Is ‘Better Call Saul’ better than ‘Breaking Bad’?
‘Is Better Call Saul better than Breaking Bad?’ has entered the set of perennial, pressing enquiries, such as ‘Reeves or Mortimer?’, ‘Monty Python or Don?’ and even, ‘Who really let the dogs out?’ All jokes aside, both are examples of television at its finest, and there’s a strong case for either side of the argument. Due to the quality of Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould’s writing, it’s hard not to be pulled in by either show. With that, it’s nigh on impossible to discern a resounding winner, given the many similarities and few contrasts.
Prior to Better Call Saul’s conclusion in 2022, the popular consensus was that its predecessor, Breaking Bad, was the better of the two. At the time, the crime drama was locked in a never-ending tussle with The Wire, The Sopranos, Succession and Mad Men for the title of the greatest TV show of all time. However, after the spin-off – which serves as a prequel and sequel to Breaking Bad – concluded in August, the conversation had changed, and now there was a new contender.
As Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul occupy separate sides of the same coin, it makes for an interesting debate. Duly, with the latter acting as the prequel and sequel to the original series, it gave more scope for comedy, character development and, ultimately, optimism. Aside from these alluring features, the way in which the show makes audiences root for Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman is also deserving of praise. Better Call Saul seamlessly blends new characters with the old, and more importantly, the employment of strong female characters, which Gilligan’s original series lacked.
Rhea Seehorn’s Kim Wexler is vital to the show, with her morals something to commend, despite the scheming that she undertakes. Wexler’s eminence is reflected in how fans were more concerned that she would die before Breaking Bad than whether Jimmy would live after, which is a testament to the writing of Gilligan and Gould.
On the other hand, the case for Breaking Bad remains robust and the purist’s choice. The first argument they would posit is the strength of the story of the original, despite how depressing the programmer could get. There’s also a solid assertion the character development of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman is more impactful than those in Better Call Saul, with the grit and authenticity of Gilligan’s original series unmatched. Additionally, there’s a substantial view that Better Call Saul is guilty of being exceedingly slow at points, even more so than Breaking Bad, which can be excruciating for the viewer.
Ultimately, there is really nothing in it, and opinion changes every day on which of the two series is better. As the pair are so interlinked, it’s almost impossible to crown a champion. Better Call Saul benefitted greatly by learning from the mistakes of Breaking Bad. Yet, it’s hard for the iconic characters of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman to be beaten, despite Gilligan and Gould’s prowess in Better Call Saul. I’m not a betting man, but I’d wager that this debate will still be very much alive in a decade.
One thing is also certain: fans from both sides of the argument wish that Vince Gilligan will return to the universe of Walter White and Saul Goodman one day.
