What is Jonathan Banks' favourite Breaking Bad sequence? Here's what the star revealed back in the day

Breaking Bad, the AMC show, is known for its dark storytelling and memorable characters. The series follows Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who turns to making meth to secure his family's future. One of the characters with an unforgettable arc is Mike Ehrmantraut, played by Jonathan Banks. Mike became a fan favorite because of how calm, loyal, and calculated he was.

While Mike had many memorable scenes throughout Breaking Bad, Banks once shared that his favourite sequence was a quiet but powerful scene between Mike and Jesse Pinkman in season five.

Jonathan Banks’ favourite Breaking Bad scene revealed

Jonathan Banks revealed to Entertainment Weekly in 2018 that his most treasured scene from Breaking Bad comes from season five, from the episode Say My Name. In this scene, Mike has decided to leave the drug world behind. As he prepares for it, Jesse Pinkman tries to say a casual goodbye with,

“Guess I’ll see you around.”

Mike replies firmly,

“I don’t think so. When I’m out, I’m out.”

Although Jesse insists he’s leaving too, Mike doesn’t believe him. Before walking away, Mike gives Jesse one final piece of advice,

“Kid, just look out for yourself.”

For Banks, this short moment stood out because of its emotional weight. As he told Entertainment Weekly,

“It was so emotional, and it’s just a small scene. I tell Jesse to be careful and I leave. I’ve always said I don’t think he could save Jesse. But he thought there was a chance that maybe he could get out of the life.”

This sequence has far more significance when we consider what we learn about Mike in Better Call Saul. Before joining Gus Fring, Mike was a dirty cop. After his son, a clean and honest police officer, was murdered by corrupt officers, Mike was filled with guilt. From that point on, he tried to do right by his granddaughter, giving her most of the money he earned.

Mike’s past gives us insight into why he cared so much about young men like Jesse. He had already failed to protect his son, and in Better Call Saul, we see him try to help Nacho Varga escape a similar fate. Sadly, like his son, Nacho also met a tragic end.

Mike may not have openly expressed his emotions, but his concern for Jesse in that farewell scene reveals a more caring side of him. He knew what was coming for Jesse and, in his way, tried to steer him away from it.

Unfortunately, Jesse did not take that advice. He stayed involved with Walter White and eventually suffered greatly before finally gaining freedom in El Camino. Mike, too, would meet a grim end not long after his farewell to Jesse.

Jonathan Banks’ favorite Breaking Bad sequence might seem like a minor one, compared to the show’s more popular moments, but it is emotionally deep. It shows how Mike carried his past with him, always trying, but failing to save others from the same painful path. It's a quiet moment that captures the heartbreak and hopelessness that lies at the core of Breaking Bad.

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are streaming on Netflix.

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