# MythBusters doing "Breaking Bad" episode **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 2, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690 "2012-11-02T18:04:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/1 "2012-11-02T18:04:12Z")
[We asked (not to say begged), they answered.](http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/11/02/mythbusters-breaking-bad-episode/) In an episode airing in the spring, Aaron Paul and Vince Gilligan will help the crew test a myth about hydrofluoric acid dissolving corpses, and another unspecified myth taken from the first season. I’m hoping it’s fulminate of mercury = survivable explosion. They may do more BB-themed episodes in the future. Crossovers, bitch! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/2 "2012-11-02T18:15:56Z")
Nice! ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/3 "2012-11-02T19:40:08Z")
What about the magnets, bitch? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/4 "2012-11-02T19:48:00Z")
They said they might try magnets in a future episode. Jamie is really into powerful magnets, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they came back to it. Maybe they can get Bryan Cranston to show up for that one. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/5 "2012-11-02T19:58:41Z")
It is imperative (to me) that I be the first to say it: “yeah science!” ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/6 "2012-11-02T20:05:07Z")
Needs more than one episode. I’ve posted this list before. What am I missing? [ul][li]cook up some 99.1% meth[/li][li]dissolve some bodies with hydrofluoric[/li][li]dissolve the bottom of a bathtub with hydrofluoric[/li][li]make some phosphene gas and kill some animals[/li][li]start a car fire with a squeegee[/li][li]jump start an RV with an improvised battery[/li][li]make some ricin[/li][li]make some thermite from an etch-a-sketch[/li][li]use thermite to melt a lock[/li][li]make some fulminated mercury and use it to blow up an office[/li][li]cause a power outage using foil balloons[/li][li]crash a 737[/li][li]blow up a car by stuffing a rolled-up magazine into the gas tank feed and lighting it on fire[/li][li]suicide by defibrillator[/li]and magnets![/ul] ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/7 "2012-11-02T20:33:50Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Needs more than one episode. I’ve posted this list before. What am I missing? > > [li]use thermite to melt a lock[/li][li]blow up a car by stuffing a rolled-up magazine into the gas tank feed and lighting it on fire[/li][/LIST] I think they’ve actually done those before. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/8 "2012-11-02T20:44:30Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I think they’ve actually done those before. They’ve definitely done the gas tank thing. I don’t think they used thermite on a lock, although they’ve busted locks a lot of other ways and they’ve tested plenty of thermite myths. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/9 "2012-11-02T20:48:58Z")
[quote=“standingwave, post:6, topic:639690”] [li]suicide by defibrillator[/li][/QUOTE] No need for the Mythbusters. I can tell you right now that it’s 100% impossible, at least the way it was presented on the show. AEDs will NOT deliver a shock if it’s a non-shockable rhythm (v-fib or v-tach.) A real, fully-functional defib, could do it, though. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/10 "2012-11-02T23:14:50Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > No need for the Mythbusters. I can tell you right now that it’s 100% impossible, at least the way it was presented on the show. > > AEDs will NOT deliver a shock if it’s a non-shockable rhythm (v-fib or v-tach.) > > A real, fully-functional defib, could do it, though. I agree, though with the slightest nod to suspension of disbelief, they did show the character jiggering the AED and using it in a non-standard way. It was more entertaining than say, shooting himself in the head. Mythbusters could still tackled it, if only to bust it and it would be a useful PSA if they could show how AEDs are actually used. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/11 "2012-11-02T23:47:49Z")
The show was on free to air TV in the UK before, but it disappeared after a short run. I’m so far behind I didn’t realise they’d done a MacGyver special ☹ ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/12 "2012-11-03T00:57:09Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > The show was on free to air TV in the UK before, but it disappeared after a short run. I’m so far behind I didn’t realise they’d done a MacGyver special ☹ They really need to do a MacGyver sequel. There’s a near limitless supply of awesomeness to test. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/13 "2012-11-03T02:17:14Z")
I’m waiting for the MacGruber episode, where they test if one can really distract one’s opponent by jamming a stalk of celery up one’s butt. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/14 "2012-11-03T02:27:17Z")
How about breaking into a convenience store style ATM? ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/15 "2012-11-03T02:28:45Z")
Just have to repeat - Yeah Science, Bitch!!! ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/16 "2012-11-03T02:30:34Z")
Also, quickly draining fluid from a tanker car. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/17 "2012-11-03T03:06:51Z")
[quote=“standingwave, post:6, topic:639690”] [ul] [li]make some phosphene gas and kill some animals[/ul][/li][/QUOTE] A minor nitpick. I’ve never seen the show, but I assume it’s phosgene gas, which was a chemical weapon in WWI. Phosphine gas would also be quite toxic, but would be much more difficult to produce. Phosgene, despite it name, does not have phosphorous in it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/18 "2012-11-03T03:23:28Z")
[It’s supposed to be phosphine gas.](http://www.creative-science.org.uk/hollywood28.html) And according to the UK’s Royal Society of Chemistry, it’s busted. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/19 "2012-11-03T03:39:19Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > A minor nitpick. I’ve never seen the show, but I assume it’s phosgene gas, which was a chemical weapon in WWI. Phosphine gas would also be quite toxic, but would be much more difficult to produce. Phosgene, despite it name, does not have phosphorous in it. Misspelled it. It was phosph_i_ne, apparently a real danger in meth labs. Hank: _Meth labs are nasty on a good day. You mix that shit wrong and you got mustard gas._ Walt: _Phosphine gas. - I think._ Hank: _Yeah, exactly. One whiff will kill you. That’s why the respirators._ ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690/20 "2012-11-03T06:35:29Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > What am I missing? Casually walking into a chemical supply house asking for methylamine (as Jesse did in season 1) and NOT having the cops surround the building in about 45 seconds flat. Not to mention not being photographed from every conceivable angle even before you opened your mouth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-doing-breaking-bad-episode/639690.md?page=2)