White transforms his identity to navigate the criminal underworld, Bruce Wayne creates a new persona to combat the corruption that Breaking Bad fans know so well.
The Shawshank Redemption
Frank Darabont · Film · 1994
Explores: wrongful imprisonment, hope, institutional corruption.
The slow, methodical transformation of a man trapped by his circumstances will feel familiar to anyone who followed the long-term character evolution throughout the seasons of Breaking Bad.
The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan · Film · 2008
Shares a thread with Breaking Bad: Neo-Noir.
The escalation of violence and the blurred lines between hero and villain are central to this story, echoing the high-stakes moral deterioration you witnessed in Breaking Bad.
Podcasts on the same thread
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, social justice, human behavior.
If you were fascinated by the complex human behavior and legal gray areas in Breaking Bad, this podcast provides an investigative look at those who dwell in the shadows.
Bad Money
Kindling Media & Vespucci · Podcast · 2023
The ambition and criminal ingenuity displayed by the subject of this podcast mirror the calculated risk-taking that drove Walter White to rise through the ranks in Breaking Bad.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What order should I watch Breaking Bad and its related titles?
You should start by watching the Breaking Bad series, which follows Walter White. After completing the series, you can watch the movie El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. Finally, you can watch the prequel series Better Call Saul to see more of the universe created by Vince Gilligan.
Is Breaking Bad connected to the show Better Call Saul?
Yes, Better Call Saul is a television series that exists within the same universe as Breaking Bad. Both shows were created by Vince Gilligan and share characters and themes related to the dangerous world of drugs and crime established in the original Breaking Bad narrative.
How long is the Breaking Bad storyline including the movie?
The Breaking Bad story begins with Walter White receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis and entering the world of crime. The primary narrative is told through the Breaking Bad television series. The story concludes with the events depicted in the 2019 film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Should I watch El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie before finishing Breaking Bad?
No, you should not watch El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie before finishing the Breaking Bad television series. The film serves as a direct continuation of the events that take place at the end of the original Breaking Bad show and requires knowledge of the series to understand the plot.