When Better Call Saul first sputtered onto TV screens back in 2015, nobody expected much. Fans of Breaking Bad balked, wondering why a spinoff had even materialized – a prequel no less. We asked ourselves: How could a show no one asked for up the ante on Albuquerque’s finest?
To this day, a group of holdouts living in a bunker somewhere refuses to watch the misadventures of Jimmy McGill. They jadedly bristle with theories about how a prequel to the greatest show ever made is nothing short of sacrilege. We know this because there was a time when we dwelt amongst them.
And yet, after five triumphant seasons with little fanfare, the case has been made that Better Call Saul is holier than its predecessor. A towering drama of epic proportions ripe with nuanced plotlines and character development equal to anything Breaking Bad ever cooked up. And that’s saying a whole helluva lot.
Now, after a grueling two-year wait, the sixth and final season is upon us. (For those who are keeping score, that’s one more than Breaking Bad – the tie-breaker.) And with shit very much poised to hit the fan, the two-part season which premieres April 18, promises to be an unforgettable ride.
Quench your McGills on this titillating first-look trailer from the lovely folks at AMC. Then jump right into our top ten predictions for how the Cinnabon crumbles for Jimmy and associates. But hurry, the end is near.
Cover Photo: Ben Leuner (AMC)
Better Call Saul S6 Predictions
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1. Gene Escapes From Cinnabon Purgatory
As much as we all love Cinnabon, there's no way Jimmy McGill's secret persona Gene Takovic is going out like that. (And not just because he probably gets whacked by a hitman while closing his eyes to sniff the majesty of a freshly-baked pastry.) Just look at the first shot of the trailer where Jimmy steps out of his car under the bright lights of an El Camino sign. How can this not be a hint that Jimmy survives the fallout from life in Albuquerque (like his old pal Jesse Pinkman)? Unless, of course, it's a cruel fakeout intended to break our hearts after giving us one last glimmer of hope. Hmm. On second thought, it could definitely be that.
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2. Howard Crumbles Before The Mighty Kim
Kim Wexler is a lot like The Wu-Tang Clan. She ain't nothing to f*ck with. So in the Season 5 finale, when Kim turns on Howard Hamlin, there's no doubt the woman will succeed in blowing up the pompous attorney's life. Especially once he moves to take down her snuggle buddy Jimmy. The real question is, will she feel remorse over it? And will that remorse lead her to sacrifice herself in order to save Howard when the need arises? Hell no. Howard's a schmuck.
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3. Nacho Survives
We know that Nacho is nowhere to be seen in Breaking Bad, so the man either dies or gets away from the long arm of the cartel. Our guess is that Nacho's journey takes on the shape of a quiet redemption story, giving viewers but a small taste of the show breaking good. Of course, for the writers to balance out this heartwarming victory, Nacho's father must meet a horrible and untimely end, one that will haunt Nacho wherever his next life takes him. (Spinoff number three?)
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4. Lalo Eats Shit
Lalo is a pain in the ass. And god bless if Vince Gilligan and gang don't mete out some serious comeuppance every now and then. That's why it would be the perfect reversal of fortunes for henchman Nacho to end druglord heir Lalo in order to avenge his father's death and make a clean getaway. And with the Season 5 finale setting up the two rivals' endgame, Lalo's demise will no doubt be an epic game of cat and mouse.
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5. Jimmy And Kim Aren't As Broken Up As We Think
Truth be told, Breaking Bad never reveals much about Saul Goodman's personal life. This is why Kim Wexler's demise isn't a foregone conclusion. For all we know, Jimmy and Kim are still sending passive-aggressive messages via carrier pigeon even after the fall of Walter White. Case in point: If you look closely at Gene Takovic's bachelor pad lifestyle, the longing in him feels fresh, as if it's not so much about a distant past as an estranged lover. Prediction: Kim Wexler returns circa Cinnabon to sort out her and Jimmy's dysfunctional romance.
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6. Kim Visits The Vacuum Store
To support our theory of Kim's return, it stands to reason she visits the vacuum repair shop before skipping town. After all, she's going to need a new identity if she's to survive the hellfire coming her way. And because she's such a do-it-yourself kinda lady, we predict the connection to the vacuum shop is hers in the first place. Now, the one caveat on this whole deal is the real-life death of Robert Forster, the man who runs the vacuum shop. So expect to see a different person behind the counter when Kim goes to hoover up the mess that is her life.
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7. Saul Has A Run-in With Walter
Once Jimmy McGill assumes his new identity as Saul Goodman, he moves into a swanky office and replaces his Suzuki Esteem with a new Cadillac DeVille. We know all this. We also know that the only way a glossy new ride can keep its shine on the dusty streets of Albuquerque is by visiting the best carwash in town, where a pre-cancerous Walter White is famous for dishing out air fresheners with a smile.
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8. Ehrmantraut Continues To Be Amazing
No figure in the world of Breaking Bad is more undeservedly tragic than Mike Ehrmantraut. From the death of his son to the FBI's seizure of the blood money he set aside for his granddaughter, we know things don't end well for Ehrmantraut. But until then, the greatest anti-hero in fictionalized Albuquerque history will continue to amaze and astound with his quiet nobility and unparalleled badassery. That much is guaranteed.
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9. Pinkman Makes An Appearance
With Kim Wexler becoming a public defendant, chances are she crosses paths with all sorts of amateur lawbreakers. And who fits the bill as a second-rate drug dealer who can't afford a lawyer when he gets busted smoking pot more than Jesse Pinkman? This puts Kim and Jesse on a collision course, albeit a brief one that may wind up being little more than a name drop due to actor Aaron Paul aging 14 years. However... Prediction: If the final season goes full Pinkman, Jimmy McGill has made it to Alaska (after quitting Cinabbon in the style of Jerry McGuire).
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10. We Have No Idea How It's Going To End
Bob Odenkirk himself confirmed that the future timeline of the series (shot entirely in black and white) will comprise a greater chunk of Season 6 than ever before. This can only mean one thing: The universe of Breaking Bad will get more than just a coda - it'll get an entire symphony dedicated to rearranging our understanding of it. And you can be sure, with arguably the best writing on TV, Better Call Saul is destined to blow our minds in ways we could have never, ever predicted.
Can't. F*cking. Wait.
