Discover the most popular TV show the year you were born

2013: Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad has become a staple in television history and in pop culture, but nobody expected the show to be such a hit when it first premiered on AMC back in 2008. Breaking Bad was about Walter White, a depressed high school chemistry teacher who gets diagnosed with lung cancer. He hatches a plan to secure his family’s financial future by putting his chemistry knowledge to good use: by making crystal meth. Along with the help of his former student Jesse Pinkman, Walter turns to the life of crime, a far cry from his boring life as a chemistry teacher.

In 2013, Breaking Bad aired its series finale to rave reviews and ratings, and that same year it also entered the Guinness World Records as THE MOST critically acclaimed show of all time. That’s a pretty lofty title, but Breaking Bad earned it. The series received a flurry of awards during its time, including 16 Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes. The show’s star Bryan Cranston took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series an impressive four times, while Aaron Paul won the Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times.

Breaking Bad was a rare show where the reviews for each season seemed to get better and better as the season went on. The show went out on a high note in 2013, instead of dragging on and fizzling like some other shows.