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"Ozymandias" Is Still One Of The Greatest Episodes Of TV Ever Made

A Bona-Fide Classic That Is Almost Universally Adored

On September 15, 2013, season 5, episode 14, "Ozymandias" premiered, changing the course of TV forever. Met with universal praise, "Ozymandias" was the culmination of everything Breaking Bad had been working up to over the course of five seasons, with some of the biggest moments in TV history happening, which set up an incredible finale that would endure for years after the series ended.

"Ozymandias" is so well regarded, in fact, that it is the only TV episode ever to have a perfect 10/10 rating on IMDB, and is widely considered the best single episode of television ever. What really helps elevate "Ozymandias" is how meticulously the character's relationships have been built for years and how they immediately collapse in quick succession. When Hank is killed, Skyler and Walter get into a physical confrontation; Walt Jr. learns about what his dad truly is; and Walter casually tells Jessie that he let Jane die. Every single one of those moments lands and is felt with tremendous force. It's genuinely perfect.

Holly's Kidnapping Scene Was Great Because Of An Accident On-Set

A Heartbreaking Moment That Crowns The Episode And Walter White's Arc

During the events of "Ozymandias", Walter White attempts to kidnap his daughter Holly out of desperation, with a pleading Skyler pleading to let her go as he attempts to flee in his vehicle. The idea being the scene itself is heartbreaking, but Holly let out the saddest cry at that moment, which was not written that way. In an interview with The Ringer about "Ozymandias", Bryan Cranston, Vince Gillian, Melissa Bernstein, Moira Walley-Beckett, and Rian Johnson open up about that scene and how it was a complete accident for Holly to cry like that, stating:

Cranston: We were setting up for a master shot of the bathroom with me and the baby. And it was the first time that we said, “OK, let’s do this,” and we gently took the baby.

Johnson: That baby’s mom was just off camera.

Cranston: That made this baby go, “Mama, Mama.”

Bernstein: It was like somehow she understood what was going on in that scene.

Johnson: That’s one of those pure lightning strikes of luck that you probably don’t get twice in a lifetime.

Cranston: It was me, [director of photography] Mike Slovis, Moira, and Rian. Our eyes bugged out.

Johnson: It started happening, and we all just looked at each other, like “Oh my God! Bryan, please don’t break character.”

Walley-Beckett: What was extraordinary was that Bryan went with it, you know. And it broke his heart wide open. It was more than I could ever have hoped for in the writing.

Cranston: We knew we had gold.

Gilligan: That was one of the best performances in the whole series. That baby looked so sad. I promise you, no babies were harmed in the episode.

It's funny that, despite all the prestigious actors that were featured on Breaking Bad over the years, with some of the best performances in TV history on display, an accidental character break from a baby helped create one of the show's most devastating moments. It's scenes like Walter Kidnapping Holly, or Hank's death that have helped "Ozymandias" remain the gold standard for television episodes, and a testament to Breaking Bad's enduring legacy.