‘Better Caul Saul’s Success Is Still Surprising 11 Years After the ‘Breaking Bad’ Spin-off’s Premiere

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When a popular show does really well, creators often expand the story with spin-offs. Usually, fans get excited about these new shows, but sometimes that isn’t the case. In 2015, a spin-off started with little initial enthusiasm, even though the original show had won awards. Surprisingly, it went on to become critically acclaimed and considered one of the greatest shows ever made.

As a big movie and TV fan, I’ve noticed spin-offs usually fall into pretty predictable patterns. They’re either prequels – telling stories before the original show – or sequels, picking up the narrative after the main events. Sometimes, they even run alongside the original series, happening at the same time. Honestly, each approach can work, and it really depends on the story they’re trying to tell. But if I’m being honest, I usually find sequels the most satisfying, though there are exceptions, of course!

Why No One Thought ‘Better Call Saul’ Would Work After ‘Breaking Bad’s Success


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I truly believe Breaking Bad was a masterpiece of storytelling. It followed a man, Walter White, who was facing a terrible illness and made increasingly questionable choices, all supposedly to provide for his family. Even now, people argue about what really drove him, but it’s undeniable that the show created one of the most compelling and believable villain origins ever. And honestly, what really blew me away was Bryan Cranston’s performance. Before Breaking Bad, he was known for comedy, so seeing him transform into Walter White was incredible – he completely carried the show!

Despite its generally serious tone, Breaking Bad did have its funny moments. These weren’t usually thanks to Bryan Cranston’s character, Walter White. Instead, the introduction of Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman brought a lot of the humor. Saul’s storylines were often dramatic, but even in those intense scenes, it was hard not to smile. Odenkirk’s performance was so memorable because he was such a vibrant and over-the-top character – he seemed more suited for a comedy than a dark crime drama. Though important to Walt’s journey, Saul largely functioned as a supporting character and a source of comic relief.

When a prequel show focusing on Saul Goodman was announced after Breaking Bad ended, most fans and critics didn’t think it would work. Many believed that centering a story around a character known for being relatively humorous, within a series famous for its dark and realistic crime stories, would ruin Breaking Bad‘s strong reputation. They couldn’t have been more mistaken.

How ‘Better Call Saul’ Surpassed All Expectations


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As a huge fan of Breaking Bad, I always wondered what happened to Saul Goodman after the finale, so the idea of a sequel series felt totally natural. But I was equally fascinated by how he became that slick, morally flexible lawyer we met in the original show. What’s brilliant about Better Call Saul is that it didn’t pick just one path. It wove together both timelines – Saul’s life after Breaking Bad and his journey before – seamlessly. That could have easily made the show feel messy and unfocused, like a lot of spin-offs do. Instead, the creators handled it beautifully. The black-and-white scenes showing Saul’s future were so well done, and by really focusing on being a prequel to Breaking Bad, the show carved out its own unique identity and became something special on its own.

A key to Better Call Saul‘s success was its unique tone. While initially planned as a 30-minute comedy, the show cleverly incorporated the dramatic intensity that Breaking Bad fans loved. Bob Odenkirk’s excellent comedic timing and charm made Better Call Saul funnier than Breaking Bad, but it skillfully avoided becoming a non-stop comedy. In fact, the show’s storylines were just as gripping, and often even more intense, than those in the original series, leading many to consider Better Call Saul just as good, if not better. While spin-offs can sometimes reach this level of success, it’s relatively rare.

One of the biggest strengths of Better Call Saul was its fantastic new characters. As a prequel to Breaking Bad, the show had to expand the world without changing anything that had already happened. Characters like Kim Wexler (played by Rhea Seehorn) and Chuck McGill (Michael McKean) were central to Saul Goodman’s life before the events of Breaking Bad, and the fact that we never see them later on added a compelling mystery. However, these characters were so well-developed that they felt like fully realized people, not just plot devices.

‘Better Call Saul’ Is Now Essential Viewing for ‘Breaking Bad’ Fans


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Watching Better Call Saul after Breaking Bad feels essential for a complete experience. While Breaking Bad stands on its own, it’s surprisingly more fulfilling when you’ve also seen Better Call Saul. The prequel not only brings back Bob Odenkirk, but also familiar faces like Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito, delving into their histories. Just as understanding Saul’s past sheds light on his behavior in Breaking Bad, learning about Mike and Gus’s origins adds depth to their actions and relationships with Walt.

Breaking Bad Franchise’s Rotten Tomatoes Scores
Title Tomatometer (Critics) Popcornmeter (Fans)
Better Call Saul Presents: Slippin’ Jimmy Not Rated 33%
Better Call Saul 98% 96%
Breaking Bad 96% 97%
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie 92% 81%

As a huge fan of the Breaking Bad universe, I’m always a little stunned when I meet people who loved the original series but never checked out Better Call Saul. It happens more often than you’d think! I get the same reaction when I mention El Camino, the movie that picks up right after Breaking Bad ended. Honestly, both El Camino and Better Call Saul add so much to the story. El Camino shows us what happened to Jesse after Walt was gone, but Better Call Saul really dives into the consequences of everything Saul did, and it gives him so much more depth as a character – you end up understanding him on a whole new level.

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2026-03-10 03:36