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The third season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad premiered on March 21, 2010 and concluded on June 13, 2010. It consisted of 13 episodes, each running approximately 47 minutes in length. AMC broadcast the third season on Sunday nights at 10:00pm EST and 9:00 pm CST in the United States. The DVD version was released in Region 1 and on Blu-ray in Region A on June 7, 2011, in Region 4 on November 24, 2010 and in Region 2 in Germany on May 19, 2011

Story

BB S3 poster

Season 3 promotional poster

Shortly after the Wayfarer Flight 515 disaster, two Juárez Cartel killers known as The Cousins slip into New Mexico after killing an entire clandestine convoy to avenge the death of their cousin, Tuco Salamanca. Their target: "Heisenberg."

Walter is forced to move to an apartment and comes clean about manufacturing meth to Skyler White, who promises not to divulge his criminal activities if he grants her a divorce and keeps his distance. Jesse Pinkman, meanwhile, emerges from rehab changed by Jane Margolis's death. "I'm the bad guy," he tells Walt, who has quite a different self-image: "I am not a criminal," Walt tells Gustavo Fring, declining the businessman's offer of $3 million to cook meth for three months ("No Más").

Using help from Saul Goodman, Jesse manages to buy his house back from his parents, who paid several hundred dollars to reform the house. The Cousins meet with their uncle, Hector Salamanca, to get information about Tuco's killer. At the same time, Saul hires Mike Ehrmantraut to bug the White Family residence to find out if Skyler told anyone about Walt's secret.

Walt defies Skyler and breaks into his own home to move back in. When the Cousins come calling, Mike, who just finished bugging Walt's house, spots their arrival and alerts Gus. The Cousins are called for a meeting and they let Walt (who is totally unaware of everything) live another day ("Caballo Sin Nombre").

Meanwhile, Skyler calls the police to oust Walt but can't bring herself to incriminate him. Since she can't get Walt out of the house, she retaliates by sleeping with her boss, Ted Beneke. Gus calls a meeting with the Cousins and their cartel boss, Juan Bolsa, who agrees to postpone vengeance until Gus ties up his business with Walt ("I.F.T.").

Upon learning that Jesse is cooking on his own, Gus purchases meth from Jesse and gives half the money due to Jesse to Walt to compel him back into the business. When Walt resurfaces to return the money, Gus unveils a state-of-the-art superlab he's constructed beneath an industrial laundromat.

Hank Schrader pursues the "Heisenberg" investigation despite being reassigned to El Paso, but a break in the case complicates matters. Short of cash on his way back from a cook, Jesse barters meth for gas. Hank finds a security camera tape that caught the RV at the gas station, he believes the RV is used as a mobile lab and starts a new investigation ("Green Light").

Walt rebuffs Gus again, lamenting the loss of his family. "A man provides," Gus lectures, "even when he's not appreciated, or respected, or even loved." Convinced, Walt begins cooking alongside Gale Boetticher, a fastidious assistant installed by Gus, and then moves back out of the house. Meanwhile, Hank connects Jesse to the RV, and the RV to Jesse's deceased longtime friend, Combo, a small time drug dealer who was killed while selling Blue Sky Meth ("Mandala").

When Hank calls Walt asking if Jesse had an RV, Walt arranges to have the vehicle demolished at a junkyard. Badger tips off Jesse, who races to stop Walt, and, unbeknownst to him, Hank follows.

While Walt and Jesse huddle inside the RV, Saul's secretary, impersonating a police officer, tells Hank that Marie Schrader's been in an accident. Hank leaves the junkyard, and by time he realizes he's been fooled, the RV is destroyed. Gus meets with the Cousins in the desert, revealing that Tuco's killer is actually the DEA agent Hank Schrader, he then gives the two hitmen permission to kill Hank: "May his death satisfy you" ("Sunset").

Hank, infuriated by the fact that Jesse supposedly knows who his wife is, brutally attacks Jesse in retaliation and gets suspended from the DEA. In the hospital, Jesse plots legal action against Hank. To placate Jesse, Walt convinces Gus to fire Gale and hire Jesse instead.

Later, an anonymous caller warns Hank about an imminent attack. Hank spots the Cousins. In the ensuing clash, Hank is shot multiple times but manages to kill one cousin and gravely injure the other ("One Minute").

To Walt's horror, Gus makes an appearance at the hospital where Hank is being treated. While consoling Marie, Gus recalls meeting Hank at the DEA and seeing the donation jar for Walt's surgery. Gus then tells Walt privately, "I investigate everyone with whom I do business." As Gus departs, the surviving Cousin flat-lines. Amid the commotion, Mike discards a syringe and slips away. In Mexico, Federales attack Bolsa's compound and gun down the Cartel boss ("I See You").

Walt requests a meeting with Gus to postulate that he was the Cousins' real target and that Gus protected him as part of an effort to undermine the cartel. Walt leaves with a $15 million meth production deal and a guarantee of his family's safety.

Walt's negotiations coincide with Jesse's increasing dissatisfaction with Gus's operation. Yearning to return to his "outlaw" days, Jesse skims excess meth at the superlab. Badger and Skinny Pete attend Jesse's NA sessions, where they hype the "blue stuff" as a sales tactic.

Hank's injuries leave him paralyzed. After Marie learns that their insurance won't meet Hank's needs, she gets unexpected help from Skyler who offers to cover their bills using money that Skyler claims Walt won "gambling illegally." After this, Skyler tells Walt to do what is right for the family, because she believes Walt is to blame for what hapenned to Hank ("Kafkaesque").

At the superlab, a housefly so obsesses Walt that he stops production. Weary from lack of sleep and sedatives that Jesse has slipped in his coffee, Walt describes the night Jane overdosed as the "perfect moment" for his own death. Walt also reveals his chance meeting with Jane's father ("Fly").

Skyler stakes out a more active role in Walt's criminal life, citing the need to ensure that the money for Hank's treatment is "unimpeachable." At her first meeting with Saul, the two squabble over money laundering schemes. Alone with Walt, she proposes they purchase the car wash where Walt used to work. She will handle the accounting. Jesse hypes the blue meth to a recovering addict named Andrea and discovers that two rival dealers directed her pre-teen brother to kill Jesse's friend, Combo ("Abiquiú").

Jesse wants to poison the dealers to avenge Combo, but him and Walt discover that the dealers actually work for Gus. Jesse wants to kill them anyway, despite Walt's warnings.

Mike visits Walt, he explains how Jesse is compromising the operation and warns Walt that if anything goes south, he is not going to hesitate in "taking a full measure." Walt, fearing for Jesse's life, tips off Gus who forces Jesse to make peace on the condition the dealers no longer use children in their operation.

Later that evening, police discover the murdered body of Andrea's brother.

Jesse drives to the rival dealers' corner. Just as Jesse and the dealers draw their guns, Walt runs over the dealers with his 2004 Pontiac Aztek. One dies on impact and Walt shoots the other dead. Walt tells Jesse to run ("Half Measures").

Walt's intervention infuriates Gus, who reinstates Gale as Walt's assistant while he hunts down Jesse. Walt meets secretly with Jesse to explain his suspicion that Gus plans to kill them once Gale learns to cook the Blue Sky Meth. Walt reasons that he has leverage only if he alone can produce their special formula. They must kill Gale. "I can't do it, Mr. White," says Jesse, who rathers turning to the police than killing at cold blood someone who is totally unaware of what's hapenning.

Walt agrees to kill Gale himself, but before he can act, Mike and Victor escort him to the superlab for an execution. Appearing desperate, Walt offers to give Jesse up, but says he moves around, so he'll need to call him. "They've got me at the laundry, and they're going to kill me," Walt tells Jesse over the phone. "Do it now!" Mike and Victor draw guns. "You might want to hold off," Walt says defiantly. "Your boss is going to need me."

Jesse arrives at Gale's apartment and draws his gun. "You don't have to do this," Gale pleads. Jesse, his eyes tearing, pulls the trigger, the screen fades to black ("Full Measure").

Cast

Main Cast

Cast Portrays Ep. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Bryan Cranston Walter White 13
Anna Gunn Skyler White 12
Aaron Paul Jesse Pinkman 13
Dean Norris Hank Schrader 11
Betsy Brandt Marie Schrader 10
RJ Mitte Walter White Jr. 11
Giancarlo Esposito Gustavo Fring 11
Bob Odenkirk Saul Goodman 10
Jonathan Banks Mike Ehrmantraut 6
Walt & Jesse S3 2

Notable Guest Starring

Notable Co-Starring

Episodes

Awards and nominations

Ceremony Category Nominee(s) Result
62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Drama Series Breaking Bad ("No Más", "Sunset", "One Minute", "Fly", "Half Measures", "Full Measure") Nominated
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series Michelle MacLaren ("One Minute") Nominated
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Bryan Cranston ("Full Measure") Won
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Aaron Paul ("Full Measure") Won
Outstanding Cinematography for a One Hour Series Michael Slovis ("No Más") Nominated
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series Skip Macdonald ("No Más") Nominated
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series Nick Forshager, Kathryn Madsen, Mark Cookson, Cormac Funge, Jane Boegel, Jason Newman, Gregg Barbanell, and Dominique Decaudain-Tabach ("No Más") Nominated
69th Golden Globe Awards Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama Bryan Cranston Nominated
17th Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Bryan Cranston Nominated
15th Satellite Awards Best Television Series – Drama Breaking Bad Won
Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama Bryan Cranston Won
Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film Aaron Paul Nominated
37th Saturn Awards Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series Breaking Bad Won
Best Actor on Television Bryan Cranston Nominated
Best Supporting Actor on Television Dean Norris Nominated
Best Supporting Actor on Television Aaron Paul Nominated
Best Guest Starring Role on Television Giancarlo Esposito Nominated
26th TCA Awards Program of the Year Breaking Bad Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Drama Breaking Bad Won
Individual Achievement in Drama Bryan Cranston Nominated
Individual Achievement in Drama Aaron Paul Nominated
63rd Writers Guild of America Awards Best Dramatic Series Breaking Bad Nominated
Best Episodic Drama Gennifer Hutchison ("I See You") Nominated
George Mastras ("I.F.T.") Nominated
60th American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards Best Edited One-Hour Series for Commercial Television Kelley Dixon ("Sunset") Nominated
PRISM Awards 2011 Best Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline Breaking Bad Nominated
Best Performance in a Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline Bryan Cranston Nominated
Aaron Paul Won
IGN Awards 2011 Best Television Series Breaking Bad Won
Best Drama Series Breaking Bad Nominated
Best Television Actor Bryan Cranston Nominated
Best Episode "Half Measures" Nominated
Best TV Series on Blu-ray Season 2 Won
American Film Institute Awards 2010 Best Television Program of the Year Breaking Bad Won
2012 Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Casting: Television Series – Drama Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas Nominated
2011 Edgar Allan Poe Awards Best Television Episode Teleplay Vince Gilligan ("No Más") Nominated
Vince Gilligan ("Full Measure") Nominated
2010 Gold Derby Awards Best Drama Series Breaking Bad Nominated
Best Drama Episode of the Year "One Minute" Nominated
Best Drama Lead Actor Bryan Cranston Nominated
Best Drama Supporting Actor Aaron Paul Won
Dean Norris Nominated

DVD and Blu-ray

  • 3 uncensored episodes
    Season 3 DVD
    • This is the first season to have uncensored episodes included, Season 4 followed in its footsteps.
Breaking Bad Seasons
Season 1 MP Season 2 MP Season 3 MP Season 4 MP Season 5A MP Season 5B MP ElCamino MP
Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5A Season 5B El Camino
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