Ever since The Walking Dead first aired in 2010, the creative minds at AMC had been quietly sowing
seeds that connected the zombie series with another AMC success story, Breaking Bad. So,
what does Walter White's meth-infused power trip have to do with surviving the end of the world?
Ever since the spinoff series of Fear the Walking Dead arrived on the scene,
it's been clear that The Walking Dead universe
was more than just a single show set between Atlanta and Washington D.C.
This was confirmed when AMC Network CEO Josh Sapan announced in early September 2018 that
the folks at AMC had plans for the universe that extended, quote, "over the next decade plus."
While this may have seemed odd in the shadow of the show's faltering ratings at the time,
it kind of makes sense.
The idea of a long term goal that spans beyond the scope of a single film or series is par for
the course in Hollywood. Cross-pollinating universes is totally in these days,
so a connection between AMC shows is hardly surprising.
What's a bit more interesting, though, is the not-quite-confirmed larger crossover
that integrates Breaking Bad into The Walking Dead universe,
a phenomenon fondly nicknamed the "Breaking Dead Theory."
It's been loosely confirmed by showrunner Dave Erickson,
and here's the skinny on how the two shows line up.
It didn't take long for The Walking Dead to start incorporating elements of their
runaway hit Breaking Bad into their fledgling zombie apocalypse series.
In the second episode of season two, Daryl Dixon can be seen rifling through a clear bag.
The contents comprise his brother Merle's stash, most of which is in pill bottles.
However, tucked at the bottom of the bag is a hefty dose of some blue crystals.
The shot immediately grabs your attention, as Daryl casually lists
"crystal" among the gathered narcotics. Of course, the prize for the most famous blue
crystals in history has to go to Mr. White's Sky Blue. By the end of Breaking Bad, the
stuff was sought after all over the world, so its presence in Georgia wouldn't be particularly odd.
The connection hung there for a bit until none other than Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman
confirmed that the Easter egg was there on purpose.
"It ain't cloudy or dirty or nothin. Just the right shade of blue."
Another possible link that was picked up on in the Walking Dead season 4 episode
"Still" involved Walter White's associate, Mr. Jesse Pinkman.
This one came during that chunk of time when Daryl and Beth were romping around the countryside,
surviving, being moody, and bonding like a couple of cute misfits.
In one scene Daryl tells a story about his brother Merle before everything went south.
"Merle had this dealer. This janky little white guy. A tweaker."
Fans were quick to jump on the description as fitting Pinkman rather neatly.
The speculation became more intriguing a little further into the story,
when Daryl explained an altercation with the fellow in question.
"Then he pulls a gun, sticks it right here. He says, 'I'm gonna kill you, bitch.'"
Between the description and that line, it's hard not to start drawing a connection.
Did Merle work for the nefarious Jesse Pinkman once upon a time?
Perhaps. Although, at another point in the story Daryl refers to the guy's kids.
Guess we'll never know.
Another Easter egg appeared during season 3 of Fear the Walking Dead
hidden in plain sight. As the group entered a bustling bazaar,
a song could be heard blaring over the radio. It was in Spanish,
and to an uninformed viewer did little more than add a mariachi-style splash of color to the scene.
However, for those intimately acquainted with Walter White's tragic story arc, the song had
a much deeper meaning and an undeniable connection to the Breaking Bad universe.
We're talking about "Negro y Azul: The Ballad of Heisenberg."
The song appeared as a cold open in Breaking Bad and is written about Walter White,
a.k.a. Heisenberg, chronicling his rise to power against established
drug cartels and predicting his eventual demise.
The song is clearly specific to Breaking Bad, and its appearance on Fear the Walking Dead was
a clear shoutout to the connection that the shows share. Showrunner Erickson was
referring to this scene in particular when he confirmed that the nod was intentional,
adding more cargo to the runaway train that is the Breaking Dead Theory.
In season 4, as he continues to break bad, Walter White has a growing infatuation with indulging
his reckless nature. Instead of returning a car for an exorbitant restocking fee, for instance,
White simply blows it up. And what about that car? A 2009 Dodge Challenger. Red with a double
black racing stripe straight down the center. That is, until it was blown to smithereens.
And it wasn't the last time one of these cars would appear on an AMC show.
Fast forward to exactly one apocalypse later. In the first season of The Walking Dead,
another Challenger makes an appearance, this time
roaming the streets of Atlanta. The car in question is, once again, a 2009 model.
Some have taken a gigantic leap, assuming that the mysterious Glenn who sold Walter the car in New
Mexico was none other than Glenn Rhee, who fixed it up and drove it to Georgia. A more reasonable
explanation might be that Glenn Rhee the car salesman was simply infatuated with that model.
Either way, this nod from the new show to the old seems clearly intended.
While the little Breaking Bad Easter eggs sprinkled throughout The Walking
Dead universe are fun to point out, the real heart and soul of the Breaking Dead Theory
actually rests on a crossover that's even more sinister. It suggests that Blue Sky
doesn't merely link the two worlds, but that it's the cause of the zombie apocalypse.
While the theory hasn't been made official in any formal way, it also hasn't been denied by the
creators of either show. On the contrary, they've stoked the fires. Walking Dead creator Robert
Kirkman said, albeit a bit tongue-in-cheek, quote, "That's canon, it's confirmed!"
Producer Gale Ann Hurd, when responding to the question of what caused the virus,
stated flatly, quote, "The meth from Breaking Bad, for sure."
On the other side of the aisle, Breaking Bad's
Vince Gilligan responded to the speculation by saying:
"I love that theory. That was a kick. They're two great shows,
The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead."
Bryan Cranston added,
"Walt is dead, so he could be a zombie right now. Heisenberg zombie!"
Gale was a pretty sweet character on Breaking Bad. He was one of the few people who could
rival White's scientific prowess, and he could brew some darn good coffee. In fact, the man had
turned the latter into a science project with an elaborate machine that took volume, temperature,
acidity, and tannins, all into account in the pursuit of brewing the perfect cup.
"Oh my God. That is the best coffee I've ever tasted."
While his death may have left the Breaking Bad crew with cups of Folgers sludge,
it appears it wasn't the last time the scientist's magically caffeine-infused machine was used.
In the third episode of season 3 on The Walking Dead, Merle, the Governor,
and Milton all gather in his lab. While they're talking,
in the background is none other than Gale's coffee machine.
The question is: How did it get there?
This tie-in between Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead goes back
further than you might think. Season 9 of The Walking Dead didn't just see the
departure of characters like Rick Grimes. It also saw the introduction of the Whisperers.
In episode ten, we saw a great deal of their leader Alpha's backstory through the testimony
of her daughter Lydia. During those scenes, both of Lydia's parents are seen singing.
"Lydia, oh! Lydia, say have you met Lydia, oh! Lydia the tattooed lady. [...]"
The tune is fitting for the scene as the girl looks for solace amidst the horrors of
the end of the world. But it wasn't just a well-placed musical number — it also,
of course, harkened back to Breaking Bad.
In the waning moments of Breaking Bad's last episode,
Walter White stands in the midst of the carnage he's created in his final act of vengeance.
As he parts ways with Jesse Pinkman for the last time, a cellphone starts to ring on the
lifeless body of Todd that lies in front of him. The tune on the cell? "Lydia the Tattooed Lady."
"Lydia, oh! Lydia, say have you met Lydia, oh! Lydia the tattooed lady."
It added an abrupt splash of color to the series' swan song as White picked up
and informed yet another Lydia on the other end of the call that her death was imminent.
The connections between AMC's two monumental worlds are too numerous to deny,
and yet the creators of both series have yet to openly steer into the skid.
Walter White's world has continued on in the form of Better Call Saul and the full-length
feature El Camino released in 2019. In addition, The Walking Dead has Fear the Walking Dead,
a triple-header of films in the works, and several more confirmed Walking Dead series!
With all the material being produced, a marriage of the two universes could be a match
made in heaven. After all, Breaking Bad hardly closed up shop before it became
one of the cult classics of our time. And the fandom still surrounding The Walking
Dead could continue breathing life into this beloved world of the dead for years to come.
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