The transition from Jimmy McGill to Saul Goodman is well underway, and with Season 4 ofBetter Call Saulon the horizon, the cast and creators behind the critically-celebratedBreaking Badspinoff were on hand at San Diego Comic-Con to tease what’s coming up next as the lines between the two continue to bleed and inch closer to Breaking Bad territory (with the promise of some crossover on the way).
In honor of the Hall H panel, which was hosted by comedianBill Burr, AMC trotted out creatorsVince GilliganandPeter Gould,along with key playersBob Odenkirk,Rhea Seehorn,Patrick Fabian,Michael Mando, andGiancarlo Esposito(Jonathan Banks couldn’t make it, but they brought a stunningly accurate bobblehead to sit in for him.)
The crew started off by teasing “the best season yet,” and one that’s going to have a whole lot more crossover and connection toBreaking Bad. “Season 4 is the best season yet,” said Gilligan. “The funny moments are funnier…the scenes absolutely could have been onBreaking Bad.
Gilligan also made it a point to establish that he, by and large, has little involvement with the creative direction of the show these days. “I am a fan of the show now,” Gilligan said. “I kind of stepped away and let Peter and all the wonderful producers and actors make this thing — by the way, I stepped away and went ‘Man, this show is better without me.’”
As for the scenes that could have been onBreaking Bad, Odenkirk hinted heavily that one scene in particular will be familiar to audiences… because itwasonBreaking Bad. “You’re going to see some stuff that will look very familiar in a delightful way,” Gould replied coyly.
“If you loveBreaking Bad, you’re going to get to see that world expand a bit,” Gilligan expanded. “And in addition to seeing things from that world that you’ve seen, you’re going to meet people who were referenced inBreaking Badbut you never met.”
Who exactly? Well, look back to Saul’s very first introduction in Episode 8 of Season 2. When Jesse and Walt have Saul at gunpoint, he asks if “Lalo” sent them? We know he didn’t, but until know, we haven’t known anything about Lalo. Well, that’s about to change. The series recruitedTony Dalton(Sense8) to take on the role, and while they didn’t reveal the details of his character, they did show an image of him interaction with another familiar face…. None other than Hector Salamanca (ding ding!).
But what about Jimmy? Does Odenkirk consider Saul and Jimmy the same person in both shows? Or is the transformation so complete, he becomes someone else entirely? Odenkirk said he does consider the same person, and pondered the possibility that there might be more to the Saul we see inBreaking Bad –specifically if there’s another dimension to him that’s more like Jimmy than we were shown at first. “I wonder if he volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club or something,” he said.
No doubt, we’re going to get a new perspective on the fan-favorite character as we lean more intoBreaking Badterritory, but we’re going to stay tuned for the details because the cast is keeping mum.
