Cast & Characters

Bryan Cranston as Walter White

Walter White, a high-school chemistry teacher, learns he has inoperable lung cancer. To secure his family's financial future, he begins cooking crystal meth with Jesse, a former student. The two become known for top-quality crystal, but success has its complications: To cover his tracks, Walt finds himself facing hardened criminals, committing murder and concocting fanciful lies to deceive his family.

Skyler believes that Gretchen and Elliott, two of Walt's wealthy grad-school friends, are financing her husband's cancer treatments. Walt, who chafes at the idea of accepting charity, is using his drug profits instead. Those profits dwindle after Walt has to fake a fugue state to cover for a short disappearance and racks up a hefty hospital bill. The subsequent arrest of one of Jesse's dealers costs Walt an additional $80,000.

A big drug sale nets Walt and Jesse a huge profit, but Walt finds his partner dangerously addicted to heroin. Fearful Jesse would overdose with that kind of money, Walt refuses to give over Jesse's $480,000 share of their take. But Jesse's girlfriend, Jane, threatens to blackmail him, so he hands over the cash, chiding Jesse for not "wearing the pants."

Despite these setbacks — not to mention Hank's ongoing DEA investigation of Walt's drug-world alter ego — things are looking up for Walt. He has the cash to cover his expensive surgery bill and his cancer is in remission. But when Skyler catches him in several lies, she announces she is leaving him.

"If I tell you the truth, will you stay?" Walt pleads. "Whatever it is, I'm afraid to know," replies Skyler.