Better Call Saul’s Final Season Will Be Split Into Two Parts, Just Like Breaking Bad
It’s easy to forget now, but “Breaking Bad” wasn’t immediately recognized for the game-changing prestige series that it eventually became. Though it received consistently positive reviews in the early going, viewer ratings were relatively slow to catch up with the quality of serialized storytelling on display throughout multiple seasons. Many have creditedthe show’s availability on Netflixduring its original run on AMC for finally bringing the viewership numbers in proportion to the heights that the series reached in its heyday, eventually culminating in the final season being split into two halves and forcing fans to wait almost an entire agonizing year to see the show’s biggest cliffhanger regarding everyone’s favorite meth drug lord resolved.
“Better Call Saul” — the prequel/spin-off series focused on the eccentric criminal lawyer Saul Goodman, back when he went by the name of Jimmy McGill — benefited from residual goodwill and awareness leftover from the original hit series, though it similarly took some time to gain steam and become accepted as a completely different story than its predecessor. Even after finally establishing itself apart from the shadow of “Breaking Bad,” however, it appears that “Better Call Saul” will be returning to what worked the first time around. By all accounts, the upcoming final season of the spin-off series will also air in two separate halves to give the character a send-off on par with Walter White’s.
“It’s Going to Blow People’s Minds”
When watching the slow-motion car crash of a decent enough guy tragically transform into the immoral, unlikable jerk that he becomes, whodoesn’twant to stretch out the experience for as long as humanly possible? Okay, “Better Call Saul” is much more complex and compelling than you might expect from that elevator pitch. That said, it’s no secret that watching Bob Odenkirk’s Jimmy McGill steadily regress more and more into the Saul Goodman we remember from “Breaking Bad” has been equal parts heartbreaking and weirdly cathartic.
Now comes confirmation that fans of “Better Call Saul” will be in for another prolonged descent into tragedy, according to aVarietyinterview with star Rhea Seehorn (via Collider), who portrays fellow attorney and Jimmy’s lover Kim Wexler. Casually confirming thatthe 13 total episodesof the next and final season “…will air over two halves,” the article quickly moves on to Seehorn’s non-spoilery tease for the concluding batch of episodes:
“[Bob Odenkirk is] doing amazing. And like I said, whether I’m in scripts or not, I get to read them and I can tell you that this season is insane. It’s going to blow people’s minds. I can’t wait for it to come out.”
Seehorn is referring to star Bob Odenkirk’s sudden and frightening heart attack while on the set of “Better Call Saul” earlier this year. Thankfully, he made a full recovery and evenreturned to resume filming for the seriesin no time at all. Her comment about being in the scripts or not is a coy deflection that stems from the fanbase’s fears that, since Kim Wexler doesn’t appear in “Breaking Bad” in any capacity, her arc in the final stretch of “Better Call Saul” may end in tragedy. I choose to be an optimist, however, and believe that the black-and-white flashforwards of a mopey and lonesome Jimmy in a post-“Breaking Bad” Utah have to be leading toward an unexpected appearance by and reconciliation with Kim. Keep love alive, people!
There is no word just yet on a premiere date, but the first half of “Better Call Saul” Season 6 is expected to air sometime in the first quarter of 2022.
