Green Light

Walt fires Saul and is put on leave from school, while Jesse cooks and sells his own batch.

"Green Light" is the fourth episode of the third season of Breaking Bad and the 24th overall episode of the series. Written by Sam Catlin and directed by Scott Winant, it aired on AMC in the United States and Canada on April 11, 2010.

Quick Facts

Series: Breaking Bad
Director: Scott Winant
Writer: Sam Catlin
Photographer: Michael Slovis
Editor: Kelley Dixon
Air date: 11 April 2010
Length: 47 minutes

Lore & Background

The title refers to a moment when Walt is stopped at a red light. While waiting, he hears on the radio that Donald Margolis has been rushed to the hospital following a self-inflicted gunshot wound related to an air disaster. Immediately after this news, Victor pulls up and hands Walt his share of Jesse's meth earnings just as the light turns green.

Reader's Guide

This episode marks a significant shift in power dynamics between Walt, Jesse, and Gus. Walt is fired from his job at the school and loses Saul Goodman as a legal and financial ally after a confrontation involving house bugging issues. He also fails to connect with Carmen Molina. Jesse takes initiative by cooking meth independently and negotiating directly with Gus Fring through intermediaries Mike and Saul, though he feels shortchanged on payment. Skyler's affair with Ted Beneke deepens while her co-workers grow suspicious due to Walt's behavior at her workplace. Hank Schrader halts his transfer to El Paso by pursuing a lead on blue meth, using evidence from a gas station ATM to convince his boss he is close to a breakthrough despite concerns for his mental well-being.

Did You Know?

The episode aired on April 11, 2010, and was viewed by 1.46 million people.
Noel Murray of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B grade, praising its balance of "action and inaction."
In 2019, The Ringer ranked this episode 56th out of 62 total Breaking Bad episodes.