‘Better Call Saul’ Creators And Cast Talk End Of ‘Breaking Bad’ Universe; Return Of Familiar Faces – TCA

Dino-Ray Ramos

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AMC Networks ended the day at TCA with one of their most critically acclaimed shows Better Call Saul. Big news was unveiled as showrunner Peter Gould and fellow executive producer and co-creator Vince Gilligan announced that they have been picked up for a sixth season ahead of the February 23 premiere of the fifth season. They also revealed that the sixth season will be the last — and they hope to “stick the landing.”

Joined on the stage by actors Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Giancarlo Esposito, Jonathan Banks, Patrick Fabian and Michael Mondo, Gould said, “We are going to end this with 63 episodes and that’s exactly what we wanted and hoped for.”

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He added that when they started the Breaking Bad spin-off, their hope was to tell the whole story of Jimmy McGill — and with the sixth season, they will be able to do that. As for how Saul Goodman’s story ends, Gould and Gilligan were asked if it will end where Breaking Bad begins or jump ahead. “Maybe it’s all of the above,” said Gilligan.

They danced around the question because they are still focusing on the fifth season. However, Gould admitted that from the beginning, they didn’t have an idea of when the story was going to end. “For 4 seasons, it was very foggy,” he said. “In season five, the fog started to lift and we started to see where it ends — and none of it is what I expected. When this season is over, you’ll have a better understanding of where it’s going.”

Gould spilled the beans that we will get to see Dean Norris reprise his role as Hank Schrader in season five. As for the return of Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman and Bryan Cranston as Walter White, they said they would not be in season five. As for season six, they didn’t say they wouldn’t be in it.

“I would love to work with Aaron and Bryan,” said Gould.

Even so, they were asked if the final season of Better Call Saul will be the definitive end for the Breaking Bad extended universe.

Gilligan echoed Gould’s sentiment saying, “I want to work with these guys and the crew forever…but you can put too much hot fudge on a sundae and I don’t want to do that.”

“I always caveat it with ‘never say never’,” he added, saying he said the same thing before and then they made the Netflix film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. He added another caveat saying, “But you don’t want to drive it into the ground.”

Breaking Bad universe began to be compared to the Star Wars universe of films to which Banks said, “All good stories come to an end…who cares about Star Wars?”

“He’s in it!” Seehorn interjected pointing at a laughing Esposito, who stars in The Mandalorian.

The season 4 finale marked a pivotal character as Odenkirk’s character said that he’s done practicing as “Jimmy McGill” and has decided to practice law as “Saul Goodman.” Season 5 of Better Call Saul begins on Sunday, February 23 at 10/9c, with the second episode airing the following night, Monday, February 24, in the show’s regular time slot at 9/8c.

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