The Success of Better Call Saul and its Implications
Breaking Bad spawned one of the best spinoff shows ever, Better Call Saul, but making another spinoff could prove difficult due to one major character problem. Breaking Bad follows the story of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman as they enter and then overtake the entire drug world. Better Call Saul built upon that story by showing how the criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill began his shady dealings and helped the two. The show and its spinoff worked together to create a cohesive story, but applying that formula to a new spinoff raises problems.
Collage of Lalo in Better Call Saul and Gus Fring and the Cousins in Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul had many advantages that helped propel it to success. Breaking Bad's creator, Vince Gilligan, also co-created Better Call Saul. The prequel/sequel benefited from having many members of the original Breaking Bad cast reprise their roles, including Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill and Johnathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut. Both series received critical success, with 126 awards combined, but as good as Better Call Saul was, replicating the show's success could prove extremely difficult.
Jesse, Walt, and Gus in Breaking Bad
A Character Problem: The Challenge of Choosing a Lead
The problem with choosing another character from the Breaking Bad universe to focus a show on is that there isn't much more room in the story to explore. One of the most compelling characters from Breaking Bad and the obvious choice to be the lead of a spinoff show is Gustavo Fring. However, Gus's story in the show is mostly complete. Every aspect of his character arc, from his rise to power to his eventual fall at Walter's hand, has been resolved. A new spinoff could go even further into the past than Better Call Saul, but it might have to go too far.
Gus's backstory was touched upon in the other shows, as was the death of his partner, Max. While there is room to explore how the duo went from the streets of Santiago to being power players in the Cartel, it would have a hard time connecting to the other shows in the Breaking Bad universe. Other major names, like Walter, Jesse, Mike, and Jimmy, wouldn't be able to appear in the show, as their interactions with Gus happened later. The only familiar characters that could be explored in depth are some of the Salamancas, who have been antagonists and wouldn't be able to act as sympathetic main characters.
This problem would extend to anyone a new show could focus on. So many of the most compelling Breaking Bad characters in the franchise already met their end. One of Better Call Saul's advantages is that Jimmy's story was left open-ended in Breaking Bad, something that cannot be said for most other characters now. The stakes have been lowered, which is never a good thing for a new story and would immediately set it apart from the great stories that have already been told.
The Implications of Another Spinoff on the Franchise
Better Call Saul was so beloved because it worked as a standalone show, but it also added valuable context and details that made the original even better. Because of the problem inherent in trying to connect a new show to the already existing characters and story, a new spinoff wouldn't be able to add as much quality content to the universe. A new addition to the story would be far removed from the central conflicts followed in Breaking Bad and would have a hard time meeting the high bar of quality set by its predecessors. Making a spinoff just for the sake of adding to the story could actually detract from the quality, so it might be good that a new show seems unlikely.
It's For The Best That Vince Gilligan Has No Plans For More Breaking Bad Shows Jimmy's arrest was a fitting end to his story, and the lack of spinoff plans made Better Call Saul's ending even better. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has stated that he wants to leave the franchise alone for now, which could be the right call given the problems a new show would raise. The stories of Breaking Bad are complete, and every major character has seen their ending already. Adding more to it would only raise more problems and weaken what is already a fantastic franchise.
