Better Call Saul or Breaking Bad: Which one to watch first?
A question that has come up in the mind of every newbie starting their journey with the franchise.
We are here with a one-stop destination for all beginners regarding the watch order of the Breaking Bad franchise, including all the extra creatives related to the series.
So, if you are as confused about the watch order as Jesse was about “science”, then this is the article you are looking for!
1. Release Order
All the installments of the Breaking Bad universe are listed according to the release date:
I. Breaking Bad
- Season 1: 7 episodes (2008)
- Season 2: 13 episodes (2009)
- Season 3: 13 episodes (2010)
- Season 4: 13 episodes (2011)
- Season 5: 16 episodes (2012-2013)
II. Better Call Saul
- Season 1: 10 episodes (2015)
- Season 2: 10 episodes (2016)
- Season 3: 10 episodes (2017)
- Season 4: 10 episodes (2018)
III. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
IV. Better Call Saul
- Season 5: 10 episodes (2020)
- Season 6: 13 episodes (2022)
I, too, watched Breaking Bad before Better Call Saul and so has the majority of the fanbase.
Firstly, Better Call Saul is a prequel to Breaking Bad and has several Easter eggs and references to the latter. You wouldn’t be able to enjoy Better Call Saul to the fullest without having watched Breaking Bad first.
Secondly, the characters in this universe are extremely complicated and change over time. In Breaking Bad, we see very less of some characters like Gus Fring and Mike Ehrmantraut, and that hunger is satiated in Better Call Saul which contains the entire backstory of these characters. This keeps the curiosity alive while watching Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul finally quenches the thirst.
El Camino is an immediate sequel to Breaking Bad and talks about the future of Jesse after the finale. It can be treated as a standalone movie and can be watched after completing Breaking Bad. The position of El Camino is very odd in this order. Thus, you should refer to the ones listed below.
2. Chronological Order
All the installments of the Breaking Bad universe are listed according to the chronological order in the franchise’s timeline:
I. Better Call Saul
- Season 1: 10 episodes (2015)
- Season 2: 10 episodes (2016)
- Season 3: 10 episodes (2017)
- Season 4: 10 episodes (2018)
- Season 5: 10 episodes (2020)
- Season 6: Till episode 9 (2022)
II. Breaking Bad
- Season 1: 7 episodes (2008)
- Season 2: 13 episodes (2009)
- Season 3: 13 episodes (2010)
- Season 4: 13 episodes (2011)
- Season 5: 16 episodes (2012-2013)
III. Better Call Saul: Season 6, episodes 10-13
IV. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
Watching the journey of every character unfold in front of your eyes from the very beginning is the major attraction of watching Better Call Saul ahead of Breaking Bad. But that has several caveats.
As mentioned above, Better Call Saul was made as a prequel to Breaking Bad. It has several Easter eggs and callbacks to the original show. The viewing experience will not be wholesome enough if you don’t watch Breaking Bad first.
3. If You Don’t Want Any Fuss (like Jesse)
If you are a complete beginner and all this back and forth seems a little overwhelming to you, then you can simply watch one show after another in the chronology listed here. It is almost similar to the ‘Release Order’ except for the position of El Camino.
El Camino is an immediate sequel to Breaking Bad and should be watched right after Felina (the Breaking bad finale).
I. Breaking Bad
- Season 1: 7 episodes (2008)
- Season 2: 13 episodes (2009)
- Season 3: 13 episodes (2010)
- Season 4: 13 episodes (2011)
- Season 5: 16 episodes (2012-2013)
II. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
III. Better Call Saul
- Season 1: 10 episodes (2015)
- Season 2: 10 episodes (2016)
- Season 3: 10 episodes (2017)
- Season 4: 10 episodes (2018)
- Season 5: 10 episodes (2020)
- Season 6: 13 episodes (2022)
This is the simplest watch order for complete beginners who don’t want any fuss. You won’t be losing out on anything if you follow this order.
The only point to remember is that you will have to keep the last two episodes of Breaking Bad in mind while watching the final four episodes of Better Call Saul, as they directly continue a major plot from the Breaking Bad ending.
4. One Master Plan to Become the Ultimate Kingpin
If you are a little acquainted with the substance of the series and have a lot of time, then we have devised the perfect chronology for you to get the most out of the Breaking Bad franchise! It involves a lot of back and forth and switching between the two series, but it is the most wholesome viewing experience that you can have.
It is divided into three binge sessions with intermissions in the middle to let everything sink in.
Here we go!
I. Binge 1
- Begin with Breaking Bad Seasons 1-2.
- You can watch Better Call Saul Season 1 right now or can wait for Binge 2. Comparing and contrasting the two different personas of Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul will definitely be a treat.
- This is to be followed by Breaking Bad Season 3 and half of Season 4 (till episode 7). Season 4, Episode 7 will be the perfect stopping point because it is right before some of the major deaths in the series. It will be an ordeal to stop at such a ginormous cliffhanger but it will be worth the wait for sure!
Break: If you watch around five to ten episodes a week, then Binge 1 will take around 1-2 months to get over. We suggest taking a hiatus at this point and coming back after a while. You don’t want to finish one of the greatest television series ever written in a rush, do you?
II. Binge 2
- Now is the time to complete Better Call Saul Season 1 if you hadn’t watched it already in Binge 1.
- Finish watching Better Call Saul till Season 6 Episode 9. Do not watch the last four episodes of Better Call Saul before finishing Breaking Bad. It is a flash forward and deals with Gene Takovic’s story which has its inception in the penultimate episode of Breaking Bad.
Break: Take a breather. You are about to be bamboozled in the next Binge!
III. Binge 3
- If you want to rewatch Breaking Bad Seasons 1-4 (till episode 7), then do it. It will be a completely different experience now for sure!
- Now is the time you finally go past the cliffhanger in Season 4, Episode 7. The fact that newbies will already know the history of some of the important characters like Gus Fring, Tuco Salamanca, Mike Ehrmantraut, etc. before watching the later part of Season 4 will increase its impact even more!
- Finish the last 22 episodes of Breaking Bad, ending with Felina.
- If you want to take a hiatus in the middle, then the best time will be around Season 5, Episode 8. The final half of Breaking Bad is special (heard of Ozymandius?) and you will not want to rush through it!
- After finishing Breaking Bad, watch the final four episodes (Season 6, Episodes 10-13) of Better Call Saul. It will be a perfect ending to the puzzle.
Take a break! Let everything sink in and appreciate the stupendous ending
- Watch El Camino as the final epilogue, finishing off the entire franchise!
Sigh! That was humongous!
If you are a newbie and have a lot of time to spare, then following this order will give you the ultimate Breaking Bad experience! The intermissions and gaps are included so that the audience can enjoy every little nuance of the show over a greater period of time. The two shows are meant to be watched as a single piece and this watch order tries to do justice to that.
5. Which one should you follow?
If you don’t want any fuss and just want to watch the show as a newbie, then follow ‘If You Don’t Want any Fuss (like Jesse)’. It doesn’t have any back and forth whatsoever and is the most beginner-friendly of all the orders.
If you want to enjoy the franchise to the fullest and are willing to invest time, then follow ‘One Master Plan to Become the Ultimate Kingpin’. It involves a lot of back and forth but it is one of the most comprehensive watch orders that are out there! Every little detail has been kept in mind and we have also mentioned where to take breaks.
So, if you have the patience and a lot of time to spare, then the latter one is the one for you. Go for it!
6. Time Needed to Be the Master of Blue Meth
There are a total of 62 episodes in Breaking Bad with each episode being 48 minutes long. So, the total time required to finish it comes up to be a little more than 2 days.
Better Call Saul has 63 episodes of 50 minutes each. So, it will take you around 2 days and 5 hours to finish.
El Camino has a runtime of 2 hours and 2 minutes.
So, my calculator predicts that it will take a new player approximately 4 days and 9 hours to become the ‘Master of Blue Meth’.
7. Something extra, please?
For the Walter Whites out there whose passion for this franchise exceeds Heisenberg’s passion for blue meth, here are some extras that might quench your thirst!
The list contains some minisodes that were released alongside the canon series. These are 5-minute clips about various characters and scenes that are iconic to the franchise. All of them are available on YouTube.
8. Minisodes
I. Season 1
- “Good Cop, Bad Cop”
- “Wedding Day”
- “Twaüght Hammër”
- “Marie’s Confession”
- “The Break-In”
II. Season 2
- “Live Saul Cam”
- “Fernando”
- “Carl”
- “Wendy”
- “Badger”
- “Wayfarer 515”
- “Letters to Saul”
- “Tiger Trouble? Better Call Saul!”
- “Saul Says: “Sue ‘Em Now”“
- “Team S.C.I.E.N.C.E.”
III. Season 3
- “Fatty Fat Fat”
- “Fighting for You”
9. The Book
While watching the 105-hour-long movie, a companion book to fill the holes adds a cherry on top of an already mouth-watering cake. Breaking Bad: The Official Book by David Thomson does exactly that and more. With detailed insights about the characters and a lot of behind-the-scenes information, this book feels like a breath of fresh air for die-hard fans who want just a little bit more!
10. Where to Watch
Damn! No streaming services found :/
Damn! No streaming services found :/
11. About Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an American crime drama TV show filmed in Alburquerque Studios in New Mexico and produced by Sony Pictures Television.
Directed by Vince Gilligan, the show follows the life of an overqualified, underpaid, and depressed chemistry teacher who gets diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. The show follows the story of White as he pairs up with his former student Jesse Pinkman as they enter the world of crime.
The show went on to win several awards including 16 Primetime Emmy Awards, eight Satellite Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Peabody Awards, two Critics’ Choice Awards, and four Television Critics Association Awards.
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