Movies

Better Call Saul’s Shocking Original Villain Plan

BBG News

Spoilers for Better Call Saul below.

Initially, a character from ‘Better Call Saul’ was intended to be a villain, which would have undermined one of the most outstanding episodes in the series. Both ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ possess an array of villains that could rival any comic book hero, and some of the most captivating characters in Vince Gilligan’s works are these villains. Since ‘Better Call Saul’ is set in a more legal and professional environment, the spin-off series introduces villains from diverse backgrounds. While there are still formidable drug lords, there are also less intimidating antagonists.

In the television series “Better Call Saul,” Jimmy McGill’s (Bob Odenkirk) brother, Chuck McGill (Michael McKean), serves as one of the initial antagonists. Unlike typical antagonists who resort to law-breaking, Chuck presents a unique challenge for Jimmy throughout the first three seasons without ever breaking the law himself.

Jimmy’s dual allegiance to both the legal and illegal worlds creates adversaries on both fronts, making him vulnerable from multiple directions. Although the criminals pose a significant threat, it is the legal antagonists who have the most profound impact on Jimmy, striking at his very core.

Had an alternative plan been implemented in “Better Call Saul,” another formidable legal adversary could have emerged alongside Chuck McGill.

Howard Hamlin Was Supposed To Be Better Call Saul’s Villain – Until He Wasn’t

Vince Gilligan Thought Howard Would Be A Villain And Chuck Would Support Jimmy

In the series “Better Call Saul,” Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian) isn’t exactly a villain, but he becomes a formidable obstacle due to Jimmy and Kim Wexler’s (Rhea Seehorn) misplaced anger. Interestingly, creator Vince Gilligan initially planned for Howard to be more than just an antagonist; he was intended to be a clear-cut villain specifically set against Jimmy, with Chuck serving as a supportive character in this narrative (as reported by The New Yorker). According to Gilligan, “Howard was meant to be the main antagonist, pitted against Jimmy.

Reflecting on the first two episodes of ‘Better Call Saul,’ it strikes me now that we didn’t know much about Jimmy McGill at the time, nor his brother Charles or their boss Howard Hamlin. Initially, Peter, myself, and the writers thought Howard was going to turn out as the antagonist, while Charles was expected to be like Mycroft Holmes – emotionally scarred but supportive. However, as the series unfolded, these characters evolved in ways we didn’t anticipate.

Over time, it becomes clear in the series that Howard genuinely likes Jimmy, whereas Chuck harbors a deep-seated disdain for him. In the words of the showrunner, Gilligan, this dynamic unfolds and evolves throughout the show.

As we spent more time developing the script and observing the actors portray their characters, we started to think about making Howard less villainous than he initially appears. Instead of being purely good or evil, he seems to have complex feelings towards his younger brother Jimmy, who is a correspondence-school lawyer. Similarly, Chuck’s initial supportive demeanor towards Jimmy may not be as genuine as it seems. As a result, the show became more intriguing when we reconsidered these characters’ relationships.

It was wise of Gilligan and his team to give the characters a twist in their roles, making Chuck and Howard more complex because they aren’t what they first seemed.

Gilligan and his writers made an excellent choice by flipping the script on the characters, giving Chuck and Howard depth since they are not as we initially perceived them to be.

Howard’s Death In “Plan And Execution” Is One Of The Franchise’s Most Cruel Scenes

Howard Did Nothing To Deserve His Death

In the series “Better Call Saul,” Howard Hamlin is undeniably one of the saddest characters, and his demise is undoubtedly one of the harshest scenes portrayed. After suffering greatly at the hands of Kim and Jimmy, despite his relentless efforts to keep their firm running smoothly and even aiding their questionable schemes, he confronts them in their apartment. Having consumed alcohol, Howard sheds his usual polite and professional facade and expresses his true feelings towards Jimmy and Kim. Throughout this encounter, he is neither unjust nor incorrect. Instead, they have mercilessly and unnecessarily mistreated him.

Instead of contemplating retribution, Howard merely intends to demonstrate his resilience and prove that they cannot crush him. He aims to convey this message to Jim and Kimmy, and it turns out to be quite motivational and noble for someone who has no reason to behave so kindly towards them. As he concludes his speech, Lalo (Tony Dalton) emerges from the shadows. In a fleeting instant of clarity, Howard recognizes that he’s in a perilous position before Lalo takes his life. Howard is laid to rest in an anonymous grave, with everyone who knew him believing he succumbed to a drug overdose. This turn of events is incredibly harsh.

Better Call Saul’s Best Episode Wouldn’t Have Worked If Howard Had Been The Villain

“Plan And Execution” Is The Result Of Every Bad Thing Jimmy And Kim Did

In many ways, “Plan and Execution,” episode 7 of season 6 in Better Call Saul, is as hard-hitting as it gets, yet it ranks among the series’ finest episodes. Given the mid-season finale status of this episode, such a powerful impact was to be expected. If creator Vince Gilligan had always intended Howard to be a villain, this moment would lose much of its significance. Jimmy and Kim never wished for Howard’s demise; they were not inherently malicious individuals. However, their unwavering desire for revenge and the excitement of pulling off a con blurred their vision, causing them to become indifferent towards Howard’s fate.

Jimmy might not be intentionally malicious, yet he consistently causes harm to those around him. Kim must confront this truth and participate in it for her to fully understand that she must distance herself from Jimmy. This pivotal moment significantly impacts both their lives, and the terrible act of their prank leading to an innocent man’s death is a haunting burden they carry throughout Breaking Bad. If Gilligan had chosen Howard as the antagonist in Better Call Saul, he could have made it effective, but we would have missed out on crucial emotional turmoil.

Read More

2025-05-21 00:35

Previous post Why Hollywood Characters Hang Up the Phone Without Saying ‘Bye’
Next post Error during authentication for model deepseek-chat: Rate limited by Puter.js API. Try again after 60 seconds.