Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad Timeline Overlap: Explained

Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad Timeline1

Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad Timeline Explained – Only a few times in television history has a spinoff outperformed the main series. One of those shows is regarded as being AMC “Better Call Saul.” That’s a significant accomplishment considering the original series was similar to “Breaking Bad.” As a prequel to “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul” shows how polite Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) evolved into Saul Goodman, the corrupt attorney for the drug barons. The six-year span of the story is from 2002 to 2008.

A few scenes are also set in the period following the events of Breaking Bad, when Jimmy has been forced to leave his home and assume the guise of Gene Takavic, the balding and depressed manager of a Cinnabon shop in Omaha, Nebraska. Better Call Saul’s timeline starts to merge with that of “Breaking Bad” as it rushes towards its conclusion, just as we have always known it would. Here is a look at the complete timeline of the franchise thus far, even though we are unsure of what may occur in the following season.

Things begin in the 1980s

Things begin in the 1980s.

Even though “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” are set much later, numerous significant events that occur later were set up in the 1980s. The founding of the legal firm Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill is among the most significant events that take place during this period. As of right now, it is simply referred to as Hamlin & McGill in honour of George M. Hamlin and Chuck McGill (Michael McKean). Howard (Patrick Fabian), son of George, is not yet a partner in the Albuquerque business.

While everything is going on, in the 1980s, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Elliott Schwartz found Gray Matter Technologies (Adam Godley). In college, the two collaborated, and after finishing their theses, they founded the business. Gretchen (Jessica Hecht), whom Walter dates briefly, joins the pair later.

Unfortunately, Walter feels inadequate because of her family’s affluence, so he ends the relationship and sells his stake in Gray Matter Technologies for only $5,000. The business grows into a multi-billion dollar corporation, but the anti-hero harbours resentment toward Elliot and Gretchen.

Max Arciniega (James Martinez) and Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) approach the Cartel about potential cooperation simultaneously. But, unfortunately, Max is murdered by Hector Salamanca (Mark Margolis) at the request of Don Eladio (Steven Bauer), who is upset because the two aspiring drug dealers tricked him into meeting them by offering his men amphetamine. Gus will do whatever it takes to avenge his friend’s murder because of this moment, which he considers being defining.

Jimmy turns to the good life, and Jesse first meets Walt

Jimmy turns to the good life, and Jesse first meets Walt.

The 1990s begin with Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), later known as Saul Goodman, and his associate Marco Pasternak perpetrating many scams (Mel Rodriguez). The two con artists operate in Cicero, but Jimmy gets apprehended and eventually released on bond thanks to Chuck McGill, who was Jimmy’s brother. Jimmy must agree to relocate to Albuquerque and accept a position at Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill.

Jimmy departs with Chuck for New Mexico and starts working in the law firm’s mail office. He works as a model employee for the majority of this time and avoids mischief. After studying in his spare time, Jimmy passed the bar exam in 1997 and applied for a job at Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill. Jimmy departs to seek a career as a lawyer on his own after Chuck forbids it.

Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) attended J. P. Wynne High School between 1998 to 2002. He receives criticism from Walter White for being a reasonably indifferent student after failing his chemistry class. Although it’s unclear how well they knew one another, viewers learn that Walter made an effort to inspire him to work hard and perform well in school.

Mike leaves the police and Chuck takes a sabbatical

Chuck goes on Vacation, and Mike Leaves the Police.

Matt Ehrmantraut is killed by dishonest police officers just before “Better Call Saul” begins. He had initially been reluctant to accept the cash and had only agreed to do so after consulting his father, Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), who was a bad detective himself. Matt’s fellow officers ambushed him and killed him out of fear that he might reveal their whereabouts.

Mike becomes enraged by this and leaves the Philadelphia Police Department after killing the two individuals who killed his son. In order to be close to his daughter-in-law and grandchild, he promptly departs for Albuquerque. After receiving therapy for a shoulder injury, Mike begins working as a parking lot attendant at the courthouse in Albuquerque.

Chuck McGill allegedly developed an undiagnosed electromagnetic hypersensitivity disease in 2001. Some speculate that this may be a psychological condition rather than a physical one because it appears to begin after he and his wife divorce. Soon after, Chuck leaves Hamli, Hamlin & McGill for an extended period to stay away from technology while residing in a house stripped of all wiring and gadgets.

Better Call Saul season 1

Start of Better Call Saul

When Craig Kettleman (Jeremy Shamos) is charged with embezzlement, the first season of “Better Call Saul” opens with Jimmy McGill trying to defend the Kettlemans. However, the attorney wants to earn more money since he is sick of serving as a public defender. His schemes finally land him meetings with Tuco Salamanca (Raymond Cruz) and Nacho Vargo (Michael Mando), plunging him into the criminal underworld for the first time.

After spending $30,000 to remain silent, Craig Kettleman did steal millions of dollars, as Jimmy eventually learns. He also meets Mike Ehrmantraut at this point, and they start frequently communicating, especially as it becomes apparent that Mike is helpful as a fixer and private eye. He returns their money and starts to focus on elder law after eventually persuading the Kettlemans to accept a plea bargain.

He finds Sandpiper Crossing overcharges its residents during this time and begins advocating for a class action lawsuit. He receives an offer from Davis & Main to work there when the campaign is successful. He doesn’t remain in the comfortable and safe setting for very long, though, and decides to fire himself. He also breaks into Chuck McGill’s home to alter documents so that Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) may secure a significant bank client.

Hector Salamanca joins the team after Mike and Nacho start working together to try to get rid of Tuco. It eventually becomes clear that killing Hector would be in everyone’s best interests. Still, just as Mike is about to murder Hector with a sniper rifle, he is stopped by an enigmatic person.

Also Read: Better Call Saul: Is Gustavo “Gus” Fring Gay or Straight?

Gustavo Fring enters the fray

Gustavo Fring Joins the Battle.

Gustavo Fring first appears in “Breaking Bad” in the third season. The fast food restaurant owner is a significant drug dealer who intends to take the lead in the market north of the border. It is made clear that he is the one who stopped Mike from killing Hector because he has other ideas for the member of the Cartel.

Gus proposes to hire Mike full-time after seeing how valuable he can be. Hector gets a significant stroke and loses the capacity to speak and move without assistance due to Nacho’s poisoning.

Chuck takes Jimmy, who is now once more managing on his own, to court. Unfortunately, the bar association suspended Jimmy’s legal license due to the older brother’s efforts to punish Jimmy for his wrongdoings. Jimmy demonstrates during the trial that Chuck’s illness is fake and worsens his health. After Season 3, Chuck burns his house down with a gas lamp to commit suicide.

Better Call Saul season 5

Jimmy Changes, and Gus Becomes Serious

Gus starts making moves to control the drug trade north of the border. He starts building an underground meth lab with Werner Ziegler in an effort to regulate the drug trade. He also pays for a doctor to keep Hector alive despite choosing the course of action that will guarantee the Cartel leader won’t recover and will remain in his current condition.

Gus makes Nacho work with Mike to spy on Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton) when he comes to Albuquerque to run his family’s business and to act as a double agent against the Salamancas. Mike and Gus resolve to take Lalo out of the picture so they may go unchecked and permanently deactivate the Salamancas.

Jimmy, on the other hand, decides to go it alone once more and adopts the name Saul Goodman. He starts concentrating on working with criminals after having his law licence back, and Lalo soon asks him to represent Krazy-8 (Maximino Arciniega) and deal with the Salamancas. Later, when he is detained and has to travel to the border to retrieve his $7 million bail money, he is forced to assist Lalo in escaping from custody.

After being ambushed by unidentified assailants, Mike saves Jimmy’s life, and the two manage to return to Albuquerque without incident. Finally, Kim persuades Jimmy that they need to take down Howard Hamlin as Season 5 comes to a close in 2004.

breaking bad season 1 Walter White

Walter White Begins to Prepare Meth

The 2008 setting of “Breaking Bad” begins with Walter White receiving a terminal lung cancer diagnosis at the age of 50. This leads the high school chemistry teacher to accompany his brother-in-law, DEA agent Hank Schrader, on a ride-along (Dean Norris). Here he encounters Jesse Pinkman and a chance to collaborate with a former pupil to make meth in order to support his family and pay for his medical expenses.

He approaches Jesse, and despite the minor offender’s reservations, they both consent to collaborate and pool their skills. Although initially difficult, Walter and Jesse can sell meth and soon start cooking in an abandoned RV in the desert. Being forced to kill Krazy-8 is the first occasion in the series that the cancer-stricken instructor kills someone.

Additionally, the two meet Tuco Salamanca and decide to work together to distribute the drugs. Unfortunately, they encounter Hector Salamanca as their relationship deteriorates, and Tuco eventually plans to kill them. Hank, who has just arrived, unwittingly saves the two inexperienced chefs while also fatally shooting Tuco.

Must Read: Better Call Saul: Why Did Nacho Kill Himself?

Jesse and Walter Begin to Expand

Jesse and Walter Begin to Expand.

Tuco Salamanca is no longer an issue, giving Walter and Jesse the chance to grow and assume the position of distributors. In order to start selling the meth themselves, Jesse hooks up with Skinny Pete (Charles Baker) and Badger (Matt Jones), and they experience some success, making significantly more money than they ever had before. Even worse, Jesse gains a reputation as a cold-blooded killer, which makes it simpler for his group to extort money from sellers.

However, they find it more challenging to continue making meth due to changes in their personal situations. Skyler (Anna Gunn) develops a growing level of mistrust for Walter and what he does in his free time. Hank alerts her to the fact that her husband has a second phone, and she begins to worry that he might be having an affair.

She eventually learns that he was lying when he claimed to have received funding from his former business partners to cover his medical expenses and allow him to visit his mother. In contrast, Jesse starts dating Jane Margolis (Krysten Ritter), and the two of them begin abusing drugs often.

Walter and Jesse go to Saul Goodman in search of a way to get their money laundered. When Badger is arrested, he can assist them in getting a lesser sentence and devises a scheme to make their extra income appear legal. After some conversation, he puts them in touch with Gustavo Fring, and after first expressing some reluctance, the kingpin decides to buy a cargo of meth on short notice.

breaking bad Gus hires Walter and Jesse

Gus Employs Jesse and Walter.

When Skyler departs, Walter tries to exit the drug trade in an effort to save his marriage. Gus is successful in persuading Walter to work directly for him and provides Walter with a secure underground lab. A few weeks later, Jesse joins Walter, and the two continue to produce meth on a large scale. The bond between Gus, Walter, and Jesse quickly dissolves despite some early success.

Gus tries to remove them from his company after making a series of decisions, but they kill the person who would have taken their position, keeping them around for at least a short while. Gus ultimately succeeds in exacting retribution upon the Cartel in a triumphant moment. He takes Mike south of the border and poisons the gang’s top brass, including Don Eladio, eliminating all rivals in the meth trade.

Walt is fired by Gus when he gets back to Albuquerque, and he gives him a warning not to approach Jesse. When Walter realizes that his life is in danger, he tries to leave town with his family but cannot do so due to a lack of funds. He decides to kill Gus to eliminate the threat.

breaking bad Hector Salamanca

A New Empire Rises and Falls

Gus hates Hector Salamanca, so Walter uses that hatred to his advantage and uses a bomb rigged to the wheelchair of the elderly Cartel member to kill him. As there is no longer any competition, Walter takes over the meth business along with Jesse and Mike and becomes tremendously successful. However, they learn that Gus and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle (Laura Fraser) are connected to Madrigal, the supplier of the crucial component for his meth manufacture.

In order to protect himself, Walter kills Mike and every one of his men. Then, he collaborates with Lydia to grow his business across Europe. Hank learns that Walter is the elusive Heisenberg and begins attempting to bring him down despite his business doing well. Ultimately, a firefight with the neo-Nazi gang that Walter is associated with results in the deaths of Hank and Steven Gomez (Steven Michael Quezada).

Jesse is taken hostage by the group, who then make him continue producing meth in their confinement. Walter uses a false name to elude capture in New Hampshire for six months. Finally, Walter returns to Albuquerque, where he kills Lydia and the Nazis before rescuing Jesse just before the police arrive. Unfortunately, he is about to pass away from his wounds due to his recurring disease.

breaking bad El Camino

El Camino’s Story Continues

The last time viewers see Jesse before “El Camino,” he is rushing away from the Nazi compound as the police draw in. Jesse flees to Skinny Pete’s home shortly after this, and the movie starts. First, he successfully avoids the police with the aid of Badger and Skinny Pete. Then he goes to Todd Alquist’s (Jesse Plemons) old apartment to try to collect enough cash to buy Ed Galbraith (Robert Forster) a new identity.

He is $1,800 short of the required sum, and Ed isn’t willing to complete the transaction without full payment. It is challenging to get the money, so Jesse is obliged to kill Neil Kandy and one of his accomplices in order to obtain the remaining funds. Jesse decides to move to Alaska and start a new life after returning to Ed.

After being moved to his new residence, he hands Ed a letter to be sent to Brock Cantillo (Ian Posada) as a farewell before having a flashback to Jane Margolis’s earlier life. As of this writing, Jesse has made his final appearance in the “Breaking Bad” universe.

Better Call Saul jimmy

Jimmy’s Fresh Start

Each season of the television show “Better Call Saul” includes a flash-forward that depicts Jimmy living in the present under his new name, Gene Takovic. He manages a Cinnabon in Omaha and lives in constant fear of his past being discovered or of someone recognizing him. Watching old commercials on VHS, the lawyer is still visibly hooked to Saul Goodman.

When Jimmy is rushed to the hospital after what appears to be a heart attack, his new Social Security number still appears to be valid, proving that his covert identity is functioning flawlessly. But a cabbie recognises him and approaches him later at the mall, revealing that he is aware that he is actually Saul Goodman. Jimmy phones Ed Galbraith to schedule a different pickup, but he later changes his mind and says he will handle the situation independently.

Stream Better Call Saul Season 6 episodes on AMC.