Aaron Paul Divulges Some Details From The Second Season Of “Breaking Bad”

Aaron Paul says the second season of Breaking Bad blows away the show’s first season. He should know — on the series, Paul plays Jesse Pinkman, a former student and current business partner of chemistry teacher-turned-crystal-meth maker Walter H. White (Emmy winner Bryan Cranston). We asked him a few questions about the impending season, which premieres March 8 on AMC.

Where does Season 2 pick up?

Aaron Paul: In the final climax of Season 1, [Walter and Jesse are] making the biggest deal we’ve made, to the crazy drug dealer — this lunatic — Tuco. We’re, first of all, just nervous dealing with him, but we see him beat one of his partners to a bloody pulp for pretty much absolutely nothing. So, we’re terrified. He picks up his limp, bloody body and throws him in the back of the SUV and drives off. We’re just left staring at each other and we walk to the car, and that’s exactly where Season 2 picks up. It actually shows the end of Season 1 again, the very last moments, and then it picks up at the very next moment.

What’s in store for Jesse? I heard mention of a love interest. Is that true?

Yes, yes. And Jesse Pinkman is very, very excited about that — as well as Aaron Paul, I must say. They got a lovely actress named Krysten Ritter, who plays the role of Jane. I’m not going to get too much into how we meet [on the show], but she’s fabulous. She’s really great. I’m excited to show that sort of relationship. I mean, the first season, I mainly just worked with Bryan [Cranston], which was amazing, but it’s nice to be able to kind of separate myself — Jesse — from the dual couple relationship between Bryan and me, to something completely different. You actually see, you know, Jesse’s kind of smitten over somebody. It’s nice to be able to play that.

How has your life changed since the first season of the show aired?

Oh, it’s night and day. What this show has done is, it has opened up so many doors. I started in this business close to 12 years ago. Of course, at the very beginning, I couldn’t be too, too picky. As the years went on, I slowly started making money and I began to become very choosy about what I do, much to my agent’s and manager’s dismay — they’re like, “You have to at least get a job,” and I’m like, “No, I have to stay strong and focus.” I think being picky causes longevity in this business. This is such a good show, and the American public — the world — has really only seen seven episodes and we have a full season. The second season is ridiculous.

What was your reaction when the writers strike came along and stopped Season 1 after just seven episodes?

I cried a lot. I really didn’t, but inside I wanted to weep. Everyone says this about their shows, but [ours] is such a family environment. The crew is unbelievable, the cast could not be greater — from top to bottom. [Breaking Bad creator] Vince Gilligan could not be more humble. He’s such a mad genius and he’s so unbelievably humble. So low-key. And he comes up with craziest, darkest @#$%. It’s so nice that, really, when the writers strike happened — obviously they’re fighting the good fight, but — it was devastating.

How is Bryan Cranston as a director? [Cranston directed the Season 2 premiere.]

It’s always great working with a director who has been in front of the camera. He’s just an actor’s director. I would love for him to direct the first episode of every season. I really would. … He knew what he wanted. He was very precise in what he wanted, and he said it in a very gentle way. He never said, “You’re doing this wrong.” A director should never do that. He just kind of talked us through it. I hope he comes back and directs more.