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Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the shows Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.WithBreaking Badhaving concluded way back in 2013, andBetter Call Saulending in 2022, it’s now possible to compare the two shows directly. It’s important to note that both are great in their own ways (even if onesomehow still doesn’t have any Emmys), and are heavily linked, asBetter Call Saulis set (mostly) beforeBreaking Bad, and features many returning characters from the original show.
GivenBreaking Badsucceeds as a crime-thriller tragedy with a fast-paced plot, andBetter Call Saulworks as a slower-paced, character-focused drama (with some dark comedy), the following list doesn’t aim to argue that one is better than the other. It’s a matter of personal preference, but it’s hard to deny that there are certain thingsBetter Call Sauldoes better, but also some areas where it isn’t quite as great as its parent show. To highlight the quality of both shows, here are five things it improves, and five ways it arguably lags behind.
Updated June 22, 2025, by Jeremy Urquhart:
Better Call SaulvsBreaking Badis an inevitable conversation that many fans of the two shows are likely to have, now that both have concluded. Rather than answering a question as simple as “IsBetter Call Saulbetter thanBreaking Bad?”, it’s more worthwhile to highlight the unique strengths and shortcomings of both. Ultimately, most would agree that both shows are easily worth anyone’s time, and that in the end, the wholeBreaking BadvsBetter Call Sauldebate might not be worth having, given it’s likely a matter of personal taste, in the end.
A Less Predictable Arc for the Main Character
While the prequel nature of the show restricts what some characters can do,Better Call Saulsidesteps this for its main character, Jimmy McGill. Right from the start, he’s going by a name other than Saul Goodman, and the show hints at what the character does after the ending ofBreaking Bad, too.
These flash-forwards - shot in black and white - were a great way of keeping viewers hooked. Viewers would have known Jimmy would become Saul before the series was over, but they didn’t know how, and they certainly didn’t know what would happen to him afterBreaking Bad. It meant Jimmy/Saul’s journey was always an interesting one, and made him a compelling protagonist for the show to center on.
The Relationship Between Jimmy and Kim
Breaking Badhad its fair share of strong relationships. The central one was perhaps Walt and Jesse, who went through a great deal together, and had a dynamic that became more strained as the show went on. Similarly, Walt and Skyler’s pairing made for some of the show’s best scenes, especially in the later seasons, even though Skyler was (unfairly) the subject of intensedislike by some ofBreaking Bad’s fans(she never did anything as criminal as Walt, for one thing).
YetBetter Call Saul’scentral pairing of Jimmy and Kim was one of the best in either show, and they’re two characters who are universally praised. It helps thatBob OdenkirkandRhea Seehornare both great actors, and the journey their two characters take together is believable, sometimes heartwarming, and ultimately very bittersweet. They each work together to elevate the show considerably.
Varied and More Confident Visuals
Breaking Badcould be a great-looking show. It often had the feel of a Western, with generally excellent use of color, and got a ton of mileage out of contrasting sweeping wide shots with often uncomfortably in-your-face close-ups.
It had its own visual language, but certain choices may have pushed things a little too far (the infamous yellow filter used for scenes set in Mexico, for example, or the fact that many shots were distractingly handheld for little discernible reason).Better Call Saul’svisual style was more subtle and confident, and was arguably the better-looking show as a result. The use of black and white for many of its acclaimed final episodes was a well-received artistic decision, too.
A Less Predictable Final Season
Breaking Badwas a show that was always going to end with at least some tragedy, and its final season was inevitably going to have Walter White emerge as a full-blown villain. It wasn’t so much a show about what was going to happen or when, but how it was going to happen, and who was going to be hurt as a consequence of Walt’s actions.
Better Call Saul, on the other hand, managed to build to a less predictable final season. There were some jarring deaths, shocking plot twists, andlarge time jumps on the showthat all served to keep viewers on their toes, all making for a great final season in the process.
Truth be told, someBreaking Badcharacters didn’t stick around as long as was ideal. It introduced and disposed of certain characters pretty quickly: both Mike and Gus, for example, each appear in less than half of the show’s total episodes.
It’s safe to say fans wanted to see more of the characters they liked, and thankfully,Better Call Saulprovided them with more screen time. Mike in particular became a far deeper and more complex character thanks toBetter Call Saul, as an excellent episode like season 1’s “Five-O” demonstrates.
The idea of an “interquel” is nothing new, and certainly isn’t something thatBetter Call Saulinvented. There are films within series that end up taking place between the start and end of a bigger story or pre-existing films, like theObi-Wan Kenobiminiseries, and films based on TV shows are sometimes set during the show’s events, likeThe Cowboy Bebop Movie.
The wayBetter Call Saulemerges as something that’s not entirely prequel - but not entirely sequel - by the end of the show’s run is one of its best attributes, though. The fact it shows events that happen afterBreaking Bad’sfinale and gives closure to certain characters (like Marie) arguably makes it an essential watch for all fans of that original show.
Gave Bob Odenkirk More to Do Beyond Comedic Relief
It’s certainly the case thatBreaking Badsurprised people by showing a different side ofBryan Cranstonthan many were used to. Prior to 2008, he was best known for starring in the sitcomMalcolm in the Middle, and that certainly contrasted with his performance in the far darker (though sometimes comedic)Breaking Bad.
Therange of Bob OdenkirkinBetter Call Saul, on the other hand, is arguably even more surprising. He was known for being a comedian and featuring in various cult shows and movies before Breaking Bad, with his role on that show largely being one of comedic relief. He can be funny inBetter Call Saul, sure, but it shows a more serious side to the character, and Bob Odenkirk’s performance - and the various emotions he has to display - emerges as one ofBetter Call Saul’sbiggest strengths.
Less Compelling Antagonists
Breaking Bad, at the end of the day, had a better assortment of antagonists. EvenminorBreaking Badvillainswho were in less just a few episodes - like Tuco or the Salamanca twins - were very memorable, and Gus Fring’s role as a villain for the middle third of the show gave it some of its best episodes.
Sure, the Neo-Nazis in season 5 might have been a step-down from Gus, but by the show’s final season, Walter White had essentially taken on the role of the show’s main antagonist; he was too far gone to be an anti-hero. Chuck McGill served as a villain for the first half ofBetter Call Saul, and was arguably just a little much, and too irritating and obnoxious to understand where he was coming from, or even “love to hate.” The villain situation improved once he was gone, but the damage had already been done.
A Sometimes Very Slow Pace
Even those who preferBetter Call SaultoBreaking Badwould have to admit it’s a slower-paced show. It’s by design, and it’s something that some people are going to appreciate more than others.
For some viewers, coming toBetter Call Saulafter the usually fast-paced and thrillingBreaking Badmay feel jarring. It’s certainly a slow burn, with the vast majority of viewers feeling like the payoffs in the final couple of seasons make the slower earlier seasons worth sticking with. Still, it can be hard to see where it’s going at a couple of points, especially in some of the more laid-back episodes found in seasons 2 and 3.
Lacked an Episode as Impactful as “Ozymandias”
For as devastating asBetter Call Saulcould get, though, it never quite equaledBreaking Bad’smost devastating hour: the third last episode of its final season, “Ozymandias.”
It’s one of the heaviest, most intense, andbest episodes in TV history, as it’s the one that aims to shake viewers by showing things finally tumble down around Walt; the point in the show where nothing could ever be the same again. It’d be hard for any show to deliver a single episode like “Ozymandias,” so the factBetter Call Saulnever quite equaled it is ultimately understandable.
Less Tension Because of Its Prequel Nature
Better Call Saulmay have kept the fate of its main character a mystery throughout its run, thanks to its flash-forwards, but not everyone fared so well. Many characters fromBreaking Badshowed up inBetter Call Saul, and often, we already knew how their stories ended (given how many people died inBreaking Bad).
This meant that the show lacked some suspense, compared toBreaking Bad. Sure, there were characters new toBetter Call Saulwhose fates weren’t known, but you’re never left wondering whether characters like Gus, Mike, or Hector are going to surviveBetter Call Saul, given we see them all die duringBreaking Bad.
Occasional Over-Reliance on Fan Service
Returning characters could be something of a curse, as well as a blessing.Better Call Saulcould sometimes stray a little too far into fan service, especially in its otherwise strong final season, when it seemed like the writers wanted to feature almostevery character fromBreaking Bad, usually as cameos.
It’s a small nitpick, and there are likely numerous fans who loved every single cameoBetter Call Saulthrew their way. For others, however, some were better and more meaningful than others, and the less vital cameos could feel like they were just there to make fans happy, rather than being essential for the show’s narrative.
It Doesn’t Have the Same Level of Rewatchability
Because of the pacing found inBetter Call Saul, the idea of rewatching it can be a daunting one. Knowing that it seriously picks up in later seasons could be enough to have one feel motivated to stick a rewatch out, but the pacing can be intentionally challenging, and that’s then combined with the natural obstacle of all rewatches: you know where it’s going to end up.
Breaking Bad’sa rollercoaster ride the first time through, and then can benefit from being revisited and admiring how it puts all its pieces in place, setting up explosive consequence after explosive consequence. It’s a little faster and more fun, and it has the natural advantage of being an older show, meaning it might well be a more desirable TV show to revisit for some fans (whereasBetter Call Saulmay need a few more years to marinate before a second watch).
It Took Longer to Get Really Good
Most will agree thatBreaking Badpicked up in its second season, but that first season still had a ton to offer. It was darkly comedic, frequently intense, and had a pilot episode that perfectly set up the show’s central premise. It got off to a reasonably quick start, and then from season 2 onwards, only kept accelerating.
WithBetter Call Saul, the audience was likely more trusting of the writers, feeling safe in the knowledge that they knew where they were going. As such, the writers didn’t seem to mind taking their time. It ended up rewarding patient viewers for sure, with the show’s best moments largely found in the last couple of seasons, but it could be a somewhat slow burn to get there at times.
