Grilled (Breaking Bad)

"**Grilled**"
"Grilled"
Breaking Bad episode
	Tuco angrily threatens Walter at gunpoint after Hector Salamanca becomes suspicious of him.
Episode no.	Season 2; Episode 2
Directed by	Charles Haid
Written by	George Mastras
Featured music	"Red Moon" by The Walkmen
Cinematography by	Michael Slovis
Editing by	Skip Macdonald
Original air date	March 15, 2009
Running time	46 minutes
Guest appearances
	Raymond Cruz as Tuco Salamanca; Tess Harper as Diane Pinkman; Mark Margolis as Hector Salamanca; Steven Michael Quezada as Steven Gomez; Nigel Gibbs as Tim Roberts;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "Seven Thirty-Seven"	Next →; "Bit by a Dead Bee"
	Breaking Bad (season 2)
	List of episodes

"Grilled" is the second episode of the second season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad. It was written by George Mastras and directed by Charles Haid.

This episode marks the first appearance of Mark Margolis as Hector Salamanca,^[1] and the final appearance of Raymond Cruz as Tuco Salamanca in Breaking Bad.

Plot summary[]

Having been kidnapped by a crazed Tuco, Walt and Jesse are held prisoner in a desert hideout where he takes care of his sick uncle, the mute Hector Salamanca. Hector is incapacitated from the neck down and unable to speak, but can communicate with a desk bell attached to his wheelchair. Hank and the DEA have rounded up Tuco's entire organization, and Tuco thinks that one of his associates ratted him out. He intends to keep Walt and Jesse in the compound until his cousins take them all across the border to Mexico.

Hank, meanwhile, takes a bit of time off to look for Walt. Skyler is sick with worry and has been distributing handbills with Walt's photo. Hank remembers that Jesse Pinkman was Walt's source of marijuana and tries to track him down. Walt tries unsuccessfully to poison a burrito Tuco prepares with the ricin he has prepared; Hector thwarts the attempt, prompting Tuco to lash out at Walt and Jesse. Tuco takes them outside and plans to kill them. Walt and Jesse manage to wound Tuco and escape. Hank shows up looking for Jesse and is confronted by a wounded Tuco. A brief firefight ensues with both men needing to stop and reload their firearms but Hank ultimately shoots and kills Tuco.

Production[]

"Grilled" was written by George Mastras, and directed by Charles Haid. It aired on AMC in the United States and Canada on March 15, 2009.

Reception[]

"Grilled" was very well received. Seth Amitin, of IGN, criticized the episode for prolonging Walt and Jesse's entrance into the drug trade. He gave the episode an 8.9/10.^[2]

In 2019 The Ringer ranked "Grilled" as the 25th best out of the 62 total Breaking Bad episodes.^[3]

References[]

^ Herzog, Kenny (2020-04-21). "Every Breaking Bad Crossover Character in Better Call Saul". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
^ Amitin, Seth (March 16, 2009). "Breaking Bad: "Grilled" Review". IGN. Retrieved May 25, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ Daniel Chin (September 30, 2019). "The Ringer's Definitive 'Breaking Bad' Episodes Ranking". The Ringer.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links[]

"Grilled" at the official Breaking Bad site
"Grilled" at IMDb

[1] Herzog, Kenny (2020-04-21). "Every Breaking Bad Crossover Character in Better Call Saul". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-12-18.

[2] Amitin, Seth (March 16, 2009). "Breaking Bad: "Grilled" Review". IGN. Retrieved May 25, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[3] Daniel Chin (September 30, 2019). "The Ringer's Definitive 'Breaking Bad' Episodes Ranking". The Ringer.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

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