We know that AMC’s ‘Better Call Saul’ is set in a pre-Breaking Bad world. But do we know how much the prequel overlaps the original show?
The only thing we wish to have right now is ‘Better Call Saul’ Season 6. All the ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ fans in this known Universe are waiting for the next season of this legal drama. BCS has been a rollercoaster journey and nothing less than its parent show ‘Breaking Bad’. However, one question that often bothers the fans is how much of BCS and ‘Breaking Bad’ is happening at the same time. While many would claim that ‘Better Call Saul’ doesn’t overlap with BB’s timeline. There are some facts and BCS references in ‘Breaking Bad’ that tells an entirely different story.
Highlights —
- ‘Better Call Saul’ overlaps ‘Breaking Bad’s’ timeline?
- Why do we think BCS will overlap ‘Breaking Bad’?
- BCS is also a sequel to ’Breaking Bad’
- How is the overlapping possible?
Saul Goodman will have a hard time dealing with Walter on the one hand and Lalo on the other.
‘Better Call Saul’ overlaps ‘Breaking Bad’s’ timeline?
The prequel spin-off of one of the greatest TV shows in history has also created a nice and warm place for itself in the list of the best TV dramas ever created. The show that started and grew over us like an extremely slow poison has now picked up the ‘Breaking Bad’ tone and pace with the last couple of seasons.
What we know for sure is that ‘Better Call Saul’ begins with Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) trying to be recognized as a lawyer. The initial events of ‘Better Call Saul’ take place in 2002, which is six-year before the beginning of ‘Breaking Bad’. Thus, we know that BCS begins way before the blue meth of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is introduced in the market.

Even though the storyline of BCS has travelled all the way to witness all the colours of Jimmy and have him finally turn into Saul Goodman, yet, the timeline of season 5 of ‘Better Call Saul’ is the year 2004. Thus, we know that there are still years to ‘Breaking Bad’ even after the season 5 finale episode “Something Unforgivable“.
This means the current events of BCS have not yet overlapped with ‘Breaking Bad’ in any way. However, the sixth and final season will likely eat up half of ‘Breaking Bad’s’ space.
Why do we think BCS will overlap ‘Breaking Bad’?
The inception of ‘Breaking Bad’ happens in the year 2008, as the 50-year-old high school science teacher, Walter White, finds out about his cancer. We can calculate that there is, at least, 4 years of gap between season 5 of ‘Better Call Saul’ and season 1 of ‘Breaking Bad’. Because Vince Gilligan has announced season 6 to be the final season of BCS, it seems mostly impossible for the timelines of the prequel to overlap Walt’s meeting with Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). However, one of the scenes in ‘Breaking Bad’ clearly hints at the confirmed interference of BCS’ events.
BCS’ lead Saul is introduced in ‘Breaking Bad’ in season 2 episode 8 titled “Saul Goodman” when Walt and Jesse approach him for legal assistance. However, in turn of the events through the episode, it so happens that Saul ends up begging for his life in front of Walt and Jesse. While trying to convince them of his innocence in an assumed crime, he screams, “It wasn’t me, it was Nacho … Lalo didn’t send you?”
Obviously, both Walt and Jesse couldn’t grasp the true meaning of these two sentences, but we now know Saul’s history with these names. While Nacho, aka Ignacio, is Jesse’s parallel in BCS, Lalo is the key villain in season 4 and 5 of BCS.
With “Something Unforgivable” ending with Lalo chasing Nacho, and Saul having a threat on his life due to the entire conflict, we believe season 6 will be dedicated to Saul vs Lalo. But the reference of these names in 2nd season of BB raises some question of timelines overlapping.
BCS is also a sequel to ‘Breaking Bad’
Another reason for ‘Better Call Saul’ to overlap ‘Breaking Bad’ is the fact that BCS is also a sequel to BB. If you have noticed those montages of Saul in a bit old state, hiding from the world after the entire Heisenberg reaction in his life, those take place in a post-Breaking Bad world.
What it means is that BCS might see a finale that is a post-finale ending after the events of ‘Breaking Bad’. In that case, it’s obvious that the BCS storyline will overlap ‘Breaking Bad’.
‘Better Call Saul’ will break bad into ‘Breaking Bad’s’ timeline in the finale season.
How the overlapping is possible?
Saul’s reference to Lalo and Nacho in ‘Breaking Bad’ Season 2 clearly puts forth the fact that even in the world 4 years from ‘Better Call Saul’ Season 5, they both exist. This means we might see a time jump at the beginning of the final season of BCS. It’s possible that Lalo and Nacho survive through all these years and remain a threat to Saul when he initiates his dealings with Walter and Jesse. In that scenario, because we don’t always see Saul on screen in ‘Breaking Bad’, possibilities are he will be resolving his BCS conflicts.
What do you think? Will ‘Better Call Saul’ ever overlap ‘Breaking Bad’ because Lalo and Nacho exist during the initial events of ‘Breaking Bad’. Share your comments with us in the section below.
