In the new Scream movie, the most polarizing sequel in the in-universe Stab franchise is attributed to “the Knives Out guy.” This is a knowing nod to Rian Johnson, whose Star Wars sequel The Last Jedi notoriously divided the fan base back in 2017. Some Star Wars fans consider The Last Jedi to be a masterpiece, while others consider it to be the low point of the saga. Johnson’s radical deconstruction of franchise tradition – namely the unusually bitter characterization of Luke Skywalker (and Leia’s “Mary Poppins in space” moment) – was bound to have a divided reaction from the audience.

This wasn’t Johnson’s first experience with a polarized fan base. Seven years earlier, he directed an episode of Breaking Bad that split fans’ opinions down the middle. Season 3’s “Fly” – the first of three Breaking Bad episodes helmed by Johnson – is one of the most controversial installments in the near-flawless run of Vince Gilligan’s iconic crime drama. There are many fans who enjoy “Fly,” but it has a reputation as one of the show’s most-hated episodes.

RELATED: Rian Johnson Should've Made His 'Last Jedi' Concept As An Original Movie

“Fly” is a classic example of a “bottle episode.” When a season of a TV show is close to going over its budget, the writers will come up with a “bottle episode” designed to cut down on costs with limited cast members and locations. In “Fly,” Walt delays a day’s work because a housefly has made its way into the meth lab and it could contaminate the cook. So, he and Jesse spend an entire day trying to kill a fly. Some fans and critics decried the episode’s lack of action, story progression, and major characters besides Walt and Jesse, but others consider it to be one of the greatest episodes of the series.

“Fly” Is The “Pine Barrens” Of Breaking Bad

A fly on Walt's glasses in Breaking Bad

While “Fly” is certainly an unconventional episode of Breaking Bad, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some of the greatest TV episodes of all time have broken their shows’ conventions. When “Fly” first aired, it was favorably compared to the acclaimed Sopranos episode “Pine Barrens,” in which Chris and Paulie chase a Russian mobster through the snowy forest where they were supposed to whack him. Much like “Pine Barrens,” “Fly” plays like a quirky one-act play focused on the relationship between two key characters.

“Fly” might not progress the ongoing storylines or feature any of Breaking Bad’s signature action, but it takes a deep dive into the story’s overall themes and the characters’ psychology. Over the course of the episode, the pesky fly becomes a symbol of Walt’s guilt – it’s an annoying little thing that he can’t get rid of. His conflicted feelings about Jane’s death bubble to the surface as he becomes delirious and almost tells Jesse that he let her die. “Fly” is much deeper and more compelling than fans seem to remember when its cerebral philosophical contemplations get in the way of their fast-paced binge-watch.

Johnson Was Later Redeemed In The Eyes Of Breaking Bad Fans

Walter White looking shocked in Breaking Bad

Three years after “Fly” hit the airwaves, Johnson was redeemed in the eyes of Breaking Bad fans when he returned to helm “Ozymandias” in the final season. Notable for its perfect 10/10 score on IMDb, “Ozymandias” is widely regarded to be one of the greatest TV episodes of all time. Two episodes away from the series finale, “Ozymandias” acts as the action-packed climax for the show, with all the payoffs that viewers waited half a decade for. Johnson managed to stick the landing with every single one, from Hank’s death to the fall of Walt’s empire to a brutal knife fight between the White family. Even fans who despised “Fly” will admit that “Ozymandias” was a masterpiece.

Based on this track record, it’s possible that Johnson could achieve similar redemption in the eyes of Star Wars fans. Around the time of The Last Jedi’s release, Johnson was signed on to write and direct an entire Star Wars trilogy – totally disconnected from the story of the Skywalkers – but since The Last Jedi hit theaters and Johnson’s take on Star Wars divided fans, that trilogy has been on the back-burner. Johnson has since spearheaded a whole new movie trilogy with Knives Out.

If that stalled Star Wars trilogy ever happens, Johnson will have the chance to tell his own Star Wars story from scratch. One of the problems in The Last Jedi was that Johnson had to fit his ideas into J.J. Abrams’ setups from The Force Awakens. Johnson’s deconstruction of the Star Wars myth might work better if it has nothing to do with the legacy of characters that audiences care about, like Luke and Leia. It’s not easy to unite the entire Star Wars fan base, but The Mandalorian has proven that it is possible and Johnson managed to unite Breaking Bad fans with “Ozymandias” after dividing them with “Fly.”

MORE: Star Wars: The Last Jedi Had A Perfect Sequel Setup (And Rise Of Skywalker Ignored It)