After an excellent fourth season, and news of renewal for a fifth, Better Call Saul has more than proved it’s worth as a spinoff. Not only has the show provided a compelling backstory for many Breaking Bad characters, but it’s also a great story in its own right. Saul has introduced us to a cast of memorable supporting characters, like the scheming Chuck, intimidating Nacho, and motivated Kim, and delivered several classic episodes. The Mike-centric “Five-O” is a heartbreaking tour-de-force and stands up to even the best episodes Breaking Bad had to offer.
With the success of Saul, could there be more great stories hiding in the Albuquerque Cinematic Universe? Have Vince Gilligan and Co. only scratched the surface of what could be done with the cast of Breaking Bad?
Read on for 10 more character spinoffs that deserve their shot at prime time.
Los Pollitos Hermanos (Gus)
Gustavo Fring is arguably one of television’s greatest villains. As masterfully played by Giancarlo Esposito, Gus can be composed and businesslike one moment, violent and brutal the next. That’s without even mentioning the jovial, fatherly persona he puts on as the manager of Los Pollos Hermanos, his fried chicken restaurant.
Gus is low on the list due to his cropping up on Better Call Saul, there’s so much more to explore there. His childhood in Chile, his immigration during a violent political coup, and finally, how he got involved in the criminal underworld (and the chicken business) in the first place.
My Life as a Teenage Kleptomaniac (Marie)
In the first few seasons of Breaking Bad, Marie was a near-constant presence. As the show went on, however, Walt’s home life got less and less screen time, and we sort of lost track of his neurotic sister in law. Despite this, there is definitely a lot of interesting things about Marie’s past and interior life.
How did her kleptomania develop? How did she meet Hank, and how did she handle his death? Splitting the time between Marie’s teenage years and her life after Hank could provide My Life as a Teenage Kleptomaniac with a framing device, much like Saul’s Cinnabon manager.
Flynn: A Breaking Bad Story (Walter Jr.)
Another Breaking Bad character who got short shrift from the later seasons was Walter Jr., Walt’s quiet, breakfast loving son. Jr’s emotional journey was often relegated to the background of the show, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t compelling. It may have been the exact opposite. One of Jr’s final appearances, where he breaks up a fight between Walt and Skyler, was one of the most emotional moments of the final season. There was more depth to Jr than the show fully allowed.
This hypothetical spinoff would be focussed on Walter Jr.’s high school years. Specifically the struggles with his identity that would result in the birth of a darker persona: Flynn.
You’ve Got Gale! (Gale)
Who said that every spin-off had to be a serious crime drama? It’s clear that the antics of Gale Boetticher would be a much better fit for a breezy romantic comedy. This show would follow Gale’s attempts to get a date during his time at the University of New Mexico, and his hapless blunders along the way. Gale’s unluckiness in love would eventually start him on a dark path, one that would eventually lead to his violent death.
Don’t think about that though! You won’t be able to through all the laughs! Thrill as Gale starts his work on the perfect cup of coffee, practices his Karaoke skills, and navigates an unlikely cameo from Danny Trejo’s Tortuga! After his cameo on Saul this season, this is an easy sell.
Mi Nombre es…Tio (Hector)
With Game of Thrones coming to an end, it seems like there could be an opening for a story of some ruthless people fighting over an empire. Who better to center such a story around then Hector “Tio” Salamanca?
Like Gus, Tio got some prequel story in Better Call Saul, but there’s still an entire life in the Drug Cartels to be explored. Every Mexico-set episode of Breaking Bad was memorable in some way, usually horrific, and there’s definitely fertile ground for more story. It would also be cool to see some Mexican characters who aren’t gangsters, so it might be interesting to follow Tio (or Hijo, as he was then known) before he starts working for the cartels.
Badger, Pete ‘n Pals (Badger & Skinny Pete)
This idea may seem outlandish, but it makes a certain kind of sense. Is there a character on Breaking Bad with a more memorable voice than Badger? Not a metaphorical voice or perspective, but Badger’s literal squeaky falsetto. Paired with the gaunt (but still intimidating) Skinny Pete, Badger made for many of the shows funniest moments. So who better to give an Adult Swim style stoner cartoon to than an actual stoner? Badger, Pete N’ Pals would follow Badger, Skinny Pete, and maybe even Combo (for you superfans) as they navigate life in Albuquerque with limitless downtime. They could even visualize Badger as an actual Badger! Skinny Pete could be a snake or something.
Breaking Todd (Todd)
This might be the most obvious choice. Todd, with his dead-eyed stare, casual violence, and off-putting, boyish enthusiasm, was maybe the most unsettling thing about Breaking Bad, and that’s saying a lot. Todd’s backstory is hinted at by the appearance of his Neo-Nazi Uncle Jack, but it’s not hard to imagine seasons of prestige TV being wrung out of the early life of this ruthless killer.
Why does Todd have such a hard time connecting to people? Why does violence come to him so easily? What’s with the spider thing? All of these questions and more could be answered.
Or you could just make a comedy about him being left out of the game night. That would probably be good.
All Roads Lead to Bogdan! (Bogdan)
As the ill-tempered proprietor of the A1A Car Wash, Bogdan must have plenty of stories beyond his handful of appearances in Breaking Bad. Through what we see of his treatment of Walt, Bogdan is probably not widely liked by his employees. This would make the car wash the perfect setup for an Office-style workplace comedy, maybe even a mockumentary. This stealth prequel could introduce a younger Walt, or any number of Bad or Saul cameos as local motorists wander through.
Who knows what could happen on the highway to Albuquerque. Or what workplace hijinks could occur under Bogdan’s watchful eyebrows.
New Mexico Nights (Huell)
Perhaps the easiest sell of the bunch, not only could New Mexico Nights answer an age-old fan question (is Huell still waiting in that room?), but it could be a fun crime show in its own right. A sprawling, Ray Donovan style series about the scoundrels, thieves, and gangsters of the greater Albuquerque area, centering around the fixer who will solve any problem… for a price. Along with his trusty partner Kuby, Huell would set up his own detective agency after the disappearance of his former boss, Saul Goodman.
A strong guy with a good heart, Huell would make an engaging protagonist, and his camaraderie with Kuby could bring a much needed lighter side to the Breaking-verse.
Invisible Man (Ed)
One of Breaking Bad’s most interesting characters is only glimpsed in one episode.
Ed, aka “the Disappearer”, is a mysterious figure who gives new lives and identities to criminals in trouble. As played by character actor Robert Forster, Ed is fascinating, a last-minute savior who feels like an angel of death. Notably, he is also one of the few characters who seems even better at his job than Walt, but does that mean he’s never slipped up? Who is Ed running from? What if whoever it is starts to catch up? Ed would have to use his many years of experience to escape, and protect the people he left in his old life.
Now that would be a show.
