<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> External links </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Website </Td> </Tr> <P> Breaking Bad is an American neo-western crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan . The show originally aired on the AMC network for five seasons, from January 20, 2008 to September 29, 2013 . It tells the story of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with lung cancer . Together with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), White turns to a life of crime by producing and selling crystallized methamphetamine to secure his family's financial future before he dies, while navigating the dangers of the criminal world . The title comes from the Southern colloquialism "breaking bad", meaning to "raise hell" or turn toward crime . Breaking Bad is set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico . </P> <P> Walter's family consists of his wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) and children, Walter, Jr . (RJ Mitte) and Holly (Elanor Anne Wenrich). The show also features Skyler's sister Marie Schrader (Betsy Brandt), and her husband Hank (Dean Norris), a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent . Walter hires lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), who connects him with private investigator and fixer Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) and in turn Mike's employer, drug kingpin Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito). The final season introduces the characters Todd Alquist (Jesse Plemons) and Lydia Rodarte - Quayle (Laura Fraser). </P>

Where does the name breaking bad come from