Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan discusses why he’s no longer bothered by the debate over whether the spinoff Better Call Saul is a better show.
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan addresses why he’s no longer bothered by the debate over whether Better Call Saul is the better show. It’s a debate that intensified following the conclusion of Better Call Saul late in 2022, as the prequel spinoff ended fundamentally differently than Breaking Bad which had a dramatic and high-octane finale. The spinoff, instead, opted for a quieter and deceptively optimistic conclusion that centered around the titular character owning up to his mistakes.
Gilligan addressed the debate between Breaking Bad vs. Better Call Saul to the Los Angeles Times. Gilligan, who co-created the prequel spinoff with Peter Gould, mentioned how he’s told by people that they’re bigger fans of Better Call Saul than Breaking Bad. Even though Gilligan believed he’d hate hearing this, he explains why he doesn’t. Read his response below:
“Half the people I run into — maybe more than half — are bigger fans of ‘Saul’ than ‘Breaking Bad. I thought I’d hate hearing that, but it turns out, I don’t. The life lesson is to not overthink things.”
Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul Were Two Very Different Shows
Although the two shows hail from the same creative minds, the spinoff had a different premise than the series it originated from. Breaking Bad was often very bombastic, particularly towards the end of its run, with shootouts and memorable action sequences. It dealt almost exclusively with the drug trade and featured some horrendous villains. Better Call Saul did hit similar notes on occasion, but on the whole, it was much more deliberate and character-driven.
Entire sequences on Better Call Saul were sometimes spent detailing construction or the destruction of an area. It’d also spend episodes showcasing one of Jimmy’s cons, patiently detailing how it all came together and, then, when the situation calls for it, showing how the con had terrible consequences. Both shows had excellent performances, writing, and direction. What sets them apart, along with the different protagonists and central relationships, is how the spinoff deploys its pacing and to what end. Breaking Bad almost always operated at a high level, while its spinoff was a slow burn that sometimes spectacularly erupted.
Breaking Bad did have awards recognition that the spinoff never quite achieved. Better Call Saul received numerous Emmy nominations, but it has never won. The upcoming ceremony will be the last chance to rectify that, with strong competition from Succession, The White Lotus, and The Last of Us, among others. It may be a consolation that, in an ongoing debate, the spinoff is thought of as being superior by some.
