Warning: This article contains spoilers for Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad.
After seven years of airing, Better Call Saul is finally coming to an end. Like it’s predecessor Breaking Bad, the show has been met with critical acclaim and strong ratings since it’s premiere in 2015.
Over the course of filming, the show has met with some challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic, the averted IATSE strike, and leading actor Bob Odenkirk’s near-fatal heart attacks have all threatened production, but despite this, production seems to have wrapped up smoothly.
After AMC announced the release date and posted two teasers, we’ve finally gotten a proper trailer for this season. In contrast to the legal drama and comedy of the previous seasons, the trailer for season 6 hints at a full-blown crime thriller as its tone and style begins to resemble that of Breaking Bad.
While Breaking Bad’s final season had a clearly-defined Neo-Western style, this trailer has a darker, film noir feel. As Jimmy’s (Bob Odenkirk) story comes to a close, the legal career plot and cartel subplot begin to converge.
Plotwise, the trailer tells us three things for certain: Nacho (Michael Mando) is on the run after betraying the Salamanca family, Howard (Patrick Fabian) is gathering evidence against Jimmy, and most importantly Jimmy has made the transition from petty scam artist to “criminal lawyer” Saul Goodman.
“The wicked flee when no man pursueth,” says Jimmy in the trailer, quoting Proverbs. While Breaking Bad’s finale told the story of Walt facing the consequences of his crimes, Better Call Saul’s finale seems to tackle the theme of fleeing consequences.
Driven away from the legal and the cartel world, both Jimmy and Nacho find themselves fleeing deeper and deeper into the criminal underworld. We see glimpses of scenes shot in dimly lit tunnels and basements.
Following on the “Gene Takovic” subplot which showed Jimmy’s life after the end of Breaking Bad, it’s almost certain that season 6 will wrap up with an epilogue for Jimmy. Whether he’ll survive or not is still the topic of heated debate by fans.
Despite its status as a prequel, Better Call Saul has remained suspenseful and engaging throughout all its previous seasons. Rather than just rehashing characters from its predecessor, it’s been able to introduce a whole new cast of characters whose fates are unknown. On top of this, the show has helped complete the arcs of characters like Mike (Jonathan Banks), Hector (Mark Margolis), and Gustavo (Giancarlo Esposito).
Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan were able to perfectly conclude Breaking Bad, and it’s safe to assume that Better Call Saul’s ending won’t disappoint. Rather than stagnate and go stale like many other television series, both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have improved in terms of writing, directing, editing, and cinematography with each season.
If Better Call Saul is able to pull off this finale, it’ll definitely stand alongside Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and The Wire as one of television’s finest crime dramas.
Better Call Saul season 6 is set to air on April 18, 2022 and will be available for streaming on AMC+.
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