A new clip from the Better Call Saul season 4 premiere hints at serious trouble in the show's post-Breaking Bad storyline. In a smart move, co-creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould opted to make Saul more than just a prequel series; each season includes sequences that are set after Breaking Bad, with Jimmy McGill now living as "Gene," manager of a Cinnabon in Omaha. During the third season, audiences were left with a cliffhanger, as Gene collapsed at work following a lunch break.
During San Diego Comic-Con 2018, Gilligan admitted he isn't entirely sure how Better Call Saul ends, partially because of the Gene scenes. They give the hit AMC series an element of mystery, and viewers are very curious to see what will become of the future lawyer. After a long wait, fans finally get a tease - and it's safe to say Gene is fairly nervous.
Related: Better Call Saul Season 4 Trailer
Released as an exclusive to IndieWire, the footage shows Gene about to leave the hospital, when he is called back to the patient registration desk. Apparently, the computer system doesn't recognize his driver's license number. Gene is also asked to provide his social security number "again," indicating there's an issue on that front as well. Bob Odenkirk's performance in the scene illustrates Gene's desperation to get back home.
Click Here To Watch The Better Call Saul Clip
The main issue for the problems, of course, is that "Gene" isn't a real person and was never officially issued that driver's license and social security number. Saul's extractor Ed fixed him up with the identity towards the end of Breaking Bad, as Saul looked to get away from the insanity that overran his life. As good as Ed was, fakes can only go so far, and they were never intended to be put on record. If it's discovered Gene is in possession of phony documents, that could potentially carry serious consequences for him. One doesn't need to have a law degree to know having a fake ID is a crime, so "Gene" definitely understands this could be the end of the line. The clip fades out before the scene's resolution, giving viewers more incentive to tune in when the full episode airs.
It'll be interesting to see how much of Gene we see this year on Better Call Saul. In the third season, the storyline was included only in the premiere episode, so something similar could be in store here. AMC just renewed the show for a fifth season, meaning there's no rush for Gilligan and company to neatly tie things up in the forthcoming batch of episodes. The fallout of Chuck's death in "Lantern" will be the primary focus for this season, but there's no denying people are invested in what the future holds for the man once known as Jimmy McGill.
MORE: Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul are NOT In Better Call Saul Season 4
Better Call Saul season 4 premieres on AMC Monday, August 6, 2018.
Source: IndieWire