The Only Breaking Bad Show Vince Gilligan Was Not Involved With

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Vince Gilligan revolutionized television with the creation of the hugely popular crime drama, Breaking Bad, which launched a whole franchise. However, there’s one show connected to Walter White’s story that Gilligan didn’t directly work on. Breaking Bad featured a cast of compelling characters and a detailed world, making it a perfect foundation for the successful spinoff series, Better Call Saul, and the 2019 sequel movie, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.

Daniel Gilligan is generating buzz again with his new sci-fi series, Pluribus, now streaming on Apple TV. Better Call Saul‘s Rhea Seehorn stars as Carol Sturka, one of the few people unaffected by a strange virus called “the Joining“. This virus causes intense happiness in those who are infected.

Despite a lot of demand for a new Breaking Bad series, it doesn’t seem likely to happen in the near future. While Vince Gilligan’s current show, Pluribus, is receiving excellent reviews, the same can’t be said for a potential Breaking Bad continuation – and Gilligan seems to recognize that, wisely choosing not to revisit it.

Vince Gilligan Was Not Involved With Slippin’ Jimmy

Before Better Call Saul ended, a secret animated prequel called Slippin’ Jimmy was released. Even dedicated fans may not have known about it! This short series, with six episodes lasting between eight and ten minutes each, follows the early, mischievous adventures of a young Jimmy McGill in Cicero, Illinois. AMC released Slippin’ Jimmy in 2022 alongside the mid-season finale of Better Call Saul season 6.

Vince Gilligan created Breaking Bad and co-created Better Call Saul with Peter Gould, but he wasn’t involved in the creation of Slippin’ Jimmy. That series was developed by Ariel Levine and Kathleen Williams-Foshee, who also created the Employee Training shorts and other similar spin-offs for Better Call Saul.

The series Employee Training premiered alongside seasons 3-6 of Better Call Saul and featured a prominent character in the form of humorous corporate training videos. Although Employee Training was popular with both viewers and critics, earning it Emmy awards, Slippin’ Jimmy received negative reviews.

Gilligan has never spoken publicly about the Slippin’ Jimmy series, and it’s probably because he’d rather not revisit it. Although some Reddit users say Gould described the animated show as “fun” in a podcast, that’s the only real acknowledgment it’s gotten from the main Breaking Bad creative team, and hopefully, that will remain the case.

It’s Hard To Believe That Slippin’ Jimmy Is A Real Show

Many consider Breaking Bad to be one of the greatest TV shows ever made, and its prequel, Better Call Saul, successfully expanded on the stories and characters we loved. This makes Slippin’ Jimmy feel surprisingly out of place and disappointing.

The animation in ‘Slippin’ Jimmy’ – reminiscent of 1970s cartoons – essentially transformed Jimmy McGill (later known as Saul Goodman) into a caricature. This episode presented Jimmy’s early life and wrongdoings as lighthearted and silly, which didn’t fit with the complex and thoughtful character exploration that defined Better Call Saul.

While Better Call Saul was often funny, especially through Jimmy’s clever plans, the show ultimately revealed the deeply flawed person beneath the charming exterior. As the story unfolded, it showed us the pain and struggles that shaped him.

The finale of Better Call Saul isn’t a triumphant victory for Saul Goodman; instead, it’s a deeply sad and heartbreaking conclusion. Calling it “Slippin’ Jimmy” feels disrespectful, not just to the character himself, but to the entire world Vince Gilligan built with Breaking Bad.

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2025-11-24 20:28