Summary

• Breaking Bad cameos thrilled audiences, adding excitement to Better Call Saul's storyline.
• Jimmy's complex relationship with Chuck showcased manipulation tactics in almost every episode.
• Montages in Better Call Saul effectively condensed storytelling and highlighted key themes in a unique way.

The tragic story of Jimmy McGill’s transformation from a wayward lawyer to a major player in the criminal underworld in Better Call Saul was one of the greatest prequels ever produced, but that’s not to say there weren’t plenty of recurring aspects throughout. In every episode of Better Call Saul there were many things that consistently occurred relating to character's interactions, overall themes, and callbacks to the earlier series set in the same world, Breaking Bad. But rather than make Better Call Saul feel formulaic, these consistencies added to the overall power of the series.

Throughout ongoing callbacks that foreshadowed the events of Breaking Bad, a heartbreaking brother relationship, and even narrative storytelling techniques, Better Call Saul had lots of things that happened in almost every episode. As Jimmy inched ever closer to becoming the broken man audiences met in Breaking Bad, there were also many recurring moments for other characters, like Kim Wexler, Mike Ehrmantraut, and Gus Fring. Better Call Saul was a deeply complex and well-written series that had a variety of consistent actions, consequences, and themes throughout its six-season run.

10 The Reappearance Of A Breaking Bad Character

Better Call Saul’s Breaking Bad cameos were always thrilling

Practically every episode of Better Call Saul felt like it featured a familiar face.

For lovers of Breaking Bad, one of the most exciting parts about watching Better Call Saul was to find out how old characters from the previous show would make brief appearances or even become central to the series' storylines. While viewers had to wait a long time for the reappearance of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, right from the very beginning, Better Call Saul incorporated characters from Breaking Bad. From the Salamanca family to Gus Fring, practically every episode of Better Call Saul felt like it featured a familiar face.

Not only did Better Call Saul expertly incorporate Breaking Bad characters into practically every episode, but the series also fleshed out the backstories of those who appeared, gave new context to later events, and acted cleverly foreshadowed what would happen later. The reappearance of characters like Krazy-8, Hank Schrader, and even Gale Boetticher, meant there were plenty of Breaking Bad scenes that hit differently after Better Call Saul. The show even featured characters who were only briefly mentioned in Breaking Bad such as Lalo Salamanca and Ignacio Varga.

9 Chuck McGill Manipulates Jimmy

The relationship between Jimmy and Chuck was a central theme of Better Call Saul

The strained relationship between the brothers Jimmy and Chuck McGill was a central theme in the earliest seasons of Better Call Saul. Although Jimmy later became the morally corrupt lawyer Saul Goodman, in the early seasons he was desperately trying to turn his life around and was always trying to do his best as a lawyer, even if his more sinister nature would always find a way to the forefront. A motivating factor in Jimmy’s desire to be good was his brother Chuck, who he looked up to and in many ways idolized.

However, Chuck often looked down on Jimmy and after becoming mentally ill after a psychosomatic case of electromagnetic hypersensitivity, it fell to Jimmy to look after him. With Jimmy constantly running errands for his brother in almost every episode, Chuck would find a way to manipulate him, put him down, or otherwise disregard Jimmy’s efforts to be good. Chuck was a complex character, but the way he treated Jimmy in almost every episode made him feel like one of Better Call Saul’s most manipulative villains.

8 A Powerful Well-Shot Montage

Better Call Saul effectively used montages to push the story forward

One powerful storytelling device that linked Better Call Saul to Breaking Bad was both series effective use of montages. In practically every episode, Better Call Saul would feature a beautiful shot montage that used music and imagery to condense major story details and themes into seamless shots and scenes. From showcasing a depressed Gene working in Cinnabon in the black and white flashforward scenes right up to the reveal of Saul’s miserable life during the Breaking Bad timeline, montages were a mainstay of every season of Better Call Saul.

While a montage was simply clips edited together with music that usually indicated the age of time, in Better Call Saul they were used far more effectively than in other series. The montages of Better Call Saul had a style all of their own and were a major contribution to the overall aesthetic of the series. Some of the best montages in Better Call Saul were related the Jimmy’s clever schemes, and they were a fast way to signal to audiences without spending too much time on the mundane details.

7 Mike Ehrmantraut’s Backstory Is Expanded

Mike’s backstory helped flesh out his character and give insight into his decisions

While Better Call Saul could be viewed as the journey of how Jimmy McGill became Saul Goodman, just as important was the story of Mike Ehrmantraut’s whose complex backstory was carefully explored throughout the show’s six season run. While Mike’s transformation from Philadelphia police officer to Albuquerque criminal, hitman, and private investigator was hinted at throughout Breaking Bad it was given extra explanation in almost every episode of Better Call Saul. A tragic tale of a family torn apart; Mike was revealed to have been a deeply troubled individual with a guilty conscious about the death of his son.

With a backstory that was slowly revealed throughout all of Better Call Saul, Mike was a beat cop for 30 years and had a career that was categorized by corruption as his fellow officers pressured him into accepting bribes. After his son ed the force, he faced a similar challenge and Mike encouraged him to take the money and go along with the corruption for his own safety. Sadly, Mike’s son’s aversion to the force's criminal ways led to suspicion, and he was killed in a staged gangland shooting, leaving Mike broken and devastated.

6 Saul Comes Up With A Cunning Plan

Saul Goodman could not help but scheme his way out trouble

While Jimmy McGill spent a long time trying to go onto the straight and narrow, his Slippin’ Jimmy ways and love for a good scheme seemed to come to the forefront in almost every episode of Better Call Saul. Although he often tried to avoid it, Jimmy would frequently find himself in sticky situations that only a truly cunning plan could get him out of. This was exactly what he did as he schemed with Kim Wexler to con the obnoxious stockbroker Ken, exposed Chuck in court, and even turned a group of elderly old ladies against their friend.

Jimmy’s inability to avoid scheming even seeped through to his alter ego Gene Takovic as, after all he'd been through with Walter White, he had still not learned his lesson. In a final scheme, after he felt like he had nothing left to lose, Gene planned out a complex plan with Jeff the cabdriver to steal expensive items from the mall of the Cinnabon he worked in. Although the walls were closing in Saul Goodman, he still felt a need to push the boundaries and pull off a big scheme, just one last time.

5 Saul Gives In To His Darkest Impulses

Saul’s darker nature left those who knew him ruin

While Saul’s love for conning, scheming, and coming out on top was often used to pull off light-hearted ploys in Better Call Saul, the darker results of these actions would also have dire consequences in almost every episode. As Saul gave into his darkest impulses there was often people left in ruin as a result of his actions, from the elderly lady Irene Landry to eventually Kim Wexler, many people lives were worse for having met Saul. Although he never meant for it to happen, Saul always seemed to let his dark side come out.

While these darker impulses were only hinted at in the earliest seasons of Better Call Saul, as the show progressed, they became more pronounced. Saul’s cunning nature even led to Kim getting involved in his schemes and their plan to ruin Howard Hamlin turned out far darker than they had initially hoped. While there were a lot of good aspects to Jimmy McGill, the darker impulses of Saul Goodman were always lurking behind waiting to come out.

4 Gus, Lalo, or the Salamanca’s Wreak Havoc

The cartel was a major point of conflict throughout Better Call Saul

The three main forces behind much of the cartel-led criminal behavior seen in Better Call Saul were Gus Fring, Lalo Salamanca, and the rest of the extended Salamanca family. From the appearance of Tuco Salamanca at the end of the very first episode of Better Call Saul right through to the final season, these forces caused trouble for Jimmy McGill and Mike Ehrmantraut in practically every episode. While this was a source of much of the entertainment in Better Call Saul, as a highly dangerous character, it was also insanely suspenseful.

While Breaking Bad viewers knew the fate of Gus and Tuco, Lalo was the true wildcard of the bunch, as his unpredictable nature meant he was capable of anything. Without full knowledge of how his story would end, the havoc caused by Lalo was highly entertaining and simultaneously terrifying. Better Call Saul was filled with plenty of cartel shootouts and death-defying situations that, although Jimmy and Mike would make it out alive, the uncertain fate of characters like Kim make the actions of Gus, Lalo, and Salamanca’s even more frightful.

3 Howard Hamlin Infuriates Saul And Kim

The good-natured Howard brought out the worst in Saul and Kim

The CEO of Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill, Howard Hamlin acted as a constant source of frustration for Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler throughout Better Call Saul. After Jimmy’s brother Chuck became housebound due to supposed electromagnetic hypersensitivity, Howard and Chuck’s friendship and respect for one another was a constant annoyance to Jimmy, who often felt undermined by Howard’s authority. Kim, on the other hand, developed a rivalry with Howard that started short but by later seasons had her willing to totally destroy his life, which had devastating consequences.

For Jimmy, it was especially touchy as, although he had the McGill name, his brother never let him take a position of power in the firm like Howard had.

Although Howard was infuriating at times, and in the beginning appeared to be somewhat of a villain in Better Call Saul, he soon grew into a sympathetic character whose story ended with a far worse fate than he deserved. Howard came from a privileged background, and he inherited his role in the law firm, elitist lifestyle was something that infuriated both Jimmy and Kim, who always had to work for whatever they had. For Jimmy, it was especially touchy as, although he had the McGill name, his brother never let him take a position of power in the firm like Howard had.

2 Jimmy McGill Slips Ever Closer Toward Becoming Saul Goodman

With every episode Jimmy got closer to becoming Saul

From the very first episode of Better Call Saul, viewers were eager to discover just how the wayward lawyer known as Jimmy McGill would transform into the criminal accomplice named Saul Goodman. With each subsequent episode Jimmy slipped ever closer to becoming Saul as the groundwork was laid for the name audiences first met in Breaking Bad. From Jimmy taking on his new alias, starting his own legal practice, to eventually hiring sca, every episode was one step closer to Jimmy going full Saul.

Jimmy McGill’s journey to becoming Saul Goodman was often a subtle one that could be seen through things as simple as the clothes that he wore. As the show progressed and Jimmy’s suits and ties became more bombastic and over-the-top, it was a clue that this show told a story with a definitive destination. By the time Better Call Saul fast-forwarded to the Breaking Bad timeline, Jimmy’s transformation was filled with so much tragedy, and it was truly heartbreaking to see the man he became.

1 Foreshadows The Events of Breaking Bad

The inevitability of Breaking Bad and Walter White was present throughout Better Call Saul

There were so many great examples of foreshadowing in Better Call Saul and in almost every episode there were allusions to the events that would later occur in Breaking Bad. As a thoroughly well-crafted story, Better Call Saul featured some of the best writing ever seen on a television series and took care to pay homage to and highlighted the later story of Walter White. While returning characters from Breaking Bad were a significant part of Better Call Saul, the earlier series was also foreshadowed in much more nuanced ways.

From the way that the German engineer Werner Ziegler acted as an interesting parallel to Walter White to the fact that Jimmy’s office was based in the street where Gale Boetticher lived, there were many clues and Easter eggs for Breaking Bad viewers to spot. In much darker instances, there were also the bodies of Lalo and Howard being buried underneath the lab where Walter and Jesse cooked for Gus Fring. So many things in Better Call Saul cast a new light on the world of Breaking Bad.