10 Years Later, This Breaking Bad Episode Still Feels Like a Full-On Panic Attack
It's been more than ten years since the episode premiered, yet many fans of Breaking Bad still believe that there is one episode that is more intense, and more dramatic than any of the other installments.
The episode, titled "Crawl Space", originally debuted in September 2011. It was part of the fourth season of Breaking Bad which easily exists as one of its most successful. In fact, the average viewer rating for "Crawl Space" is nearly flawless (9.7/10 IMDb), which is a sentiment shared by Redditors.
When asked which episode they found the most intense, of any TV show, the answers varied, yet Breaking Bad generated more responses than any other show. And, in terms of selecting a single episode from the series to represent the most intense, viewers acknowledged it was "Crawl Space".
"Crawl Space" is heavy from start to finish. It seems like every main character is stuck in some type of tricky situation. Thus, when the final minutes of the episode arrive, it feels like a "full-on panic attack," at least according to one Redditor.
The episode (spoilers ahead) opens with Jesse Pinkman escaping with Gus Fring and Mike Ehrmantraut to Mexico. Fring is injured yet makes a fast recovery. What's more, Fring advises Pinkman that he'll take over the meth operation once they return to the States. It's not good news for Walter White, who is already caught in a predicament of his own.
After his brother-in-law, Hank Schrader seeks to take a drive, he notifies that the next destination is Pollos Hermanos. Hank wants to investigate the business, which is owned by Fring but decides to take a detour first to the industrial laundry complex. Consequently, Walt crashes the car on purpose to avoid Hank discovering the meth lab. Nevertheless, it's the least of his problems as Walt is abducted by Fring, sent to the desert, and has a gun put to his head. Fring informs White that he's been replaced in the lab by Pinkman and that he'll murder his family if he attempts to intervene.
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Still, the problems do not end for the Whites. "Crawl Space" also reveals that Skyler seeks to get Ted out of trouble with the IRS. However, when he refuses to pay back taxes, Skyler turns to legal counsel for the next move. Saul Goodman has a plan, but Skyler has got to trust him. Walt, also disturbed that his family was threatened, seeks Goodman for advice. He can make him disappear, but it will cost Walt and his family half a million.
Walt agrees to the sum yet as he drives home to recover the dirty money from the crawl space it, too, has vanished. Skyler, needing the money to save Ted from the IRS, already took it leaving Walt to wallow in agony. As a result, the final minutes of the Breaking Bad episode are some of the most intense moments ever witnessed on the show.
Critics and fans agree that "Crawl Space" defines Breaking Bad perhaps better than any other episode. It's widely recognized as one of the top episodes, especially the closing minutes. The final scene is one of Walter White's finest moments on Breaking Bad, where the character realizes he is no longer in control of the mess he's caused.