Breaking Bad season 3

Lore & Background

Unlike the second season, when the Breaking Bad writers planned the storyline for the entire season in advance of filming, the writing staff did not fully plan out the third season before production and instead developed the storyline as the episodes progressed. The third episode is dedicated to Shari Rhodes, the location casting director for Breaking Bad, who died due to breast cancer during the filming. Gennifer Hutchison and Thomas Schnauz were added to the writing staff this season, both of whom had worked previously with Vince Gilligan on The X-Files. With the exception of John Shiban, who would leave at the end of the season to executive produce Hell on Wheels, the writing staff for season three would remain on the show until its conclusion in 2013.

Reader's Guide

The third season of Breaking Bad scored 89 out of 100 on review aggregator site Metacritic, indicating 'universal acclaim.' On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 100% based on 36 reviews, with an average rating of 9.2/10. The site's critics consensus reads: 'Breaking Bad's well-toned storytelling flares up this season with dramatic story changes and calculated direction.' The season received seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations with two wins: Bryan Cranston won his third consecutive award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and Aaron Paul won for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. The series also received its second consecutive nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. The season was released on DVD in Region 1 and on Blu-ray in Region A on June 7, 2011, with special features including nine audio commentaries.

Did You Know?

• Bob Odenkirk, Giancarlo Esposito, and Jonathan Banks were upgraded to main cast status this season.
• The third episode is dedicated to Shari Rhodes, who died due to breast cancer during filming.