Events are unfolding smoothly in Better Call Saul's 6th and final season and with only a few more episodes left for the prequel to connect the parent show, the stakes are bound to get much higher. At the moment, fans are looking forward to finding out what happens to the characters that don't appear in Breaking Bad.
So far, Jimmy McGill and his associates have taken viewers on a wild ride, leading to some suggestions that Better Call Saul is better than Breaking Bad. This is a debate that's likely to go on among fans but according to a number of Redditors, there is a clear winner.
It Gets Off To A Flying Start
One major problem fans have with Breaking Bad is that it drags on in the beginning. Redditor athars_theone lauds the spinoff for not having this problem, writing, "BCS hits top strides from season 1 while BB doesn't hit its peak until season 3." Revolutionary_Bag921 adds, "BCS’s pilot is leaps and bounds better than BB’s."
The spinoff's pilot definitely has more to offer. In just a single episode, fans get to see Future Jimmy in Omaha, Present Jimmy dealing with scamming skaters, Howard, and Chuck, as well as a rather incredible final scene where the lawyer has a gun pulled on him by one of the best Breaking Bad villains, Tuco Salamanca. All these events dilate viewer anticipation. Meanwhile, the original series doesn't paint Walt's teacher to meth cook transformation as something that will be more exciting down the road.
It Doesn't Have A Protagonist Problem
Hardly any of the characters in the original series can be considered heroes. This isn't the case in the prequel. Redditor trade_tsunami notes, "In BCS, there are almost too many protagonists worth rooting for (Jimmy, Kim, Mike, Nacho)."
Better Call Saul remains keen on depicting its protagonists in a good light since even Nacho doesn't kill anyone in the first five seasons, despite being a prominent member of the Juarez cartel. Additionally, Mike never hesitates to call out Gus Fring whenever he feels that the trafficker is being irrational and Kim is nowhere near as hypocritical as Skyler White.
It Doesn't Lean On Fan Service
PTfan states that Better Call Saul "drops you into a full-fledged world of new characters that feel completely real." The Reddit user is right since new characters like Chuck, Kim, and Nacho are given plenty of screentime.
Given the high number of strong, new, characters, the prequel can still stand on its own as an independent series if some of the connections are erased. Chuck, in particular, gets to boss the proceedings in the first 3 seasons, at times even more than Jimmy. The familiar faces are relegated to occasional appearances too. Tuco is sent to jail early while Hector goes to Casa Tranquilla. As such, the fresh faces get room to shine.
Jimmy Is More Relatable
Rising from a scam artist in Cicero, Illinois to a mailroom clerk at HHM to a lawyer at the Santa Fe law firm, Davis & Main, is something that feels doable. Becoming a meth kingpin doesn't seem as likely. WakeAndShake88 states, "Jimmy is a "bad" man who is constantly in danger of becoming perfectly decent."
Walt could be described as a Reverse Jimmy. He keeps becoming evil whereas Jimmy gets nicer. As for the relatability aspect of the two, only a small fraction of viewers can boast of having the same Chemistry knowledge as Walter White. And in the real world, it would be hard to find any news about a teacher that ended up being a drug lord. Conversely, there are many sleazy lawyers out there like Jimmy McGill. There are also many people who get lost before finding the right path.
It Has More Distinct Storylines
The spinoff touches on various legal and drug-related tales in each season. Redditor idk420_ comments that Better Call Saul "has a lot more going on, and whichever story I'm watching at the time is my favorite."
Whether it's Chuck fighting Howard over the running of Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill (HHM), or Gus Fring building the Superlab, there is a wealth of storylines to look forward to. The original series, on the other hand, hardly has any standalone storylines. Nearly everything is tied to Walt's actions, including the deadly Wayfarer 515 plane crash.
It's Clever
Redditor mikerichh calls it a 'smarter' show than its predecessor. They argue that Better Call Saul "relies less on brute force and more on being clever which I think makes it more interesting at times."
The Redditor is arguably correct because Jimmy and his associates tend to find themselves in less drama-filled moments than their counterparts from the future. Instead of endless franticness and numerous nation scenes, the story of early 2000s Albuquerque is told through witty dialogue and detailed subplots.
It Has A Superior Supporting Cast
To some fans, the supporting cast is much more proactive in the prequel than in the original show. KingOfRandomTjoughts comments, "People like Nacho and Lalo play their roles much better than Marie and Walt Jr."
Indeed the supporting cast in the sequel influences the proceedings much better. Even minor characters like the Kettlemans get to indirectly determine the path that Jimmy's career takes. In the parent show, Marie and Walter Jr. never steer the plot in any way, despite appearing in multiple scenes.
It Isn't A Family Tale
In some viewers opinion, too many shows have used the template of a family man having to deal with other issues. Redditor theMaroonWave argues that the Saul tale is better than Breaking Bad because "Walt's family just got in the way too much."
The main characters from most of the best shows from the Golden Age of television have families. Including family has come to be seen as mandatory but Better Call Saul avoids it. Consequently, the characters are free-spirited as they have little to lose. Jimmy doesn't seek a job at HHM or partner with Lalo because his children need money for tuition. Instead, he does it all for himself.
The Cinematography Is Stunning
Despite being set in the same location, the cinematography is quite different between the two shows. While Breaking Bad features plenty of well-shot scenes in the desert, KimCops899 writes, "I love the slow, steady camerawork as opposed to the green-toned shaky-cam of BB's first 3 seasons."
It could be argued that this has to do with the tone of each show. Steady camerawork works for the Jimmy McGill story because the pace is much slower. As for Walt, he is ever on the move, meaning the camera has to reflect this. The picture quality could be all due to technological advancements, with better cameras and better editing comes better cinematography.
There's More Humor
There are plenty of dark moments in this particular universe but Sniperman170 argues that the spinoff does a better job of making viewers laugh. They note that "BCS is serious but there is more comedy stranded across."
Saul Goodman is one of the funniest Breaking Bad characters so it makes sense that a spinoff focussing on him would be hilarious too. Furthermore, actor Bob Odenkirk's comedy background means he has an easier time trying to be funny than Bryan Cranston. Even better is that the series makes sure to not overdo the comedy. Instead of including one joke after the other, it mostly relies on funny actions.