At first it was “Yes, science!” Then it was “It’s all good, man!” In other words, we were first honored with five seasons of Break bad and the journey of Walter White; then came six seasons of the spin-off aka You better call Saul and attorney Jimmy McGill’s journey to become a criminal with a new identity. Bob Odenkirk has had yet another show with AMC’s newly released Happy Hankbut who can forget Saul?
Vince Gilligan kicked things off with Walter White, a mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher who is stunned when he learns he has terminal cancer. Realizing that his illness will likely ruin his family financially, Walter makes a desperate attempt to make as much money as possible in the time he has left by converting an old RV into a meth lab on wheels. That eventually leads him to meet Saul Goodman, a top lawyer whose real name is Jimmy McGill.
“I’ve been doing it for so long and it’s such a part of my life that I don’t think I’ve fully accepted that it’s over,” Odenkirk told the Radio Times of the show’s conclusion last year. “It’s already been 12 years of my life. But when I’m done watching this season with everyone else, it’s going to hit me: that’s done.
Saul is a powerful champion for his low-income clients – an underdog whose morals and ambitions often clash. Jimmy teams up with private investigator Mike Ehrmantraut, who has specialized skills that Jimmy quickly learns to appreciate. And speaking of fun characters like Mike – like the last season of You better call Saulcoming soon to Netflix, we’ve taken a closer look at some of our favorites Break bad players who were welcome return to the spin-off – alongside the obvious Jimmy McGill, aka Saul Goodman, aka Gene Takovic, aka Bob Odenkirk, of course. Warning: spoilers below!
Walter White (Bryan Cranston)
In real life, Bryan Cranston had walked the red carpet at the time You better call Saul first premiered all those years ago. The rest of the world then started thinking, “Wait, will he show up You better call SaulAnd finally, in the final season, Walter White resurfaced — and it was glorious. Break bad, but Cranston was dynamite from start to finish. Who couldn’t love Cranston from the start after his epic “tighty-whitey” look in the pilot episode? And as for Cranston, it would be great to see him play Willie Nelson in a biopic one day, because he’s so interested…
Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul)
For all of you Break bad fans, is it possible to read Aaron Paul’s character name without hearing Walter White say it in that infamous sharp whisper, “Jesse!” I suppose it has a similar effect when you read the words “Mr. White” and immediately hear Aaron Paul’s rowdy voice. Jesse is a fan favorite who made a welcome return in Netflix’s El Camino spin off movie. And then his cameo towards the end of seeing You better call SaulThe run was the icing on the cake. Jesse’s character arc over the course of Break bad got us cheering for him over Walter White by the end. He’s a real good guy, despite his contradictory nature.
Mike (Jonathan Banks)
Fun fact: Mike only exists on TV due to a scheduling conflict in the past. Thank goodness for that, huh? Jonathan Banks was nominated again and again for an Emmy for his appeal as a criminal heavyweight Mike, who by the end of You better call Saulhas run. “Shut up and let me die in peace” was certainly an epic way for Mike to meet his demise on a late episode of Breaking Bad. At heart, he is a loving family man who has a moral compass despite his criminal ways.
Hank (Dean Norris)
Hank’s cameo was first teased in a You better call Saul trailer for one of the later seasons. And then his performance finally came in a pivotal episode, and it was just amazing. Dean Norris is one of those familiar faces you’ve seen in other high-profile TV projects, such as Stephen King’s Under the dome. Hank’s tragic death Break bad made us hate Heisenberg even more. He’s got some great lines as a DEA agent under Gus’ nose, and we hope to see the scene-stealing Norris in future juicy projects.
Stacey (Kerry Condon)
Kerry Condon is fresh off her well-deserved Oscar-nominated turn The Banshees of Inisherin. She appeared inside Break bad as the mother of Mike’s beloved granddaughter, who helps flesh out the mobster’s layered backstory. Stacey becomes a more prominent figure throughout You better call Saulgiving her own character more layers to keep up with the perpetually conflicted Mike.
Ed (Robert Forster)
Rest in peace Robert. Another reliably outstanding actor here, Forster shot to stardom after his Academy Award-nominated turn in Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown. In the latest episodes of Break bad, Forster’s Ed gets some great risk management scenes for the seemingly hopeless Walter White. Remember when Ed made $10,000 simply by spending an hour with the dying Walter White in hiding? Ed was back in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and then some black and white You better call Saul scenes before they pass in real life.
Gus (Giancarlo Esposito)
Gus had perhaps one of the most grotesque deaths on television when his character was blown to pieces during the film Break bad‘s conclusion. You could argue that he had it coming. Per Yahoo!actor Giancarlo Esposito recently won a Critics’ Choice Award for his supporting role You better call Saul – rightly so. His icy demeanor will be used endlessly for social media memes until the end of time, which is proof enough of how Esposito simply pursues the role of Gus. “It’s…acceptable” is another memorable quote from Gus when he chastises a well-meaning employee in You better call Saul.
Hektor (Mark Margolis)
Who can’t hear Gus’ menacing voice saying “Don Hector” when we think of Mark Margolis’ all-in turn as the paraplegic, health-stricken drug kingpin? Hector’s clever way to kill Gus Break bad was one of the finest TV moments. It was a treat to see his character fleshed out more You better call Saulas we learn how he was reduced to his wheelchair and that infamous “bell.”
Francesca (Tina Parker)
Francesca made waves when she took on Walter White in a Break bad episode, so it was a pleasant surprise to see her back as Jimmy’s assistant in You better call Saul. Tina Parker has some great scenes towards the end of the spin-off series, especially when it redirects to her filling in “Gene” about what was going on with Kim Wexler (the Emmy-nominated Rhea Seahorn). Francesca’s down-to-earth, ice-cold demeanor reliably caused laughter You better call Saulespecially when the show went dark.