Following the departure of Diane Sawyer, the title of the program was also silently rebranded back to World News Tonight for the first time since 2006, albeit with "ABC" attached to the title. A 2022 analysis by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a British think tank, found that Sky News Australia was a major source for climate change misinformation. Auletta, Ken (12 July 2022). Hollywood Ending: Harvey Weinstein and the Culture of Silence. Rhodes, Joe (July 15, 2011). "Shattering All Vestiges of Innocence (Walter White Returns and His Descent Continues)". Hibberd, James (December 15, 2011). "Golden Globe TV nominations list: 'Homeland,' 'Game of Thrones,' 'American Horror Story'". Poniewozik, James (December 21, 2011). "What Were The Best TV Lines of 2011?". Time. Dayton, Lee (December 2, 2011). "Breaking Bad Nabs Two Satellite Award Nominations". Seidman, Robert (August 9, 2011). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'True Blood,' Kardashians, 'Falling Skies,' 'In Plain Sight,' 'Breaking Bad,' & Much More". Seidman, Robert (August 2, 2011). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'True Blood,' Shark Week , 'Falling Skies,' 'In Plain Sight,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'Leverage,' & Much More". Readfearn, Graham (25 August 2023). "Scientific journal retracts article that claimed no evidence of climate crisis". Gorman, Bill (August 30, 2011). "Sunday Cable : 'Video Music Awards,' 'True Blood,' 'Kardashians,' 'Entourage,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'Leverage' & Much More".

Koo, Carolyn (December 30, 2011). "Breaking Bad Makes Best of Lists for 2011 of the Boston Globe, New York mag, and Collider". Lambert, David (March 30, 2012). "Breaking Bad - Sony's '4th Season' Press Release Gives Final List of Extras, Peek at Box Art". Lambert, David (March 26, 2012). "breaking news just in [their explanation] Bad - Release Date, EXTENSIVE Bonus Material for 'The Complete 4th Season'". Jodelka, Filipa (January 26, 2016). "Extreme Time Cheaters: meet the people who wash up in the shower". Ng, Philiana (January 10, 2012). "Directors Guild Announces TV and Commercial Nominations". Charney, Noah (January 10, 2012). "Inside the Masterpiece TV Edition: "BREAKING BAD"". VanDerWerff, Emily (October 10, 2011). "Vince Gilligan walks us through season four of Breaking Bad (part 1 of 4)". The A.V. Cheever, Emily (August 2, 2011). "Interview: Betsy Brandt ('Breaking Bad')". Wilkins, Phil (21 August 1990). "Drummoyne say SRU inquiry is a vendetta". Dixon, Kelley (August 2, 2011). Breaking Bad Insider 403 (Podcast). Kelley Dixon and Skip Macdonald were each nominated for an Eddie Award for Best Edited One-Hour Series for Commercial Television.

Its nominations included Outstanding Drama Series, Bryan Cranston for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Giancarlo Esposito for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Anna Gunn for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Mark Margolis for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, Vince Gilligan for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series ("Face Off"), Michael Slovis for Outstanding Cinematography for a One Hour Series ("Face Off"), and Kelley Dixon and Skip Macdonald each for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series ("End Times" and "Face Off"). For the 2nd Critics' Choice Television Awards, the series received five nominations for Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama Series (Cranston), Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Giancarlo Esposito and Aaron Paul), and Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Anna Gunn), winning two; Best Actor in a Drama Series (Cranston) and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Esposito). Saturn Award nominations, including Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series, Best Actor on Television (Cranston), Best Supporting Actor on Television (Esposito and Paul), and Best Guest Performer on Television (Steven Bauer and Mark Margolis), winning three; Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series, Best Actor on Television (Cranston), and Best Supporting Actor on Television (Paul).

At the 28th TCA Awards, the series was nominated for three awards, including Program of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Drama, and Individual Achievement in Drama (Cranston). The fourth season received numerous awards and nominations, including 13 Primetime Emmy Award nominations. The series earned three nominations for the Writers Guild of America Awards, winning two; Best Drama Series and Best Episodic Drama ("Box Cutter"). Best-selling author Noah Charney called it "the best show on television" and compared it to great works of literature for its three-dimensional characters and combination of action, drama, and dark comedy. Bryan Cranston received his second consecutive Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series. Capcom was onto something with its original 1987 hit, but it was Street Fighter II that solidified the series as the pinnacle of 2D fighting game design, to the point where the game is still viewed as a top-tier title in the competitive scene more than a quarter century after its original release. Breaking Bad" Season Four" (Press release). Breaking Bad" for Fourth Season" (Press release).