Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul is an American neo-noir legal crime drama television series created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould for AMC. Part of the Breaking Bad franchise, it is a spin-off of Gilligan's previous series, Breaking Bad (2008–2013), to which it serves primarily as a prequel, with some scenes taking place during and after the events of Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul premiered on AMC on February 8, 2015, and ended on August 15, 2022, after six seasons, totaling 63 episodes.

Set primarily in the early to mid-2000s in Albuquerque, New Mexico, several years before the events of Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul examines the ethical decline of Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), an aspiring lawyer and former con artist who becomes the egocentric and sleazy criminal-defense attorney Saul Goodman. The show also follows Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), a former corrupt police officer who becomes a fixer and enforcer for drug traffickers. In addition to the primary storyline, Better Call Saul includes black-and-white flashforwards set in 2010, after the events of Breaking Bad, which explore the consequences of Saul's actions across both series. Odenkirk, Banks, and Giancarlo Esposito reprise their roles from Breaking Bad, as do many others in guest appearances, while Rhea Seehorn, Michael McKean, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, and Tony Dalton co-star as new characters.

Gilligan, who created and developed Breaking Bad, and Gould, who wrote the Breaking Bad episode "Better Call Saul", began considering a Saul Goodman spin-off in 2009. Because Saul's role in Breaking Bad had expanded beyond the writing staff's plans, Gilligan felt he could be explored further. He and Gould considered making a half-hour legal comedy featuring Saul and his various clients, but settled on an hour-long tragedy showing how he develops into the character seen in Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul's development began during the production of Breaking Bad's final season in 2013, with Gilligan and Gould serving as co-showrunners and numerous production staff returning. Gilligan left Better Call Saul as a writer early in the third season—making Gould the sole showrunner for the remainder of its run—though he continued to direct episodes, and returned to help write the final season.

Better Call Saul received critical acclaim, with praise for its acting, characters, writing, direction, and cinematography. Many reviewers have considered it a worthy successor to Breaking Bad—some deeming it superior to its predecessor—and one of the greatest television series of all time. It has garnered many accolades, including 2 Peabody Award nominations, 53 Primetime Emmy Award nominations (setting a record for the most-nominated show to never win an Emmy), 19 Writers Guild of America Award nominations, 20 Critics' Choice Television Award nominations, 9 Actor Award nominations, and 6 Golden Globe Award nominations. At the time of its airing, the series premiere held the record for the highest-rated scripted series premiere in basic cable history.