Seven Thirty-Seven

Walt calculates he needs $737,000 as his criminal world violently collides with his home life.

Seven Thirty-Seven is the second season premiere of Breaking Bad and the eighth episode overall. It aired on AMC on March 8, 2009. The story follows Walter White calculating he needs $737,000 for his family after a violent encounter with drug kingpin Tuco Salamanca leaves Walt's associate No-Doze dead. While Jesse Pinkman buys a handgun to protect themselves, Walt proposes using ricin poison instead of shooting Tuco. The episode ends with Tuco kidnapping Walt and holding Jesse at gunpoint.

Quick Facts

Series: Breaking Bad
Director: Bryan Cranston
Writer: J. Roberts
Photographer: Michael Slovis
Editor: Lynne Willingham
Air date: 8 March 2009
Length: 47 minutes

Lore & Background

The title references the specific dollar amount Walt determines is necessary to provide for his family. It also nods to a Boeing 737 airplane crash shown in the flashforward intro. This episode begins a series of flashforwards featuring a pink teddy bear floating in a pool; when combined with future episode titles, they spell out 'Seven Thirty-Seven Down Over ABQ', foreshadowing the Wayfarer 515 disaster.

Reader's Guide

The episode opens with the aftermath of Tuco beating his own men. Watch for Walt's calculation scene where he determines the $737,000 figure. Note the contrast between Jesse buying a gun and Walt planning to use poison. Observe Hank viewing the surveillance footage of the methylamine theft; he recognizes thermite but underestimates the thieves' skill. The climax shifts from a potential shootout to a kidnapping when Tuco captures Walt and Jesse.

Did You Know?

The episode was directed by Bryan Cranston, who also portrays the protagonist Walter White.
Walt calculates that he needs exactly $737,000 to provide for his family, which gives the episode its title.
Gonzo dies accidentally in a junkyard while attempting to move No-Doze's body, leading Walt and Jesse to mistakenly believe Tuco killed him.
Skyler refuses to answer phone calls from her sister Marie, revealing she knows about Marie's shoplifting.