Better Call Saul had a number of memorable Breaking Bad cameos, but Hank was the series' weakest cameo. Set roughly six years before the events of Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul is a stellar prequel series that adds dimension to Breaking Bad characters. While the series did focus on Bob Odenkirk’s Jimmy McGill, Better Call Saul also gave a great deal of character development to Breaking Bad fan favorites, such as Gus Fring and Mike. In addition to Breaking Bad characters who never appeared in Better Call Saul, there is one character who didn’t get the cameo he deserved.
Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) can be a controversial character because of his toxic masculinity and his natural antagonist position in opposition to Walt. However, Hank’s death is a brutal scene to watch as Walt sees the horrific consequences of his actions. Hank’s death in one of Breaking Bad’s best episodes “Ozymandias” and is a pivotal death in the Breaking Bad story. With Hank’s end, it makes sense that Better Call Saul would want to bring him back for a few episodes. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a fulfilling cameo for fans of the series.
Better Call Saul Didn't Really Need Hank's Cameo
Every major Breaking Bad character that appeared in Better Call Saul served a narrative or thematic purpose, except Hank. Sure, the audience learns that Hank was on his way to cracking Eladio’s drug empire, and it establishes his relationship with Krazy-8, but those pieces of his story were already implicit from watching Breaking Bad. It may have added some light character development for Hank, but it hardly seems relevant to Better Call Saul with the context that he dies in the Breaking Bad timeline.
In the Better Call Saul cameo, Hank meets Jimmy McGill as Saul Goodman and the two come up with a deal for Krazy-8 to act as a DEA informant. The information allows Hank and Steve Gomez to find cash of Gus' operation, but Gus’ henchmen Diego gets away. Hank is upset with this result, but this ambition to the point of recklessness is an evident part of his character in Breaking Bad. It is his determination to catch criminals that lead to his death. Therefore, Better Call Saul didn't need any more scenes to show Haul's dedication to his dangerous job.
Better Call Saul's Other Breaking Bad Cameos Served A Bigger Purpose
In contrast, his wife Marie Schrader (Betsy Brandt) had a satisfying cameo where she stood up to Saul Goodman. This Better Call Saul season 6 cameo gives Marie some depth which her character didn’t always have in the first few seasons of Breaking Bad. It also shows how Jimmy and Walt’s behavior affected other people in the universe.
Walt and Jesse’s Better Call Saul cameos added new context to their roles. Jesse got to have a one-on-one scene with Kim which worked thematically and added an interesting layer to the partners of these two icons. Gus and Mike got a ton of character development which only strengthened the fan base for those characters. Hank was a major character in Breaking Bad for his integral connection to the plot and certain character motivations. However, Hank was ultimately wasted in Better Call Saul.
Why Hank's Better Call Saul Cameo Might Actually Matter
While Hank’s cameo in Better Call Saul didn’t do much for his character, it did make Jimmy responsible for Jesse teaming up with Walt. Jimmy’s 50% off sale in Better Call Saul resulted in Krazy-8’s arrest, which resulted in making Krazy-8 an informant, which likely led to the bust where Walt met Jesse. Jimmy was an integral part of Breaking Bad before the prequel series was released, but to suggest that Jimmy helped bring Jesse and Walt together adds another layer to the Breaking Bad franchise.
Nevertheless, it can be argued that Walt and Jesse would've partnered up without Jimmy's interference. For one, Walt knew Jesse first as his chemistry teacher, so Walt already had an established relationship with Jesse. However, Walt and Jesse's teacher-student relationship is very different from the father-son relationship that eventually morphs into a friendship that couldn't happen without the assistance of Jimmy and the criminal world. Better Call Saul demonstrates that Jimmy’s role in the Breaking Bad world is even more important than once believed.
Better Call Saul had many exciting cameos that helped make the series a formidable prequel to Breaking Bad. Yet, not every important Breaking Bad character was represented in Better Call Saul, but the ones who were helped enhance the viewing experience of Better Call Saul. Hank is a great Breaking Bad character, but his cameo is unfortunately disappointing in Better Call Saul.