Can you really call something a surprise if everyone expects it to happen? Don’t turn to Better Call Saul for answers, because the show won’t be giving us a chance to debate that philosophical question. The series has announced what every viewer has expected since the prequel series debuted. Breaking Bad‘s Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul will return during Better Call Saul‘s final season.
Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul co-creator Peter Gould has announced Walter White and Jesse Pinkman will be there when Jimmy McGill forever loses his soul to Saul Goodman in the spinoff show’s last hurrah. Gould shared the news (which we first heard about at Variety) during a panel at this year’s PaleyFest LA. The co-showrunner addressed the years-long speculation head-on by confirming Breaking Bad‘s Cranston and Paul will once again reprise their roles on Better Call Saul, just as they did in 2019’s El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. That film provided an answer to what happened to Jesse following Breaking Bad‘s finale in 2013.
We know Jimmy McGill is long gone by the time those two enter Saul Goodman’s life. But Saul isn’t free of Jimmy’s old problems when they do. On Breaking Bad, after Walt and Jesse kidnap him, Saul screams, “It wasn’t me, it was Ignacio, he’s the one.” He then asks if Lalo sent them. Ignacio and Lalo never appeared on Breaking Bad, but have played huge roles in the prequel. Saul was still dealing with each man by the time Walt and Jesse showed up at his door, indicating the two shows might have quite a bit of overlap.
They're coming back. #BetterCallSaul pic.twitter.com/IXDq6KarcN
— Better Call Saul (@BetterCallSaul) April 10, 2022
That’s why Cranston and Paul could be back for more than just a cameo. However, Gould didn’t share the specifics of the duo’s return, though. “How or the circumstances or anything, you’ll just have to discover that for yourself,” he said. “But I have to say that’s one of many things that I think you’ll discover this season.”
While that is unsurprising, revealing their guest spots is at least somewhat unexpected. There’s obviously value in seeing a character pop up when you least expect it. But since everyone expected Cranston and Paul to show up as Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad merge timelines, hyping their return makes more sense. AMC will actually be able to advertise their appearance if the network likes. Plus, there will be plenty of actual surprises we don’t expect. “If you can believe it, there’s more,” said star Bob Odenkirk at PaleyFest.
That means our philosophical question about expected surprises will have to wait even longer. We have no idea who else will appear in Better Call Saul‘s final season.
