Why Better Call Saul Might Be Better Than Breaking Bad
Key Factors That Set It Apart
Many viewers and critics now argue that Better Call Saul surpasses Breaking Bad in terms of writing quality, character depth, and emotional impact. While Breaking Bad set the stage with its intense plot and unforgettable moments, Better Call Saul offers a more nuanced exploration of its characters and motivations.
The slower pace of Better Call Saul allows for gradual development and richer storytelling, giving fans a deeper connection to the narrative. Some even prefer the more deliberate style and detailed cinematography that set it apart from its predecessor.
Both series are widely respected, but those who value character-driven drama and thoughtful storytelling often find themselves leaning toward Better Call Saul.
Overview of Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad occupy a prominent place in modern television, each delivering nuanced storytelling in the crime drama genre. Their relationship as spin-off and original shapes their narrative styles, creative direction, and the performances of their main casts.
Premise and Genre
Breaking Bad is a crime drama TV series set in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It follows Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who turns to manufacturing methamphetamine after a terminal cancer diagnosis. The show explores how crime, desperation, and moral ambiguity change individuals over time.
Better Call Saul is both a prequel and a spin-off to Breaking Bad. Centered on Jimmy McGill, a struggling lawyer who eventually becomes the sleazy attorney Saul Goodman, this series delves into the legal world and criminal underbelly, showing how Jimmy's choices pull him further away from his principles. Both shows feature vivid crime drama elements—illegal activities, shifting alliances, and personal downfall—but Better Call Saul places greater emphasis on legal strategy and character study.
Evolution from Spin-Off to Standalone
Better Call Saul began as a spin-off designed to explore Saul Goodman's life before his Breaking Bad involvement. Initially seen as a supplement to the original, it evolved into a series with its own identity, depth, and critical recognition.
Viewers gradually saw how the show intersects with Breaking Bad events and characters, but it stands on its own through intricate storytelling and a slower, more deliberate pace. The prequel format allows for layered character development, notably for Kim Wexler and Mike Ehrmantraut, who contribute key elements absent in the original.
By the later seasons, Better Call Saul was widely recognized for its distinctive tone and narrative structure. Its creators invested in making it accessible to both fans of Breaking Bad as well as new audiences seeking complex drama in a legal setting.
Key Creators and Cast
Vince Gilligan created Breaking Bad and co-created Better Call Saul with Peter Gould. Their shared vision ensures continuity in style, tone, and story between the two series.
Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston as Walter White and Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman. Their performances drive much of the series’ tension and emotional impact.
Better Call Saul features Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman, whose transformation is central to the show. Rhea Seehorn (Kim Wexler), Jonathan Banks (Mike Ehrmantraut), and Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fring) deliver significant roles, expanding on characters familiar from Breaking Bad.
Both shows are available on streaming platforms like Netflix, allowing new viewers to discover their narratives. The commitment of the creators and versatile cast members help shape the nuanced, interconnected worlds of both series.
Character Depth and Development
Better Call Saul stands out for its patient, layered approach to character arcs. The narrative carefully tracks every choice, motivation, and consequence, resulting in a nuanced exploration of moral decline, personal ambition, and loyalty.
Jimmy McGill’s Transformation
Jimmy McGill’s journey from earnest lawyer to Saul Goodman is central. Viewers closely track his shift from well-intentioned underdog to morally flexible criminal attorney.
Unlike Walter White’s transformation, Jimmy’s arc is more gradual and deeply psychological. He struggles between maintaining a sense of integrity and succumbing to his instincts as a con artist. His relationship with his brother Chuck, played by Michael McKean, is a pivotal source of conflict. Chuck’s disapproval and constant criticism erode Jimmy’s self-worth and fuel his transformation into Saul.
The series excels at depicting each step of Jimmy’s downfall without villainizing him. By showcasing his vulnerability, ambition, and charm, the show builds empathy even as his choices become more questionable.
Complexity of Kim Wexler
Kim Wexler, portrayed by Rhea Seehorn, is a standout example of complex, original character writing. She is not simply a side character, but a co-lead whose internal struggles drive much of the story.
Kim’s work ethic and sense of justice continuously clash with her willingness to bend the rules. Unlike in Breaking Bad, where female characters were often sidelined, Better Call Saul gives Kim autonomy and depth. Her professional ambitions and personal risks reveal her as a multi-dimensional character facing difficult ethical choices.
Her evolving partnership with Jimmy, marked by both affection and moral conflict, heightens the stakes. The unpredictability of her arc keeps viewers deeply invested in her fate.
Supporting Characters’ Evolution
Better Call Saul gives significant attention to supporting roles such as Mike Ehrmantraut, Howard Hamlin, and Chuck. Their backstories and motivations receive detailed development, bringing new dimensions to the Breaking Bad universe.
Mike, played by Jonathan Banks, is more than an enforcer. His motivations—especially regarding his family—are documented in detail. Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian) transforms from an apparent antagonist into a sympathetic figure, challenging viewers’ first impressions. Chuck’s descent, rooted in rivalry and mental illness, has a profound impact on the narrative.
By investing screen time into these characters, the show creates a web of interconnected stories. The depth of each arc enhances the realism and impact of the overall series.
Narrative Structure and Storytelling
Better Call Saul sets itself apart through its careful narrative structure, an emphasis on character psychology, and a willingness to unspool stories over multiple seasons. The show builds tension through patience, complex timelines, and writing that rewards attentive viewers.
Pacing and Slow-Burn Approach
Better Call Saul is known for a slower, more methodical pace than Breaking Bad. Rather than relying on constant action, it allows scenes to breathe and moments to stretch, creating a different sense of suspense. This slow-burn approach is clear from the first season, but becomes especially prominent in season 3 and beyond.
Some episodes prioritize the gradual evolution of characters like Jimmy McGill and Mike Ehrmantraut over dramatic plot twists. This lets the audience witness small, crucial decisions and their long-term consequences. Instead of rushing toward big reveals, Better Call Saul builds tension incrementally.
The storytelling benefits from this approach. It uses subtle visual language and careful writing choices, often focusing on quiet details within the environment or a character's expressions. This method is not for viewers seeking immediate gratification, but it gives weight to every step of the characters’ transformations.
Use of Flashbacks and Nonlinear Timelines
Flashbacks and nonlinear storytelling play a major role in Better Call Saul. The show frequently begins seasons or episodes with scenes set in different eras. For example, black-and-white flash-forwards to Jimmy's life as "Gene" provide glimpses of his fate after Breaking Bad.
By jumping between timelines, the writers add layers to otherwise straightforward narratives. These sequences increase emotional impact, such as the flashbacks to Jimmy and Chuck’s childhood that give context for their rivalry. The use of time shifts is particularly strong in seasons 4 and 5, where connections to the world of Breaking Bad are more noticeable.
This structure lets viewers see the lasting effects of past decisions. It also allows the writers to withhold information strategically, raising questions and encouraging viewers to actively piece together the bigger picture.
Narrative Subtlety and Layered Plotting
The writing team behind Better Call Saul is celebrated for its subtle storytelling and complex plotting. Instead of over-explaining, the show trusts its audience to pick up on hints within dialogue, body language, or set design. Season 3, for instance, uses understated exchanges between Jimmy and Chuck to show their relationship unraveling.
Plots often run in parallel, drawing from legal drama, character drama, and criminal intrigue. Each storyline is constructed to connect at key moments, building toward significant reveals without resorting to melodrama. Even background elements, such as camera angles or props, are used to foreshadow future developments.
This layered approach is particularly important in seasons 4 and 5. Character arcs start to intertwine more tightly with the Breaking Bad timeline, while still preserving Better Call Saul’s unique voice. The result is richer storytelling that rewards attention and rewatching.
Themes and Moral Complexity
Better Call Saul explores morality not just through individual choices, but through the environments, pressures, and relationships that shape actions. The series unpacks the roots and consequences of corruption while dissecting personal transformation, offering a grounded examination of crime and character.
Corruption and Ethical Dilemmas
Corruption in Better Call Saul is often incremental, fueled by a series of small, rationalized choices. Jimmy McGill's journey from an earnest public defender to Saul Goodman, a criminal lawyer, is marked by a constant stream of ethical dilemmas. Each decision brings him closer to questionable practices, exposing how compromises can accumulate over time.
The show uses events like courtroom "chicanery," fraudulent schemes, or ethical breaches with clients to highlight the gray area between right and wrong. What separates Saul from Breaking Bad’s Walter White is that Jimmy’s moral failings rarely erupt into violence immediately; instead, they come from bending the rules, manipulating the system, or exploiting technicalities in the law.
Institutions such as law firms and courts are portrayed as complex and, at times, complicit. Characters navigate rigid systems that sometimes nudge them towards unethical behavior. The series illustrates how corruption is not always loud but can be woven silently into institutional processes and professional choices.
Identity and Transformation
Identity—and its transformation—stands at the center of Better Call Saul. Jimmy’s evolution into Saul Goodman is detailed and gradual, fueled by relationships, setbacks, and society’s perceptions. His need for approval and recognition competes with his sense of justice, pushing him toward a persona that is more performative than authentic.
Unlike in Breaking Bad, where Walter White’s transformation is sudden and dramatic, Jimmy's is more nuanced. Audience members witness his changes through subtle shifts in behavior, wardrobe, and language. These changes are not just surface-level; they reveal a deeper loss of self and a resignation to a role that both enables and requires moral flexibility.
The series uses these shifts to explore the consequences of living a double life. Choices around identity are never isolated—they echo through personal and professional relationships, causing ripples that define the series’ core conflicts. Jimmy’s journey serves as a case study for how gradual adaptation to moral compromise can reshape one's entire sense of self.
Cinematography and Artistic Direction
Better Call Saul’s unique style separates it from its predecessor through its careful approach to visuals and setting. The series uses distinct techniques in both cinematography and the portrayal of Albuquerque to build atmosphere and shape the audience’s experience.
Visual Storytelling
The cinematography in Better Call Saul is marked by deliberate framing, measured camera movements, and the use of wide-angle shots. Scenes often linger, letting viewers observe small details—such as objects placed with intention or shifts in facial expressions.
Lighting is used to reinforce mood, with natural light casting harsh shadows during tense moments. Close-ups focus on subtle character reactions, while static shots emphasize isolation or contemplation.
The camerawork often employs unusual angles and creative perspectives to reflect the internal states of the characters. Compositions are symmetrical or asymmetrical to suggest order or chaos. Even mundane environments are visually striking due to thoughtful shot choices.
Use of Albuquerque as a Setting
Albuquerque is not just a backdrop in Better Call Saul; it becomes an essential part of the story’s atmosphere. Sweeping landscapes and wide shots showcase the desert’s openness, often highlighting the isolation felt by characters.
Distinctive architecture, dusty streets, and sun-baked colors are frequently highlighted to create a Western or noir-influenced tone. The contrast between legal offices and rundown areas is pronounced, calling attention to character journeys.
The city's locations are depicted with a realism that grounds the narrative. Sunsets, neon lights, and empty parking lots become recurring visual motifs, establishing Albuquerque as both authentic and cinematic.
Comparative Analysis of Major Characters
Both Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad build their stories around deeply complex characters who drive the plot forward with their choices, ambitions, and moral struggles. The depth of character development, the interplay between leads and supporting roles, and the effectiveness of the antagonists are key issues that set these two acclaimed series apart.
Saul Goodman vs. Walter White
Saul Goodman and Walter White offer contrasting journeys into moral decline. Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston, is introduced as a chemistry teacher who transforms into the ruthless drug kingpin Heisenberg. His arc is direct and tragic, emphasizing pride and the consequences of unchecked ambition.
Saul Goodman, or Jimmy McGill (portrayed by Bob Odenkirk), begins as a small-time lawyer with good intentions who slowly adapts to the criminal world. Unlike Walter, Jimmy’s transformation is gradual, shaped by personal setbacks and pressures from both his brother Chuck and the legal system. His journey explores questions of identity, ethics, and resilience.
Where Walter’s evolution is often dramatic, Saul’s is nuanced, layered with humor, guilt, and an ongoing struggle against his own nature. This complexity allows the audience to witness not just a fall, but also the reasons for every compromise made along the way.
Kim Wexler vs. Skyler White
Kim Wexler, played by Rhea Seehorn, is one of Better Call Saul’s most celebrated characters. She is an ambitious, highly skilled attorney who navigates her own moral dilemmas while maintaining agency and independence. Kim’s relationship with Jimmy is a partnership built on mutual respect and shared risks.
Skyler White, portrayed by Anna Gunn, holds a central role in Breaking Bad. She is often seen responding to Walter’s decisions, dealing with secrecy, and trying to protect her family. While Skyler is complex and layered, her storyline is more reactive than proactive.
Kim stands out for her autonomy and central role in major plot developments. She makes choices that impact the outcome for several key characters, which sets her apart from many female leads in crime dramas. Her nuanced portrayal has been praised for depth and emotional realism.
Antagonists and Their Impact
Both shows feature memorable antagonists, but Better Call Saul has been noted for deepening their backstories and motivations. Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito), already known to Breaking Bad fans, gains further layers as his calculated operations are explored in greater detail. The show introduces Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton), whose charisma and unpredictability add a new dimension to the Salamanca crime family.
Hector Salamanca and Tuco appear in both series, with Better Call Saul delving further into their dynamics and vendettas. The expanded presence of Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) gives the audience insight into the logistics and moral calculations of the criminal world.
Michael Mando’s portrayal of Nacho Varga adds complexity, illustrating the personal costs of cartel involvement. Secondary characters like Hank, Marie, and Jesse Pinkman contribute to Breaking Bad’s rich antagonist tapestry, but Better Call Saul excels in connecting every antagonist’s actions to the show’s wider themes of consequence and loyalty.
Critical Reception and Cultural Impact
Both Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad have left significant marks on television, but their critical reputations and pop culture influences show clear points of comparison. While Breaking Bad famously stunned audiences with episodes like "Ozymandias," Better Call Saul steadily built its own acclaim and cultural reach, particularly during its final season and series finale.
Acclaim and Awards
Better Call Saul quickly gained a reputation for strong writing and performances. Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, and the ensemble received frequent praise from critics and viewers. The critical consensus highlights the show's careful character development and complex plotting.
The series earned numerous Emmy nominations, with particular attention during its final season. Unlike Breaking Bad, which won several major awards toward the end, Better Call Saul was often seen as an underdog at awards shows despite its quality. However, the series finale received widespread acclaim, with many critics noting its effective storytelling.
Breaking Bad ended on a high note, with "Ozymandias" often cited as one of the greatest TV episodes. While Better Call Saul never reached the same level of dramatic peak, its consistency and nuanced approach have been recognized in criticisms and industry awards.
Influence on Pop Culture
Better Call Saul expanded the Breaking Bad universe while also standing on its own. Phrases, memes, and key scenes from Better Call Saul, such as "S'all good, man," have blended into internet culture and fan discussions.
The show’s depiction of legal maneuvering, moral ambiguity, and nuanced character arcs offered a different tone from the explosive moments that defined Breaking Bad. Its impact is seen in recurring references within the media, discussions in online forums, and the continued popularity of characters like Saul Goodman and Kim Wexler.
Although Breaking Bad had a more immediate pop culture explosion due to its shocking plot twists, Better Call Saul's influence has grown gradually. Its thoughtful storytelling in the final season and strong reception for the series finale have cemented its reputation as more than just a spin-off.
Legacy and Lasting Influence
Better Call Saul has redefined audience expectations for prequels and deepened the legacy of Breaking Bad. Its influence has touched not only character-driven storytelling but also broader trends within the crime drama genre.
Better Call Saul’s Place in Television History
Better Call Saul has secured a significant place among television's most respected series. While Breaking Bad was often compared to The Sopranos as a benchmark for prestige TV, Better Call Saul distinguished itself through its nuanced pacing, detail-oriented narrative, and focus on character psychology.
The show gained critical acclaim not merely for action or shocking moments but for tension built through small, deliberate choices. This approach contrasted with Breaking Bad’s high-stakes drama and crafted a subtler storytelling style. Many critics and fans now view Better Call Saul as a rare example of a prequel that enhances—not diminishes—the original’s legacy.
Better Call Saul’s six-season run demonstrated impressive consistency in writing, acting, and direction. Bob Odenkirk’s portrayal of Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman has been singled out as a career-defining performance, praised alongside Bryan Cranston’s Walter White. The series has become a key reference in debates about the greatest TV dramas.
Impact on the Crime Drama Genre
Better Call Saul introduced a fresh approach to crime drama. It prioritized character development over action, often turning legal procedures and ethical dilemmas into sources of suspense. This style set it apart from shows that rely heavily on violence or rapid plot twists.
The show’s success encouraged a shift in the genre, where writers increasingly focus on internal conflict and moral ambiguity. Its influence can be seen in newer series that blend legal, personal, and criminal elements, pushing beyond the traditional crime drama formula.
By linking back to iconic series like The Sopranos and Breaking Bad while contributing distinct narrative techniques, Better Call Saul helped redefine what modern crime drama could achieve. Its legacy is reflected in its impact on storytelling methods and the heightened standards for character depth in the genre.
