Read on Twitter
A Thread of all the connections between X-Files and Breaking Bad
Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, had his big when he joined The X-Files as a writer. He has often spoken about how his time on the show influenced his storytelling, and that he learned how to be a showrunner by watching X-Files creator Chris Carter work.
Bryan Cranston
X-Files: Patrick Garland Crump, "Drive" (S6E2)
Breaking Bad: Walter White, Main Character
While developing Walt for Breaking Bad, Gilligan was reminded of Cranston's performance as Crump which led to his being cast in Breaking Bad.
X-Files: Patrick Garland Crump, "Drive" (S6E2)
Breaking Bad: Walter White, Main Character
While developing Walt for Breaking Bad, Gilligan was reminded of Cranston's performance as Crump which led to his being cast in Breaking Bad.
Aaron Paul
X-Files: David Winkle, "Lord of the Flies" (S9E5)
Breaking Bad: Jesse Pinkman, Main Character
"Lord of the Flies" was written by Thomas Schnauz, who went on to pen some of Breaking Bad's most well-regarded episodes and who currently is a writer on Better Call Saul.
X-Files: David Winkle, "Lord of the Flies" (S9E5)
Breaking Bad: Jesse Pinkman, Main Character
"Lord of the Flies" was written by Thomas Schnauz, who went on to pen some of Breaking Bad's most well-regarded episodes and who currently is a writer on Better Call Saul.
Dean Norris
X-Files: US Marshal Tapia, "F. Emasculata" (S2E22)
Breaking Bad: Hank Schrader, Main Character
X-Files: US Marshal Tapia, "F. Emasculata" (S2E22)
Breaking Bad: Hank Schrader, Main Character
Michael Shamus Wiles
X-Files: The Black-Haired Man, "The End" (S5E20); "X-Files: Fight the Future"; "En Ami" (S7E15)
Breaking Bad: George Merkert, Reoccuring Character
X-Files: The Black-Haired Man, "The End" (S5E20); "X-Files: Fight the Future"; "En Ami" (S7E15)
Breaking Bad: George Merkert, Reoccuring Character
Raymond Cruz
X-Files: Eladio Buente, "El Mundo Gira" (S4E11)
Breaking Bad: Tuco Salamanca, Multiple Episodes
X-Files: Eladio Buente, "El Mundo Gira" (S4E11)
Breaking Bad: Tuco Salamanca, Multiple Episodes
Javier Grajeda
X-Files: Desk Sergeant, "Tithonus" (S6E10)
Breaking Bad: Juan Bolsa, Multiple Episodes
X-Files: Desk Sergeant, "Tithonus" (S6E10)
Breaking Bad: Juan Bolsa, Multiple Episodes
Danny Trejo
X-Files: Cesar Ocumpo, "Redrum" (S8E6)
Breaking Bad: Tortuga, Multiple Episodes
X-Files: Cesar Ocumpo, "Redrum" (S8E6)
Breaking Bad: Tortuga, Multiple Episodes
Michael McKean
X-Files: Morris Fletcher, multiple episodes
Breaking Bad (Better Call Saul): Chuck McGill, Reoccuring Character
X-Files: Morris Fletcher, multiple episodes
Breaking Bad (Better Call Saul): Chuck McGill, Reoccuring Character
Other Actors:
Name (Breaking Bad Role & X-Files Role)
Dale Dickey ("Spooge's Lady" & "Game Warden")
Dan Desmond ("Mr. Gardiner" & "Harry Odell")
John Koyama ("Emilio Koyama" & stunt performer)
Michael Bowen ("Jack Welker" & "Dwight Cooper")
Jim Beaver ("Lawson" & "Coroner")
Name (Breaking Bad Role & X-Files Role)
Dale Dickey ("Spooge's Lady" & "Game Warden")
Dan Desmond ("Mr. Gardiner" & "Harry Odell")
John Koyama ("Emilio Koyama" & stunt performer)
Michael Bowen ("Jack Welker" & "Dwight Cooper")
Jim Beaver ("Lawson" & "Coroner")
The cigarette brand smoked by Emilio Koyama in "Pilot" (S1E1) and thrown from the RV is "Morley", the same fictional brand smoked by the Cigarette Smoking Man.
The title of the Breaking Bad episode "Cancer Man" (S1E4) is a reference to one of the Cigarette Smoking Man's aliases.
Mike Ehrmantraut's surname in Breaking Bad was used in a Gilligan-penned episode of the X-Files, Tithonus (S6E10), for a character.
Mulder conducting a background check: "The time that you worked with Ms. Ehrmantraut did you find her to be a trustworthy person?"
Mulder conducting a background check: "The time that you worked with Ms. Ehrmantraut did you find her to be a trustworthy person?"
In Breaking Bad, the time shown on the clock in Gale's Apartment in "Box Cutter" (S4E1) is 10:13. The number 1013 is used frequently in The X-Files as a reference to its creator's, Chris Carter's, birthday.
In the X-Files episode "Unruhe" (S4E4) written by Gilligan the killer's camper van is very similar to the one used in Breaking Bad for cooking meth.
Dan Wachsberger in Breaking Bad uses the same bank as Fox Mulder.
The "Cradock Marine" was mentioned in the Breaking Bad Episode "Say My Name" (S5E7) and "Monday" (S6E14), "The Amazing Maleeni" (S7E8), and "Surekill" (S8E8),
The "Cradock Marine" was mentioned in the Breaking Bad Episode "Say My Name" (S5E7) and "Monday" (S6E14), "The Amazing Maleeni" (S7E8), and "Surekill" (S8E8),
The van rental company, Lariat, used by Patrick Kuby to rent a van for Walter White in Breaking Bad is also used in 4 episodes of The X-Files.
When looking at a bulletin board full of Gustavo Fring's associates in "Fifty-One" (S5E4), the spot where Tuco's picture should be is labeled 'Eladio Buente' that is the protagonist of the X-Files ep "El Mundo Gira", (S4E11) Tuco and Eladio Buente were both played by Raymond Cruz
During the pilot of Breaking Bad, Walt shows off supplies he stole from a high school where he works, at that point in the series. He mentions he has an Erlenmeyer flask. This is a reference to the season one finale of The X-Files, "the Erlenmeyer Flask".
In the X-Files episode “The Post-Modern Prometheus" (S5E5), the Great Mutato is hidden in tented houses that are being fumigated just like in Breaking Bad with Vamonos Pest.
Mulder and Scully infamously drink Shiner Bock on Mulder's couch during "Je Souhaite" (S7E21), and the Texas-based beer brand also appears in Breaking Bad when Hank requests it - as well as in Better Call Saul in a shot mirroring the X-Files
In the X-Files episode "Hollywood A.D." (S7E19) Wayne Federman says that he'll be "Heisenbergian" referring to the scientist that Walter White used an alias which was created by X-Files producer Vince Gilligan.
