The “Breaking Bad” spin-off “Better Call Saul” tells the origin story and eventual downfall of attorney Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), who adopts the moniker Saul Goodman as an Albuquerque “criminal lawyer” and later becomes known as Gene Takovic when he flees to Omaha, Nebraska. With Jimmy/Saul/Gene’s story taking such a winding path and spanning two separate series, it’s hard to pin down just how old the character is at any given point. Fortunately, series creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould sprinkled enough clues into both shows to give sharp-eyed viewers a solid idea of how old Odenkirk’s character is at various key moments in both shows.
In Season 5, Episode 7, “JMM,” Jimmy and Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) get married at Albuquerque City Hall. While they apply for their marriage license, his driver’s license is briefly shown, indicating his birth date as November 12, 1960.
Seasons 1 and 2 of “Better Call Saul” take place in 2002, making him 41 at that point and aging him to 43 as the series progresses into Seasons 5 and 6. Season 6 of “Better Call Saul” jumps ahead to 2010 when Saul goes to Omaha and becomes Gene, making him 49 going on 50 as he ices Cinnabons in Nebraska.
His move to Omaha is also shown at the end of “Breaking Bad,” and doing the math from that point to his introduction in Season 2 of the latter show makes him 48 when he is first hired by Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul).
Jimmy McGill most likely dies in prison
The events of the “Better Call Saul” finale render any questions about Jimmy’s age moot, however, as the 86-year sentence he receives for his numerous crimes means he almost certainly will spend his last days in federal prison.
Along with aging him through his early 40s and jumping ahead to his time in Omaha, “Better Call Saul” also takes viewers back to his time as a younger man in Cicero, Illinois, to show Jimmy running small-time street cons with his partner Marco (Mel Rodriguez).
Through all the time jumps, the two scenes in the basement of Best Quality Vacuum with Walt provide critical anchor points to help establish Jimmy/Saul’s age. Another character who helps age Jimmy/Saul is Mexican cartel leader Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton). In his time on “Better Call Saul,” Lalo spends several months in prison as well as extended amounts of time in Mexico, Germany, and on the run. During this time, Saul is likely marking his 42nd and 43rd birthdays, although those milestones are not shown on-screen.
Although the long and twisted story of Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman has been told in full, some of the forces behind “Better Call Saul” aren’t done collaborating just yet. Last fall, Apple TV announced that Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn will be teaming up again for a yet-unnamed series, which has already been picked up for two seasons.
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