Summary
AlthoughBreaking Badalready had an extraordinary spin-off series with the prequelBetter Call Saul, that has not stopped viewers from expressing their want for a third series that all logic pointed toward being a terrible idea.Breaking Badalready achieved the close-to-impossible task of making a prequel series that lived up to the expectations set by the original, and to ask it to do the same again would be a fool’s errand. Although it’s always painful to say goodbye to a beloved franchise,Breaking Bad’slegacy should remain intact, and a third series should not be pursued.
The story of Walter White ended in the finale ofBreaking Bad, although the franchise gained a second life with the equally compelling prequelBetter Call Sauland a one-off movie titledEl Camino. It’s almost selfish to expect this to happen again, and there are numerous reasons why a third show would be a terrible idea. It seemedBreaking Badstar Bryan Cranston also felt this way, asCranston’s stance on Walter White’s returnwas thatbringingBreaking Badback could tarnish the legacy of some of the best shows of all time.
The finale ofBreaking Badwas an incredible piece of television that truly lived up to the expectations set over five fantastic seasons. This was why viewers were apprehensive when news first broke about a potential prequel spin-off based on Saul Goodman. As perhaps the most underdeveloped character in the show,the idea behindBetter Call Saulwas intriguing, but it meant that Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould also had to be content with incredibly high expectations of making a prequel that could live up to the original’s legacy.
Despite these lofty expectations, the team behindBetter Call Saulpulled it off, and the series was just as high quality and impressive asBreaking Bad. While this was a magnificent feat, to try and do the same thing once again would likely push things too far. Although if the creators ofBreaking BadandBetter Call Saultruly felt like they had an idea that was worthy of pursuing, there’s a chance lightning could strike twice regarding another spin-off; however, it does not feel likely, and it’s probably best to just let sleeping dogs lie.
9There Can Be Too Much Of A Good Thing
WhenBreaking Badended, it felt like a worthy conclusion to the story of Walter White and represented a singular story told effectively. Although audiences craved more stories from the world ofBreaking Bad, it would have been understandable if things had ended right there. Thankfully, this was not the case, and the prequel seriesBetter Call Sauland the Jesse Pinkman-focused movieEl Caminoadded new layers of meaning to the world created by Vince Gilligan.
These three distinct projects amounted to more than any reasonable viewer could have expected, but the desire for more failed to recognize the truth behind the saying that there can be too much of a good thing. The overarching narrative ofBreaking Badand its spinoffs have reached a satisfying conclusion, and unnaturally extending it into another series would be a mistake.The world ofBreaking Badwas about as close to a perfect television universe as has ever been seen, and it’s time to appreciate it as it is.
A thirdBreaking Badshow would be a terrible idea because there aren’t many unanswered questions left to address within the universe.Better Call Saulmade sense because Saul Goodman’s personal history was a real mystery waiting to be unraveled.El Caminowas a satisfying story to watch because, althoughJesse Pinkman’s post-Breaking Badstorywas not entirely essential from a narrative point of view, just what happened after he left Jack Welker’s compound was a rich story that acted as a fitting epilogue toBreaking Bad.
With these narrative threads already being addressed in two separate spin-offs, it begged the question of what a thirdBreaking Badshow would be about. While viewers have often suggested ideas like a Jesse sequel or prequels focused on Mike’s policing career or a young Gus Fring, the harsh truth was these shows would not make for compelling viewing. TheBreaking Baduniverse has already told audiences everything they needed to know about Jesse, Mike, and Gus, and a series that just spelled out the series subtext and nuances would not be a worthy successor to all that came before.
7Jesse’s New Life Is Best Left To The Imagination
El Caminocontinued the story of Jesse Pinkman as he sought to make a new life for himself after the death of Walter White, and he gained his freedom from Jack’s Nazi gang of criminals. This enjoyable epilogue gave Jesse’s narrative arc a satisfying conclusion and saw him take his first step toward a new life in Alaska. From an audience point of view, there was a desire to see more of Jesse’s new life, but in practice, this would be a terrible idea that would undo the resonance of all that came before.
A sequel series focused on Jesse in Alaska would either be a boring show with no conflict about a man starting anew, or it would need to draw Jesse back into his life of crime and essentially undo all his character growth. Jesse’s new life in Alaska was best left to the imagination, as viewers could decide for themselves the struggles and challenges he would confront later in his life’s journey. Either way, there would be no Walter White around, and aJesse-led series would lack the New Mexico setting that had characterized the universe ofBreaking Bad.
6The Audience’s Expectations Would Be Too High
Breaking Badhas returned numerous times, from the prequel seriesBetter Call Saulto the movieEl Caminoand even other non-canon appearances likeWalter and Jesse’s 2023 Super Bowl commercial. While it’s always enjoyable to see old characters return, the creators must face higher audience expectations every time they decide to do this. Now thatBetter Call Saulhas ended, it felt like there were very few loose ends left in the universe, and it may be time to close the book on this world forever.
If a newBreaking Badseries were to be announced, audiences and critics would endlessly scrutinize it to the point that expectations would skyrocket to unsurmountable levels. A third series would need to live up to the legacy of everything that came before it and even exceed it in quality if it were to feel like a worthy addition to the franchise. This level of pressure would likely amount to a series that failed to recapture the magic of past glory, andBreaking Badshould not allow for the potential of tarnishing its own legacy.
It’s been almost a decade since the first season ofBetter Call Saulpremiered, and even back then, the actor’s age was pushing the believability of a prequel series to its absolute limits. If the world ofBreaking Badwere to return for a new series, it would likely need to be a prequel, as the fates of almost all the notable characters have already been revealed. Whileviewers gave Bob Odenkirk a pass for looking much older than his character’s age inBetter Call Saul, that was only because it aired just one year after the conclusion ofBreaking Bad.
Better Call Saulfelt like it naturally transitioned fromBreaking Badas the creators and writers filled in the narrative gaps about its most underdeveloped character. If anyBreaking Badcharacters were to now return for a prequel series, it would be over a decade since the finale had aired, and the actor’s aging would be far too noticeable to ignore. While de-aging technology has improved in recent years, the number of hoops that must be jumped through to make a prequel work signaled that a third show would be a terrible idea.
4A Gus Prequel Would Need To Recast Gus
In the online discourse surrounding a potential newBreaking Badseries, one idea has stood out above the rest: A prequel focused on Gus Fring. For this to truly work, it would meanrecasting Giancarlo Esposito’s role as Gus Fringto tell the story of his rise in the criminal underworld as a younger man. While this idea was endorsed by Esposito himself (viaBritish GQ), it failed to recognize that part of what made Gus such a captivating villain inBreaking BadandBetter Call Saulwas Esposito’s performance, and without that, it would not feel the same.
Another reason that makinga prequel about a young Gus would not be as compellingas it initially seemed was that theBreaking Baduniverse has already given enough insight into Fring’s backstory. Gus was a highly nuanced character of extreme depth, but part of his appeal was also the mystery of his motivation, relationships, and backstory. To literally spell out every last detail of Gus’s rise in the criminal underworld would feel like overkill for his narrative and undo the enigmatic mysteries that make him intriguing in the first place.
3It’s Time For Vince Gilligan And The Team To Move On
Before creatingBreaking Bad, Vince Gilligan had an impressive career as a writer onThe X-Filesand as the screenwriter of the superhero movieHancock. Following the success ofBreaking Bad, Gilligan worked on some other projects, such as the comedy-dramaBattle Creek, which he co-created with David Shore. However, Gilligan’s career has essentially been focused on theBreaking Baduniverse for more than 15 years, and it’s time to let him move on and explore new universes and projects.
Thankfully, Gilligan has been doing just that and has been busy creating a new, currently untitled science fiction series for Apply TV+. This series will allow Gilligan to spread his wings outside of theBreaking Baduniverse, although viewers will be happy to learn that Kim Wexler’sBetter Call Saulactress Rhea Seahorn has been cast in the lead role. With this incredibleBreaking Badconnection to entice viewers, hopefully, this new series can act asthe beginning of the new chapter of Gilligan’s post-Breaking Badcareer.
2There Was Already A Third Show (That’s Best Forgotten About Entirely)
When viewers discuss their desire for a third TV show set in theBreaking Baduniverse, it’s apparent that everybody has collectively decided to forgetthe travesty ofSlippin’ Jimmy. This animated short-formBetter Call Saulprequel focused on the misadventures of a young Jimmy McGill and his best friend, Marco Pasternak. As a digital exclusive for AMC+,Slippin’ Jimmywas written by Ariel Levine and Kathleen Williams-Fosheewithout the involvement of Vince Gilligan or Peter Gould.
TheBreaking Baduniverse has built up such an esteemed legacy that the existence ofSlippin’ Jimmywas a baffling addition whose kid-friendly cartoon style begged the question of who AMC thought this show would appeal to.Slippin’ Jimmywas the best example of what can go wrong when a universe allows for unnecessary projects. While viewers hope a thirdBreaking Badseries could be equal in quality toBetter Call Saul, the harsh truth was it could also end up as forgettable, disappointing, and downright pointless asSlippin’ Jimmy.
The most obvious reason a thirdBreaking Badshow would be a terrible idea was that it puts its already three perfect endings in danger. The finale ofBreaking Badwas the ideal culmination of Walter White’s story, which seemed to give its protagonist something close to a happy ending while also feeling like his actions caught up with him.El Caminoacted as a fitting epilogue that addressed the lingering questions about Jesse Pinkman’s life story. Finally,Better Call Saulwas a nuanced character studythat mimicked and inverted the themes and ideas of the entire narrative.
The fact that Vince Gilligan and all the writers managed to pull the conclusion off not once but three times was an astounding feat unmatched in television. If another series were to be produced, it’s hard to imagine it having the same impact and emotional resonance that categorized three distinctly satisfying endings. While there’s no doubt that Gilligan, Peter Gould, and the rest of the team would only return to this well if they felt it was worth it, all logic points to a new series being a terrible idea that could tarnish the legacy of all that came before it.
Breaking Bad
Cast
Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.
