Breaking Bad Reunion: Aaron Paul & Bryan Cranston's Epic Surprise Creates a Game-Changing Twist

Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston recently surprised fans with a Breaking Bad reunion, but this unexpected gathering has brought about a significant change to the beloved series. Throughout the course of Breaking Bad, the characters of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman have become iconic, thanks to their well-developed storylines. Walt has always been portrayed as a manipulative and powerful drug dealer, while Jesse served as his impressionable and relatively innocent assistant. However, the latest twist in this dynamic duo's tale comes in the form of a surprising sitcom that parodies the AMC series and completely reverses their roles.

Although Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston have previously reunited for Better Call Saul and a Breaking Bad PopCorners Super Bowl ad, their most recent collaboration takes place in a rather unconventional setting: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In episode 5 of the show's 16th season, Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston join forces to launch a new line of alcoholic beverages, much to the delight of the show's main characters. Charlie, Mac, and Dennis aim to present their own alcohol brand to the actors, but soon discover that the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia portrayal of Paul and Cranston is remarkably different from their Breaking Bad personas.

Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul's It's Always Sunny Season 16 Cameos Flip Walt & Jesse's Breaking Bad Relationship

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Surprisingly, the animated cameos of Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul in Season 16 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia offer a satirical twist on their famous roles from Breaking Bad. In the acclaimed series, Walter White exerts control over Jesse Pinkman, initially blackmailing him into the world of meth production and gradually pushing him towards committing more heinous crimes. This dynamic is completely upended in an amusing manner in Episode 5 of the sixteenth season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Instead of portraying Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul as they are in real life, the show presents a comical parody of their toxic relationship on Breaking Bad. In this episode, Aaron Paul plays the domineering leader of their alcohol-based empire, having Cranston at his beck and call. Paul manipulates and coerces Cranston into serving him, taking charge of their enterprise. Conversely, Bryan Cranston embodies the role of Jesse Pinkman within the context of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, portraying a timid but optimistic creative individual who yearns to break free from their joint venture. The role reversal between Cranston and Paul may initially come across as peculiar, but it cleverly serves as a hilarious parody.

Bryan Cranston's Jesse Pinkman Quote Makes Their Always Sunny Cameos Even More Meta

Interestingly, this cameo in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 16 adds another layer of meta with a Breaking Bad reference. In a heated argument between Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, Cranston refers to Paul as a "bitch." For Breaking Bad fans, this word holds significance as one of Jesse Pinkman's signature catchphrases, repeatedly used throughout the series. By having Bryan Cranston, the actor who portrayed Walter White, use this slogan, the episode solidifies his role as Jesse in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's satirical interpretation of Breaking Bad. This moment stands out as one of the episode's best meta moments.

Why Breaking Bad Is Never Mentioned Once In It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 16, Episode 5

Although references to Breaking Bad are scattered throughout It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 16, episode 5, the actual series is never explicitly mentioned. This is unexpected, considering the sitcom's tendency to pay homage to the acclaimed show that made Cranston and Paul household names. Instead, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cleverly incorporates the characters played by Cranston and Paul in Breaking Bad as part of a larger comedic narrative within the sitcom's universe.

Despite their fame from Breaking Bad, the acting duo Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are amusingly referred to as actors from the show Malcolm in the Middle. Interestingly, while Bryan Cranston did portray Hal in Malcolm in the Middle prior to his role as Walter White, Aaron Paul was not a part of the series. In fact, the gang mistook him for a grown-up version of Frankie Muniz. This humorous joke effectively brings It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Breaking Bad parody full circle. In season 16, episode 5 of the show, the popular Breaking Bad is completely ignored in favor of an older sitcom featuring Bryan Cranston, but not Aaron Paul.