The crime genre on TV is full of iconic moments, and almost two decades later, the greatest opening scene in crime thriller TV history is still undefeated. Many of the best TV shows of all time are crime thrillers, such as True Detective, The Shield, The Wire, and Mindhunter, some of them with characters, storylines, and scenes that made TV history. Crime thrillers are a perfect combination of suspense, drama, and action, with engaging stories and fascinating characters who aren’t exactly role models.

Although there are many great crime thriller shows out there to enjoy that appeal to different types of audiences, the one widely regarded as the best of all time is Breaking Bad. Created by Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad premiered on AMC in 2018 and was a critical success, though both critics and viewers went through a brief period of adjustment with it due to its graphic content and themes. Breaking Bad only got better with time, ending in 2013 after five seasons and with one of the best TV finales of all time.

Over a decade has passed since Breaking Bad ended, and the show is still talked about and praised, which speaks volumes about its quality, impact, and legacy. Of course, Breaking Bad has also become one of the most influential crime thrillers in TV history, though no show has been able to take its place yet. Among the many great things about Breaking Bad is its opening sequence, which still stands as the best in the crime thriller genre on TV.

Breaking Bad’s Opening Sequence Perfectly Sets The Tone For The Rest Of The Show

Breaking Bad introduces viewers to Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an overqualified chemistry teacher who is dissatisfied with his life, and among other things, he needs to work a second job, and his family life isn’t the best. After collapsing at his second job and being taken to the hospital, Walter learns he has inoperable lung cancer and just two years to live, if lucky.

In an effort to secure his family’s financial future, Walter begins producing methamphetamine. With his deep knowledge of chemistry and the help of his former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), Walter sets up a rolling meth lab. Of course, this is only the beginning of a lot of trouble for Walter and Jesse, not just with the law and drug dealers, but also with their families and in their personal lives.

Breaking Bad establishes the tone of the show in its first minutes, giving the audience an idea of what’s to come in the rest of the show. Breaking Bad opens with Walter, in underwear and wearing a gas mask, frantically driving the RV with an unconscious Jesse sitting next to him and two men dead in the back of the RV. Walt ends up driving into a ditch, stumbling out of the RV, and records a video message to his family before standing in the middle of the road, waiting for the police as sirens go off in the far distance.

It’s a perfect display of the chaos, drama, and suspense that Breaking Bad is all about, and it’s a perfect hook for the audience as it leaves them wondering what happened in the RV, who Walter White really is, and what he did to end up there. Breaking Bad has an impactful, well-written, and perfectly shot opening sequence, and no other show has been able to come up with one better since then.

Only One TV Show Has Come Close To Breaking Bad’s Greatness

No other crime thriller show has matched the quality and impact of Breaking Bad, but its spinoff series, Better Call Saul, came very close to that. Better Call Saul is mostly a prequel to Breaking Bad, though with some scenes set during and after the events of the main show. Better Call Saul follows Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), the aspiring lawyer and former con artist who goes on to become the corrupt criminal-defense attorney Saul Goodman.

Better Call Saul ran for six seasons and also ranks among the best TV shows of all time, with some even considering it superior, but that is ultimately subjective. Like Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul has one of the best opening sequences of all time, but this one is a lot slower and more melancholic, showing McGill (as Gene Takavic) working at a Cinnabon. Both opening sequences are great and fit their respective shows, but Breaking Bad’s stands as the best in its genre.

Release Date

2008 – 2013-00-00

Showrunner

Vince Gilligan

Directors

Vince Gilligan, Michelle Maclaren

Writers

Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, Vince Gilligan, George Mastras, Moira Walley-Beckett, Sam Catlin, Thomas Schnauz