Why ‘Breaking Bad’ & ‘Better Call Saul’s Watch Order Is So Important

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Spoiler Warning: Major spoilers for both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul ahead

Bryan Cranston’s character, Walter White, from Breaking Bad, also appears in the prequel series Better Call Saul, another excellent show on AMC. Better Call Saul primarily follows Bob Odenkirk’s character, Jimmy McGill, who later becomes Saul Goodman, and was intended to be watched after Breaking Bad. While you can watch Better Call Saul without seeing Breaking Bad first, it’s not recommended. You’ll likely miss important context and some moments won’t have the same impact if you’re unfamiliar with the original series.

The TV show Breaking Bad aired from 2008 to 2013, and its prequel, Better Call Saul, started in 2015. While it makes sense to watch them in the order they happened – seeing Saul Goodman evolve from a struggling lawyer to a man hiding from the law – most viewers still benefit from watching Breaking Bad first. The story of Saul Goodman is intentionally designed to be more impactful when viewed out of order, as is the story of Walter White. Starting with Better Call Saul can significantly change how you perceive Walt when you finally get to Breaking Bad.

Watching ‘Better Call Saul’ First Spoils Walt’s ‘Breaking Bad’ Arc


HBO

Walter White’s story is the foundation of the entire Breaking Bad universe. Bryan Cranston delivers a compelling performance as a disillusioned chemistry teacher who transforms into a powerful and dangerous drug kingpin in Albuquerque. This change happens gradually as Walt consistently makes poor choices. Though he starts with what he thinks are noble intentions, it becomes obvious that he’s ultimately driven by a desire for power and recognition. This downward spiral costs him dearly, leading to the loss of his family, friends, and even the fragile connections he made within the criminal world.

One of the most compelling parts of Breaking Bad is watching Walter White’s descent, and his character development is arguably one of the best ever on television. By the time he appears in Better Call Saul, Walt is already a lost cause, and the prequel series eventually moves beyond even the point of his death in Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul assumes viewers already know the story of Walt’s transformation from a normal teacher into a frightening criminal, constantly reminding us of his tragic path.

In Better Call Saul, Walter White is shown only as the villain he ultimately becomes in Breaking Bad. This means viewers watching Better Call Saul before Breaking Bad already know the dramatic change Walter undergoes, and miss out on the experience of seeing that transformation happen gradually. The audience isn’t surprised by Walt’s descent because they already know the outcome. The Better Call Saul finale even explicitly confirms Walt’s death, spoiling his fate for those new to Breaking Bad.

Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, crafted a remarkably realistic villain origin story that deserves to be appreciated as it was originally presented. Better Call Saul also features compelling character development with similar shades of gray. However, some of its impact relies on the audience knowing what happens with Walt in Breaking Bad; the looming threat of his actions adds weight to the prequel. Without that prior knowledge, a crucial layer of the story is lost.

Watching ‘Better Call Saul’ First Slightly Improves Odenkirk’s Character (But It’s Not Worth It)


AMC

Saul plays a crucial role in Breaking Bad, assisting Walt in covering up his crimes. As shown in the prequel Better Call Saul, Saul’s history with the law extends much further back than Walt’s. Although Bob Odenkirk delivered a fantastic performance as Saul in Breaking Bad, the prequel finally allowed him to fully explore the character’s complexities. Seeing Saul’s backstory in Better Call Saul makes his behavior in Breaking Bad – his boldness and constant joking – much more understandable, as it reveals the experiences that shaped him.

Honestly, Saul Goodman is such a fascinating character, and a big part of that is his backstory. But you really need to watch Better Call Saul to fully understand him. After seeing Breaking Bad, things start to click – you get a much better sense of why he does what he does. And if you’ve seen Better Call Saul, you even catch little glimpses of the old Jimmy McGill personality underneath everything, which are so cool to notice! It’s amazing how well the two shows fit together, especially since a lot of that extra depth was added later on.

While watching Better Call Saul before Breaking Bad might offer some extra insights when revisiting Breaking Bad, it doesn’t dramatically change the experience and isn’t worth disrupting the intended order. In fact, seeing Better Call Saul first can actually lessen the impact of Walter White’s story. For those new to the series, it’s best to watch Breaking Bad first, then Better Call Saul. Both shows are currently streaming on Netflix.

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2025-12-02 22:22